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Gemma gives me a shocked look and mouths, “I didn’t tell her, I swear.”
She steps out of the car to give me privacy while I speak to Ellie.
“Adam? It’s really you?” she sobs.
“Yes Sweetheart. How did you get my number?” My heart is no longer in danger of exploding, now it feels as if it might come to a complete stop.
“Dax. I got it from Dax. I saw Liam the other day. I’ve been trying to get the courage to call him and ask for your number. He said you’re not in L.A. with him.” Her soft voice is trembling.
“I’m not, where are you?” I ask, even though I already know exactly where she is.
She sniffs and laughs a little before answering. “You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me.” I can’t contain the smile on my face as I get out of the car and walk up the path towards the brick cottage. Gemma must have already gone inside.
“I’m at Kew Gardens. My mum is getting married today, to her boss.” I hear muffled words. “Hold on, I’m stepping outside.”
I look up and see her. She’s exiting the cottage, one hand covering her ear, the other holding the phone up. She looks radiant, her blonde hair in a loose up-do that’s being tousled by the soft breeze, the blue dress she’s wearing is clinging to her curves just enough to be sexy but covering enough skin to be suitable for a fall wedding.
“Look to your left,” I whisper, now only a few feet away.
I watch as her head snaps up and her eyes dart around, searching. I can tell the exact moment she finds me because her hands fly to her mouth, phone and all, and she starts crying, nearly collapsing on the walkway.
I disconnect and close the final steps, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’ve got you, Sweetheart. I’m never leaving you again, I promise. No one will take you away from me. Without you, I’m nothing.”
We stand there, holding on to each other for minutes, hours, days… I don’t know and I don’t care. All I know is that I have my girl in my arms and I finally feel complete. The hollow ache in my chest is gone and I can see a future.
“Adam,” she sobs, “I didn’t leave you.”
“I know, El. I know.” I let her cry into my chest while I stroke her back and press my face into her soft hair and thank God that I’m being given the chance to make this right.
Still weeping, Ellie pulls back and tilts her head so I can see her face. “I’ve missed you,” she whispers, sniffing to try and contain her tears.
“Me too.” I take her face in my hands and reclaim what should have been mine all these years. Our lips brush together lightly at first, hesitant after being apart for so long. Then something changes, the primal bond that we’ve always shared becomes stronger, our bodies instinctively remember each other, and our kiss becomes deeper, more significant. Tongues twist together and our hungry mouths ache to savor each other. My fingers skim down her sides and tighten on the silky fabric of her dress, pulling her hips against mine.
A gasp from Ellie has me ready to throw her into Gemma’s backseat and have her right here.
“Ellie,” I moan, “we have to stop. Your mum, the wedding…” My head is spinning, intoxicated her scent, her body, her taste.
Reluctantly, we separate, but never lose contact completely. I throw my arm over her shoulders and she slides hers around my waist. “Let’s go see my Mum get married,” she says, grinning. “We can catch up later.”
I look down at my girl and smile back. “We have all the time in the world, El. Like I said, I’m never letting you go.”
40
Ellie
The hire car drops us off in front of the Warren Hotel after a long, but fun evening at my mum’s wedding and reception. Adam got mobbed by guests all night, naturally, but otherwise we had a brilliant time. We danced and ate and drank and Adam was reacquainted with my mum and spent some time with Miles, her new husband. Mum was thrilled to see him, she always did love him.
Being alone with Adam, however, is what I’ve been waiting for all night, and now that it’s about to happen, I’m bloody nervous. I haven’t been with Adam in years, and we still have to talk about what happened after I left his hotel room that ill-fated day.
“What’s wrong Sweetheart?” Adam asks as he opens the door to his suite. His beautiful face is twisted with what I can only describe as concern. He removes his suit jacket and tie and drapes them over a tall chair, then unfastens the first few buttons at his throat and does the same for his cuffs, rolling them up to his elbows.
I shuffle past him and drop my coat and bag on the floor, kick off my killer heels and make my way over to the well stocked bar. “Drink?” I ask, my voice sounding hoarse.
“No thank you, I don’t really drink much these days. Why don’t we sit?” Adam gestures to the nearby couch. I flush with embarrassment, of course he doesn’t want a drink, he has alco
hol issues. Abandoning the liquor, I join him on the plush sofa, my hands twitching anxiously in my lap.
