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“I don’t know how we could do all of this without you,” I smile gratefully at her as she takes over my playtime position with the kids so that I can go and get some work done. It’s hard not to want to stay there and just play with them all day, but now that I’ve published my first book, I’ve had agents and publishers banging down my door to try and get their hands on my second work in progress. I kind of like keeping them all waiting and guessing, wondering if I’m going to respond to any of them. In truth, I have no plans of leaving the publisher that launched me thanks to their connection with Hunter. They took a chance on me, and it paid off, and I owe them for that. I plan to keep writing and make them (and myself) proud.
“Hey, don’t forget we need to be all packed up by tomorrow evening,” Hunter says as he passes me in the hallway on his way into the office. I pull him close to me and give him a slow, sensual kiss before he rushes off to work.
“How could I forget a trip to Japan?” I ask. “I’m so excited that I already packed my suitcase last night.”
Hunter laughs and steals another kiss before heading out.
“Me too,” he says. “See you tonight.”
Our first family trip is going to be to check on one of his company’s satellite offices in Japan. Ever since he grew the company internationally, satellite offices have been springing up all over the world, and Hunter gave me my pick of which place I wanted to travel to first. It was an easy decision to pick Japan—I’ve always wanted to see the cherry blossoms and Japanese tea houses. And as soon as Emily turned a year old, we were ready to travel as a family. We even decided to bring our nanny along so that we can take a few moments to ourselves to enjoy the luxurious adventure. It all feels so surreal. I’m still getting used to being married to a billionaire and to the reality of my dreams coming true.
My one true love fromyearsago finally ended up being myhusband, and together, we have created the perfect family, all while being able to pursue my dreams.
When we arrive in Japan, the nanny takes both kids up to the beautiful penthouse in the hotel where we are staying so that they can rest and then relax for a bit with a cartoon and some fancy room service.
The hotel is beautiful, and Hunter’s office is right around the corner. We both have a few things tugging at our brains—checking in on his office, meeting my next deadline, and making sure the kids are well rested to avoid any chance of jetlag. But first, we decide to take a moment for ourselves.
We didn’t go on a honeymoon after we got married. It was all planned and paid for, but Emily arrived a little bit early and threw a kink in the plans. So, this is our first trip since she was born.
“You two go on and enjoy yourselves a little,” the nanny says with a kindly smile as she takes Emily from my arms and kisses her pudgy cheeks. “You deserve it. Me and the children will be just fine here in the hotel room.”
I smile and thank her, and Hunter gives her a few last-minute instructions before we head out.
I’ve neverseensuch a beautiful place.
“Alone time feels a bit like a luxury these days,” Hunter teases as he wraps his arms around my waist, and we walk out into the city streets.
“Yeah, between jobs and kids, it seems as if things have been nonstop ever since our wedding day,” I agree. “Not that I haven’t loved every minute of it, but it’s nice to get off the ride for a minute and remember that this all started with us.”
“It really did,” he smiles. “Even my company started with us.”
“Huh?” That can’t be right. Hunter started his company and became a billionaireafterwe had broken up years ago.
“I never told you that, I guess,” he says as he reaches for my hand to hold. “But the whole reason that I threw myself into work, launched my company, and wound up being a billionaire, is because I had to dosomethingto keep from thinking aboutyou.”
I am at a loss for words.
“So, I guess you could say that you made me who I am today,” he teases.
“It’s so funny,” I muse. “How much we both kept trying to pull away from each other, but fate wasn’t going to let it happen.”
“Do you really think it was fate?” he asks.
“What else could it be?”
“Your sheer stubbornness,” Hunter smirks.
I smack him playfully on the chest as we walk toward the tearoom that he booked a reservation at on the plane ride here.
When we step inside, it’s one of the most relaxing and beautiful places I have ever seen. The walls are bamboo screens, and the floor is coveted in thin moss-colored mats. Overhead, there is a rectangular paper lantern that casts a soft glow on the entire tearoom. We are greeted by a friendly face that seats us, and before we have even finished wiping our hands with the steaming hot white washcloths we were handed, there is a deliciously smelling pot of tea set in front of us. Hunter and I talk and sit closely together on the floor mats as we sip several flavors of the most delectable tea I have ever had in my life.
Afterwards, we go to a private bathhouse that he has completely rented out for just the two of us.
“I feel spoiled,” I say, my cheeks flushing already from the heat.
“Good,” Hunter smiles. “That’s my whole goal for this trip. Well, that and making sure the kids have a good time and that my company office is holding its own. But mostly to spoil you.”
He wraps his arms around me, and everything feels sensual in the rosy light of the bathhouse with nothing but a thin towel separating our bodies and naked skin.
