Page 18 of Days Of Valentino

“I think I’d like you to keep me forever.” Josie smiles at me.

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s aone day it’ll be a yes, but not when we’re still teenagers.” She laughs.

I’ve been trying to get Josie to marry me since I met her. I don’t care that we’re still in high school,orthat we’re teenagers. I know I want to be with her forever. And I will be. I’ll never let anything come between us.

Pulling into the valet lane at The Plaza Hotel, I jump out and hand the keys to the guy who’s already opening Josie’s door. Her eyes widen when she sees where we are. “Dante, you could have told me we were coming somewhere fancy. I would have dressed nicer,” she says.

I take my time letting my eyes roam over her body. She’s wearing a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a band tee. “You look hot as fuck, babe. Come on.” Taking her hand in mine, I tug her through the front doors and over to the bank of elevators.

Josie is silent. I can almost hear the questions rolling around in her head. When the elevator lands on our floor, I walk out and find the door to our new apartment. Holding it open, I let Josie walk past me into the one-bedroom layout that overlooks Central Park.

“Ah, Dante…why are we here?” Josie spins around, taking everything in.

“This is the surprise, Josie. This is ours,” I tell her while closing the door behind me.

“What do you meanours?”

“I bought it. For us.”

Josie’s mouth drops open. “You bought it? You bought an apartment? This place must cost a fortune, Dante. How? Why? I mean… how?” She shakes her head.

“I wanted us to have a place. One day thatnoof yours will be ayes. And I want you to know that I can and will take care of you, Josie. Always. It doesn’t matter how old we are. It doesn’t matter how long you want to wait, because I’ll wait a thousand lifetimes for you. I will always love you, Josie Anderson. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

“I love you, Dante. I do. I love you more than anything.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “I don’t need you to look after me. I don’t want to be a burden. I want to be your equal.”

“You are not a burden. And you’re more than my equal, Josie. You’re my everything.” My lips press against hers, my tongue pushing into her mouth.

Josie jumps up and wraps her legs around my waist. I walk us through the small living room and into the bedroom. Laying her on the bed before I fall down next to her.

“How exactly did you buy this place, Dante? Like, are you going to get in trouble?”

“I made some money in the stock market. It’s all legit. Promise,” I tell her.

“You just made some money in the stock market.” She laughs. “Does anyone know you have this place?”

“Just you,” I tell her. “And it’swe. We have this place. I bought it in both of our names.”

“How?” Her brows furrow.

“Well, that part wasn’t entirely legit. I may have forged your signature on the paperwork.” I shrug.

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“Dante?”

“Yeah?”

“Make love to me.”

I still. Josie and I have done a lot of things together, but I haven’t taken it all the way. And I don’t want her to think that’s what this was all about. “We don’t have to, babe…”

“I want to. Do you not want to?”

“Are you crazy? Of course, I fucking want to. I just… You know that I love you regardless of what we do and when.”

---