Party Crashers

anything?"
    "I think you're paraphrasing."
    "Humor me."
    "Yes, I do."
    "Well, you were right—partially. I've lived a charmed life, and I've never known what it felt like to need something." He pressed his lips together. "To need...someone." A flush rose on his cheeks. "The truth is, you were also right when you accused me of viewing you as a project."
    Jolie's heart dipped to her stomach.
    He squeezed her hand. "I'm ashamed to say that you were a project to fill a void in my heart. I was selfishly trying to force my affection on you when your life was crazy. Now, I'm being selfish again, but I want to take you away from the bad memories where we can learn everything about each other in a beautiful, exotic land." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. "Come with me. Think of what an adventure we'll have."
    Her heart vaulted to her throat. "What if I say no?"
    "Then I'll have to stay in Atlanta and pester you until you say yes."
    "But...what would I do in Costa Rica?"
    He shrugged. "Sell real estate, sell shoes, sell coffee beans." He pulled her closer. "You can start over... we can start over. Jolie..." He sighed. "I'm crazy in love with you."
    "You are?" she managed. "Since when?"
    "Since the day you crashed into me." He lowered his mouth to hers for a slow, sensuous kiss, and Jolie felt herself crumbling, wanting, hoping. Her mind reeled at the possibilities...and the risk.
    When he pulled back, he squinted. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"
    "I...don't have a passport."
    His mouth quirked. "That we can fix. Is that all?"
    "I...don't have boots."
    "Good thing we're in the middle of the shoe department."
    Jolie felt engorged with emotion, yet paralyzed with uncertainty. The words were shouting in her heart, but cowering on her tongue. Could she dare say them? Snatches of scenes from the past few days flashed in her mind. Life was so fragile, so random...she had nothing to lose, except everything. She could stay in Atlanta and live comfortably and quietly.
    Then something Carlotta had said came floating back to her. You're too young to be comfortable .
    "Jolie," he said, his eyes questioning. "Is that all?"
    "No." She wet her lips. "I...I love you too, Beck." She said the words on a long breath that left her lungs empty.
    "You do?"
    She nodded. "Since the day you crashed into me ."
    He whooped and lowered another kiss to her mouth. She poured all her hopes and dreams into the kiss. Beck seemed to understand the leap of faith she was taking and his mouth promised she wouldn't be sorry.
    "Get a room!" someone shouted.
    Beck lifted his head and grinned at her, his dark eyes shining. "What do you say? My room is five minutes away."
    Jolie laughed. "I say...let's go crash."

Epilogue

    "TAKE THESE FOR SURE," Beck said, holding up a pair of miniscule pink lace panties and wagging his eyebrows.
    Jolie bounced a rolled-up pair of socks off his arm. " I'll sort through my underwear drawer, thank you very much." Then she looked around and sighed. Her bedroom floor was covered with cardboard boxes and crates bound for Goodwill. "Besides, I won't have room in my suitcase for something so impractical."
    Beck tucked the panties into the pocket of his T-shirt and gave it a pat. "I got you covered." He grinned and swooped in for a kiss. "In fact, I will personally see to the safe arrival of any sexy underwear you want to take to Costa Rica."
    She lifted her arms around his neck and leaned into him for a slow, rocking kiss. She could scarcely wait until they were in Costa Rica together. Long, warm nights lying heart to heart. She couldn't have hoped to be this happy.
    "The Goodwill truck will be here soon," he said. "I'm going to start carrying boxes to the curb."
    Jolie nodded. "I just have a few more things to sort through." She watched with bittersweet excitement as he hoisted a box of her former life to his shoulder and maneuvered his way through her bedroom door. She turned and caught sight of herself in the mirror of the bureau that was bound for storage. Wild, blonde curls, wide eyes, pink cheeks—she'd never looked or felt so alive.
    The past week had been a flurry of packing and planning. Sammy had promised Jolie she would have a job at the Sanders Agency if things didn't work out in Costa Rica, and while Jolie was grateful for the offer, she had no doubt that she and Beck would be together always. Since the moment he'd come to the department store to ask her to go with him, they had scarcely been apart.