Page 59 of Lost Lyrics

The group shuffled around and formed a wide circle in front of me.

“Maddy?” Lotti, one of the other girls from the show, stepped forward and held up a Cartier gift bag. “We all chipped in andgot you a little something to remember us by.” She handed me the bag. I pulled out the red leather box and opened it, revealing a gold watch encrusted with diamonds.

“Wow! This is way more than I’d expected. Thank you. It’s beautiful.” So much better than the pen Kwan had gotten when he’d left.Yay!

“Now.” Lotti clutched my hand and swayed my arm gently from side to side. Her big, beautiful Julia Roberts-smile took over her face. “Go take on LA. We’ll no doubt see you at events.” Then she pouted and waggled her finger toward my face. “But don’t go stealing any awards from us.”

Giggling, I shook my head. “Sorry, babe. I can’t make that promise.” That was true. I had no idea where or what show or movie I’d work on next. That was scary and daunting but exhilarating.

After more speeches and stories from the cast and crew about my time on the show, everyone headed out to dinner. We laughed over good wine and great food. It was a fun yet emotional night. I wasn’t just saying goodbye to everyone I’d worked with; it was farewell to Vancouver too. This place had been my home-away-from-home for more than five years. I loved this city so much. But we’d be back. Slip and I would stow away to Bowen Island on a regular basis. That was our place to escape.

After way too much champagne and wine, we headed home just after midnight to my condo that overlooked the harbor.

I woke, naked, wrapped in Slip’s arms, and to the view of the gorgeous glistening expanse of water and rare sun-filled skies outside my window. Vancouver had turned on the perfect send-off. But I wouldn’t be fooled. It’d be freezing outside. December always was.

I rolled out of bed, showered, and dressed in comfy leggings and a sweatshirt. Sitting on the floor in my room, I packed thelast few items into my suitcase. Shoes. The clothes I’d worn last night. A couple of books.Done. As I unplugged my alarm clock, wound the cord around it, and stuffed it in between some clothes, a mix of sadness and excitement pummeled my chest. The door to my life here was closing, but a fresh one awaited me in LA.

I was ready for the change.

I closed and zipped up my bag. As I rolled my suitcase toward the door, Slip came out of the bathroom to help me with my luggage, freshly showered and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

“Is that everything?” He put the case next to the rest of our belongings lined up for the movers. The small travel bags for our four-day road trip to drive our McLaren Spider home sat separately by the dining table.

I drew in a long, deep breath. Calmness washed over me. “Yes.” I snaked my hands around his waist and stuffed them into his back pockets. As I rested my cheek against his shoulder, I looked around my bare apartment. No pictures. No trinkets. No traces of us. Just the basic furniture remained, ready so we could rent the place out.

I wasn’t sad about leaving.

My heart had left this place the moment I’d quit my show. Now, I just wanted to get to LA and live life with Slip.

“You okay?” He kissed my head and circled his hands over my back.

“Yes.” I swiveled my head and kissed the small of his neck, then brushed my nose toward his ear. He smelled delicious, all citrusy after his shower. “I’m excited to be going home.”

“Me too.” He rested his head against mine. “Time I got my ass back to work.”

“I do like your ass.” I gave his butt cheeks a firm squeeze, then slipped my hands out of his pockets, up underneath hisT-shirt, and across his lower back. His skin was cool against my touch. I dipped my fingers into the waistband of his jeans and ran them around to the front, tickling his flesh in their wake. I popped open the button of his fly. “I like what’s down here, too.”

Slip caught my hand and held it against his stomach. Heat simmered low in his eyes. “Mads, the movers will be here in ten minutes.”

“So?” I arched an eyebrow. Mischief coiled through my veins.

“Maddy?” Slip grinned. His voice and smile betrayed his attempt to be serious.

“Slip?” I caught the bottom of his T-shirt and lifted it a couple of inches. Lowering my head, I kissed the bottom of his stomach. I licked along the line of his happy trail, dipped my tongue into his belly button, then headed higher toward one nipple. Glancing up at him, I threw him a saucy smile. “We need to say goodbye to my condo. One last time.”

He laughed; his belly quaked beneath my touch. “Didn’t we do that last night when we got home?”

“Yeah, we did.” I bit my lip and scrunched my nose. Sex on the table had been hot. “But I was tipsy. Now, I’m not.” I yanked his T-shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. He didn’t put up a fight.

Fire simmered in his eyes as he glided his warm hands over my arms and shoulders. “You, my beautiful wife, are trouble.”

“No, I’m just happy.” I reached for the button on his jeans again. I lowered his zipper and slid my hand over his hot, bulging erection. “And...I love you.”

“Hmmm.” Smiling, he cupped the side of my neck and brushed his lips against mine. “Ti amo.Mio bel girasole.” He skimmed his thumb along the line of my jaw and teased it down my throat. “And I love this bit.” He shifted his head to one side and kissed the soft skin beneath my ear. His wandering handsskimmed over my sweatshirt and cupped my boobs, tweaked my nipples. “And these.”

“I love all of you.” I dipped my hands into his boxer briefs and took hold of him. After circling my thumb over his hot head, I smeared his pre-cum up and down his groove. “But right now, I want this bit inside me.”

A soft moan rolled through his throat. He caught my hands, withdrew the one from inside his pants, and wound my arms around his neck. He took hold of my waist and guided me backward until my butt connected with the wall by the fireplace. His lips touched mine, soft yet needy. “Stay.”

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