44
SCARLETT
Lycksalighet
Viggo took scarlett sightseeing the next morning.
It was another cold day with a rough breeze coming off the sea. But the weather didn’t stop them from enjoying each other’s company or the breathtaking scenery. They held hands as they wandered the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan, losing themselves in the winding alleys flanked by colorful medieval buildings. Scarlett couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous architecture. Her unbridled delight made Viggo smile and nuzzle her ear as they took selfies in front of ancient churches and statues.
As they browsed through quaint tourist shops, Viggo insisted on buying souvenirs for her and her family. Her crazy mother had been texting her at all hours, brimming with questions about Viggo’s family and his childhood home. She knew how much Scarlett loved Stockholm, so she warned her not to elope with him while they were here.
Scarlett received the latest text as she and Viggo were leaving an antiques shop. When she laughed, he looked over her shoulder and read her mother’s message. One corner of his mouth twitched and a mischievous twinkle lit his eyes.
“Don’t give me any ideas,” he drawled.
She laughed again, trying to ignore the way her heart raced at the thought of marrying him. Scarlett Sandström had a really nice ring to it. But she refused to let her mind wander in that direction.
Gamla Stan wasn’t crowded with tourists this time of year, but plenty of locals recognized Viggo and asked for his autograph. Some offered kind words and prayers for his grandfather’s recovery.
After one such friendly encounter, Viggo linked his fingers with Scarlett’s and smiled at her before they set off for the Royal Palace, which was the official residence of the Swedish king. After watching the changing of the guard, they entered the sprawling palace to explore the Royal Apartments, the Museum of Antiquities, and the Treasury Museum that featured a bunch of regalia and thrones and weapons.
Viggo kept the tour deliciously entertaining by whispering dirty things in Scarlett’s ear. Things he wanted to do to her against a mirrored wall, on the queen’s silver throne, all over a luxurious royal bed.
She’d never blushed and giggled so hard in her life.
After their stimulating tour, they stopped for lunch at a cozy waterfront café and ordered Swedish meatballs served with creamy mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. The food was scrumptious, the company even better.
Scarlett was having the time of her life. If she could have prolonged their stay, she would have. But Viggo needed to get back to hockey, and she had her own commitments to keep. Plus Traeger would start panicking if she stayed away too long.
Viggo had finished his meal and was gazing at her across the table, a soft smile playing over his sexy lips.
“What?” she asked. “Do I have sauce on my face?”
“No.” His eyes glinted. “If you did, I would have licked it off by now.”
She grinned, setting her fork down on her empty plate. “So why were you smiling at me?”
“Do I need a reason to smile at you?”
“No. But you looked like you were thinking about something.”
“I suppose I was.”
“What were you thinking about?”
He smiled lazily. “I love how much you love Sweden.”
Her grin softened. “How could I not love the country that gave me you?”
His eyes twinkled. “That’s sweet, baby, but you loved Sweden before you met me.”
Not technically, she mused. She couldn’t help wondering if he would ever remember seeing her at his game six years ago. It was probably silly to keep hoping he would.
“I think you were Swedish in a past life,” he teased.
She laughed. “Maybe I was.”
He reached across the table, took her hand and turned it over, his thumb stroking the drum beat tattoo on her inner wrist. The lazy caress sent warm tingles through her.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of touching you,” he murmured.
She gave him a soft smile. “I hope you won’t.”
“I don’t think I can.”
Her heart skipped like a rock tossed across a pond. They stared into each other’s eyes, savoring their connection.
“I really enjoyed meeting your friends last night,” she said warmly.
“Not as much as they enjoyed meeting you.” Viggo grinned. “You really made quite an impression on them, baby. They’re looking forward to seeing you again this summer. Everyone’s going to the festival to watch you perform.”
She beamed. “Awesome.”
“Yep. Anders had such good things to say about you, his mom wants to meet you. She invited us over for dinner tomorrow, but I told her it’ll be our last night in town so we’re having a big family dinner—”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“—and then after that, you and I are checking into a hotel so we can screw like bunnies.”
Scarlett gasped. “You did not tell her that!”
