I could barely make her out on the other side of the mountain of bubbles.
“Where are you?” she asked, reaching out for me under the water. Her hand hit my upper thigh and I hissed and reached for it. I brought her palm to my mouth and pressed my lips to the very center.
“This bath won’t last very long if you touch me there.”
She laughed and scooted closer. I pushed some of the bubbles out of the way just as her chest fell against mine.
“You’re right. Hop out and grab a few of those Jesus candles to keep us chaste.”
I laughed and pulled her down onto me. My hands slid up her back and her chest hit mine. She was so warm and soft and wet. Her legs wound around my waist and her lips found mine. She was complete fucking heaven and I knew I’d let the whole bathroom flood if only I could keep her there with me forever.
“Andie?” I whispered as I broke our kiss.
She nuzzled her head against my neck. “Hmm?”
I tangled my hands in her hair and pulled her head back so I could look her in the eye. “I want you to stay in London regardless of the meeting tomorrow. I know it’s fast, but I want you to stay here. The flat is big and there’s more than enough room for your things.”
I thought I saw her nod but it was hard to see through the bubbles.
“Andie?”
She cursed under breath.
“What’s wrong?”
No one should be upset in bubbles.
“This is supposed to be a happy moment,” I said, bringing her against my chest and soothing her back.
“It is,” she insisted, hugging me back just as fiercely. “I’m so happy but also…I lost a bet I made with Kinsley.”
I laughed. “What bet?”
She tilted her head back and let out a heavy sigh.
“When she dropped me off at the airport, I told her I’d see her in a week, but she bet me a million dollars I wouldn’t be coming back.”
“Yikes.” I smiled and pulled her close. “Where do you think you’ll get that kind of cash?”
She kissed my chest and shrugged. “Maybe I’ll ask Caroline to help me forge some bank documents.”
I smiled. “Too soon.”
She laughed. “Then let’s stop talking and get to the things we really want to be doing.”
I slipped my hand down her stomach and watched as she inhaled a shaky breath. Her smile slipped and her nostrils flared. Just like that, she was mine…for good.
EPILOGUE
Andie
“FREDDIE! HAVE YOU seen my cleats?!”
I threw a pair of stilettos aside and then pushed a few dresses out of the way to look in the back corner of the closet. There were heels and flats and sneakers, but my team cleats were nowhere to be found. I didn’t even bother looking over on Freddie’s side of the closet; it was always immaculate. I had no clue how he kept up with everything. My clothes and shoes usually landed somewhere in the vicinity of the closet, but hanging things up at night wasn’t a priority when I had Freddie Archibald waiting for me in bed.
“Have you already looked in the kitchen?” Freddie asked, tipping his head into the doorway and offering me one of his trademark smiles.
I rolled my eyes for extra emphasis. “Of course I looked there.”
It was a lie, but his smile was so confident and I wasn’t going to give in that easily. He loved being right and I loved pushing his buttons. I stood up and swept past him to get out into the hallway.
His hand reached out to grab my waist to block my path. “Where are you going?”
I stared past his shoulder. “To grab a granola bar.”
I could see his smile widen out of the corner of my eye. “You just had breakfast.”
“Did I?” I scrunched my nose. “Hmm, wasn’t very filling.”
His hand tightened around my waist. “We both know you’re going to have a look for your cleats in the kitchen.”
I turned and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Don’t be silly. I really, really want a granola bar.”
With that, I wrestled myself out of his grip and took off to the kitchen as fast as I could. If I could get them in my bag before he saw them in the kitchen, technically he wouldn’t be right.
He shouted after me as I rounded the corner and I saw them sitting on the floor near the kitchen island, grass-stained and untied. I lunged for them and threw them in my bag, glancing up just in time to see Freddie standing in the doorway.
“Find them?”
I patted my bag. “They were in here the whole time.”
He arched a dark brow. “Were they?”
I smiled, proud. “Yes, Archibald; you’re not right all the time.”
He pushed off the doorway and strolled to stand in the kitchen. (I swore it looked like he was gloating, though he had no reason to.) I watched him fill my water bottle and then reach into the pantry for a granola bar we both knew I didn’t want.
“Here you go,” he said, handing them both over to me.
I averted eye contact and grabbed for them before offering a deadpan, “Yum.”
I was running a little behind so Freddie offered to drive me. He reached for his keys and I slipped on my sneakers. Just as we were walking out the door, he laced his fingers through mine.