Go for Love
Page 9
Her eyes filled, and her throat tightened. “Oh yeah?”
His dark eyes crinkled around the edges. “The only thing I fear more than flying is spending any more of my life without you.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. He gently brushed it away with his thumb.
“I won’t say that the flight was easy. Or that the next one will be either.”
His thumb traced her cheek. “But you were right. There are definitely things in this world worth seeing. Especially with the right person.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him close. Clenching her eyes shut, she willed herself to remember every sight, sense, sound, smell, and touch happening right now. She wanted it all seared in her brain so she would never forget this moment.
No photographs needed.
If he was willing to conquer his greatest fear, the least she could do is hold his hand along the way. To never let go of it, and be his rock the way he’d been hers through the launch only weeks before.
Her eyes flew open as another thought occurred.
“What about work?”
“It’ll wait. I’m my own boss or will be soon enough. Thanks to you.”
Joy bubbled inside of her. “Is that so?”
“During the first official staff meeting, me, myself, and I unanimously decided I could have some time off.”
“You’ve earned it.”
“And, based on the advice of the smartest person I know, I figured it’s about time to see the world. And not just in pictures or movies.”
Sarah stared down at their linked fingers, reveling the joy coursing through her. “That’s a pretty big revelation.”
“I’ve had several of those lately.”
“Oh yeah?”
“The first, that flying—under the right conditions—isn’t so bad.”
“That’ll get you from point A to B more easily for sure.”
“I’ve also realized that some things really only can be done in person.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips to prove his point.
“How’s this for a revelation?” She leaned up on her toes, gripping onto his flannel shirt as she whispered in his ears. “I love you.”
She heard his breath hitch but glanced up in time to catch the grin spread across his face. “That’s not a bad one at all. And in case you hadn’t figured it out, I love you back.”
Her heart fluttered with a joy she’d never knew existed. It was all she could do not to drag him off to the nearest private corner they could find so she could show him just how much his words affected her.
Instead, she raised a palm to his cheek, enjoying the way his day-old whiskers scratched her fingertips.
“I suspected you might. What with your flying halfway around the world to see me and all. But it’s still good to hear.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “Then I’ll say it again. I love you, Sarah Burton.”
Before she could respond, his mouth settled on hers again. This time, the kiss was anything but brief. Below the hunger and need, the smoldering kiss healed. With every passing second, the bad moments from the past week ceased to matter. They were replaced by the hope of what might be.
When at last they pulled apart, the lazy grin spread across his lips, still swollen from their kiss.
“Like I said, some things really are better face to face. You’ve convinced me. I should be open to new things.”
“And I should never take anything for granted.”
“You’ll get no argument from me there.”
In the days, weeks, months, years ahead of them, they wouldn’t see eye-to-eye on everything. There’d be points of contention. Disagreements. Maybe even the odd fight or two. But if the last few weeks, and in particular the past few minutes, proved anything, they’d get through them.
And they’d each come out better for it.
“Come on.” She grabbed his hand once again. “You’ve come all this way. Let’s go see the world.”
Today it was Barcelona, tomorrow Berlin. It wouldn’t stop there. Whether they were adding stamps to their passports, or sharing a late-night pizza back at home, they were building a life together. One full of love and possibility. It would be their greatest adventure of all.
Epilogue
One year later
Sarah thrust her fist in the air in victory. “Yes!”
Across the dinner table, Beck grinned, sending her heart into a fresh flutter. Ever since he’d moved in a few months ago, they’d spend about an hour of every evening working together over a bottle of wine or a couple of beers. It was Sarah’s favorite part of the day.
“What? Did you order another foosball table?”
“One is enough.” Though, she did expect a new ping pong table and a couple of arcade games to arrive within the month. The Global Office team had grown big enough that they needed a few more games. Plus, they deserved it.
“What then? A new investor?”
She waved off that remark. “Why would I need an investor when the company is already so far in the black?”
Both of their companies were, for that matter. Since going into business for himself, Beck had kept busy building his client list. He’d even hired on a couple of employees recently to keep up with the demand. They’d celebrated his latest contract—one with the city—the evening before.
Sarah’s cheeks flushed at the memory of just how well that celebration had gone.
Beck stroked his chin. “Not a new game delivery. Not a new investor. I already know your customer base is growing at an incredible rate. So I don’t know. What?”
Sarah wiggled her shoulders in excitement. “You remember that competitor who launched right before mine?”
His eyes lit up. “No. The sale went through?”
“The board just voted. We acquire them on the first of the month.”
“That’s fantastic, babe.” He reached across the table to grip her hand and raise it to his lips. “We should celebrate. How about a trip?”
Ever since Beck had crossed the Atlantic to meet Sarah in Barcelona, they’d added a few more stamps to his passport. While he still got a little pale every time they boarded an airplane, he no longer needed to get blitzed before they boarded.
“Where do you want to go?”
“France would be romantic.” His thumb ran over the band of the engagement ring he’d given her last month. It still sent a thrill of delight through her every time it caught a glint of light. “Plus, you know I’m a sucker for dessert.”
“France it is.” Sarah beamed across the table at the man who’d captured her heart twice. And, this time, he didn’t seem to have any intention of letting it go. Not that she’d let him. “Did I ever tell you about our first customer who went to work in France?”
“Was that the one who didn’t speak French?”
“That was only the start of it.”
Then Sarah leaned forward to tell him the rest of the story. And through it all, he held onto her every word. Just like he did every time she shared a story about work.
Thank goodness for second and third chances. And thank goodness for faulty wiring in old buildings and the man who knew how to fix it.
Thank you for reading Go for Love. If you’d like to see what happens with women who find adventure and romance abroad using Sarah Burton’s app, be sure to read All the French Men, the first full-length novel in the Go for Love series.
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til next time . . . happy reading!
Also by Laura Chapman
The Marrying Type
Smyth Saves the Date
Playing House
First & Goal
Going for Two
Three & Out
Fourth & Inches
Counting on You
Let It Be Me
Making Christmas
What Happens at Midnight
Who Needs Mistletoe?
Go for Love
All the French Men
About the Author
Laura Chapman is the award-winning and Amazon best-selling author of romantic novels and novellas. A native Nebraskan, she previously served as the National Novel Writing Month Municipal Liaison for Lincoln and as the honorary author member of Nebraska Literary Heritage Association. Besides writing, she works at a museum and enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, sampling local libations, reading up on True Crime, binge-watching anything, and hanging out with her cats, Jane and Bingley.