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And he did. He told her about his father and how his actions had made Dare grow jaded and cynical. How he’d grown up prepared to take risks with everything other than his heart. ‘With you, I couldn’t seem to stop myself. Every time I tried to back off you were there, inside my head. Inside my heart.’
Carly stared at him. She wanted to believe him. She was desperate to believe him but something still held her back. ‘What happens when another Beckett comes along? When—?’
Dare reached for her again. ‘There won’t be another Beckett because this time I’m giving all of myself to you just as you gave all of yourself to me the other night. Tell me it’s not too late. Tell me you’ll give me another chance.’
Carly looked up at him. ‘But I didn’t give all of myself to you,’ she murmured, looking up at him. Because even though she’d thought she had, she hadn’t taken the ultimate step. She hadn’t told him she loved him.
‘The truth is that I thought I was in love with Daniel and he used to accuse me of sleeping with other men and it was horrible.’
Dare frowned. ‘You told me he had been the one to cheat.’
‘He was. He did, but then he’d belittle me and I felt stupid and—’
‘And I came along and did the same thing.’ His arms tightened around her waist. ‘I’m sorry, Carly, please forgive me. I’ve been a bigger fool than I first thought. That was what was on some of my other messages.’ He looked down at her imploringly. ‘A fool who was so afraid of getting hurt it was easier to let you walk away. It won’t happen again.’
‘I was afraid too,’ she admitted. ‘Afraid of making another mistake but I could have stayed. I could have made you listen.’
Dare shook his head. ‘That wouldn’t have worked because all I wanted was the facts.’
‘And now?’
‘And now I know that facts are well and good but they don’t tell the whole story.’ He leaned down and kissed her softly. ‘Now I know I should have listened to what was inside my heart, not my head.’
‘Oh Dare, I’m guilty of the same thing. After Liv died I felt so frozen inside by my sense of guilt and loss, at the fact that I was alive when she wasn’t...even now I wish she could experience what I have right now. With you.’
‘She’ll always be in your heart, Red. And if you want we’ll open a hospital wing in her name.’
‘For kids?’
‘For the whole world if you’ll agree to be my wife.’
‘Your wife?’
‘What did you think this was? A one-night stand proposition?’
‘No, I just... I thought you didn’t want a long-term relationship.’
‘I didn’t. I didn’t believe I needed love. Then you came along.’
Carly’s smile was watery. ‘You know, I love you so much I just want to shout it from the rooftops.’
Dare ran his hands over her arms, then cupped her face. ‘Why don’t you just tell me?’
‘How many times?’ Carly teased.
His grin was slow, but it showed that dimple she loved so much. He tugged her closer. ‘Until I’m satisfied.’
‘That could take a really long time.’
‘It’s going to take for ever, Red. For ever in my arms.’
‘Yes,’ Carly said, linking her arms around his neck. ‘For ever sounds perfect.’
EPILOGUE
THEY WERE MARRIED the following month at Rothmeyer House, with Carly’s parents and Dare’s mother in attendance, along with the Baron and Gregory. Gregory got the best-man position, although Carly had already warned him that if he ran off she would not be chasing after him this time.
Mrs Carlisle cooked up a feast with tofu well and truly disguised in the mix, and Roberts was their celebrant.
Fortunately the summer days had continued into an Indian summer and the breeze was light with the perfume of late-summer blooms.
Benson’s medical results had been the best anyone could have asked for and all of them hoped for many more years to make up for those that had been lost.
As for Beckett, he had apologised to both Carly and his grandfather but had yet to speak to Dare. A man had a point of pride, apparently, and fronting up to Dare and admitting he was a jerk was his.
