Author's note: Thanks to Helene for suggesting the line about Eiffel tower in it! Merci, mon amie! :)
I think we all need a pure loving chapter after the last one that required some tissues to be brought up. So, here you go, enjoy!
—--
Once the dinner was over, it was time for the children to go to sleep. They moaned and groaned in protest, not wanting this perfect day to end, but with some gentle nudging from both Lillian and Grace they listened and, after saying goodbye to their Wucas, they went to their beds.
Lucas stayed to help Bertha clean up the dishes while Lillian and Grace tucked the little ones in. Afterwards, Bertha went to take a shower before going to bed, leaving Lucas all alone in the living room.
He sat down at the settee and exhaled, leaning his head against it and closing his eyes. Soft murmurs from upstairs reached his ears and he softly smiled. Children's voices were drifting away, lulled by a sleep. He could hear Grace's gentle voice as she talked to the little ones and his heart warmed up.
This is how it is going to be for the rest of our lives.
His heart soared at that thought. He felt such peace, like never before. Grace's love and warmth was settled deeply in his heart, healed all the past pains and scars and Lucas felt like he could breathe free again. Be himself again. And all he wanted was to give her the same kind of love back.
He heard her going down the stairs, passing Bertha on her way and saying goodnight to her. In the next moment, she was in the living room, walking towards him, her smile warming his entire being like she was the sun itself.
"Can you believe it that they wanted another story?", Grace said as she sat down next to him on the settee.
Lucas chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side.
"Well, you do tell the best stories", he said, smiling down at her. She glanced up at him with a smile and as he gently kissed her hair, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes, leaning her cheek on his pulse point. His steady heartbeat warmed her heart, making her feel so loved and cherished.
She felt his fingers slowly caressing a path from her shoulder to upper arm and back.
"I have to talk to you about something", she heard his voice.
Grace took his other palm in her hand and gently caressed his long fingers.
"About what?", she asked.
Lucas looked down at their joined hands and slowly intertwined his fingers with hers.
"Sally called me today. She just came back and I told her about the engagement. She passes her congratulations, but I am sure she will grab you in a hug when she sees you", he felt Grace chuckle and he warmly smiled "Anyway, I want to announce to the media that we are engaged. Are you okay with that?"
Grace looked up at him.
"Why wouldn't I be?", she asked silently.
Lucas shrugged.
"I just want to be sure. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable", he silently said.
Grace pulled slightly away from him only to sit on her knees beside him and leaned toward his face, her eyes sparkling.
"If I could, I would go to the top of the Eiffel tower and shout out to the world how much I love you!", she said and smiled happily as she leaned in and kissed him.
Grace felt Lucas' heartbeat racing up at her words and, overwhelmed with love for this wonderful man, she cupped his left cheek, her lips never leaving his.
She felt his arms wrapping around her waist and he pulled her closer to him, their kiss deepening. Grace tried to move into a more comfortable position, but in doing so, she nearly slipped from the settee, causing Lucas to tug her toward him and make her yelp in surprise as she tumbled on his lap.
And in the next moment both of them bursted to uncontrollable laughter!
Lucas leaned on the settee laughing his heart out, one of his hands holding Grace's and the other one resting in the soft waves of her brunette hair. He looked down at his love as her giggles drifted away and she gazed back at him. His fingers gently moved through her soft hair.
"We will have to take an official engagement photo. Would tomorrow at noon at the mansion be alright for you?", he softly asked.
Grace smiled happily and nodded.
"I will be there. Is there anything else I have to do?", she asked.
Lucas smiled gently.
"Only what you are doing already - just show up and be your gorgeous self", he said, bringing her hand up and kissing her palm.
Grace's eyes twinkled.
"You are biased, Governor", she quipped, but her cheeks turned rosy at his compliment.
Lucas narrowed his eyes, his lips slightly twitching.
"Are you doubting my judgment, Miss Bennet?", he asked.
Grace's smile widened.
"I most certainly am", she quipped, enjoying their banter "You do know what they say - that love is blind."
Lucas' eyes sparkled dangerously.
"And you do know that it is a criminal offense to insult the Government's High Official's decision without any proof?", he spoke silently as he slowly started to lean his face down toward hers.
Grace felt her heart skip a beat and she slightly gasped:
"Oh, my! What a pair we make! An outlaw and a Government's High Official!", she placed her palm on the left side of her chest and creased her eyebrows in a mock shock "That's scandalous!"
She giggled at her own silliness and Lucas chuckled, finally closing the space between them and kissing her smiling lips.
He pulled away a bit a few moments later and whispered:
"I love you."
Grace smiled warmly, her palm cupping his cheek.
"I love you too", she whispered back.
He smiled warmly at her.
"I'd like to call my parents and let them know about our engagement before it gets to the newspapers", he said.
Grace nodded.
"Of course. I thought that you already called them", she said.
Lucas repositioned them on the settee so that Grace was sitting up in his lap, leaning against his chest. He smiled gently at her.
"No. I wanted to have you in my arms when I call them", he said, gently brushing his lips against hers, making her feel like she will melt right here and now.
"Do you wanna do it now?", she silently asked.
Lucas nodded, his smile never wavering from his face.
"Now would be perfect", he replied, his voice husky and deep.
Grace smiled as she tried to get up to get a phone, but Lucas tightened his hold on her, making her giggle.
