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She’s my mirror, my judge, and has revealed herself as my sole purpose.
“I hear you, Mon Trésor,” I reply, hastening my steps, chest pounding, the delicate offering safe in my hand. I will always hear you.
Meet me at the finish line.
Earning her and her heart has been my greatest accomplishment, making it my most prized possession. A treasure any worthy thief will try to steal.
As far as living arrangements, I . . . we, have a condo in Charlotte, a townhouse in Paris, an apartment in Spain, and a hideaway in Germany.” “You and Alicia?” “Are you fucking serious right now? We, as in you and me. She was never my future, Cecelia.”
“I will kill anyone who threatens you. Anyone. I will fucking end them, Cecelia. I won’t think twice, and I won’t lose sleep over it.”
“He was sincere about the gift, Cecelia. Dom would have wanted you to have it, but no matter how this works out between us, we’re always going to protect you. Always. That’s not debatable.”
I’m seated at her four-seat kitchenette. She bites into her French toast and downs her coffee before I shove the first bite in my mouth.
She leans down to pet Beau and gives him an exaggerated kiss, and I’m instantly jealous.
She’s completely clueless to the attention she’s getting. Or is she? Her to-do list makes that theory shit, but she won’t be fucking to-doing Greg. Not to-fucking-ever.
She wants no part of Greg or the offer that’s coming, but that doesn’t lessen the urge to imprint the Apple logo of my newly purchased Mac into his skull.
“And so, I would very much appreciate it if you would stop fucking looking at my future as if she may be yours. The answer is no, Greg, she won’t be dining with you.”
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“Two things,” I mumble, lifting the screen to type the last of my email. “I would like a club sandwich, fries, and your phone number.” “You are such a bastard.” “Your bastard,” I remind her, unlocking my phone and pushing it across the counter. “And he can order all the fucking eggs and coffee he wants here, but he doesn’t get to look at you like that.”
“What brings you to this part of Virginia?” “Something I can’t live without,” I admit easily and feel Cecelia tense
Cecelia finally smiles and walks over to me. She lifts my sandwich and takes a large bite. It’s an act of kindness, a rarity since I showed up, and my shoulders ease back a little. She chews slowly, and our eyes meet and hold. She’s in there, hiding, both the girl I met and the woman I love, as she was yesterday.
I grab the bottle of lotion sitting next to it, uncap it and inhale. Immediately I’m hit with the familiarity and one of the triggers of my addiction to her, her scent. Reading the label, it dawns on me why. Juniper Berry. No wonder I’m addicted to her smell. I drink the contents of her scent nightly. In. My. Fucking. Gin. “Well played, queen,” I muse, capping her lotion and closing the cabinet.
“Tu m’as manqué, Mon Trésor.” I’ve missed you, my treasure. The sincerity in his tone combined with the look in his eyes has my heart galloping, and visions swirling of the days he barely made it out of his Jag in my father’s driveway before I was in his arms and our lips were colliding. A collection of days and weeks when our time was stolen, a time where we freed ourselves to openly love each other without uttering the words.
‘Don’t ever count on a man to realize his wrongs on your emotional timeline ’cause men always take way longer to come around and deal with their feelings. They’re emotionally stunted.’”
“Stop staring, or he’ll know we’re talking about him.” Not even a second later, his eyes lift, and he smirks. Bastard. We both burst back into motion, which makes us look even more ridiculous.
“As I said, I’m not interested in your help, but I would love the name of your tailor.”
I open the freezer for some ice and see that he’s grocery shopped, and not only that, he’s zip-locked red grapes for me and frozen them. Visions of the days where I lounged by the pool at my father’s mansion sucking on them while he swam laps run through my mind.
He slaps his thigh and widens his eyes with pure delight. “This we can binge-watch together.” He’s truly excited about this prospect, and it’s all I can do to keep from buckling with laughter.
The stars have managed to pave the way for us again, and I’m not fucking up another chance to collide with her.
I’ve been selfish, but I had my reasons. There’s always a reason for everything I do. And if that’s our story, then know I’m here to give you, us, a better ending.
I take Beau in my arms, and the confused dog licks my lips. I murmur my hello as Tobias snaps at the both of us. “I’m jealous. Of. A. Dog.”
“I want to live here.” “You are living here.” “I’m existing here, but we can make a life here if that’s what you want. I’ll give you whatever you want. Dream with me again, Cecelia. Dream a thousand more dreams with me, and I will make them all come true. I can give you promises. Promises I couldn’t before.”
