Chapter Twenty-Four
After a full day of interviews, Anders stumbled into his hotel room exhausted. Pulling off his suit jacket and removing his shoes, he did the one thing he’d wanted to do all day: call Josie. They made small talk, recounting the events of the day and enjoying the connection they felt from hearing the other’s voice.
“I think I’m going to reconsider your offer about staying at your house.”
Even though her voice gave no signs of distress, Anders’ frame stiffened. “What happened? Did someone bother you? Are you okay?”
Josie laughed, the relaxed sound of her voice doing nothing to curb his sudden rush of adrenaline. “I’m fine. Nothing’s happened. Madison just pointed out a certain benefit I failed to consider.”
Anders exhaled and raked his hand through his hair, still on edge. “Oh? What’s that?”
“I’m missing a prime opportunity to snoop through your shit.”
Anders opened and closed his mouth at a complete loss for words. With a chuckle, he fell on the bed. “Rookie mistake.”
“Ah, but the beauty of catching it so soon means I can rectify said mistake. Isn’t Maddie the best?”
“She’s something,” he mumbled, his tone petulant. “But there’s a huge flaw in this plan you two cooked up.”
“Which is?”
“I have nothing to hide.”
“So those boxes on the top shelf of your closet with dates matching the years you were in high school are just full of clothes?”
Anders groaned and covered his face. “Fuck. You wouldn’t.”
“You bet your fine ass I would.”
“You think my ass is fine?”
Josie huffed. “Not the point.”
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Not a chance,” she quipped, the smile in her voice evident.
“Fine, but just remember, turnabout is fair play.”
“Please, do you think I’m going to leave anything lying around for you to find?”
“Maybe not, but I’m sure Holden has plenty of dirt on you.”
“He’d never rat me out.”
Anders nodded. Even though he had no interest in becoming best buds with Holden, he wanted to reassure Josie of his commitment to her. “Not now, but I don’t plan on going anywhere. I’ve got time.”
The line was silent for several moments before Josie sighed. “Is it crazy that I miss you already?”
“What’s not to miss?” Anders yawned. Between the flight and his stressful day, fatigue was starting to take its toll.
“You’re impossible.”
“You don’t have to miss me, you know.” His voice was no more than a whisper as his eyes slid shut. “You could come here.”
Josie’s response was just as quiet. “I know. But I think it’s better this way. For now.”
Anders hummed in agreement even though they both knew that wasn’t how he felt.
“Get some rest. We’ll talk soon.”
“Okay. I’ll call you later. Oh, and Ivy?”
“Yeah?”
“I miss you too.”
With a smile in her voice, she wished him a good night and hung up. Anders was asleep before his hand dropped beside him on the bed.
The weeks that followed passed torturously slow. He attended openings, gave dozens of interviews, and traveled around half the globe. The questions became more invasive with each passing day as the news of his humiliation of Aubrey spread. He wasn’t the only one feeling the heat. While the paparazzi weren’t as bad as they’d feared, it wasn’t a walk in the park either. They parked outside of the studio, waiting to get a glimpse of Josie and followed her every chance they got.
He worried it would be too much for her. Every time they Skyped, he expected her to say she couldn’t do it anymore, but it never happened. He mentioned her coming to see him on more than one occasion, but like always, she refused. He knew it was because her doing so would prove they were together. In a time that should have been his happiest, he was still so angry, angry at their situation and the measures they had to take because of others.
He hated hiding their relationship. The irony was not lost on him. It didn’t matter that he was being impatient and selfish. Old habits were hard to break. His insecurities were a perfect example. Josie did her best to reassure him, but he still wondered how much longer she’d deal with all his emotional baggage.
When the press junket ended, any relief Anders felt was short-lived. The paparazzi were waiting for him when he landed in LA. He was bombarded at the airport and every moment after. Between Josie’s hectic work schedule and Anders’ preparation for his new movie filming in Atlanta, they barely managed to see each other, but when they did, they made the most of it, even if they weren’t always alone like Anders wanted. He hated sharing.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
“Stop being such a baby. It’s just dinner and a movie with Holden and Maddie.” Josie rolled her eyes and pushed her phone into her back pocket.
Anders dropped his head to the back of the couch and covered his eyes with his forearm. “Exactly. Your brother, who hates me, and Madison, who seems to take as much pleasure in torturing me as you do.”
