“And after that, maybe we can design a house to live in together. Here, or in London.”
“Or both,” she said, smiling through her tears. “We should have both.”
“Yes. I like that.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush with the warmth of his body. “Both. Anything. Everything. We should have it all.”
“I think we will,” she said. “Because all we really need is each other.”
“I love you.” His fingers tangled in her hair as he drew her in for another kiss, this one deeper and hungrier than the last.
“Love you too.” She slid into his lap, straddling him. “When I met you, I was about to embark on this adventure that scared the crap out of me. I thought it was going to be about letting go of my inhibitions and flying blind, but I realized I already had that in me. Instead, my adventure was finding you. And I can’t wait to see what we discover next.”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Ruby stood on the tarmac at the Towering Pines Regional Airport, one hip leaned against the Bentley. Two years ago, she’d have laughed her ass off at the idea of herself waiting for a private jet to land, leaning against the car she’d been driven here from Rosemont Castle in, by her own personal driver. Well, James wasn’therdriver. But close enough. How much her life had changed since she, Elle, and Megan enteredModern Home and Gardens’ Almost Royal contest…
In the distance, a gray shape took form in the sky, its shape rippling in the heat rising off the asphalt. The airplane had its landing gear down, swooping toward them, and her stomach swooped right along with it in anticipation of seeing the man she loved. She watched as the jet lined itself up with the end of the runway and touched down with a roar of the engines.
The plane turned, taxiing toward the terminal, and Ruby sank her weight into her heels, fighting the urge to rush toward it, to climb aboard, to see him. After what felt like an eternity, it came to a stop not far from where she stood, still leaned against the Bentley. She waited until the rolling staircase had been attached and the door opened before she finally stepped forward.
By now, she knew the drill. And by the time she’d reached the plane, Flynn was walking down the steps. She broke into a run, slamming into him in her excitement. His arms came around her, and he spun her around, kissing her as her feet left the ground.
“Hi,” he murmured against her lips, eyes crinkled from the smile that had overtaken his face.
“Hi.” She wrapped her arms even more tightly around him, because this time, she didn’t have to let him go. This time, he was home to stay.
He set her down, holding her at arms’ length while he took her in. “You cut your hair.” His tone raised in surprise.
“I did. Do you like it?”
“Let me see.” He drew her in for another kiss, one hand finding its way into the depths of her newly short hair. He’d always done this. Usually, he would tug the clip out of her hair to free it from its confines, letting it tumble down her back. Today, he tugged lightly at it as his fingers slipped easily through the short strands. “Yes, I do. I love it, in fact.”
“I’m glad.” She smiled up at him.
“Always did think it was a shame to have all that hair if you never let it down.”
“You were right.”
He gave her another searching look, hands still buried in her hair. “It suits you.”
“And it’s a lot lighter.”
“I missed you.” He pressed his forehead against hers, hands sliding down to grip her waist, anchoring them together.
“Me too.” They held each other like that for a long minute, just breathing in the comfort that came from being together. “What do you say we go home?”
“I’d love to.”
They walked to the Bentley and climbed inside. James had already loaded Flynn’s luggage, and he began driving toward Rosemont Castle. For today, they were headed for the guest house, but now that Flynn was back, they could begin building their real home together. Last month, he had bought a parcel of land adjacent to Rosemont Castle, and they’d already started discussing what kind of house they wanted to put on it.
They would live primarily here in Virginia while he got his newly formed architectural firm up and running, but he still had his flat in London too, and as most of his current clients were in the UK, they’d probably spend a lot of time there. Ruby didn’t mind. She’d fallen in love with London the first time she visited and couldn’t wait to go back.
By the time the Bentley rolled down the castle’s winding drive, she and Flynn were already kissing, leaned in across the backseat, a desperation born out of not having seen each other since she flew to Dubai for a quick visit over a month ago. They thanked James for driving them, got Flynn’s bags out of the trunk, and hurried inside.
“God, I need you.” He pressed her against the wall, hands cupping her face as his lips met hers. “I missed you so damn much.”
“Same. Oh,” she gasped as he shoved one of his thighs between her legs so that she was straddling him.
