After our meal, we strolled towards the shore. It the small tiny strip of black sand lined with blue and white umbrellas, as we watched the sun setting before us.
“Thank you for making this all magical for me. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy since my family left me,” Stella murmured, eyes appreciative to the beauty that surrounded us.
But what caught me was her heavenly face. It looked content, in love and happy just being with me.
Watching the sunset happen before her eyes—glowing happiness as she gazed ahead, elated.
Spending all this time with her, realizing that she was the one, truly was life changing for me. My priorities were shifting and I would do anything to keep her with me. She hasn’t demanded anything—like I have… but she ought to know…
“I love you.”
She blinked. Once. Before she turned to me, smiling. “Are you sure?”
That smile—her—everything about her simply took my breath away. “I have loved you, but my fears have overruled them. Forgive me for being such an unmitigated coward. But I’m telling you now, my heart lives for you, Stella.” I meant each word. Each were spoken with a promise. “Thank you for loving me, for bringing light into my life, for resurrecting my broken heart and making it feel again.”
She held me tighter, kissing my cheek. “Finally, I thought you’d never get here.”
I didn’t either, but I did.
I made it home.
Wrapped in each other’s embrace, I looked forward to spending my life with her.
Our future awaited our return.
Chapter 37
Callum
Knocking against her workroom door, I pushed it open and tried to persuade the stubborn woman to come and join me. “It’s been five minutes, Stella. You need to come out and eat dinner or I’ll very well pluck you out of that seat and take you to dine with me. You choose.” I threatened, but she only gave me a beautiful smile that made me want my heart beat a little speedier than usual.
“Coming, Callum.” The undaunted woman blew me a kiss. “Give me two minutes and I’m all yours.”
I loved how she said I’m all yours.
“Not a second more, you hear?” I parted the room as I went to the kitchen and waited for her. She skipped lunch and settled for a sandwich. When she didn’t eat dinner, I was ready to spoon-feed her.
Luciana’s mother’s event was right around the corner and she was busy emailing and texting—approving and disapproving orders for the last few days. She needed to take a break and eat, or she might fall apart in exhaustion.
So I barged in there and asked that she ate—throwing in the demand that if I could make her buttermilk pancakes and she just might be tempted to leave her workroom. Of course, like I would miss the chance in proving her that I was very well capable of making some damn pancakes.
A minute later, she breezed in the kitchen; eyeglasses and all, looking like a delicious dessert.
“Sit and eat, please?” I pulled the chair for her to seat on, before she plopped her butt and muttered nom nom. “Thanks for the pancakes, babe… but I need chocolate syrup?”
I groaned as I marched towards the fridge, taking the thing she asked for and drizzled it all over her pancakes.
“No strawberries?” She arched her brow, goading me to snap.
She was enjoying making me suffer, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to kiss or spank her this instant. “Strawberries and what else? If you have any more add ons, best you tell me now.”
“Orange juice, that’s it.” She blew me a kiss as she started to work on her pancakes.
I was cutting her strawberries in halves when she broke into my thoughts.
“Callum Kensington, hot playboy—badass billionaire who has an affinity for doing naked stunts—was my personal butt boy.”
She looked so smug, so I threw her a piece of strawberry, and much to my awe, the woman caught it with her mouth.
Damn.
Without thought, I came to her, plucked her out of her seat and shoved her on the counter, kissing my wife with a passion that burned like a raging furnace inside me. “You wanted chocolate syrup?” I dipped my finger on plate and swiped on my chest, on my c**k and everywhere else. “Gave a go at me wife.”
“You and chocolate?” she licked her lips. “You’re on.”
The mess we left the next day was unbelievable, much to my housekeepers delight since she wanted us to make babies…
A baby… comes later.
But for now, I have to start at the beginning.
~C~
I wanted to renew our vows, but this time, it was the real deal. I wanted to see her eyes as she said the words to me. This was where it all started—in St. Lucia and I wanted to be in the place where it held great memories for us.
I chose to propose to her next to Richard’s burial plot. It may seem weird to some, but I wanted her family to be a part of this too. I also wanted them to know, if they were watching, that I was serious about Stella.
“Ever since you came back into my life, nothing was ever the same. You came and you marked me anew.” I looked into her eyes, seeing only her—her big heart, her love for me and my future, my wife. “I was suffocating, drowning in my sorrows—and you—you came and you breathed new life into me. You have seized my soul when I didn’t want it possessed. You burned and made your mark even though I held you at arm’s length.
“I love you—so in love with you that I want to make you my wife twice. I want to hear you say the words to me, before our friends and family that you’re mine and I’m yours, because I am yours…”
“You—” I spoke, breathless as I tried to reign all the flooding emotions that were overwhelming me at the moment. “You own me, Stella and I wouldn’t want for anything if you make me your husband again. Marry me and be mine forever?”
Tears formed her eyes as she broke down in front of me.
My wife was beautiful mess. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
That same day, when Stella fell asleep after we made love, I found myself before my best friend’s grave.
I stood there a moment, understanding the meaning of it all. Rehashing memories of that very same say I came back to the island, Richard bearing bad news and the marriage to Stella.
“Thank you for bringing me to her,” I murmured, “even though you’re gone, you still look out for me. I will take care of her. I love her more than anything. We miss you.”
Silently, I spoke to my departed friend, as if he was still alive.