“I’m not.” I held his gaze, ensuring he was listening. No matter how this day ended, I needed him to know he didn’t scare me. “Even when you were yelling, I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. I understood what was going on. If you’d given me time to think, to talk instead of giving ultimatums, things could have worked out differently.”
His nod was beaten down and sorry. “Right. I’d go back and do a lot differently if I could.”
“Like never marrying me,” I supplied.
He heaved a great breath. “I can’t regret getting to be your husband, Saoirse, but yes. If I could change things, we never would have gotten married.”
Tears sprung to my eyes before I could blink. “So, what do we do now? How do we move forward?”
“I want you to come back to Denver with me.” Luca’s words were shaky and low, like he was struggling to get them out. “On Monday, we can start the divorce process.”
There was no stopping the choking sob that fell from my lips. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I never gave up that apartment, huh?”
“Saoirse. You mistake me.” Luca was on his knees, both hands cupping my face. “You’re not going anywhere. I’m keeping you forever.”
I clutched his wrists but didn’t push him away. The strength to do so had fled long ago. “But you want a divorce.”
His brows furrowed. “You don’t want to be married. I’m giving you what you want, pretty girl, but that doesn’t mean we’re through. You’re always going to be mine.”
“Luca,” I whispered. My tears were flowing freely now and gathering my thoughts was difficult when I felt like I was being jerked left and right.
“After our wedding ceremony, I took my ring off and noticed the inscription. ‘Partners in crime.’” His thumb swiped one tear after another as he looked at me like I was precious. “That’s what we are, Saoirse. We committed a crime and got away with it. I can’t have you going off on your own, living your life without me, when you could tell our secret to anyone you please. No, I’m going to need to be by your side, making sure you keep your pretty little mouth shut. You’re not leaving me.”
I thought I’d been cute getting his ring inscribed that way. But he’d never said a word about it. I’d never known he’d even noticed it. Yet, now he was telling me…
Oh god.
I pushed up to my knees so we were face to face and braced my hands on his chest.
“I don’t believe in marriage as an institution. A contract is only as good as the promises behind it.” My fingers curled, grasping his shirt in my fists. “The thing is, now, I mean the promises I made to you on your balcony. I want to be your partner in this crime until we see our last sunset.”
With a growl, he wrapped my ponytail around his fingers and tipped my face to his. “That sounds like almost long enough.”
I shoved at his chest, but he had a tight hold of me and didn’t go anywhere. Not that I really wanted him to. “If you ever suggest divorce again, I’m not going to be happy. I’m your wife, Luca. I won’t be downgraded.”
His head cocked. “But you don’t want to be married.”
“I didn’t want to be forced into an answer when everything was up in the air. I’ve had days to think about everything now and Elena to explain to me how stupid I was being.”
“Thank god for Elena,” he uttered. I tried to shove him again, but he caught my hand and brought it to his lips. “I love you deeply, Saoirse Rossi. I’ll take you any way I can have you, but I’d really fucking prefer to keep you as my wife forevermore. No time limits. No arrangements. Just you and me, making promises and keeping them. Choosing each other again and again.”
“I love you too, Luca. And I choose you.” I reached up, slid the bow from his hair, and showed it to him.
With a grunt, he snagged it and tossed it behind him, then pulled me flush to his chest. “I can’t believe I just declared my undying love to you with a pink bow in my hair.”
I grinned even as he lowered his mouth to mine. “That made me forgive you before you even said a word.”
“I’ll thank Hannah later.”
I laughed into his kiss, which curled my toes and dried up the last of my tears. He held me gently, kissing me thoroughly, for all the days we’d missed each other. It went on and on while the stream trickled by and my heart beat more surely than it ever had.
Once he’d kissed me breathless, he drew back, his eyes sliding back and forth between mine.
“You haven’t said yes.”
I raised a brow. “What was the question again?”
“To staying married without contracts or end dates. Just you and me, partners in crime and our crazy, wonderful life. What do you think, pretty girl—are you in?”
I bit down on my bottom lip and let my gaze drift over him. There were very few yeses I regretted. I always found something of value in my experiences. But the day I said yes to Luca Rossi for the first time stood apart from all the rest. Over the past few months, I’d gotten more from that yes than any other.
Luca had given me passion. Art. Beauty. Family. Oh, had he given me family. I already knew the Rossis would always be my favorite people.
Through Luca, I’d found stability. Freedom to pursue my passions. Understanding and support when I needed them, and a push when I needed that more.
With Luca’s arms around me and his body aligned with mine, I’d discovered a level of pleasure I’d never known existed.
At Luca’s side, we’d adopted a cat. The cat of my dreams. My Clementine.
In Luca, I’d found a friend unlike any I’d ever had. He made me laugh and think. His adventurous spirit matched my own. His tender heart made him so very easy to love.
The crazy thing was, we were only just beginning. This yes had already given me so much, yet there was so much more to come.
I nodded first, then I said the word. “Yes.”
His eyes flared. “Yes? You’re in?”
I took his face in my hands and rubbed my nose along his. “I’m so very in.”
It was the easiest yes I’d ever said.
Epilogue
Luca
One Year Later
“You’ve made good choices.”
Saoirse stopped midstride, raising a questioning brow. “I like to think so, but I sense you’re commenting on something specific.”
I patted the arm of her desk chair. “I will be replacing my chair with this model as soon as possible.”
She sauntered over to where I sat behind her new desk, putting an extra swing in her hips. “Oh, you like my chair, do you?”
“Mmhmm.” As soon as she was within arm’s reach, I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap. She circled her arms around my neck and crossed one leg over the other. “I like your chair even better now.”
“You know I have a million things to do before everyone arrives.”
I rubbed my palm along her thigh and placed a soft kiss to the curve of her neck. “I’ll let you get back to running around checking on things you’ve already checked a hundred times after you sit with me a minute.”
She relaxed against me, letting out a sigh. “You’re exaggerating.”