Page 232 of Mangled Memory
I hold my breath, waiting.
“Top five best day of my life today.”
I exhale the breath that was trapped in my lungs, and in a whisper ask him, “What?”
“Meeting you. The first time I slid inside you. You agreeingto marry me. And the day you became my wife. And today—knowing we’re coming back to us.”
“All of your top five days are about me?”
“Princess, my top one hundred days and moments are about you. The business stuff pales in comparison to my life with you. It just affords us the time and money to experience it all.”
The warmth in my eyes and burning in the back of my nose reminds me how badly I needed to know that. I allow my body to melt deeply into his, no longer holding back.
“What are six through ten?”
“Off the top of my head? The day you opened the gallery. The day you officially changed your name to Barone. That took too long, by the way. The morning after our first date. When you learned about the feature inMile High.” He pauses, his voice dropping low. “The moment the surgeon said you would live.”
“Even though I didn’t know you?”
“I didn’t know you didn’t remember me then. But, Ayla, you’ve got to know, I can overcome anything so long as you’re alive. The only thing I can’t face—won’t face—is losing you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to face that.” My quiet confession is all I can offer after he’s given me what every woman dreams of hearing from the person they love.
“I won’t face it. It’s me and you.” He thumbs my wedding ring. “Until death do us part. And, if you’re first, I won’t be far behind. Life isn’t worth living if you’re not in it.”
“Don’t say that, Christian. You can’t say that.”
His body slides away, and the hand at my belly pulls me to my back. His nearly black eyes bore into mine. “I can and I did. Now about this date?” Mischief is obvious in his tone.
“Are you going to tell me about it?”
“Do you need that? Or can it be a surprise?”
“Everything in my life is a surprise, more or less. Even if you told me, this would be too. Anything I need to know?”
“Not really. But a nice dress would be good.” His lips hit mine and he gives me a firm but meaningful kiss. “I have a meeting today. Want to go with me?”
I’m sure my face registers confusion and doubt.
One of his thumbs comes to my forehead to rub an eyebrow. “You scrunched your face as if I asked if you were up for torture.”
“Work meeting equals torture for sure.”
“It’s in Aspen. You could grab a camera or two, not that you don’t typically take one anyway. You could shoot while we’re there.”
“And you won’t complain about me going out on my own?”
His jaw clenches, and his eyes go hard. “I think we can compromise on it.”
“Does compromise mean you get your way, and I’m pissed way the hell off?”
A grin forms on his sultry lips. “You have to know the sass isn’t a turn-off. And I don’t have any problem stoking it because it’s always worked for me, but, no, I’m not trying to piss you off. I just have the innate ability to do it regularly.”
The bed and my body begin shaking. I slice my eyes to a squint. “Are you laughing at me?”
His laughter becomes audible, and he drops his face into my neck, kissing me behind my ear. His warm breath and his hot mouth cause a shiver to run through me. “I’m happy, baby. Want to go to Aspen with me today?”
“This is torture. And coercion.” I lose all coherent thought when his tongue snakes out and tastes me. Instead, I moan.
