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“I missed ye as well, little wisp,” Keir interrupted her.
Once again, Sarah’s eyes flew open, her heart reaching out and holding on to the promise of his words. She felt his arms close around her and then his right hand reached out, the tips of his fingers brushing along the small braid in her hair.
“Ye still wear them,” Keir remarked, his eyes drifting back to hers. “It gave me hope, for I thought ye did so because ye wanted people to know that ye belonged with me.”
Sarah felt her heart stumble in her chest. “Do I?” she asked boldly, then quickly added, “I mean, I know your braids are not only for me, but…”
Keir sighed. “Aye, life is difficult sometimes, but for me, nothing has changed.” The hand upon her back urged her closer as his other slipped to the back of her head, holding her tightly against him. “I still want more time with ye, lass. I still miss ye when ye leave the room.” He lowered his forehead to hers, his warm breath teasing her lips. “I missed ye so much these past few days.”
Again, Sarah’s heart did that odd little flip that threatened to pull out her legs from under her and send her soaring into the sky at the same time. “I missed you, too.”
And then Keir was suddenly kissing her, passion and longing fueling his embrace, and Sarah knew how deeply the distance between them had weighed upon him as well. He kissed her deeply, ardently, as he held her crushed against his chest, her feet almost lifting off the pebbled beach.
When Keir set her back down, they were both out of breath. “I know I asked ye this before, lass,” Keir said, still holding her close, his fingers upon her chin. “What do ye want out of life? What do ye dream of?”
Indeed, Keirhadasked her this question before, and Sarah could not answer it at that point. The truth had been that she had never thought any further than avoiding marriage to a horrible man. She had never had dreams of her own…
… until now.
“What is it that ye want, lass?”
Still, Sarah hesitated, her mother’s voice urging her to bow her head. ‘A lady ought never be so bold as to reveal her affections. A lady can only ever reciprocate.’
Keir grinned at her, and Sarah could tell that he once more guessed her thoughts. “This is not London,” he told her markedly. “If ye want something, ye need to make that clear.”
Sarah felt her mouth open and then close before her teeth sank into a lower lip, biting down hard.Why is it so hard to speak openly?
“Ye’ve always been brave, little wisp,” Keir reminded her gently. “Dunna cower now. What is it that ye want?”
Emboldened by his words, Sarah lifted her chin another fraction, and her eyes looked directly into his. “I want you,” she finally said after all this time, not even caring that a deep flush once more stole onto her cheeks.
The corner of Keir’s mouth twitched. “Why?” the scoundrel dared to ask.
“Because I love you,” Sarah replied without hesitating, without flinching, without averting her eyes. No, this time, she held his gaze and saw his expression change as her words sank in.
Keir’s eyes seemed to glow as he looked down at her, and suddenly Sarah realized that, despite his own confidence, Keir, too, had felt uncertain about their future.
About her.
“I love ye as well, little wisp,” he murmured, utter joy upon his face as he pulled her close once more and placed a kiss upon her lips.
In her mind, Sarah heard her mother scoff disparagingly. It made her realize that despite Keir’s declaration, Sarah could not quite believe him. After all, what was her mother’s voice than a manifestation of her own fears?
Tears streamed down Sarah’s face. “You cannot mean it,” she whispered, realizing that she would never rid herself of these doubts if she did not give them voice. “Men do not want women like me, not truly, not because—”
Rather forcefully, Keir grasped her chin. “Look at me, Sarah.” His gaze drilled into hers, daring her to doubt him. “Forget everything yer mother ever told ye, for no one’s opinion matters more than yer own.” He sighed, the pad of his thumb gently brushing across her chin. “Are ye not proud of what ye’ve accomplished lately? Saving not only yerself but also yer sister and yer nieces, taking a stand against Blackmore and Birchwell?”
Deep down, Sarah realized she was proud of herself. Never had she allowed herself to realize it, though, because it went against everything she had been raised to be.
According to theton, she had acted despicably.
According to her own judgment, though, she had been brave.
“Ye’re kind and strong and compassionate. Ye’re the most impressive woman I’ve ever met. Tell me, why on earth would I not want ye?”
Keir’s face blurred as more tears ran down Sarah’s cheeks. “Do you truly mean it? I thought perhaps that you were uncertain because of Kenna. Whenever I saw the two of you together, I…”
Keir shook his head. “I told ye I never cared for Kenna that way, and I meant it.” He exhaled slowly. “Perhaps I was a fool for not telling ye sooner, lass. I didna realize ye had such doubts.” He grasped her hands, holding them tightly within his own. “The truth is that I was overwhelmed by the way ye swept me off my feet. I never expected to find love so quickly or so completely. I admit, at first, I didna quite know what to do about it.” He chuckled rather self-consciously, and in that moment, Sarah’s heart fully opened to him, allowing him in, not holding anything back.
