Page 169 of The Risk Taker
“I don’t know. Any ideas?” I say, but something about the glint in his eyes tells me he already knows.
I twist my lips in suspicion as I peer inside it.
“A key,” I say, pulling it out by its keyring, which is a tiny heart carved from driftwood.
“Want to see what it’s for?” Slade asks.
Before I answer, he entwines his fingers with mine and leads me away from the party, a heart-stopping smile on his face.
The walk along the shore takes a while. But I don’t mind. I’m busy soaking up the feeling of being married. Not long ago, I was getting ready to walk down the aisle to the wrong man. Now I’m walking underneath a moonlit sky as waves lap at my toes and the man I’m utterly in love with carries my heels and strokes my hand inside his.
Nothing could make me happier right now.
“Nearly there,” Slade says, leading me up the sand toward the tree line.
I’m starting to recognize where we are.
“The hotel?”
“Kind of,” Slade says as he takes me along the path I walked so many times when Mel and I were here for the retreat.
I grin as I spot the first of many hurricane lamps filled with fairy lights illuminating our way.
“We’re going to your workshop, aren’t we?”
Slade slides his eyes to mine. “Not exactly.”
I narrow mine at him in suspicion, but it only makes him chuckle.
“Patience, Baby. You’ll see.”
As we round the corner, his old workshop comes into view. But where a part of the roof was damaged before, the entire thing has been replaced. In fact, all of it looks like it’s had a refresh.
“Open it.” Slade smiles as we stop at the door.
I slide the key Nandi gave me into the new lock and push the door open. Slade grabs me, hoisting me up into his arms, bridal style, making me shriek out a surprised giggle.
The second he steps inside, I go silent.
Hurricane vases with more fairy lights illuminate the interior. The whole space has been transformed. It’s been turned into a suite. There’s a large bed in the center of the room, withwhite curtains draped above it like sails. An open-top bath in the luxurious bathroom peeks through a doorway.
Every available surface has been covered in vases of flowers amongst the lights. In a bucket on a coffee table, there’s a bottle of champagne.
“Slade,” I whisper.
“The hotel turned it into a honeymoon suite for people who wanted privacy away from the main hotel. It hasn’t officially opened yet. Nandiborrowedthe key for us.”
I gaze at him, tracing his strong jawline with the tip of my finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“I like the idea of people being in here… starting something new together.”
“So do I.” I press a kiss to his jaw. “And this is where I saw the real you the first time. Even if it was because you got dust in your eye.”
“I know.”
He looks at me and the warm glow from the fairy lights reflects in his achingly beautiful eyes.
“Always blue now,” he murmurs.
