He stubbornly shook his head, still refusing to look at her. “But you would never have done that.”

Impossible man.

“Only because I never had the chance to!” Lottie let out a frustrated cry as she reached for him. “I’d like to believe that I would have accepted you without worry five years ago. That I wouldn’t have cared about your parents or my reputation. That I would have taken Uncle Alfred’s disappointment in stride and run off with you. But I was a different girl then. And more concerned with what people thought of me than I’d like to admit.”

She gripped his shoulders and forced him to meet her eyes. He was no longer the boyish young gentleman who had wooed her one evening. The careworn man that stared back had a few more wrinkles and had likely seen things she could never imagine. But he was also the man who had bounded up a mountain to find her, who made sure she saw Venice, who brought tears to her eyes both in pleasure and pain––and been prepared to die for her.

In so many ways, they were still the same people who had slept side by side in this very room years and years ago. But they had grown so much since then. Perhaps more than they ever would have if they hadn’t been forced to part.

She brought a hand to his jaw and stroked the rough bristle. “I think we both needed time to become who we are today. And I’m grateful for it. I only wish that you hadn’t had to endure so much pain.”

Alec stared for a long while, as if he was seeing her for the first time. Then the corner of his mouth lifted. “Very well. If you insist on being less than perfect, I’ll try to accept it.”

“Perfection is not what I aim for, Alec,” she said gently. “And it is not what I expect from you, either.”

“No, but there is something you should expect from me: an apology. For everything I said in Venice. I was so cruel to you, but believe me, I never meant a word of it. I was angry and ashamed, but more than anything, I was scared. But it’s still no excuse. I should have treated you better.”

Lottie bowed her head at his admission. “I forgive you.”

Alec gave her a pained look. “Give me the chance to earn such a gift, will you?” he said hoarsely. “I came here with no expectations. I only wanted to apologize. To make sure you were safe. And to say that being able to call you a friend has been the greatest honor of my life, Lottie Carlisle.”