Courting Claudia (20 page)

While she couldn't see his face clearly, she knew his eyes were pleading with her. She felt nothing but honesty and sorrow coming from him. He had wanted her safe. He'd done this for her, not for his career. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she fought the urge to throw her arms around his neck.

“The truth of the matter is I love you, Claudia. I
don't know exactly how it happened, and it scares the hell out of me, but I can't seem to make it go away.” He cradled her face. “God, tonight when I almost lost you, I didn't think I could go on. Nor would I want to.

“Every morning when I wake up, I smile, knowing you're there next to me. That you'll be there when I get home. I want to tell you everything. It killed me to keep this from you, but I didn't feel as if I could tell you until I had absolute proof of your father's guilt.”

He took a ragged breath before he continued. “I didn't want you to go and question him. I knew he'd hurt you. I tried to make the situation disappear without you knowing. Despite the wretched way he's treated you, I know you love him. I didn't want to be the one responsible for destroying the way you saw him. Can you understand that?”

She swallowed, trying to fight the tears, then gave up and let them go. “I'm sorry I doubted you. It's just that all my life I've doubted myself, doubted that I knew what was right for me. With you, though, I've felt more confidence. You've freed me to trust myself. Then when I found that article, it seemed that everything I believed about us was false.”

He loved her. He'd said it. Out loud. She felt like screaming, like jumping out into the street and
dancing. “But you love me,” she repeated dumbly.

“Yes, I do.” He squeezed her hands. “More than I thought possible.”

She moved in and kissed him hard, fiercely, with all the intensity of the day's emotions pouring forward. He loved her. Her husband loved her. She smiled and laughed, despite their passionate kiss.

“What's funny?” he asked.

“You love me.”

“And that's funny?”

“No. No, it's not funny. It's amazing.”

“You're amazing.” He hugged her to him. “I'm so relieved you're safe.”

She listened to his breathing and felt the thud of his heart beating against her. All would be fine. She let the relief wash over her, then took a deep breath, and said, “I want you to print that article.”

“What?”

“You heard me. It's the truth. The people of England have a right to know the truth. Chester Edwards's family deserves to know that he wasn't wholly to blame, that he was blackmailed into committing those crimes. And you deserve to have your name cleared. People should know you're a serious journalist who doesn't stop until he uncovers the truth.”

“I can't do that.”

“And why not?”

“Because people will assume that I married you just for this story. Merely to get to your father, to get close enough to validate my story. You heard him tonight. He won't be the only one to come to that conclusion. I refuse to allow people to think that about you. We might not have come to this marriage in a love match, but we found one. Didn't we?” He shook his head, his breath sounding ragged. “I understand if you don't love me; I've done nothing but deceive you from the beginning of our relationship. But that ends tonight. No more dishonesty. Ever.”

What had she ever done to deserve such a man? This strong and courageous man humbling himself before her. No more questions. It didn't matter if she deserved him, she had him, and she would do everything in her power to ensure he was hers for the rest of their lives.

“Yes, we have a love match. I thought you knew. I've loved you forever, it seems. I honestly thought you knew.” She leaned in and gave him a brief kiss. “I still want you to print the story. I don't care what people think. I know the truth.”

“Which is?”

“That you desire me. That you love me. And that I desire and love you above all things.”

The unthinkable had happened. She'd married the wrong man and found her love match.

“We have a real marriage, Derrick. We have real love. We know that. Who cares what anyone else thinks?”