He threw back his head with a shout of deep laughter that turned heads. Swedes normally frowned upon loud public outbursts, but Viggo’s intoxicating laughter had men grinning and women swooning.
Scarlett tried to give him a stern glare. “Dude, that’s not funny.”
He laughed even harder, his wide shoulders shaking, beautiful gray eyes sparkling.
She watched him, tenderness welling up inside her. She could see a glimpse of the happy, carefree boy he’d once been. There were no more shadows in his eyes. No more ghosts. He’d confronted his demons, and he’d come out on the other side. Part of him would always bear the scars of the physical abuse he’d suffered—literally and figuratively. But he’d made peace with the past and he was ready to move on. And she would be right there beside him. Right where she belonged.
He finally got his laughter under control, swiping tears from the corners of his eyes and grinning at her.
As her heart swelled with affection, she reached across the table and brushed his face with her fingertips.
He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth, pressing his lips against her palm as he stared into her eyes. “I’m so damn glad you’re in my life.”
She smiled tenderly. “There’s no place else I’d rather be.”
* **
It snowed overnight, so they woke up to a beautiful winter wonderland.
Svea was leaving for Spain tomorrow, but she still wanted to take pictures of Scarlett. She had someplace in mind, but she was being super mysterious. She instructed Scarlett to wear one of her new Louis Vuitton outfits, a fitted cream midi dress that had long sleeves with cutout shoulders. She paired the curve-hugging dress with knee-high cream suede boots.
When Svea saw her, she clapped her hands together and squealed, “You look amazing!”
Scarlett grinned. “That’s high praise coming from a supermodel. I’ll take it.”
Svea laughed and hugged her. Yep, they were going to get along just fine.
Viggo had left after breakfast to drop his mother off at the hospital and run a few more errands. He promised to catch up with them when he was done.
Rikard had volunteered to chauffeur Scarlett and Svea on their little adventure. So once he showed up, the three of them set off in his Range Rover.
The roads were clear, and the weather was crisp and cold with beautiful blue skies. Scarlett was mesmerized by the snowy landscape. Being from Denver, she was obviously no stranger to snow. But Stockholm’s sparkling winter wonderland just seemed extra magical.
On the way to their secret destination, she kept up a lively stream of conversation with Viggo’s siblings. Rikard was gearing up for the next Winter Olympics, so she asked him about his training regimen and what it was like to win two gold medals. He was modest about his success, but she could tell he was as fiercely competitive as Viggo. The more she learned about him, the hotter he got. Seriously.
Before she knew it, they were meandering through a tranquil village nestled on the shores of Lake Mälaren. She gasped at the sight of a seventeenth-century baroque castle looming on the horizon. With its soaring turrets and towers, it looked like an enchanted castle straight out of a fairy tale.
Her slack-jawed amazement made Rikard and Svea laugh.
“Surprise!” Svea jokingly announced. “We brought you to a magic castle!”
“Wow,” Scarlett breathed as she stared out the window. She half expected to see faeries flying around the snowy turrets.
“We used to come here with our family every summer,” Svea fondly reminisced. “We’d explore the museum and have picnics and run around playing for hours. Rikard and Viggo would pretend to be Viking warriors, and I was the fiercest shieldmaiden that ever lived.”
Scarlett grinned. “Of course you were, Lagertha.”
Svea laughed and pretended to flex her bicep.
Rikard’s twinkling blue eyes met Scarlett’s in the rearview mirror. “This is Viggo’s favorite castle in Sweden. He has a lot of happy memories here.”
Scarlett gave him a meaningful smile. “Thank you for bringing me to such a special place.”
He returned her smile and winked.
They pulled into the free car park and climbed out of the Range Rover. To reach the castle, they had to cross a drawbridge that spanned a moat. Talk about stepping back in time.
Along the way, Svea snapped photos of Scarlett with her high-end Leica camera. She really got into it, crouching as she took close-ups and shot her from different angles like a seasoned pro. Scarlett had fun posing for her, tossing her head and strutting along in her boots with her trench coat flapping in the wind.
Rikard and Svea laughed, enjoying her playfulness.
