“Kessen, how wonderful that Christian has saved you!” Duncan said, patting Christian on the back. “He must love you very much. You must marry at once!”
Kessen felt a tear slide down her cheek as she shook the memory of the previous night away from her consciousness. He didn’t love her; he would have said as much or at least tried to fight off Jenifer, or paid her off for that matter.
Nick nudged Duncan, who pushed Christian, who got down on one knee in front of Kessen and smiled. “I do.”
“You do what?” Kessen asked, still sniffling.
“I love you.” The words didn’t seem real—the moment didn’t seem real. Was he being serious? She looked into his piercing eyes and smiled.
“And if you don’t believe him, watch this!” Nick opened up a small video camera and showed Kessen what had taken place over the last few hours.
“What’s this?” she asked curiously.
Christian rolled his eyes. “Oh, just the fake press conference for your pretend kidnapping, where I made a very real speech about how I feel.”
He stopped talking as the video played.
His face said it all in the video. Even if he hadn’t said it with his words, his face had said it.
“You love me!” Kessen yelled, a little too loud for such a crowded space. Duncan swore and covered his ears with his hands.
“Um, Kessen?” Nick whispered. “How do you feel about Christian now that he has declared his love?”
Kessen beamed. “He’s okay.”
Christian’s eyes widened into saucers while Duncan and Nick roared with laughter.
Kessen reached up to Christian’s face and pulled him into a long-awaited kiss. The only sound in her ears now was that of Nick and Duncan making gagging noises as they watched the free show.
Christian and Kessen walked hand-in-hand back to the house, both constantly stealing glances at one another as if stunned that this was now their reality.
They reached the house within a few minutes. Kessen outwardly groaned when she smelled the food. Apparently the Newberry employees were having a barbecue at their boss’s house. How nice.
It wasn’t until a few hours later that Kessen was able to be alone with Christian. He cornered her in the hallway as she was coming out of her room. There was no turning back.
“Where are you off to?” he asked, closing the distance between them with rapid speed.
Kessen gulped. “I was going to go downstairs.”
“To do what?”
Kessen thought about lying, then realized Christian could help her. Smiling sweetly, she touched his arm. “I was just going to find some paintball guns and do a bit of—hunting.”
“Hunting?” His eyebrows lifted in interest. “And what, dear girl, would you be hunting at this time of night?”
“Men.”
“Two of them?”
“Exactly two, no more, no less.” She leaned in towards his face. “You in?”
“They won’t know what hit them.” He grabbed her hand, and they were off.
It took less than ten minutes to locate weapons and less than five for them to put on enough camouflage to be able to hide in the brush outside.
They told Lady Newberry their plan. She was so excited to be involved she asked to help. It was simple; all they needed was for Duncan and Nick to be led out towards the garden where they would be sitting ducks.
Lady Newberry obliged; she told them to sit tight and went off on her way.
Kessen shifted uncomfortably on the grass while Christian moved next to her. They waited for about five minutes before they heard the boys approaching.
“All I’m saying, Lady Newberry, is it was a brilliant plan!” Nick threw his hands into the air. “We almost pulled it off.”
“You should be a screenwriter or an author or something,” Duncan said seriously. They shook hands as to congratulate one another and walked right in front of where Christian and Kessen were waiting.
Lady Newberry suddenly gasped. “Oh dear, I forgot my glasses. Will you two just wait for me right there? I do love to look at the garden in the evening! Especially with two attractive young gentlemen.” She winked and shuffled off.
Nick laughed.
Duncan snorted, “She meant me, not you.”
“Are you saying I’m not as attractive as you are?” Nick sounded shocked.
“I think any woman would think so.” Duncan pushed Nick back a little.
Nick laughed loudly. “Please. This coming from a man who can’t even drink coffee!”
“Oh, so it’s about tea and coffee again?” Duncan pushed him again. “Is that the only argument you have?”
“It’s the only argument there is! Coffee prevents cancer!”
“Tea has more antioxidants!” Duncan yelled.
Nick kicked dirt into the air. “Tea ruins people’s teeth way more than coffee does!”
Christian chuckled beside Kessen then whispered, “How long should we let this go on?”
Kessen pushed her lips together to keep from laughing. “Now seems like a good time, don’t you think?”
Christian nodded his head. “Brilliant.”
Kessen counted. “Okay, ready in one, two, three, go!”
They shot up from the ground and began pounding paintballs out as if it was their job to destroy their enemy.
Surges of yelps and swear words resounded throughout the yard as Duncan and Nick ran back into the house. Kessen and Christian had successfully pelted their legs and stomachs at point-blank range.
Laughing, Kessen grabbed Christian’s hand and pulled him to the ground again, just in case Nick and Duncan found guns and decided to fight them like men.
Christian appeared to trip and rather than land next to Kessen he landed on top of her, but braced himself above her so he wouldn’t crush her.
“Was that on purpose?” she asked breathlessly.
He leaned in, “What do you think?”
“I think your moves need work, my lord.”
Christian moved closer until his lips were only an inch from hers. “Practice does make perfect, my lady.”
To this day they still argue over who went in for the kiss first.
Kessen sighed as Christian claimed her mouth with his own. She felt the pressure of his tongue as it slid into her mouth and teased her mercilessly until she was without any logical thought.
She twisted so she could get on top of him and began tugging at his clothes. He seemed just as eager to remove any barriers from between their bodies, as he began tearing at hers with equal force and vigor.