Rather than answer, she glanced around to ask, “What did you say after the part about loving my quirky sense of humor? Was it courage or passion?”

Robert’s mouth dropped, and then he asked with amazement, “Are you writing down everything I said?”

“I am trying to, but I can’t remember what came after my sense of humor,” she said, sounding vexed.

He stared at her silently, the last of his tension slipping away. She hadn’t run off because she was unwilling to marry him. She’d run off to write down what he’d said. He had no idea why she was writing it down, but that was more encouraging than just running away. Trying to remain patient, he said, “Lisa, I just bared my heart to you and asked you to be my wife. An answer would have been the more appropriate response.”

“Oh.” She blinked once, glanced back to her notebook and then stood to move in front of him and take his face in her hands. “Of course I shall marry you, Robert.”

Relief rushing through him, he slid his arms around her waist and drew her forward into his embrace, but just as he started to lower his head intending to kiss her, she added, “Now that you have come to your senses and realize what a catch I am and that we were meant to be together, there is no reason not to.”

Robert stilled, and then grimaced and said dryly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said brightly and slipped from his arms to hurry back to her notebook. “Now what came after ‘humor’?”

Robert was scowling when she added, “I want to write it down so I never forget what you said.” He was just relaxing, a smile curving his lips when she added, “I have long wanted to try my hand at writing and what you said was beautiful. I should like the hero in my tale to say exactly that to the heroine at the end.”

“Dear God,” Robert muttered, and gave up his patience to stride across the room, catch her by the hand and drag her out of her seat.

“Robert, I want to get down what you said,” she protested as he dragged her to the bed. “I shall forget the last of it entirely if I do not write it down at once, and really it was the most touching and beautiful speech a girl could ask for.”

“I am glad it pleased you,” he said wryly, pausing beside the bed and bringing her in front of him and then turning her so her back was to him. Quickly undoing her gown, he added, “However, I cannot recall what it is exactly I said.”

“You can’t?” she asked with obvious disappointment as he finished with the gown and pushed it off her shoulders. The material drifted down like a feather to pool on the floor.