Svea got some great shots of Scarlett framed against the stunning winter landscape. She was really talented, and Scarlett could totally see her becoming a successful photographer after she retired from modeling.
Rikard snapped photos of them together, grinning as they struck silly poses, made duck faces at the camera and held up bunny ears behind each other’s heads. By the time they reached the entrance to the castle, their sides hurt from laughing and they were toasty warm under their coats.
The castle was breathtakingly spectacular, set against the backdrop of the lake with the sun glittering on the snowy rooftops. The sprawling grounds boasted a cathedral, mazelike gardens and a manicured park bordered by sculpted trees. The air shimmered with ice crystals, adding to the enchanted aura.
Groups of tourists were roaming the castle grounds, snapping pictures of the gorgeous scenery.
As they approached the cathedral, Scarlett couldn’t help feeling awed by its majestic beauty—the massive wooden doors, the decorative arched windows, the lofty spires jutting into the bright blue sky.
As she stood there gazing up at the ancient church, a shiver trickled down her spine. It was followed by a strange sensation of déjà vu, as if she’d been here before. Which was crazy.
“Scarlett?”
She turned to meet Svea’s curious gaze. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Scarlett smiled distractedly and gestured to the cathedral. “I’m just gonna peek inside.”
“Sure, go ahead. It’s really beautiful.”
Without waiting for Svea or Rikard to follow her, Scarlett climbed the steps and wandered into the cathedral. The cool air was scented with candle wax and incense. There was no one inside.
She stared up at the soaring ceiling and mouthed wow. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior.
Walking slowly down the aisle, she admired the intricately carved statues, the towering brick columns, the alabaster apostolic figures that adorned the pulpit.
“It was a Wednesday night in December,” said a deep voice.
She spun around, gasping when she saw Viggo standing at the end of the aisle. He wore a dark trench over a charcoal dress shirt and black pants with heavy black boots.
“Viggo! When did you—” Scarlett broke off as his words suddenly registered. “Wait…did you say—”
“Just over six years ago.” He began walking down the aisle toward her, his gaze never straying from her face. “We were playing the Predators.”
“Oh my God.” Scarlett stared at him, her heart thundering. “You…remember?”
“I remember every detail of what happened that night.” He stopped in front of her. “You were wearing face paint. Black and gold.” His hand ghosted over her cheek, setting off sparks of electricity that tingled through her. “Your lipstick was black and your hair was streaked with gold.”
Scarlett found herself holding her breath as her heart beat faster and faster.
“I scored a goal and skated up to the glass where you and your family were sitting behind the net. And I saw you, Scarlett.”
“You did,” she said in an excited whisper. “You looked right at me, pointed and winked. It always amazed me how in that moment, with all those fans screaming your name, you singled me out of the crowd.”
“You stood out to me.”
She grinned shyly. “It was the crazy face paint.”
“No,” he murmured with a slow shake of his head. “That’s not why you stood out. Plenty of other people were wearing face paint, too. Yours wasn’t the craziest. It didn’t even cover your whole face.” He smiled, stroking a finger down her cheek. “I thought you had beautiful eyes, and your smile stole my breath. Kinda like now.”
She laughed softly, her insides turning somersaults.
“I snuck glances at you the rest of the game,” he confessed. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“Really?”
“Really. When we met at the engagement party in December, I couldn’t shake this overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. I knew we must have met somewhere before, but I couldn’t place it. It took me a while to make the connection up here,” he said, tapping his temple. “But I’ve always felt you right here,” he swore, pointing to his heart.
Tears flooded her eyes. “Oh, Viggo…”
“I know it sounds crazy, baby, but ever since that night six years ago, I’ve been looking for you. I may not have realized it, but I was. And now that I’ve found you, I am never, ever letting you out of my life again.”
As he smoothly dropped to one knee, Scarlett sucked in a sharp breath. Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod…
He gazed up at her, his heart in his eyes. “Jag älskar dig så mycket. I love you so much, Scarlett Rain Warner. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I hope to God you feel the same way.”
Happiness bubbled up inside her, a dazzlingly radiant happiness that burst out of her in a euphoric laugh. “I do feel the same way!”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah!”
