Page 139 of When Hearts Ignite

A chorus of “aww” and “don’t make me puke” sounds around us, the strange tension from earlier disappearing.

I turn into a mush as I lean forward and press my lips softly on his, our family and friends cheering in the background.

We finally take the sip of champagne, the bubbles washing down my throat to the pitter pattering of my heart and Steven retrieves an envelope from the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

Turning to me, he bites his plush bottom lip. “Grace, I’m here to cash in on that second day,” he says, referring to the second “official” day I gave to him when he agreed to spend his birthday a year ago with me at Central Park. He hands me the envelope.

My fingers tremble as I open the seal, pulling out a travel itinerary.

Gasping, my eyes widening, I exclaim, “Paris? For Thanksgiving?”

He grins. “It’s your dream to go and it’ll be my honor to take you to the City of Love for the first time.”

Squealing, I launch myself into his arms, curling my hands around his neck. “Yes, the answer is yes!”

The room dissolves into laughter and more cheers as I cling to him, the man who has given me everything I could possibly want.

“Yes, Steven, I’d love to go to Paris with you,” I murmur as he presses soft kisses on my hair, his warmth transferring to my body through our clothes, his familiar scent filling my nostrils and I close my eyes and sigh in contentment.

The answer is always yes with him.

Thank you for reading WHEN HEARTS IGNITE. Hope you’ve enjoyed Steven and Grace’s story as much as I did writing it.

Bonus Epilogues: Want to experience Thanksgiving in Paris with Steven and Grace? There may be a *sparkly* surprise in there! These are the bonus epilogues you don’t want to miss! Sign up for my newsletter to get THREE EXTRA BONUS CHAPTERS, new release alerts, exclusive bonus material, and more. Just click on the “When Hearts Ignite Bonus Epilogues” on the website: https://www.victorialum.com/bonus

Read Ryland’s Story Next: Do you know Ryland and Millie’s story is next? This is one hot professor, student, age-gap billionaire romance with angst, steam, and did I mention primal kink? Don’t miss WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE. Read it here: https://geni.us/whenheartscollide

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Sneak Peak of The Harshest Hope: Curious about the epic love story between reclusive billionaire, Adrian Scott, and Steven’s older sister, Emily? Keep reading for the first two chapters of The Harshest Hope, available now!

Chapter One

Adrian

Hope is a useless, fickle concept.

When she’s on your side, it may feel like your future is full of possibilities. When she’s not on your side, it feels like a slap to your face. I don’t waste my time on hopes and dreams when there’s really only one thing I want, something most people take for granted.

Time.

The smell of antiseptic soap and hand sanitizer hits my nostrils as I walk through the hospital doors. My footfalls sound loud on the clean tile floors as I drag myself to the elevators, my body exhausted from less than four hours of sleep, and press the button for the third floor. It’s a trip I’ve completed too many times in the last few years, but lately, the usual nausea in my gut has morphed into a tightness I can’t shake, as if I somehow know I won’t be walking down these halls much longer.

I attempt to take a deep breath as I stare at the door before me, but it doesn’t fully alleviate the heaviness of the lead in my chest. Barbara, the morning charge nurse, passes by and gives me a kind smile, a suffocating sympathy in her brown eyes. I twist my mouth into something I hope resembles polite acknowledgement, turn the doorknob, and enter the room.

The muted, steady beeping of the heart rate monitor echoes in the quiet space—like the ticking of a clock. Resounding. Reminding me time is limited. Jarring florescent lights wash the room in a stark brightness, drawing attention to every sunken dip and sharp angle of my mom. My heart twists and aches, the gnawing pain threatening to take the breath from my lungs. Upright and engrossed in the pages of a well-worn book she’s reread many times over the years, Romeo and Juliet, my mom adjusts the striped woolen cap covering her head where her thick hair used to be. I bite my bottom lip and force my tense muscles to relax as I approach her. Upon sensing my presence, she sets her book down and looks up, the warmth in her blue gaze shining back at me.

I clear my throat and sweep my hands down my body. “So, how do I look?”

“Adrian, sweetie, look at you. I never thought I’d see you wearing the same uniform I wore all those years ago.” Her eyes glisten with tears as she smiles at me.

“I feel ridiculous. I’m a little too old to be playing dress-up.” I tug at the worn, faded navy-blue jacket I purchased online that is fraying at the edges. Gently used, my ass. I sit down in the chair next to the bed and take her frail hand in mine.

“Pssh. Don’t be silly. You just turned nineteen—you have your entire life ahead of you.”

My nostrils flare as I bite the inside of my cheek. I let out a chuckle. “As do you, Mom, you still have a lot of time left too.”

I don’t look into her eyes. I’m good at hiding, but I can’t seem to hide from her.

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