He lifts my chin and forces me to meet his eyes. I stare into them, drown in the depths of them, with no need to come up for air.
“We should play a game,” I tell him as he traces my bottom lip with his thumb. “While we’re away.”
His brow lifts, and it’s seductive as fuck. “A naughty game?”
I slam my mouth against his, not able to take it anymore because the anticipation was too much. I’ve been pushing that feeling away for too damn long, and it nearly destroyed us in the process.
I swallow hard. “It’s called Nothing But Truths—or at least, that’s what I’m naming it. While we’re away, we give each other the full truth. No more guessing. The truth, no matter what the answer is or how raw.”
“And it goes both ways?” He interlocks his fingers with mine, and I notice how he rubs his thumb against mine, and it makes me smile.
“Of course. Both ways.”
He shakes his head. “You aresofucked.”
A fit of laughter takes over. “Shit. I forgot that you have a better memory than me.”
“Yep. So, it starts as soon as the plane lands in Europe?”
“Yes, but you’d better go easy on me.” I poke a finger into his side.
“No can do.” He chuckles, squirming away, then pulls me close to him and whispers in my ear, “Don’t tell everyone I’m ticklish. You’re the only person who knows that.”
I wrap my arms around his waist, inhaling him. “Your secrets are safe with me. All of them are.”
An announcement is made, and then we board the plane. First class with sparkling wine and expensive chocolates. When he looks over at me in the oversize seats, I smile, and when the plane takes off, I pull him in for a desperate kiss.
We’re like a bullet in the air, and I’m soaring across the sea in his arms. I hold him so tight, as though if I loosened my grip, he might disappear. When he kisses my forehead and my eyes flutter closed, I have zero doubts in my body about this choice. Being with him like this is the way it should’ve always been.
Kinsley was right after all … the cardsdon’tlie.
34
HARRISON
When we arrive in Paris, it’s already dark. The city glows golden from up above, and we catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower before we land. Grace and I are both drowsy, and I think exhaustion from everything that’s happened has finally caught up to us.
The stumble was worth her falling into my arms, and I don’t regret a thing. I’ll always choose the road less traveled as long as it means my best friend is by my side.
I reach out my hand, and she takes it as we make our way through the airport. There are too many stolen glances, and I know she feels the intensity by how her arms sprinkle with goose bumps. As we walk toward the baggage area, I spot our driver, holding a sign that says,Mr. and Mrs. Valentine.
Grace reads it and then meets my face with a seductive expression.
“After you,Mrs.Valentine,” I say, and she scoots inside the limo.
Once the door shuts, we’re zooming off. The partition is up, so I know we have full privacy.
She looks at the champagne and strawberries waiting for us. “Mrs. Valentine?”
“Fuck yeah,” I say, bringing her in for a kiss. “Practice run.”
“Not gonna lie. I kinda like the sound of that. But then again, you’ve always beenmyValentine.”
She grabs a strawberry and takes a bite. Then, she brings it to my lips, tracing it on my bottom before leaning forward and kissing the sweetness away. Grace offers me a bite, and as the juice runs down my chin, she straddles my lap and licks it up. My hands rest on her hips as she rocks against me.
“I started dreaming about you.”
I meet her eyes. “Really? I thought you didn’t dream anymore.”