Page 164 of Blue Gold

“Is there anything else that’s bothering you?”

He nodded.

“H-how long will I need to stay there?” His voice was weak, like that of a scared child.

It saddened me, but I knew this step was necessary.

“For as long as it will take you to heal.”

“And what if I never heal?”

Bringing his hand to my lips, I kissed it. “Don’t allow yourself to think negatively, my love. You will get better, and I’ll be there every step of the way.”

His lips formed a thin smile, his sapphire eyes shining in the most brilliant way possible.

“I’m scared,” he admitted in a whisper only I could hear.

It was this authenticity of his, which was so rare in the circles I’d grown up in, that was one of the reasons I fell for him.

“I was scared, too.” I brushed my finger over his unique beauty spot, a smile on my lips. “When we first met, the way I wanted to be with you scared me to death.”

“I remember.” He chuckled. “You were so scared you didn’t even want to go swimming with me.”

“Skinny-dipping,” I reminded him with a raised brow, making him laugh even louder, the warm sound going straight to my heart.

“I kept my underwear on in the end.”

“You did.” I smiled, remembering that day. “But what I’m trying to say is that I was terrified of how I felt for you, and as you remembered, it led me to make some foolish mistakes.”

He huffed. “Yeah. Like breaking my heart on my birthday. Asshole.”

“See?” I grinned. “Imagine if I’d submitted to my fears and allowed it all to end there? Wouldn’t that be a tragedy?”

Pouting, he side-eyed me. “You would have had a lot less great sex, that’s for sure.”

I laughed, cupped his face, and planted a big kiss on the side of his head. “That’s true. But my point is… don’t let anything, especially fear, stand in your way.”

Holding my stare, he smiled. “I won’t.”

Elliot was a hundred times more courageous than me or anyone else I knew, and with his kindness, honesty, and love, he was capable of changing the world. Or, in my case, my life. If only he’d realized it himself. But I assumed that, after all the things he’d taught me, it was my turn to show him what a one-of-a-kind human he was—without a doubt, the most beautiful soul I’d ever met. One full of kindness and love. The type who ignored the drabness of the city and instead focused on the blueness of the sky, which wasn’t as closely remarkable as his eyes.

The Blue Gold of my existence.

In that moment, I promised both him and myself that for the rest of our lives, I would show him just how loved and adored he was. More importantly, I would love him in the way he truly deserved—completely and unwaveringly. With every bit of my being, and with my heart beating just for him, I would love my French prince until the day this world ceased to exist. And far, far, beyond that.

EPILOGUE ONE

DANIEL

Four months later

Elliot held my hand as he guided us through the peach orchard to our favorite spot. It was a wooden bench sitting on a hill that overlooked the entire facility. From there, the beauty of Sonoma Valley spread for miles, offering an incredible view that made you forget what this place was all about.

“Slow down,” I panted, trying to catch up while Elliot practically sprinted up the hill.

“Seems like you’re out of shape,” he chuckled, moving gracefully like a deer in the wild.

“No, you’re just way too fast.”