Page 132 of The Secret

When Cooper and Freddie had pointed out the error of my ways, forcing me to listen to a few hard truths, I’d formulated the beginnings of a plan. Kit wanted us to meet under more normal circumstances, and what was more normal than Friday night cocktails at a busy New York bar?

The night was supposed to go on from there, a night of partying and fun and laughter. But seeing the tears roll down her creamy cheeks broke my bruised heart in half, and all I wanted to do was scoop her up, take her home, and kiss her until it was better. Instead, I did the opposite. She’d asked for space, to build our foundations on more than sex, to be able to miss each other.

I was renewed with determination to give Kit what she’d wanted, more than anything. Anything to stop the tears I’d caused. I was determined to respect her wishes, determined to show her how seriously I was taking her, even though I disagreed. I didn’t think we needed time apart, didn’t think we needed space, didn’t want to miss her… and no sex? What the fuck was that about? Especially when our sex was more explosive than C-4.

I’d planned each date to remind her of how much we’d already experienced, of what we already meant to each other, but in the course of doing so, I’d inadvertently taught myself how much more there was for us. For our relationship.

It turns out, before Kit, I’d known nothing. Before her, I’d known nothing of building foundations. I’d known nothing of actual love; the love between a man and a woman, the depths of which was so scarily powerful it had knocked me on my ass and slapped me round the face.

But she’d known.

And as she’d proved to me time and again, she was smarter than I was.

I wasn’t the same person I’d been a month ago. Then, I’d been happy. But in the space of four weeks, I’d become one of those annoying as fuck people with a perma-grin and cartoon hearts floating around their heads. The ones you wanted to punch on sight.

She’d been right, and I’d been wrong.

The foundations she’d wanted to build were now encased in reinforced concrete and sealed in tungsten that even the strongest C-4 couldn’t break. In four weeks, I’d fallen harder, faster, indelibly, and there was no doubt whatsoever that she was it for me.

The One.

My endgame, my future. Bell’s future, our future.

And now, here I was, in the back of the car, en route to collect her for a night away. The penetrating ache which had been present in my chest since I’d dropped her home ten hours ago was lessening with each mile the car ate up, but wouldn’t be totally gone until she was in my arms, where she’d be for at least the next thirty-six hours.

I’d booked a two-bedroom suite at our destination, though after last night, I doubted we’d be using more than one bedroom. Or maybe we would, but only on a quest to fuck on every single available surface. We had a month to make up for, and afterthatkiss, I didn’t intend to waste any time.

There was one stop to make first.

It was a stop I’d been planning for weeks, and one I was more excited about her experiencing than the prospect of getting her naked. A very close second, anyway.

I hopped out as the car stopped by Payton’s apartment, the front door opening before I’d had a chance to run up the steps. My heart pounded hard as she came into view, halting as she saw me. Her hair flowed in the huge waves I’d become addicted to, addicted to running my fingers through, addicted to wrapping my fists around.

The night of the gala, she’d looked fucking blindingly beautiful, so unbelievably stunning; but now, standing in front of me wearing a pair of skinny jeans, sneakers, and a pale grey t-shirt with the wordheartbreakerembroidered in red across her left breast, she was like nothing else. My own heart was testament to that truth. Shewasgoddamn heartbreaking.

She was perfection.

And she was mine.

“Good morning.” Her smile was brighter than the sun.

I took the last two steps in one, standing in front of her, level with her warm, chocolate eye line. I greeted her with a kiss, taking her mouth, cushioning my lips to hers until she opened up for me and I took her tongue too; the faint taste of toothpaste on her breath.

I moved away before I got carried away. “We have more time for that later.” Easing her bag from her shoulder, I slung it over mine and held my hand out. “Come on.”

I led her to the car, opening the door and she jumped in, me following after putting her bag in the trunk next to mine. The car swept us away as soon as the door slammed, heading for the first stage of our journey.

“Oh my God, where are we going?” Her excited face spun round to meet mine as we stopped in front of the jet-black Sikorsky S-92 helicopter Rafe, Penn, and I jointly owned – our logo outlined on the tail. “Are we going in that?”

I stole the quickest of kisses, although she was staring hard at the chopper. “We are. Come on, hurry up.”

She scooted out when the door was opened for her, not bothering to wait for me before rushing forward. She was just about to step up into the cabin, when her hand paused on the rail. “You’re not flying it are you?”

“Fuck no, that’s Mike’s job,” I laughed loudly, nodding to our pilot, “so you can remove the look of abject horror and sit your ass down, young lady.”

She took a place by the window and I took position opposite her. I could have sat next to her, but I didn’t want to miss a second of her face as we flew away from the city. The sky was so blue and clear, I suddenly wished I’d added in time to give her an aerial tour of Manhattan, but we were under constraints.

After our bags were loaded, the twin engines started up, the rotors whirring loudly. I placed headphones over her ears before putting on my own.

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