"And where do you think you're going?", he asked, his lips ghosting closely to her earlobe.
Grace felt tremors throughout her body as she smiled and half closed her eyes.
"To get the phone. It's right on that table", she replied, letting out a sigh as she felt Lucas' lips gently kissing her hair.
In the next moment, she heard his low, warm voice.
"That's too far away", he murmured silently.
Grace let out a small laugh.
"What are you talking about? It's only a few steps…", but the words died in her throat as she felt his lips closing on her earlobe, gently tugging it, making her close her eyes and gasp silently "Lucas... "
He paid quite some attention to her sensitive earlobe making her shiver deliciously and held onto his forearm that rested on her stomach as he held her in his arms.
Lucas let go of her earlobe and slowly moved her hair away to uncover the milky skin of her swan-neck to his hungry lips.
Grace trembled in his arms causing him to tighten his hold on her and whisper:
"We can always call them tomorrow morning…which means you will have to come earlier."
She smiled, letting out a breath.
"Why, so you could mess up my hair and make me look an absolute fright in that photo?", she silently whimpered at the feeling of his lips slowly kissing their way up her neck, with an occasional nibble and lick.
By now, Lucas' lips reached the edge of her face and he grinned devilishly.
"In that case, no complicated hairdo, future Mrs. Bouchard", he whispered passionately against her skin.
Grace giggled through a gasp.
"You are incorrigible, Governor", she whispered and bit her lower lip as he kissed his way over the skin of her cheek.
She could feel his smile against her skin.
"Accusations can also be viewed as a criminal offense, Miss Bennet", he murmured silently as his lips reached the corner of her lips.
Grace's half closed eyes caught his gaze and she cupped his right cheek.
"Well, in that case, I better remedy myself", she whispered and met him halfway in a loving, passionate kiss that made her heartbeat go wild.
And to think that I get to kiss him for the rest of my life!
Grace's palm sneaked in Lucas' hair and she pulled him closer, their kiss deepening, making her toes curl, her blood flaming up and her mind turning into a complete mush.
A movement upstairs made them pull away and glance quickly toward the stairs, but luckily, no one was there.
Grace turned back to look at Lucas and both of them chuckled before sharing one more sweet, short kiss.
"I should go", Lucas murmured silently.
Grace pouted, causing him to narrow his eyes and softly smile.
"Don't do that", he whispered.
Grace sniffed.
"Do what?"
Lucas playfully kissed her rosy lips.
"Pout. You know I can't resist that", he whispered.
Grace lips curled up.
"Oh, that's good to know", she giggled as he pecked her lips, only to frown a second later "Hang on. You can't be serious?"
Lucas creased his eyebrows in confusion.
"About what?"
Grace's lips curled up in a lazy smile and she sneaked her fingertips to the back of his neck, never breaking eye contact.
"That was not a kiss, my dear Governor", she whispered and noticed the moment his eyes shone in recognition of his own words to her. Hovering her lips over his, Grace breathed out "That was not a way how you are suppose to kiss your soon wife-to-be."
Lucas' eyes sparkled dangerously.
"Really?", at Grace's nod, he whispered the words she told him before "Show me."
He barely finished his sentence when her lips brushed against his in the most loving, sensual kiss that made his heart soar.
He kissed her back, pulling her closer to him, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair as it fell on both sides of his head like the most beautiful curtain.
And to think that I will be the one who will kiss and love this breathtaking woman for the rest of our lives!
Lucas' fingers brushed down her hair, getting lost in the soft brunette waves as her lips devoured his mouth. He held nothing back, kissed her with all that he felt in his heart, wishing that he should never let her go.
As the need for air became desperate, they broke the kiss and Grace leaned her forehead on his, still cupping his right cheek.
Lucas tightened his hold on her and tried to calm down his racing heart and breathe properly.
He opened his eyes to see her dear face creased in concentration, desperately hanging on to the last strings of control.
His heart melted at that sight and he gently nuzzled his nose against hers, making her open her eyes and give him a shaky smile.
Lucas gently kissed her lips, his kiss long and soft, causing her to tremble deliciously in his embrace, making him want to hide her from every possible danger from the outside world.
He gently put a curl behind her ear and gently smiled at his love.
"Is it February yet, Grace?", he whispered, causing her to let out a sigh and hug him around his neck, hiding her face in his dark, thick hair.
He could feel her breathing getting messed up as he poured his heart out to hers. Her lips ghosted close to his ear and he heard her whisper:
"Is it indeed, my Lucas?"
—--
If I could grant you one wish
I'd wish you could see the way you kiss
Oooh, I love watching you, baby
When you're driving me crazy.
Oooh, I love the way you love the way you love me.
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
Oooh, to feel the way I feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see the way you love me
The way you love me.
It's not right, it's not fair
What you're missing over there
Someday I'll find a way to show you
Just how lucky I am, to know you.
Oooh, I love the way you love the way you love me
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
Oooh, to feel the way I, feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see, the way you love me
Ohhh, the way you love me.
You're the million reasons why
There's love reflecting in my eyes
Oooh, I love the way you love the way you love me.
There's nowhere else I'd rather be
Oooh, to feel the way I feel with your arms around me
I only wish that you could see, the way you love me
The way you love me
Oooh, the way you love me
The way you love me
The way you love me
Ooh I love the way you love me
Ooh I love the way you love me
Ooh I love the way you love me.
("The way you love me" - Faith Hill)