“Holden doesn’t hate you. He doesn’t particularly like you, but he’ll come around.”
Anders peeked out from under his arm and cocked a brow. “And Maddie?”
“That’s just her way of letting you know she likes you. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t waste her time talking to you.” Josie waved him off with a flick of her wrist.
“Oh? Is that why you do it? Is that your way of showing me you like me?”
“Among other things.” Josie grinned.
“Why don’t you come over here and show me those other things. That sounds much more intriguing than dinner and some lame-ass movie.”
“You’re not going to see any of those other things if you don’t move your ass.” Josie crossed her arms under her breasts and pushed them together. She knew how much cleavage her top revealed and she wasn’t above using it to her advantage. As much as she tried to pretend dinner with Holden and Madison wasn’t a big deal, it was important to her.
She knew Anders would never be a guy who made an effort to befriend new people. He’d been burned to the core by the people he trusted most, and while that was nearly impossible to overcome, she wanted to show him not everyone was out to hurt him. She wanted him to see that people could like him just for him. Even if he was an asshole most of the time, it worked for him. It was part of his charm, one of the many reasons she loved him.
Anders’ eyes lingered on her chest. When he lifted his gaze to hers, he was met with the sight of her self-satisfied smirk. “You don’t fight fair.”
“I never claimed to. Now come on. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back and I can show you those other things.” Her suggestive tone made Anders’ muscles tighten.
“I like the sound of that.”
Holding out her hand, she wiggled her fingers at Anders. With a resigned sigh, he reached out and took her hand. Intertwining their fingers, he pushed off the couch and pulled her against him. He lifted his free hand and cupped her neck, coaxing her to tilt her face to his.
“Kiss me, Ivy.”
Josie’s eyes slid shut when their lips touched. She’d never had someone light her body on fire the way he did. He was everything to her, and she knew he felt the same way. Breathless, she wrapped her hands in his hair. “Let’s go. We can finish that later.”
Exhaling, Anders dropped his forehead to hers. “Damn right we will.”
“You wanna drive?” Josie asked, locking her front door.
Anders looked up and down the street before turning his attention back to Josie. “It’s not far, right? Can we walk?”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Anders ground his teeth together and tightened his grip on her hand. “It’s already almost dark. We’ll see anyone coming.”
She eyed him then nodded. “Okay.”
They walked down her driveway hand in hand. Josie could feel a shift in the air; it felt weighted, charged. When Anders spoke, she knew she’d been right.
“Jesus, Ivy. Are you that worried about someone seeing us together?”
Josie slowed to a stop and turned to face Anders. “I’m not doing this with you in the middle of the street minutes before we get to my brother’s house. I know you’re frustrated. In case you’ve forgotten, I know firsthand what you’re feeling.”
“Is that why you’re doing this?” He wanted to take back the words as soon as he said them. Josie pressed her lips into a thin line. She held his gaze for a moment before shaking her head and walking down the street. If she stayed, she was going to hit him.
Anders swore under his breath and jogged to catch up. Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he lifted her off the ground and pressed his lips against her neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just ready to start my life with you. I’ve wasted so much time already. I want to hold your hand and not give a fuck if anyone sees.”
Josie tapped his arms and wiggled in his grasp. Reluctantly, he set her down, his eyes widening in surprise when she immediately spun around and grabbed his hands. “Then stop giving a fuck, Anders. Hold my hand. Touch me. Be with me. Stop worrying about how much you want everyone to see us. We don’t have anything to prove. Let’s just focus on each other and let the rest of the world deal with their own problems, okay?”
Anders nodded and started walking again, not trusting himself to not say something stupid. He cut his eyes to the side when Josie laughed. Hesitantly, one side of Anders’ mouth lifted when he saw a smile stretched across her face, her cheeks pulled high.
“What’s funny?”
“You are.”
“Me? Why? What did I do?”
Josie giggled and tried to pull her hand free. Anders shook his head, his smile growing as he gripped her hand tighter.
“You’re such a baby when you don’t get your way. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Lowering her voice, she tried to mimic his tone. “‘I want what I want when I want it, damn it.’”
“Oh”―Anders chuckled, his eyes narrowing―“you’re gonna pay for that.”
Josie squealed and pulled her hand free. She made it a few steps before she was airborne. She felt weightless as she found herself flung over his shoulder. “Put me down!”
“Nope.”
“Put me down or I’m going to give you a wedgie.” To prove her point, Josie reached down and tugged on the top of his boxers.
