“Forty-seven.” She shakes her head, a tear rolling down her cheek. I take a few short steps to the piano bench and gently wipe them away.
“April Seventh, that’s the day I found you in the fountain and you stole my heart away. I tried to fight my feelings for so long because I thought they would freak you out, but I’m done hiding them. I’m in love with you, Aulie. Desperately, hopelessly in love.”
“Why did you think that I would be freaked out by that? I told you I loved you—you had a chance to say it back, and you laughed it off.”
“I wanted to say it so bad, but I thought you’d have to be on drugs to think that.”
“That I love you? Why wouldn’t you believe I meant what I said?”
“Because you see the real me.” I shrug.
“And it’s a thousand times better than whatever shit you try to show the public! You foolish, foolish man.” She scowls at me, and I’m tempted to lean and brush my lips against her to see if it’ll soften. “Listen to me. Jack Parker, you are the kindest, sweetest gentleman I have ever met. And I love you, I’ve always loved you, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon…
Especially if that outfit isn’t a rental.” She tugs on my lapels and brings me tighter. “Understand?”
I nod with a swallow. Unsure if my lips should be curving up with joy, brushing hers, or trembling from the overwhelming feelings churning inside.
Ah, fuck it, who am I kidding? Kissing her is going to win every damn time.
Leaning, I brush my lips against hers, and she savors the feeling. “I missed you.” She hums against my mouth.
“I missed you more.” I pick her up from the bench, and she wraps her legs around me.
“Oh, is this going to be the new game? One-upping each other’s affections?”
“I’ve got to stay competitive somewhere, kitten.” I tease the seam of her lip, and she parts for me, hungrily devouring my mouth with hers.
“You’re going to have your work cut out for you, us Desfleurses are known for giving our whole hearts away.”
“Woman, I’m here in duke’s costume, what makes you think you don’t already have that entire organ in your hand?”
“I guess we can both be fools in love, then.”
I don’t know if she knows what she’s given me, that holding her like this and hearing she loves me, feeling it in the way she kisses me, is the greatest thing I could ever possibly win in this world, but I plan on showing and telling her that for the rest of my life.
Starting now.
My forehead drops against hers. “Where can we go that isn’t full of two-hundred-year-old breakable stuff? I have some more confessions to make.”
Epilogue
Aulie Desfleurs
Play:Rose of Sharon by Mumford and Sons
“Where are we going? Blindfolding me was so not the vibe,” I say, as Jack’s hands gripped fully on my shoulders steer me…somewhere. It’s ridiculous that man thought I could let go enough to be guided like this anywhere…
“Can you just trust me for once and let this happen?” Jack says in a frustrated tone. He’s not really that annoyed. How could he be after winning the Stanley Cup a week ago? Besides, after nine months of dating, I know he knows how much I trust him, which is why I’m comfortable answering with…
“No. Have you met me?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think this part through.”
Suddenly, my walk in darkness halts. Two arms wrap around my waist, and I’m hoisted over Jack’s shoulder in one fluid motion.
“Jack Parker. Put me down!” I screech.
“Sorry, kitten. We’ve got places to be.” A smile laces his words, like he’s relishing the control he has that I regret granting him thirty minutes ago.
