Champagne Kisses: A Timeless Love Story (20 page)

"Well, with your new status upgrade, you now qualify to get an assistant. Choose wisely, because they will run your life." Jack gave me a wink.

"Yeah, I don't know. I'm never going to get one as good as me anyway," I said with a shrug. Jack reached across the desk and punched my arm.

"You'll find one. Just look for someone who's good at math. Or at least math tricks," Jack said. I stood up and I embraced him. He pulled me in close to him, hugging me tight.

"Hey, a girl's gotta breathe," I gasped as he squeezed as tight as he could. Jack let me go, keeping a hand on my shoulder.

"Dean's downstairs in the garden. If you need anything, let me know. I'm going to stay up here for a little bit," Jack said, glancing around the room. His shoulders dropped, and his eyes went distant as he looked around his father's office.

"Thank you, Jack. Thank you for everything." I gave him another quick hug.

"Get down there and tell that man that you love him and can't stand to spend another minute apart. Please. The rest of us are going to get sick off your lovey eyes if you don't." Jack shooed me with his hands toward the door. I looked back just before I closed it to see Jack sit in his father's chair. It might have been just a trick of the light, the way the dust motes fell through the sunshine, but I swear, for a moment, it looked as though Daniel was standing behind him with his hands on his son's shoulders, and smiling.

P
resent Day

The afternoon sun transformed the world into a kaleidoscope of orange and red as it filtered through the autumn leaves. Dean sat in the garden on a wrought iron bench, his eyes closed as he looked toward the sun. He reminded me of a cat, sitting there soaking up the last rays of warmth before winter.

I stood for a moment under the rustling leaves, just admiring him. He was so handsome. His dark hair ruffled in the fall breeze, the wind mussing it like a lover's caress. His jaw was strong and smooth, his back tall and straight. Even after all this time, he still made my heart pound in my chest like a nervous school girl's. He was everything I could ever ask for; everything I could ever want.

The leaves crackled under my feet as I followed the stone pathway to the bench. Dean opened one eye just enough for a sliver of blue to peek out, but then he closed it. His face remained impassive. I smiled at him, even though he couldn't see it. I felt like I might vibrate out of my boots. I wanted to run to him, throw my arms around his neck and tell him we could be together, but instead, I behaved like an adult and sat down next to him.

I could see why he picked this spot. It was sheltered from the cold autumn wind and perfectly positioned to catch the afternoon sun. The garden was empty, as everyone else was inside and out of the fall weather. It was quiet, peaceful, and we were wonderfully alone. The iron was warm on my back, but the air crisp and clean. It was a beautiful afternoon. Daniel would have enjoyed it.

"Did you hear the will?" I asked, breaking the silence. Dean tensed slightly beside me, but he didn't move.

"Yeah. You're a billionaire now. Congratulations. I'm sure you're very happy." His voice was flat and dispassionate. It was almost as though he were angry, but I couldn't figure out why. We were going to be together.

"You know I'd rather have Daniel alive than the money," I said, feeling a frown tighten across my face. A cloud passed in front of the sun, blocking its warmth. Without it shining down, I was very aware of the oncoming winter chill.

Dean sighed and turned to me. "I know. I know how much he meant to you. How much they all mean to you. Daniel, Emma, Jack, even Bianca—they're your family. They're your world."

I didn't know what to say to that, but he wasn't done speaking. He frowned, the corners of his perfect mouth going thin. "I have a job offer in LA. A rising starlet. I leave next week."

The ground seemed to crumbled beneath me like an autumn leaf. I shook my head as if hit by his words. "Please don't take it." The words came out as a whisper as if the wind had been knocked out me.

Dean took my hands in his, their warmth in stark contrast to the cold I was feeling. His blue eyes were earnest, and I could see the emotion rolling through them like storm clouds. "
I can't take being here, being this close to you and not being able to touch you. To sit in a room with you and not be able to hold your hand. I want to kiss you all the time. I want to be able to comfort you, but I know that if I do, we'll lose everything we've worked for. I can't do that to you. You love these people too much for me to ask you to give them up."

