Or what?

Once again, Mark was completely confused by this strange conversation which could so easily prompt yet another kickback from this fascinating, adorable, but terrifying woman. But he had been boxed into a conversational treadmill that was too difficult to hop off. And somehow he didn’t want to hop off anyway.

“Well will you marry me then?” he said bravely.

“Or what?” she said defiantly.

‘Oops, here it comes’ he thought, ‘deep breath, there’s no turning back now.’

“Or let me go!” This was his final roll of the dice, but Juliette's response took the wind quite out of his sails.