Sometimes he still couldn't believe it. This wonderful young girl, who currently slept sweetly with her head on his chest, could probably have found a nice, respected man (not rich perhaps but still respected). Still she'd chosen him; a thief and a liar.
He'd never expected her to accept his proposal; his words about wanting to marry her had just slipped out before he could stop them. Still she had accepted and although he took it calmly he had wanted to go and tell the entire world that he was marrying Kate Scarlett. That had been the happiest moment in his life.
Carefully he slipped an arm around her and pulled her closer, brushing a light kiss against her forehead. Still asleep she sighed and tightened her grip around him.
She looked so young, so innocent, and so fragile. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl who'd endured torture, almost died from it. and not only that; she'd jumped into a freezing cold river to save her beloved brother from drowning, unable to get up she'd lost consciousness and ended up spending over a year alone in the woods. She'd been so terribly thin and scared when he and Will had met her that fateful day. Clinging to her cousin like he was some kind of lifeline.
The next day when she told her story he defiantly couldn't believe that anyone could be so brave. Deep in his heart he hadn't been able to stop himself wondering if he would've done the same for Tom. Of course; the age gap between Kate and Mike was greater than that between him and Tom.
In the beginning he had, for some silly reason, tried to deny that he'd fallen for her. She was pretty, yes but he did have a tendency of falling for pretty girls. Anyway; she deserved someone better.
Not even when she'd been hit by that poisoned arrow did he realize how much he loved her. It wasn't why he'd saved her, she was part of the Gang and more; she was Will's cousin. Hadn't he begun to consider the younger man his brother in a way? Well, his best friend at least. Only when he'd been unable to bear seeing her in pain had he realized it. He didn't think he would've felt the same if it had been Marian. And he'd realized something else too; sometimes it's a lot easier lying to others than to yourself. So he'd kept watch over her, praying that she would live.
When she'd left with her family he had been happy for her. Knowing that she hadn't believed she would actually see them again. He had cried when she left. He was happy for her that was true but he was still sad. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he had not believed her when she said she wouldn't forget him. What did it really matter that he'd given her Tom's old knife? It wasn't special. She would forget where she had it from in time and even if she remembered she would only consider it a gift from a friend, nothing else. Most men gave the girls they loved jewellery or, if the couldn't afford that, flowers. The girl he'd fallen in love with had received his deceased brother's old knife.
When she had returned believing his eyes had been impossible for him. He simply knew he had to feel her too.
The kiss wasn't planned. He'd simply followed his impulse and pressed his lips against hers. When she had answered to it he had allowed himself to lose his senses to the moment, finally believing that this was real.
