Page 279 of Dark Love

That man. “Fine. But you’re buying me a new one.”

“I’ll buy you the team if it makes you happy.”

Vex was just kidding. He had to be kidding. I don’t want to own a baseball team.

***

“GO! OLIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Vex leans down and whispers in my ear, “Have I told you just how cute you are when you watch baseball?”

I shrug, but don’t move away from him. With his arms wrapped around me and Oliver lapping the bases after hitting it out of the field, there’s nothing in the world I could ask for to make this moment better.

“You’re not going to be able to talk for days.”

Probably not, but I don’t care. “Worth it.”

He chuckles and pulls me closer to him — “So is this.” — and leans down to kiss me right behind my ear.

A shiver runs through my whole body. “No kissing at games.”

“The Kiss Cam is on. It’s almost a rule that people kiss when it’s on.”

I lean back into his arms. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely.”

Round and round the stadium, Kiss Cam catches people kissing.

“You know we don’t really need to practice.” Why am I even teasing him?

“Who’s practicing? I’m enjoying the game.” He peppers my jawline with kisses.

Trying to pretend not to be affected by his shenanigans, I watch the screens. The camera swings around our suite, stopping on an older couple that I haven’t gotten to meet yet since we arrived after the game started. To say they’re focused on the game would be an understatement. The man’s eyes haven’t left the field since it began, and the woman toggles between watching him and the game.

There’s so much love and joy between them.

“I hope that’s us when we get to be their age.” Passion, hope, love, and tender affection are all wrapped up in a single kiss.

“It will be.” He places a single kiss on my neck. “I promise you that will be us forever.”

How can we have forever and yet never tell my parents?

“I’m going to go see if they have some tea with honey for your throat. Are you hungry?”

“Not really, but don’t let that stop you if you see something good.”

“Veggies it is.”

“Evil man. Veggies aren’t allowed at baseball games.”

He walks away smirking.

Temperance takes his place by my side. “My husband wasn’t wrong.”

“I told you I was in love.”

Temperance shakes her head. “What I just watched isn’t the trivial love people spout out in television shows. That’s the kind of love that would move heaven and earth for the other… wait sixteen years just to see the other person smile.”