Ever since Carter saw her perform in the contest, he hadn't been able to look away—not then, and not now.
Her strength. Her beauty. The way she moved with grace, yet stood firm, like nothing could shake her. That distant air she carried, like the world around her, didn't matter—not even the person standing in front of her. She spoke her mind, even when facing royalty, and never once looked unsure.
Everything about her had left him breathless.
From that day on, she lived in his thoughts. He spoke about her to his parents and shared how he felt—how strongly he felt. He told them he wanted to marry her.
Carter had never been in love before. And when it finally happened, it wasn't soft or slow. He fell hard. Deep. So deep, there was no way back.
And now, after all this time, he was standing before her—ready to lay everything bare.
He knew she might say no. In fact, he expected it. After all, they had met only once. She didn't seem like someone who'd say yes just like that.