Eyes glittering with laughter and joy, Viggo reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out an exquisitely stunning sparkler that made her gasp. The pale pink cushion-cut diamond was surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds embedded in a delicate platinum band.
“Oh my God,” she heard herself whimper.
Viggo stared into her eyes. “Vill du gifta dig med mig?” he asked in a knee-weakeningly husky voice. “Will you marry me, sweetheart?”
“Ja,” Scarlett exclaimed, tears rushing down her face. “Yes, Viggo Sandström, I will absolutely marry you!”
He beamed brighter than a thousand suns, melting her heart even more.
When he held up the gorgeous ring, she grinned and put her hand out to let him slide it onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
Overcome with emotion, she sank to her knees—tight dress and all—and threw her arms around Viggo’s neck, practically tackling him.
With an ecstatic laugh, he crushed her to his chest, his face buried in her hair as he whispered, “Du är min.”
“Yes,” she whispered tearfully. “I’m yours. I am so yours. And you are all mine.”
He pulled back just enough to clasp her face in his hands and vow fiercely, “I’m gonna make you so damn happy.”
Before she could respond, he claimed her mouth in a breathtakingly searing kiss. She kissed him back with equal ferocity, feeling like she could just melt right into his soul.
As a burst of cheers and applause erupted, they broke apart and looked behind them.
Scarlett was shocked to see a crowd gathered outside the massive cathedral doors. Viggo’s family members stood at the front. His father and brothers wore the broadest grins. His mother and sisters were crying.
“Congratulations, you two!” they called out with glowing smiles.
Viggo and Scarlett grinned at them, then at each other.
“When did you plan this?” she asked wonderingly.
His grin broadened. “Before we got here.”
“What?” she gasped.
Laughing, he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. Before she could ask more questions, he took her hand and began leading her down the aisle.
“C’mon,” he said with a mysterious twinkle in his eyes. “I want to show you something.”
After accepting hugs and congratulations from his family and a bunch of tourists, they left the castle and headed for the islands that formed the Stockholm archipelago. That was all Viggo would tell her about their destination. Nothing more.
They’d been in the car less than five minutes when Scarlett’s phone rang. Even before she pulled it out of her handbag, she knew her mother was calling. “I swear this woman has some sort of radar,” she joked.
“Actually,” Viggo said, “she knew I was proposing today. Your whole family knew. And Reid.”
Scarlett gaped at him. “Really?”
He grinned. “Before we left home, I went to your father and asked for your hand in marriage. ”
“Are you serious?”
“Totally.” He nodded to her ringing phone. “You should probably get that.”
Laughing, Scarlett put her mother on speaker. “Hey, Ma. It’s three o’clock in the morning over there. What’re you doing up?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She sounded wired and giddy. “Do you have some news to share?”
“News?” Scarlett winked at Viggo, signaling him to play along. “What news?”
There was a pause. “Didn’t something happen this morning? Something big?”
“Oh. That.” Scarlett sighed. “Viggo asked me to marry him—”
Her mother squealed.
“—but I turned him down.”
“WHAT!”
It was all Scarlett could do not to laugh. “C’mon, Ma. How many times have I told you that I’m not interested in getting married?”
“But, Scarlett, you love him!”
“What’s love got to do with it?” she quipped.
Viggo moaned pathetically, “She broke my heart, Mrs. Warner.”
“Scarlett!” Her mom was losing it.
Scarlett could no longer hold back her laughter. “Calm down, Ma! We’re just messing with you.” She smiled at Viggo. “I’m pleased to inform you that The Swede and I are now engaged.”
Her mother’s ecstatic scream was loud enough to shatter the windows. “Congratulations, you two lovebirds!”
They laughed warmly and thanked her.
“I’m so happy for both of you!” she gushed excitedly. “I just wish I could have been there to see the proposal! I bet it was romantic!”
“It was.” Scarlett reached over to stroke Viggo’s jaw. “It was unbelievably romantic. Symbolic, too. We first saw each other on a Wednesday, and he proposed on a Wednesday.”
