Love and Lattes (10 page)

"I've been waiting a long time to find the right girl, and I think that girl is you." His mouth found hers, eager and full of renewed hope that maybe this really could work between them.

She kissed him back, her mouth parting to let him in. His tongue found hers, the taste of tea greeting him. He'd never enjoyed the bitterness of tea—he was a coffee man all the way—but on her, the flavor was sweet, delectable. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he pulled her body flush against his. She felt so right against him, as if her body was the only one he was supposed to fit with. The scent of her shampoo filled the air around them and an image of showering with her grew in his mind. His body stirred with the suggestion.

Julia stepped back into the house, pulling him with her as she went, not breaking their kiss for even a moment. He kicked the door closed and scooped her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around him as he walked to the bedroom. There was no need to ask where to go this time. The memories of their night together were fresh in his mind.

He stopped beside the bed and lowered her gently to the mattress. She stared up at him, and for a moment, he could do nothing but look back at her. He couldn't believe he was lucky enough to get a second chance with Julia. His mission from now on would be to make her happy.

"You're an amazing girl, Julia. I can't imagine going back to a life that doesn't include you. I think you might be stuck with me for a while."

"You sweet-talkin' me again?" He could hear the teasing tone in her voice—just another thing he loved about her.

"Maybe I am."

"Good, 'cause I don't plan on going anywhere. Now get over here."

He wasn't going to deny her request. He slipped a condom from his pocket, tossed it onto the nightstand beside the bed, and then began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Wait," she said, with hungry eyes. "Let me."

She knelt on the bed in front of him and he dropped his hands to his sides. She slowly unfastened each button, kissing his chest each time she did. Her kisses were hot and wet on his skin, each one teasing him more than the last until his shirt finally fell open completely.

Chase slipped the shirt from his body, letting it fall to the floor. He reached for his belt, eager to speed things up, but she batted his hand away. His body grew hard with her touch on his waist as she slowly unlatched the buckle. As she lowered the zipper, her hand brushed against the length of him and it was everything he could do not pounce on her.

Julia slid his pants over his hips, pausing for a moment to stroke his awakened flesh. Finally, when he could wait no longer, he stepped out of his pants and joined her on the bed. He pulled her shirt over her head and kissed the sensitive flesh between her breasts. She threw her bra to the side and he claimed her breast with his mouth, teasing her nipple with his tongue.

She groaned, tangling her hands in his hair and arching her back into him. He kissed a trail down her stomach stopping only long enough to unzip her jeans before tossing them to the side. He licked her belly button and she squirmed beneath him. Continuing further south, he reveled in the sounds of her groans of pleasure, arousing him until his body ached with need.

Julia raked her hands down his back. "I want you."

He wanted her too. He wanted her now, tomorrow—forever.

He slipped the condom on and entered her slowly, inching in as she writhed beneath him on the bed. Her hips rocked, matching his thrusts. She clung to his shoulders as she kissed his neck and collarbone. Small gasps escaped her lips as they moved together faster, harder. His breathing grew more ragged with every passing moment.

He groaned. Her body shook around his as she climaxed, the quivers of her pleasure pushing him over the edge. One final thrust and his body erupted in ecstasy before he collapsed on the bed beside her.

He took gulps of air as his heart pounded in his chest. Julia snuggled into the crook of his arm, her head resting on his chest. This was where he wanted to be forever—with Julia.

"I know it's really early to say this, but I can't wait any longer," he said, shifting on the bed so he could look at her. "I think I've fallen in love with you."

"Really?"

He nodded, looking down at her, her hair messy and splayed out across the pillow behind her head. "Really."

"Something else we have in common then, 'cause I think I might just be falling in love with you too." Julia trailed her finger along his jaw and outlined his lips before kissing him softly.

"Make it official," he said when she pulled her mouth from his. "Agree to be my girlfriend and give me the chance to be the hero you read about in those romance novels you love so much. I promise I won't disappoint you."

"That's not fair. You know I'm a sucker for a happy ending." Her eyes twinkled with fresh tears, but this time he could tell they were from happiness. His heart swelled with the possibility of being the one to make her this happy for the rest of her life.

"I'll take that as a yes."

* * * *

A few months later, Julia stood at the checkout counter of
Bloom's Books
and rang through the last customer of the night. The day had been great, but a busy one now school was finished for the summer and everyone was staying out later to enjoy the warm evening air.

Once Julia had finished school, Chase had hired her back on staff as his marketing manager. That way they could work together as partners, less like employee and boss. The new arrangement seemed to be okay with the other employees too. Once Rebecca had moved on to a new job, none of the employees seemed to mind if Chase and Julia dated.

As the front door closed for the final time that night, she turned the deadbolt and flipped over the open sign hanging in the window. She would be here for a few more hours working on the new marketing strategy with Chase, but she didn't want anyone wandering in thinking the store was still open while they were out of sight in the back office.

