Page 48 of It Had to be You

The music changed again, but they continued to touch, and sway, and move together almost in their own rhythm.

"I want you to know," Alexander tried to find a way to get even closer to her, but couldn’t

find a way to manage it, "I’ve never been this happy before."

Tatum turned her head, brushing her lips over his heart until she rested on the other cheek.

"It’s the fact that you’re standing here, in paradise."

He stopped moving and leaned back so he could look down into her face. When she raised her gaze to meet his, he smiled. "It’s the fact thatweare standing here, in paradise. You and me."

Something changed in her expression. Something deeper than the moment they were in and when she opened her mouth to talk, he kissed her instead.

Alexander kissed her with a passion he didn’t even know that he had. A passion that longed to

burn brighter and burn longer, as long as it was with her.

For her.

Then their kiss subsided, gentled, like the constant tumble of the ocean on the sand a few feet

away. "When we get back…"

She opened her eyes to look at him and smiled. "When we get back…?"

"I know you’re going to be travelling," he smoothed his hands up and down her arms, reveling

in the warmth of her skin, "I’d like to call you."

Tatum nodded, her eyes alight with an emotion he hoped was like his own. "We can Skype and call. I’d like to see your face, Alex. I’m going to miss it while I’m away."

Relief flooded through him. "Anything, as long as I get to talk to you on a regular basis."

"Aww," she smoothed her hands between them until her palms were flat on his chest, "you’re

going to miss me… Which is good since I know I’m going to go stir crazy without you."

Tears sprang to his eyes and laughter vibrated in his chest. "I love you, you know."

Her hands fisted in his shirt front and pulled him closer. She was suddenly a few inches taller, and he had a feeling she was up on her toes in the sand and when she tugged on the fine cotton, he went willingly down to kiss her again.

He let her control the kiss, because there was nothing more beautiful than her soft gasps

and the way her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks.

She paused for a moment with her lower lip caught on his. "I love you, too, Alex. It’s

incredible how much I feel for you. How amazing it feels that I’ve found you."

"And I’ve found you," he lifted his hands and brushed her hair back from her beautiful face,

"and I’m going to do everything I can to keep this love going between us."

"Good," she nodded, "I’ll help you with that. I think between the two of us, we can figure

it out."

"I know we will."

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