Page 107 of Under Pressure

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Until then, be happy.” He chucked her on the shoulder and winked.

Glancing toward Sean, she smiled. “I will.” Happiness had always been some distant thought that others could achieve. Blue, Blue had just spent the last fourteen years with one hit and miss, in the happiness department, after another. But now, after these last few crazy days, after her almost marriage to a psycho, a hurricane, and after finding Sean again, she knew she’d finally get there.

She lifted her chin. “You too, lil bro. You too. And just so you know, Dad’s in the car.”

Dom shook his head, then pointed behind Blue with his chin. “No, he’s not.”

Blue glanced over her shoulder. Dad stood a good twenty yards back, hands in his suit coat pockets, kicking at the grass with the toe of his Oxford shoe.

“He’s been there for the last ten minutes,” Dom said.

Blue gave Dom’s hand one more squeeze then stepped aside. It was Dad’s turn now. Tonight, the St. James’s were facing their pasts straight on.

“By the way,” Dom said. “Ian says hi.”

Blue smiled. “Ian? How is he?”

Dom grinned. “Good, married with three kids.” He wandered off in Dad’s direction, and Blue made her way to Sean. She stepped between his knees and wrapped her arms around his neck at the same time he wrapped his arms around her middle. The sky was just starting to brighten on the horizon—a new day was here.

“Not as bad as you thought?” She looked over her shoulder and watched her dad and brother. One moment Dad had his hands in his pockets, the next, he was pulling Dom to him in a hug just as fierce as the one she’d given him.

She chuckled. “No, not bad at all.”

Sean stood, took her hand, and led her up the stairs to the Ferris wheel. He lifted her over the chain, then jumped in after her. The carriages all had roofs, but the seats were still soaked. Sean quickly wiped it dry with his shirt sleeve, then took a seat, and opened his arm for her to sit next to him.

She snuggled into his side, shivering in the cold morning air, and together they watched the sun rise over the clearest sky she’d ever seen. Golden fractals split the sky, shining like diamonds over the cove. The sky lit in brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red, brighter and more glorious than the dark looming clouds from the day before. Now more than ever, Blue felt her new beginning was really happening. Right now, in this moment, with Sean’s arms around her and that sky.

“Now what?” she asked.

Sean glanced down at her, the morning rays lighting up his hazel eyes like mini suns. “We can do whatever we want.” He smiled, putting those dimples of his on full display. “As long as we’re together.”

“Always together?” She returned his smile.

He leaned closer, his lips barely brushing over hers, and she almost forgot how to breathe. “Always,” he said, then kissed her. Time ceased to exist in that kiss. The cold, fall morning air vanished as her body became an inferno, as Sean slipped one hand into her hair, and the other around her waist to pull her closer. He pulled her onto his lap and cradled her in his arms as he peppered kisses down her neck.

She never wanted this to end, and suddenly, she realized it never would, and that same sunset exploded in her chest, warm, and brilliant, and a promise of a new day.

He ran his hands up her back, soothing away the last of her doubts and fears, and kissed his way up to her mouth again. And man, oh man, was he a good kisser. All this time, she’d thought she’d aggrandized his kissing ability. She had not.

“You’re really good at this,” she moaned into the morning air as he kissed her under her chin.

He smirked. She could feel it against her skin. “Thank you. So are you.” He made his way up her neck to her ear. “There is one thing I’d like to do.”

“Anything,” she said and meant. She had a feeling that anytime he wanted something, he’d be able to coax it out of her with a few kisses—and the fact of the matter was, she trusted him. Had since they’d first met nearly. He’d always take care of her, protect her. “Name it.”

He chuckled this time, then bit her earlobe. “I’ll tell you my code name if you tell me yours?”

She pulled back and smacked him on the shoulder. “That’s not funny.”

“Isn’t it, Vittoria?” He tickled her side, as she lurched away from him, but he didn’t let her get far and pulled her back into his lap so he could cradle her in his arms.

“Don’t ever call me that,” she said.

“Okay, okay,” he said, with way too much amusement in his voice. “Then what should I call you?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. “Blue. Always Blue.”

---