Page 158 of Trouble from Abroad
“One more thing,” he says.
“If you say there’s a new list, I’m staging a coup.”
“It’s about my name.”
Huh? “What about it?”
“I want yours next to mine.” He doesn’t blink. “I’m changing it to Preston Jett-Thorne.”
For a beat, I forget my own. Then I remember his—ours. “You know, it’s usually the other way around.”
“I’m not interested in usual.” His mouth tilts. “I want to see your name next to mine on every letter, every bill, every dumb spam email. Because that means I did something right. Because of you, I became the man I wanted to be—and I want my name to remind me of that, every damn day. Keep yours if you want. But I’m taking yours and making it ours.”
It knocks the air out of me and fills me right back up. It’s my turn to ask. “Say it again.”
“Preston Jett-Thorne,” he repeats, tasting each syllable. “Now tell me what you’ll be.”
I rise on my toes, brush my lips over his, and say: “Your wife.” I’m not one bit afraid to overuse those words. They feel magic.
He smiles wickedly and challenges me. “Make it filthier.”
“Your Mrs. Jett-Thorne.” The way his eyeschange tells me I’ll be saying it over and over in our suite tonight. “I’ll go back there and sign it again if you want.”
“Don’t worry. You sign it like that a thousand times,” he says against my mouth. “You can start with the chapel book.”
“So bossy,” I tease.
“Devoted,” he corrects.
“Both,” I say, because that’s the whole truth.
He laces our fingers and lifts them to his lips. Vegas roars outside, its ink and vow in every delicious promise we’ve already started to keep. We turn toward the light—license in hand, names chosen, and ready for a lifetime of ‘yeses’ ahead.
* * *
CHAPTER ONE
mia
“Mia, over here.”April’s voice cuts through the JFK arrivals gate. The place is packed, and my vertically challenged friend—Can I call us friends already?—waves her hand in the air.
I was expecting my ex-boss to pick me up today. You know, the person who invited me to the States. But seeing his girlfriend here instead is a nice surprise. I may not be sure which label fits us best yet, but I know I really like the girl.
April elbows a man in the ribs when he tries to cut in front of her, then shoots me a victorious grin. “Mia,” she shouts again, and I wave back until I’m sure she sees me.
“Hi, April.” I greet her with a wide and sincere smile, and she wraps me in a quick hug before bumping my hip with hers to shove me away from my luggage cart. The pile of cases sits almost as tall as her, and she still won’t accept my help.Oh yeah, Miss Stubborn is perfect for Liam Gunn.
“Hydrated? Jet-lagged?” she asks, eyes scanning me head to toe—doctor first, friendsecond.
“I am, Dr. Hadden. No need for triage.”
I’m rewarded with her beautiful smile, and she says, “Liam did tell me to feed you lots of sugar if you looked nervous or too tired.”
“He’s not wrong, but I’m fine, thank you.” I laugh along.
“Welcome to New York, Mia. And thanks again for coming all this way,” she says as we walk.
She steers the cart to a nice coffee shop near the airport’s sliding exit doors, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries hits me. My stomach growls, and I head straight for the queue. I look back to take April’s order and smirk as I watch her break a sweat, maneuvering the heavy cart next to the table she picked for us. “What can I get you?”
