A tittering laugh sounded from her, and Tristan saw Jamie’s eyes widen.
“I don’t think you are here to romance an old woman though. Seems redundant to say, take care of her. She wouldn’t thank me for it.” Her gaze faltered for a moment. “She’s around here somewhere.”
She held her ring. Tristan grabbed her hand, and with a quick look at a smirking Jamie, he bowed his head and kissed it. He turned away from the queen and made his way out of her orbit. The crowd loosened up, the farther away he wandered. People were twirling around on the dance floor to some classical music Tristan would never be able to identify.
He looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ele. He circled around the room. Spotting Sir Nico with his ex-wife, Tristan started in that direction. The quickest way was through the dance floor, so he stepped cautiously into the swirling couples. Then, he spotted her, standing alone in the middle of it. Their gazes met, and she smiled so bright that it could have powered the whole of the palace. He moved quickly toward her, even as she stayed there. When he was close to her, he stopped, not sure of how to proceed. If this was going to go public, he needed her to initiate it.
He hadn’t seen her in four long months. She was as beautiful as he remembered, but there was a determination in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Instinctively, he knew this was her dance, a reunion she needed to choreograph. He wanted to take her in his arms, he wanted to drag her somewhere private, he wanted to do all sorts of wicked things with her. But he waited, a question in his eyes.
“Take a step, Tristan,” she said, repeating his words back to him.
So, he did. The closer he came, the bigger his smile. When he only had two steps left to close the distance, Ele t
ook control.
She walked toward him, into his arms. He knew this pose. His hands moved to their designated spot, and he lifted her up, spinning her around. But this time … this time, her mouth came down on his. He thought perhaps it would be a light kiss, but she didn’t back away. Her tongue peeked out, licking across his lips. He opened to her and dived into the kiss. His hand wrapped around her nape as he drank his fill of her. He got lost in her, every one of his molecules vibrating with need and happiness.
This girl.
When she finally broke the kiss, she looked at him with a combination of awe and love. “I missed you,” she said.
“Ah, E, I missed you.”
Her hands came from around the nape of his neck and settled on his cheeks. He didn’t relinquish his hold on her.
“I love you,” she murmured.
Tristan had won the World Championship Cup this summer. He was living his dream of being a footballer. But in that moment, he knew none of that compared to the love he felt for the woman in his arms. Her strength was awe-inspiring.
“I love you. I have loved you since you tackled the Batak at St. Peter’s.”
Ele’s eyes widened. “No, you didn’t.”
“I absolutely did. You are the most courageous person I have ever met. I can’t wait to build a life with you.”
Tears gathered in her eyes. “You are always so sure. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”
“It doesn’t matter how long it took. You are here. We are here. I will always keep you safe. I might mess up from time to time, but it will never be at the expense of your security. And thank you.”
“For what?”
“For this. The middle of a ballroom, in the middle of a very public gathering.”
She grinned. Then, she reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile. She held it out to him.
“What?”
“Unlock it.”
He tilted his head. “What are you doing?”
“I am wearing my tiara.” She glared at him.
He laughed. Unlocking his phone, he turned it over to her. She pulled up the camera app and handed it back to him.
Leaning in, she nodded to the camera. “Take it. I want us to have a picture of this, okay?”
He kissed her on the cheek and leaned in. “Smile, E.”