“You realise that rat poison and antihistamines aren’t the only things I know about.”
“Is that a threat?” He tickles my side.
“Stop it.”
“Did you threaten me?”
“I’ll follow through if you make me pee myself in front of everyone!”
“You’re a bad person!” Leo stands a bit closer so that I’m sandwiched between him and Lucian for the photo.
“Actually, I’m trouble, and I will come for you if you call me your annoying baby sister again.”
“Fine, we’ll go with baby sister.”
“Leo…”
“What, baby sis?”
“You just wait. I’ll bide my time.”
“You know where I live.”
Our back and forth lasts beyond the photos. Every chance he gets, Leo is there to remind me we’re family now. And as vicious as my retorts get, I couldn’t be happier.
CASPER
Happiness is a contagious thing. I haven’t been able to stop smiling or laughing all night, and it’s all down to Fleur. She’s so happy, even as she’s dragging her heels up to our room.
“If you hold her, I can carry you both.” I stop at the bottom of stairs to give her a chance to change her mind.
“Absolutely not,” she laughs. “My feet might be sore, but I’m deliriously delighted. I’m pretty certain I could fly right now.”
“How much did you have to drink?”
“Honestly? I took a sip of the toast champagne and that was it.”
A flush stains her cheeks as her teeth pull her lip into her mouth.
Fuck, man, she’s so gorgeous. A mere look is enough to set me on fire. My heart thumps wildly the longer I hold her in my sight.
“I know it’s silly, but I didn’t want any of today dulled. I want to remember it all in technicolour.”
“It’s 4K now,” I tease her as we start up the stairs.
“Whatever it is, it’s what I want today to be in my head. Vivid. I never want to forget how this feels.”
Fleur’s something else. When I think she can’t surprise me anymore…she hits the jackpot. It’s one of the many things I love about her. That allows me to be certain that she is the only woman I could ever spend the rest of this life, and whatever comes after, with.
She makes my pulse race and my heart ache in the best way. Like it’s aching now to be closer to her. To hold her and have her all to myself. It wasn’t until I had to leave her that I realised that in reality true love is selfish. It doesn’t want to let go. Instead it forces you to do whatever it takes to keep it alive.
“Wait there,” I tell her when we get to our bedroom.
“What? Why?”
“Shut up and wait right there.” I point to where she’s standing right now just outside the door. “You don’t go past this line.” I draw the invisible line with the tip of my shoe. “Got it?”
“What line?”