“I’d do as she says or you’re going to be walking funny the rest of the night.”
Anders’ head snapped up at the sound of Madison’s voice. “Seriously?” he asked, his eyes wide.
Madison shrugged. “It’s what I’d do to Holden.”
Josie flew through the air again as Anders flipped her back over his shoulder and set her on her feet. “What the hell?” she gasped, laughing as she tried to right herself.
“As much as you two are alike, I’ll be damned if I’m taking that chance.”
Josie laughed and popped up on her toes, kissing his lips. “Wise decision.”
“You’re such a shit,” Anders teased. Wrapping his arm around her neck, he pulled her into his side and walked them up the stairs to meet a grinning Madison.
“I hope you guys are hungry. Holden grilled steaks. We can eat out back. I even set up the projector so we can watch the movie outside too.”
“That sounds awesome. We’re starving.”
“Of course we’re starving.” Anders pinned Josie’s arms to her sides and looked at Madison over the top of Josie’s head. “After the last time she tried to cook, I decided starvation would be less painful.”
“Hey!” Josie tried to break free, but he held her tight.
Madison rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Oh man, you have so much to learn. Josie help me grab some stuff from the kitchen. I’ll help you plot something good to get him back later.”
Holden walked out of the kitchen and handed Anders one of the two beers in his hands. “You’d be safer out back with me.” Without another word, he moved to the back of the house and out the door with Anders following close behind.
While their conversation wasn’t as strained as before, it was far from comfortable. They made small talk while Josie and Madison set the table. After a few drinks, the tension eased and by the time they finished dinner, the atmosphere was relaxed.
“Are you guys ready to watch the movie?” Madison asked with a mischievous grin as she grabbed a bottle of wine and moved to one of the oversized chairs on the lawn.
“What are you up to?” Josie asked with narrowed eyes. Without answering, Madison pressed play and the movie started.
It only took a few seconds for Anders to throw his head back and groan. “No fucking way. You can’t be serious.”
Josie’s eyes widened when she looked at the screen, then she doubled over with laughter. “Oh my God. Where did you find this?”
“Not telling,” Madison sang. She scooted over, making room for Holden to slide into the chair with her. He tried to hide his own laughter but failed.
“Fucking hell.” Anders fell into the other chair and pulled Josie onto his lap. “You’re going to owe me so fucking much for sitting through this,” he whispered in her ear. “And I’m cashing in as soon as we leave here.” He dug his fingers into her hips and pulled her against him. His expectations were clear. Lucky for him, Josie was more than willing to comply.
For the next seventy minutes Anders tried not to gouge his eyes out as he watched a much younger version of himself on the screen. It was one of his first movies. It was also his worst. If he had the resources, he’d acquire every copy in circulation just to burn them.
Excusing himself from the group once the movie ended, Anders made his way to the bathroom. He splashed his face with water and dried his hands before pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket. Turning it over in his hands, he blew out a heavy breath and unlocked the door. There was a reason he’d been so complacent all evening; he needed a favor.
When he stepped into the hall, he came face to face with the person he wanted to talk to. Madison lifted her brows when Anders didn’t move from the doorway.
“I need a favor.”
Madison clapped her hands together. “Oh, goodie.”
Anders rolled his eyes at her sarcastic tone. “Can you just”―he thrust the scrap of paper he held into her hand―“can you take my number?”
Madison waved the paper in the air. “And what am I supposed to do with this?”
“You’re going to call me if anything happens to Josie.”
Madison dropped her arms to her sides and shook her head. “Does that work for you? Talking to people that way? Because I can tell you right now, you just hit a big wall of ‘no fucking way’ with me.”
Anders closed his eyes and dropped his head back. He reminded himself that he needed her help, even though it almost killed him to ask for it. “Look, I’m worried about her, okay? You of all people know she’s stubborn as hell. If something happens with the paps, she’s going to try to deal with things herself. I fucked up and left her on her own last time because I thought I was doing the right thing. I don’t want her thinking she has to do it alone ever again.”
Madison gave him a half-smile and nodded. “That was kinda sweet. Just don’t underestimate her.”
“I won’t. But I know the paps followed her more than she admitted. The pictures of her on days she said nothing are proof of that.”
“I won’t go behind her back just to give you updates, but if something happens, and it’s bad enough that I’m worried too, I will call you. That’s as much as I can give you. She comes first.”
