Page 85 of The Paris Chapter

We had left our flats and moved into one together, still overlooking the river in Putney. So now we only had one bed again and loved every minute of waking up and going to sleep beside one another. Pictures of Paris lined our walls and we loved nothing more than going home-décor shopping when we hadthe time. We dreamed one day of having a second home in Paris, but until then we wanted to come back as often as we could.

‘We can play whatever games you like,’ Ethan said, coming over to hand me a glass of champagne. He leaned down to drop a kiss on the spot on my neck that he knew would make me shiver with anticipation.

‘Hmm, I have a few ideas,’ I gasped.

Ethan lifted off me and pulled back with a grin. ‘I can’t wait to hear them. In French.’

‘That’s why you taught me all the dirty words first, isn’t it?’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.

‘Guilty as charged.’

We stepped out onto the balcony. It was pleasantly warm for February. Spring had arrived early, so in our light jackets, we weren’t cold. Ethan wrapped an arm around me and I leaned against him as we looked out at Paris together.

‘This is perfect,’ I said to him. ‘Je t’aime.’

‘I love you so much, sweetheart,’ Ethan replied. He turned to me and gave me a kiss. ‘Meeting you here was the best thing that ever happened to me.’

I smiled. ‘I feel the same way.’ Having someone by my side made everything sweeter. I loved and trusted Ethan, we made a great team, and I now knew that you could never plan who would be the perfect person for you. Ethan had been the best surprise. I was a better person for the time we had spent together in Paris last year. And I knew we had so many more years ahead of us too.

‘A toast,’ Ethan said. ‘Before I take you inside and remind us how comfortable the bed is here…’

I giggled, already desperate to be on that bed with him.

Ethan looked at me with so much love in his eyes, my gigglesdied away. ‘To Paris, for bringing us together. It will always be my favourite city because of that.’

‘Me too,’ I agreed. We clinked our glasses and took a sip as we smiled at one another.

Ethan reached out to touch my lip with his fingertips. ‘I hope you are always by my side, sweetheart.Pour toujours.’

‘Pour toujours,’ I agreed.

Forever.

It sounds good to me.