A dreamy sigh floated through the phone. “Did she cry, Viggo?”
He grinned at Scarlett. “A little.”
She laughed. “It was more than a little.”
Her mom chortled gleefully. “I wish I could have seen you!”
“There was a camera set up in the cathedral,” Viggo told her, grinning at Scarlett’s surprised look. “We’ll send the video to you.”
“Please do!” Sherise begged. “I can’t wait to see it! And I can’t wait to meet your family, Viggo.”
“They said the same thing.” He grinned. “Whether or not my team makes it to the finals, my whole family is coming to Denver the first week of June. So everyone will meet at that time.”
“Wonderful! Looking forward to it!”
Scarlett could picture her mother beaming from ear to ear, practically floating on air. It made her grin. “I know everyone already knew that Viggo was proposing, but I’ll call Nadia and Lennox in a few hours to give them the deets. So don’t steal my thunder, Ma.”
“I won’t,” she promised. “But don’t wait too long. You know I’m bursting at the seams over here.”
“I know you are.” Scarlett chuckled. “Anyway, we’re on the road so I’ll call you later. Go back to bed.”
“Back? I never went!” She giggled. “I’m about to wake your father up and tell him the marvelous news. Then I’m going to call Pop Pop in Virginia. You know your anthem performance made him cry. He spoke very highly of you too, Viggo. I don’t know what impressed him more—your hockey playing or your fighting skills.”
Viggo laughed.
Scarlett just grinned and shook her head. “Love you, Ma.”
“Love you too, baby.” Her voice came through the phone like a warm hug. “Welcome to the family, Viggo.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Warner. It’s a privilege.”
“Aww.” She melted.
So did Scarlett. “We’ll be home tomorrow, Ma.”
“Okay, baby. You two have a safe flight.”
“Thank you.” Scarlett thumbed the screen and ended the call, then leaned over and smooched Viggo’s cheek. “Jag älskar dig.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.” He grinned at her. “Your Swedish keeps getting better and better.”
“Of course,” she quipped with a grin. “I was Swedish in a past life, remember?”
He laughed. “Of course.”
Settling back into her seat, she mused aloud, “Speaking of past lives, I had the weirdest feeling of déjà vu when I was standing outside the cathedral. It felt like I’d been there before.”
“Yeah?” A smile touched Viggo’s lips. “The first time we made love, you jokingly suggested that we met in a past life. Maybe we really did. Maybe we got married in that cathedral.”
“Holy shit.” Scarlett laughed, rubbing her arms through her coat. “You just gave me goosebumps.”
He laughed, his eyes resting on her face. “I love the idea of us being time-traveling soul mates. It’d be a great story to share with our children someday.”
“It would,” she agreed, smiling at him.
Something like hope flickered in his eyes before he swallowed and returned his attention to the highway.
Since getting back together, their lives had been a whirlwind. So they hadn’t had much time to talk more in depth about their future. About their hopes and expectations. But that would soon change.
Smiling, Scarlett reached over and touched Viggo’s cheek. “When did you remember the night we first saw each other? When did it hit you?”
“Well,” he began with a grin, “I had major déjà vu when I saw you sitting in the stands at the Chicago game.”
“I remember.” She laughed. “After you scored a goal, you pointed at me and winked just like you did that night six years ago. As you skated away, you did a double take.”
He laughed. “Yeah. That was wild. I thought I was losing my damn mind,” he said, switching lanes. “But it finally hit me on Saturday night when we played Tampa Bay.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “It happened right when you stepped up to the mic to sing the national anthem. You had that big spotlight on you, and I swear it was like God just smacked me upside the head and shouted, ‘Okay, you big dope. Now do you remember her?”
Scarlett let out a delighted peal of laughter, clapping her hands together. “Is that why you were staring at me with that super intense look?”
“That was one of the reasons.” He grinned at her. “Recognizing you from that night totally floored me. I was so damn excited to have the mystery solved, I wanted to skate right up to you, grab you and kiss the hell out of you. Honestly, babe, I’m kinda glad you sat in the owner’s box that night, because I might have been distracted if you were sitting anywhere near the ice.”
