Saint Nicholas (22 page)

“So good,” I panted.

She got up off my lap and turned to lay next to me against the wall, resting her head on my shoulder and tracing her fingernails up and down my chest.

“That was the perfect way to ring in the new store,” Sarah giggled.

“You’re telling me,” I kissed the top of her head.

“You know, when we open you’re gonna have to make yourself scarce or else I’m never going to be able to get any work done.”

“No promises,” I smiled.

We lay in comfortable silence for a while, breathing the same air, and I thought briefly how far we’d come since being kids. Now she was wearing my engagement ring and we’d just had sex in a place she’d dreamed about owning since we were teenagers. It was incredible how life led us back to one another after all those years apart, and though we each had to go through our own stuff, I was glad the worst of it was over and we were able to move forward now—together.

After getting dressed, we stood side by side, our elbows resting against the railing. Overlooking the store space below, we talked for a little while longer about how the interior of Novel Idea would look once it was finished, with Sarah animatedly explaining everything she wanted it to be. It was awesome to see her like that, so enthused and excited after everything that had happened. It had only been a little over a year since her father passed, and though he was gone, sometimes she would still wake in the middle of the night because of a nightmare she’d had.

Catching me smiling at her, she paused and cocked her head to the side. “What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I beamed. “I just love you.”

She pulled me into her arms and held me close, resting her head on my chest. “I love you too, baby. I just want everything to go well, you know?”

“I do,” I nodded. “And it will. We’ll make sure of it.”

Sarah looked up at me and I stared into her eyes, brushing a stray strand of her beautiful hair out of her forehead. All of my life there was only one thing I ever wanted, and now that she was in my arms I didn’t want to ever be without her again. We’d gone through hell and back to find each other again, and came out on the other side of it as two halves of the same whole, and soon enough we’d be joined as one to make the circle complete.

“Come on,” I said, taking her by the hand and leading her down the stairs.

“I guess we should get going. Everyone’s probably waiting for us at the restaurant.”

I wrapped my arm around her and we stepped through the front doors, ready to start our new life together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamie Deschain lives in Pennsylvania. When she’s not writing, Jamie spends her free time reading, shopping, and playing Magic: The Gathering.

Follow her online

www.jamiedeschain.com