Page 33 of The Blacksmith's Borrowed Bride
He couldn’t explain how it had felt reading his mother’s words, how he’d laughed, actuallylaughed.How could she have known that someone had made an offer for his old shop in Wilmslow only the day before? Suddenly his future opened up before him, wide and bright and happy.
Fate had smiled upon him.
“You’ve bought this place?” Adelaide pushed away from the counter and ran to him, grabbing his hands. “You’re movinghere?”
“Yes.” He grinned as she grabbed his shoulders and tugged him down before pressing kisses over his lips and cheeks.
The kisses turned heated, her tongue tangling with his, but he wasn’t ready yet. There was one important question he had to ask.
Will took her by the waist and lifted her onto the counter; she responded by shifting on her hips and tugging up her skirt, revealing the soft white skin of her plump thighs. They’d scarcely had a moment alone together since he returned for the wedding, and his cock throbbed at the sight of her.
His goddess, his queen.
Hopefully, soon, his bride.
“I was wondering,” he said, dragging his thumbs over the bare flesh above her wool stockings, “now that the Property Act has become law, what will you do with your time?”
She released a rueful laugh. “Iwon’tbe thinking about marriage, that’s certain. Between planning John’s ceremony and all the discussion around marital property, I’m looking forward to thinking of something else.”
He made a show of furrowing his brow. “Notmarriage? Funny, it’s all I’ve been thinking about for several months now. Six months, to be precise.”
She pulled in a sharp breath and scowled, and his stomach dropped. Not the reaction he’d been hoping for.
“You.Lout.” She swatted his arm, but a smile pulled at her lips. “I thought you’d forgotten!”
“You said to wait—”
“Six months!” She poked her finger to his chest, and he caught it, kissed the tip. “Six months was last week!”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want to steal the attention from my mother.”
“No excuses!”
He heaved a dramatic sigh and took both of her hands in his. “Adelaide Kimball, will you—”
“Yes!”She threw herself at him, pressing her lips to his and knocking off his hat in the process.
Will laughed and tugged her close. He never planned to let her go. “You didn’t let me ask the question!”
“I’m impatient.” She grinned, kissed him again. He hoped she’d never stop. “You can ask me now, but I’ve already answered.”
He dropped to one knee and looked up to see his entire future standing before him. “Will you bemybride?”
