Love the One You're With(83)
“What about when the next adventure comes up?” she asked quietly.
“Then we’ll talk about it. Like a couple. Although somehow I think you’ll be all the adventure I need. I mean, just keeping you in chocolate and trying to predict your next move is exhausting.”
Her eyes searched his face, wanting so hard to believe him. “How do I know this isn’t just a phase?” What if you leave me?
“You don’t know,” he said. “You’ll just have to trust me.”
Her stomach clenched. “I’m not so good at that. Not anymore.”
“You’ve got to give me a chance, Grace,” he whispered.
“I did. And you left for freaking Central America with three days’ notice.”
He winced. “Because I messed up. And I’ll probably do it again. And so will you, but we’ll keep trying. I know we will.”
“Why?”
“God, she’s tough,” Riley grumbled from behind them.
Damn straight. She wanted it all. And without it …
She saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “My mom warned me I was going to have to say this … she didn’t mention how hard it would be.”
“He’s talking about his mom. Smooth moves, dude,” Mitchell muttered.
“Can we please get some quiet here?” Jake hollered, sounding slightly crazed. Everyone ignored him, of course.
“It’s like this, Grace. I love you. I do. And I know this isn’t a romantic way to say it, and I should probably have truffles and Merlot and some shit, and instead someone just spilled beer all over my foot, but that’s the way my love is going to be. A little bit messy, completely confused. But it’s real.”
“Better,” Mitchell chimed in again.
But Grace wasn’t listening to any of that. She was trying to search inside herself. Maybe she’d cut 1.0 and 2.0 loose too quickly, because she needed someone to tell her what to do.…
“Stop thinking about it, Grace. Stop letting anyone else do the answering for you,” he said, his fingers linking with hers. “Besides, I already know you love me back.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That’s taking your supposed expertise with women a bit far, isn’t it?”
Wordlessly he slid a hand down her arm, gripping her hand and pulling it between them.
Then gently, purposefully, his fingers curved around and his thumb settled on the sensitive, fragile skin of her inner wrist.
Her pulse was in overdrive. Just like it had been that first day in the cab, and during that first kiss.
Except this time, it wasn’t just excitement and attraction.
It was love. And he knew it.
“You’re really annoying when you’re right,” she whispered.
His eyes darkened before his fingers closed more firmly on her wrist, jerking her forward once more. “You know, even the most confident of men can use a little verbal confirmation every now and then.”
She wound her arms around his neck. “Yeah? Because Carl tells me you’ve got a thing for girls with K names. Perhaps you should call one of them.”
His hand wrapped around her ponytail, holding her immobile as his eyes bored into hers.
Pleaded. “Grace.”
She melted. “I love you.”
His eyes closed in relief before he jerked her off her feet and spun her around.
Cole groaned. “Total spectacle, dude. Also, completely cheesy.”
“Shut it, Sharpe. Don’t think I’m going to forget that you nearly kissed my woman.”
“Well, someone needs to. God knows you’ve been too busy running your mouth to kiss her proper.”
“Something I plan to remedy,” Jake said, his face already dipping toward hers.
The reporter in the coral suit had a microphone between them before they had time to react.
“Um, excuse me, Mr. Malone, Ms. Brighton … one more question? There’s something I think the readers are dying to find out.”
“What?” Jake grumbled.
“Well, um …” The reporter glanced at Camille, who nodded emphatically. “The final poll question is, will they or won’t they? Would you guys like to weigh in?”
Jake frowned. “Will we or won’t we what?”
The reporter frowned and looked around in confusion. “Um …”
“You know what? Screw it,” Jake said, turning back to Grace. “We’re doing it. That’s our official answer. We’re doing all of it.”
The reporter gave a relieved smile before turning back to the camera. “And there you have it, folks. They’re doing it. All of it.”
“Well, that sounded good and properly dirty,” Riley muttered once the cameras had been turned off. “Camille’s going to poop a cow.”