That One Moment (Lost in London #2) (40 page)

“There’s a special one about friendship in there,” I say quietly to Gareth. “It’s called ‘Friendship Has No Age’ and I’m pretty certain it’s entirely about you.”

Gareth’s jaw clenches and he nods woodenly. They all open their boxes and begin shuffling through the poems that I had printed on special paper. “Dad, I put the Swedish originals in your box.”

“These boxes are beautiful,” Booker says, rubbing his fingers over the underside of the lid where Hayden burned an inscription on the interior:

Vilma Nyström Harris ~ Wife, Mother, Friend

An original soul always in our hearts.

“Hayden made them, actually. All of them. And he did the inscription.”

Booker’s eyes lift to mine and then flash over to Hayden. He frowns and croaks seriously, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Hayden replies and the two of them exchange subtle nods. A peace offering, perhaps?

“You’re still not going to Barcelona,” Booker grumbles and everyone bursts into a mix of annoyed groans and laughs.

I smile at my dad and four brothers, who really aren’t all that dissimilar to Hayden in the end. Perhaps that’s how he was able to somewhat win them over. The whole lot of them are all brooding, protective, over-bearing, but completely devoted men, who care for you absolutely once you’ve breached their hardened hearts. I hope someday my brothers can all have their own love stories.

And Hayden has breached my heart for good. My soul sings as I stare at the crinkles in his eyes as he laughs along with the other important men in my life. Those crinkles are the sexiest road map to his happy place. A happy place that includes me.

It’s dark out by the time Hayden and I leave my dad’s. We head straight to my flat where we’ve been spending most of our nights. We do hang out with Theo, Leslie, and Marisa some, but the majority of our time is spent here. I think Theo and Leslie have been appreciating their alone time, especially since Marisa seems to be growing out of her fussy stage.

“Your brothers aren’t as tough as they seem,” Hayden says as we flop onto the wicker sunbed in my rooftop garden. The Chinese lanterns glow down on us, casting a warm, cosy ambience in the dark London night. “They’re all bark…no bite. Booker is lucky that I was feeling generous today.”

I grin as he tucks into my back and spoons me in that delicious way that turns him into the cosiest Hayden blanket. “Booker gets Barca, you get South of France,” I say with a comfortable sigh.

“Mmm, you could have told me you have some time off coming up before I got in a huge battle with your brother, you know,” he moans and nips my neck playfully. “But I forgive you…because I get to see you in a bikini.”

Cupping his head to my neck, I reply while he nuzzles, “Actually, I was thinking we could try one of those nude beaches.”

His nibbling halts instantly. “Like fucking hell we will.”

I bite my lip to stop my giggle. “It’s all the rage there. And I do hate tan lines.”

“Look at me.” Hayden yanks my shoulder back so I’m lying on my back and he’s holding himself over me. All good humour completely evaporates from his face. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

My eyes twinkle with mirth. “It’s a bucket list thing I’ve always wanted to try.”

“You’re out of your mind, Vi, if you think I’m going to allow my girlfriend to traipse around a beach bloody naked for all of France to ogle. Christ, I’m actually getting fucking pissed off just thinking about it.” He runs a hand through his hair as my heart does little summersaults over his girlfriend title for me.

It never gets old.

I reach up and clasp his face in my hands. “Maybe we can work out an alternative.”

“What is that?” he groans, his grey eyes watching me in agony. “I swear you just like to torture me.”

I lift my brows archly. “Rooftop sex is also a bucket list item for me.”

His eyes instantly heat with desire. The possessive side of him has to look around first, clearly noting that we’re the tallest building for miles and there’s no way anyone can see us from here.

“Or we could always go back to the cinema.” He shoots me a salacious grin. “I know my Bunny loves the movies.”

His head drops down to my neck and he places kisses down every square inch, all the way to the tops of my breasts. He bites down on my tank top strap and pulls it down my shoulder. His breath stutters with excitement when he sees I’ve ditched my bra for the night. “Fuck…Kissing you will never get old.”

“You know what never gets old for me?” I ask and my breath catches just as he cups the weight of my breast in his warm, rough hand.

“Hmm?” he asks as his lips continue their assault along my collarbone.

“Hearing you call me your girlfriend.”

“Mmm, you like that do you?” he asks, thumbing my hardened nipple. “I’ve got one better for you.”

“What’s that?” I suck in a quick breath and let out a sudden moan as his lips wrap around my nipple and he bites down softly.

“Future wife.” His head pops up to watch my reaction.

My hooded eyes turn wide. My expression drops in shock. “I…I,” I stammer.

“I’m not asking yet, Bunny. Believe me, when I ask, you’ll know. But I want you to know that’s where I see this going with you and me. I told you I wasn’t going to waste any more moments with you, so that’s why I’m telling you now.” His face is deathly serious. His grey eyes warm pools of open sincerity.