“Fair enough.”
“Now go away. I wasn’t standing outside the bathroom to listen to you pee.” Madison waved him off with a flick of her wrist and pushed passed him into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
“They’re all fucking crazy,” Anders mumbled.
After awkward goodbyes, Anders and Josie walked out into the warm night, their arms wrapped around each other.
“Are you staying?” Josie asked, a hopeful smile lifting her cheeks as she pushed open her front door.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
Josie pretended to contemplate his question as she tapped her finger on her chin. Scrunching her face, she hummed. “Maybe not yet. There are a couple of things I want to show you.”
“What sorts of things?” Anders smirked and pulled her against him, shutting her front door with his free hand.
“Other things,” she whispered, her arms tightening around his waist.
“Will I like these other things?”
“You’ll love them.”
Anders’ grip tightened and his heart stuttered at her mention of the word love. His anxiety was evident.
Josie looked at his panic-stricken eyes. “Hey, are you okay?”
Anders let out a low laugh. It was forced and thick with annoyance. “Yeah. I’m great.”
“Okay,” Josie drawled, taking a step back. “I’m just going to stand back here so when lightning strikes you for telling a lie my hair doesn’t get singed.”
Even though Josie’s words were lighthearted, Anders didn’t miss the slight edge of annoyance in her voice. “One step forward, two hundred back.” Anders sighed and tensed his jaw. “I want to tell you…I know I haven’t said―”
Josie shook her head and stepped forward, cutting off Anders’ words when she pressed her finger to his lips. “Stop.”
“But―”
“No. Anders, stop. You don’t have to say anything to me, not until you’re ready.” Josie’s voice was soft, her expression open.
Anders’ face twisted, frustration and anguish gripping his body. Wrapping his arms around Josie, he pulled her close. His lips were firm and insistent as they pressed against her forehead. With his eyes clenched, he spoke through gritted teeth. “You know how I feel about you, right?”
“I know,” she whispered.
“I just―”
“Anders. You don’t have to say it. Not now.” She slid her fingers under the hem of his shirt and scratched her nails up his back. Lifting her eyes to his, she rose up on her toes and pressed their lips together. She pulled back a hairsbreadth, and when she spoke, her lips still brushed against his. “Show me.”
Anders’ lips pressed together, and his heart thundered in his chest. He wanted to tell her. He knew he loved her, but the words lodged in his throat like tar, strangling him until all he could utter was a strained, “Okay.”
Soft and gentle, he undressed her. He kissed every exposed part of her body and said to her with his body the words that refused to leave his lips. He worshiped her. He teased her. Then he did it again.
The following weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Anders had hoped as time passed, people would become less interested in his relationship status. However, the longer he stayed out of nightclubs and away from the party scene, the more people talked. His absence, combined with the buzz about his upcoming movie, made him a target more than ever, which translated into difficulties for him and Josie and the amount of time they were able to spend together.
Unsurprisingly, Anders continued to push the issue of going public. He tried to convince her if they got it over with, they’d be able to spend more time together before he left. Josie was steadfast, though. She didn’t want to go public knowing he would be leaving soon. She didn’t want to deal with the constant harassment alone. She wanted to wait until he was going to be in LA for longer than a few weeks. Her argument was valid, but that didn’t stop the trickle of doubt from seeping into his mind. When he left for Atlanta, it was with a soft kiss and an “I’ll see you soon” on her lips. Even though he had a million opportunities to tell her how he felt―that he loved her―he never did.
He’d been in Atlanta for two weeks when he decided enough was enough. His time away from her caused an ache he could no longer stand. He wanted to touch her. Hold her. Tell her he loved her. He was done hiding. He just needed a helping hand. He needed Madison to pull through for him.
She had fought against helping him at every turn, so neither of them expected to end up truly liking each other. They had actually become friends. Madison found herself rooting for Anders to get his head out of his ass, and Anders found himself wanting to strangle Madison a little less each day.
Anders slumped in his chair and dropped the script to his lap. Rubbing his tired, swollen eyes, he tried to fight the fatigue plaguing his body. All he wanted was to go back to his hotel, fall into bed, and talk to Josie until he passed out.
He was ready for filming to wrap. The women on set had been relentless in their quest to bed him. One in particular refused to take no for an answer. When she pressed about his refusal, it set him off. Until Josie agreed, he couldn’t say it was because of her. The agitation that resulted from that fact caused more than a few people to flee his presence. That girl was no exception.
