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With a long sigh, he presses a kiss to my nose. “This was a bad week. I can’t promise you that there won’t be other weeks that life gets crazy for me, or you, and we don’t see much of each other for a few days. Here’s what I will promise, Grace. I promise I’m not leaving you. I’m not moving on. I’m not wasting another two years wondering if it might have worked out. I love you. I want you.”
My tears return, and I can’t say all the things I want to say.
He runs his hands up and down my thighs. “What do you want?”
All the air sucks out of the room. This is the moment to leap, as my mom said. My heart aches in my chest as if it might explode. “I love you.”
Wrapping me in his arms, he lets out a breath. “Thank God.”
“I may need you to remind me from time to time that you’re not going to break my heart.” I spread my knees so I can hug him closer.
“Every day.”
Pure joy flows over me like a warm blanket. Then I remember his text. I push back. “Oh my God. You left your own party to come here.”
His smile is everything. “If you want, we can go back and join the party.”
Despite wanting him to myself, I also want to meet his friends. I stand and walk around him toward my bedroom. “Give me ten minutes.”
He’s still kneeling by the couch, staring at me as if I’m the sun and the moon. “Baby, I plan to give you a lifetime.”
I believe him.
Eight
LANDON
Suddenly, Christmas and New Year are good times again. Sitting in the car, Grace is stunning in a black dress that hugs all her curves, and I can’t wait to remove it after we go to the studio’s mandatory New Year’s Eve party at the fancy club. I kiss her fingers curled around my hand. “I’m the luckiest man alive.”
Grace squeezes my hand and sings along with the music. She frees her hand and touches the back of my neck, toying with my hair. “Mmm. I have almost everything now.”
While I love the way she touches me, I reach behind my neck and take her hand in mine. “Almost?”
When there’s no reply, I steal a glance at her and wait for her to look at me.
Her eyes are wide, as if she said something spontaneous and wishes she could take it back. “It’s nothing.”
“No. No it’s not.” My chest tightens. “What is it?”
She shakes her head. “You have the restaurant and so much going on.”
“Grace.” My tone is maybe the sternest I’ve ever used with her.
Her stare snaps to mine. “I should just be happy we’re together.”
“If you don’t tell me soon, I’m going to turn the car around and drag you back to the bedroom. Then I’ll tickle the information out of you.” I give her waist a light pinch.
She yelps and giggles. “I booked myself a flight back to New Jersey next week.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The idea that she might think I’d be upset because she wants to see her family gnaws at me.
She fidgets in the passenger seat. “I was hoping you might want to come with me. I understand if you don’t. My family is gigantic and intimidating. They will ask you a million questions that are none of their business. You have so much going on with the reopening, and you probably have catering jobs to fulfill. It’s short notice. I was supposed to go home before Christmas, and then the movie, and then us, and now I have free time in my schedule—”
Before I get on the ramp to the highway, I pull into a shopping mall and stop the car. Pulling her across the console, I devour her gorgeous lips and slide my tongue inside her warm, sensual mouth. Cupping her cheek, I make love to her mouth as though we have all the time in the world.
I pull back from the kiss and have to steady Grace when she wobbles toward me.
We both chuckle.
