"Good morning,” she finally says, stepping out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth.
I immediately grab my chest in relief. “Don’t ever do that to me again.” I cross the room and squeeze her waist.
She giggles and continues to brush her teeth, speaking with foam on her lips. “I’m sorry. You were gone, and I was ready to get up.” Going back into the bathroom, she leans over the sink and spits, then rinses her mouth out before turning back to me. “You have to stop worrying so much.” She pats a towel to her mouth and sets it back on the sink.
“Eventually I might. Right now, I’m still on high alert. It’s only been a week. Be patient with me.”
On her tiptoes, she presses her lips to mine, and I can taste the sweet mint from the toothpaste. “And you need to trust me. I think I’ve proven I can take care of myself, if worse comes to worst. Cherry and I did manage to restrain Byron.”
“Oh, I know you’re tough. But I also know you seek out trouble.”
“Mr. Ellis,” she smirks, “are you calling me a troublemaker?”
I grab her ass cheeks, peering down at her. “That’s exactly what I’m calling you.”
Her hands rest on my chest, and she kisses me again. “Then you’d be correct. And I’m about to show you just how much trouble I can cause.” She begins walking me backward toward the bed. My body rushes with heat, wanting her so fucking bad right now, but I have to be the asshole who turns her down.
“Later, baby. Breakfast is waiting.” I instantly regret the words. Fuck breakfast. All I wanna do is fuck her.
Her head twists, and she grins. “Wait. Are you seriously rejecting me to go eat breakfast?”
I exhale profoundly. “Yes.” Dammit. I hate that I’m such a stickler when it comes to plans. I’ve got everything set and ready.
Bella takes a step back, still questioning me with squinted eyes. “Who are you and where is my dangerous boyfriend?”
“It’ll be worth it. I promise.” I take her hand and begin leading her out of the room, hoping she doesn’t drag this out. As we’re walking, I adjust my erection in my pants nonchalantly, but she takes notice.
“I’m glad to see it wasn’t an issue of impotence.”
I let out a roaring laugh. “You never have to worry about that. All I have to do is look at you and my dick twitches.”
We make it to the dining room with twenty minutes to go. I pull out a chair for Bella, and she takes a seat, inhaling a deep breath as she lifts the lid on the pancakes. “Blueberry? My favorite!”
"Everything blueberry is your favorite.”
“And lemonade? What’s the special occasion?”
I take a seat right beside her, adjusting my napkin in my lap. “Didn’t know we needed a special occasion to have lemonade.”
“Well, usually it’s orange juice. I’m just surprised.” She takes a bite of bacon and points to the lidded platter holding the box, speaking as she chews. “What’s that?”
She knows. Dammit, she fucking knows. I can’t put anything past this girl. “Dessert. Just eat your breakfast, Sherlock.”
I can’t even look at her because I know she’s observing me as I poke my fork around at my food, not even taking a bite. My appetite is nonexistent. My hands are shaking; my heart is racing. I need to just get this over with.
"Are you done?” I ask her, my eyes still on my plate.
“Cal,” she chuckles, “what the hell is going on with you? I’ve never in my life seen you nervous, and you’re acting like you’re about to propose or something.”
Yep. She knows.
“No.” I finally take a bite, a big-ass bite that fills my entire mouth.
Bella drops it and continues eating. “What’s the plan for the day?”
“I thought maybe we’d tour the castle. I could show you some of the finished rooms. Maybe have lunch in the courtyard.”
“Sounds nice.”
Why does it suddenly feel like we’re a fifty-year-old married couple who has nothing to talk about? Is this what marriage will be like? What if she gets bored with me—with us? What if, suddenly, I’m not enough, and she wants more? She’ll leave me eventually. I know she will.
Maybe this is a bad idea.
I’m not sure where all this self-doubt is coming from. What am I thinking? Bella has always been mine, and she always will be.
Bella sets her fork beside her plate, turns her entire body toward me, and places a hand on my lap. “Then maybe we could take a nice hot shower together.” She waggles her eyebrows, and it’s cute as hell, because she has a smear of syrup on her chin.
I set my fork down and run my thumb over it, then lick off the sweet maple. “I could use another shower.”
“Maybe we could talk about some ideas I had for the clubs.”
“You’ve really taken a liking to the clubs, haven’t you?”
Her cheeks tinge pink. Also cute as hell.
“Don't be embarrassed.” I chuckle. “I’m excited to hear your ideas because I seriously think we should just shut them down. I hope you’re not expecting one here, though, because the only show you’ll get at this castle is from me.”
She leans in, the scent of pancakes and syrup spilling from her breath. “I only need you.” Her lips press to mine.
Okay. I can do this. We’re good. No matter what obstacles we face, we’ll face them together. She’s not going anywhere.
I lift the napkin from my lap and pat my mouth before dropping it on my plate. A glance at my watch tells me it’s time.
My chair pushes out and I stand between it and the table. Reaching over, I pull the platter toward us, without lifting the lid.
Bella sinks back in the chair, her hands resting on her stomach. “I’m so stuffed. I’m not sure I’ve got room for dessert.”
My lip twitches with humor. Maybe she doesn’t have any idea.
My entire body is trembling. Pretty sure my face is pale, too.
I turn toward Bella, still standing, and take both of her hands in mine. “Do you remember the day we made the pact, Bella?”
She nods, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Of course I do. We were in the attic and you were upset about breaking the Beckhams’ window with that baseball. Mark and Layla had just ratted you out and you thought for sure Mrs. Webster was going to send you away.”
“That’s exactly right. You told me, in no exact terms, soulmates come in different shapes and sizes. That best friends can be soulmates, even if they don’t love each other.”
Her lips tug up in a smile and my heart skips a beat. “That was before I knew what love even was.”
“But you weren’t wrong. You said we were soulmates and that nothing could tear us apart. I think we’ve proven that to be true. Bella,” I drop to my knee, “you are my soulmate. You are my best friend.”
“Cal?”
The music begins, soft, but audible. It’s Our Song. The one Bella composed.
“Oh my gosh.” She gets choked up. “This is our song.”
“Let me finish,” I press as she claps one hand over her mouth. “Against all odds we found our way back to each other. Through oceans and mountains. Downpours and blizzards. Our hearts cried for one another and we followed the sound. I can’t promise it will be easy. But I can promise to smile with you when you want to cry, hold you when you want to run, and love you when you don’t feel strong enough to love yourself. I can give you that same promise I made all those years ago—a promise to never part. Until kingdom come.”