"But we can be together now. Things have changed." I couldn't get the words out fast enough. He thought that he needed to leave me in order to keep me with the people I loved, but I could have them
and
him. We didn't have to choose between love and duty. Not again.

"What?" Dean's voice cracked slightly, his hands tightening around mine. Hope shone in his eyes, but he held it in check, as though afraid it could disappear. The sun came out from behind the cloud, bathing the two of us in golden light.

"Daniel made me an executive of the company. Not an employee. Executives can date employees. How do you think Jack was able to take his secretary to the Caribbean? As an executive, I can do whatever I want." My voice trembled as I gently touched his cheek. "And what I want, is you."

The smile that lit up Dean's face was the sweetest one I had ever seen. He reached for me, wrapping his arms around me and finding my mouth with his. My world dissolved into golden euphoria. The sun shone down, the leaves fluttered, and the grass slept. We were happy.

Dean kissed my forehead, his smile brightening my world better than any sun. His lips brushed my skin as he whispered, "You're all I've ever wanted."

Pure joy bubbled up in my core, making my fingers tingle and my eyes start to water with uncontainable bliss. The man of my dreams, the one I had always wanted, the one that had always wanted me, was finally mine. There were no boundaries. We could have love and duty, without sacrificing either. I smiled as I kissed him, knowing that we had a beautiful future together.

E
mma smiles at me. She fixes my veil one last time, making sure it is still on straight, then smooths the hair curling gently around my shoulders. She says something about weddings, and I smile automatically. My mind isn't on her. It's on the person waiting for me at the end of the stone pathway. Dean is waiting for me.

She fusses with Jack's tie, making sure that it, too, is on straight. He gives her a warm smile and shoos her out of the house. I can hear her heels clicking on the steps as she hurries to the garden to tell them we're ready to begin. I feel like I'm going to float away I'm so happy. I wonder how it is possible for any one person to brim with so much joy to the point of overflowing, yet here I am, barely able to contain myself.

Dean is waiting for me.

Jack takes my hand, placing it in the crook of his arm as we start to walk out the main doors. I remember my flowers at the last moment and I pull myself free to grab them. I grasp them tightly as I give my hand back to Jack. He smiles at my excitement and gives my arm a squeeze.

Dean is waiting for me.

The sun makes me blink as we step out of the Saunders' mansion, but my eyes quickly adjust. Jack helps me navigate the stairs with my heels and floor-length dress. I love my dress. It's simple but elegant. I feel beautiful, and Dean is going to love it. I'm so excited I have to refrain from running to the garden I'm so excited.

Dean is waiting for me.

As soon as we enter, music begins to play. I don't really hear it.

Dean is waiting for me.

He's standing in the gazebo, his blue eyes bright, wearing that crooked grin I love. I can feel the smile on my face somehow grow wider. My feet glide just above the stones as Jack escorts me to the man I love.

Dean is waiting for me.

Jack shakes Dean's hand and gives me a hug. I can feel tears in my eyes as he lets me go. Jack gives me beaming grin and returns to his wife. There are only a few people sitting in the garden, but that's how Dean and I wanted it. I can see Jenny and Kimberly sitting with Sheriff Grinswald. Bianca wipes a tear from her cheek.

Dean's hands are warm as he takes mine in his. I wonder if he can feel me shaking. It's not because I'm nervous; it's because I'm excited. I get to have the love of my life. After today, we won't ever have to be apart again. My heart soars at the thought.

The minister asks me a question, and I answer it with a simple, "I do." Dean repeats the words. I don't need to hear the minster ask the words because I've already promised them in my heart.

Dean slides a ring onto my finger. A diamond catches the sun, sparkling with a thousand rainbows. My heart speeds up, threatening to dance out of my chest. I've never felt this happy before, this complete. I slip a thick silver band onto his hand, the two of us now linked. Our rings bind us so we will never be apart again. All I can see is Dean's smile.

Dean raises the veil, carefully revealing my face. His own is beaming with joy. All I want is to kiss him, and as he leans forward, my wish is granted. Our lips touch, and he pulls me in to him. The sunlight sparkles through the trees, and I close my eyes, taking everything in. This moment is ours, just mine and Dean's, forever.

