The Hills Have Eyes | Complete |

As Serious As The Ring On Your Finger

Bella POV

"We're actually in Paris! Luc, can you believe that?!? We're in Paris, as in the city of love, Paris!" Obviously unable to contain my excitement, I threw myself into his arms and smothered his face with kisses. "I'm staring at the Eiffel Tower, for the first time in my life, because of you, Luc! Thank you."

Shrugging dismissively, his lips even still slid into a grin as he smoothed a hand through my hair, arms tight around me. "You are the one who wanted to run away..."

"I know that," I giggled, teasing my fingers through his own luscious head of hair, "It's just that I've never been to Paris. It's so beautiful!"

"Just like you," he murmured, voice so low I almost didn't even hear him, as his arms clutched me tightly to his chest. His lips were soft, gentle, on mine as he kissed me, building the same familiar fire that I'd long ago gotten used to; as we both slowly pulled away, though, I knew this trip wasn't about the sex.

The sex was great, obviously, but that wasn't why we'd left the only home I'd ever known. We'd left because we needed time to ourselves, just him and I, to reconnect and learn to love each other again. We needed our own time and our own space just to figure out what we were; obviously, we were Mates', but weren't we more than just what the moon goddess said we were?!?

"Let's go find a hotel room, shall we?!? The Eiffel Tower is pretty and all, but I think have a place to lay our head for the night is just a little bit more important." Then, as his lips skimmed once more across mine, he continued, as if an afterthought: "We are most definitely coming back, anyway, mark my words."

"Why do we need a hotel room, when I've got you?!? I don't know if you've realized," I giggled, springing lithely onto his back and threading my arms around his neck, "But you are by far the most comfortable pillow I've ever slept on."

"Or with," he chuckled darkly, swatting at my ass playfully, before starting his walk through the dark streets to the car. Even being a Shifter, if I'd been alone, I might have been scared, but with Luc, I knew nothing bad would ever even think to harm me. "You got that right, baby," he murmured, eyes finding mine as he threw his head back, "Mostly because I am the scariest thing out here..."

"Oh, Luc," I sighed, resting my chin on the top of his head like he'd done me so many times before, "You're not scary, you're a big softie- my big softie!"

"Only for you, sweetheart." I don't know how his neck didn't snap, the way he was leaning it so far back to reach me; still, we somehow managed a quick but ever so meaningful kiss. "I love you."

~000~

"You are a jinx!" Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me right back out of the hotel lobby, all so we could look for another hotel; we'd already gone to five other hotels, but apparently none of them had any vacancies.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Mom and Daddy hadn't found out where we were, called every damn hotel within a 100 mile radius, and demanded everyone keep us out and on the streets until we learned our lesson. "Maybe, but I'm your jinx!"

"Mhm, yes, baby, you are!" Pausing, he hauled me against his chest and pressed a long, searing kiss to my lips before pulling away with an exuberant whoop into the night. "Do you know how good it feels to be able to do that and not worry about someone seeing us?!?"

"Of course I know!" Giggling, I twined our fingers and skipped towards the next hotel, sighing in bliss as the vacancy sign flickered ahead of us. "Thank the goddess! These god-awful heels are killing me!"

"Well, why didn't you say something, Princess?!? I'm all too happy to carry you!" Without another word, he scooped me bridal style into his arms and walked into the hotel lobby; through the entire check-in process, he never once put me down, which my aching feet were glad for. "I'll bring the car around, baby, so you can go on up and get settled."