Taking Harper’s hand in mine, I call for everyone’s attention. “You all have fifteen minutes to be ready and waiting out the front of the villa for the cars that are about to take us on our next adventure. I have learnt that Harper loves French food, but what I didn’t know was that she doesn’t cook for herself. So today we are heading to the village of Gassin in the Provence wine country, where we will do a private cooking class with a local chef. Nic and Flynn, you are the official taste testers because we both know that you don’t need a lesson in cooking.” I can hear all the gasping and excitement from everyone around me.

“Hey, you can always learn something new, I’m cooking too,” Flynn calls out above the excitement as I stand and pull Harper up from her chair.

“Hopefully this might encourage you to have more than a protein shake for dinner.” Kissing her on the forehead, I smack her on the ass as she pokes her tongue out at my comment, which brings a shriek from her and a giggle as she tries to break free from my hold. But I want another kiss, because the moment her lips are on mine, it always grounds me.

And if there is one thing I’m determined to do today, it’s to be in the moment with Harper. Watch her smile, make her laugh, and most of all, show her what life in a relationship with me could be like.

“I don’t deserve you,” she whispers breathlessly as I pull back from her lips, and everyone has left us alone.

“That’s where you are wrong. This is exactly what you deserve, and I intend on giving you this for the rest of your life, so it’s about time you start realizing it.” I take her hand and start to pull her inside, heading toward our room with her protesting quietly behind me.

“Forrest, we have talked about this,” she mumbles.

“Mhmmm. True, you have talked about it. Doesn’t mean I was listening, my kitten.” I can feel the smile on my face forming as I hear her reaction from behind.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Not another name. I suppose this one isn’t as bad as the rest.”

“I need to try harder then,” I reply as I usher her through our bedroom door and give her another little tap on the ass as she passes me. “You now have ten minutes, get moving, ladybug.”

Her reply is to give me the middle finger and disappear into the ensuite to freshen up while I grab both of our coats and take her handbag to her, in case she needs to put anything in it.

I can see the concentration on her face as she touches up her makeup, so I leave her to it.