Page 56 of Broken Bonds

Taking our relationship slowly has been truly overrated.

What if his hand sneaks up my shirt?

Or down the waistband of my skirt?

“Shall we?”

“How about we have dessert first?” A girl has to do what she has to do.

“First things, first.” Yes, that is what his voice says, but his lips are telling a different story.

“You said we were creating new traditions in our home.” Ha, I’m using his words against him.

Well done, Stella.

“Yes, Friday is movie night on our patio.”

“Does the story have a happy ending?” I ask, feeling short of breath.

“Well, it depends on us, baby.”

“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 Alexandra 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.”

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