Chapter Four #3
‘Come on then.’ He untangled his arms from around her and, without losing complete contact, took her by the hand. ‘Let’s stroll, and somewhere along the way pick a place that tickles our fancy to sit, eat some more, chat, and laugh as we watch the world go by.’
‘Yes, let’s,’ she replied, this time with a little skip in her step.
Many hours later — although it had felt like minutes — Zara stepped out from the warm, golden glow of the wine bar and into the crisp night air of Amsterdam, her bouquet of flowers still in hand.
She looked to the towering man beside her and smiled from deep within her soul.
She felt a little tipsy, given they’d got through two bottles of wine, but certainly not drunk.
And she was glad of the fact, because she didn’t want to dull down the dreamy feelings Jay was evoking.
Above them, the indigo sky sparkled with countless stars glimmering in an ovation-worthy show.
Light on her feet, and with her hand clasped within his, Zara felt as if she was walking through a fairy tale, where every corner held surprises waiting to be discovered.
Their fingers intertwined, and there was a silent promise within Jay’s touch, a vow that he’d hold her up, remain beside her, cheer her on, and guide her through anything life had in store for them, if they were to walk through it together.
And Zara wanted that, wanted him, wanted all that would come with living out her days with this awe-inspiring man.
Never, ever, had she felt like this. And she innately knew she would never, ever, meet another man like him.
He was her one in a bazillion. The man she’d been wishing for.
They might not live in the same town — from Cairns to Brisbane was a bit of a hike — but there wasn’t any distance in their hearts, and that was all that mattered.
Wandering slowly towards their hotel along the canal, wishing she could somehow press pause on the clock that was bringing an end to their dreamy day and evening together, she felt the city hum all around them, its heartbeat blending with theirs as they passed by flower stalls overflowing with fragrant blooms. The sweet scent of roses and peonies filled the air, and the big bunches of tulips were a mind-blowing myriad of colours, some of which she’d never seen before.
‘This place is so beautiful, Jay,’ she whispered, her voice barely audible in the enchanting atmosphere surrounding them.
‘Yes, it is, but you’re even more beautiful, Zara Monroe,’ Jay replied, his words carried away on the gentle breeze that rustled through the leaves above their heads.
* * *
Jay felt himself fall a little more for this enchanting woman as she tipped her head back and laughed, a sound so full of joy and wonder he wanted to capture it so he could listen to it whenever he chose.
Which would be often. Everything about her, and this day turned into night, had reached deep into his heart and soul, leaving behind traces of hope and excitement that glowed like ethereal light on a darkened sea.
And with their hotel too near, as they paused beneath the shadow of a bowing tree, its upper branches stretching towards the heavens as if reaching for the constellations, he took Zara back into the place where he felt she was meant to be, with her cheek against his chest and his arms wrapped around her, as they shared a tight embrace.
Breathing in the floral scent of her hair, he hoped she could hear the steady beat of his heart, echoing her name over and over.
‘Thank you for today, and for tonight,’ she murmured against him, her warm breath reaching through his linen shirt. ‘I’ve had the best time.’
He held her a little closer, afraid to let go for fear of never being able to hold her like this again. ‘Thank you for making it the best day I’ve ever had in my life,’ he replied in earnest.
‘Are you serious?’ She looked up at him beneath long dark lashes. ‘This was your best day ever?’
‘Damn straight it was.’ He smiled as their lips neared, hovered, then briefly met in a kiss so gentle, yet so overwhelmingly surreal.
Don’t do anything stupid, Maverick, hold it together …
‘Well then, seeing as you’re spilling the beans,’ her expression was sexily sassy, ‘I’ll let you in on a secret and tell you that today was my best day ever, too.’
‘Ha, in that case I must be dreaming, because this feels too perfect to be real.’ His voice was tinged with a mixture of awe and disbelief, as was his heart.
Zara’s giggle was melodic. ‘If this is a dream, then I hope we never wake up.’
‘Oh god, me too, Miss Monroe, me too.’
And in that moment, as the night air whispered around them and the stars painted a shimmering backdrop above, Jay knew all that he needed to.
He knew that Zara was not just a passing moment in his life, but a striking comet that had swept into his world, sparking a trail of love and longing in her wake.
He knew he was never going to let the light shining within her eyes fizzle out — a light lit by, and only for, him.
He knew he couldn’t go into another day without knowing she was his to love, and his alone.
So, with a tenderness that conveyed the depth of his feelings, he tilted her chin upwards and captured her lips in another kiss, this time making sure it spoke volumes of promises, possibilities and a fulfilling evermore, the kind of kiss that sealed their unspoken vows, ones that bound their hearts together in a dance as old as time itself.
And to his delight, the moment lingered, then stretched on and on like an endless expanse of ocean.
Within their embrace danced a silent understanding between them, an unspoken recognition that they stood on the brink of a future overflowing with potential, a happily-ever-after kind of love story.
Finally, they pulled away from each other with a shared reluctance weighing them down.
Their eyes met in a mirrored sea of emotions — waves of desire, currents of anticipation, undercurrents of fear — all anchored by the steady hope glowing within their hearts.
