I slip an arm around her waist and kiss her on the neck. "I can’t believe you’re actually here with me," I reply, and she smiles and nuzzles me right back.
I know that the two of us have been missing each other like crazy these last few weeks, but now she is here again, in Germany with me, and we have a whole two weeks together before she has to go back to work again.
We’ve been video-chatting every single night that I’ve been away, my favorite part of the day being when I get to boot up my laptop and see her smiling face on the other end of the line.
It’s the best thing that could have happened to us. Because, honestly, now that she is here again, having been flown out first-class on a jet to Germany to join me as I finish up the reshoots for my newest movie, I know that I am not going to be able to keep my hands off of her. When she was back in the States, I could actually take the time to get to know her without distraction. When all you have to do is talk, you end up learning a whole hell of a lot about each other. I have been gifted with a look into her life that feels more precious than anything else we have shared so far.
Everything that my gut told me about her the first time I laid eyes on her has turned out to be right. She is sweet, kind, caring, gentle, generous – her laugh is about the best thing in the entire world as far as I am concerned, and she is happy to share it with me when I catch her up on the little details from the set that I know she’ll find funny. She gushes about her work, about her kids, even tells me a little about how Tallie has been getting on. My sister knows how serious this is with Ellie, but I hope that I’ve stuck by my promise to her and not interfered with her daughter’s education in any way.
I have fallen for Ellie, truly and completely. And I know that she feels the same way. I can tell from the way she looks at me, the way she listens when I am telling her all about my day, and I am so grateful that she has been willing to give me the chance to impress her.
I know that she’s second-guessed us a little, trying to work out just what it is that I see in her, just what it is that keeps me coming back, but I hope that what I am about to do will convince her, once and for all, that this is what we need.
That she is everything that I have been looking for.
"Can I just stay here?" she asks playfully, planting herself on the edge of my couch and looking around the trailer.
I have paid for a gorgeous hotel room at a five-star luxury place just outside of the set, but I know what she means. After spending so long apart, it seems a little crazy that I would want her anywhere other than here.
"Hmm, tempting," I murmur, and I sink down beside her, letting my arm trace over her shoulders and along her back. She snuggles against me and I hold her close. God, I have missed this. The way that she smells, the simple pleasure of her touch.
I never want to be so far from her again. Which is exactly why I can’t wait any longer to ask her the question that has been on my mind since we agreed on the day that she would get here.
I am not going to back out now. Not when I can feel, from the sheer presence of her touch, that she is going to give me the answer that I long to hear.
"There’s something I need to ask you," I tell her, nuzzling my nose against her head and sliding my hand down her arm. I am always amazed at how well she seems to fit against me, like she belongs there – like she always has.
"And what might that be?" she shoots back playfully. I can tell that she doesn’t want to have to think about anything but being here right now, and honestly, neither do I. But I know I am not going to be able to move forward with this amazing trip that I have planned for her until I have heard her say yes.
I reach into my pocket, and draw out a small, red velvet box – I spent the whole of last weekend picking out the perfect ring for her, going down to a vintage jeweler in Hamburg and finding the most gorgeous diamond ring, set in a shimmering silver band that I know will look perfect next to her soft skin. She looks down at the box, and her eyes widen as soon as she realizes what I am holding.