“Enlighten me.”
“I will.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Here we go.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Hold on to your hat.”
“I’m not wearing a hat.”
“Well, hold on to your underwear then.”
“I’m not wearing those either.”
Jethro opened his mouth to respond but then snapped it shut, his gaze lifting to mine again, giving me another amused yet exasperated look.
“We . . .” he started, his voice full of authority, pausing just long enough to treat himself to an evocative, lingering sweep of my body. Then he started again, his voice deeper. “We make plans together; we both stick to the plan.”
“Okay. Yes.”
“Or if you want to change the plan, we discuss it.”
“Makes sense.”
“Good,” he said firmly, like everything was decided, then added unexpectedly, “So I guess I have something to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
“Yesterday, after your video, I tried calling you because there were reporters camped out at my house.”
I immediately grimaced. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes.”
“What happened? What did you do?”
“I invited them for lemonade on the front porch and answered a few of their questions.”
“Was it terrible?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad. But they already knew all about my past, showed me my arrest record, asked how I thought audiences were going to react to America’s sweetheart hooking up with an ex-con. I pointed out that I wasn’t an ex-con, as I’d never been convicted, and if they printed as much I’d have to sue them for slander. But other than that awkwardness, our chat was mostly pleasant.”
I nodded, absorbing all of this. “Okay . . . okay. We’ll be fine.”
“Sienna,” his eyes searched mine, and he closed the distance between us, gathering my hands between his, “it’s just starting. This week might be tough. You have to let me help you; you have to tell me what’s going on so we can work together. Things might come out, stuff I haven’t told you—not because I’m keeping secrets, but because there’s so much, I haven’t gotten to it yet, or I just simply forgot. Ask me questions. Don’t be afraid of making me angry.”
“I will, and I won’t. I mean, I will ask, and I won’t be afraid,” I promised solemnly. I was actually really impressed with how well he took the news of what had happened at the premiere. I’d expected him to be more upset.
“We’re in this together,” he said, and that made me smile.
“We are, aren’t we?” I asked, feeling an odd sense of wonder. “It’s you and me, partner.”
We swapped stares, smiling at each other. I think we both appreciated the finality of the moment. I felt the truth settle around us, in our little bubble of awesome. Our bubble might be pierced, but I trusted we’d always be able to patch it.
Our past would always be part of us, but it would never wholly define us, either together or as individuals. Each moment was a decision. We could either live up or down to people’s expectations, or blow them completely away. We had no control over what other people decided to think, but we did have control over our own actions, who we wanted to be, and how we lived our life.
From now on, it was Jethro Winston and Sienna Diaz against the world, defying our history, ignoring the labels others might assign. If I became lost, I knew I could count on him to find me, and vice versa. We had faith in each other, and that’s all that mattered.
Well . . . maybe not quite.
What my family thought mattered, and I would always take their advice seriously, even though I might not follow it.
What Jethro’s family thought also mattered, but I was certain they’d be pleased with whatever made Jethro happy. No worries there.
What Jethro thought mattered and what I thought mattered.
And everyone else could go dill a pickle.
“I love you, Jethro Whitman Winston.” I slipped my hands from his and pulled the tie holding my black silk bathrobe closed. “I can’t wait to make you crazy, fill your house with children, and furnish our sex dungeon.”
He grinned down at me, a mixture of amusement and wickedness. He slid his large, wildly strong hands into my robe, opening it and exposing my body to his eyes and touch. I shivered, because I loved how he touched me, how he cherished me.
“I love you, Sienna Diaz.” His voice was a low rumble, and he captured my mouth with a soft, savoring kiss. “You are sunshine and sweetness, but you’re so much more than that. You are strong and beautiful, brave and wise. And you are funny.”