Take a Bow (The Perfect Plans Series Book 2) (38 page)

Taking a sip of my Champagne, I turn to lay it down as Stacey catches me in a bone-crushing hug amid the claps and cheers of the crowd. Instantly an escaped tear slips down my face. “I love you, Stacey, but I have to go,” I whisper, pulling from her hold.

“Aby…?” she questions, a gentle grab of my arm halting my process.

“I just need some air,” I plead, wiping the tear from my cheek as I welcome her understanding gaze.

“Okay…” is all I allow her to get in before I turn and step down from the podium, lifting my dress in preparation to run.

My aim is on the quickest retreat - the side doors - however, I don’t make it past the first row of tables; an isle full of smiling guests all waiting to say something nice as I pass. Their kind comments about my ‘beautiful words’, and my ‘witty’ and ‘well written’ speech are all a blur with each forced smile and empty ‘thank you’ I offer, my focus dominated by my desperate need to escape.

Flashing a final appreciative smile to the ‘you make a lovely Maid of Honor’ from the last table, I turn my attention back to my destination, the wide gap of bare floor the only thing separating me from the exit doors I crave. Doors now blocked by the one thing I crave more…Alex Tate.

Alex
, I tremble, his name echoing through my mind, his presence stopping me dead in my tracks. He takes my breath away as I devour him, dressed to perfection in a black tux, his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his pants. For a moment I wonder if he’s a figment of my imagination, so desperate to find him that I’ve actually conjured him from fantasy. He certainly looks as though he just stepped out of one. But when I meet his gaze, his penetrating stare, the reality of him hits me harder than a bolt of lightning. It’s an overwhelming blast that shatters me into a million thankful pieces.

He’s really here
, I gasp for air, swallowing hard against my suddenly dry throat. Every part of me screams run. Run to him. Yet I don’t. I walk slowly. As though time is in slow motion, and if I rush, if I move too quickly, it will speed up again and whisk him away.

I reach him in an envelope of silence, lost only to his eyes. Eyes that never left mine, wrapping me in a cocoon of calm, pulling me to stand before him to say the only thing I need him to hear, “I love you.”

He says nothing as he stares into my soul, and that’s okay, because I feel safe having him there. And in his silence, I’m grateful for this chance to say more. “I’m so sorry,” I search his eyes, needing to see my hope reflected there.

His returned gaze glistens in its penetration, almost as though he’s capturing a moment for himself, before he reaches up to wipe a slow falling tear from my cheek.

A breathless whisper escapes my lips at the touch, our stare broken as he looks down momentarily, almost bashfully, before returning his gaze to mine. His eyes ensnare me, holding me hostage as I painstakingly await his reply, frightened to death that he’ll say nothing in return.

“Hi,” he finally speaks, his eyes flashing a brilliant blue, “I’m Alex Tate,” he takes my hand, lifting it to his lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I lose myself in his perfect smile, adrift in a haze as I try to understand.

“That was a beautiful speech. I particularly liked the part about starting over,” his sweet words explain everything.

Oh, thank God!
“I thought…there’s so much I need to explain,” I manage as my emotional dam breaks.

“Shhh,” he whispers, brushing away more tears. “Not tonight, Miss Ryan. Tonight is about new beginnings.”

I stare at him in wonder, desperate to try to understand what we’ve done to deserve so many chances. And thankful that we’re so willing to take them, despite how we’ve allowed them to be so carelessly thrown away. This
is
our new beginning. We couldn’t fight what we feel for each other if we tried.

“Will you do me the honor of dancing with me?” he holds out his hand.

It’s only then that the world around me comes into focus - the music pulling me back into reality - though as I take his hand, I can’t help but feel the warmth of our loving fantasy.

I realize as we turn that guests have joined Thomas and Stacey on the dance floor.
I missed their first dance
, I grimace with guilt and awe at how long we were lost frozen in time.

