“Right.” I shoved the stool back and stood. “I guess I go after him.”
“That’d be a good start, but an even better one would involve pants.”
I looked down at myself clad in my robe and pajamas. “Pants and then airport.”
“And maybe brush your hair!” Jayne hollered after me as I bounded up the stairs.
Thirty-Five
Riley
There he was. Back to me, standing in line at security. He was almost through the checkpoint.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“James!” Yes, I shouted through the airport, calling all kinds of attention to myself. Wouldn’t take long for someone to see through the baseball cap and sunglasses.
He turned, eyes passing over people all around until they landed on me, dipping to my white t-shirt and back up to my face.
I bit my lip and waited. I didn’t have to wait long. He shouldered his way back through the line and ducked under the ropes to come to stand right in front of me.
I tugged the hat off and shoved my sunglasses up. “You forgot something.”
A crooked grin tugged up one side of his mouth. “You came to give me my hat?”
I shook my head. “No. I’ve decided I’m keeping the hat, so if you want it, you have to take me.”
His grin twitched as he tried to keep a straight face. “Is that so?”
I nodded. “You see, I’ve also decided I’m keeping you.”
“Yeah?”
“I tried to work out some epic speech in my head on the way over, but basically all I got is that I was being stupid. I know, because my dad actually told me that to my face, and he said a lot of other things I needed to hear and all this stuff about love and—”
His bag hit the ground and his hands captured my face and then his mouth came down hard on mine. My mouth parted in surprise and his tongue slipped in.
I grabbed his shoulders and kissed him back. His arms wound around my back, crushing me to him and I held on tighter.
Cheers erupted around us when he finally broke the kiss. “I don’t need a speech,” he murmured against my lips. “The shirt was enough.”
I grinned and tipped my head back. “You like it?”
“I do.”
On my way out the door, I’d taken a black Sharpie to the front of the shirt. It now read: #TeamJames.
“I think they do too.” I tilted my head toward the crowd of people watching us with cell phones out.
“We better give them what they want.” He smirked and then his lips descended on mine again. His arm banded around my back and he dipped me low as he kissed me hard. More cheers and cat calls resounded. The only thing missing was the sappy, end of movie song, because sometimes it doesn’t end with two people walking off in separate directions at the airport.
Sometimes it ends with two people kissing in front of the security line. At least, if this were a movie that’s where it would end, but it wasn’t a movie, and we were only getting started.
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Acknowledgements
When I set out to write this book, I didn’t expect to fall in love with Riley and James as deeply as I did. I hope you enjoyed their story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. The other characters in this series will always be special to me, but somehow, in the long months it took to finally finish this story, James and Riley have become my favorite couple of the Shades series. I appreciate you all so much for your patience as I worked to get to this story to you. So much love and gratitude to my friends and family who have been constant sources of encouragement and support.
This writing adventure has been such an incredible one, and I thank God for putting this dream in my heart and seeing it fulfilled, and for getting me through even the hardest parts of this journey.
My son, my heart and soul, my baby who is no longer a baby, thank you for putting up with mean, cranky mom as deadlines loomed closer and closer. You’re my reason for everything.
Thank you doesn’t seem adequate in conveying my appreciation and gratitude to every one of you, but I love you all and hope you’ll stick with me for a few more books.
A Taste of Pink (Shades Book 4) Page 32