Jacquie D’Alessandro - Whirlwind Affair

He turned his attention to Caroline. Looking into her guiltstricken eyes, he squeezed her hand. "Stop staring at me like that," he said. "I'm fine."

A fat tear dribbled down her cheek. "But you might have been killed."

"But I wasn't."

"Allie could have been killed."

"But she wasn't."

"This is entirely my fault. If I had not left her alone with him-"

"I refuse to listen to such rot. You did not know, Caroline. None of us did. It is over, and Allie and I are safe. Let us be grateful for that and not feel guilty over things we could not control and cannot change." He offered her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'm afraid that you're quite stuck with me for at least the next several decades."

She raised his hand and pressed her cheek to his palm. "Thank God."

"If you want to feel sorry for someone, lavish your pity on Michael. I know him well. Being the earl of Shelbourne is not a role he will embrace or relish or conform to without a fight."

A knock sounded at the door. Caroline dropped a quick kiss on his cheek. "That will be Allie." She gave him a searching look. "I hope all goes… well."

He did not offer a reply. After all, how well could things go? Although the threat to Allie's safety was now over, nothing had changed between them.

Crossing the room, Caroline opened the door. "Come in," she said with a smile.

Allie's anxious gaze instantly found his, and his heart thumped at the sight of her. She looked pale and worried. She nodded at Caroline, then quickly crossed the room, halting next to his bed. He couldn't shift his gaze away from her, but he heard the quiet click of the door as Caroline left them alone.

Allie gently clasped his hand, and warmth spread up his arm when their palms met. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm fine." At her frown, he qualified, "My head is pounding, and my shoulder hurts like the devil, but otherwise I'm perfectly fit. The doctor assured me that after a few days' rest, I'll be good as new. Of course, I don't intend to tell Austin that until I've convinced him to spot me several hundred points in billiards." He faked a feeble cough. "My horribly weakened condition, you know."

As he'd hoped, her worried features relaxed a bit. "Robert, I…" She swallowed audibly, then cleared her throat. "You saved my life. And nearly lost your own in the process. How do I thank you for that? I do not know what to say, how to adequately express my gratitude."

He indeed saw the gratitude shining in her eyes, and forced himself not to foolishly hope for more, reminding himself that she did not share his feelings. Offering her a half-smile, he said, "You say, 'Thank you, Robert.' "

A tender, warm look entered her eyes. "Thank you, Robert."

"And, well, if you were so inclined, you might also say, 'You are wonderfully brave, Robert.' "

Her lips twitched. "You are wonderfully brave, Robert."

"And strong and manly." He cleared his throat modestly. "And quite handsome."

"And strong and manly," she repeated in a soft, intimate tone that had him staring at her. "And extraordinarily handsome. Indeed, I think you are a beautiful man, if you would not object to the word."

He went perfectly still. "Urn, no. No objection."

"But not just beautiful on the outside," she said, her eyes steady on his. "Beautiful on the inside. Kind, generous, and tender. Indeed, the most wonderful man I've ever met."

His heart slapped hard against his ribs, pumping with sudden hope. "I must say, you've gotten quite good at this repeating game."

She did not smile. Indeed, he'd never seen her more serious. "I told you I was afraid of duplicating my mistakes, and I am. And the biggest mistake I ever made was pushing you away, believing that I could live my life without you." She raised his hand to her lips and pressed a warm kiss against his skin. "I almost lost you today, and that is a mistake I will never make again. I love you, Robert." The words breathed across his skin. "W.A.M.H." Squeezing his hand, she whispered, "With All My Heart."

"Allie." It was the only word he could manage. He tugged on her hand, and she leaned down. He slipped his hand into her soft hair, pulling her lower until their lips met. At last.

He attempted to raise his other arm to hold her, and pain sizzled through his shoulder, forcing a sharp grunt from his throat.

She pulled back, looking down at him with stricken eyes. "I hurt you."

"On the contrary, you've made me extremely happy." He brushed his fingers over her smooth cheek. "Um, just to make certain I'm correct with all the details, given my head injury and all that, you did just tell me you love me-correct?"

A slow, beautiful smile lit her face. "Correct." She placed her palm against his cheek, and he breathed in the delicious scent of honeysuckle.

"God knows I don't want to say anything to jeopardize this reunion, but there is a point we need to settle. Now. So it can be laid to rest." He searched her eyes. "What about my past, Allie? I cannot change it. And as much as I do not want secrets between us, there are things about that night I cannot share with you."

Her smile faded, her eyes again growing serious. "I do not want secrets, either. But I can accept that you have reasons that are obviously compelling to you. I believe in your integrity. And I trust you. Completely."

His heart performed a slow roll. He clearly sensed that she wanted to know the details about the fire, and he would have given almost anything to oblige her, but, incredibly, she loved him enough not to press him. "Thank you," he said.

A frown creased her brow. "There is something else, Robert. Can you accept the fact that I cannot have children?"

"I know you are convinced that you are barren, yet I am not

as sure," he said. "But should that turn out to be a fact, then, yes, I can accept it."

She lowered her gaze. "You would make a wonderful father-"

"Allie." He lifted her chin until she looked at him. "If we cannot make a child together, we will lavish our attention on our nieces and nephews together. You'll note that the important word in that sentence is 'together.' And as long as we are, there is nothing we cannot do."

A smile lifted one corner of her lips. "That is one of the things I love most about you. Your optimism."

"One of the things you love about me? I could be convinced to listen to more."

"I'd be happy to comply, but I'm afraid it would take me a very long time to tell you all of them."

"Indeed? How long?"

"Forty years."

They stared at each other for several heartbeats, and all the love he ever could have hoped for, glowed in her golden-brown eyes. He pressed a kiss into her palm. "As luck would have it," he said, "I happen to be free for the next forty years.".

The next morning, with bright sunshine pouring through her bedchamber window, Allie adjusted the cream fichu Elizabeth had given her, then examined her reflection in the cheval glass. She wished she owned a gown in a color other than black to wear on this happy occasion, but as she did not, at least the ivory-colored lace at her throat somewhat relieved her unrelenting somber attire. There was her beautiful gold gown, of course, but it was not a garment suited for the daytime. Soon… soon she would have pastel gowns to wear, and she would pack away these morbid clothes with the rest of her past and embrace her bright future.

Leaving her bedchamber, she had to force herself not to skip down the corridor and giggle. Last night she and Robert had agreed to announce their engagement to the entire family during breakfast this morning. Amazement filled her that a mere twenty-four hours ago her future had seemed so bleak, and now she was near to bursting with happiness and anticipation of starting her life again. Here. With Robert. And once the announcement was made, she planned to write a long, newsy letter to her family, inviting them to visit. To see Mama and Papa, Katherine and the boys again… yes, the future looked very bright indeed.