Taking our place among the crowd, Alex wraps his arm around my waist, securing his hand in mine, swaying us in time to the rhythm. We’re lost to each other, our gazes locked, our eyes silently conveying thoughts of regret and mistakes, forgiveness and fresh starts…love and never letting go.

He pulls me closer, releasing my hand to secure both of his around my waist, tightening his hold as I snake my arms around his shoulders, his cheek brushing mine in the motion of our desperate embrace.

I run my fingers through his tousled curls, a new tear escaping my fresh well of relief. Leaning against his shoulder, I relish him - the feel of the warm flesh of his nape under my palms, his perfect scent as I inhale deeply, the way he makes me feel when I’m in his arms. I don’t ever want to lose this feeling again. And though I’m so grateful for his plea to leave our regrets unspoken tonight, I can’t ignore the nagging reminder that he was never able to forgive Julia her indiscretion - fictitious or otherwise. Does he really forgive
me
for kissing Andrew?

Whether or not it meant something to me doesn’t matter when it’s his heart that has to swallow the reality of my lips against another man’s. I tense at the thought, and he squeezes me tighter. “Don’t,” he whispers. “Don’t think about anything right now…nothing matters except where you are. In my arms, where you belong.”

His perfect words remind me that he can see through me, sense what I’m thinking, and always know what I need to hear. But as much as I want to be able to let it go, I can’t.
My
heart is begging in fear for reassurance that what I did won’t mean losing his.

Pulling back marginally, I look into his eyes, pleading for an answer before finally speaking the question, “But…what about the kiss?”

He halts his lead, releasing me to cup my face in his hands, the look in his gaze taking my breath away. The kiss he takes me is so deep and sensual, I feel it down to my toes. He tastes divine. Perfect. Heavenly. It’s the type of kiss that sets off fireworks, explosions of shooting stars illuminating us in the light of our love. And that’s just what I find when he finally pulls his beautiful lips away, as we stand under the glistening spotlight, surrounded by the crowd, all clapping and cheering.

“You mean
that
kiss?” he whispers. “Because that kiss is the one I’ll remember forever,” he pulls me against him, lifting me, my feet dangling above the floor.

Looking down into his eyes, I thank the lucky stars above for gifting me this wonderful man.

“And,” he adds, placing me back on my feet, “…just so you know, Aby Ryan, I love you, too.”

“WHERE HAVE YOU been all my life,” Alex asks playfully, spinning me around, dipping me to steal a kiss.

“I’m not sure,” I tease in return. “If I had known you were such a good dancer, I would have stolen you for myself a long time ago.”

He wrenches me tight against him, his gaze devouring mine with its heat. “You stole my heart the moment I looked into your eyes.”

It takes a moment to reclaim my stolen breath, lost to the inferno of his burning stare and heart-melting declaration. “I just can’t believe that you’re here,” I add, overwhelmed that he’s come for me a second time. That he loves me that much.

“I couldn’t fight my pull to you if I tried, Aby,” the sincerity of his promise for a night of starting over oozes from his loving gaze.

“Alex, I love that you’re here, and that you’re sweeping me off my feet as though nothing has happened, but…” I pause, trying to find the right words.

“Not ‘nothing’, Aby.
Everything
. Everything that’s happened - as painful and avoidable as it all could have been - lead us to where we stand right now,” he searches my gaze, cupping my jaw, brushing his thumb lovingly along my cheek. “The mistakes we’ve made, the wrong choices, both of us wanting to protect the other, while at the same time avoiding our own fears. The guilt can be equally distributed. I’m not pretending that none of it happened, baby. I’m fighting for the reality that despite all of it, I simply can’t live without you.”

A single tear slips down my cheek, wiped away with the pad of his thumb before he leans in to brush his lips against mine. “I love you, Aby. That’s why I’m here,” he kisses me again. “That’s all that will ever matter to me.” And yet another kiss. “And that’s why I will
never
give up on us.” His final kiss tears through me, shattering every regret, every fear, and every doubt. It’s almost painful in it’s cleansing. A beautiful beginning from a painful ending.

