Page 96 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
There was a moment of hesitation before she responded, “She told me to be careful with your heart because I was right. You are big-hearted and that means you open yourself up more to life than some.”
What she didn’t say was that it opened him up to more hurt. Maybe he was feeling the love-drug, but he found it difficult to concern himself with any of that. Tonight he saw how well Jacqueline fit in, and he was walking on clouds.
“About that…” He lifted his gaze to the stars overhead, feeling the Paris magic around them. “I was really touched. That you got me. That we…fit like we do. I had trouble telling you how I felt in that moment because there was only one thing that came to mind.”
She leaned against him, caressing his jaw. “And what was that,chéri?”
The way she said the endearment, like he was her everything, had tingles breaking out over his skin. Yes, the moment was right, and it was time to tell her what was in his heart. “I love you, Jacqueline. I know we’ve only met, but you know when you know, and when I first saw your photo, I knew you would be special to me.”
Framing his face in her soft hands, she regarded him with a warm smile. “I love you too, even though it sometimes amazes me how quickly things have happened between us. Then again, from the moment I met you, I knew you were unlike any other man I’d met. I think you stole my heart that first day, and my mind has been trying to catch up.”
A part of him wanted to grab her to him and hug the heck out of her. She loved him back! How was that for tingles and kismet? Instead, he leaned down and slowly kissed her, wanting to feel her mouth under his. Her lips were sheer perfection, and he fell into the moment, knowing in his gut it was a defining moment, because the foundation of his life had found its final anchor.
“Oh, this is nice, yes,” she whispered against his lips. “This knowing. It feels complete, and yet there is so much promise.”
“I was thinking the same way.” They were going to do life together. He just knew it. “You said you have a present for me. Since we’re celebrating… I see your purse. It can’t be very big.”
She practically snickered. “It’s big enough, trust me.”
“That’s my line,” he joked as lust shot through him. “Come. Let’s hurry. I’m not sure I can wait too much longer to see it.”
Feeling young again, he grabbed her hand and tugged her into a light jog. They didn’t have more than a couple of streets to go, but by the time they cleared the entryway of the house, they were both breathing hard. He took her by the shoulders, kissed her hard, and turned her toward the stairs, love and lust racing through him. “Up. Now.”
“But what about the present?” she asked, taking the steps with him as she laughed, the sound filled with gaiety.
“Later,” he murmured, only wanting to feel her arms and warmth wrapped around him.
He made love to her with joy in his heart, and the certainty that she was his and they were going to be together forever. She must have felt the same urgency because her hands were more tender despite the urgency, and when they were gasping for air afterward, they both started to laugh.
“Well, that was a little crazy,” he admitted.
“I rather liked it,” she said, rolling until she could kiss him flush on the mouth. “Feel free to encourage me to run like that anytime. Now for your present.”
She edged off the bed, a beautiful line of mouthwatering femininity, and reached for her purse. Coming back to their tangle of sheets—on his new bed, hallelujah!—she thrust out a gold-wrapped box.
“This I can’t wait to see,” he said, ripping the paper off quickly, much like he’d done to her clothes earlier.
Pulling out the black cloth inside, he held it up and started to laugh. “Boxers!”
“And with the perfect words on them, I thought,” she said, turning them around so he could see the front.
A white arrow pointed to the center line of the shorts and two words drove home the point. THE LEGEND. “Baby, you’ve got me totally pegged,” he told her, tugging them on.
“I believe so,” she said, their shared laughter filling the room as he modeled them.
When it faded, he framed her face. “You really do get me, don’t you? How lucky does that make me?”
“Very lucky,” she said in a husky voice, tracing his chest. “Which is how I feel about you.”
“I love you.” He looked into her eyes, needing to say the words again.
“And I love you,” she answered in French. “So, my Legend, do you want to make love again?”
He fitted her under him. “I can’t think of anything I want more.”
Now all they needed was the cave, he thought, and everything would be perfect.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
