‘That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.’ Her throat was so constricted from holding back her emotion that it was hardly a whisper that sounded. She put her fingers to her lips to stop the sobs from ripping free.
‘Please let me love you,’ he whispered back. ‘I’ll do whatever I have to.’
‘You don’t have to do anything but love me,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t want you giving up things that are important to you.’
‘I’m not.’
‘What about those Australians?’
‘The terrible twins?’ He laughed. ‘They’ll find someone else. I’m not in the market for global domination. Just national.’
‘Really?’
‘I have lots of things to do round here—at work and with you.’
She smiled. ‘So do I. Planning to be the best tour guide in the country, you know.’
‘Of course.’ He nodded. ‘So maybe I could come on tour sometimes?’ That one eyebrow went even higher. ‘I could learn all those lines and achieve Ultra Fan Status.’
She chuckled—well, it was more a hiccup. Because she didn’t know if she could handle his presence when she was leading a tour. ‘You might be too much of a handful on my bus.’
He winked. ‘I do solemnly declare that I will never manhandle you on tour time. Only in the hotel every night.’
‘It’s not you I’m worried about.’ She smiled. It was her own urges. ‘But maybe I could travel with you sometimes?’
‘Any time you want. I won’t visit the lodges as much. I need to consolidate and I could stay in town more. Here.’
‘You’re going to move in with me?’ Her eyebrow took the upwards escalator that time.
‘If you’ll have me.’ He paused.
‘Is it going to be enough for you?’ What if he got bored and felt she was holding him back?
‘I’m talking long-term commitment, Ellie. I’m talking life. Literally. I want a family,’ he said softly.
‘You’re talking kids?’ Her voice lifted a dozen octaves. And he’d used the C-word?
‘And I want to be involved.’ He nodded, seeming to miss her total astonishment. ‘I don’t want them turning themselves inside out to get my attention. I don’t want to do that to our children. I want them to know how important they are.’
The security she hadn’t been given by her parents. Knowing he understood that made her melt completely. She leaned against his chest. ‘I think if you tell them...’
He shook his head. ‘Words aren’t enough,’ he whispered. ‘It’s all in the actions. Words mean nothing if they’re not backed up with action. I want to show them. Just as I want to show you.’
‘You already have.’
‘No, I’ve only just begun. I love you, Ellie. Let me show you how for the rest of our days.’
Not often did an actual climax live up to the fantasy of Ellie’s unlimited—heavily Hollywood influenced—imagination. This moment wasn’t like that. There was no cinematic tweaking, no flash mob dancing, no proposals in neon lights... But nothing could beat the sincerity shining in the light in his eyes. Nothing could beat the liquid joy racing in her veins. Nothing could stop her from smiling, from crying. She squeezed her eyes shut as her tears flowed faster. Warmth seeped into her skin—the feel of his skin, his strong body, his tight embrace. Yes, the blaze of passion was there, but it was based on an eternal flame, a lick of heat that was all security. All his love.
She’d never felt so treasured. So wanted. In every way that mattered. In that most special of ways. She was his partner in everything. His equal. And they were going to work it together.
‘I love you.’ She’d give him everything she had to give. It could never be too much, now she understood that. He wanted it all—wanted to give her the same.
He groaned. ‘I need you.’
She couldn’t believe he was so blown away to have her in his arms. That he too was so ecstatic and so relieved that she’d opened up to him. As if he’d really believed she might not.
He moved, lifting her.
‘This is a bad idea,’ she yelped. ‘You’re injured.’
‘I’m fine,’ he argued.
‘You’re not.’
‘Hold me back any longer and I won’t be. Please let me do this.’
She cupped his cheek with her hand. ‘Only if you let me take care of you too.’
He smiled at her—that lucky, lovely smile—and carried her to the place they both needed to be. She muffled her gasps when she saw the extent of his bruising, but he’d already seen her distress.
‘It looks worse than it is.’
‘Liar.’ She brushed a kiss over the purplish skin near his ribs.
‘I love you.’
‘We haven’t had sex this simple,’ she said softly as he carefully moved over her.
‘This isn’t simple,’ he answered. ‘And this isn’t sex.’
She arched instinctively, her neck, her spine, her feet. Every muscle clenched on the pleasure of him, breathing hard already. Abandoned moans were a mere thrust away.
‘This is love.’ His biceps rippled as he braced over her, pausing before driving his point home. ‘This is making love.’
She cried, ‘Oh, yes.’
He groaned and pulled back, trying to slow down. ‘It’s not going to be a marathon.’
‘Not a problem.’ She arched again, the ripples starting already.
His grin was lopsided and strained. And so lucky. Their eyes met—vulnerable, revealing. Trusting.
In the aftermath he nuzzled closer, his weight so wonderfully heavy on her. She blew cool, teasing air over his face and neck.
‘I think I’m the luckiest guy ever,’ he whispered gruffly.
She looked at the lamp where his tee shirt had landed and saw the old slogan and smiled, the most secure and certain of anything in her life. ‘Yeah,’ she whispered. ‘There’s no one luckier than you. Except me.’
She felt his smile against her skin.
‘We’re going to spend the rest of our lives arguing that,’ he teased.
Pure happiness radiated through her. She softened. His completely. Happy completely.
‘I know.’
One Year Later.
‘I’M NOT going to win, you know. Just to be nominated is amazing. I never expected it, not two years in a row.’
Scepticism was painted all over Ruben’s face. ‘Just to be nominated? No one actually believes that, you know. Everyone wants to win. You included.’
Ellie determinedly shook her head. ‘It would be nice to win, but I’m not going to be devastated if I don’t. I’m going to enjoy the night anyway.’ She’d partied like a wild woman last year when she hadn’t won. This year was going to be so much better than that because he was with her and they’d just had