Page 127 of Succeeding Love

Vin laughed softly. “He seemed happy enough to be there.”

I never thought Miss Velma would be the type to like dogs. She never seemed to when I would see her outside while taking Kevin for his walks. I guess things have changed. I know they have for me. She’s no longer the forgetful elderly woman living across the street who we occasionally helped. She was the mother of my action hero. My villainous action hero who steals puppies and holds them for ransom.

I rolled over, snuggling against Vin’s chest. “I don’t think I paid enough ransom yet.”

“No?” he snickered, placing his fingers under my chin to pull my gaze to him. “Do you have more to give?”

I giggled, pressing and moving my body against his in all the fun places. “Villains take. I’m not giving you anything that isn’t already yours.”

He sighed, resting his forehead on mine. “God, I love you.”

I stopped squirming against him as those words sank in. It was the first time he had said it, and I think he realized it at the same time that I did.

Vin lifted himself on his elbows, gazing down at me with so much intensity and sincerity. “I love you, Lynn,” he said again. “I love you completely.”

I bit my lips as tears burned behind my eyes. “I love you too.” Reaching up, I rested my hand against his handsome face. “I love you completely, too.”

I did. I loved this man completely. Hero or villain, it didn’t matter. For the first time in my life, I was deeply and madly in love.

Surprise

Vin

Eight months later….

“She’s coming!” Jessie giggled, hiding with Kate and her family inside the shop on Main Street.

“Go,” Preston pushed me out the door. “She’s going to get lost looking for us if you don’t hurry.”

“You got this, Mr. Anaconda!” Kate whispered loudly.

“Quit calling him that!” Wes groaned at his wife.

Kate’s been calling me Mr. Anaconda this entire family Christmas trip to Disney World. She called Lynn Miss Mole Rat, which I found hysterical after Lynn shamelessly explained it to me.

After the Disney trip last summer for Jessie’s dance competition, we planned another when Kate’s kids heard about how much fun we had. Having Kate here was also perfect, because she was the one that helped me organize this whole thing.

I nervously patted my pocket, feeling for the box I had stashed away for this very moment. Emma and Kate helped me pick it out, but I was still worried the one it was for wouldn’t like it.

Lynn was walking through the crowded street, approaching the Walt and Mickey statue, where a cast member was smiling and waiting to record the entire thing. She had two cups filled with Dole Whip, one already with a bunch of tiny bite marks taken from the top. Her personalized Minnie ears were slightly askew, and she was wearing her new Disney shirt after spilling ketchup on the one she wore into the park.

So fucking adorable.

“Where are they?” I heard her mumble, spinning around while taking another nibble of the treat.

“Lynn!” I waved my hands, trying not to laugh when she came to an abrupt stop as she saw me. She almost fell, but caught herself at the last moment, her full hands lifted in the air like she was more scared of losing her snack than falling on her cute little ass.

“There you are!” she said with a mouth full of yellow sugar. “Where are the others?”

I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. “I hid them.”

“You hid them?” She gave me one of those looks where her nose wrinkled, and her eyes lit up with amusement. “Hid them where? Where’s Kate? I got her stinking Dole Whip. It’s going to melt.”

Placing my hands gently on her waist, I took a breath to steady my nerves, then said, “I kidnapped them.”

“Kidnapped them?” She raised an eyebrow at me. “At Magic Kingdom? This is the happiest place on earth!”

“Hmm,” I squeezed her hips briefly as I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I still kidnapped them, so what are yougoing to do, Lynn? What are you willing to give me to get them back?”

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