by Darci Balogh
"Ian, wait!" This time she waved her arms and jumped up and down. Even though the crowd around her was giving her a wide birth, probably concerned she had lost her marbles, she continued shouting and jumping as Ian stepped onto the pod.
Then a miracle. He heard her. Or at least she thought he did. He turned sharply in her direction, a quizzical expression on his face. Sofia's heart leapt in her chest at the sight of his beautiful face.
"Ian! Ian!" She jumped higher and waved harder until the activity caught his attention and they locked eyes. "Wait!" she shouted again.
A moment hung between them. A singular moment in time where absolutely everything else, the people, the street, the giant London Eye, the earth itself, ceased to exist. The confusion on his face fell away and he stared at her like she was a vision, a dream that had come true.
"Ian..." Sofia almost whispered. No longer waving and jumping she stood locked in his gaze, waiting for him to react. Then, it happened. His face broke into the widest smile she'd ever seen him smile. A brilliant beaming welcoming smile that was immediately covered by the closing of the pod doors.
Realizing what was happening, Ian lunged forward, but not soon enough. The glass doors were firmly shut and the pod gently lifted him away from her into the air. He hit the glass with his palm and she could see his mouth forming her name, "Sofia!"
As she watched him look around in vain for some way to stop the pod she felt a surge of love so strong that tears started streaming down her face even as she laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all. She covered her mouth with her hand as he moved higher and higher until she couldn't see into his pod any longer.
Struck with a new idea, she reached into her purse and grabbed her phone. Her fingers were trembling so hard and her vision was so blurred with joyful tears, it took a few moments before she found his number and punched the button. Before it even rang once he answered.
"Sofia," he said. Hearing his voice say her name brought a new flow of tears.
"Ian..."
"What's wrong? Are you all right?" He could hear her crying.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she got herself under control.
"Thank God," he muttered.
"I came to find you."
"You did?"
Her heart was racing and her hands had turned to ice, but she had to tell him, she had to say the words. "I need to tell you something."
He paused. "Okay."
"I was wrong, Ian. I don't want us to just be friends."
He paused again, letting her words sink in. "You don't?"
She shook her head as if he could see her. Then she took a shuddering breath and said, "No, I don't–because–because–I'm in love with you."
Another pause, and for a split second Sofia was more terrified than she'd ever been, wondering what he was going to say. When he spoke, his voice was low and full of disbelief. "You're in love with me?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, waited, then again to be sure he understood, "I'm in love with you, Ian." She looked up at the pods, wishing she could see his face.
He made a sound that was a mixture of a laugh and a cough. After a few beats he continued, louder than before and clear as a bell, maybe to make sure she understood as well, "I'm in love with you, too, Sofia." The words rushed around her like a warm wind and she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms.
Voices rose on the other end of the call, apparently talking to Ian. He spoke a muffled, "She loves me." Shouts of happy encouragement rose up around him and Sofia realized he'd told the entire pod of people. She laughed out loud.
"Where are you, Luv?" he said into the phone. She waved upwards so he could see her better even though she didn't know where he was. "Oh, there you are, I can see you," he said. "God, you're beautiful."
She was laughing and crying and generally making a scene on the ground. "I'm sorry I've been so confused. I didn't know what to do. I still don't know how everything is going to work."
"It's going to be brilliant. We're going to be brilliant. Don't you worry about it," he said. There was another pause and he said, "I do know one thing for absolute certain."
"What's that?"
"This is going to be the longest 30 minutes of my bloody life."
When he finally stepped off the slow moving pod he was followed by a group of tourists who were slapping his back and offering heartfelt encouragement, but Ian only had eyes for her. Instead of following the exit ramp, he hopped over the iron bars so he could get to her faster. They rushed into each other's arms and he lifted her up off the ground in a bear hug so tight she could hardly breathe. Sofia didn't care. She was safe in his arms and she would never push him away again.
"I love you," he said into her neck as he held her close.
Sofia wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, wanting him to hold her like this forever. "I love you, too," she whispered.
He put her down gently on the ground and lifted one hand to cup her chin, which she tilted up toward him.
The scent of his cologne mixed with the smell of leather from his coat and drove her crazy with desire. As he searched her face, taking in every bit of her and loving all of it, she placed her palm on his cheek, letting her fingers trace down his beard and along the tattoo on his neck.
They gazed at each other, anticipating this kiss with their whole hearts. And when their lips finally touched something fused inside of both of them, like stars melting together, making their souls one.
Nothing else after that moment could ever make her think he wasn't the perfect man for her. Sofia knew without a doubt there was nobody else in the world who could ever hold a candle to her Ian.
Epilogue
A whirlwind enveloped Sofia and Ian as soon as they became a couple.
