Lexi’s eyes widened. Her whole body was starting to shake. ‘Iain?’
He knelt down on one knee in front of her, pulling a pale blue box from his scrubs pocket. ‘I’ve been an idiot. I’ve had the most wonderful, bravest woman that I know right in front of me for the last six weeks. And it’s about time I shouted to the world how proud I am of her. Lexi Robbins, will you do me the honour of being my wife?’ He shifted on his knees as he held the box out towards her. ‘In sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer?’
He flipped open the box. A beautiful high-set single heart-shaped diamond.
She was shaking as he gave her a smile, a wink and continued. He nodded to the dog-eared photo sitting on the desk. ‘I promise to love you even if you don’t use frizz-prevention products on your hair.’
She drew in a mock sharp breath as her face broke into a smile at his cheeky comment.
‘I promise to love you when you tell kids scary stories at the Tower of London.’ He pulled the ring from the box and started to slide it onto her finger. ‘I promise to love you when you get soaked in the rain and your running mascara makes your face like a panda’s. And I promise to love you and tell you how gorgeous you are every time you get a little sad.’
Her heart was going to burst. Iain did things in his style—and that’s what she loved most about him.
She stared at the beautiful ring on her finger. She couldn’t have picked anything more perfect herself.
He winked at her again. ‘You could take your mother’s eye out with that.’
‘I certainly could.’ She stood up, reaching for his hand and pulling him up with her. She gave him her gravest look. ‘I have some conditions, Iain.’
He straightened his shoulders, but the amused look on his face didn’t change. He was happy. He was truly happy right now, and it just radiated from him. His warmth was spreading to her. Skimming across her skin and wrapping her up in his happy glow. A lifetime of feeling like this? She’d be a fool not to say yes.
She’d be a fool not to say yes to the man she loved with her whole heart.
Although she’d known for a long time she couldn’t have children naturally, here was a man who was—come what may—willing to take that journey with her. She would love to be a mother, just as much as he would love to be a father. But no matter where that journey led, they would take it together.
She reached up to touch his shaggy hair. ‘You have to promise me never to cut your hair. I love it.’
He nodded solemnly. ‘I do.’
She nearly let out a laugh at his response. ‘Are you practising?’ she whispered. He nodded.
‘You have to promise me that when we get married it will be a tiny wedding. No publicity. No newspapers and …’ she rolled her eyes ‘… definitely not my parents. Your parents, absolutely.’
His eyebrows lifted. ‘I do.’
She bent down and ran her hand up the length of his thin navy scrubs. She could see him arch his back, his body responding instantly to her touch. ‘You have to promise me you’ll wear a kilt.’
‘Aha …’ He hesitated.
She quirked her head at him. She’d been expecting the ‘I do’ response.
‘In that case …’ His hands came down to her hips, pulling her up close against him. Letting her see exactly what she did to him. ‘You have to promise to wear your gorgeous dress from last night. I’ve never seen anyone look so lovely, and that’s just what I want my bride to wear. Like a beautiful butterfly.’
She wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘I think I can do that.’ Her blue eyes were fixed on his. She didn’t want to wait. She didn’t want to wait a second to marry her gruff Scotsman. ‘Marylebone Registry Office?’
Iain smiled. The small registry office was obviously exactly what he had in mind. ‘Random strangers from the street?’
‘Sounds perfect to me.’ And then he picked her up and twirled her round. Her left hand was on his shoulder and the sunlight caught her enormous ring, causing a beautiful rainbow of sparkles to reflect all around them.
He smiled when he saw them. ‘Guess who just got to the end of the rainbow,’ he whispered, as he set her down and kissed her like he’d never kissed her before.