“Um… I don’t know. We just call it the dog park. It’s at the corner of Rosecrans and Paramount boulevard.”
“That’s-great-thanks-I-owe-you-one-bye!” I hang up as fast as I can. Leaning up toward the cabbie, I rest an elbow on the passenger seat. “The dog park at Rosecrans and Paramount.”
He nods and keeps driving at a leisurely pace. I text my assistant to send a car to the park. Even if I’m wrong, and she’s not there, I’ll keep looking. And God knows I don’t need another ride in a cab today.
I jiggle my foot, wishing he’d go faster. I count to ten, trying to hold onto my patience. I count to ten 14 times more. Finally, I can’t take it. “I’m going to give you…” I say, digging into my wallet and counting the cash I have on hand. “$462 dollars to get me there as fast as you can.”
The cabbie glances over his shoulder at me again, but this time his eyes are on the wad of cash I’m holding, and his eyebrows are sky high. “Deal,” he mutters, taking the cash from my hand and shoving it down in his pocket. He floors the gas, weaving in and out of traffic in a way that makes me think he missed his calling as a NASCAR driver.
I’m grasping the ‘Oh-Shit’ handle so hard my knuckles turn white, but once I see the park come into view, it’s all worth it. She has to be here.
I have the door open before the cab even comes to a complete stop. Tugging the baseball cap down on my head, I head for the gate in the chain-link fence. My eyes sweep the grounds, searching for Aria. My skin tingles as I walk toward the back of the park. She’s here. I’m sure of it.
I come around a bend in a path, and there, sitting on an old wooden bench, is Aria. My heart finally starts beating again, and the weight sitting on my chest eases up. But the look on her face nearly breaks me all over again. Her eyes are red, and she’s frowning softly, her eyes are almost vacant as she stares into empty space.
“OOF.” I’m so caught up in her that I don’t see the Great Dane until it’s too late. One second, I’m standing there, trying to figure out how I’m possibly going to apologize to Aria, and the next, something big takes me out at the knees. The world spins around me, and I land flat on my stomach in the grass, knocking the air right out of myself.
I roll over with a good deal of effort and stare at the sky as I struggle to catch my breath. All I catch out of the corner of my eye is a dog the size of a horse galloping away.
“Are you okay?” Her sweet voice calls out, getting closer. “You did a back flip over that Great D…” She trails off, frowning as she looks at me harder. “Carson?” Her eyes go wide, and she drops to her knees next to me. She pushes my hat, already askew from my unplanned flight, off my head. “What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was?” She glances around the park like she’s looking for a secret agent to pop out at any second.
I push myself up and pull the dusty sunglasses off my face. “You said this is your favorite place. I just figured—"
Aria’s face crumples, and she bursts into tears. “You came looking for me?”
The sight of her like that rips my chest in two. I pull her into my dusty lap and wrap my arms around her, breathing a little easier for having her close. I stroke her hair, relishing the feel of her curves, and the way she fits so perfectly against me. “Of, course I came looking for you. You left.” I clear my throat. “Aria, I know I fucked up, and I’m so sorry. I should have done better—"
“Wait, why areyouapologizing?” She peers up at me, eyes wet. “Did you thinkIwas leavingyou?”she asks with a tiny sniffle. “That’s so backwards. I’m the one who’s all fucked up.”
“No, you’re not,” I growl.
“Yes, I am. Did you even read the article? One month with me was nearly enough to destroy your reputation. You shouldn’t want me. You shouldn’t be with me. You should be with someone better. All those things people said about me. All the things they published—” She looks nauseous.
“Are lies.” I finish for her. “None of what they published was right. Or your fault. I should have done a better job protecting you from them, but I don’t give a sweet flying fuck what anyone says. I know you, Aria. I see you, and I’ve never known anyone with a heart as beautiful as yours. They are dead wrong.”
I cradle her face in my hands, wiping the tear streaks from her skin. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you from the first second I saw you. I love you and nothing is going to change that.”
Aria’s eyes grow wider with each word I speak, and then she stares at me like I’m insane. “Say something,” I demand. She doesn’t say a word, but she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me hard. We topple back to the grass, but I couldn’t care less where we are.
I tunnel my fingers into her hair, holding her close and reveling in the feel of her. I take control, stroking her tongue with mine, tasting her lips, and laying claim to the only woman I’ve ever loved.
Aria moans and pulls back just a millimeter. Her lips brush mine as she speaks. “Hang on,” she whispers breathlessly. “Because I’ve been dying to say this for way too long. Carson Jones, I’m madly, desperately, and overwhelmingly in love with you.”
“Thank Christ,” I laugh. “I don’t know how I was going to explain your absence to Bubbles.”
She laughs, kissing me again, but we’re interrupted by a familiar bark. Aria’s brows furrow in confusion, and we both turn toward the sound. There in the distance, Sandra is desperately trying to hang onto a leash as she navigates the grass and dirt in heels.
It’s a valiant effort but Bubbles, fresh from the groomers with a huge bow around her neck, gets the best of my poor assistant. She breaks free and charges toward Aria and I, yelping excitedly.
She scrambles on top of us, trying to get in the middle as she wiggles with excitement and licks the tears from Aria’s cheeks. “See?” I tell her. “What would we do without you?”
“You’d have a difficult dog and no one to punch you in the balls,” Aria laughs, hugging Bubbles around the neck. The way she looks at me… nothing in the world compares to it.
“An empty life, indeed.” I press my palm to her cheek, loving the way she leans into my touch. The sound of a camera shutter flickers faintly, and I wince. “Sorry,” I whisper.
But Aria smiles. “Fuck it. Let’s give them something good this time.” I lower my mouth to hers and shut out the rest of the world.
This, right here, is all I need.
* * *