Love Found Me (A City Love Novel, Book 1)

by Amari, Nina

  Danielle pressed up on her peep toe sling backs, shifting slightly in his arms, "I love it. I absolutely love everything and I love you," she said softly.

  "So tell me more about Jules and Jules. What'd you have in mind?" she asked.

  "What I have in mind is... Us. Together. Forever. I don't ever want to spend another day without you my love." Every word he mouthed sounded like a sensual groan of power. Her eyes widened as he took her hand in his and kissed it once before he'd rubbed his thumb sensuously into her palm. And then he kissed into her hand again that had by now formed a layer of spiced clove.

  As his taste pressed into her lips the same spicy clove, her soul ascended another height of intense awakening.

  Roman gestured her to sit on the cushioned wrought iron lounge. Smoothing the skirt of her silken dress, she sat down. And then he sat beside her as they both relaxed on the soft textured cushion.

  Danielle wasn't even close to realizing he'd shielded his love for her-- for far more than a commitment to covert missions. He never wore his heart on his sleeve within reason.

  His head was bowed toward his lap for a quick second before he'd turned his gaze to the sunset fading across the skies. But just then, the sudden horn blaring fueled his words that instant. He could feel himself spinning off in another direction. "Danielle, I have to speak from my heart. Honey, just bare with me."

  Roman took a deep breath as he'd turned to face her and said, "All these years, I'd been running away from love, worried about what I'd find. I kept trying to tell myself that I didn't need anyone... that it was best to avoid-- what I thought was agony-- at all costs.“

  “I kept my heart from loving. I kept my heart from getting close to any woman. That's really the reason I kept pulling back. My heart knew what was happening. But, I just-- I was still in shock, about my parents. After what happened with my dad, that whole thing about him getting screwed over financially caused he and my mom to split after forty years."

  "They both just couldn't survive the ordeal. It was just chaos nonstop to the point where their marriage just fell apart," Roman said. Danielle grabbed his hand after she'd threaded her fingers through his hair in a tender caress. "You know, it's tough to see the people you love go through that kind of hurt and pain."

  And then after a short pause, her hand tightened to his just before he'd continued, "I never could have imagined them separated. Especially after all those years. You know, it still seems unreal. I've lost enough sleep over it." He swallowed slowly as he glanced down at her hand tightened to his.

  "Sometimes, I still just can't believe it," he added.

  She threaded her fingers through his soft, dark hair for several intense moments.

  Oh my god, she murmured. The photograph. Her whispered words reminded her of the unforgettable image that adorned her guestroom.

  "The young man and woman in the photograph--from the desk in the guestroom--they're your parents," Danielle said. Roman simply nodded as Danielle extended her hand, enfolding her warmth over his again. "God, I should've known that all this time you were just... I mean... I'd been so wrapped up in everything..."

  She swallowed, staring down at a coiled vine bouncing against the lip of a potted container. Her focus drifted up while she said, "I hadn't once thought about much of anything but my own feelings. I assumed too many things that led to a whole bunch of misunderstandings."

  "But that's all over and done now," she added.

  The innocence of her words radiated the light of her guileless eyes, as he'd shifted a glance to the coral sky streaming a different scene by the second.

  "That was all I'd ever known--my parents happy--and together." He'd paused, realizing he'd bottled his emotions far too long. "That photograph's one of the last memories of that kind of happiness."

  "I guess, my heart could get past it," he swallowed before he said, "All that time, I was worried about making the same mistakes they did. I want to get it right the first time."

  Her hand roved down the nape of his neck to his shoulders, as he continued, "I used to shun the idea of having any serious relationship. I only wanted what I could easily walk away from-- no strings attached. I never wanted to get too deep, knowing my heart wasn't there... I mean, for the right woman."

  Roman swept her hand to his lips and kissed it before saying, "But this time, I've found the right woman who's made me a much better man."

  Roman couldn't get over the beauty that enfolded Danielle inside and out. Unlike many of the woman he'd dated. Commitment played opposite having a good time, and she could've guess which side was winning. That was until later, the side that played for keeps touched his heart to want forever from now on.

  But that's all it was. Just a lonely, lonely life of being afraid to love-- being afraid to take a chance-- Searching and continuing to come up with nothing-- and with no real love worth having.

  As Roman held her hand to his chest, his gentleness didn't preclude his emotions. He was honest, despite the fact that he knew what she had to be thinking. Sunset was already on the cusp of another hour and there was still a matter of importance he had yet to get to.

  "Ever since I saw you. Ever since that day in the garage I couldn't get you off my mind. I didn't know what I wanted then. But I know now. I want you. No one. Nothing else. But you, Danielle Prentiss." His vow welled a tear to her eyes.

  They threaded their fingers into each other's, "Roman, we were just two lonely people that didn't know where or how to find that special someone. Heck, we didn't even know if love was really out there. But, I have to say, in my heart of hearts, I'd believe love would finally find me someday."

  He paused to kiss her hand again, echoing her sentiment, as a smile of pure passion swathed his expression.

