Affairs of State(56)
“Wow.” He climbed to his feet and came toward her. “Congratulations.”
She laughed. “You don’t have to congratulate me. We both know it was a big accident.”
“Still, it feels like an occasion for celebration.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.
Oh, no. A leather box. Her heart seized as she realized what he was about to do. Could she refuse a proposal before it was even made?
He got onto one knee, confirming her worst fears. “Ariella.” His eyes were smiling, which seemed downright strange under the circumstances. “Will you marry me?”
She bit her lip, hoping to hold back sudden and pointless tears that threatened. She couldn’t seem to get words out so she simply shook her head.
He frowned. “You won’t? Why not?” His sudden indignation would be funny if she didn’t feel so sad. This must be one more sign that they weren’t meant to be. It didn’t seem to cross his mind that she might have her own opinion and it could be different from his. Probably being a prince trained you to think that everyone was on your side and wholeheartedly agreed with you.
“It would never work.” Her voice came out broken and raspy. “Your family would be horrified. They made it abundantly clear that they intend for you to marry someone else.”
“They’ll get over it.” His gaze turned steely.
“No they won’t. I’ve seen enough press coverage of your family to know they’re very set in their ways. I don’t want to be the outcast and black sheep for the rest of my life. Nor do I want the queen to take away your beloved estate or kick you out of your charity. You’ve built a life that you love and marrying me would ruin everything, so it’s not going to happen.”
The truth of her words echoed inside her. She truly didn’t want those things to happen, for Simon or for herself.
“Why are you talking about everyone else? I want to marry you. Now that you’re pregnant there’s all the more reason to do it, and soon.” He was still on one knee in front of the sofa where she sat. The whole situation seemed ridiculous. Especially as his words were undermining her conviction. Could they really just forget about his family and the reporters and the British public and her presidential father and do what they wanted?
No. They couldn’t. Life didn’t work like that.
He smacked his head suddenly. “In all this talk about a baby and my family, I think I forgot to mention the most important thing.” He took hold of her hands. “Which is that I love you. I never knew what love was until I met you. Every minute I’m not with you I’m wishing I was. When I am with you I don’t want to leave. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Ariella. I need to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you.”
Her chest tightened as he tried to put such strong feelings into mere words and those words rocked her to her core. What hurt most was that she felt the same way. Since Simon came into her life nothing else seemed very important any more. But the truth was that the world was still out there, and hoping and dreaming wasn’t enough to build a life on. “Love doesn’t last forever. It’s a brief flash of excitement and enthusiasm that brings people together. The rest of it is work. I know my parents—the ones who raised me—worked hard to keep their marriage strong in the face of all the tiresome details of life. My birth parents obviously couldn’t manage to do that.”
She frowned and stood up. She needed to put a little distance between them so she could think straight. It was hard to even speak with his big, masculine presence looming over her and his rich scent tugging at her senses. “There’s a fierce attraction between us.” She walked away from him, with her back turned. It was easier to speak when she couldn’t see his bold, chiseled features. “It takes hold of me and makes me forget about everything else when I’m with you.” Then she turned to face him. He’d risen to his feet and seemed to fill the space of her living room. “But that will fade. You were born with your whole life planned out for you. You’re already married to your family and your country. You can’t abandon them to marry someone who they disapprove of and who will never fit in. It was disastrous for your ancestor Edward VII and it would be disastrous for you.” Tears fell down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop them. “It’s better for all of us if we break it off right now.”
Simon exhaled loudly, like he’d been bottling up words and emotions inside him. “You’re right. I am married to my family and my country and I’d never give them up. I know it’s a lot to ask of you to embrace those things and love them as I do, but I am asking that.” He strode toward her and took her hands. She wanted to pull away and attempt to keep some distance and objectivity, but he held them softly, but firmly, and she wasn’t able to break free. “Marry me, Ariella.”