* * *
• • •
Well, that was great,” I said, cuddling into Roane’s side as we strolled through the grounds back toward the parking lot. “Thank you for bringing me.”
Roane raised our clasped hands and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. “Anytime, angel.”
We were staring into each other’s eyes, probably looking like two people who were sickeningly in love, when someone called out Roane’s name.
He stiffened, his step faltering before he continued on.
“Someone’s shouting for you,” I said when Roane’s name bounced down the gardens toward us.
Roane drew to a stop and turned toward the voice. I followed his gaze and saw a tall middle-aged man in the estate’s garden uniform hurrying toward us. He was grinning at Roane as he brushed soil from his hands.
“I thought that was you,” the man said, drawing to a halt.
The man seemed friendly and happy to see Roane, but Roane maintained a distant, polite expression on his face.
“Fred.” Roane gave him a tight smile. “How are you?”
“Good, good.” Fred grinned at me. “I’d shake your hand but—” He wiggled his dirty fingers.
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m Evie.”
“You must be the girlfriend we’ve been hearing about. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
“We’re in a hurry, Fred,” Roane said, tugging on my hand. “I’m supposed to pick Shadow up in ten minutes.”
The man’s ruddy face fell. “Ah, of course. Sure, sure. Bring Evie to the Lion’s Head one evening so we can get to know her.”
“Will do.” Roane nodded, and before I could say goodbye, I was pulled along with Roane, whose long strides were hard to keep up with.
Tension radiated from him as he frog-marched us to the SUV.
“What is going on?” I finally asked, feeling a little out of breath as we rounded the Defender.
“Nothing. I just . . .” He winced. “Fred would have had us chatting for hours, and we only get today to ourselves.”
Not sure I was buying that excuse, I got into the passenger seat and opened my mouth to tell him so, but my cell cut me off. Digging through my purse, I pulled it out and saw it was an international number. Penny. I showed it to Roane before I answered.
“Evie.” Penny’s familiar voice made me smile.
“Hey. How are you? How’s Australia? I’m with Roane, FYI.”
“Oh, then put me on speaker.”
I did as she asked and waited as she and Roane exchanged pleasantries. As Roane pulled out of the parking lot, Penny dropped her news.
“I’m staying in Melbourne. I’m happy here.”
Overjoyed for her, I told her so.
“We’ll miss you,” Roane added.
“I’ll miss you all too. But I think I needed to be here. To move on, finally. It means, however, that I’m selling the store. You’re still good to run it for the next four weeks, Evie, but there will be an estate agent coming in to value the store and the flat, so I’ll need you to give them access.”
I swallowed hard, bitter disappointment filling me as I realized the store would no longer be mine. Neither would the great apartment above it. “Right.”
“I’m going to send you an email with the details, who my estate agent is, etc. Okay?”
“Okay.” I cleared my throat. “Thanks, Penny.”
“No, thank you, pet. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
When I hung up, a thick tension fell between Roane and me. We still had not discussed the future—and the inevitability of me having to make a choice hung above us like a cloud that blocked out everything else.
Would it turn black and drench us in rain?
Or would it separate to reveal blue skies?
Although I was ninety-eight percent sure I wanted to stay, I didn’t know how it was possible. No matter what my decision, I would probably have to go back to the States while I applied for jobs here so I could get an extended work permit.
I was still waiting for the go-ahead from Roane. But he hadn’t spoken up. He hadn’t asked me to stay.
Once we pulled up to the store, it was only as we got out of the SUV that I realized Roane hadn’t gone to collect Shadow from Caro. I would have asked him why, but for the first time since we’d met, Roane had a wall up. His expression was guarded as I let us into the store, and the dark mood rolling off him was so uncharacteristic I didn’t know what to say.
I climbed the stairs to the apartment, feeling a burn of panic clog my throat. In an attempt to work off my jitters, I strode into the room and abruptly stopped by the dining table.
In four weeks, this apartment wouldn’t be mine anymore.
Would Roane?
I heard his footsteps behind me seconds before he wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me into his body, my back to his front. My breath hitched as his hand coasted up my stomach to cup my breast and he squeezed it, a deep groan rumbling up from his chest. I could feel his arousal digging into my back as he tugged on my hair with his free hand, arching my neck. As he kneaded my breast, he pressed hot, burning kisses down my throat.
“Roane,” I whimpered, reaching for him.
His strong hands pressed down on my upper back until I bowed over the dining table, and he nudged my legs open with his feet.
Arousal flushed through me, and I shivered, pressing my hands to the table for support.
No words passed between us. The only sound was that of our heavy breathing and the unzipping of my shorts and his jeans.
I shuddered when he peeled my underwear down my legs and caressed my cheeks.
Then I was lost as Roane touched me, readying me for him, my moans growing louder as he built me toward climax. Just as everything inside me tightened to near breaking point, he stopped, I heard the sound of foil crinkling, and then seconds later he gripped my hips and pushed inside me.
