Page 76 of Scandal Queen

He laughed, his expression clearing. That lingering shadow of doubt erasing from his gaze. His fingers grasped my face, tilting me, so his lips could brush over mine. “My wife.”

“My Ollie.”

His lips skimmed mine, his tongue teasing a path of shivering delight until he pulled away. “The only thing I want to be. Until the day I die, I want to be your Ollie, before anything else.”

Letting go of his gentle grasp on my face, he caught my hands and pulled me into the chapel. I don’t know what I expected. Something grand and elaborate.

So when I saw the plain pews, the bare walls decorated only with faded murals, a simple altar stood at the front of the chilly room, my breath whooshed out in one long gasp.

He turned, smiling wide and beautiful. His happiness in the moment made my heart soar. I watched as he went to a ceramic pot stood on the altar. “I left this here. Actually, it’s been in here for a while.”

Oh, sweet Jesus.

Picking up the pot he took off the lid and tipped the contents out into his palm.

With burning eyes, he turned back for me and then knelt at my feet.

My mind skittered to Daisy, Nana, all the people I loved. Janine, Molly. My friends at work. All the people who’d taken me up to this moment.

Then I let them go.

I let them go and I focused on him. Because this was it. Another royal engagement couldn’t fail.

I wouldn’t let it.

I wouldn’t let us fail.

Not for the King. Not for the people. Not for expectation and pomp and circumstance, but for him. Because this beautiful man deserved everything and he wanted me to be the one who would give it to him.

I was everything to him.

That mind-blowing fact brought me to my knees.

Knee to knee. Face to face. He delicately held a gold band between his index finger and thumb. Four brilliant diamonds shimmered in the dark light of the chapel. Our breaths caught between us in the cool air, blooming with mist. I shivered, but it had nothing to do with the temperature.

“One for you.” He pointed at one of the diamonds.

“One for me.” He pointed to the next along.

“One for Daisy.” His eyes met mine.

“And one for what comes next.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I wiped at them before he took my hand and slipped the ring onto my left hand. There’d be no missing that. Everyone would see. From space there would be Martians wondering what that blinging light was.

I met his gaze, bright with unshed tears.

“Thank you for saving my life, Leia Lawrence.”

I grinned, a stupid giggle building in my throat. “It’s the very least I could do, Your Highness.”

Eighteen

We stood outside the doors to the state banquet room and his fingers held mine so tightly I didn’t think he’d be able to do his princely diplomatic handshake. Just as the door whooshed open, he leant in close to my ear. “I have to officially ask the King for permission to get married.”

I glanced at him, my eyes wide. “Not here, please.”

The doors were open, the chatter of polite conversation lifting from within the room. “God, no.” His lips lifted into a curve. “I shall look forward to that conversation tomorrow over breakfast.” My face scrunched. Breakfast was our family meal at the cottage; in fact, most meals were family based at the cottage. Just the three of us, maybe Nana if she was there.