Tears gleamed in her eyes.
Rafe continued, “I learned you are a woman of strength and resilience, unafraid and unwilling to take no for an answer.”
“But you said you resented th-that,” she said, brushing back a lone tear that found a winding path down her cheek.
“Ah,” Rafe lifted a finger, and then quickly turned the page. “ ‘She is a remarkable teacher, filling every moment of every day with some teaching. I’m a fool. That message was delivered and received many times.’ ”
She made a sound of protest.
“Uh-uh,” he wagged a finger. “Do not go lying to me now, princess.”
Another watery smile formed on her lips.
“You taught me what a fool I was and have been . . . about so much.” He let his arm fall to his side. “About so damned much,” he said hoarsely. “All of it, where you were concerned. I have been a fool, fighting you along the entire way, but I love you, Edwina Dalrymple.” Rafe continued over her gasp, “I love everything about you, from how you sing bawdy tavern songs to the way you make a flawless bed.”
A half laugh, half sob burst from her lips, and she pressed her hands to her face; that joyous sound left him buoyant inside. “I even love the way you slice a damned strawberry, Edwina.” He held the book out to Edwina, and she accepted it almost reverently, drawing it close to her chest. “You can take this and go, reading through all the ways in which I love you and appreciate you.” Tears stung his eyes. “However, I would dearly love it if you remain by my side and marry me so that I can spend the rest of my days showing you all the ways I love you, and—”
On a sob, Edwina threw herself against him, clutching the pink notebook in one hand, while the other she wrapped about his nape, and drew his mouth to hers for a kiss.
Edwina drew back. “Are you asking me to marry you, Rafe Audley?” she whispered.
Rafe touched his brow to hers. “I was going to before you went and kissed me, Miss Dalrymple.”
She smoothed her features, her face a study in mock solemnity. “My apologies. As you were, Mr. Audley.”
He caressed her satin-soft cheek with his palm, and she leaned into his touch. “Spend forever with me?” he asked, his voice hoarse from the hungering that came at the mere thought of that dream.
Edwina nodded, her tears falling once more. “Forever,” she vowed, and Rafe swept her into his arms, their laughter mingling.
Forever.
Acknowledgments
All the Duke’s Sins was a series I’d dreamed of telling . . . for years.
To my agent, Kim Witherspoon, who encouraged me to pursue the dream I’d always carried, of seeing Rafe and Edwina in print, and to my wonderful editors, Sarah Blumenstock and Cindy Hwang, for making it come true . . . I am so very grateful to each of you!
About the Author
Christi Caldwell is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sinful Brides series and the Heart of a Duke series. She blames novelist Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. When Christi was at the University of Connecticut, she began writing her own tales of love—ones where even the most perfect heroes and heroines had imperfections. She learned to enjoy torturing her couples before they earned their well-deserved happily ever after. Christi lives in Southern Connecticut, where she spends her time writing, and being a mommy to the most inspiring little boy and empathetic, spirited girls who, with their mischievous twin antics, offer an endless source of story ideas!
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Along Came a Lady Page 32