Sensation overwhelmed me as he powered in and out of me and I rocked back and forth, chasing his hard thrusts. The coil of tension snapped inside me, and as I came around him, his fingers bit into my skin as he pumped faster and harder, racing after his own release.
It was quick and hot.
But it was also different . . .
It had a desperate edge that hadn’t been between us before.
His lips were hot on my neck as he bowed over me, his hands coasting soothingly up my sides. His chest rose and fell against my back as his labored breathing eased. I felt his lips on my nape, a tender, sweet touch before he straightened and pulled out of me.
Roane’s continued silence worried me, and I didn’t look at him as I pushed up off the table to fix myself. However, as I bent to reach for the underwear around my ankles, Roane took hold of my arm to stop me. Finally, I met his gaze, and a renewed flush of desire floored me at the heat in his.
“Don’t bother putting it back on,” he said, voice thick with want.
A new shiver trembled through me as I followed him into my bedroom, where he undressed me to make love to me.
Slow, languorous, thorough lovemaking that seared me to the very soul, and as we lay panting, staring at the ceiling, skin damp with sweat and our legs entwined, I knew that was what Roane intended. He wanted to dig himself so deep inside me, there was no way I could let him go. I knew it, because he’d succeeded.
Now I just needed him to say those three. Little. Words.
Twenty-Three
The next morning when I woke up, Roane was gone. At some point the previous evening he’d texted Caro to ask if she could look after Shadow all night. We’d barely left the bedroom, and I’d fallen asleep, completely exhausted.
Seriously, the man had way too much stamina.
Okay, that sounded like a complaint.
I wasn’t complaining.
I’d be insane to complain about that.
What freaked me out was our lack of discussion about his sudden mood change and the fact that I’d woken up alone. For once I had no clue what was going on in Roane’s head, and I didn’t like it. The man was usually an open book, which I’d found was a rare quality in a guy.
The slight freak-out progressed into full-blown panic as the day wore on with no word from Roane. Around dinnertime I finally texted him to ask him how he was and if we were meeting at The Anchor.
He didn’t reply.
Pissed, heart heavy, I decided I wasn’t going to sit around in the apartment all evening waiting for him to decide to call. Instead I threw on my best jeans and a shirt that did amazing things for my cleavage and strolled up to the pub. As it was the first week of August and the beginning of a holiday week, I’d expected the pub to be busy with diners finishing their meals.
However, it was a fairly quiet night, and I recognized all of the faces sitting at the bar. To my delight, I found Caro at a table by the fire, and moved toward her after I greeted Milly.
Caro had her head bent toward her open laptop.
“Hey, you.”
Her head snapped up and she broke into a wide smile. “Evie, just the person I wanted to see. I’m trying to design my website and I want your opinion.”
“Design your own website,” I said, impressed. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
She blushed. “I’m afraid I’m unable to flirt in any language including English.”
Chuckling, I squeezed her shoulder. “That’s something we can fix.”
“Ugh, perhaps one day. For now will you look at this and tell me what you think?”
“Sure, just let me grab a drink. Do you want anything?”
“A Coke, please.”
I wandered over to the bar, glad to have something to distract me from the horrible butterflies that had taken up residence in my belly. Still, once Milly served me and I sat down at the table beside Caro, the first thing out of my mouth was “Have you heard from your cousin today?”
Caro blinked distractedly at her laptop. “Oh, he collected Shadow at the arse crack of dawn this morning, but I haven’t seen him since. Why?”
“No reason.” I shrugged, realizing I didn’t want anyone to know Roane was making me feel insecure. It felt stupid to be feeling that way. Not even a whole day of lack of communication had passed. He wasn’t under any obligation to stay in touch with me every second of every day.
It was just unusual for him not to want to.
Attempting not to scowl ferociously in a public display of my feelings, I leaned into Caro. “Show me the website.”
Thankfully, I got so engrossed watching her play around with the design for her site, I would have forgotten about Roane entirely if it weren’t for those butterflies reminding me of him. Even so, she must have successfully distracted me enough because it took Shadow sticking his face right into mine for me to realize he and Roane had entered the pub.
“Shadow.” I smiled, my heart lightening to see him. I scratched behind his ears as I looked across the table to find Roane standing before us. “Hey.”
His expression was almost as intense as it was last night. If we hadn’t been in public, I would have demanded to know what was going on with him.
As if he saw the frustration on my face, Roane’s eyes flashed, and he rounded the table to me. “Caro, take Shadow,” he said without tearing his eyes from mine.
Okay, he was acting so strangely.
Caro did as he asked without a word, taking hold of Shadow by the collar and guiding him around me to her side.
“Roane . . .”
Then quite abruptly Roane Robson lowered to his knee in front of me and it felt like my heart jumped out of my chest and into my throat. I could feel the pulse there throbbing so hard.
That fluttering turned to pounding as he held up the black velvet ring box between us.
A gasp sounded behind me, followed by another, until the loud mingled chatter of the customers lowered to a murmur and then to silence.
He waited, staring into my astonished face, with a flush on his cheeks and a curl at the corners of his lips.
