Cruce shifts to angle toward me, his hands coming to my shoulders. He looks hopeful and wary all at the same time. “Are you sure? You’re big stuff right now, Barrett. You could go anywhere in this world… command any salary you wanted. Your future is bright and set.”
“Not without you, it isn’t,” I say honestly. “And frankly… right now, I don’t want anything but you. I’d like to take a break to just enjoy my life for a bit.”
Cruce chuckles. “I bet getting kidnapped and tortured put things into perspective.”
I shake my head. “Nothing to do with that. You put things into perspective for me.”
“I did?” Cruce looks very triumphant right now, his chest puffed out a bit.
“You told me back on the island that when I got involved in my work, you believed the world could burn down around me and I wouldn’t even notice. And yes, that was probably true. But who I am now only wants the world to burn down around me with you by my side, because it wouldn’t matter as long as we are together.”
“I love you,” he replies simply, bending his head to get in closer. “Love you more than anything in this world, Barrett. I’ll give you whatever you want, but if it’s Pittsburgh, then I say let’s do it.”
“And the dream?”
“I’ll give you that, too,” he murmurs before moving in to brush a sweet kiss on my mouth. He pulls away, locking his determined eyes on mine. “Promise.”EPILOGUECruceI point the remote control at the TV, flipping through the channels, but I don’t see anything that interests me. As far as comfort goes, this hotel bed has it going on. If I’m not careful, I might doze off, which would ruin the entire evening. I sit up a little straighter, pushing against the pillows I’d stacked against the headboard, and choose a news station that’s heavy on opinion and light on fact, knowing it will irritate me enough to at least keep me awake.
Barrett finally exits the bathroom, a waft of steam following. Her wet hair is wrapped in a towel, and she’s wearing one of my t-shirts. From personal experience, having lived with her for the last several weeks, I know she won’t have any panties on under it.
I glance at the clock, noting I still have a few minutes, then watch as she trudges my way. She makes it to her side of the bed and falls face-first onto the mattress, groaning with extreme exaggeration. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been this tired in my life.”
“Preach it, sister,” I reply, because I’m feeling the same level of exhausted.
We’ve just completed the last day of a four-day trip to Orlando, where we’ve taken in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Universal Studios while under the hot Florida sun. So fucking stupid to come here in the summertime, but I just couldn’t let go of the fact Barrett had never been before.
Never been on a frivolously fun vacation ever.
We fly home to Pittsburgh tomorrow. I’m thoroughly whipped, but there is one more thing that must be done.
She twists slightly. “If you want to do sex stuff to me, you better make it fast,” she mutters.
I snort because as tired as I am, I’m never too tired to do sex stuff with her. But right now, I have other stuff on my mind.
I roll off my side of the bed, then head toward the mini-fridge I had secretly stocked while we were at Universal today. After I open the door, I pull out a bottle of chilled champagne and two glass flutes.
Barrett lifts her head from the bed with interest. “You know one glass of that will put me out. No sex stuff tonight.”
“I’m sure I won’t die if we don’t fuck on at least one night a week,” I reply dryly as I proceed to uncork the bottle.
Giggling, Barrett climbs out of the bed. Truth is that we don’t have sex every night, but we damn sure come close to it. We can’t get enough of each other, and I’m all right by that.
Pulling the towel off her head, she tosses it on the end of the bed, sauntering toward me as I pour two glasses of champagne at the TV stand. She grabs her glass and holds it up, waiting for me to tap mine against it, but I shake my head and take her free hand.
“Let’s go out on the balcony,” I say.
Grumbling, she follows me out into the muggy Florida night. “It’s so humid… I’m going to need another shower when we go in.”
“Damn right you are,” I say. “I’ve got my second wind. Later, I’m going to do sex stuff with you, so you’ll definitely need another shower.”
Barrett snickers, leaning forward to press her stomach against the railing. We stayed at the Grand Floridian in a room that faces the Magic Kingdom across the water. It’s the first evening we even stepped out onto the balcony.