Page 83 of Velvet and Valor

“Oh my god,” I gasp when I’m capable of speech. Axel kisses my neck and shoulder and cuddles up close. “Oh my god…we didn’t even make it to the bed.”

“We’ve got all weekend,” Axel says. “By tomorrow surely we’ll have made it past the kitchen.”

I laugh and snuggle into his embrace.

“I love you,” I say, easy and free.

“I love you, too,” Axel says. “So, I had this idea for a movie?—”

I slap my hand over his mouth.

“Use that mouth to kiss me instead.”

“Yes Ma’am,” he replies.

20

EPILOGUE: JUNE

“Hey, Axel,” Bastian says wickedly. “Is there going to be an actual MOVIE at this movie premiere party?”

Axel, who had been about an inch away from kissing me, sighs and turns to face Bastian.

“As I’ve explained about a million times, the film is AFTER the party.”

“Why is that?” Bastian asks.

“Because if the party is after the film, nobody will show up for the actual movie,” Axel says. “They’ll just come to the party afterward. This way we can guilt everyone into walking downstairs to the theater after they’ve had their whores d-vores.”

“It’s pronounced hors d'oeuvres,” I say helpfully.

“Isn’t that what I said?”

Bastian snorts. “You don’t have to worry about guilting anyone from the Security firm. Jax made attendance mandatory for everyone who isn’t on assignment.”

“Now that’s a boss I can get behind,” Axel says.

“You won’t be saying that after you get your new assignment,” Dane says, joining us with two glasses ofchampagne in his hand. I assume one of them is for his lady, Selene.

Axel looks at him with alarm.

“Why? What’s my new assignment?”

Bastian snickers. “Don’t worry, lover boy, it won’t take you out of LA,” he says. “You don’t have to sleep by yourself for long.”

“Any time at all is too long,” Axel grumbles.

“It’s been almost a year since we started dating,” I point out to Axel. “We’re at the stage where our relationship can survive a short separation, I think.”

“Sure, we can survive,” Axel says, putting his hands around my waist and pulling me close. His eyes glow with the soft light of affection. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Axel kisses me, and I dimly hear Bastian telling us to ‘get a room.’ I gently break away from Axel and put my hands on his chest. “We need to schmooze. I am a producer on this film, after all.”

He takes my hand and we stride over to make our rounds. As much as I’ve looked forward to this night for what feels like ages, I’m anticipating going home with Axel even more.

“What happens to a dream deferred?”

I curl up next to Axel, the leather sofa beneath us squeaking softly. The Langston Hughes biopic plays on the silver screen above. We’re up on a balcony, overseeing the rest of the theater.