Chapter 22 #2
“Yes, you.” He took a small step closer.
“I love Omegron. I’ve worked for years to make my company a success, and I thought my life had fallen apart when the scandal happened.
But instead, I met you, and you gave my life a whole new meaning.
You showed me that there’s more to life than work — so much more. ”
“We did have a nice trip together, didn’t we?” Kendra asked. She was still bending and straightening one of the flower stems. “But you were clear about how your work is the most important thing to you.”
“I was, but I was wrong about that.” Lucas gave her an endearing smile that made Kendra’s heart flutter. “The most important thing in life shouldn’t be work. It should be swimming in the ocean under the stars with a beautiful woman, and falling off kayaks, and joking about fairy tales.”
“What are you saying, exactly?” Kendra accidentally snapped off the flower stem she’d been fiddling with and forced her hands to be still.
“We had a great vacation together,” Lucas repeated. “But I don’t want our time together to end. I know we didn’t talk about it, but I really think there’s something between us, Kendra. Don’t you? When I look at you or hold you in my arms, I feel something I’ve never felt before.”
“I feel it, too,” Kendra whispered. She barely wanted to admit the extent of her feelings.
After all, Lucas had run off before, choosing work over her, and that had hurt.
She wasn’t ready to be hurt like that again.
Still, there was a time to be brave, and this was it.
“I don’t want things to end with the vacation either.
But I can never compete with your work. Our lives in LA are just too different. Don’t you think?”
“Maybe,” Lucas admitted. “But that’s why we need more time to get to know each other. And that’s why I called you to the airport. I think it’s time for us to repeat our vacation. I’ve taken time off work, and I’m ready… if you are.”
Kendra laughed despite herself. “You want to leave on a trip right now?”
“Why not?” Smiling, Lucas took her free hand in his. “I don’t want to waste another minute without you. We can go wherever you want: Paris, Tokyo, back to Cabo, anything.”
“I do have some work to do…” Kendra said, but she was smiling. She did have a little work, but it could wait. She hadn’t booked any clients for the first six weeks after her wedding, so she was mostly free.
“I understand.” Lucas looked down.
“But, as someone wise said, there are more important things than work.”
He met her eyes with a wide smile that melted any trace of hesitation left in Kendra’s heart. “Really?”
“Really.” She laughed. Once again, she felt the way she had when they’d run through the resort under the stars after their dip in the ocean — wild and free and full of hope.
“So, where should we go?” Lucas asked. He took her hand and led her to the departures board, which was lit up with cities all around the world. There were even a few that Kendra had never heard of.
“Before we decide,” Kendra said, tearing her eyes away from the board, “there’s something I want to do.”
“What’s that?” Lucas asked. “If you’re going to say pack, don’t worry about it. We can buy new clothes there.”
Kendra laughed. “No, it isn’t that.” She reached up and caressed the side of his cheek. His five o’clock shadow was rough beneath her palm. She smelled his shaving-cream scent and felt his warmth, just inches away from her. “I think we should kiss.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Lucas winked, then his expression grew serious as he leaned closer. His hands slid around Kendra’s waist, gently pulling her against him, and his lips found hers. They were soft at first, tentative, but then he deepened the kiss.
Each of their kisses had been magical. Each one had made the world seem to stand still. Each kiss made Kendra’s heart race and her knees go weak. But this one was different. This kiss promised not only the feelings they shared, but a future together, too.
Kendra still didn’t know what that future might look like. But she couldn’t wait to find out.
Lucas pulled away, still holding Kendra in his arms. He smiled down at her. “Listen. There’s something else you should know.”
“What’s that?” Kendra asked.
“I love you.” He grinned. “I’m just going to say that. And I’m not taking it back, even if you say that I’m the hopeless romantic now.”
The whole world tilted as Kendra held tightly to him. “Really? Do you mean that?” She couldn’t believe that he’d said that. Two weeks of silence had passed, and she’d thought he’d moved on, even though she never had.
“I do.”
Her heart warmed at his reply. She knew she should take some time and consider the best option, but she was done sacrificing her present for some unknown future. She was going to say how she felt, too.
“I love you, too,” she blurted. Her cheeks flushed pink, but Lucas’s bright smile was the best reward.
“Then we definitely need a vacation together to hear more about this.” He held out his arm. “Milady?”
“Milord,” she replied, smiling, as she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Let’s go.”