Page 66 of The Image of You

All levity left me as I gripped her face between my palms. “Promise me.”

Her hands covered mine. “I promise. I’ll never leave you, Adam.”

I clutched her to me, overwhelmed at the strange emotion. “Thank God.”

* * *

“You both look well rested.” Elena smirked at us.

I leaned back in my chair, holding a glass of scotch. We’d been given the nonnegotiable invitation to appear for lunch. I brought the promised scotch and the biggest bouquet of orchids and roses the florist could create.

Somehow, I knew extravagant was the way to go with Elena. Nothing less would be right.

She accepted both as if it was her due, as well as the kiss I bestowed on her soft cheek.

“I convinced Ally to take some time off.”

“Well, that’s a first.”

I winked. “There’ve been many firsts, Elena.”

Ally slapped me on my arm. “Adam!”

I grinned. “What?” I asked innocently. “You rode my…bike for the first time, didn’t you?”

Elena scoffed as Ally’s cheeks darkened. Chuckling, I brushed a kiss to her heated skin.

“Behave,” she admonished quietly.

“I’ll try.”

Elena clapped her hands. “No! I like seeing the two of you like this. It’s like a breath of fresh air.” She sighed as she picked up her glass. “My Theo and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other. We—what is that phrase you young ones use nowadays—we fucked like rabbits all the time. I remember getting kicked out of the country club for inappropriate behavior on the golf course.” She paused dramatically. “Now, it wasn’t the first time. The only difference was we got caught. That man knew his way around my putting green, let me tell you.”

Ally sputtered into her glass as I threw my head back and laughed. “I bet you got kicked out of a few places didn’t you, you minx, you.”

“A few. He was a very physical man.” She chuckled. “Thank God. So many of the men I’d met before him were dreadful, boring people. As if they had sticks up their asses—like that Bradley. What a tool.”

I promptly decided I was arranging for flowers to be sent to this woman weekly. I adored her.

She turned to Ally. “I like this one. Sassy and good-looking.”

Ally rolled her eyes. “Don’t encourage him. Stroking his ego only makes it bigger.”

“That’s not what you said this morning when you were stroking my big…ego,” I deadpanned.

Ally dropped her head in her hands, laughing. Elena chuckled.

“I can’t do anything with him,” Ally groaned.

“Do you want to?” Elena asked, tilting her head.

“No. I love him just the way he is,” Ally admitted with a smile.

Elena leaned forward and patted my hand. “I’m glad she found you, boy.”

Lifting Ally’s hand, I kissed her knuckles. “So am I.”

Ally excused herself to clean up from lunch. I watched her walk away with a grin, loving the sway of her hips as she moved.