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She didn’t want to disappoint him so just agreed and hugged him back. She was getting good at hugs now, especially around this affectionate bunch. She grabbed Justine who was dancingwith one of her brothers and hugged her goodbye too and then she was leaving.
She trudged back to the shelter, watching the stars and trying not to let the sadness consume her and dampen the wonderful day that she’d had, watching two people unite with love. Instead she thought about the time that Will walked her home, when she felt the first stirrings ofsomethingbetween them.
Finally the shelter came back into view and the moonlight lit the way for her. When she got closer to the home, she spotted someone on her porch looking through the telescope and her heart leapt in her chest. A small whimper escaped her at seeing him.
He hadn’t left, he’d come home.
She hurried up the porch and stopped in front of him panting.
He casually pulled back from the telescope and hit her with his cool stare. “You know I was wrong to compare you to Rho Cassiopeia. Watching you tonight, you shine far brighter.”
She ran her gaze over him, snagging on the fact that he was wearing the constellation suspenders that she’d bought him. “Every night I check the stars, making sure they’re still there and didn’t implode and disappear. Like you.”
He flinched at her words and although she was eager for reconciliation, she was hurt too, and she vowed a long time ago to stop smothering who she was for fear of someone’s reaction.
He stood up. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to disappear but it was too hard to talk to you, to see you, when I was so overwhelmingly in love with you.”
She gasped softly and took a step towards him.
“I know you don’t want to get married but when I asked you to marry me, I didn’t articulate myself very well. I wanted to marry you because I love you. Not because I was asking for power over you or to look after you but because I was asking for partnership, love, affection, passion. I’m finally choosing what I want, whatI should have chosen a long time ago. I want to build a life together, just the two of us, because I’ve never found someone I wanted to do that with before.”
She shook her head. “Will-”
He stepped towards her, crowding her with his big body and scent that had her wanting to curl up against him and purr like a damn kitten. “Don’t you see that it’s you who has power over me? That it has been since the moment I met you? Hell, how many times did you ignore me? Try and send me away? I amweakfor you, always have been. Always will be. I have no plans to change that for the rest of my life.” He took her hands in his, the rough callouses scraping her skin so wonderfully. “You’re it, Rebelle, I knew the second I saw you. You’re the love of my life and I’m not just saying that. I’ve lived nearly half of it so I should know by now. If I could prise my soul from my body and hand it to you to keep forever, I would. Just to show you how much you mean to me. How much I need you. How much I want you.” He pressed their foreheads together, their breath mingling. “Tell me I’m not out here alone in this?”
She pulled away, shivering from the cool air. “I told you I didn’t need you. Yet you forced your way into my life, no matter my efforts to discourage you. I tried so hard to get it through to you that I didn’t want you here.” He hung his head, nodding in agreement.
“But you didn’t listen. And every day I’m so thankful that you didn’t.” His head snapped back up and a slow grin unfurled across his lips.
“You were so damned annoying I wanted to kill you, then kiss you, then kill you then kiss you again. I was wrong, I do need you, in all the ways you can need a person. I need you to smile that gorgeous award-winning smile at me, I need you to be proud of me when something goes right. I need you to talk to me, to share your thoughts with me and your life with me.”
He released her hands and cupped her jaw as she continued.
“You bulldozed me, tore down my defenses, which were so high I thought they would never come down. But you did it. I don’t even know how but you did. With your smiles, your stars, your care for the animals and me. You made me believe in the good of others, in kindness again and love. Dammit, you made me love you!” she shouted like she was mad, and he burst out laughing.
“It’s not funny, William,” she murmured darkly, and his eyes flashed at her, a moan slipping from his lips and his arms came around her.
“Say that again,” he whispered to her, under the stars.
“William.”
He backed her against the door and cupped her jaw, tilting it up so her eyes locked with his. Then he smiled as he licked the seam of her lips and her knees turned weak.
“Let me in, Belle.”
She slanted her lips across his, taking control of the kiss and prised his mouth apart, swirling their tongues together, pouring out all her love for him. They kissed until they were out of breath and she pulled away, fumbling with her key to unlock the door to the home.
She finally managed it as he trailed kisses down her neck, focusing on the sensitive spot behind her ear that had her eyes rolling back in her head. She finally got the door open and rushed inside tugging him with her. There was a loud sound, like a rumble of thunder, followed by a sharp bark and then a crash.
“Oh my God!” she shouted and ran to flick the light on then turned, doubling over with laughter when she saw Bryan had tackled Will and was smothering him with licks. Will tried to fight him off but he had clearly missed the big oaf.
“Bryan, stand down,” she choked out through her laughter. When Will was free she helped him up and he repaid her bylifting her over his shoulder and heading into the bedroom where he dropped her gently onto the bed.
A loud wail had them tearing apart and then Parfait was leaping at Will, trying to climb into his arms.
Will turned to Rebelle with wide eyes. “Oh my God,youadopted her?”
She shrugged. “I kept her for you, I was hoping you would come back, and I couldn’t let her go. Bryan was meant for me, and Parfait was clearly meant for you.”
