Page 34 of Her Surprise Vacation Date

“I know. But it’s still good to be reminded of it.” I rest my cheek against his chest and soak in the comfort he offers. The strength in his arms, the warmth of his embrace, and his steady heartbeat against my ear all remind me that I’m not alone. The Lord has been so gracious to bring Shane back to me at the perfect time in my life—when I’d all but given up hope of finding love. The timing makes it even more special because I know I can’t take any credit for it. If I’d had my way, things would have likely gotten a lot messier and complicated, kind of like my luggage debacle. But God even redeemed that situation for me, too.

“As for us,” Shane goes on to reassure me, “we’re in this together. You don’t need to do anything but to trust. Trust thatGod brought us together and that He’ll guide us through whatever comes our way, and also trust that I’ll always have your back because I will. I’m not just saying that because my sister will disown me if I let you down. I’d rather hurt myself than ever hurt you.”

A lump forms in my throat to hear his voice crack. There’s no doubt in my mind that Shane’s telling the truth. As a kid, he always had a soft spot for animals. He wouldn’t even dare squash a spider. He’s not only a cinnamon roll, he’s the ultimate golden retriever hero—loyal, positive, and kind. What Faith had joked about is true—Shaneislove. He shows me in so many tangible ways—through his words and actions—that I am worthy to be loved.

He even spent a whole afternoon with me today shopping for Amelia’s birthday gift. We went to practically every single store downtown, including the Book Loft, where Shane so patiently waited over an hour for me while I browsed around. With his help, I was able to find eighteen more items for Amelia, bringing the grand total to just one shy of thirty. Not only that, but I also had an awesome time doing it. Shane has been the best surprise vacation associate. Scratch that. He’s been the best surprise vacation date.

Mysurprise vacation date.

I pull back to gaze into his face. The pure love and adoration I see there is almost more than I can take. I’m two seconds away from bawling—in a good way. “I trust you, Shaney. I trust you with my heart.”

Then I step up on my tiptoes and brush my lips against his. He returns the kiss and wraps one arm around my waist, pulling me against his torso. Without warning, he spins us around until we’ve switched places, and my back is to the wall. I’m sandwiched in between concrete and muscles, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. The more our kissingintensifies, the weaker my knees become. This is a side of Shane I haven’t seen before, a passionate side that leaves me swoony and breathless. I’m tempted to toss out all the books I own because nothing can come close to this. No characters or plots could ever compare with real life. All I want is to live out the storyline to my own romance with Shane.

When our kiss ends, I can’t stop smiling. I cup his face with my hands, loving the feel of his stubble against my skin. Taking in his features, I attempt to commit them all to memory, which is nearly impossible for me with my limited ability to create a mental image, but I still try.

“What are you frowning about?” he asks with concern. “Was the kissing too much?”

“No, not at all! I just wish I could still see you in my mind when I close my eyes.”

“You can’t picture me at all?”

“Not clearly. I only see a fuzzy image and it’s 2D. I don’t see much detail, but the essence is you, if that makes sense.”

His brows furrow. “Does that mean there’s a chance you could forget what I look like?”

“No, silly. The more I look at you, the more my brain will commit your face to my long-term memory. I also use my other senses to remember you by. I can hear your voice in my head, and I can kind of recall how you smell and the way your skin feels if I concentrate hard enough.” Inhaling deeply, I commit his distinct masculine scent to memory. “I’m pretty sure I could sniff you out in a line-up if needed.”

He laughs out loud. “That’s a relief. Good thing God gave us more than one sense. So, you can remember me by hearing, touching, and smelling. What about tasting?”

“Hm. I’m not sure yet.” I run my tongue along my lips, savoring the traces of spearmint our kiss left on them. “I think I might need some more help in that area.”

“I would be more than happy to help you,” he replies in a low voice. Scooping me up into his arms, he carries me to the next room where he lays me down on the king-sized bed. “I know my limits though. If I kiss you any more right now, I won’t be able to stop. I’m going to do both of us a favor and say goodnight.”

“No more kissing?”

“Not tonight.”

I pretend to pout as he covers me with the blanket and tucks me in on all sides. When he’s done, I feel like a freshly wrapped burrito. “I can’t move.”

“That’s kind of the point.” He places a kiss on my forehead, then settles down on the floor where he slept the previous night. “Night.”

I squirm out of my cocoon and lean over the side of the bed. “You can sleep on the bed, Shaney. I don’t mind. It’s much more comfortable.”

His eyes fly open, and he gives me a pained look. “That’s the problem. It’s too comfortable. And much too tempting.”

“Then let’s switch places.” I hop off the bed and take my pillow with me. “You slept on the floor last night. It’s only fair that you get the bed today.”

“I don’t mind. Those are the rules we set yesterday.”

“But that was yesterday when we weren’t, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Exactly, and now that we are, there is no way that I’m going to let my woman sleep on the floor.”

I grin, loving the idea of being Shane’s woman. “But there’s no way that my man’s going to sleep on the floor either,” I insist. “Please, Shaney, you take it. You sleep on the bed.”

“You’re cute when you try to be intimidating. All right, allright, I know you’re not going to let this go until I agree. But let me get ready first.”

Before I can ask what he has in mind, Shane grabs something from his bag and heads to the bathroom. When he emerges a minute later, he looks like his own version of the Michelin Man. He appears to have put on several layers on top and on bottom. With his extra padding on, he lies down on one side of the bed with his own pillow and blanket. Patting the empty side, he gestures for me to reclaim my spot. “I’m ready.”

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