She gave his hand a squeeze. ‘And did all those dreams come true?’
He thought about his job, his flat and now standing here with his arm draped around the shoulders of the woman he loved. ‘They have now.’
‘I’m glad.’ She lifted his hand and kissed the back of it. ‘You deserve to have everything you want, Callum. Most of all you deserve to be happy.’ She lowered his hand. ‘Can we lie by the stream and dip our feet in the water now too?’
‘I’d be disappointed if you didn’t want to do exactly that.’
He took off his trainers and waited for her to do the same, then led her along the meandering path that Lettie had mowed through the wild grass, leaving the wildflowers growing prettily on either side.
‘This feels so good under my feet,’ he said.
‘I was thinking the same thing.’
As they neared the stream, he heard the water bubbling over the rounded stones in the stream. ‘Here is a good place.’
She sat without answering, a wide smile on her face. Tasha lowered her feet into the water and gave a satisfied sigh. ‘Bliss.’
‘It’s a bit cold.’
‘It’s heavenly.’
Lying back on the grass, his head resting on his hands, Callum didn’t think he had ever imagined being this happy. He closed his eyes against the brightness of the sunshine.
Within seconds a shadow fell over his face. He opened his eyes to look up and smiled seeing Tasha’s face above his as she lowered her lips to kiss him.
Taking her in his arms, Callum rolled her onto her back and kissed her as they both lost themselves in the romance of the moment and their intense attraction to each other.
‘You really are perfect,’ he murmured a few minutes later. ‘I can’t imagine being without you now.’
She slipped her arms around his back and held him tightly. ‘That is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. I feel the same way about you.’
‘You do?’ It was all he needed to hear. ‘I want you to know that whatever happens with your job in the future, I’ll do whatever you need to make sure we stay together.’
‘You love it here though,’ she said softly. ‘Your life is here, Callum.’
He shook his head. ‘No. I hadn’t been aware of it until now, but being with you has shown me what was missing from my life all along.’
‘I love to hear you say that. I really do,’ she said, pushing a strand of hair from his forehead. ‘But I never want to make you unhappy.’
He loved her for caring, but he knew now what was important to him. ‘I do love it here, but my life going forward is with you, Tasha. I love you, so much, and I’m happy to live wherever your work takes you.’
‘You’re the first man in my life to put me first. Do you know that?’
He didn’t but it was good to hear how much that meant to her. ‘I think we’re going to be even happier than we imagine.’
She sighed. ‘I’m already far happier and more content than I ever thought possible, so this is enough for me.’
He pulled her against him and kissed her again, grateful to be lucky enough to have someone as perfect as her in his life.
* * *
‘I was just thinking how lovely it would be to come back here at night and lie here looking up at the starlight,’ she said, snuggling against him a little while later. ‘The sky is so clear here and I imagine it’ll be amazing.’
‘I’m sure it will be. I like that idea,’ he said. ‘We’ll definitely have to do it.’
She kissed him. ‘I never expected that coming to Jersey with Riley would end up changing so many things.’
He smiled, enjoying seeing her contented.