Amsterdam, with its timeless charm, had borne witness to the birth of something eternally beautiful, he was certain of it.
Even the silvery moon floating in its bed of sparkly velvet was reluctant to retreat behind the veil of night, as if wanting to appreciate every second of the love story unfolding beneath it.
And as they wandered once again, hand in hand, slowly towards the hotel then through the sliding glass doors that led into the fancy foyer, almost every part of him wanted to take her up to his room so he could show her just how much he cared for her, so he could send her to soaring heights of ecstasy, so he could hold her afterwards right into the dawning of a new day.
Oh how he wanted to hear her pleasure-filled moans, how he wanted to have her drift to sleep in his arms, sated, satisfied, in love with him.
And from the look in her gorgeous caramel eyes, she was possibly thinking the same thing.
But he wasn’t going to risk wreck and ruin all for physical indulgences.
No. He wanted to make sure she knew he was after her heart, and nothing else.
He wanted to learn all there was to know about her, to get to really know her, before he got to explore every inch of her lusciously soft skin.
And they had to part ways, right this very second, to be able to achieve this, because she was becoming more and more irresistible.
‘Goodnight, Zara Monroe,’ he whispered, his voice carrying the huskiness of desire.
‘Goodnight, Jay Maverick,’ she replied softly, her words a soothing caress as she took the bouquet of flowers from his hand and hugged them to her. ‘Sleep soundly, won’t you.’
‘I will try to. You dream sweetly, and I’ll see you on the next flight back to Australia, where we can continue this.’ He made sure he conveyed how serious he was by reaching out and squeezing her hand. ‘Continue us.’
‘I’m holding you to that,’ she replied, her voice like honey. ‘Night, Maverick.’
As they went their separate ways — with him pressing the call button on one lift and her pressing the button of the other — the magic of Amsterdam still lingered around them, like a breath held in anticipation of the love story that had just begun upon its cobblestones.
Zara’s lift arrived first, and she stepped inside, but before the door closed she turned and her gaze lingered longingly on his, and her smile, unbidden yet radiant, illuminated her face like a beacon of joy.
And as the doors slid shut, Jay found himself unable to move as he marvelled at this moment and the connection that resonated within the very core of his being, so tangible, so real, addictively so.
This was not just a fleeting encounter, but the kindling of a flame destined to withstand the tests of time and place.
Acknowledging this, he did a little tap dance before stepping into the elevator that he’d had to call a second time around, his six-foot-two burly frame moving with an air of buoyancy that defied his muscular weight.
Reaching his floor, he stepped out and strode down the hallway, a man with more purpose than ever before.
He’d thought he’d reached his pinnacle after scoring a job as an international pilot, but the stunning Zara Monroe, well, she’d gone and topped everything within a matter of hours.
Never would he have believed it possible.
But it was. And he was a very lucky man to be the one vying for her gorgeous heart.
Pausing at his door with the key held in his hand, he closed his eyes for a brief moment while savouring the lingering echoes of her sweet voice and holding the sense of her touch close to his heart.
She was all he’d ever dreamt of, and more.
He turned the key then entered his room, the weight of the day’s events settling around him like a comforting blanket as the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the space.
The double bed looked comfortable and he knew he should get some sleep but, too electrified by Zara’s company, he wasn’t ready for dreamland just yet.
He’d meet her there soon enough, he was sure.
Walking over to the window, he drew back the heavy curtains to reveal the breathtaking view of the city lights twinkling like stars fallen to earth.
As stunning as it was, it was a sight that paled in comparison to the sparkle in Zara’s eyes.
Jeepers. Talk about a man falling in love.
Helplessly so. With a smile and a sigh, he sank into the plush armchair by the window, his thoughts consumed by recollections of their magical day together.
Relishing the radiant sensation, he replayed every shared laugh, every stolen glance, every whispered promise in his mind, as each memory etched itself deeper into his heart.
The realisation that he’d found something out of the ordinary, extraordinary to be more precise, with Zara, drifted then settled within him like a sunrise after a long night of piloting — gentle and warm, but also astonishingly illuminating.
He could only imagine her becoming his wife.
Wow! Mrs Zara Maverick, now that had a ring to it.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Maverick!
Having remained single for more time than he’d planned, he was well aware he was floating in uncharted waters, but for once he felt anchored by something more than solitude.
If things worked out, and he won Zara’s heart, completely, utterly, forever, he knew his future promised whispered secrets at dawn, intertwined destinies day after glorious day, and a love story not only written in the stars he was gazing out at, but also forged by a real, human connection.
So, with a determined gleam in his heart, he made a silent vow that he’d do everything in his power to make this new relationship blossom into something beautiful and everlasting.
If he was lucky enough to win Zara Monroe, he would cherish her, protect her and stand by her through whatever challenges might lie ahead.
And after he’d slipped into his boxer shorts, and then into bed, he drifted off to sleep with the image of her radiant smile lingering in his mind, filling him with a sense of peace and contentment, one that he’d never known before.