Royce lets go, leaving Trav a coughing, spluttering mess as he clutches at his throat. He scrambles to his feet and rushes out the door.
My eyes find Royce and my body softens as I take him in. He looks exactly as I remember him, only he’s sporting a little more stubble on his cheeks and jaw, but it somehow makes him even sexier. He’s dressed this time in dark grey jeans, a crisp white t-shirt and a leather jacket.
“You came back.”
He smiles softly. “I should never have left.”
“Why did you come back?”
“Because I realised what I really wanted was right here.” He closes the space between us and reaches up to tuck my hair behind my ear with tender fingers, and my skin tingles under his touch. “This is where I belong. With you.”
I lean into his touch, breathing in the smell of him, the scent that I’ve come to love. “I missed you,” I breathe out.
“I missed you too. So much. More than I thought I ever could,” he says, letting his fingers trail a path down my jaw. “Lorna, I knew it in my heart the second I kissed you under that mistletoe that one kiss of your lips would never be enough. I need you like I need air to breathe and I don’t know what I am without you. You’ve lit a spark in my soul that I thought was dead. I never knew someone could steal my heart as quickly as you’ve done, but I’ll gladly give it to you as long as you give me yours in return.”
“Royce…” My chin trembles as tears brim in my eyes.
“You said you wanted a family, a husband, children, dogs, cats… the cats we’ll have to discuss but… I want that too. I want it too. Let me give it all to you.”
My heart soars at his words as I stare into his eyes, seeing nothing but love reflecting back at me.
“But what about New York? Your company?”
“I’m selling it. I have enough money for the both of us to last us three lifetimes. When I got back to the city, it didn’t feel like home anymore. My days at the office bored me and I found myself spending hours and hours daydreaming of being back here with you.”
“So, does this mean that you… that you love me?”
“Do you even have to ask?” Without another word, his lips crash to mine as his arms engulf me, lifting me off the ground. My arms go around his neck as our lips lock and our tongues tangle.
I melt against his body as he walks me backwards until my back hits the wall. He towers over me, his mouth never leaving mine as he kisses me like a man starved of oxygen, needing this kiss to survive.
After a long minute, I break the kiss, panting for breath. “I love you too.”
“Glad to hear it.” He pecks a kiss to my lips.
“You sure you can handle living in a town with the population of a hundred in the middle of nowhere?”
“I’m sure I’ll get used to it, though the snow and the cold will take a little getting used to, but as along as I can curl up in front of the fire with you beside me, that’s all that matters.”
“See, didn’t I tell you that if you’re meant to be together, you’d find each other again?” Maeve says, leaning casually against the doorframe with her arms folded, wearing a smug grin.
“Did you know about this?” I ask her.
“He might have found me on Instagram a few days ago and asked me if you were missing him as much as he was you. I told him that if he didn’t get his ass back here, I’d track him down and rip his balls off.” She looks over at Royce and winks. “Good to see you listened to my threat.”
“No way was I risking my balls! I’m gonna need them if I’m gonna start a family with the woman I love.” To hear those words from his lips is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
“I can’t wait to share my life with you,” I say, reaching up onto my toes to bury my face in his neck.
“And what a beautiful life it’ll be.”
11
Five Years Later
Istand in the doorway to the back yard, watching the two loves of my life playing in the snow along with Romeo, who prances excitedly in a circle around my girls. My four year-old, Hallie, waddles through the snow that comes all the way up to her knees, clad in a thick padded coat, a pink woolly hat and matching gloves. Her laugh is like music to my ears as she giggles at Romeo, rolling in the snow, barking loudly and thrashing his legs in the air. Hallie laughs so much she falls backwards into the soft padding of the snow beneath her tiny body and I can’t help but chuckle.
I’m still in total shock that this is real, that this is my life now. To think it all started so unexpectedly that Christmas Eve when I got stranded here in this little town with a name so apt, because this right here is my haven.
