“I believe they’re second or third cousins.”
I squeezed his hand. “Well, I love them both for the tree. It’s a lovely sentiment, and—”
The nightfall surrounding us was abruptly illuminated with thousands of strings of bright white Christmas lights. I spun around on my toes to take in the fantasy. The lights were strung on every tree for as far as I could see. Sparkling trees lined the trail we had just walked, their old branches reaching out over the pathway to create a canopy of lights.
Will took me into his arms, and we laughed and twirled around our secluded wonderland. Neither of us said a word. We just laughed as we waltzed across the church garden beneath the evening sky for a couple of minutes.
Our dance ended as he pulled my hand to his warm lips and kissed it.
“You did this,” I finally said, searching his pleased smile. “This is what you’ve been up to with your brothers. Who else helped? It must have taken a small army to pull this off.”
He drew me in closer and placed a soft kiss on my mouth. “As it happens, it did.”
His security team had pitched in.
“I guess it’s a good thing you have one.”
My breath combined with his, and we fell into a hungry, passionate kiss. He broke first. We panted to catch our breath, little white clouds puffing from between our lips.
“Listen to me, Elle. I need to say this now. I won’t risk missing the opportunity tomorrow. I need you to know . . . need you to show me that you understand.”
“Go ahead,” I whispered. “Time, here and now, belongs to us.”
Will dropped his eyes and his chin for a moment. It was the gesture that he reserved for me alone. A slight bow of his head to signal his unconditional devotion.
“There is nothing that means more to me than what you said this morning in the shower, that you want this marriage . . . that you want to be my wife. Nothing is more important—not my money, the company, nor this estate.” He hesitated, cursing under his breath.
I touched his face, dragged my nails through his golden scruff.
“Christ. I can’t find the words. I would give up everything for you. Every last fucking penny. Agreeing to marry me is one thing, and I would have accepted that as quite enough because I can’t live without you. What I mean to say, Elle, is that you made me the happiest man alive when you shared how much you want this marriage, how much you want me.”
Tears blurred my vision, distorting the sight of his beautiful blue eyes—stormy eyes that were busy blinking away their own unshed tears. My throat tightened, and I choked back a sob. I knew what he was about to say, and it broke my heart each time he said the words.
“Don’t say it. Not today,” I said, shaking my head.
“It’s the truth. I don’t deserve you, my angel.”
“You didn’t choose your past, Will, it was forced on you. You’re a good man. Someday you’ll see what I see.” Several of my tears escaped. He caught them with his thumbs. “I was scared, but I never doubted your commitment. You’re the man I want to love as my husband for the rest of my life.”
Our lips met, and his tender kiss left me breathless again. It pained me to look away from the restrained desire in his eyes, but I needed to hear the thunder of his beating heart and feel the warmth of his breath on my hair. I lowered my head to his chest.
“I’ll never hurt you, Elle. I would die first,” he whispered.
2
Ellie
Christmas Even
Will returned to our adult breakfast for family and overnight guests with two white business envelopes and a beautifully wrapped package tucked be
neath his arm. A courier had hand-delivered the items to Eastridge from his office in London. We’d been about to fill our plates at the buffet when security announced the messenger’s arrival. Will slipped one of the envelopes onto the empty plate before me. “You’ll want to see this one, baby.”
The handsome smile on his face and the authority in his eyes confirmed that he’d been successful in making another of my wedding wishes come true. I didn’t need to open the envelope to know what it was. I handed it back to him with a kiss to his cheek, and in turn, he passed the envelopes to Mrs. Bates for safekeeping.
The adoption order was final.
“Call her to the dining room,” I said. “Tell her. Tell everyone.”