Chapter 17 - No One Owns Her
One evening, Elias found Aayoka sitting at the same fence where she had first collapsed.
“You remember?”
“How could I forget?”
She smiled.
“I was terrified.”
“I know.”
“I thought marriage was the only way to survive.”
Elias sat beside her.
“And now?”
“Now I think survival was only the beginning.”
She looked across the ranch.
“I wanted someone to protect me.”
“You protected yourself.”
“With help.”
“Yes.”
“There is nothing wrong with needing help.”
“No.”
She touched his hand.
“And there is nothing wrong with wanting someone beside you.”
Elias looked at her.
Aayoka stood.
Then, unexpectedly, she knelt.
Elias’s expression changed.
“No.”
She laughed.
“You do not even know what I’m doing.”
“You’re kneeling. We discussed this.”
She stood again.
“Fine.”
Elias relaxed.
Aayoka took both his hands.
“Elias Ward.”
His heart stopped.
“The first time I asked you this, I was afraid.”
He stared.
“The first time, I thought I needed a husband.”
Her eyes filled.
“Now I don’t.”
Elias swallowed.
Aayoka smiled.
“I want one.”
Silence.
“And unfortunately, I want you.”
Elias laughed.
Tears appeared in his eyes.
“Unfortunately?”
“You are stubborn.”
“So are you.”
“You snore.”
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
He pulled her closer.
“Aayoka.”
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
He kissed her.
And the second proposal ended exactly opposite the first.
No desperation.
No bargain.
No fear.
May you like
Only choice.
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