Free One Day (A Valentine Short Story) by Samantha Young Page A

beautiful.”
    I smiled, stupid, girly tears pricking the corners of my eyes.
    “There they are,” he grinned back. “Those dimples.”
    “These?” I pointed to them, teasing.
    He nodded and let out a long, shaky exhale. “I was worried. Really worried. I thought you might not see the letter.”
    “I did. This morning. I may have broken the speed limit a couple of times getting here.”
    He laughed, and that warm ache, that ache only he could make me feel, suffused my chest. For what felt like minutes but was perhaps only seconds, we just sat there, staring at one another, drinking each other in.
    “There were moments over the last few months that I wondered if you were real.”
    I nodded. “I had those moments.”
    “I’ve missed you.”
    “I’ve missed you, too.” My smile faltered a little. “But… Fiona?”
    Liam sighed. “I went home and I broke it off with her for good. That was my intention all along. Even before we met. I couldn’t be with someone that betrayed me. And I realized that if I could meet a woman and fall harder for her than anyone in just one day, then what I had with Fiona wasn’t the real thing anyway.”
    “I fell for you, too.” I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine, delighting in the feel of him. “I’m sorry I didn’t let you explain. I just… I just didn’t want you to see how much it would hurt when you told me you were sorry but you were going home to your fiancé.”
    “I realized that was what was probably in your head.” He clasped my hand tightly in his.
    Laughter bubbled past my lips as excitement and fear mingled inside me. “We’re crazy. Everyone is going to think we’re crazy.”
    He leaned over the table toward me. “Fuck everyone else. And anyway,” he suddenly stood up, tugging gently on my hand so I had no choice but to stand up. He pulled me into his body, and I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. I’d forgotten how bloody tall he was. Brushing my hair back from my face, Liam cupped my cheek in his palm and leaned down to murmur against my lips, “What a great story to tell our grandkids.”
    I laughed at his outrageous romanticism, secretly loving it, and relaxed as I let myself give into this madness. “What? That their grandfather caught their grandmother with her knickers down in the woods?”
    My body shook against his as he laughed. “Great fucking story. For the rest of my years I will not forget the sight of your cute little ass running away from me in those woods.”
    I snuggled closer, wrapping my arms around him. “So what now?”
    “One day at a time. Together.” He kissed me softly, but I felt the bite of his hunger in his grip on my waist, hunger he was holding back because we were in public.
    “Let’s get a room,” I whispered.
    His eyes darkened. “I already did.”
    I smirked. “Well that was awfully presumptuous of you.”
    He patted my arse playfully. “Awfully.”
    Without any fight at all, I let him lead me out of the barroom and upstairs.
    “And just think,” he murmured, his hands roaming over my body as if he couldn’t help himself. “Our anniversary will be on Fucking Valentine’s Day. Suddenly your name for it has taken on a whole new meaning.”
    I shivered in anticipation at the sexy promises in his eyes. “In that case, let’s make every day Fucking Valentine’s Day.”
    Liam slammed the door shut behind us and then started guiding me toward the bed. “I’m planning on it.”

THE END  

BWB Editing

Author note:
    I would never advise any woman to invite a strange man that caught them with their knickers around their ankles in the woods into their camper van. Or follow him around for the day.
    Unless of course he’s Liam Brody ;)

  Other Contemporary Novels by Samantha Young

    On Dublin Street Series:
    On Dublin Street
    Down London Road
    Until Fountain Bridge (a novella)
    Before Jamaica Lane
    Castle Hill (a novella)
    Fall From India Place
    Echoes of Scotland