They’ll treat you to whiskey and porter.
Until you’re unable to stand,
And before you have time to leave them,
You’ll be sent down to Van Diemans Land.
Jenny stared at Noah as if she were seeing a ghost.
“You exiled me to Van Diemans Land, you know. I’ve been miserable without you.”
His low voice, raw with emotion, caused her throat to tighten. She tried her best to sound matter-of-fact. “You look tired, Noah. I’ll get you some breakfast, and then I have a lot to do. That all-night delivery has thrown me behind on my dress orders.”
She pushed past him and inserted her key in the lock, quickly opening the door and setting her basket down.
He followed her silently inside and closed the door. He grabbed her and spun her around. “You’re not too busy for this.”
She was pulled into his arms as his mouth descended on hers. She would not give in. Not this time. She had to be the strong one. She had to do what was best for him.
Even if it meant her heart would break.
She put her hands on his chest to push him away, but he wasn’t going anywhere. She fought his kiss, fought with everything she had, but it was deep, fierce, possessive. Then it turned utterly tender. She couldn’t help but respond to it.
Her hands crept up around his neck, her fingers pushed into his wavy hair. She kissed him with all the longing and love that had been bottled up inside her, all the loneliness and heartache she’d experienced since they’d been apart.
She finally broke the kiss and gazed up at him. His sky blue eyes were still full of passion and desire. She tried to pull away from him, but his arms held her fast.
“You want me, Jenny. You can’t hide that.”
Her face puckered. She willed herself not to cry. “That’s not good enough, Noah.”
He gazed at her tenderly. “Yes. It is. I’ve always wanted you. I think I loved you from the moment you marched into that whorehouse, bursting into doors and rattling nerves. You were the sweetest angel with an iron will. I wanted you from that moment on. I’ll always want you, Jenny. Always.”
“Oh, Noah.” She dropped her head to his chest. He stroked her hair as she began to cry.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. Everything will be fine.”
She raised her tear-stained face. “No, it won’t. I can’t let you give up being a Ranger, Noah. I can’t sit by and watch you grow unhappy. I won’t—”
“I don’t want to be a Ranger anymore, honey. I’ve found something I love much, much more.” Her brought his hand to her cheek and grazed his knuckles across it. “Being a Ranger was good. But being with you is even better.” He brightened. “And I landed a job today. I start tomorrow alongside my brother Mark at the Examiner as a reporter. Same thing my grandfather did for a living, on my mama’s side. I guess reporting runs in our blood. It’s the start of something new. As we finally begin our lives together.”
The tender look he gave her caused her to shiver.
“But it doesn’t really matter how I earn a living, as long as I have you by my side. I want to wake up by the woman I love for the next fifty years.”
Her heart overflowed with love. She could tell by his face that he’d thought everything through. She knew then and there that they could build a life together, a good one, full of love and laughter.
“Would you settle for seventy-five instead?”
The bright smile that lit his face melted her soul.
“Sold! And we’ll make babies. And none of them will ever even think about robbing any banks.” He grinned at her. “How many do you want? Three? Four? Five?”
“How about one to start?”
She opened her cloak and guided his hand to her stomach. The bulge was small but still obvious.
Noah’s eyes gleamed with surprise. He kissed her again, a kiss that bonded them together for all time.
“Jenny. My ballad beauty.” His voice was rough yet tender. “You’ve given me a second chance at life. Now for the third time—will you marry me?”
In reply, she brought his mouth down to hers.
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