My heart is all the way in my throat. This is exactly what I’ve wanted, what I’ve craved, ever since the beginning. “Mags, it’s never been about the agreement for me,” I say, waiting for a rebuttal.
Maggie closes her eyes and sighs. “I know. I’m working on it. But just for this week, can we just say and do things as if—” She stops, chews on her lip. I rub my thumb over the back of her thigh and she shivers again, and I’m guessing it’s not from the cold. “As if we didn’t have the agreement?” she finishes.
I swallow hard. “Say and do anything?” If only she knew all the things I want to do and say to her.
“Yes,” she whispers, watching me closely.
I nod and she kisses me. A sweet peck on the lips. “I love you too, Rowan.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a long breath, feeling like a millionpounds got lifted off my shoulders. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say those words,” I admit softly.
“Oh, Rowan.” Maggie’s lips are cold and gentle as she tentatively kisses my cheeks. I don’t realize I’m crying until she presses her mouth to mine and I taste the salty flavor. I hold her as tight to me as I can and her thumb presses hard into my jaw.
I laugh at the absurdity of it all and I hold her close, not wanting this moment to end. Not wanting to ever forget the words that I’ve needed to hear for nearly a decade.
We spendthe rest of the week in pure, absolute bliss, venturing into the small town with yellow brick buildings and lots of charm. Maggie laughs at me after we get yelled at by the locals for ordering lattes and are forced to drink the world’s strongest espresso. I complain about the lack of delicious pastries back home when we eat the best pistachio croissants. And all of it is worth it because I get to hold Maggie’s hand in public and feed her pasta and bread in the town’s only restaurant.
We almost get caught having sex in the pool by the housekeeper, but we quickly run into the nearest bedroom and lock the door, having sex in the shower instead.
When we try the pool again, at night, I lose myself in the feel of her—long legs around my shoulders, my waist, straddling me.
On our second to last night, we drive two hours into Switzerland and walk along the charming town of Lugano, renting a boat and sunbathing on the lake. We get lost on the drive back into Italy and end up in a gorgeous town celebratinga food festival. We dance, we eat, and we kiss under the stars, never wanting this trip to end.
Reality sets in the day we have to head back home.
“I wish we could stay,” Maggie says, tracing a heart over my chest with a fingernail.
I run a hand over her naked body, kissing the spot right over her heart. “Me too.”
“Things need to go back to normal,” she says and I begrudgingly nod. I want to argue that it doesn’t have to. That we can always be like this. But I’m too scared over the possibility of losing her to ask for more.
“I meant everything I said this week,” I say, lifting up on an elbow and looking down at her flushed face. “I love you, Maggie. More than anything.”
She smiles, but it’s a subdued version of the one she’s given me all week. “I love you too,” she says, lifting up and kissing me once before packing her suitcase.
The List
No kissing
No cuddling
No spending the night
No telling anyone
No hickeys
No PDA
No falling in love
No matching tattoos
No marriage talk
No pick-up lines
CHAPTER 26
