Page 102 of Recon Rendezvous

“What do you mean,now?”

“Look at how I'm dressed?” She gestures down her body.

She’s perfect in my old gray Notre Dame T-shirt and her pink woolly socks. Her face is free of makeup and her hair hangs loose around her shoulders.

“I seeyou, London, and you're beautiful.”

“No, last night I was beautiful. In a fabulous gown, slayed hair and makeup and you wait until now.”

“I love you, and I always love how you look. You could be wearing a potato sack. But you laughed…”

“Alexander Grant. I wasn’t laughing at you, well not really. But I already knew you loved me.”

It’s his turn for his brows to fly off his face. “What? How?”

“Because you told me, stud. Has anyone ever mentioned that you talk in your sleep?” She covers my mouth with her hand before I can ask another question.

“The night of our movie date, after we got all tucked in and were drifting off to sleep, you pulled me in close and whispered in my ear,I love you, London Cameron, right before you fell asleep. And all night, every time I moved or turned over, you’d find me, wrap your arms around me, and tell me you loved me. You did the same thing last night. I fell asleep with your sexy voice in my ear, telling me you loved me, and I felt whole. It’s not just your words. I’ve neverfeltso loved. You make me feel safe and loved for who I am and who I’m still growing to be. I don’t feel stifled or afraid to be me, you give me room to spread my wings, soar high, and shine bright. I love you so much for that.”

“Say it again,” I growl, as elation like I’ve never known flows through me.

“I love you, Xander.”

Kiss.

“I’m so in love with you, Xan.”

Kiss.

“I love you so much, stud.”

I scan her face, finding my new favorite feature today, and kiss her nose. “This is only the beginning. I swear to you. This is just the beginning of our love story. I’m so in love with you.”

Our lips meet with a tender urgency, sealing my promise with a kiss that spreads not only relief that she feels the same as I do, but a burning desire to fill her life with nothing but happiness, to take care of her until my dying breath and into the next lifetime. And I’ll do it proudly knowing she’ll be all of that for me as well.

She squeals as I sweep her up into my arms and carry her to the couch where she straddles my lap. Running my hands up and down her naked thighs, I bask in the love I can now clearly see in those hazel eyes.

“Share your dreams with me.” Her breath hitches as I brush the back of my fingers along her cheek. “Tell me what you want. How I fit in. What I can give you. I have so many thoughts, but I really want to know what you want.”

Her face softens into a dreamy smile as her body melts into me. “This, I just want this and to know you’ll always be there. I want a family, I always have. I want a simple life that is led by love, honesty, and respect. I want a home that is filled with so much love and joy people gravitate to it. I want to spend time with my parents after all those years across the country. A tribe. That’s what I want. My career is important because photography is one of the few passions I have left, but I’d love to explore and find the next big thing, besides you, that makes me happy.”

“Aww, baby.” Pulling her closer, I kiss her chin, as she continues.

“The relationship with my ex, I hate to say it, but it shaped who I was. All sharp edges, always tense, ready for a verbal attack or jab disguised as a joke.” She makes air quotes and snorts. “I didn’t realize I carried that with me, a defensiveness that made me ready to pop off at the first sign of derision or even genuinely playful teasing. Or the opposite, sometimes I wastimid because I was tired, too tired to fake a smile, and I’d rather just avoid any tension if I could. Then I met you, who laughed at my attempts to put you in your place. Who challenged me, but always with a smile or flirty wink. You’ve never raised your voice to me, do you know that?”

My heart falls out of my chest and into her waiting hands at her words. I knew she was a secret softie, and I never want her to lose that. I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect that. Wrapping my arms around her waist, she brushes a soft kiss to my lips before sighing softly.

“You tease and joke, but I’m never the butt of it. I know I’ve told you this before, and I’m sure I’ll tell you again. You make me feel safe. Protected. Not just physically, how I feel right now wrapped in your strong arms, this powerful body beneath me reminding me of your strength. But it’s the way you love me, patiently and wholly. I can be me with no fear of anger or retaliation for some perceived slight. You’ve slowly and carefully smoothed away my rough edges until I became the perfect fit for you, for us to begin this next step in what I can only imagine is the journey of a lifetime.”

Needing a moment, I swallow hard and lace our hands together. If I hadn’t already known she was the love of my life, her soft words confirm it. This is forever.

As we spent the rest of the day snuggled on the couch, sharing everything and nothing, I stole kisses, running my nose up her neck, inhaling her scent into my lungs. Knowing this woman inside out was my only goal for the foreseeable future.

As I stared into her smiling face, I silently vowed to show her unconditional love existed here in my arms and I would do anything to give her the life she wanted.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

LONDON

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