Page 190 of Return Policy
“Okay.” I hug him again before he leaves to go home. “You want a ride back to campus?” I ask Charlie since she doesn’t have a car anymore and rode here with us.
“No, thanks.” She smiles tenderly. “I’m gonna ride with everyone else.”
Elijah follows me to the passenger side and opens the door, helping me inside. I smirk at him as he hauls himself onto the foot bar and buckles the seat belt for me.
“How many times do I have to tell you I can do this myself?” I say to him.
“And how many times do I have to tell my girl I’m gonna take care of her before she gets the memo?”
“Elijah, it’s not your job to take care of me.”
“You’re right… It’s my purpose.” He cups the back of my neck and pulls me in for a deep, tongueless kiss.
“What’s that for?” I mumble against his lips.
“Just because I love you.”
“Thank you for being there for me today… And through everything.”
He tilts his head, staring at me with his beautiful arctic eyes. “Of course, baby. Where the hell else would I be?”
“I don’t know. I guess there’s still some small part of me worried you’ll think this is all too much. ThatI’mtoo much.”
“Sophia.” He shakes his head with a breathtaking smile. “What did I tell you about my return policy?”
“No returns.”
“And no refunds, Sunflower.”
EPILOGUE
ELIJAH
Six Months Later
The technicolor lights in the casino shine against Sophia’s face as she sips her martini. Everyone else has split to do their own thing for the night, and I’ve been savoring the time alone with her. It’s true what everyone says: Vegas is Disney World for adults.
“Do you wanna go to bed or play a little longer?” she asks me.
My gaze turns back to the slot machine. Twenty-three dollars is left from the fifty I put in. “I guess I’ll do a few more spins, and then we can get out of here?”
She places her hand on my leg, giving me her most seductive grin. “Yes. Please.”
Leaning in, I kiss her softly and press the button for my next spin. We watch for a few minutes as the amount dwindles. After I press the button again, the icons spin and one by one, diamonds line up next to each other.
“Holy shit,” Sophia whispers. The machine blares, and my eyes bounce all over the screen as I try to figure out what in the living hell is going on.
Winner: $8,932
“Holy shit!” We jump up, and I pull her to my side. “Looks like that unlimited amount of luck still hasn’t left me.”
She looks up at me. “Guess not.”
* * *
Sophia and I walk down the Vegas strip on the way back to our hotel. “So how are you going to spend your winnings, Mr. Anderson?” she asks, my arm loosely over her shoulders.
“Hmm…” I smile down at the best part of my life. “How about on making you Mrs. Anderson?”
