“Yes, you should have.” Johnny kept coming, backing Hope up until her hips met a parked car. His throat worked with emotion as he cupped her face, kissing her mouth like it was a priceless treasure. “I’ll forgive you if you spend the next seventy years with me.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “Of course I will. I love you.”
“Dammit, I love you, too.” His jaw flexed. “Hope, don’t ever disappear like that again.” He hoisted her up into his arms and buried his face in her neck, squeezing her so tight she could barely breathe. “I was almost convinced you were the muse.”
“The what?”
“It’s a long story.” He lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking at her like she couldn’t possibly be real. “How about we tell it to our grandkids?”
“Yes. Yes.” Heart full to bursting, Hope leaned up and kissed Johnny’s waiting mouth, gasping when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. “Let’s go live,” she murmured. “Let’s do it all together.”
“That’s the plan.” He set off down the street, a rock star carrying a waitress toward a lifetime of adventure. “How do you feel about a ranch, baby?”
THE END