“Get a room!” Matthew yells.
I clear my throat and look around the patio. “I just want to say,” I begin and blink the tears from my eyes. “All the people that I love the most in this world are here, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have you. Thank you for all you’ve done for me, and not just these gifts, though they are wonderful. I am blessed. Even the boys have their good moments.” I smile at them and they salute me with their drinks and throw winks at me.
I take a deep breath. “Thank you for making me a part of your family. I love you very much.”
I look up at Luke and around the patio into each face that is so dear to me.
“Now, give me that baby.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I enjoyed them.” Luke links his fingers with mine and kisses my knuckles as he drives us back toward Alki Beach.
“They enjoyed you too. Thank you for coming, and inviting your parents. I had a great time.” I can’t hide my delighted smile.
“I’m glad. Are you excited about our trip?” His grin is wide.
“I have a lot to do tonight to get ready. Maybe I should stay home tonight so I can pack and make calls and stuff.”
Luke frowns. “It won’t take me long to pack. I can drop you off at home, go pack, and come back to your place.” He swallows and glances at me.
“What’s wrong?” Why does he suddenly look nervous?
“I don’t want you to bail on me.”
“Bail on you?”
“Yeah, decide you don’t want to go.”
Where is this vulnerability coming from? “I do want to go.”
“Good.” He smiles at me.
I find it doesn’t take me long to pack either. A whole week in Tahiti entails a few bikinis, sarongs, pull-overs and flip-flops. I also add one nice tank dress in case we have dinner and a pair of heels and some shorts and tank tops.
I’ll throw my toiletries together in the morning before our nine a.m. flight.
I sit at the kitchen table and begin calling next week’s clients to reschedule when I hear Luke come in through the front door.
“Baby?”
“In the kitchen!”
“Hey,” he leans down and kisses me sweetly, and I sigh.
“Hi. Gonna make some calls. Make yourself at home.”
“Okay.” He saunters into the kitchen and grabs a bottle of water out of the fridge.
A half an hour later all my calls are made, appointments rescheduled, and I’m officially on vacation.
Imagine that!
I have a huge, cat-ate-the-canary grin on my face as I crawl into Luke’s lap where he sits on my couch. He’s been reading a script.
“Well hello, happy girl.” He nuzzles my neck.
“Hi,
obsessively
generous
boyfriend.” He laughs and wraps his arms gently around me.
“I am looking forward to laying on a sandy beach with you, baby.”
“Hmm… me too. And snorkeling!”
“You snorkel?” He continues to nuzzle my neck and nips at my ear and I squirm.
“Yeah, I have. It’s been a while.”
“You smell so good. What else do you want to do?”
“Well, for one whole day…” I run my fingers through his hair and lean back so I can look at the pretty.
“Yes?”
“I want to stay naked and in bed with you.”
“That’s going to be my favorite day on this whole vacation.” He runs his hand gently up and down my back and I grin.
“Me too. Are we staying in one of those huts that sits over the water?”
“Yes.”
“Cool. We can skinny dip.”
He laughs delightedly. “Aren’t you just the exhibitionist?”
“No, we’ll do it at night.” I lay my head on his shoulder and sigh deeply, suddenly tired, but completely relaxed.
“Can I bring my camera?”
“I assumed you would.”
“I
won’t
if
it
makes
you
uncomfortable.” I made sure to be careful not to capture his photo tonight after dinner while I was taking photos of little Sophie and the rest of our families.
“I trust you completely. You can take my picture.”
I sit upright in his lap, my jaw dropped and eyes wide. “I can?”
“Well, we’re going to want pictures from our vacation, aren’t we? Natalie, after everything that we’ve done, how can I not trust you to take my picture?
We should have memories together.”
I feel my smile grow and I’m just so…
happy. “I’m dying to take your picture, and before you freak out on me…”
“I’m not going to freak out of you,” he says with a laugh.
“I want to take your photo because it’s what I do, and you are so beautiful, Luke. There have been so many moments that I wish I could capture. I would never share any of our images with
anyone
unless
I
had
your
permission, but I want photos of you. I want photos of us together.”
“I want photos of us too.”
I hug him tightly and then lay my head on his shoulder again.
“Are you sleepy?” he murmurs as he rhythmically runs his fingers through my hair.
“A little.” I gaze up into his beautiful blue eyes. “Thank you.”