He had a point. She'd been prickly when he'd first come back from the Holy Land, and that was a kind word at that. But what was she meant to do? Go flying back into his arms? So much had changed. She had changed. The girl he'd left behind had grown into a woman. Suitors had constantly asked her father for her hand, worked for her attention, and presented themselves as potential husbands. And constantly, she turned them away because her heart was hundreds of miles away fighting by the King's side. Never mind that they should've been married, no. He had wanted adventure and excitement and, as a young teen, Marian couldn't help but see that as he had chosen the war over her. That she wasn't enough for him. And so his return had been a mixed blessing and she hadn't known for sure how to handle him.
But before long she'd remembered what she'd fallen in love with about him. What had made her laugh giddily as a girl and say yes to the young lord's proposal of marriage and why she'd held on so tightly to the betrothal despite the men who'd attempted to lure her away.
She might have made a comment, at least jokingly, about silly lines. Or teased him for being so terribly sentimental. But then his hand was against her face and his mouth was on hers and all of those thoughts flew out of her head. She'd been so afraid she'd never get to kiss him again. Her eyes closed and her hand drifted up to that scruffy face of his and she kissed him back sweetly.
"I was so afraid I'd never see you again," she admitted again, though more softly than before, the fear edging through her tone. Her eyes opened and she searched his face. "So much time wasted. I'm sorry we're here at the end of the world, but I'm so glad I'm here with you."