Lily had given him a reason to want more than superficial relationships and professional success.
Bruno sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, propping his elbows on his knees and dropping his chin into his hands. In one night, he had created memories with Lily that were more meaningful than any of the ones he’d had of other women. She’d fought him for the room with as much strength and confidence as he could ever hope to have. She’d shown him her vulnerability. She’d teased him, and kissed him, and made him believe that he might have a chance at deserving her. Made him want to deserve her. But now it was too late.
No. It wasn’t too late.
Bruno straightened. Yes, he’d missed his chance to talk to her in person. But he wasn’t about to sit back and just accept that he would never again see the one woman with whom he ever felt such a strong connection. There was contact information on her consulting company’s website, after all. He could at least start by e-mailing the corporate office.
He stood and strode through the bedroom door, intending to power on his laptop and sending a message immediately, but he didn’t even get as far as opening it up. Instead, the sight of a white scrap of paper, torn from the hotel notepad on the desk, had him rushing forward, snatching up the sheet, and finally grinning with relief when he read the words scrawled on it.
This time, he wasn’t going to miss his chance.
…
“Indeed, Miss Stanton, you are confirmed on this flight. It is completely full, but you have a window seat. And you’ll be home by this evening.”
Bruno raced up to the counter just in time to hear the agent’s words. Lily’s shoulders sagged. With what—relief? Unexpected disappointment?
Please let it be both.
“I don’t suppose I can convince you to share this time.” He suppressed the urge to grab and shake her, to yell at her that she should never have left without kissing him good-bye. Without telling him what he wanted to know.
Lily jumped in surprise and whirled around. For a brief moment, he saw the expression of unbridled joy on her face, and his chest swelled with pride.
It was what he wanted to see.
But the look was gone in an instant, wiped clean and replaced with the part-haughty, part-playful, devastatingly lovely Lily Stanton he had met at the front desk of the Ritz last night.
“What are you going to do about it? Because your status might have trumped mine last night…” She stopped, blushing at the suggestive leer that he gave her. He couldn’t help seeing innuendo in everything right now, after having this woman above, below, and wrapped around him three times in the last twelve hours. “But I don’t think they’re going to let you share my seat,” she told him. “The flight is completely full and—mmrp!”
Bruno didn’t bother listening anymore. He grabbed her and pulled her forward, slanting his lips over hers and stroking his tongue into her mouth. She responded, sucked lightly, nibbled his lips. Thank God. He hadn’t lost her, like he’d feared.
“You didn’t say good-bye,” he growled.
“I left you a note.”
“Yeah. And I’m fulfilling your request. You’re lucky I didn’t sleep the extra thirty minutes until my alarm went off, or you’d already be at the gate. As it was, I think I probably set a record for speed dressing.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her lips. “My note said that I wanted to see you again, sure. But it also specifically said to call me, and I left you three possible phone numbers.”
He kissed her again.
“But I’m glad you ignored that part,” she whispered against his lips.
“Se?ora, I’ve finished processing your ticket. Here is your boarding pass.” Lily turned back to take the boarding pass from the agent, who sighed. “You two are so romantic.”
Bruno winked over Lily’s head and the agent sighed again as they walked toward the security gate.
“I didn’t ignore that part. I’m just doing it in a different order.” He turned and hugged her, crushing her to him.
She held him back, just as tightly.
He released her reluctantly and leveled a serious look on her. “I want to see you again. Not just someday, or casually. Until last night…no, until I met you, I didn’t even realize how much has been missing from my life.”
Her face softened, her lips tipping up in a wide smile.