Page 88 of City of Love

He closes his eyes as he exhales slowly, letting his forehead rest against mine. His hands move to cradle my face, and he holds me as though I’m infinitely precious to him. We just stand there for a second before I speak again.

“I’m going to need you to teach me some French terms of endearment, though,” I say. “Preferably embarrassing.”

A smile ghosts across his face, but he doesn’t open his eyes. His thumbs stroke gently down my cheekbones. “Mon chéri,” he says, his voice husky. “Ormon douce.Not embarrassing, but…” He trails off, shrugging.

I smile. “I can be embarrassing in English. I could call you ‘my wittle pookie-wookie,’ or maybe ‘my big cuddly teddy bear.’”

Noel’s ghost of a smile turns into an outright grin. “I look forward to it.” He finally opens his eyes and looks at me, and my heart stops. Midbeat, it stops, not at all concerned that I’ll probably keel over dead at any minute, and I stop breathing, too.

But how can I possibly breathe when he’s looking at me like that?

I force myself to inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Then I speak, saying the one thing that’s in my brain at this moment. “Kiss me, pl—”

But my words are cut off as his lips cover mine. They move softly, perfectly—an insistent rhythm slowly building between us. He deepens the kiss, tangling his hands in my hair, and I let out a little sigh of contentment. This is my happy place. Right here, in my foyer, in my ratty sweats, kissing Noel.

This man crashed into my heart in all his bossy, grumpy glory, and I’ve got a feeling he’s going to stay there forever.

Chapter 30

Noel—four years later

Ihate weddings.

You want to get married? I’m happy for you. You want to have a huge celebration? I respect that. Just please,pleasedon’t make me come.

I don’t like wearing suits. I don’t like mingling in crowds. I don’t like events that last longer than a couple hours max.

But because Lydia’s twin brother is getting married, and because I would happily throw myself off a cliff for Lydia, here I am.

As a groomsman. In a suit. Mingling. For the next three hours, atleast.

We’re outside, too—back behind an old cathedral-looking building where Mina and Cohen apparently went to a wedding together at some point. It’s only midmorning, so it’s not too hot out yet, but I’m sure it will get there.

“You look way grumpier than you need to,” Lydia says as she approaches me, and I take a second—or maybe a few seconds—to appreciate how incredible the bridesmaid’s dress looks on her. It’s long and yellow, with a fitted strapless bodice and a soft, flowy skirt. I believe the word Lydia used was “chiffon,” but I can’t be sure. She’s wearing a flower crown, but it doesn’t look weird; it more just looks like she was off frolicking in a field somewhere and came back with flowers in her hair.

My heart beats a little faster the closer she gets. She’s gorgeous. Radiant.Mine—just as she has been for the last four years. We did six months of long distance before I finally transferred to a university here, and now Lydia and I are both doing nonprofit work and enjoying it thoroughly. She organizes classes at a women’s shelter in a nearby city—there aren’t any women’s shelters in Stone Springs—and I work placing rehabilitated criminals, helping them find jobs.

“I’m not grumpy,” I say, wrapping one arm around her waist and tugging her to me.

“Are you sure?” she says, a light breeze pulling a few strands of hair across her face. A smile flits over her lips as her hands come to rest on my chest, her spicy-sweet scent swirling around me. “Because you’ve got your Mr. Grump face on. And if you do that in the pictures, I will flay you alive.”

I cock one brow. “Don’t you meanMinawill flay me alive?”

“No,” Lydia says, waving one hand. “She doesn’t really care about that stuff. She just wants to marry my brother. ButI,” she says, pointing to herself now. “I have been waiting for this day foryears. So, while I am hopelessly in love with you, I need you to pretend you want to be here or I’ll retaliate.”

I can’t hold back my smile, and I don’t try. I love hearing her say she loves me. This woman turns me into pure mush.

“Fine,chérie,” I say, dropping a kiss on Lydia’s nose. “I’ll pretend.”

“Thank you,” she says, giving me a quick peck on the lips. “Now, I need to go inside and finish helping Mina get ready, so you go help Ian get the last of the sound system set up. Andbe nice,” she adds severely.

“I’m always nice,” I say, and it’s mostly true. “He’s the one who doesn’t like me.”

“He likes you more than he used to,” she says, tilting her head.

“No, hetoleratesme,” I correct her. “But I’ll be nice.”

“Good. Thank you. Okay, go on; I’ll see you inside in a bit.” And with that she slips out of my arms and flits off to find Mina.

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