He pulled back, just a few inches so that my field of vision was filled with a pair of brilliant green eyes.
‘I love you, Rhys. I have done for a very long time. I’m so sorry I never told you that before today.’
‘You’re telling me now, and that’s all that matters.’
‘In the pouring rain, in the middle of a thunderstorm,’ I said on a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob.
‘Where else could we possibly do this?’ His arms tightened and he pulled me in closer, trying to shield me from the weather, from harm, from everything.
‘Do you want to go inside?’
‘In a moment,’ he said, pressing me even tighter against his body. ‘Right now, I don’t want to move, because I really thought I’d never get to hold you like this again.’
Rain was steadily trickling down my neck, pooling in the small of my back, and yet all I could feel was a warm glow from his words.
‘We’ve so much to work out. So much we need to decide upon. We—’
‘Later,’ he said, silencing my worries with another kiss.
I snuggled closer, my hands sliding from his neck down to his chest. As they did, my fingertips grazed something almost hidden beneath his shirt. I moved the fabric aside and saw the tape of a large wound dressing.
‘You’re hurt,’ I cried, peering at the bandage that covered a large section of his upper chest, directly over his heart.
‘Not exactly,’ he said, taking the hand that was resting on the gauze and bringing it to his lips. ‘It’s a tattoo,’ he said, sounding sheepish.
‘A tattoo?’ I returned my incredulous gaze to his chest. ‘But you’re terrified of needles.’
‘I am. But this was something I had to do.’
Realisation dawned slowly in my eyes. ‘The marks, the Lichtenberg figures. You’ve had them tattooed back on, haven’t you?’
He nodded. ‘We once said that you and I would last as long as they were there. I just took out some extra insurance.’
‘You were always coming back to me, weren’t you?’
He nodded again. ‘And you were never going to let us go?’
I inclined my head in agreement. ‘I’m never leaving you again or letting you walk away.’
I’d seen so many smiles on that handsome face, but this one was new to me. It was filled with tomorrows.
Then he bent his head and kissed me again, properly and thoroughly and yes, there was thunder and lightning exploding overhead, but all I saw were stars.
Epilogue
‘Are you ready?’
‘Just coming,’ I called out, pausing for a moment to dab the tiny beads of perspiration from my upper lip. It was so hot. The heat didn’t usually bother me, but today I was struggling.
I picked up the silver hoop earrings from the dressing table and slipped them on and stood back to survey my reflection. The blue sleeveless dress fell in soft filmy folds around my calves and went perfectly with my strappy sandals.
Rhys was waiting beside the floor-length picture window, silhouetted against the ocean. I didn’t think either view was one I would ever tire of looking at.
‘Sorry. Have I made us late?’
Rhys checked his watch. ‘No. There’s still plenty of time. It’s not like they can start without me.’
I crossed the room to slide my arms around his waist.