Scarlett laughed, silly tears pricking her eyes. “I was beginning to think you would never remember.”
“I’m sorry.” His voice softened. “I wish you’d told me a long time ago.”
“I’m glad I didn’t,” she said feelingly. “It was better this way. So much more meaningful.”
He smiled, reached over and gently squeezed her knee, sending heated little tingles up her leg. When she smiled at him, he winked before returning his hand to the steering wheel.
As they traveled deeper into the archipelago, Scarlett stared out the window at the rolling pastoral countryside. “So where exactly are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
She turned her head, caught his mysterious smile and grinned. “You’re just full of surprises today, aren’t you? When did you tell your family you were planning to propose to me?”
“I told Rikard before we left Denver. The others found out on Monday after breakfast. I gathered them together while you were taking a shower.” He chuckled. “They were so excited, especially my mom. She squealed so loud I thought you would hear her.”
Scarlett laughed. “I didn’t. But even if I had, I wouldn’t have known what she was squealing about.”
“True.” He grinned. “I knew it was risky to tell Svea. She’s never been very good at keeping secrets. Astrid said she almost spilled the beans when you guys went to lunch that day. Apparently she made some comment about having a rock star in the family?”
Scarlett grinned. “I didn’t even catch that.”
“Good,” he grunted. “I woulda strangled her if she’d ruined the surprise.”
“And what a surprise it was.” Scarlett stared down at the sparkling diamonds on her finger. The center stone was huge without being gaudy. “I can’t believe you got me a pink diamond ring.”
Viggo gave her a sideways grin. “I don’t care how much you love hockey and rock ’n’ roll. There’s a girly girl hiding inside you, and she went a little nuts when she saw that pink ring.”
Scarlett burst out laughing. It was scary how quickly he’d figured her out.
“So,” he said casually, tapping the steering wheel, “what’d you think of the castle?”
“It’s amazing! It looks like an enchanted castle, like something out of a fairy—” She broke off, blushing with embarrassment.
Viggo grinned. “And there she is.”
“Who?”
“Your inner girly girl.”
She groaned and covered her face with her hands, which made him laugh.
“So…wanna get married there?”
She uncovered her face and stared at him. “At the castle?”
“Yeah. You feeling it?”
She laughed. “Are you kidding? Having a wedding there would be so freaking romantic!”
Viggo grinned, looking relieved. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
She gave him a soft smile. “Rikard told me you have a lot of happy memories there. I can’t think of a more perfect place for us to start our lives together.”
His eyes gentled before he reached over and skimmed his knuckles down her cheek.
She caught his hand and brought it to her lips, watching his face as she kissed each broad finger.
His gaze went from tender to hungry. When she unconsciously crossed her legs, he gave her an appreciative perusal that left her tingling before his eyes returned to the road.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” he said huskily. “You were wearing the same color the night we met at the engagement party.”
“I was.” She smiled at him. “Is that why Svea told me to wear this cream dress?”
“Yeah.” He eyed her knee-high boots and grinned wickedly. “I want you to keep those on when I make love to you later.”
Heat curled through her belly. “Yes, Mr. Sandström.”
An hour later, he drove through a picturesque village with cobblestone streets and quaint wooden houses surrounded by dense hills and forests dusted with snow. Scarlett gazed out the window with mounting curiosity and excitement.
After following a scenic shoreline for several miles and turning onto a secluded road, they finally reached their destination: an exquisitely charming two-story cottage by the sea.
“Oh my goodness.” Scarlett’s voice was barely above a whisper. She felt awestruck.
As Viggo swung into the drive and pulled all the way up to the house, her face was practically glued to the window. “Is this your family’s summer cottage?”
“No.” He turned off the engine. “It’s ours.”
“What?” She whipped her head around to stare at him. “You…you bought this place?”
“I did.” He flashed her a smile, then got out and came around to open the door for her.
She stepped out slowly, never taking her eyes off the storybook red cottage with white trim. Flanked by large trees and framed against the backdrop of the glittering sea, it looked like a picture postcard.
“Oh, Viggo…” She breathed out a sigh.
