to his mouth kissing each knuckle.
His resplendent eyes met hers. "Rachel, I love you more than you'll ever know. I can't picture continuing life without you. That you carry my child is a blessing I never expected. Make me the happiest man alive and marry me."
It was her turn to swallow. The ground swayed and she let out a breath she'd been holding. "Of course I'll marry you. I love you so much." She threw her arms around his neck and pressed kisses to his face until their mouths met. He held her hard against him, his large strong hard body the warmest of refuges.
A moment later he dug in his pocket and brought out a ring. The stone sparkled in the sunshine and in spite of her happy tears, she noticed it was a huge pear shaped diamond set in a simple gold setting. He slipped it on her finger and she turned to the sound of applause and pictures being taken. The woman from the ceramic store clapped smiling widely and cried out "Bravo!"
"Let's go back to the villa and celebrate in private," Roderick whispered in her ear and she turned his face to her and kissed him again. "Not until I get some gelato. You promised me gelato."
"You sure you want gelato now? It's freezing out here."
"Yep. I have to have it. Not sure if it's a craving or that it's so good. Even the cold won't stop me." She lifted a brow at him.
"As you wish beauty, but I think I'll find some hot steaming coffee."
"We don't have to walk to the gelato stand. I can wait."
His eyes were so full of love, she had to blink back tears again. "Oh you're getting it. Lots of it. And I'm going to buy extra in case you want some later. Anything for you. All you have to do is ask and I will do it."
"Wow." Rachel sighed. "If this is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up."
They walked hand in hand down back up toward a gelato stand she'd spotted earlier. The holidays were upon them, the light breeze was crisp, and the bright decorations began lighting, as the shorter day came to an end. Roderick glanced at her.
"I love you."
She could only nod, her heart filled to overflowing.
Chapter Seven
"What do you think?" Rachel stepped back from the ten-foot Christmas tree her face tiled up as she studied the latest of many decorations she'd placed on its branches.
"It's perfect," Roderick told her and glanced at the other two men in the room, who also nodded.
His beautiful new wife frowned at them. "You guys keep saying that, or just nodding. Look at it, does one side have more ornaments that the other? How about the lights are they well balance. I don't want people to come over and it be all wonky."
"It's not wonky," Cyn said between bites of the pizza they'd ordered. "It's nice. A bit frilly, but nice."
"Frilly?" Rachel's voice rose an octave and all three of them froze.
"Now you've done it," Fallon Trent, the Brit and Cyn's new partner muttered earning a glare from the Scot.
Roderick wanted to punch Cyn in the head, but figured it would only upset Rachel. "We like frilly. It's good to have a female here to soften things."
"True," Cyn agreed with haste. "You make things smell good."
Rachel laughed and the men let out a collective breath.
For the first time in centuries, he looked forward to the holidays. He was married now and offered a position at the local hospital. Yes it would be strange to work with humans and somehow keep them from noticing he was different. He would have to wear contacts to keep the luminescence of his eyes hidden and would have to pretend not to notice any dark Fae when in the presence of humans. But in spite of all the adjustments, he was happy.
Leaving Rachel to continue decorating, the men went to the office space. Roderick sat at his desk, Cyn and Fallen on a couch and a chair.
"They're organizing, forming some sort of coven. Some master level Fae is taking the helm." Fallon Trent, an 1800s British lord, remained every bit the dandy. Although
His resplendent eyes met hers. "Rachel, I love you more than you'll ever know. I can't picture continuing life without you. That you carry my child is a blessing I never expected. Make me the happiest man alive and marry me."
It was her turn to swallow. The ground swayed and she let out a breath she'd been holding. "Of course I'll marry you. I love you so much." She threw her arms around his neck and pressed kisses to his face until their mouths met. He held her hard against him, his large strong hard body the warmest of refuges.
A moment later he dug in his pocket and brought out a ring. The stone sparkled in the sunshine and in spite of her happy tears, she noticed it was a huge pear shaped diamond set in a simple gold setting. He slipped it on her finger and she turned to the sound of applause and pictures being taken. The woman from the ceramic store clapped smiling widely and cried out "Bravo!"
"Let's go back to the villa and celebrate in private," Roderick whispered in her ear and she turned his face to her and kissed him again. "Not until I get some gelato. You promised me gelato."
"You sure you want gelato now? It's freezing out here."
"Yep. I have to have it. Not sure if it's a craving or that it's so good. Even the cold won't stop me." She lifted a brow at him.
"As you wish beauty, but I think I'll find some hot steaming coffee."
"We don't have to walk to the gelato stand. I can wait."
His eyes were so full of love, she had to blink back tears again. "Oh you're getting it. Lots of it. And I'm going to buy extra in case you want some later. Anything for you. All you have to do is ask and I will do it."
"Wow." Rachel sighed. "If this is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up."
They walked hand in hand down back up toward a gelato stand she'd spotted earlier. The holidays were upon them, the light breeze was crisp, and the bright decorations began lighting, as the shorter day came to an end. Roderick glanced at her.
"I love you."
She could only nod, her heart filled to overflowing.
Chapter Seven
"What do you think?" Rachel stepped back from the ten-foot Christmas tree her face tiled up as she studied the latest of many decorations she'd placed on its branches.
"It's perfect," Roderick told her and glanced at the other two men in the room, who also nodded.
His beautiful new wife frowned at them. "You guys keep saying that, or just nodding. Look at it, does one side have more ornaments that the other? How about the lights are they well balance. I don't want people to come over and it be all wonky."
"It's not wonky," Cyn said between bites of the pizza they'd ordered. "It's nice. A bit frilly, but nice."
"Frilly?" Rachel's voice rose an octave and all three of them froze.
"Now you've done it," Fallon Trent, the Brit and Cyn's new partner muttered earning a glare from the Scot.
Roderick wanted to punch Cyn in the head, but figured it would only upset Rachel. "We like frilly. It's good to have a female here to soften things."
"True," Cyn agreed with haste. "You make things smell good."
Rachel laughed and the men let out a collective breath.
For the first time in centuries, he looked forward to the holidays. He was married now and offered a position at the local hospital. Yes it would be strange to work with humans and somehow keep them from noticing he was different. He would have to wear contacts to keep the luminescence of his eyes hidden and would have to pretend not to notice any dark Fae when in the presence of humans. But in spite of all the adjustments, he was happy.
Leaving Rachel to continue decorating, the men went to the office space. Roderick sat at his desk, Cyn and Fallen on a couch and a chair.
"They're organizing, forming some sort of coven. Some master level Fae is taking the helm." Fallon Trent, an 1800s British lord, remained every bit the dandy. Although
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