Page 58 of Wanted

“What is this all about?”

“We’re rewriting the beginning. We can’t erase the past, Stella, but no one said we can’t edit it.”

This is more than putting things into perspective, as Catherine said, some spell has been cast on Lionel and now he’s doing the same on me. The bad thing is that I’m falling without being able to avoid it. My strength isn’t enough to step away and what am I going to do when the bubble bursts?

“Lionel…”

“Does that mean I’ve earned a kiss?” he asks with a mischievous glow gleaming in his dark eyes.

He has earned more than that. This man is my husband, the man with whom I decided to share my life. He survived the attack for a reason, nothing in this world happens by chance. Lionel stayed here for a reason. He’s doing his part to make things work between us, and I’ll do the same.

I’m going to give our relationship another chance. Seriously this time.

“Indeed, you’ve earned a kiss.” Under the stars, the night is perfect.

This time, when Lionel’s lips touch mine it feels different. How can I be kissing someone I thought I knew so well, and at this moment he tastes so different?

He kisses me eagerly, possessively, while his tongue brushes against mine, I feel like I’ve waited all my life for this kiss. One of his hands rests on my back, the other on the nape of my neck, wrapping his fingers between the strands of my long brown hair, holding me where he wants me.

Luckily he has a good grip on me, because I’m like a helium balloon, if he lets me go, I might never touch the ground again.

The feeling is fantastic. And I want to be kissed like this for the rest of my life.

“First, let’s have dinner, then we’ll see where the night takes us.” But he wants this as much as I do. And the bulge hiding under those jeans he’s wearing speaks for itself.

“Doctor Zhivago? You have totally outdone yourself, Mr. Kral.” With the help of a remote, he starts the film. The dramatic music plays in the background announcing what is about to begin.

“What can I say? It’s an epic love story. ”

“Like ours?” Let the fireworks begin!

“We still haven’t written the ending.” Lionel drops onto the blanket, tugging on my hand for me to do the same. My body seeks his, settling next to him almost instinctively. Until the roar of hunger in my stomach reminds us dinner is waiting.

The box is in front of us, and Lionel opens it in quite a theatrical manner. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those who believe pineapple belongs on pizza?” I tell him before I finish lifting the lid.

He smiles playfully. “We haven’t reached that point in our relationship where we feel comfortable discussing something so momentous. So, to avoid a philosophical argument, I ordered supreme, a classic.”

I laugh out loud. “A classic never goes out of style.”

“That’s what I thought,” he says, his voice full of pride. “It’s my favorite place. It was nothing but a hole in the wall when I discovered it during my college days, since then I’ve become a fan. It’s not Chicago-style, or the same as what they eat in the east, but I thought you would like it.”

The truth is, it’s actually delicious, a light and crisp crust with a mountain of cheese. I bite into it carefully so as not to leave white threads everywhere.

I’ve only eaten deep-dish pizza once, and I don’t really remember much. So besides the one they sell at Carrollton—which I still really like—I have nothing to compare it to.

“Listen.” Lionel’s tone changes, he’s stopped being playful and has become serious. “Beginning Monday, I need to return to the office, at least part-time.”

My heart stops, like he just told me that he plans to travel to a distant land or something, it’s silly, but I can’t help it. Our time together alone is ending.

“Don’t make that face,” he teases me a little, although it doesn’t go very well. “My employees are efficient but some matters are exclusively on me, and I’m compelled to take care of what it took me so much hard work to build, there are many people who depend on me.”

“Yes, of course, I understand.” At least the rational part of my brain does.

“I’ll go to the office from Monday through Thursday, especially in the morning, like I used to,” he begins to explain. “In the afternoons, I’ll come here for therapy, so we’ll still have time to do things together. Now that a few days have passed, I would like to show you around the city.”

His voice sounds in higher spirits now. The truth is, the idea of hanging out with Lionel is exciting, it doesn’t have to be a big deal, just as long as we’re together, it sounds perfect to me.

“We’ll have to go out with some security, of course, the police are still investigating what happened, so we have to be careful.” With how close I was to losing him, those words are a bitter reminder, as his eyes don’t leave mine. “Also, one of the men I hired will escort you when you go out.”

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