Sliding his hand into the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out his phone. His mind drifted to Josie and the conversation he hoped she was having with Madison. A conversation that would put an end to their hiding once and for all.
With early afternoon sunlight warming her skin, Madison bounded up Josie’s front steps, determined to have the very conversation Anders was thinking about on the other side of the country.
“Hello?” she called, shutting Josie’s front door behind her.
“In here!” Josie laughed, causing Madison to roll her eyes.
Huffing out a breath, she shook her head in amusement. “You’re watching it again aren’t you?”
Josie looked up from her laptop and shrugged. “How many times did you watch it, Maddie?”
“Fine, whatever. I just like watching Aubrey’s face when she realizes what Anders is about to do. It’s freaking awesome.”
“Exactly.” Josie nodded and closed the laptop. “Besides, it’s a nice reminder that the bitch got what she deserved. Every time I see her name, I want to hit something.” Josie took a sip of her drink and dropped her eyes. “Plus I like hearing him defend me.”
“Josie, he’d do just about anything for you. It’s pretty fucking obvious.”
Josie picked at an invisible thread on her shirt. “I miss him.”
“Then go see him. It’s been months. You two seem to be on the same page. Why are you still waiting?”
“It’s not like we’ve had a chance to go public. Since we got back together, he’s been out of town more than he’s been here.”
“It won’t always be like this. When he’s not filming, he’ll be here all the time. Chances are you’ll be wishing he was gone.”
Josie lifted her brow, her expression serious. “You’ve seen him, right? Even when I want to choke him, I still want to kiss him more.” Sighing, Josie dropped her head to the back of the couch. “I miss fighting with him.”
“There’s something wrong with both of you. I’ve never seen two people who enjoy arguing so much.”
“Shut up.” Josie snatched the container of food out of Madison’s hand and diverted her eyes. She wanted to have some kind of witty comeback, but the truth was, she and Anders were different. She couldn’t explain it and didn’t care to try.
Madison sat beside Josie and opened her own container. “You’re also kind of a bitch when he’s gone.”
Josie’s head shot up, an apology on her lips, before she saw the mischievous grin splitting Maddie’s face. “You suck. That wasn’t nice.”
“But you admit that you’re cranky when he’s away. I’m telling you, things would be a lot easier if you would just get it over with and stop hiding.”
Josie stared at her lap for several moments before nodding. “You’re right. This is ridiculous. I want to go to the movies and have dinner at a restaurant. I want to hold his hand and kiss him in public just because I feel like it. When he comes back, I’m going to tell him. No more hiding.”
Madison gave Josie a wide smile. “Good for you. It’s about time.”
Eating her lunch in a rush, Madison made up an excuse to leave. As soon as she stepped out the door, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Anders’ number.
“What did she say?” he asked, not bothering with formalities.
“You know,” she drawled. “I don’t know why I bothered helping you. You’re so rude.”
“Yes, yes, I’m a dick, I’m an asshole, blah, blah, blah. We covered this the last time we spoke. Unless you have some new insult to add, I’d like to know what Josie said.”
“God, you’re as bitchy as she is. I hope going public will mellow you two out.”
“She said yes? Seriously?” The relief in Anders’ voice was clear. As much as Madison wanted to be annoyed, his desire to tell the world Josie was his girl made her rough edges melt.
“She said yes. You can surprise her without worrying about her cutting off your balls.”
Anders laughed. “I wasn’t worried about that. She’d be hurting herself there.”
“Oh my God. Stop talking. Have a great day, Anders. Jesus.” Not waiting for his smart-ass reply, Madison ended the call.
Anders grinned, not bothered that Madison had hung up on him. His exhaustion forgotten, he jumped from his chair and headed back to the set. They were ahead of schedule, so instead of flying out in four days, he’d be able to leave the following night. Sending a quick text to Nathan to rearrange his flight, Anders shut off his phone and got to work.
That night when he spoke to Josie, he made no mention of his new flight plans. He could tell she was anxious and he couldn’t help but smile. He knew how she felt. The next morning, he wasted no time packing and checking out of the hotel. With his bags in tow, he headed to the set for his final day of filming in Atlanta.
When they shut down the lights and called it a day, it was already dark. Anders ignored the shocked expressions of the other actors when he flat out refused their invitation to go celebrate. He had a plane to catch. Jared, the director, clapped him on the shoulder, amusement lighting up his face.