She jumped as hands covered her eyes from behind.

"Don't peek," Chase said in his sexy voice. She loved that voice. She loved him.

"Okay. What am I not peeking at?"

"If I told you, then you may as well just look. Keep 'em closed."

His hands dropped from her eyes and she could hear him fumbling with something behind her back. What on earth?

Cool silk draped across her eyes and the bridge of her nose. Her hands instinctively went to her face to touch the scarf. "I'm being blindfolded? What is this?" she asked. "A kidnapping?"

His breath was warm in her ear, sending a flash of heat up her spine. Her body still reacted to the sensation of his breath on her delicate skin even after these last few months of practice. "It's a surprise. Now, come with me."

His hand slipped into hers and a protective arm fit around her waist. She knew the layout of the store well enough to walk through the aisles in the dark without stubbing a single toe, and she was certain he was guiding her toward the stairs and elevator. The elevator chimed, signaling she was correct. She stepped forward through the open door.

The elevator sprang to life under her feet with a slight bump, causing her knees go weak, but Chase's strong arm held her close. Riding the elevator in complete darkness was a very different sensation, and not one she wanted to repeat anytime soon. She tried to focus on the floor they were heading to. She thought it was the third, but it was difficult to tell.

Chase led her out of the elevator and down the hall. She didn't bother to try and guess where they were since the layouts of the two upper floors were so similar; only the room content was different on each. There was no way to tell where they were headed simply by feel. A few turns later and they stopped.

"We're here."

She held her breath as he removed her blindfold and her eyes readjusted. At first glance, she wasn't sure where she was. There were little twinkle lights strung from the ceiling, creating a starry sky. On one of the bookshelves there was a small silver bucket with a bottle of champagne chilling in ice. Everywhere she looked, there were vases filled with long stem chocolate rose confections.

"I know you don't like real flowers." Chase handed her a single chocolate flower. "I thought you might like these ones better. I had to buy out three different stores."

Then she realized where they were—in the travel room beneath the painted Eiffel Tower.

"What's all this, Chase?"

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a long white envelope. He held it in his hands, looking at it for a moment before speaking. "I got you a little something."

"You didn't have to do that. It's not my birthday or anything."

"It's not that kind of thing. It's not really a gift."

"Okay." Her interest piqued at the mysterious envelope. "Then what is it?"

"I brought you up here because every time I'm in this room, I think of the day I thought I'd lost you. That was the day my whole world changed."

"I know. Sometimes I come up here and pinch myself to see if it's real. These last few months have felt like a dream. I'm afraid one of these days I'm going to wake up."

He ran his thumb over her lips. "These beautiful lips changed everything for me. You changed everything and I can't imagine what I'd be doing without you here with me."

Tilting her head up to meet his, she urged him to kiss her. As his lips sought hers, she melted into his embrace, relishing the touch and taste of the man she'd given her heart to with their first kiss months ago.

Chase pulled his lips from hers. "That day, we talked about Paris and how it was the one place you'd like to go most of all. Do you remember?"

"Of course. How could I forget?"

"Open it."

With trembling fingers, she opened the envelope he placed in her hands. She slid out two sets of thick papers, stapled together. An airline logo was stamped across the top.

"Tickets to—Paris?" she asked, reading the destination. "I can't accept these—"

Her words stopped short as Chase lowered himself to one knee and took her left hand in his. "It would make me the happiest man in the world if you would accompany me to Paris next spring—for our honeymoon."

Tears sprang to her eyes and a smile spread across her face.
Paris. Honeymoon.

"Julia, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she whispered, barely believing this wasn't some dream she'd wake from. "Yes. I will you marry you, Chase."

Julia quivered as Chase placed a huge oval-shaped diamond and platinum ring on her finger and kissed the back of her hand. She fell to her knees before him and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him so hard they both collapsed on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.

They snuggled against the bookshelves sipping champagne for a few hours, imagining all the places they would visit in Paris. When it was finally time to leave, they gathered themselves off the floor and meandered back through the bookstore, enjoying the quiet of the night.

They paused outside the front door as Chase used his key to lock it. Her key was snug in her pocket where it would be every day from now on. As she watched Chase, an overwhelming sense that she was finally home and at peace filled her.
Bloom's Books
wasn't just the name of the store where she worked anymore. Soon it would belong to her and her husband, and she couldn't think of any other place she'd rather be. Not even Paris.

The End

About the Author

Heather Thurmeier was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now she lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses. When she's not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather's hard at work on her next romance novel. She loves to hear from readers.
Heart, humor, and a happily ever after…
www.heatherthurmeier.com

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Also by Author

Available from
Silver Publishing
:

A MEADOW RIDGE ROMANCE

Love and Lattes

Love on Landing (Spring 2012)