Page 75 of Rulebreaker

It’s exactly to my specifications–filled with roses and candles and the soft melody of Lily’s favorite country artist playing in the background.

“At-Atlas,” she whispers, halting just inside the door. She glances up at me, eyes glassy, expression so damned soft I know that I’ll never forget how beautiful she looks right now.

So, even though I’d planned to wait until the end of my surprises to tell her all I’m feeling, there’s nothing more natural than giving her the words now. “I love you, Lily Maxwell. More than I thought possible. More than my next breath. More than?—”

Her breath hitches and she spins, launching herself into my arms. “I love you, too,” she says, those tears clinging to her lashes. “So damned much.” She touches my jaw. “But I need to tell you?—”

I don’t hear the second part. Only the first.

She loves me too.

Fuck–shelovesme too.

Those words are echoing through my head and heart and…I kiss her with the whirlwind of emotions, with all the feelings inside me, all the love.

I lift my head and ask, “Ready for the next surprise?”

Her eyes go wide. “Next surprise?”

I take her hand, start drawing her forward, when the rest of her earlier words penetrate. “What’d you need to tell me?”

She hesitates, fingers tightening on mine. But she only says, “It’ll hold.” Then smiles a smile that’s wide and beautiful and filled with love. “For now, I need to know what your next surprise is, handsome.”

I grin, knowing that she has absolutely no idea what I have in store for her.

Which is why I keep moving us forward…and I set about giving Lily the most perfect night of her life.

Having absolutely no idea of what’s about to come for us.

TWENTY-SIX

Lily

I jotdown a few last words to the song I’ve been working on for weeks, still not happy with it, but also too blissed out to care. I have songwriting partners and producers to help me perfect it when the time is right. Besides, this one is personal.

My working title is “Having, Holding, and Hearting.” Teenage girls are going to love it. Middle aged moms and octogenarians probably will too.

Nothing gets to my fans more than a love song, especially one filled with campy cliches and grand gestures. Kind of like the man in my life.

Ironically, Atlas has become my muse.

More than that, he’s starting to become…oh, who am I kidding? He has absolutely become my world. Or at least the very best part of it.

That’s why today is the day.

He’s cooking breakfast, I took a quick shower and madenotes on my laptop for the song, and now I have to tell the man I love about… my husband.

There’s some irony.

The good news is that Atlas loves me.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around how momentous this is for me, for both of us. Last night was without a doubt one of the best of my entire life, and all because Atlas Delarosa loves me.

Knowing how he feels makes me feel better about the conversation I’ve been putting off for so long. Deep down, I think this is what I was waiting for. To know this is more than a casual fling to him.

To know that he gets me and that he’s going to understand.

I just have to be honest about who I am now versus who I was then.