‘You’re going to crynow?’ he asked, aghast. ‘Over a stupid phone?’
‘Not the phone,’ she sobbed. ‘BecauseIwas stupid. And scared. And I nearly lost my future as well as my past.’
His arms tightened more.
She cried more. ‘You came after me. You found me. You love me.’
Oh, she believed it now. Needed it now. Was so happy she couldn’t possibly hope to express it.
He thrust his fingers through her hair, massaging the base of her skull and tilting her head back to meet his kiss. Her whole body was one big shiver. He peeled the clothes from her, then pretty much ripped his own off. A haze of husky words, whispers of love and trust, promises, and touches that led to absolute ecstasy.
And many, many minutes later, even though her skin had been thoroughly warmed, it still tingled when she stepped into the bath. She stretched out and smiled at the sight of him opposite her, his glorious body half hidden in the mass of pearlescent froth.
‘What if you hadn’t found me at the ballet?’ she asked, unable to bear the thought that he mightn’t have found her. ‘How many nights were you going to go there?’
‘A few more, then I was going to bribe your lawyer into giving me your address, or contact the embassy or something. Anything.’
‘And what would you have done if I’d been fine? If I’d been off at a nightclub pulling some random guy?’
Gabe’s dark eyes sharpened. ‘I’d have punched his lights out.’ But then his grin flashed. ‘I told you I’d do anything, was totally up for a fight. But I never thought for a second you’d be off with someone else.’
‘I was never going near another man,’ she admitted. ‘Too busy breaking my heart over you.’ She’d been so stupid and scared. ‘I should have said something to you.’
‘You had to go,’ he said softly. ‘You’d been dreaming of it for so long, you had to go and see what if it was really what you wanted. I didn’t want to try and stand in your way.’
Roxie’s blood chilled, despite the warmth of the water. ‘I knew I didn’t want to go at the airport,’ she admitted sadly. ‘I couldn’t turn away from you. But I didn’t think?—’
He stopped her rising distress by pulling her to him and planting a kiss so passionate and perfect that she knew there was such a thing as paradise on earth.
‘Worst moment of my life,’ he muttered against her skin. ‘I really believed you wanted to go. But I knew right away I’d made an awful mistake. I should have gone with you then and there. Instead it took me four hours to get everything organized so I could follow you.’
She gave a watery chuckle and wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his shoulders, embracing him. In return he held her, caressed her, fulfilled her. She rested her head on his shoulder, at home.
‘I love you, Gabe,’ Roxie finally admitted. And in that instant, she’d never felt so free.
EPILOGUE
Twelve MonthsLater
He was waitingfor her when she came out to lock up. Her store had been open a month—dancewear supplies, costumes, theatre make-up, pointe shoes. At this stage she didn’t stock nipple tassels but she knew Gabe held hope eternal.
Tonight they’d have their first night back at the Treehouse. It had taken months for the remedial work to be completed. They’d rented a small apartment nearby and Roxie had spent her days supervising both the repair job and the outfit of her store, her evenings choreographing new routines with Chelsea for the Blades. After the big digger work had finished at the Treehouse, she’d replanted the garden—not completely vegetables this time, but the occasional amazing flower as well. Now Gabe parked in the refurbished garage and with a flourish opened the front door for her. She literally danced in, so happy to be home.
‘Oh, look, you have mail already.’ He took the envelope pinned to the tree-trunk and handed it to her.
‘Specially delivered.’ She took it with a smile and a kiss that threatened to go wild—loving him so completely.
‘Not yet.’ He broke free and stepped back from her, his hands up in the surrender position. ‘Open it first.’ She did and drew out the gift card, reading the beautiful script. ‘Tickets to the Paris Opera Ballet?’
‘Giselle,of course.’
She was going toGiselle,in Paris, with Gabe? ‘You mean you’re coming with me?’ She almost squealed, this day just couldn’t get better.
‘Nothing I like more in the world than coming with you.’ He waggled his brows. ‘And seeing we’ll be in France, I’ve booked a trip to Champagne. To the House of Bollinger.’
‘No,’ she screeched. ‘As in like the factory? Where they grow the grapes and bottle the bubbles?’ That would be too much fun.
‘Well, it is the only thing you drink,’ he teased. ‘But maybe we could try some others too—you know, Moet, Veuve, Taittinger? We could bubble around the region, don’t you think?’