“You’re the moodiest bastard I’ve ever worked with, but damn if you don’t make up for it with your work. I look forward to the rest of filming in LA.”
Anders turned and shook his hand, his eyes landing on the girl from the day before who had pushed so hard to get his attention. Nodding his head in her direction, he smirked. “Just make sure that one isn’t on set in LA. My girlfriend has a bit of a temper, and there might be trouble.”
The girl gasped and a look of understanding crossed Jared’s face before he chuckled. “Noted. Have a safe flight, Anders.”
“Thanks.”
After battling traffic, airport crowds, and flight delays, he arrived in LA a little after five in the morning. He was tempted to go straight to her house, but he had a plan. Once he was home, he threw a frozen pizza in the oven and jumped in the shower. After filling his stomach and unpacking his suitcase, it was just after eight in the morning. Anders knew Josie would already be out, so he grabbed his phone and keys and headed toward his car. He knew where to find her.
Turning onto the street of the fabric shop, his heart rate spiked when he saw the number of people crowding the parking lots and sidewalks. For a week Josie had talked about her favorite fabric shops participating in a local street fair. She’d gone on and on about the new materials and special pricings until he had to whisper filthy things in her ear to shut her up.
Parking down the block, he shut off his car. Phone in hand, he slid on his sunglasses and slammed his car door shut. The walk toward the fabric store was short. He scanned the crowd, not wanting to walk up on her by accident. People milled about around him, everyone smiling, laughing, and sipping overpriced coffee. Pulling out his phone, he dialed her number.
“Hey, you. What are you up to? Aren’t you supposed to be filming?”
Anders chuckled. “Yeah, I am. We had an early shoot this morning so we’re taking a break.”
Josie hummed into the phone, distracted. “Well, that sucks.”
Anders couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. “Am I disturbing you?”
“What? No. Well, yes, but it’s okay.”
“What are you doing?” He stepped around the side of the neighboring building, his grip tightening around his phone when he saw her.
“I told you about the street fair. The fabric store has a booth out front with samples from their latest shipment. Anders,” she sighed, picking up a swatch of fabric and rubbing the silky material against her cheek. “They have one that would be perfect for a dress idea I have.”
Filling his lungs with a final calming breath, he spoke. “Is it for you? Because that shade of green would look beautiful on you.”
Josie gasped, almost dropping her phone as she whipped her head around, her eyes wide. “What…how?” Her heart thundered in her chest and her pulse beat like a drum in her ears. “Anders,” she whispered, turning in a circle. “Where are you?”
“Turn around, Josie.”
Her eyes shimmered with tears as she dropped her phone from her ear. She didn’t need it. Not when she felt his breath fan over her skin as he whispered in her ear. Giving no thought to where they were or how many people were staring, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Shock froze his muscles for a split second before she was wrapped in his arms and crushed against him.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Atlanta.”
“I finished early. I got in a few hours ago.” He pushed back the hair that had fallen in her eyes but didn’t release his grip around her waist.
“That’s very sneaky of you.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“That you’re sneaky? Of course I’m not. Have you met you?” She laughed, her body thrumming with excitement.
He shrugged, a smirk twisting his lips. “Once or twice. I’m pretty fucking impressive.”
Josie’s head fell back and her eyes pinched at the corners as a laugh burst from her chest. She’d missed him so much and having him in front of her made her giddy. She wiped under her eyes and sniffed, her smile beaming.
“How are we going to make this work? You’re impossible.”
“It’ll work because we’ll make it work. You’ll call me out when I’m being an asshole, and I’ll point out when you’re being a smart-ass.”
Josie giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck again, entwining her fingers and locking them in place. “If we do that, we won’t have time for anything else.”
“Ivy, you’re being a smart-ass.”
“I know. See? Impossible.”
Anders’ eyes softened, his expression earnest. Brushing the pads of his fingers down her cheek, he cupped her jaw. “It’ll work because I love you. I refuse to live without you. Ever.”
Tears spilled down Josie’s cheeks and her heart felt like it was going to explode. Nodding, she swallowed around the lump in her throat and lifted up on her toes. “I love you too.”
Completely oblivious to the camera phones flashing and the dull roar of shocked, excited voices surrounding them, Anders and Josie lost themselves in the first of many public kisses.