Chapter 71

HUDSON

Diana and I strolled through the bustling market in Portugal, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares mingling with the chatter of tourists and locals alike. I held her hand, keeping her close to me. The air was alive with the heady scent of spices and exotic fruits. Diana was like a kid in a candy store. I felt like I had to keep a hold of her or she might wander off.

We explored the colorful stalls together, drifting in and out of each one. Diana was positively radiant as she tried on hats and scarves.

"Do you like this one?" she asked.

"Fabulous," I said.

She rolled her eyes. "You've said that about everything."

"It's not the things you're trying on, it's the woman trying them on." I grinned. "You're beautiful. It's hard not to look fabulous."

She blushed a deep shade of red, matching the vibrant fruits in the stall beside us. I loved making Diana blush. It was an adorable sight that never got old. One would think she would be used to my many compliments, but they still hit her just the same.

We bought a hat and decided to continue our exploration. A street musician strumming a guitar caught our attention. We paused to listen with my arm around her. She leaned against me. The song was upbeat and catchy. Diana began swaying to the rhythm even though we didn't understand a single word the guy was singing.

We continued on our way, grabbing something to drink and continued browsing shops. We'd been on our vacation for a week, and it just got better and better. We spent our days doing anything we wanted. I loved the carefree abandon we both were experiencing. I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from her as she tried to communicate with a vendor. She was smiling and gesturing to one of the items. It looked like a shirt. I chuckled as she butchered the pronunciation of the Portuguese words. But the vendor seemed to understand her enough and Diana held up a beautifully embroidered blouse with a triumphant grin.

"That's a great find," I said, moving closer to inspect the piece. It looked homemade and handstitched. Diana had an eye for things like this, unique and beautiful in their own way.

"We've got to get it!" She handed it to me so she could rummage around in her bag for her wallet. "How much?" she asked the vendor.

After haggling a bit—which Diana appeared to thoroughly enjoy—she finally exchanged some euros for the blouse, beaming with satisfaction. The vendor thanked her, his dark eyes crinkling in contentment.

"Congratulations, you've just made your first successful haggle!" I teased her.

She grinned at me, twirling around with her new purchase in hand. "Well, I've always had a knack for sweet-talking!" she shot back. "You always hand over the money. This was fun."

I followed her as she went to a booth that sold candles. But as we passed one of the many jewelry booths, something caught my eye. I left Diana to do her browsing while I made my way over to the display.

It was a pair of earrings, delicate and intricately designed. They caught the light, practically beckoning me to touch them. They were exquisite and absolutely perfect for my lady.

Without a moment's hesitation, I reached for the earrings and purchased them from the vendor.

When I turned back to her, she was browsing through a rack of dresses. I made my way over to her, the earrings burning a hole in my pocket.

"There you are," she said.

I held up the earrings. "I saw these and thought of you. I can't say what it was, but they just screamed Diana."

Her eyes widened in surprise as she took the earrings from me. For a moment, she simply stared at them in awe, her breath catching in her throat as she looked at them.

"Oh, Hudson," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of the market. "They're beautiful."

With trembling hands, she reached up to fasten the earrings in place, her movements slow and deliberate as she savored the moment. I watched in silence, my heart swelling with love and affection as I realized just how much she meant to me.

And then, in a moment of perfect clarity, I knew.

I knew that this woman, standing before me in all her beauty and grace, was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew that she was my future, my everything, and that I would do anything to make her happy. I could see her wearing a white dress with her hair up and a veil covering her face.

This woman was going to be my wife.

I knew I was looking at my future bride. She was wearing a flowing dress and a jean jacket over top, but in that moment, it was effortless for me to picture her in a white gown, walking toward me down the aisle.

"I knew they were perfect for you," I said.

"They are beautiful." She smiled. "Thank you."

As we walked, I couldn't shake the thoughts that had been swirling around in my mind all morning. Really, the thoughts had been swirling for months. We made our way toward a café and slipped inside to order some coffee. The barista, a young man with an assortment of colorful tattoos, greeted us warmly in Portuguese. Diana ordered for both of us, her pronunciation improving with each passing day. Our order was ready quickly and we found a small table near the window.

I sipped my coffee and found myself staring at her. I couldn't stop looking at her.

"What is on your mind?" She laughed. "You've been looking at me all day. If you want to go back to our room and do what I think is on your mind, let's go."

"I'm thinking about knocking you up," I blurted out the thought that first came to mind.

