Duke of Scandal (29 page)

Curtly, she said, “Actually, I had one once, but he turned out to be a scheming liar.” Nobody said anything, so she added, “And then I learned I wasn't actually married to him at all.”

Her voice had grown serious as the mood in the room changed.

She inhaled deeply, lifting her chin a little, the emotion of the moment instantly striking her full force. “Then I chanced upon another man, a better man, so completely different from the first.” Her voice shook a little as she continued. “He was wonderful to me, so smart and handsome. He cared about my feelings, my work, my life.”

Sam's features had softened considerably as he watched her, his gaze melting hers, and she swallowed hard to hold back tears.

Slowly she began to walk toward him. “He changed my world,” she said in a husky whisper. “He actually loved me, needed me, but I—I said some horrible things to him that I'd give my life to take back.”

Deadly silence pervaded the room as she now stood only a foot away from him, gazing into his eyes with all the love and longing she felt inside, hoping with every breath that he'd witness it for himself.

“I want to marry him so much,” she breathed, the intensity she felt overflowing from her words, her body trembling, her eyes filling with tears of their own accord.

She fisted her hands at her sides, gritting her teeth. “I love him so much. I love him so much more than I could ever say to him because I left him. I want him back, loving me like he said he did, forgiving me for being so naive and stupid.” She sniffed, then whispered, “I love him with everything inside of me, but I'm so scared he doesn't feel the same way about me anymore.”

Olivia could actually see the pain and rush of feeling that rippled through him from her disclosure. His jaw
tightened as he inhaled a shaky breath, squeezing his arms with his hands to keep from reaching out to her until she'd finished.

That's when she knew, with a profound relief, a profound joy, that she had never lost him.

A slow smile of a radiance she couldn't possibly conceal spread across her face. And then she took a step away from him and looked at Colin, who remained standing by the fireplace, amused.

“But if he doesn't want me, sir,” she admitted lightly, “I suppose you'll do.”

Sam was on her in a second, grabbing her by the shoulders and yanking her against him so hard it fairly knocked the breath from her.

Gazing at her, a crooked grin upon his mouth, he whispered huskily, “He doesn't care for ladies with blue eyes.”

She heard the faintest laughter around her, and then he kissed her deeply, drowning out all sound, returning every feeling she had for him, saying everything he wanted to say in that one gesture of stark meaning, of love. She dropped her fan to the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly, afraid to let him go.

When at last he pulled away, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead, her lashes and chin, the tip of her nose.

“You scared the hell out of me, Livi,” he whispered forcefully, his lips to her skin. “Don't ever leave me again…”

She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes as he looked down at her, his eyes glazed with love and de
sire. With relief.

“I missed you so much,” she breathed.

He swallowed. “God in heaven, Olivia—” His voice cracked with emotion, and with that he pulled her head into his chest, cradling her with his palm to her cheek.

She closed her eyes briefly, relishing in the solid sound of his heartbeat, in the feel of his tall, strong body holding her close.

“Everybody's gone,” she murmured softly.

He chuckled. “They're smart people, and right now they're in the dining room eating all the food.”

She giggled against him. “I'm only hungry for you anyway.”

He drew in a long, slow breath, then tipped her face up to meet his, his expression turned grave.

“Are you carrying my child?”

She felt like crying all over again. “No,” she whispered.

He grinned. “Good. Then we can have a proper wedding.”

She beamed, leaning back a little. “A real,
legal
wedding.”

“A real, legal, lavish wedding that will cost me a fortune in ball gowns.”

She laughed again. “And perfume.”

He smirked. “Naturally.”

After gazing into her eyes for a moment or two, he dropped his forehead to hers just as he had the night so long ago when they'd danced as if there were no one else on earth.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Livi…” he breathed. “I love you, too.”