Chasing You

Chapter 39

ADDIE

I'm not sure I can feel my feet anymore as Chris and I are walking back to the hotel. We've spent the evening at a popular restaurant in Amsterdam, before we hit the club and danced the night away. And I swore I saw Chris dance before, at galas and events, but seeing him tonight, smiling all the time as he had me in pirouettes and matched his movements with mine, to create a perfect harmony, it just did it for me.

And now, as if he could tell, he gently places his hands around me, one around my waist and one around my knees, and swoops me up, carrying me like a princess. I guess I even feel like one, with my glittery dress and my Prince Charming.

"Way to raise my standards", I tell him. Might have been the alcohol or the hormones that have been malfunctioning from the moment I saw him in that tight shirt before we left for the night.

"Well, only the best for my girl", he replies.

I wrap my arms around his neck, if only to have him closer, and close my eyes, just because I know I'm where I belong. "Do you think they'll get their happy ending?", I ask him then, thinking at how Ane and Fabio seemed to be soulmates all night long.

"I'm sure they will", Chris assures me. "If not, you know what Fabio always says: Amor vincit omnia. I'm pretty sure that even if they won't get their happy ending at first, he would fight the world just to be able to keep that girl."

I nod, hoping he's right. It's then I just need to know something else. "Hey, Chris, can I ask you something?"

"Anything", he smiles.

"Was it true? What you said at the restaurant? About wanting to marry me?"

I can see him freeze, stopping our walk to look at me. He searches my eyes for something, as if not knowing whether what he's about to say might scare me or not. As I offer him a short nod to continue, he says: "It will only ever be you, Addie-Boo. From the moment I met you, you turned my world upside down. I want to be the one who makes you coffee in the morning, then greets you with a kiss. I want to be there through your ups, your downs, and everything in between. I want to start a family with you, then grow old with you and never have to miss you one day of my life. I love you, sweetheart."

Tears started rolling down my face as I pull him closer, brush away the ones on his cheeks, then kiss him for all that he said. Kiss him for being there for me when I needed someone most. Kiss him making me the happiest I've ever been. Kiss him for who he is, all of him, for I love this man with his every trait and every flaw, love his soul and his heart. Kiss him for the vision of a life he just gave me, one that has us growing old together, always rich on happiness and drunk on love.

Love him for him.

"I love you, Christopher Graves", I whisper to him. "And I will never stop loving you. I want that. All of that. With you."

"Man, I've never been more grateful to Skittles", he mumbles on my lips and I have to chuckle, thinking about how one night, a gala party and some candies changed my whole life for the better.

"Neither have I", I counter.

I am not sure for how long we've been standing there. Just kissing and holding each other tight, like we promised we would do every day. Because when one says forever, it always sounds so scary. People say it all the times, but we are never sure they will really stay. Because sometimes, people lie. Sometimes, people are taken from our lives all so sudden, leaving a train wreck behind. Sometimes, forever means one week, sometimes it means a few years. But with Chris, he is my forever.

My friend through so many times. My lover. My world.

My Chris.

"Wait", I need to do one more thing. I stop him before walking away again. With tears in my eyes, I look up at the sky. Ursa Major looks rather pretty tonight.

"Hey, stars?", I begin, then my eyes wonder back to the deep brown I started calling my home. "Thank you for listening."