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“No,” he whispered, not taking his eyes off me. “I can’t believe it at all.”
“I’m…ah…” I lifted my hand, feeling foolish in a hundred different ways. Sorry? As if that covered the extent of my emotions. So in love I can’t sleep at night. So in love it hurts being away from you.
“Here?” he asked, slowly, oh, so slowly circling his big desk.
My smile gained strength. Courage. I gripped the rock in my pocket, my talisman, my compass leading to Matt. “I am. I’m here.” Oh, this was the hard part. The killer. “If you still want me?”
“Want you?” he asked, his eyes like flames against the night. He practically stalked me across the room.
It was the animal in him. And the animal in me answered.
Touch me. Oh, please touch me. I’m so much more real when you touch me. So much more myself.
“I will never stop wanting you,” he said. “I love you.”
His hand grazed my shoulder and I shuddered in relief, collapsing against him. “I love you, too. Oh, God, I love you.”
“I didn’t think you’d come,” he breathed against my hair.
“Not come?” I brushed aside some of his hair, touched his forehead, his cheeks, the gorgeous beloved curve of his lip. “You can’t get away from me now. I’m unleashed. I’ll chase you anywhere.”
“This is the only place I want to be.” He pulled me so tight against him I could barely breathe.
And it was perfect.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you for making me do this. Thank you for having faith in me.”
“Always,” he said. “You are my salvation, Savannah. My light.”
“Hey!” Katie cried as he was leaning in to kiss me. “Can we go see that arch thing? And a riverboat, I want to see a riverboat. Mom said we could go see the ocean. Want to come, Matt? Have you seen the ocean?”
“The ocean?” he asked.
“It was a long trip,” I said. “And she was so excited. I feel like now that we’re away from the Manor we need to see it all. I’ve taken a leave of absence. I was hoping…” I looked up at him and I knew he could see my heart in my eyes. “There’s a whole world out there, Matt, and I’d like to see some of it. With you.”
“And I’d like to show it to you,” he whispered. He kissed me, or I kissed him. I wasn’t sure. And it didn’t matter.
We were together. And the journey was just beginning.
Epilogue
To Carter and Tyler
From Savannah
Hi, guys! I’ve only got a few minutes before our flight leaves. Matt, Katie and I are on our way to Paris. Matt wants to show me the Eiffel Tower and I want to see it! Katie wants to eat French fries in France—she thinks they’ll be better there. She’s going to miss some school, but you only live once, right? I know, I can’t believe it’s me saying that, either.
We’re going to be gone for two months and Margot is leaving for another cruise in two weeks so the Manor is going to be empty. Juliette says she can keep an eye on it, but frankly I’m worried. You know Mom broke in a while ago and I didn’t press charges. I know what you’re thinking, Carter, but I didn’t want to take that process on with her. Not when it feels like my whole life is starting.
Anyway, I don’t think we’ve seen the end of her. Carter, I know you’re busy being very important and Tyler, you’re busy doing…what are you doing, again? But it would mean a lot to me and to Margot if you’d check in on the house. If one of you could keep an eye on things. Carter, I imagine it would be you. Tyler, sorry, but you’ve never been good at the responsibility thing.
Anyway, I love you both. Life is better than I ever imagined. I’ll send postcards.
Love,
Savannah.
