Page 46 of Allure

“No, sir, my husband don’t play that. You said you wanted a dance, nothing else,” she teased.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn, my bad, baby. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. But if your husband left you unattended, you deserve to be with a real man like me.”

Lore leaned back with a lift of her brow and a smirk. “Is that so?”

I bit my lower lip, then slid my hand past the small of her back to grip her ass. “Damn, right.”

Her laughter made my heart do flips and we continued to sway amid chaos. With Lore in my arms, everything else seemed to disappear. The love we shared was palpable, filling the room with a warmth and tenderness that no material possessions could ever replace. As we danced, I marveled at the journey that had brought us to this moment, the unexpected path that had led us to each other.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my lips brushing against her ear. “Thank you for taking a chance on Arranged Hearts, for taking a chance on us.”

Lore pulled back slightly, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “I should be the one thanking you, Niko. You’ve shown me what true love really means, what it feels like to be cherished and supported unconditionally.”

I cupped her face in my hands, my thumb gently caressing her cheek. “I love you, Lore. More than I ever thought possible. You’ve changed my life in ways I never could have imagined in such a short time.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she leaned into my touch. “I love you too, Niko. With every fiber of my being. You are my forever, my always.”

As the song faded away, we remained locked in each other’s embrace, the beauty of the moment engraving itself upon our hearts. We may have started as strangers, brought together by fate and an unconventional path to love, but now, we were so much more.

We were soulmates, partners, two halves of a whole. And as we stood there, surrounded by the pieces of our past and the promise of our future, I knew that this was just the beginning of our forever.

“Upstairs?” I asked with a heat shining in my eyes.

She shook her head, no, and I started to pull back to get to work again. Until she stopped me.

“Right here. I want you now.”

I didn’t need to hear another word. I lifted her from where she had been standing. Our lips clashed together in a heated kiss, demanding more with each stroke of our tongues. I walked over to the counter in the kitchen and placed her on top.

She lifted her arms as I tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side, then followed with every other piece of clothing on each of our bodies. I stopped for a moment. My eyes scanned every part of her frame as I said a silent prayer to God for placing the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life.

She must have been able to catch what I was thinking because she began to blush. Either that or the intensity of my glare was starting to make her shy. But that was one of the things I loved about her: she wasn’t afraid to show me every emotion she felt.

“I don’t mean to stare, baby, but I had to take a moment before I devoured every inch of you to thank God for placing a woman as breathtaking as you in my life. I couldn’t have dreamed of your perfection even if I tried,” I professed, wanting her to know exactly how I felt.

Lore leaned forward, clasping both of her hands on each side of my face, and kissed me before responding.

“Ditto.”

I smiled, lifting her from the counter and jogging up the steps, ignoring her yelps. As much as my wife wanted to be fucked in the kitchen. I would rather make love to her soul and her body in the comforts of our bed. But I was sure she wasn’t going to have too much of a problem with that.

My heart raced as Niko and I rushed through the airport, our luggage in tow. We were cutting it close, trying to make it to our plane in time for the flight to London. The Turner Prize ceremony was just two days away, and my nerves were frayed with anxiety and excitement.

“Passports?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly as we navigated the crowded terminal.

Niko patted his pocket, a reassuring smile on his face. “Got them right here, babe. Don’t worry, we’re going to make it.”

I nodded, trying to calm my frantic heartbeat. As we approached the gate, I couldn’t help but go over the checklist in my mind once more. Dresses, shoes, accessories, everything we needed for the big day. I had triple-checked our bags before leaving, but the nagging fear of forgetting something essential lingered in the back of my mind.

Sensing my unease, Niko wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, Lore. You’ve got this. I know you’re going to shine at the ceremony, just like you always do.”

I leaned into his embrace, drawing strength from his unwavering support. “Thank you, Niko. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead as we joined the line to board the plane. “You’ll never have to find out. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

As we settled into our first-class seats, a wave of relief washed over me. Niko had insisted on upgrading our tickets, wanting to ensure that we had a comfortable and relaxing flight before the whirlwind of the ceremony. I marveled at his thoughtfulness, grateful for the little ways he always managed to make me feel cherished.

The flight from California to London was long, but the anticipation of the upcoming event made the hours pass by in a blur. We spent the time discussing our plans for the trip, stealing moments of rest, and simply enjoying each other’s company. By the time we landed at Heathrow Airport, the exhaustion of the eleven-hour journey had settled deep in our bones, but the adrenaline of the impending event kept us going.

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