I watched him grow more tense as we approached a set of double doors. With one last, furtive look at me, he threw them open.
Every surface, from floor to ceiling, was covered with images of me. All taken on the night of the borealis. There were easily over two hundred, but I could swear each frame had captured a different expression.
I turned to him, my heart in my throat as I stared at him, my soul bursting with feeling I couldn’t quite describe but wanted to embrace.
‘This, min elskerinde, this is how I see you. This is how you should look every day for the rest of your life,’ he said, his voice thick with emotion.
‘Thunderstruck?’ I croaked.
He smiled. ‘Starstruck. Awestruck. Filled with wonder and joy. Beautiful. Hopeful. Breathtaking. Fulfilled. Beautiful.’
‘Your already said beautiful.’
‘I know. It deserves repeating.’
His fingers interlocked with mine, I slowly spun around, my gaze lighting on each picture, tears brimming in my eyes as his words nurtured my soul, watered it and helped it sprout wings of belief. And as I came full circle, he was waiting, arms wide open.
I flew into them, my heart full. ‘I love you,’ I confessed, the words a vow I knew I’d never doubt or break.
His body shook, his breath expelling long and deep as he held me tight. ‘I know, my darling. I got there a little faster than you, but I knew you’d catch up.’
I laughed. I cried, uncaring that I was becoming emotionally wrecked again as I basked in his love.
‘We can enjoy this just between us, or you can show it to the world. You direct the narrative of your life from now on. I’ll merely provide the support. But I’d like the world to see the real Graciela Mortimer.’
Eventually, I dragged my head from his chest and looked up into his eyes. Watched him slowly sink down, uncaring who saw him on his knees in front of me, waiting patiently for my reply.
‘I want what you want, Jensen. Today, tomorrow, for always. If you see me like this, then I would be proud to show myself like this to the world.’
I leaned down and kissed him, my fingers gliding through his hair, catching the knot at the back of it and gripping it tight. He groaned into my mouth, then drew back for a spell. ‘I love you.’
‘Jeg elsker også dig,’ I repeated back to him, watched his eyes light up and knew that within that light my soul had been reborn.
EPILOGUE
‘TELL ME ABOUT the whales, Jensen.’
He gave a thick groan and I hid a smile. ‘You want me to tell that story right now?’ he asked, his voice strained.
It might have had something to do with the fact that I was completely naked and astride him, and he was deep inside me, doing everything in his power to hold absolutely still at my command. Or perhaps it was the old-fashioned folding razor I was using to shave off his stubble that made him a little nervous. I had a feeling it was the combination of edgy danger and surrendering himself to me that gave us both the ultimate thrill.
I carefully scraped the sharp edge beneath his firm jaw, the sandpapery rasp curiously making me wetter. ‘It’s been a crazy couple of months. But I think we have a little time now?’
He snorted. ‘By a little time, you mean you plan on being fashionably late to your launch party?’
I couldn’t hold back my grin. Hell, I’d been smiling so much lately, I was surprised my face hadn’t fallen off from the well of happiness growing inside me.
My life had changed in the space of a few weeks.
First, Jensen and I accepted Gideon’s invitation and joined him and Leonie on the family yacht in the south of France a few days into the new year. My apprehension melted away within minutes when my hitherto fearsome and formidable brother greeted me with a wide smile and swept me off my feet into a bear hug. The second surprise, in the form of Bryce and Savvie stepping onto the deck, was equally heart-warming, starting what had become the best family time I could remember. That they were coming to the party tonight filled me with warmth I wouldn’t have believed possible a short time ago. My heart swelled as I acknowledged that it all had to do with the man beneath me.
‘Don’t change the subject,’ I said, projecting sternness into my voice.
‘I wouldn’t dare. Not when you’ve literally got me by the throat and cock,’ he joked, but he swallowed hard nonetheless, a fine tremor shivering through his body as I slowly rolled my hips. ‘Christ,’ he swore thickly under his breath.
‘The whales, Jensen.’
‘What do you want to know, mit hjerte?’
My heart. I loved the Danish endearments that fell so effortlessly from Jensen’s lips because I knew the wealth of emotion behind them.
‘Everything. Start from the beginning. Did you know they were going to be there?’ I finished with his left side and angled my body to his right.
The movement dragged my inner heat over his length and he gave a deep groan. Then took a shuddering breath. ‘I wasn’t going to shoot any underwater stuff that day. We were in Tonga to film the active volcano. I spotted a couple of whales on my morning swim, grabbed a few of my guys and headed out on the boat for a closer look.’ He stopped. I paused, overawed by the transcendent look on his face. ‘There were dozens of them, just...frolicking. Mothers with newborns. Older ones. I couldn’t get into my scuba gear fast enough.’
I smiled. ‘Tell me about that picture.’ The one that had made him famous. The iconic one everyone raved about when they spoke about
