Stalk Me Now

"The whole summer, probably," I reply. "At least until Leanne gets home."

A smile spreads across his lips and I can tell that it’s the answer he was hoping for.

"I hope you don’t mind, but I intend to spend as much time as possible with you while you’re here," he murmurs, and he takes my hand and brings it to his lips, planting a kiss against it softly. The warm touch of his lips is so damn romantic that I can’t help but smile.

"I think that sounds just perfect," I agree, and he reaches over to brush a loose strand of hair back from my face. Where the hell did he learn to be so perfect, so romantic, so sweet? I have questions. At least now I know he is in no rush to get away from me, and I am going to have the time to find out the answers to those questions. Which is something that I intend to do.

"Still want me to paint a portrait for you?" I remind him playfully, and he laughs.

"I’m not sure about that," he replies. "But I’d like to see some more of your work."

"Why, you thinking of buying?”

"My business partner and I are art dealers," he remarks. "So maybe we can get some of your work in front of the right people."

My jaw drops. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

"You’re serious?"

"Totally."

"That would be amazing!" I exclaim, and I practically leap out of my seat to jump into his lap. He laughs and slides his arms around my waist, looking up at me as though he can hardly believe that I am really here with him right now.

"Perfect," he murmurs, and he leans in to kiss me again. I close my eyes and let my lips find his once more, and wonder how the hell I managed to find someone this perfect for me – someone who seems to have all the pieces that I’ve been looking for, sitting right here beside me. I smile into the kiss, unable to hide how much I want him right now, and feel a warmth stirring in the bottom of my belly. Because I know that this is real. Whatever it is – it's real. And I’m not going to let it slip through my fingers.

EPILOGUE

GAGE

"Are you sure that’s everything?" I ask her as she brings the last of her art stuff out of the house and plants it in the back of her car. She puts her hands on her hips, surveys everything, and then nods.

"I think it is," she replies, and she manages a smile. Even though I know that the last thing she wants to do is grin right now.

It’s the end of the summer, and Olivia is headed to her roommate filledf apartment. Leanne will be back in town later today, and Olivia promised to make herself scarce by the time she rolled up. I have been helping her pack up her stuff all day, and trying to hold in the one question that I want to ask her. I know that she plans to go. But I don’t want to let her leave.

"I can’t believe I have to go back to living with my roommates again," she sighs, and I wrap my arms around her. Cuddling her comes so natural to me these days; we’ve spent so many nights wrapped up in each other that it just comes easy to me now.

"I know, I’m going to miss you so much," I reply. We agreed that this little fling of ours would last the summer, but now I am facing the reality of her leaving, and that is the last thing I want. Maybe I need to be honest – maybe I need to come clean. Tell her what’s been on my mind.

"Something bothering you?" she asks me, pulling back to look at me. She has gotten to know me so well that she can already tell when something is on my mind. I take a deep breath, and nod. I know I shouldn’t be nervous. I am sure she is going to say yes.

"Something is, actually," I admit. "I – I don’t want you to go, Olivia."

"What are you talking about?” she asks.

"I want you to stay here, with me," I continue. All the things that I have been considering inside my head, they are starting to become clear to me.

"You can move into my place, I have room for you to have a whole studio of your own, finish art school," I explain. "You can paint, you don’t have to worry about being disturbed – you can have the whole place to yourself when I’m away on business, if that’s what you need. Just... don’t go back to your roommates."

She stares at me for a moment. And I stare back at her, at this woman who I have come to love. And the next words spill out of my mouth before I can stop them. I know that they’re right. And I know that I can’t let her leave this place until she’s heard them from me.