Page 82 of Guarded from Sabotage

I almost lost the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Intuitive as always, she touches my face and says, “I’m here. I’m okay.We’reokay.”

I never knew love could feel like this.

And as Sarah cries out in ecstasy, convulsing around me, holding me to her, I can’t imagine a better feeling in the world.

Bringing her this pleasure is just as much a gift for me as her.

As I follow her over the edge, pulsing into her, filling her with my heat, I can’t help wondering what it would be like to try for a baby one day.

Hours later, after two more rounds and a quick nap, Sarah snuggles against me, her head pillowed on my shoulder. She traces little hearts on my chest with her finger, sighing contentedly as she does it. “I love you, Dante.”

I press my lips to the top of her head. “I love you, too.”

“You know…” Sarah’s hand stills. “It was all worth it. To end up here.”

“What do you mean?”

She wiggles around so she can meet my gaze. “Everything. Even the bad parts. I would do it all over again if it meant ending up here with you.”

My throat goes thick. “Sarah.”

“I mean it, Dante. I love you more than…” She pauses. “There isn’t a word big enough to express how much I love you. It feels like… it goes on to infinity. There’s no end. It’s universes upon universes of love.”

It takes a few seconds before I trust myself to speak. “That’s perfect. What you said. I feel the same way.”

Sarah stares at me, her eyes darkening to a forest tipped with gold. Then she glances at the clock on the nightstand and smiles. “Well. Since I think my lady parts are due a little break, how about we take a little trip? And when we get back, maybe we can go again?”

Worry slashes through me. “Are you okay? Was it too much?”

“No.” She sits up. “It was perfect. But I actually have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?”

“Yes.” Sarah grins. “I made the appointment for three, but they said we could come any time.”

“Wait. What?” I look at her in confusion. “A trip? An appointment? What are you up to?”

She hops off the bed and nearly bounces towards the bathroom. Her reply is loaded with mystery. “You’ll see.”

An hour later, with Sarah driving this time—since it’s a surprise, she insisted—we’re ten minutes outside Seguin, making our way down a long, winding driveway with a nondescript brick building at the end of it. I haven’t seen any signs yet, and Sarah’s resolutely refused to give me a clue.

“It’s a surprise,” she tells me again when I ask where we’re going. “Were you this bad at Christmas when you were a kid? I bet you nagged your parents all the time. Did you search for all the presents?”

Busted. “Maybe,” I concede. “But they never told me.”

“Well, you’re going to find out soon enough.” Sarah slows as we take a corner. “It’s just up ahead. You should be able to see the sign in a second.”

But when I do, it doesn’t make sense.

“The animal shelter?” I glance at her with my eyebrows raised. “Why are we here?”

Her cheeks go pink, and she looks nervous for the first time since we got in the car. “I had an idea. But if you don’t like it, that’s okay. There’s no commitment. We’re just… well… I came here the other day and…”

Flustered, she turns off the car and says a little desperately, “Will you just come in to see? Before I completely second guess myself and insist we go home?”

“It’s fine,” I assure her, and reach over to take her hand. “I want to see your surprise.”

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