“Okay then,” I croak in a lame reply.

The corner of his mouth tilts up proudly. “So eloquent with words.” His wicked laughter vibrates against my chest as he touches his lips to mine in a sweet, final gesture.

I wrap my legs around him and inspiration strikes. I blurt against his mouth, “Maybe you should move in here?” He pulls back and looks down at me with a distinct twinkle to his eyes. “Bruce and I have discussed it already and we both think it’s a good idea. I’ll have to warn you about Bruce Hugs, though. They can be rather intense. But it’d be nice to have you around to fix things, take him for a walkies, water the plants.”

“Water the plants?” he asks, pursing his lips to conceal a laugh.

“Yes. I think you’d do a proper job,” I state with a deadpan expression. “Vincent is such a flirt, ya know.”

“Vincent is a flirt,” he grumbles. “I think I can water your plants. And I can take care of your dog. And I can take care of these precious assets,” he purrs, reaching down and squeezing my bum. “It’s time for more.”

I reach up and touch the crinkles around his eyes affectionately all the while knowing that 11:11 has come and gone and he’s stayed right here with me…in the moment…in the present…talking about our future.

“That’s the exactly what I had in mind.”

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

S
tanding outside of BOLT FROM THE BLUE CAKES and looking at Vi’s excited eyes as she awaits our mystery cake box delivery is an experience in and of itself. I don’t think I ever fully realised how much she loved this place the first time she brought me here. Her blue eyes are bright and twinkling. Her feet won’t stop shifting in anticipation. And she keeps beaming back at me like this is the best day of her life.

I grin.

Bunny has no clue what’s coming.

That’s my new favourite thing about her.

Life with Vi isn’t perfect. Far from it. But with her beside me, I don’t feel broken. I feel whole. I feel loved and I feel fucking fantastic because she makes me strong enough to know I
can
feel. Being angry or sad or upset doesn’t feel like the end when you have that one person in your life who wants to love you through it. No questions asked. She fucking loves me. Any ripple in our relationship is a wave we ride together. Our ripples make us…
us
. Loving her doesn’t make me weak. In fact, I’ve never felt stronger than when I hold her in my arms.

Vi Harris makes me desperate to continue moving forward. She stirs the ripples.

And now it’s time to make a fucking splash.

The man behind the window returns with a very different type of box from the normal cardboard ones the mystery cupcakes usually come in. I imagine Vi is frowning in confusion, but I can’t see her expression…

…because I’m kneeling behind her.

She grabs the box and turns around with a puzzled look as she finds me on the ground. “Hayden?” she croaks, her mouth a strange mixture between an
O
and a smile.

“Vi,” I start with a sneaky smirk. “Open the box.”

She purses her lips together and with trembling hands, she strokes the lid that I’ve spent months hand-carving to make utterly perfect. It’s a baroque-style design, espresso-stained, wooden keepsake box. I carved in a round clock face with the time 11:11 engraved on the lid. Right next to it, there’s a tiny ornate genie lamp representing a wish. She swallows hard and opens the lid.

Inside are two cupcakes with a ring box nestled in between.

She smiles.

She cries.

She giggles.

She makes me the happiest fucking man on Earth and I haven’t even asked her the question yet.

“Vilma Harris, will you marry me?”

My words are simple because I’ve spent the last year of our life together never wasting a single moment. If she looks beautiful, I tell her. If I love something she makes, I tell her. If she makes me spitting mad, I tell her. And then we fight. Hard.

And then we make up. Harder.

God do we make up. Vi makes me feel everything all the time. But mostly…she makes me feel
alive
.

“Yes,” she answers with a squealing sigh. “God, Hayden, yes! I will so marry you.”

She falls down on top of me, knocking me off balance and taking us both down as she goes. She giggles and smashes her lips into mine while clutching the box awkwardly between us. The corner digs into my chest and the pain is noticeable, but it’s also perfect because it’s not perfect. It’s exactly how life ought to be.

“Happy birthday, Bunny,” I murmur against her eager lips.

“I officially love my birthday.” She grins and kisses me sweetly once more.

I smile up at her and reply, “It’s about time.”

THE END

There’s more London Love to be had!

Reyna, Leslie, and Finley all have stories available. Go back and see where it all began with all of these fun standalones.

Begin with Finley in
Becoming Us
, a spicy college prequel.

Or jump right inside Frank’s London house with
A Broken Us
.

Leslie’s standalone is called
London Bound
.

Rey’s emotional standalone is call
Not The One.

Read on for full reading order lists.

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MORE BOOKS BY AMY DAWS

The London Lovers Series:

Becoming Us
, Finley’s Story Part 1…College Prequel