  And then her eyes locked onto his the exact moment that his fingers slid into hers tighter. "Danielle, all I'm capable of is loving you with my whole heart and nothing less. I can give you the world. I can give you all the love that my heart can hold if you will be willing to accept it."

  Danielle was struck, not for the first time, by how much he truly loved her. She'd never known a man could be so full of affection.

  She blushed, her gaze roving the floral infusion of her senses down to his fingertips weaving hers. She lifted her face to his gorgeous eyes, as her voice raised an octave, "You're asking what I think you're asking?" Her words stopped short, when she'd suddenly pursed her lips shut.

  The anticipation of what he was going to say had her trembling before she'd realized what he was doing. He knelt to the side of the lounge on one knee and reached into his inner lapel pocket pulling out a small velvet box.

  A tear streamed down her cheek when he popped open the velvet box and said, "Danielle Prentiss will you marry me?" His hand extended a jaw-dropping diamond, sparkling an intensity beyond stunning-- the clarity twinkling her eyes.

  She'd thought about this moment a hundred times, ever since their rendezvous at the garden, but she had in no way envisioned anything like this. Her fantasies never came anywhere close to the reality of her prince charming.

  "You don't have to say another word," she said, his sensual pulse was taking her breath away all over again. Her words rang out in a vow, "Yes! ... The answer's yes!" She was nearly trembling, her nerves piqued in excitement, as she stared at that huge diamond aimed straight for her. He'd slid the ring to her finger just before she flung toward him. And then they folded their warmth in each other's arms.

  Roman hadn't stopped doting his affections even after their long caress, as he pricked a heady peony flower from its stem, ruffling the pink petals between his fingers.

  Her eyes were steady on his hand feathering the petals against her cheek, stilling the moment to memory. And then he smoothed her hair back as he stemmed a pink peony from his fingertip and tucked it behind her ear. "Here's to my beautifully vivacious and sexy soon-to-be wife," he said softly, as the blossom radiated her luscious chestnut.

  Wiping her cheek clear of a tear fading
its trail, Roman then held out his hand as she rose from the cushion and they stood together, the next second, he whispered, "I love you."

  Looking straight into her eyes, he swept his hands to her waist before saying, "Danielle, I'll never stop loving you. I'll never stop wanting to taste you every day of my life." And then he brought her hands to his lips and pressed a slow kiss before he kissed a sensuous trail up her arm.

  Her eyes were beguiling, as his mouth ascended on hers. "Roman, your kisses taste like paradise."

  Coming up for a breath he said, "Well, I guess that's just something you'll learn to get used to." His dimples perked a slight chill up her arms that had her body inching a continuation from where they'd left off.

  Pulling away from her lips for a moment, Roman bowed toward the table and grabbed the champagne still chilled to the touch. "What is a celebration without--" And then he'd popped the cork, bursting into his words. Crystal flutes cascaded waterfalls of fizzy foam, percolating bubbly streams by the millisecond.

  Roman turned toward Danielle and handed her a glass spewing an ebbing flow of foam, as he laid the bottle back into the bucket.

  "The bubbles tickle my nose," she said.

  "Lucky bubbles," he countered.

  She could already tell from his last remark, that his sexy suave was just the beginning of the warmth they both had in store for a lifetime and a lovingly happy relationship.

  "Let's toast," he said. They each donned their glasses toward the other as he started,

  "In a lifetime, we are both truly fortunate to have found each other. I didn't always believe there was a woman just right for me. But ever since I laid eyes on you Danielle, I just knew you were The One.”

  “This has been quite a journey in just a matter of days, but--" he hesitated, "If it weren't for all of this I might never have met you. Danielle, you've made me the happiest man in the world."

  He clanged his flute against hers, "To love."

  "To love," she said.

  Clang. They both took a sip of the champagne and then Roman said, "To love finding us... and happiness." They'd clanged their glasses a third time just before they settled in on one last toast, "To our love forever," just before they had another sip.

  Roman gestured for her flute before he'd sat both of their glasses back on the table. The instant he'd turned around, he swept her up into his arms and spun her around. She was shrieking laughter for a few quick seconds. And then they'd stilled over the terrace, every blossom and vine wafted the breeze, as he held her to his chest.

  Danielle looked to the skies blanketing her eyes over his shoulder, haloing a deep patch of rose streamed in deep coral, her smile beaming her glow even more radiant. She felt his smile against her ear the moment she whispered, "Love Found Me."

  And once her gaze met his again, she tightened to his warmth. Their two hearts were pulsing for each other as he looked into her eyes and she looked into his-- dark with desire. His mouth was slowly inching its way to hers, while the entire terrace mirrored a peaceful garden, he said, "I found my city love."

  And then, he came at her with one of those mind-blowing kisses, aimed straight for her heart. He couldn't hold back desire any longer. Once dusk settled over the city, Danielle and Roman, were in a world all their own. As the big apple lit its silhouetted candlelight enfolding their love.

  Romance found itself. In the thick of it all, love proved to be the ultimate pinnacle. Love proved to be what mattered most. Suddenly, there was reason to flamingo her heel in bliss, the moment his lips held no mercy.

  ~ THE END ~

  Buy Love Found Me

  In Paperback