Ian and the band released a new CD, which promptly shot to the top of the charts, first in the UK, then in the US. The Robot Tellers changed their name to The Tellers, as Ian explained, “…everybody calls us The Tellers anyway. Why fight it?“ And the years and years of work he had put into being a performer finally paid off.
Not only that, but shortly after her first Christmas in London, their first together, Sofia was offered an assistant professorship at King's College, which meant more work, but also more prestige and more money.
Still, throughout it all, their relationship only grew stronger. Sofia was continually reminded how correct Professor Shipley had been when he said that math and music complemented each other. Whenever the travel and performing and general chaos of the life of a rock star got to be too much for Ian, he could sink into the relative calm and predictable life Sofia led with her students and classes at the University. He would often bring dinner by her office when she was working late or come to her flat so they could relax, stay in and watch a movie together.
As far as Sofia went, whenever the steady and reliable life she had built in London became a little boring, she had Ian to turn to, and his wild and exciting rock and roll lifestyle never failed to provide an adequate distraction. Either she would join him and the band at rehearsals or go out on the town after a concert, or she would travel with him over the weekend to Berlin or Prague or other exciting European cities she had never seen. There he would perform, which was always a treat, and they would explore the city together the next day. Their life as boyfriend and girlfriend was like one long dream date that neither of them wanted to end.
"I have a question," Sofia said. They were curled up on her couch together, their hands entwined. Instead of watching the movie they had selected for the night, Sofia was tracing his Let it Be tattoo with the tip of her finger.
"What is it, Luv?" He kissed her temple after he said it, a habit Sofia adored.
"Are you ever going to get a tattoo for me?" She turned in his arms to look at him with a coy smile.
"Oh, ho ho," he chuckled. He gave her his best flirtatious look, which turned her heart into goo every single time. He tapped his finger over his heart, saying with a wink, "Right here. I'm saving a space for you."
It wasn't long after that conversation that Ian appeared at her office in the middle of the day, something he rarely did without calling or texting first. He was anxious, agitated, and Sofia had a momentary concern that something terrible was wrong. It turned out to be the complete opposite.
"They want me in Los Angeles by May 15th," he explained. He had just finished telling her about not one, but two new developments. First, he had been asked to write music for a film being made in California. It was supposedly a Pirates of the Caribbean meets Rocky Horror Picture Show and Ian would be the composer. They wanted him to start writing the music right away and be on set over the summer. The second thing was even bigger. The Tellers had been offered a deal with a major record label that wanted to release their CD's and send them on a world tour.
"That's fantastic!" Sofia told him.
"It is, isn't it?" He was excited, she could see that much. But something else was agitating him.
"What's the matter?"
He looked at her, deep concern in his beautiful golden eyes. "I don't want all of this to mess us up," he confessed. "I know how you need to plan and be stable, and I'm not sure how all of this will work out."
That's where she stopped him. "Ian Law," she said in her most scolding tone. "If you've taught me anything, you've taught me that I can do with a little adventure in my life." His face started to relax and the happiness she saw in his eyes made her want to encourage him more. "This is your dream! My God, this is amazing!"
"So you're okay with this? Big changes are ahead," he said.
Sofia put her palm on his cheek, smiling up at him, so certain of their love that no life adventure would ever frighten her again. "No matter what, we will be brilliant," she said.
He smiled his shining smile and answered, "Yes, we will be brilliant."
And they were.
Who’s up next in the Dream Come True Series?
Find out in Her Sheltered Cove - releasing soon!
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About the Author
Darci Balogh is a writer and indie filmmaker from Denver. She grew up in the beautiful mountains of Colorado and has lived in several areas of the state over her lifetime. She currently resides in Denver where she raised her two glorious, intelligent daughters to functioning adulthood. This is, by far, one of her highest achievements.
Darci has a love-hate relationship with gardening, probably should dust more, adores dogs and is allergic to cats. She has been a writer since she was a child and enjoys crafting stories into novels and screenplays. Big surprise, some of her favorite pastimes are reading and watching movies. Classic British TV is high on her ‘Like’ list, along with quietly depressing detective series and coffee with heavy cream.
For more romance books by Darci Balogh, click through to the Also by page or visit www.knowheremedia.com/books
Also by Darci Balogh
Sweet Holiday Romance Series
1. Enchanting Eve
2. Love is at the Table
3. Mistletoe Madness
4. New Year in Paradise
Sugar Plum Romance Series
1. Charlotte’s Christmas Charade
Cougar Romance Series
1. The Quiet of Spring
2. For Love & For Money
3. Stars in the Sand
More Dream Come True Sweet Romance…
Her Scottish Keep Available Now
Her Sheltered Cove
Her Secret Heart
Her One and Only
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