Diana froze with her cup halfway to her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise before she burst into laughter. "What?" she gasped, her voice filled with incredulity.

But it was true. I couldn't deny it. I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of starting a family with her, of making her the mother of my children.

"I mean it," I said, my voice sincere as I met her gaze. "I can't stop thinking about it. I want nothing more than to see you with a baby bump, to raise a family together. I want you to have my babies."

Diana's laughter slowly subsided as she processed my words. "You're serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"Children? Plural?" she asked, her voice tinged with amusement.

I nodded and found I couldn't stop smiling. "Is that a problem?"

She shook her head, her smile widening into a grin. "Not at all. I just wasn't sure if you were on board with kids."

I reached out to take her hand, squeezing it gently as I met her gaze. "I'm fully on board," I assured her. "Kids, a house, marriage. I want all of it. But most of all, I just want you."

Her eyes softened at my words. "I want you." She leaned in to kiss me. It was a sweet, tender moment, filled with the promise of a future together.

As much as I wanted to propose to her right then and there, I knew I needed to do it properly. I needed a ring. I had to have a symbol of my commitment to her, something that would show her just how much she meant to me. I couldn't just spit out the words. That was not the story I wanted her to tell our children.

"Have you thought any more about the offer to return to teaching?"

She sighed. "I've thought about it."

"But you don't want to do it," I said.

"I don't know." She sighed. "I'm sitting here in Portugal with you. If I'm working, I can't do that. Rather, I can only do it with a lot of planning."

"You know I'll support you in whatever you decide," I told her.

"But?" she prompted.

I took a deep breath. "But I like this with you. I like that we can wake up on Monday and decide to hop on the jet and go to Portugal Monday night. I know you probably don't want to hear it, but I can take care of you."

She looked into my eyes and smiled. "I know and I love you for it. But I also have to be true to myself and follow my dreams."

I sighed, knowing that I couldn't ask her to give up her aspirations for my sake. "What are your dreams?"

She burst into laughter. "I don't know. Isn't that crazy? I want this but I do kind of miss teaching. But then I think about going to school in the morning and dealing with cranky kids and I cringe. I have enough savings to take a few more months off. Then I will have to decide what to do."

"In the meantime, we can travel, right?" I asked.

"We can travel," she agreed. "I want to travel. I don't want to plan our future right now. I want the future, but I want to enjoy this time with you."

"Good, because that's all I want," I said.

We left the café and strolled down the cobblestone streets with our drinks in hand. The city was alive with music and laughter, the scents of sweet pastries filling the air. Diana leaned into me, her hand warm in mine like we had been together forever.

"We should come back here for our honeymoon," she said, pointing to the beautiful cathedral that dominated the skyline.

The thought made me smile. "I would love that."

I loved that we were on the same page without actually saying it. Suddenly, the urge to have her overtook me. I pulled her down a side lane, the empty street giving us just enough privacy.

"Hudson? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I whispered and backed her up against a brick wall. "I just can't resist you."

I kissed her, my lower body pressing against hers, pinning her to the wall.

She gasped into my mouth, her hands tangling in my hair. I could feel the warmth of her body against mine, her curves pressing flush against me. Her lips parted for me, inviting me to deepen the kiss, and I took the invitation readily.

"Right here?" she murmured against my lips, her breath warm and sweet.

I pulled back slightly, taking a moment to glance around us. The alleyway was narrow, secluded from the bustling main streets. "Why not?"

She giggled. "Let's go to our room."

"Voyeurism bothers you?" I teased.

"I think I'd rather not end up in a Portuguese local paper," she retorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Now come on, let's go. Our room isn't far."

She took my hand and led me out of the alleyway, our laughter echoing off the cobblestone streets. We walked, hand in hand, through the maze of narrow streets back to our hotel.

The moment we entered our room, all frivolity fell away. Diana stood before me, her breath hitching as I approached her slowly. Her eyes bored into mine. I could see the love and desire lurking behind them. She tugged my shirt, pulling me closer. Our lips met once more, a fire igniting between us.

Our hands roamed freely over each other's bodies, exploring every curve and contour, as if we were discovering each other all over again. Our passion grew with each touch, our breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. We fell onto the bed, our bodies entwining, our hearts beating in sync.

It was then that I knew, without a doubt, that I had found my soulmate, my true companion in this journey through life. Every time I was with her, it just got better.