He watched her, enjoying her reaction. “I love my family’s cottage, and I can’t wait to share it with you this summer. But I wanted a place of my own.” His voice softened. “A place just for us.”
Her insides melted into a gooey puddle. “Oh, Viggo,” she whispered again. It was all she could say.
He smiled and took her hand. “C’mon, baby. Let’s go inside.”
As they climbed the front steps together, Scarlett noticed that the landscaping around the cottage was as immaculate as the rest of the property. When she glanced up and down the secluded road, she couldn’t see any other houses between the thick trees.
“Where’s our closest neighbor?”
“About half a mile down the road,” Viggo answered. “I met them on Monday. They’re pretty cool. They bought their cottage as a summer home several years ago. They loved the town so much, they now live here year-round.”
“Wow. What an endorsement.”
“I know.” He smiled. “They invited us over for a barbecue when we come back this summer.”
Scarlett grinned. “New friends. Yay.”
Chuckling, Viggo unlocked the front door and pushed it open, then paused.
She gave him a curious look. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I know we’re not married yet, but dammit, I have to do this.” He swept her up into his arms and carried her through the door, grinning at her joyous peal of laughter.
As they crossed the threshold, she looked around in awe and breathed, “Oh my God…” She trailed off, taking in the cozy scene before her.
There was a large red-and-white checked blanket spread on the floor in front of the crackling fireplace. A picnic basket sat in the middle with a bottle of champagne peeking out of the top.
“I thought we could christen the place with a winter picnic,” Viggo drawled.
“Oh, baby, that’s so romantic,” Scarlett cooed, leaning forward to kiss him softly.
He grinned, nipping her bottom lip. “I figured I should feed you before I devour you.”
She laughed, nipping him right back. “Is that why you brought me all the way out here? To devour me?”
His eyes gleamed. “Since you refused to let us check into a hotel after the big family dinner tonight, I came up with another solution.”
“How resourceful of you.” She grinned. “Before you have your way with me, at least let me explore our lovely cottage.”
“That seems reasonable.” He grinned and set her on her feet, watching as she swept an appreciative gaze over the golden pine floors and crisp whitewashed walls. The cottage was flooded with natural light from all the windows, and the sea view from every angle was breathtaking.
Viggo tucked his hands into his pockets. “I told my Realtor to find us a place that was a little further from the mainland so we could enjoy a longer drive up here.”
“Good idea,” Scarlett enthused. “That was such a gorgeous, relaxing drive.”
“It’s even better in the summer.”
“I believe you.” Almost giddy with delight, she wandered into the small dining room to admire the chair-high wainscoting. The cottage was chock-full of charm and beauty.
“There are three bedrooms and a loft on the second floor,” Viggo told her. “We also have an indoor bathroom.”
She grinned over her shoulder. “No roughing it outdoors?”
“Nah.” He chuckled. “You’ll get to experience the outhouse at the family cottage. I didn’t want to scare you off.”
“I don’t even think that’s possible.”
Grinning, he followed her through the archway into the kitchen. It was small but airy and bright, with white cupboards and rustic touches that made her sigh. When she looked out the window over the sink and saw the frost-covered garden, she beamed with pleasure. The garden would be spectacular in the summer with the flowers bursting into bloom.
“So what do you think?”
Scarlett turned from the window and let out an ecstatic squeal. Then she rushed over and jumped into Viggo’s arms, making him laugh as she showered his face with kisses.
“It’s absolutely perfect,” she said breathlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It already feels like home.”
He smiled into her eyes. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.”
“I do,” she gushed. “It’s so warm and cozy and romantic!”
He nuzzled her lips softly with his. “I hope you don’t mind that it’s empty. You seem to really like traditional Swedish décor. But just in case you wanted something different, I left the cottage unfurnished so we could decorate it together, put our own stamp on it.”
“Thank you,” she said appreciatively. “You totally made the right call.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She beamed, looking around excitedly. “I can’t wait to decorate this place. It’s gonna be awesome!”
“I have no doubt.” Grinning broadly, Viggo set her down again and playfully swatted her ass.