I barely notice the walk back into the house. I'm so happy holding onto Dean's strong arm that I barely notice the steps. Inside, the house is cool and quiet, just the two of us. I giggle, and Dean kisses me again, his lips sweet and wonderful as they merge with mine. I could kiss him every second of every day and love every minute of it.

He gives me one of his mischievous grins, pulling me to a small table. A bottle of champagne and two glasses sit, ready to be drunk. He hands me one, taking the other in his fingers. With a gentle clink, he taps them together and whispers, "To making new marriages."

The champagne bubbles in my mouth, tickling my nose and making me smile. I want to kiss him again, and because we are now married, I can.

I kiss him, tasting the effervescent champagne still on his lips. We share our champagne kisses, knowing we will have many more. I kiss him, feeling my heart soar in my chest, remembering our first champagne kiss. It took twenty years, but Dean and I are finally together. Everything is perfect.

I
f you'd like to read more about Jack and Emma Saunders and how they met, please pick up
Saltwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
, and if you like that book, its sequel
Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
.
Both are also available on audiobook!

Saltwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story

When small-town girl Emma LaRue won a vacation to an exclusive tropical island, a last minute cancellation meant she would be going by herself. Shy and studious, she never had time to fall in love, and often wondered if she was just meant to be alone. However, that all changed when a handsome stranger literally walked into her life while on the beach and sparks began to fly.

New York's most eligible billionaire bachelor Jack Saunders thought this vacation would be the perfect escape, one last hurrah, before taking full control of his father's company. When an innocent Emma didn't recognize him, he figured that he might get a chance to have a vacation from being rich. He didn't tell her about the cars, the yacht, or the penthouse. All he did was let her fall in love with him.

Soon, Jack found that he was the one falling in love with Emma. When they enjoy a fantasy marriage ceremony on the beach, they thought it was a bit of harmless fun before returning to their normal lives. A bittersweet goodbye was supposed to be the end of their perfect vacation romance, but when photos of the ceremony were leaked to the press, everything changed.

Feeling lied to and thrust into a world of wealth and privilege, Emma must choose between following her dreams or following her heart. Will she be content at being nothing more than the billionaire's wife, or will she return to her normal life with only memories of saltwater kisses?

He pushed me back until I bumped against the door. His mouth skimmed my jaw, down to my throat, his teeth grazing my skin and his five-o-clock shadow scratching gently. He pressed a thigh between my legs, sending heat through my belly and then south. I whimpered for more, the noise low in my throat.

“You want to invite me in?” he whispered in my ear. Goosebumps ran down my arms, but not from cold.

“Why? Are you a vampire?” I asked with a wry smile.

He didn’t answer but instead kissed me again, drawing me to him like a magnet. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled on my waist, guiding me through the open door. He released me and I felt woozy on my feet from his kisses. The door thudded softly shut and I licked my lips.

He was perfect in the moonlight. His shoulders were broad, tapering into a tight waist and an ass that my fingers itched to squeeze. The darkness and the wine made me bold, my desire growing by the minute. His eyes caught mine and he smiled, knowing that I was checking him out. Those eyes turned up the flame growing in my belly, now spreading north and south, filling my core with need. The sexual tension wrapped around us like taut guitar strings, filling the room with vibrating desire.

His hands grabbed my hips again, pulling me into him with strong fingers. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, tangling my fingers in his hair as we stumbled towards the bedroom. A part of me told me that I should stop, that I should think this through, but the other voices in my head quickly drowned her out; I wanted him more than I wanted to breathe.

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K
rista Lakes' editor, Mel Finefrock, is a recent graduate from the University of North Texas. She has worked behind the scenes with Krista during the making of both Rainwater Kisses and Champagne Kisses. In addition to being a grammar Nazi, Mel is a total lit nerd and always enjoys a good love story. When she isn't in Red Pen Mode, Mel dabbles in a bit of art herself. She sings and plays guitar, as well as writes songs and poetry. She even takes pictures, despite the fact that she can't see! You can find her music
on her Youtube page
and her other artwork
on DeviantArt
.