Page 91 of Discovering Her Earl

“I don’t want this to end.” He responded as he had every night for weeks. But this would be the last time he would have the opportunity to say it.

“Neither do I.”

“I don’t want to marry some giggling debutante or stuffy miss.” He rested his forehead against hers. I want to marry you.

“You are going about it the wrong way. You see it as something you’re being forced to do by the man who terrorized you all of your youth.”

“Yes. That is exactly what it is.”

“But you need to see it as an opportunity to find someone to share your life with.”

He stepped back to look at her.

“Do you think I will find someone who will enjoy sharing tales of her travels around the world?”

“Well, probably not, as most women do not travel very far at all. Especially not proper young ladies.”

“And I’m to find someone who will accept my attacks of self-doubt and talk me through them rather than swoon and break into hysterics?”

“That would only make it worse, I’m sure.”

“As am I.” The truth was he would never find anyone like her. She was quite clearly her own person. One of a kind. “I wish…”

He wanted to say so many things after those two words.

He wished he’d had a better father, that this wasn’t his last adventure.

But most of all, he wished Elaina would pass his father’s ridiculous requirements for a proper countess so he could spend the rest of his life making her smile.

“I do too,” she said sadly, resting her hand over his on the rail. “I wish I was… suitable.”

He didn’t think he’d ever been angrier. And not with his father this time, but with himself. For somehow, he’d neglected to convince this woman he loved that she was perfect. To see her doubt herself… No. He wouldn’t have it.

“You are perfect, Elaina. You may not have been trained to be a countess from the day you left the womb, but you are better for it. You aren’t a simpering debutante who only wishes for a title, but someone who knows what life has to offer. Someone who follows her own path. I admire you. I…” I love you.

But he couldn’t say that. Not anymore. To do so would just make this so much more difficult. She knew the truth. But they could no longer speak the words. Their time was over. They were forced to move on.

He didn’t say anything because at that moment, the sun disappeared over the horizon.

“I guess that is the end.”

He shook his head. “No. We still have tonight.”

She nodded and offered a smile.

“Any suggestions on how we might make it one to remember?”

“I’m certainly going to do my best.”

*

Their nights together in Egypt had been filled with urgency. After spending the days with him, Lainey was always so eager to touch him. It seemed he was just as impatient to remove her clothes. But tonight was unlike those other times. In fact, it felt almost the opposite.

After months of hurrying, they now wished to savor each touch. Each kiss.

It felt like many nights had passed before she was laid out next to him, her clothes tossed with his on the floor in his quarters.

She watched as his gaze searched her face and she knew he was trying to memorize everything about this moment just as she was. Their time was running out.