She laughed and grabbed his hand, tugging him outside to the wraparound deck that looked out over the sea.
“Ohhh,” she breathed in amazement. “Look at this view…wow…”
Viggo came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She smiled and leaned against him, enjoying the warmth of his body as a cold, salty breeze washed over them, carrying the scent of sea and snow. The cottage was located on a cliff that led down to a private dock.
“Do you have a boat?” Scarlett asked curiously.
“I’m buying one.” Viggo nuzzled her hair. “I can’t wait to spend a lazy summer here with you. Going swimming and canoeing. Napping on the hammock together. Watching sunsets every night. Making love for hours. All that good stuff.”
She sighed, practically levitating with happiness. “Sounds like heaven.”
“Absolute heaven.” He snuggled her closer. “We need to discuss wedding dates, baby.”
“Yes, we do.” Her smile felt ridiculously goofy. “Of course, the date will depend on the availability of the venue. That castle is probably a popular wedding spot. It could be booked through next year.”
“Fuck, I hope not. I can’t wait that long to marry you.”
“How soon were you aiming for?”
“Before the end of the summer.”
“Wow.” His urgency sent a thrill of pleasure through her. “That soon?”
“Not soon enough,” he growled.
She giggled and then sighed. “Reid and Nadia’s wedding is June twenty-fifth, so that month is out. I’ll be on tour part of July and you’ll be deep into your offseason training. Honestly, we have a pretty small window of opportunity for a summer wedding.”
Viggo turned her to face him and slid his hands up to her cheeks. His fingers were warm against her skin. “We’ll make it work,” he promised her.
“Yes,” she agreed. “We absolutely will.”
He leaned down and kissed her forehead, a tender gesture that swelled her heart. As he pulled away, she smiled up at him. Sunlight filtered through the surrounding tree branches, highlighting the golden tips of his lashes.
“I wanna have your baby,” she blurted.
His entire face lit up. “You do?”
“I do,” she said ardently. “I mean, not right now, obviously. I’d like to wait a few years before we start a family. But I definitely want one. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted to have children with, Viggo, and I know you’re going to be an amazing father.”
He framed her face with his hands, his eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me today.”
She gave him a big grin. “That goes both ways.”
He bent his head and took her mouth. Her heart hammered as she leaned into him, winding her arms around his neck and clinging to him. The heat of his kiss and the velvety stroke of his tongue melted her from the inside out and turned her legs to pure jelly.
Slowly he lifted his mouth, their breath mingling as he rested his forehead on hers and stared into her eyes. “God, I love you,” he said fiercely. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
She smiled tenderly. “I feel the same way.”
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she laid her head against his broad chest and absorbed his warmth, his strength, his permanence. Her heart was melting with so much emotion she could hardly stand it.
They stood gazing at the stunning seascape, enjoying their own little slice of heaven.
“I’ve been fantasizing about this,” Viggo murmured.
“What?”
“The two of us at our summer cottage. I’ve fantasized about this moment so many times, Scarlett. Having you here…it’s even better than I imagined.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now we just have to add four kids to the picture and we’re all set.”
She choked out a laugh. “Four?”
“That’s what I envisioned.”
“Um, we might need to tweak your vision a little.”
A soft laugh rumbled out of him and into her. “C’mon, baby,” he teasingly cajoled, pointing at the snow-dusted lawn. “Look down there. Can’t you just see our four beautiful children running and playing tag on a warm summer afternoon? Can’t you just see their little faces smeared from eating the blueberries we picked that day? Can’t you just see them—two budding hockey players, a singer and a drummer?”
The picture his words painted had her ovaries crying out. “Dammit,” she grumbled. “You don’t play fair.”
He laughed warmly and gathered her closer, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She burrowed into his chest and sighed, perfectly content to stand there cuddling in the cold. He didn’t seem in any hurry to move either.
“Viggo?”
“What, baby?”
She lifted her head off his chest to look up at him. “What’s the Swedish word for bliss?”
He smiled down at her. “Lycksalighet.”
“Lycksalighet.” She stared into his face, saw the pure love in his eyes and whispered dreamily, “Yeah. That works.”