“I love you, too,” I gasp against his perfect mouth.

“I love you more.” I feel his smirk at my lips, and I can’t help but smile in return.

His playful love feels delicious, and hits me down to my core. His words, his touch, everything about him ignites me. Owns me. And above all else, drives me wild with want. A desire for him, and only him.
It will always be him
.

Grabbing his curls, I pull him to reignite our kiss, deepening it with my forceful hold of his nape, his hands dropping to fold me in his arms.

He wrenches me tight against his perfect, sculpted form, and it takes everything in me to hold back a desperate moan. It feels like a lifetime ago since we lost ourselves to the passion that consumes us. It’s been much too long since he’s owned me in the way I need him right now.

“Get a room, you two. What have I told you about displays of public affection?” Stacey mutters, dancing beside us with Thomas. “Although I have to say, that
earlier
kiss was pretty stellar, Mr. Tate. Just so you know, you have my approval.”

“I don’t think he asked for it, love,” Thomas teases her.

“Congratulations, Thomas, my friend,” Alex releases me to shake his hand. “Congratulations to you both,” he bends to kiss Stacey’s cheek, before flashing her his perfect smile. I can’t help but light up seeing it. “And, on the contrary, I highly respect the opinion of anyone who loves Aby as much as I do,” he looks back into my eyes, his gaze glistening with his devotion.

“Well, in that case, my opinion is that you two need to get out of here and hit this great place I’ve heard about - it’s called
A Bed Near You
,” she winks. “Unless, of course, you can break away from each other long enough to let me get in some dance grooves with my bestie for a bit first. What do you think, Abs? Is it time to get this party-a-started?” she gives us a little shake preview.

Smiling, I look to Alex, taking in his sweet grin and nod to signal he’s willing to let me go, despite knowing that he really doesn’t want to. “It’s your party, you can shake-it if you want to. And I’m in,” I reply.

“Yes!” Stacey double-fist pumps with a sexy, playful purse of her lips. “See you in a bit, boys. We’re going to have a chat with the DJ,” she adds, wrapping her arm in mine to pull me away.

I can’t help but look back to Alex, biting my lip at the delicious sight of him staring at me with equal love and desire. Though this night is sure to be fun, it’s going to be a tortuously long one, filled with needy glances and the occasional stolen touch.

“So,” Stacey begins the minute we’re out of earshot, “When are you going to tell me about…oh, you know…what the fuck, Aby?” she stops to stare me down for an explanation.

“You mean about the part where I walked in on Helena and
Ben
last night, not Alex?” I bite my lip harder; lust trampled by the herd of elephants that is Stacey’s oncoming lecture. Once again, I don’t think I need it - I seem to do just fine punishing myself for my stupid mistakes - but that won’t stop her, so why bother trying to avoid it.

“Okay,” she nods her head, seemingly walking the thin line of composure mimicked in her pursed lips, continuing on to our destination.

I catch up with a sigh, knowing she’s not done just yet.

“You know how we’re taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all? Well, it’s moments like this, my little twat waffle, that make that a very large pill to swallow. Like enormous,” her hands demonstrate her point with a sweeping outlining of something imaginary, and really big. “H-U-G-E,” she adds as we reach the DJ, now shaking her head. “Seriously, Abs…Ugh.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” I stand firm, my defenses always lurking despite my resistance.

She turns towards me, searching my gaze. “Oh yeah? Cause I’m having a moment of deja poo, myself - an overwhelming feeling that I’ve heard this shit before.” Taking a breath of composure, she continues, “You know what?” I’m not going to say anything more. The torture you put yourself through this past twenty four hours is enough punishment for your gigantic, naïve, stupidity.”

“Nice. I thought you weren’t going to say anything more?” I try not to roll my eyes, but fail. “Alex and I have both made our share of mistakes…”

She jumps in with patronizing shock, “
Noooo
.”