“What are you doing here?” she countered. “You’re supposed to be on a plane to Tokyo.”
“Change in plans. I’ve been on the phone with the managing partners. We’re still going through with the Japanese office, but I’ll run it from here and we’ll send someone else to be the onsite manager.”
She gazed up at him, gaping.
He said, “Turns out I couldn’t leave, Loralai. I couldn’t leave you.” Her tears flowed again. He couldn’t keep up with them. “Hey, baby. I thought you’d be happy about this.”
“No, Tague.” She shook her head. “This is your dream. You have to go to Tokyo. Call the partners back and undo everything you’ve just done. Go to Japan.”
“Sweetheart.” His gut wrenched. His breath came in heavy pulls. “Don’t you see that I can’t walk away from you? Ever. I love you, Loralai. I want to be with you. You mean everything to me.”
“Oh, God.” She gasped. “You never stop being the hero.” She tried to brush away her tears, but they just kept coming. “You can be with me, Tague. I bought a ticket. The seat next to yours. I was on the plane. Waiting for you. Then Chip told me you’d never checked in for the flight, so in a split second, I got off. Just barely. Just in time.”
He stared at her. “What?”
With a shaky laugh, she said, “I want to go with you. Everything in this city feels so…off. None of it feels right anymore. Not without you here.”
“But your company. Your building. Max and Len…?”
“I’ve already spoken with them. They encouraged me to chase after you, Tague. They’re absolutely correct in that the three of us have never had to be in the same location to get our work done, and I know nothing about their part of the business. I can do my work anywhere. Even Japan.”
She rendered Tague speechless. Just like the first time he’d met her.
And spellbound. Just like the first time he’d met her.
“You do still want me to go with you…don’t you?” L.L. asked, her voice suddenly tentative.
He snapped out of his dazed state. “Hell, yes, I do.” He swept her into his arms again and kissed her with all the love, all the passion, all the desire he felt for her. And all the excitement rushing through his veins.
The crowd in the queue went wild, their thunderous applause causing L.L. to break the kiss and let out a sweet laugh. She wiggled out of Tague’s arms and turned to their audience, delivering a curtsey and then facing Tague again.
“Looks like you can’t fight the inevitable,” she said as more drops fell.
He grinned. “Glad I finally made a believer out of you.”
“When it’s right…there’s no denying it.” She hugged him fervently once more. “Take me to Japan,” she whispered in his ear. “And show me every night just how much you love me.”
“So much, Loralai,” he said in a fierce tone. “More than you’ll ever know, baby. Forever.”
“Meg will be so happy.”
He chuckled around the lump of emotion in his throat. “I’m only concerned about you being happy.”
“I am,” she assured him. “More than you’ll ever know.” She lifted her head and stared deep into his eyes. “Forever.”
And this time, L.L. knew she’d surrender to the right man.