Page 133 of Lush

I slowly turned, examining the pieces in the room. Paris. Amsterdam. Oslo. Minneapolis. Boston. Madrid.Every piece from every museum I’d wanted to visit was here. He’d brought all my favorite pieces from around the world and given me my own private gallery.

“How did you manage this?” I asked, voice trembling. “Some of these pieces are impossible to loan!”

“Impossible’s never stopped me. Not when it comes to you,” he said simply. “I wanted you to smile. To know there’s not a corner of this world I wouldn’t reach into for you.”

“I…I don’t know what to say.”

“Every piece,” he said, his gaze never leaving mine. “All you.”

I blinked, letting his words sink in.

“I thought it was time to show you what I see.” His voice was low, reverent.

Reese’s hand found mine, and he led me farther down the corridor. Finally, we reached another entryway, and I froze as my gaze lifted to the sign above:

Laurene.

Reese tugged me along, and I covered my mouth with my hand as I blinked, taking it in. It was all photos ofme.

I gasped when I saw the first picture—a closeup of me, with sunlight filtering through the leaves. Recognition bloomed in my chest. It was the week after we first started seeing each other six years ago. Reese took me on my very first hike.

I hated it; I fell in a creek. Reese laughed, then took the photo.

Another photo of me, in my art studio, paintbrush in hand, after sneaking him onto the property. Reese would sometimes just sit and watch me work for hours, and we’ll be together in silence. I’d loved those moments.

The photos continued.

One of me dancing at a gala. A candid shot of me sitting on the edge of a bathtub in his old apartment, wrapped in a towel, staring off into the distance. Another from a secret trip we took to LA. In front of the Hollywood sign.

“Reese,” I sighed, and looked at him as I pouted at the photo.

Me in his bed, on our wedding night.

The softness of the early morning light wrapped around me like a blanket, and I was curled up, my face peaceful, my eyes half-closed, the sheets surrounding me.

“This way,” he said.

He led me into another alcove, and in the center of the room, a table for two was elegantly set up, with delicate white roses scattered across the floor.

He turned to me, and he had a boyish, nervous look that made me giggle.

“This is real, Laurene. Not for them—for me. I want you. All of you. I wantus.”

My breath hitched, his words sinking deep.“Reese…”

“I love you.” Steady. Raw. Certain. “I didn’t marry you because of them. I married you because I couldn’t not marry you. Because even after everything, you’ve always been my person. Losing you”—his breath wavered, but not his conviction—“was hell.I didn’t know how to breathe without you.”

His fingers curled around mine, desperate, reverent. “I loved you when we built that community center. I loved you when you were with Tobias. I loved you when you were with my brother. Hell, I probably loved you before I even knew what love was—I loved you. When you were just the King girl I wasn’t supposed to want.”

I didn’t wipe away the tear that fell from my eye.

He exhaled shakily. “But I did. I always did.”

Reese’s words shattered something in me. Broke me wide open.

“I know you fulfilled your deal with your mother. I know you probably hate every second of this arrangement. And if youwant a gallery of your own one day, I’ll make it happen. If you want to work here, we’ll make that happen too. You can have it all.All I need is you in my life. I need to know you love me too.”

“Reese—”

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