“Here’s to surviving the last few months without burning both our families’ empires to the ground.”
I shook my head. “Here’s to us.”
He smiled and clinked with me. “To us and our kickass, devices-banned honeymoon.”
“Devicesbanned?” My eyes widened. “What does that even mean?”
“It means for the next week, neither of us will be reachable for anything that might even remotely have to do with work.”
I arched an eyebrow at him. “Really? When was the last time you went off the grid, Alex?”
“Probably about a month before I was born,” he joked, or at least, I thought it was a joke. “My mom was monitored pretty closely in the last few weeks of her pregnancy with me, so I was definitelyonthe grid then.”
I sighed. “Let’s see how well we do with the devices rule, but we can give it a try.”
He grinned like he’d won the lottery, but then the flight attendant brought out our food and we ate together with the sun setting outside and the clouds turning all sorts of pastel shades all around us. Eventually, we ended up curled together on the leather couch. His jacket had long since been discarded. Both of us were barefoot and my legs were draped over his as he toyed with my fingers.
The hum of the engines faded into background noise as his mouth found mine, his kisses slow and unhurried, like he finallyhad time to breathe. I kissed him back, smiling against his lips as my hand slid along his jaw.
“Are you ready to go show me that bed yet?”
He chuckled, sighing as he leaned into my touch. “I think it’s customary on one’s honeymoon, while in transit, to talk about what’s next.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, surprised but not unpleasantly. “So, what’s next for us, then?”
He didn’t hesitate. “A big house with too many bedrooms. Probably a library you’ll take over completely. A few kids I’ll look after while you make more money than we’ll ever need and I get to watch my wife take over the world.”
His mouth curved as his thumb brushed my cheek. My heart rate skyrocketed, warmth blooming across my chest. “That’s it, huh?”
“I couldn’t ask for more.” He chuckled, but then, after a beat, added, “Although I probably need to get Nate married off soon before he starts causing international incidents.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “To quote you,good luck with that.”
His smile turned thoughtful, like he was already scheming, seeing moves ten steps ahead, but when he looked back at me, he softened again. “Okay, well, that concludes the future-planning section of the honeymoon then. Can I go show you that bed now?”
“I was waiting on you,” I teased, and he laughed before standing up, throwing me over his shoulder and carrying me to the bedroom at the back.
The jet kept flying us south, toward warmth, sunshine, and a week that belonged to us alone. For the next seven days, the world could wait and so could all the expectations, the deals, the meetings, and even the future itself.
For now, all I wanted was my husband and a week where loving each other was the only thing on the calendar.
EPILOGUE
ALEX
Late spring had finally settled into Chicago, and the city had shed its snowy backdrop for something lighter and brighter. The scent of rain wafted on the air instead of frost, and the river outside my boardroom reflected sunlight instead of steel-gray clouds.
As far as I was concerned, it was progress. In every sense of the word. I was starting to think Jane and I should make like birds and migrate every winter, not that either of us had time, but perhaps Westwood and Sons could benefit from a satellite office in the tropics.
I’ll look into it.
I was halfway out of a meeting and on my way to the next when Deborah strode into view and cleared her throat. “Alex, your wife is on line one. She says it’s urgent.”
I didn’t ask questions, not needing to knowhowurgent orwhy. I took the phone from her hand and walked straight into my office, closing the door behind me.
“Jane,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, thank God,” she breathed. “You need to get here. Now.”
