His beautiful face wears that same smile from earlier and then the look of determination comes back. He pushes me an arm’s length away, still gripping my wrists.
And then he lets go.
I rest my arms on the ledge and watch him glide to the center of the pool. Tears blur my vision, but I quickly blink them away. I don’t want to miss a single moment.
Holden dives under the water and resurfaces with a small gasp. I restrain myself from going to him, but Holden is okay, floating on his back and staring at the sky. Then he sighs as if he’s letting something go. Something he’s been carrying inside for too long.
After a moment, he plants his feet on the bottom of the pool.
“Okay, that’s enough,” he says, striding toward me in long steps. “There’s only so many reunions and engagements and breakthroughs a guy can have in a single night.”
He comes back to me and I reach for him, pulling him to me. Water streams in rivulets down his sharp cheek bones to his full lips. Wordlessly, he crashes his mouth to mine, igniting the flame all the water in the world can’t douse. We kiss deeply, then harder, an intense delving of our mouths and tongues and lips. It sears me with its heat and love. So much love.
I take us to the pool’s edge, our hands roaming, sweeping over bare skin, wet and smooth with water. From our pool. In our house. I kiss Holden Parish, my love for him pulsing through me with fierce pride. Because he made it. He’s here.
He’s finally home.
The End