Wished

Chapter 36

36

I lie curled in Max’s arms, flushed, sweaty, and blissful. His hand roams over my bare skin, featherlight and barely touching, leaving a glowy warmth. We’re sprawled on one of the thick, luxurious rugs in the library, my legs tangled with his, my arms around him.

We didn’t make it to the bedroom. We barely made it through the front door. We hit the wall, knocked over a marble statue, kissed our way toward the stairs kicking off shoes and stripping clothes, and then lost ourselves when a dark room with a soft rug presented itself.

The lights are off, the library dark. It’s cradled by the deep indigo of the sky and the silver glow of moonlight. There’s a soft, humming contentment flowing through the open room, vibrating over me.

Max presses a kiss to my neck, his mouth hot. His hands linger at the base of my spine and caress the curve of my hips. We’re wrapped in the quiet of the library, books and moonlight, and the awareness that this is where it all began. Even now, the necklace is nearby, hidden behind the oil painting, tucked in its golden case.

I press my cheek to Max’s chest, settling into the rise and fall of his breath and luxuriating in the quiet feel of his warmth pressed into mine. He’s lean, hard-planed, sharp-lined. It’s so easy for my curves and softness to fit against him.

I’m filled with so much contentment, so much love, that I can barely take it all in. I feel as if I might burst from the joy building inside me.

I lift myself off Max’s chest, shifting in his arms. The carpet scrapes against my knees as I move over him, lifting myself more so I can look into his eyes. The library is dark, but not so dark that I miss the smile curving on his lips.

“I know I already said this about a thousand times in the past hour, but I’ll say it again,” he says, his hands dragging over my hips, pulling me closer. “I love you.”

I kiss him, luxuriating in the slow, unhurried draw of his mouth over mine. The desperate, need-you-now, please-please-don’t-stop, oh-there-there, don’t-stop, love-you-love-you lovemaking is done, and now we’re settling into a soft, wondering, blissful exploration of each other.

I lift my mouth from his, the taste of him lingering on my lips. The library may be filled with the scent of old books and polished wood, but above that, there’s still the essential imprint of Max, and now Max and me together.

“I love you too,” I say, and the words still feel magical, still feel as if they’re a gift I’ve been given. I look over toward the desk where I first saw the sapphire necklace. “What do you think would’ve happened if I’d never made my wish?”

Max shakes his head and drags his hand through my hair, curling a long strand around his finger. “I imagine we would’ve arrived here eventually. It just would’ve taken longer.”

I nod. I think he’s right. “Where we are seems inevitable. Like a diamond formed millions of years ago. It was always there, hiding in the earth. We just had to uncover it.”

“Make a ring from it,” Max says, a smile in his eyes. Then he snaps his finger and shifts. “Hold that thought.”

I sit up, bemused, as Max strides across the dark library. The moonlight shines over the muscles of his back, his long legs, and then he turns back, catches me staring, and winks.

I laugh and wrap my arms over my chest, keeping myself covered. The air is cool and my skin is prickling now that I don’t have the warmth of Max wrapped around me.

Then he’s back, kneeling at my side with a gold ring in his hand.

There are six gemstones glinting in the yellow gold, the facets catching and reflecting moon shards back at us.

“I had it made after ...” Max glances at me, checking my expression. When he sees that I understand, he smiles.

“What does it say?” I ask.

It’s an acrostic ring, and every gemstone is a letter. It’s a message from Max to me.

“White sapphire, iolite, sapphire, hematite, emerald, diamond,” he says pointing to each gemstone.

I take in the letters, and then I say, “Wished.”

He smiles, a quick flashing of his teeth. “Wished,” he agrees. “You wished that we were married and in love, and I wished the same.”

He takes my hand, and I can’t look away from the expression on his face when he slides the ring onto my right ring finger.

“Now, whenever you want something,” he says, holding onto my hand, “all you have to do is ask.”

“And what about you?”

“Same. I just have to ask.”

“If you could ask for anything right now, what would it be?” I move toward him, wrapping my arms around him. Suddenly I feel like my goal to become a genie when I grew up came true. The way Max is devouring me with a heated, happy gaze confirms it.

“I’d ask ... would you like me to carry you upstairs? To bed?” He lifts an eyebrow, a tilted smile on his face.

“Yes,” I say, holding out my arms.

He lifts me and I wrap my legs around him. His hands grip my hips and I hold him close. He presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth.

“What else?” I ask, holding on tight as he strides from the room.

“I’d ask ... would you like to make love all night long?—?”

“Yes.”

“And then have croissants and coffee in bed?—?”

“Yes.”

“And I’d ask if you’d like to stay here for the week, and then the month, and then, perhaps, for the rest of your life.”

I don’t even have to think about it.

“Yes,” I say, grinning as he takes the stairs, holding me tight.

“I’d ask if you’d love me for as long as we live.”

“Yes,” I say as he strides down the long hall.

“I’d ask if you’d marry me. Marry me, Anna?”

He kicks open the door to his bedroom. I laugh at the expression on his face. The love there, the joy, the hope.

“Yes,” I say.

I really am able to grant wishes. I feel in this moment that I’m able to do anything.

“Diamonds or sapphires—which do you want? I’ll make you a ring that outshines the sun.”

“Yes,” I say. “Yes to both. Yes to everything.”

Max drops down on the bed, laying me on the feather comforter and covering me with his weight. I sink into the mattress and wrap my legs around him. He makes a low noise at the back of his throat, and I stretch up and drag my mouth over his neck, tasting the salt and the heat of him. He presses against me, ready again.

“One last wish,” he says, pressing his mouth to my cheeks, my eyes, the corner of my mouth.

I arch into him, running my hands over him, opening myself to him. “What’s your wish?”

“Let me love you,” he says, his voice rough-edged and loving. “Let me love you.”

I smile at him. I’m soaring again, flying into the stars. But this time Max is there with me. We’ve jumped off the cliff together, and below us is a sparkling turquoise sea, an ocean of love.

“Always,” I say. “I’ll let you love me always. And I’ll love you just as long.”

At that Max smiles, and it’s glorious.

And then he loves me—in a million shining, different ways.