He shrugged. “Nobody knew about Luca but you, so I stayed anonymous, put the money in place, hired the right people. I just had to—” He shrugged again, gazing beyond her, into the distance. “Honor him somehow. Memorialize him.”
“So you created a charity that provides free flights for sick children and their families to get to the medical care they need.” The thought was enough to make her cry again.
When he met her eyes, his were damp. “Our baby died, but that doesn’t mean that other people have to lose theirs just because they can’t access the help they need.” He swallowed, his voice thickening. “I couldn’t help our son, but maybe I can help someone else’s.”
She shook her head. Her tears fell and her lip trembled so hard, she stumbled over her words. “Notmaybe, Joel. Definitely. You definitely help, and it’s…perfect.”
He nodded, but there wasn’t a complete acknowledgement in the movement, like he didn’t believe he’d done enough. They’d work on that. They’d work on a lot of things.
She planted a soft kiss on his lips. A thank you for being exactly who he was. But one kiss bled easily into another, and soon they were breathless.
“This new plan of yours, us going slow, living apart—” His voice was rough, emotional as he pulled away.
“Yeah?”
“Does it exclude or allow for sleepovers?”
Lucy glanced sideways, considering. “Hmmm, I don’t know. I guess the odd one couldn’t hurt.”
“Can we have one tonight?” he asked, almost shyly, then rushed to add, “We don’t have to fuck. I just…” He exhaled. “I just need to be close to you tonight.”
She knew the feeling. Snuggling back into the warmth of her husband’s embrace, she whispered, “I have a feeling I’m going to soon need to be close to you forever.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
FIVE MONTHS LATER…
“Why I thought it would be a good idea to bring you along is anyone’s guess,” Vanessa grumbled as she stumbled into the MGM Grand’s foyer in her stilettos, tugging her neon-pink suitcase behind her. “I must have been having a brain malfunction or something.”
“Or something,” Jordan replied in an equally un-thrilled tone. He grabbed the suitcase, none too gently, out of Vanessa’s hands. “Will you give me that before you hurt yourself? Focus on walking in those death traps.”
Vanessa gasped, the height of offended. “These are Jimmy Choos.”
Jordan snorted. “Whatever, Princess. Just watch where you’re going.”
From several steps behind, Lucy observed the comedy, holding back her chortle. Watching those two bicker almost made her happier than knowing she was renewing her vows tomorrow morning. Almost.
Joel’s hand found the small of her back as he came up beside her. “Before this trip is over, they’re either going tokill each other or fuck,” he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling the hair along her neck.
“Judging by the look on my sister’s face, I’m going to say the former.”
“Mmm, you’re probably right. Those shoes could double as weapons. Tell me why they’re here again?”
“Vanessa declared herself my maid of honor and said we needed witnesses. I think she thought Jordan was your bodyguard.”
“Not a bad idea,” he mused, assessing Jordan with a new glint in his eye. “For both of us.”
Lucy swiveled her head to look at her husband. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Maybe not, but I would feel a lot better knowing you had someone watching over you, especially during times I can’t be around. And Jordan has that ‘don’t fuck with me or anything close to me’ vibe that a good bodyguard gives off.”
“Be careful, Joel, your domineering side is showing.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Why? Because I want to protect my wife and her family?”
“No, because you think I need protecting.”
“I think we all need protecting from time to time. Especially since I don’t plan on existing in a secret bubble with you forever. I live a high-profile life, and now you will too. It would be irresponsible of me not to always make sure that you’re safe.” A soft smile played against his lips. “Besides, someday soon you might be carrying our child, and I couldn’t call myself a decent husband or father if I didn’t do everything in my power to protect my family.”
