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“What is…”
Dane popped up from behind the couch. “Juliet,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
Somehow, that was a cue and all her sisters and Charlie jumped up, surrounding her and leading her to the center of the room. Ophelia moved, allowing Dane into the center of the circle. Distantly, she realized that Lord Craven, Lord Crestwood, His Grace, and her father made a second ring around the women.
She could barely breathe as Dane dropped down to a single knee.
“Dane,” she cried, pulling on his hand. “What are you doing?”
He held steady, his large hand enclosing both hers. “If romance is what my lady wants, then that is what I shall give her.”
She tried to answer but her voice wouldn’t work as she looked about the smiling faces of her family. “I…”
“Oh this is so exciting.” Cordelia clapped, grinning in a way she rarely saw from her serious sister.
Adrianna reached over and hugged her sister and their circle tightened.
Dane gave her fingers a squeeze and she looked down at him again. His brown eyes stared up at hers, his face soft his gaze full of…love. He shifted and that’s when she realized he held a small box in his hand.
She started to tremble.
He tightened his grip. “Juliet Moorish…”
His voice slid over her skin like a balm. “Yes,” she breathed her eyes glassing over with a mist of tears. She dashed at them with her free hand.
He flipped her palm over and set the box down, his hand under hers to support its light weight. Then, with his other hand, he cracked open the lid.
A large emerald, in fact it was the largest she’d ever seen, lay nestled in silk folds. She gasped but the sound was drowned out by the shouts and cheers of several other women.
Finally, her father called over the din. “Hush girls.”
Her sisters went silent as she blinked back the tears threatening to completely spill over. If she could make her voice work, she’d tell them that she loved their noise, their cheers, their cries. How had Dane understood that this meant more to her than a quiet proposal with just the two of them?
Because…he understood her. She might be loud and meddlesome, but her family was the most important thing to her. Nothing else mattered...except she’d added Dane into her circle.
“Juliet,” he said again. “I told you that you sparkle more than any gem I’ve ever seen.”
She couldn’t hold it in anymore and a small sob broke from her lips. “Dane.” Her voice cracked on his name.
He reached for the ring and gently pulled the gold band from the box. Holding it between two fingers he held it up. “I never want to be without your light. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She tried to answer. Her breath came out in short gasps. “I…” She started again. Never in her entire life had she been rendered speechless. Unable to stand any longer, she dropped to her knees as well.
* * *
Dane stared deep into her emerald eyes a
s she looked back, her gaze almost pained. Was she happy or not? Had he made a terrible mistake proposing tonight? Was her offer to give him time really for herself? Was she not ready?
Her eyes fluttered closed and then she leaned in, her forehead resting against his and he remembered to breathe again.
“Yes.”
Her voice was so soft he almost didn’t hear her. “Yes?” He let go of her hand finally to wrap it around her back. “Yes?”
“Yes.” she said louder, her hand resting on his neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
A cheer rose up from the group as he captured her lips in front of all her family even as she slipped the ring onto her finger.