Then . . .
“Evangeline Starling”—Roane’s deep voice seemed to fill the whole place—“people will always say this is too soon. That we would be mad to do this. But from the moment you saved my dog, I have been yours. Days that were filled with only work and friendship have become days filled only with hours that I count until I can see you again.”
Oh my God. Tears filled my eyes.
“I know, the way the trees know they’re rooted to the ground, that I’m rooted to you. That no matter your answer here this evening, I am yours until I’m nothing but dust in the wind. Maybe even then.” His eyes burned with all the love I couldn’t believe was for me, and he snapped open the box to reveal a stunning teardrop diamond engagement ring. The white gold band glittered with tiny inset diamonds, and the teardrop itself was significant.
It was beautiful.
And he wanted me to have it.
My vision blurred as I looked up from the ring to stare into Roane’s face. A face I loved more than any other.
Marrying him would mean leaving my life in Chicago behind for good, but hadn’t I already decided I was going to do that as soon as Roane admitted he loved me? But marriage? Marriage was permanent.
“I’m yours, Evie,” he said softly. “Forget time, forget everyone else and what they think. What do you want? Because I want you to be mine, as I am yours. Will you marry me?”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want forever with Roane. I did. I’d known that from that first day we made love, maybe even before then. Yet I had to know for certain whether I could leave Greer, Phil, and Mom behind.
They are important to me, but they have their own lives. It’s time for me to start mine.
With that last thought ringing in my head, I laughed in disbelief and joy and he blinked as if he didn’t quite know what to make of my reaction. Afraid he’d take it the wrong way, I launched myself into his arms, peppering his face with kisses. “I’ve been yours from day one,” I promised him, leaning back to meet his gaze, his beard tickling my palms as I held him. “Roane, I’m yours. I always will be.”
He heaved out a shaky exhalation, his smile slow and relieved. “That’s a yes then?”
I gave him a huge grin, so huge my cheeks hurt. Everything inside me felt too much, like I might just burst apart from all the feelings that were too big for one person to contain. “That’s the biggest yes of my life.”
Roane kissed me, hard, no finesse, kissing my cheeks and chin and nose and making me laugh as hollers and shouts of celebration sounded all around us.
I giggled as he finally let me up for air to put the ring on my finger.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered against his lips. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” he murmured, kissing me again.
“That’s enough. Let her up.” Milly’s voice cut through. “Let us congratulate you.”
Roane’s expression fell for some reason, and I swore I saw anxiety flicker in his eyes as he whispered hurriedly, “Evie, there’s something we need to talk about.”
A muffled, animalistic roar made me jolt in surprise, and as one the entire pub looked up at the ceiling.
“Dad!” We heard Viola’s muted shriek.
My gaze shot to Milly, who paled and started walking away from us toward the bar.
Feet pounding down the stairs halted her, and Roane and I slowly stood as Viola’s shouts were overwhelmed by Dex’s angry yelling.
Soon enough we knew why, as Lucas appeared out of the staff only door still pulling on his shirt. His back was turned toward us, and his hands were held up in defense as Dex followed him out.
&
nbsp; Holding a shotgun.
“Where did he get that?” I squeaked.
“It’ll be Milly’s father’s.” Roane’s voice was tight as he gently pressed me back. “Stay here.” He didn’t, however, stay. He cautiously started walking toward Milly, who was frozen in place with shock.
As was every single patron there.
“Dad!” Viola crashed into the room, her clothes askew, her face flushed, and her hair rumpled.
Oh dear.
Things were becoming clear.
“Vi, get out of here,” Lucas demanded.
“Don’t you talk to her.” Dex waved the gun. “Don’t you even look at her. I see you here again and I will fucking kill you.”
Dex was a pretty laid-back guy. I’d never seen him pissed, let alone enraged.
“Dad, no!” Viola forced herself between them, struggling against Lucas, who was determinedly trying to get her out of the way.
“Will you lower the fucking gun off her!” Lucas yelled at Dex as Viola stubbornly fought to remain between them.
“You leave and I won’t have to bother with the gun.”
“Dex,” Milly called out quietly. “Dex, put away the gun.”
“Not until he promises to never see Viola again,” Dex demanded, eyes narrowed on Lucas.
Viola’s eyes flashed with fury. “I expected this of his dad, not mine!”
Dex faltered. “Vi—”
“I love him! If he goes, I go!” She turned to him, all tortured young love, and if I weren’t already swooning over Roane’s proposal, I would have swooned over this scene. “I love you, Lucas.”
He stared down at her with such adoration, I melted. “I love you too, Vi.”
I wanted to clap, but taking a gander at the other occupants of the room, I’d say celebrating was a little premature. I seemed to be the only one happy with this revelation. Everyone else looked stunned. Some even a little disapproving.
Milly was one of the astounded observers.
As was Dex, who lowered the shotgun reluctantly.
Roane did clap his hands but only to get everyone’s attention. “The Anchor is closing early. Everyone pay up and get out.”
Much Ado About You Page 25