I cupped her cheek, brushing my thumb across her skin. “I want you to have something safe, something reliable. No moreworrying about your old car breaking down, no more stress. You deserve something good, Tate.”
She let out a shaky laugh, pressing her hands to her temples. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Do you like it?”
Tate let out a choked laugh before throwing herself into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist as she buried her face in my neck. “I love it,” she whispered, voice thick with emotion. “And I love you.”
My grip tightened around her. This was the first time she’d admitted it. I kissed her temple, murmuring, “I love you more, kitten.”
After a long moment, she pulled back, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. “Okay, but you know I have to drive it right now, right?”
I grinned, pulling the keys from my pocket and dangling them in front of her. “That was kind of the point.”
She snatched them from my hand, giggling as she ran toward the driver’s side. “I’ve never had something so nice before!”
I laughed, watching her slide behind the wheel, her excitement lighting up her entire face.
Yeah, this was definitely worth it.
“One more thing, baby.” Tate turned her curious green eyes in my direction.“Need you to drive us to the airport tonight.” I pulled a pair of folded plane tickets from my back pocket and held them up between us. The moment she realized what they were, her jaw dropped.
“A caranda vacation?” she gasped, stepping out of the driver’s seat. She smirked, hands on her hips. “That bonus must have beenhuge, Mr. Silver.”
Before I could respond, she let out a delighted laugh and ran straight for me, throwing her arms around my neck. I caught hereasily, her body pressing flush against mine as she tilted her face up, peppering soft, slow kisses along my jaw.
I groaned, tightening my grip on her waist. “Just wanted to spoil you.”
She sighed against my skin, her breath warm and sweet. “You do, every day.” The words came out in a hushed whisper, like a secret meant only for me.
I slid a hand into her hair, tilting her head back so I could look into her eyes. “I’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”
Tate’s lips parted, her fingers trailing down my chest, and I knew I’d never get tired of moments like this, of the way she looked at me like I was her whole world.
“Where are we going?” she finally asked, voice breathless.
I grinned. “Guess you’ll have to drive us to the airport and find out.”
CHAPTER 42
TATUM
PRESENT
The soft hum of the plane’s descent jolted me awake. Griffin’s large, warm hand rested on my thigh, anchoring me as I blinked away the last remnants of sleep. Through the small oval window, I saw endless turquoise waters stretching beneath us, the kind of view that belonged on a postcard, not in real life. And not something I had ever hoped or dreamed I would be lucky enough to witness.
“We’re here,” Griffin murmured, his voice thick with exhaustion but tinged with excitement.
I turned to him, still struggling to believe this was real. “Where are we?”
His lips curled into that cocky smirk that did dangerous things to my heart. “Bora Bora, baby. Told you I wanted to spoil you big time.”
The resort was something out of a dream. A private over-water bungalow greeted us, complete with a wraparound deck and a glass floor panel where we could see tropical fish gliding beneath our feet. The warm breeze smelled like salt and coconut, and the sound of gentle waves lapping against the stiltsof our bungalow made my entire body relax in a way I hadn’t felt in weeks, if not years. I paused, dropping my bags to the floor as I took in my surroundings.
Mom would have loved this place.
Thinking about her made my heart pang with guilt and sadness, but I willed the feeling away. She would be happy for me. She would be thrilled about me and Griffin.
Griffin wasted no time stripping off his shirt, tossing it onto a chair before collapsing onto the massive king-sized bed. “Five minutes,” he muttered, burying his face into a pillow. “Then we can look around.”
