Page 82 of Reforming the Rakish Marquess

When he didn’t answer right away, she spoke again. “Did you believe I would fall out of love with you because you now have Rose?”

“No, Juliana,” he said, running his hand down his face. “I knew you wouldn’t. You are so kind and good, and wonderful. I believed you would welcome and love her.”

At that, she took a step away from him, and he struggled to fill his lungs with air.

“I don’t understand.” She paused and then stepped back again. “Unless you don’t love me in return.”

He finally raised his head and caught her gaze. There was no way he could let her believe he didn’t love and treasure her beyond measure. “I ended things because I love you. Don’t you see? Do you think I wanted to walk away from you? I care far more for your happiness and well-being than my own.”

“That makes very little sense. I love you. You love me. We both adore Rose. I truly do adore her already, Jude. And I bear no judgment about how she came to be in our lives. You were pretending to be a different man then.”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “Don’t you understand the gravity of this situation?” he said, far louder than he should have.

She gasped and put more distance between them.

“Please forgive me,” he said, lowering his voice. “What I mean to say is that the rest of society will not be as accepting as you. I can’t ask you to face this scandal with me. I won’t,” he ground out. “Now, I think you should leave.” He patted the ring he carried with him everywhere he went. It was his reminder of what he lost and the symbol he used to keep her close to him. He was doing the right thing in sending her away, even if every piece of his heart and soul begged him to do otherwise.

“I will do no such thing. You should know I don’t give a fig what society thinks. I love you.”

He closed his eyes, willing the tears to subside so she wouldn’t see how much he wished for her to stay, when he knew that she must leave.

“You must, Juliana,” he pleaded. “For your own sake. I may never be seen in society again, and I can’t ask you to make such a sacrifice for me. But I refuse to send Rose away or pretend she doesn’t exist. I will be the father to her I never had, and she will grow up knowing she is loved and protected.”

She closed the distance between them, and he couldn’t pull away from her. He shivered when she cupped his right cheek. A single tear fell from his eye and she caught it with the tip of her thumb.

“Don’t you see? That is why I love you. You are a good man, and so very kind. I choose you over society, without question.”

All of the walls he had put up around any chance of a future together were crumbling away. He would choose her over society without question, too. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that had the scandal of her previous marriage come to light, he would have married her without question, society be damned.

Before any doubts about the unknown of their future could change his mind, he swept her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. She leaned into him and clasped the collar of his coat. Holding her closer to him, he deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her bottom lip, encouraging her to open to him. When she did so, he massaged her tongue with his, tasting her with all of the need that had built up within him over the days he lived without her. He continued to kiss her, drinking up every bit of her as if he was dying of thirst and her kiss was the water he needed to survive.

After several long moments, he broke their kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. Both of their chests heaving, attempting to catch their breath. He entwined each of his hands with hers.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too.”

He pulled back from her and fixed his gaze on hers. “Are you certain about this? I wouldn’t blame you if you walk out that door right now to avoid the unknown of what will occur once the ton learns about Rose.” Before today, he had resolved himself to live a life without her, but now that he had her in his arms again, he needed to hear her say that she would stand by him.

“My place is by your side, protecting our daughter,” she said. “We will deal with whatever comes together.”

His eyes misted, and he retrieved the ring from his pocket. Dropping to one knee, he looked up at her. Each of them had tears on their cheeks, but they smiled lovingly at each other.

“My love, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” he asked, his voice cracking as he spoke.

She knelt to the floor with him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I want nothing more than to be your wife,” she whispered before brushing her lips against his for a soft kiss. “Please tell me we don’t have to wait long to marry.”

Rising, he pulled her to stand in front of him before he picked her up. “We’ll discuss it from our bed.”

She giggled, and he quickly carried her upstairs and to his chamber. Their chamber. If he could help it, he would never sleep apart from her again.

He set her on her feet and began working the buttons on the back of her dress. Kissing the back of her neck, he asked, “Did you wish to wait until we were married?”

“If you don’t hurry with those buttons, I am ripping this dress from my body,” she replied, leaning her head back on his shoulder.

Laughing, he hurried with the rest of her buttons and lifted the dress over her head before tossing it to the side. He unlaced her stays, cursing to himself as he hurried to remove them.

She turned to face him, and he shifted himself out of his coat. “Remove your chemise,” he said, his voice low and gravely as he unfastened the buttons on his shirt.