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I hand James my award and he places it on the table next to him, then turns back to me. He closes the distance between us and pulls me to him, planting a huge kiss to my lips in front of everyone. His strong arms wrap around me, holding me tightly as he dips me back and kisses me even deeper. It reminds me of the iconic black and white post-war photo of the elated sailor who pulled a random nurse into his arms and kissed her right in the middle of New York City.
Just like back then when the kiss happened in the center of the street, people are looking at us. I know what they see—a clearly older man professing his love by the act of a kiss to a fresh-faced twenty-something-year-old woman. I'm sure they think he's paying me. High-end hooking is huge in Manhattan and spotted everywhere.
James pulls me upright and breaks the kiss. His arms are still wrapped around me as I draw in a breath and gasp, my lips tingling. He doesn't say anything—he doesn't need to. It's all right there for me to see in his eyes what I mean to him. My fingers stroke his salt and pepper beard as I gaze into his eyes. We're both grinning like two cheesy fools.
"I fucking love you so damn much." James grins. "I love this woman!" he shouts to the room, and my cheeks burst with heat as my smile stretches across my face once more.
"James!" I whisper sharply under my breath.
He gives me an unapologetic shrug. James caught me by complete surprise, and I love him even more for it.
Taking my hand, he laces his fingers with mine and sits next to me until the dinner is over.
Twenty-Two
"Tell me when you had time to plan this?" I ask James.
As soon as the dinner had ended, James whisked me into a Bentley and had the driver take us to a private airstrip where a plane was waiting for us. He wouldn't tell me where we were going no matter how many times I’d begged, but he’d assured me it was somewhere I wanted to go.
And he wasn’t wrong.
Aspen holds fond memories for us. It’s where we both fell hard for each other with so much on the table to lose. Where we found balance and unison. Aspen is where we’d realized we were unapologetically in love with each other.
"I had a little help." James beams from ear to ear as he guides me inside the log cabin I’ve dreamed about revisiting.
Happiness curls through my veins as I take in the space around me. It looks exactly the same, like we were just here yesterday. The cozy first floor is decorated in forest greens and brassy gold hues. This place screams home to me, and there’s a warmth spreading in my chest that solidifies the feeling.
"Who helped you?" I turn around and James stares like the answer is obvious. "Natalie," I state. I can't believe that dirty little ho didn't tell me.
"I planned this a few months ago, but Natalie only knew about it recently because I asked her to pack you a bag. I didn't trust her to keep it a secret from you."
I'm delighted he planned a surprise trip like this. "You asked her to pack my bags? I'm scared to see what she put in there."
James laughs and walks over to where I'm standing. I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders and his hands encircle the small of my back.
"I caught her before she left for Italy and told her to go shopping for you. I've been hiding your suitcase in my office." There’s a pensive weight to his stare now. "I know you've been wanting to come back here. I have too, but I felt like it needed to be a special occasion for us. Today, with the opening of your second shelter and the award’s dinner, it felt like the time was finally right."
"It's our shelter, baby." I correct him. What's mine is his, always. I hope he knows that.
James shakes his head. "No, sweetheart, that's all yours. I'm just along for the ride."
"How did I get so lucky with you?" I want to smush his face against mine and kiss the fuck out of him.
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it luck…" We both see the dark humor behind his comment. James continues. "I need you to do me a favor and close your eyes. I have one more surprise."
My cheeks are starting to ache from smiling so hard. "Another surprise? James, you're too good to me. It is enough just being here with you. I don't need anything else but you naked and on top of me."
His eyes glow with pride. I love seeing him smile. It makes me happy to see him like that. I wiggle my hips against his, along with a few brow raises, and his smile stays until his eyes fall to my mouth. He turns serious again, and he squints like there's something on his mind. I can feel how hard he's thinking and worry about what's suddenly bothering him.
"It's never enough when it comes to you, don't you realize that by now?"
I study his gaze for a moment then press my chest against his and lean into him. I release a soft sigh. "Do you think there are other couples out there who are as happy as we are?"
"I'd like to think there are, otherwise, that's a sad life to lead."
I agree with him, then I loosen my arms and take a step back.
"Don't move. I just have to grab something really quick."
