Page 24 of Allure

I laughed and followed him willingly, the skirt of my sundress swishing around my legs as we joined the throng of dancers. We began to move together, our bodies finding a natural rhythm as we swayed and spun to the music. Niko’s hands were warm on my waist, guiding me through the steps with a confidence that made my heart flutter.

As we danced, I couldn’t help but marvel at the joy and carefree spirit of the locals around us. They welcomed us into their celebration without hesitation, their smiles wide and their laughter infectious. I felt a sense of belonging, a connection to this vibrant community that I had never experienced before.

The music seemed to go on forever, and Niko and I danced until we were breathless and giddy. As the song finally came to an end, he pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my forehead, his eyes shining with happiness.

“Having fun, Mrs. Lockwood?” he murmured, his voice low and intimate.

I grinned up at him, my heart full to bursting. “More than you know, Mr. Lockwood,” I replied, leaning in for a proper kiss.

As we broke apart, the scent of sizzling meat and spices filled the air, reminding us of the delicious food being sold by the vendors. Hand in hand, we made our way over to one of the stalls, our mouths watering at the sight of the colorful dishes on display.

We sampled a little bit of everything, feeding each other bites of succulent seafood paella, spicy chorizo sausage, and crispy patatas bravas again. It had become a staple for us. The flavors exploded on my tongue, each one more delicious than the last. We washed it all down with cold, refreshing sangria, the fruity drink adding to the festive atmosphere.

As the night wore on, Niko and I found ourselves back in the center of the celebration, dancing and laughing with the locals as if we had known them all our lives. The street carnival had been a surprise, a chance to immerse ourselves in the vibrant culture of Barcelona and create unforgettable memories together.

As I looked up at my new husband, his face glowing with happiness and love, I knew that this was just the beginning of a lifetime of adventures together. With Niko by my side, I was ready to embrace whatever the future held, one dance and one bite at a time.

WELCOME BACK…

I was in no hurry to get back home, mainly because I knew some of what I left behind would be here waiting for me. Lore fell asleep the moment we got into the truck to head home. We had just landed and I was sure the jet lag had gotten to my baby. Not to mention, the work I had been putting in this entire trip. It was no wonder I wasn’t sleeping right along with her.

I glanced down at her serene face as she lay against my shoulder, snoring lightly. When I told her she snored, she was more than positive there was a miscalculation on my part. I knew what I heard but I would allow her to keep thinking she didn’t snore. I guess that was what marriage was. I laughed to myself at the thought because it felt like I had been married to this woman longer than I had.

We went by her place first before we went back to mine. We agreed we would keep both places until we found a new one together. But for the time being, she would stay with me at mine and use hers to work out of when she needed to. It made the most sense, especially because I needed to make sure I kept her safe, now that the world knew I was married.

I hadn’t been focused on social media our entire trip, but when I got back, something told me to take a look. They had everything except how it came to be that I was married. Arranged Hearts had a lock on their facility that I appreciated. It wasn’t as if I was embarrassed by how I found love. But, it had to be my decision whether I mentioned it.

This was the one thing I hated about being famous. I wished sometimes I could keep my private life to my-damn-self. It wasn’t like I didn’t plan to announce my marriage soon, but I wanted it to be a decision between Lore and me. I knew how invasive this thing could be and I didn’t know if she was ready.

I looked down at her again and brushed her hair from the front of her face. I just hoped she was ready for what would come our way. Not everyone was going to be happy, and some were family.

Since we still had a bit of time until we made it back to Marina Bluffs, I decided to take a nap as well. I needed to be prepared for my meeting with my agent since he had been blowing up my phone since I got back. Probably even before, but I had my phone on Do Not Disturb. I had no intention of explaining why and what I was doing. It was none of anyone’s business but my own. I hated that I needed to keep saying that. When did becoming a celebrity give people the idea that they were in charge of what you could and couldn’t do in your life?

Some time had passed before I felt a nudge against my shoulder. I peeled open my eyes and noticed we were close to the beach. Looking over at Lore, who was now wide awake, she turned her phone so I saw the screen and, of course, she’d checked social media and was having a field day.

There was a picture of us while we were in Barcelona dancing and I shook my head.

“Good thing I’m secure in who I am. These folks are calling me everything under the sun. According to them, I am a gold-digging art teacher. Oh, wait, I’m forgetting one word. A gold-digging, fat, art teacher, who ran off and convinced one of the top players in the world to marry her,” she read.

I groaned aloud and dragged a hand down my face. I reached over and took her phone from her hands, then moved it out of her reach when she tried to get it back.

“Let me nip this in the bud now. You’re not fat and I think you’re beyond beautiful. If we want this to work, we have to let social media be what it is—a place where opinions without merit exist. This is our real life and you know exactly how we ended up where we are so don’t get upset or allow it to piss you off because you know it’s a lie. Now, I want to give you this back, but only if you promise to leave this shit alone. I don’t want that negative shit in our space. You aren’t getting it from me so it doesn’t count here. I will also reach out to my agent to get a press conference or something in place to show this is real. You trust me?” I asked.

I still held her phone out of her reach. I knew I was asking a lot of her, especially since we hadn’t known each other long, but I wanted her to know I could handle this as best as I could. I also wanted her to know her feelings were valid, but if we wanted this marriage to work, she had to leave the opinions of others outside of it.

Lore crossed her arms against her chest, then nodded in response.

“Aight, to make sure you mean it, I need a kiss, too, baby. It’s the only way I will believe you,” I teased.

The smile I had gotten so used to seeing was front and center. She moved her hair over her shoulder, then leaned forward, kissing me like she wanted this to go further than a simple peck. Then she pulled back, opening her door.

“Ah ah, I got it. Close that door,” I told her.

She closed it and leaned back in her seat. I hopped out of the truck and then waved her over so she could exit out of mine. I wanted to see her place. When we first met, we went to a hotel so this would be my first look into how she kept a house. I wasn’t the cleanest person but I could keep up with my space. So there would be no judgment from me, I just wanted to experience more of her.

She reached out for my hand and then led her to what looked like a two-story beach house. I could imagine her living here; it had good views of the beach and an artsy vibe. Lore reached into her purse to grab her keys, then let us inside. The moment I stepped in, I could smell her paints and more. It was very clean, except for the few things that she messed with before leaving for the wedding.

When she came back to get her things for the trip, I didn’t explore her house. Not to mention, we weren’t worried about doing a tour. We had a flight to catch, so I was seeing her place with new eyes. I continued to walk through the house, room after room, until I came upon a long hallway. I figured this led to her art studio so I followed it until I reached the last door. I twisted the knob and practically entered a new world. She had large sheets covering the floor, there were canvases all around the room, sculptures in different positions, and a large window facing the water.

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