Epilogue
Millie
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The crisp, autumn air wrapped around me as I sat alone at the café, sipping my coffee and watching the world go by. The leaves had painted the city in shades of red and gold, and the sun's golden rays filtered through, casting a glow on the cobblestone street.
I was lost in my thoughts when I felt a familiar presence behind me. A warm hand gently rested on my shoulder, and I turned to find a gorgeous man standing there, a slow, sweet smile spreading over his face.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice a soft melody in the breeze.
My lips curled into a teasing smile as I let my eyes roam over him shamelessly. "Sure," I replied, feeling a flutter in my heart. Even after all this time, his presence had the uncanny ability to make my heart race.
He smoothly took a seat beside me, his eyes curious. "Are you waiting for someone?"
I raised an eyebrow, amused by his approach. "You could say that."
Roman leaned in, his voice playful. "You know, there's a myth that if you wait for someone, you're fated to a life of waiting. I didn't want to subject you to that fate, so I came to keep you company."
I couldn't help but chuckle. "I've never heard of your myth before."
He leaned back, his expression smug. "You haven't? You must be glad that you met me. Stick with me, and there are a lot of things I could save you from."
I raised an eyebrow, feigning curiosity. "So, you just go out and look for a damsel in distress? Do you have a savior complex?"
Roman's confident grin never wavered, and his eyes held mine with an intensity that sent a thrill through me. "I don't know a thing about saving, but I know a hell of a lot about being saved."
Savouring the taste of my coffee slowly, I maintained our locked gaze. "Well," I pondered playfully, "I suppose I'm open to being saved if the right person comes along."
His smile softened, his eyes tracing the curve of my lips. "Lucky for you," he responded, his voice filled with humuor, "I happen to enjoy doing a lot of things, so I wouldn't mind being in the business of saving damsels from a life of solitude."
Laughter spilled from my lips, the sound mingling with the chatter of the café around us. "Is that so?"
He nodded. "Absolutely. Life's too short for solitude."
With a playful twinkle in my eye, I leaned in closer, mischief dancing in my words. "So, what's your grand plan for saving damsels today?"
Roman mirrored my closeness, his voice a soft, intimate whisper. "Well, today, I thought I'd start by stealing a few moments of your time to make you smile."
I played along, pretending to contemplate his proposal. "And you think you're the right person for that?"
"What does the right person look like?" he countered.
I feigned deep thought, a finger resting on my chin. "They might have a certain charm, a knack for making me laugh, and an ability to steal my breath away."
Drawing even closer, his voice became a seductive murmur. "And what if I told you that I might know someone who fits that description?"
Mocking hesitation, I replied, "I don't know if I should gamble away my life on you. Words are sweet, but they could also last for a moment."
His eyes sparkled mischievously as our fingers brushed. "Do you want to bet that you'd break your promise before I break mine?"
"Wow," I teased, "your confidence is outstanding, Mr. Harley. But you know what? You're in. They say there's a sixty percent chance that men would be the ones to break their promises."
His eyes locked onto mine, a smoldering intensity burning within them as a sly grin curved his lips. "And what if I tell you I've got good instincts? I know a perfect match when I see one."
My heart quickened at his words, the air charged with electric anticipation. With a lighthearted chuckle, I leaned in even closer, our faces almost touching. "Well, Mr. Instincts, you might just be onto something. But how exactly do you plan on proving it to me?" The magnetic pull between us grew stronger, and my fingers subtly traced patterns on the tabletop, my heart racing.
Roman's lips were tantalizingly close to mine, his breath warm against my skin as he murmured, "One stolen smile at a time, one shared laugh, and one stolen breath." Before I could react, he closed the remaining distance between us, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that sent a rush of desire through my veins.
Someone in the crowd whistled and we quickly parted breathlessly. With a blush painted on my cheeks, I held the hand he offered as he pulled me off the chair. We walked on the sidewalk before he pulled me to an alley, pressing me against the wall.
I wrapped my arm around his waist, laughing. "I thought we were going to your car." I pressed my face against his chest.
"We are," he said, circling his arms around my waist. "But I just want to hold you and smell you." He buried his nose in my hair. I slipped my hands up his muscular body and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"You're stalling. You want us to be late."
"Do you blame me?" he retorted into my ear. "Maybe I just feel like having you all to myself today."
"We can't, Roman." I turned my face into his. "Your family are waiting for us to pick them up at the airport."
"We could have someone pick them up and have a few hours to ourselves." He brushed his lips over mine. "We won't have an alone time the minute they get here. Maybe we should run away."
I chuckled. "Where to?"
He paused, tilting his head to the side. "Vegas? Hawaii?" His eyes captured mine, dancing with the laughter I'd come to love so much. "It's not too late to book the flight and the hotel."
"Think again." I pushed against his chest and he stepped back slightly. "Let's go pick up your family." I turned around and began to head to his car.
"Em, you know this shows that you don't love me," he said, following after me. "I'm rethinking how much I love you."
I turned and walked backward. "Can you do that in the car, then?"
He grinned. "You're kinda evil for this. What happened to love and loyalty?"
My lips tugged up as I shrugged.
He'd never realize, though, I thought.
How much I needed him. Loved him.
How he'd captivated me.
He held not just my heart but my very soul.
He was my matchmaker, the one who had connected the dots of our hearts. He was my best friend, the one I could share my deepest thoughts with. And most importantly, he was my boyfriend, the love that completed me.
He'd never know, because, in his eyes, I was the one who had caught him.
Roman
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As I sat in the car, my gaze couldn't help but gravitate towards Millie, who was seated beside me. There was something mesmerizing about the way her eyes sparkled with life, and the gentle curve of her lips held an irresistible charm. She was so beautiful. So fucking gorgeous. And mine.
She tilted her head slightly and stared at me almost dreamily, and I loved her for it. I loved her, and I always would. All this time, I was looking for connection, something to fill me up, a feeling. All this time I was chasing for her happiness, I was actually chasing mine. I was searching love for her, but I found mine in her.
With a grin smile, I reached over to gently tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, my fingertips brushing her skin with a soft caress. "You're everything I've ever wanted," I whispered.
Millie's eyes sparkled with emotion as she leaned in, her lips meeting mine in a soft, lingering kiss. They were warm and they were right, and they were mine.
Kissing her always felt real, like there was something alive inside me, grounding me, making me more aware than I had ever been. It was in the way her tongue entwined with mine, the velvety softness of her lips, and the arch of her body into mine. Millie kissed me as though she could sense every emotion coursing through me, as if there were no time but the present, and it turned me on so much, rolled my heart around that I became so clumsy and weak and needy.
Yes, this was love. A blazing wildfire that consumed everything within you.
And that's exactly what my love for Millie felt like.
It was a love that defied words, a force of nature that surged through my veins. Every moment with her was like stoking the embers of that wildfire.
She was the force that had breathed life into my existence.
My Millie.
Em.
——
Thank you.