Finding London by Ellie Wade (uplifting book club books .TXT) 📕

“I love you. Get it through your thick skull.”

—London Wright

I’m presently in heaven, and I love it. Yep, I’m a huge fan of paradise on earth. And, to me, that consists of lying in my bed with Loïc with our naked limbs wrapped around one another, both of us in a sated afterglow of bliss.

I nuzzle my face against his firm chest. I could lie here all day.

It’s been a week since we confessed our love for one another out loud. In truth, the L word must make Loïc extremely horny because we’ve spent the majority of the past week in this very bed in my room. Loïc leaves to go to work, of course, and we try to eat every now and then, but we’re mainly here, wonderfully content.

Loïc wears happiness well, too. If anything, he’s extremely irresistible when he’s smiling—not that I’d want to resist him anyway.

He gently trails his fingertips across the skin of my back. “Hey, remember the last time I freaked out, after the sunset date a couple of months back?”

“Yeah.” Of course I do.

“Do you remember when you gave your little speech at the end, telling me that not everything should be a battle and that I was a big, bad warrior?”

I huff out a laugh against his skin. “Yes, I remember.”

“Why did you call me a warrior?” he questions thoughtfully.

“Early on, I looked up your name. It was probably because of that. Do you know your name means famed warrior?”

“I didn’t know you’d looked it up.”

“Mmhmm…I don’t remember when. It was at the beginning though, maybe even after the car wash. I remember thinking your name was so unique, and I wanted to know what it meant. What made you think about that night?”

“I’m not sure. I meant to ask you about it before, but I forgot. I’ve always known what my name stood for. My dad used to call me his little warrior.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” I sit up with my arm propped on Loïc, so I can see into his eyes.

I love when he tells me stories about his childhood, good or bad. It makes me feel closer to him, and I get a thrill every time he opens up to me. I know it isn’t easy for him, and I love that he feels comfortable with me now. For some reason, every time he shares a detail from his past, I feel like we’re a step closer to our future. I’m not sure why, but it’s as if, when he shares with me, it is his way of mourning that part of his history, and after he lets it go, he’s able to move forward with me.

Since we’re sharing, I’m reminded of something I’ve wanted to ask him.

First, I bend down and kiss him, tickling my tongue with his. I’m so addicted to his taste, his kisses. I press my lips against his in one last chaste kiss before marginally leaning back.

“So, I wanted to ask you, what did you want to tell me last week when you got back from training?”

His body stiffens beneath me. “What?”

I attempt to keep the atmosphere lighthearted, ignoring his obvious discomfort from my question. I smile wide. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten. You had something to tell me. You’ve kept me thoroughly entertained all week”—I give him a wink—“but I would like to know what it was.”

“You’re right. I did—I do have something to tell you.”

The tone in his voice fills me with a sense of dread. The worry that has been absent from him all week has returned. I hate that I’m the cause of his shift in demeanor, but I have to know—now more than ever.

“You can tell me anything,” I try to reassure him.

The hand that I have rested on his chest can feel his heart beating rapidly beneath his warm skin. The swift cadence now mirrors the beat of my own heart.

“Well, I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t know for sure if it would happen. I knew my unit was up, but I was hoping we wouldn’t be called.” He nervously searches my eyes.

“Loïc, you’re speaking in riddles. Just tell me.”

“We’re being deployed.”

I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t say any more.

“That’s it?”

“London, I’m being shipped to Afghanistan where I will be for a year.” He emphasizes the last word.

Then, I get it—his fear of losing me.

“Well, yeah, that totally sucks,” I admit. “But you know it doesn’t mean anything where we are concerned, right? I’ll wait for you, Loïc. That isn’t even a question. You know that, right? I’ll miss you like crazy, but I’ll be here when you get back, loving you just as much as I do now, if not more.”

“A year is a long time, London. I can’t ask you to do that for me. It isn’t fair to you.”

“Stop right there. I know you’re new to this whole I-love-you thing, but when you love someone the way I love you, time and distance aren’t issues. My love doesn’t come with conditions. I don’t love you because you’re here right now. My feelings aren’t going to expire because I’m not able to see you every day.”

His eyes narrow. “Are you saying that you want to wait for me?”

He’s so innocent in this moment that I can’t help but laugh.

“Of course I will! I love you. Get it through your thick skull.”

A slow smile crosses his face as he releases a huge breath.

I shake my head, huffing out a laugh. “Did you really think I’d want to break up because you’re being deployed?”

“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t know what to expect. But I was prepared for anything.”

“Loïc”—his name comes out as a whine—“you have a lot to learn about love.” I squint down at him. “You don’t want to date other people while you’re over there, right?” I accusingly furrow my brow.

“No, of course not. You’re the only person in this world I want, London.”

“And you’re the only one I want. You see how this love thing works both ways?”

“Yeah, I suppose I do.” He chuckles.

“Plus, it will be kind of romantic. We can write love letters to each other while you’re gone.”

“I’ll have access to the Internet when I’m on base.” He grins.

“Fine, we can use your Internet connection for Skype and Internet sex, but other than that, I want letters, like snail-mail letters. That will be so romantic.”

“Internet sex?” he questions with a huge grin.

“Of course. Just because you’re a million miles away doesn’t mean I’m not going to take care of my man,” I say seriously.

“I think your mileage is a tad off.”

I roll my eyes. “It will feel like a million miles, believe me. Anything more than a ten-minute drive away is too much.” His smile falls a bit, and I quickly clarify, “But just because I’ll miss you immensely won’t change anything. You’re stuck with me.”

“Good.” He grasps my face and pulls me in for a quick kiss.

“But, seriously…I can’t wait to get your letters. You can tell me all the things you miss about me, what you’d be doing if you were with me, how much better your life is because I’m in it. You can write all your fantasies revolving around our future.”

Loïc laughs loudly. “Wow, you’ve really planned this out in the thirty seconds since you found out I was leaving.”

“What can I say? I like to plan.”

“Really? ’Cause you haven’t even applied for one job since I’ve met you. You seem content on coasting through life without planning a damn thing.”

He smiles, and I know he’s just teasing.

“That’s not true! I’ve applied. I just haven’t gotten an interview yet. I will though. Maybe my job search hasn’t been as intense as it should be. But can you blame me? I’ve been preoccupied, trying to get the love of my life to like me back. Then, once he liked me, a whole other set of distractions came.” I playfully wiggle my eyebrows.

He shakes his head in amusement, and his lips tilt up into a cute smirk. “Love of your life?”

“So far. So, don’t mess it up.” I poke him in the side.

He rolls us over so that I’m pinned beneath him.

“Wait,” I say through a laugh. “I have a question,” I get out as his lips start attacking my neck.

“What’s that?” he breathes against my sensitive skin.

“How long do we have?”

“Until?” He lifts his gaze to meet mine.

“You leave.”

“Two months. We head out the first of December.”

“Perfect.”

“Why’s that?” His brows furrow, his eyes assessing.

“You’ll be shipping out before Michigan’s real winter hits, so I won’t have to try to get out of all the outdoorsy crap I’m sure you would have planned.”

“You’re such a brat.” He tickles my sides. “All of our time together this past week has been spent indoors. I