For Daniel's beautifully decorated bushes, I stuffed wads of toilet paper in between the branches, like little paper flowers. Those would be a bitch to pull out in the morning, especially if they got wet and frosted over. I might have snickered a bit as I hopped from bush to bush. Last was the house. I really wanted to get the rolls on the house, but I didn't think I could throw that far.
"Hey, do you think you can throw a roll over and clear the house?"
Declan gave me a look that said I should never doubt him as he grabbed a roll and took a few steps back. He let it sail, clearing the house and leaving a brilliant white streak over the top of the roof.
"Yes! Now, do that twenty more times!" I said quietly, jumping up and down.
He silently laughed, doing as I'd asked, taking every last roll we had and throwing them over the roof. Just as the last roll cleared the roof, I heard a nearby house explode in an array of voices, all chanting, at what must have been a party as they started counting down.
"It's almost midnight!" I said excitedly.
"Well then, you better get your ass over here and kiss me."
I ran to him and jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around him, just as the voices got to one.
Everyone at the party nearby yelled, "Happy New Year!" at the same time my lips met Declan's.
His fingers curled into my hair as he devoured me. Every part of me was freezing, but my lips felt like they were on fire the minute they'd touched his.
I could have stayed like that forever, ringing in the New Year in Declan's arms, but as I did, I noticed the voices from the party starting to grow louder. Declan must have heard them as well because he pulled back. We looked around and saw the neighbor's party was spilling out onto the lawn. A few of them were pointing to our toilet-paper masterpiece.
"Oh shit! We better go!" I said, laughing.
We ran to the limo, and Max took off just before Daniel's neighbor made it across the street. We were both laughing so hard, and I couldn't breathe.
"Well, there is one thing I am absolutely sure of. Life with you will never be dull."
"Right back at you, Hotshot."
Now, if we could just figure out how to rearrange the states, so Virginia and California shared a border. Then, we wouldn't have a single care in the world.
Chapter Sixteen
~Leah~
"Not only have you ruined me for other men, but you've seriously ruined flying for me as well. I'm not going to be able to fly anything less than first class from now on." I snuggled into the oversized leather seat as I pulled the plush blanket tighter around my lap.
This was how flying should be. No one had stepped on my feet, knocked my elbows with a cart, or kicked the back of my chair. It was bliss.
"I've ruined you for all other men?" Declan grinned.
"Shit, you weren't supposed to know that."
"Really? Why? I'm very happy, knowing you're inevitably ruined for all eternity for all other men but me," he bragged.
"See? Exactly. You're already too cocky as it is. Too much more and your head will explode. Then, where will I be?"
He gave me a lopsided grin and leaned over to kiss my shoulder, which was very much looking forward to seeing the sun for the first time in months. While it wasn't hot in January in California, it definitely wasn't winter-coat weather. Declan had promised to take me to the beach and the Walk of Fame. He'd even said he would take me shopping in Beverly Hills. Dating a movie star definitely had its perks.
When the flight attendant came on the intercom and announced our final descent into LAX, I squealed like a schoolgirl. I'd never been to the West Coast. Hell, I'd barely made it out of Virginia. Staying across the country for a few days was definitely the most adventurous thing I had ever done.
"It's a shame you're not excited," Declan teased.
I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed.
"Shut up. Give me a moment, and I will go back to calm-and-collected Leah. I promise that I won't embarrass you when all your adoring fans meet us at the gate."
"I'm afraid TV and movies have lied to you a bit on that. For the most part, rabid fans and paparazzi don't hang out at the airport. It's a waste of time to sit around, hoping a celebrity will come in on a flight. They go where the tips are, so we should be able to cruise in without a problem."
"So, I get you all to myself for a little longer?"
"Yep," he answered, grinning.
"Good."
I leaned over and kissed him far too deeply for public, but I didn't care. Everyone in first class was either asleep or too wrapped up in his or her own business to pay attention to us. I wanted nothing more than to enjoy the feel of Declan's lips on mine.
A few minutes later, our plane landed smoothly, and we did the first thing everyone does nowadays when the wheels hit the pavement. We both reached down to our stowed bags under our seats and immediately turned on our phones. I looked around, and every single person was doing the same thing. Checking out from the world for several hours should seem like a present, but we'd all grabbed our phones like our lives depended on it, making sure the world was exactly the same as we'd left it.
My iPhone finished booting up, and I had a funny text from Clare and a few emails. Declan's phone beeped. I saw him pull up several text messages, and then he cursed.
"What is it?" I asked, concerned.
"Looks like I've been outed on the Internet by someone who saw us on the plane. My publicist says a few cameras are waiting for us at baggage claim. Sorry, babe. It's not quite the quiet introduction to Cali you were hoping for."
"It's okay. It was bound to happen anyway. Might as well dive right in. Do you want me to hang back and let you go first?" I asked, not knowing how this whole press thing worked.
I didn't know if he wanted us out or not. I was honestly fine with either. I didn't know the life he had to deal with, and I didn't want to cause further stress by forcing him into something.
"What are you talking about? You will walk with me, always with me. Got it?"
I nodded, watching him bring my hand to his lips in a sweet gesture, before we had to exit the plane. We made our way off the plane and through the gate. A few fans were waiting for him. Apparently, passengers from other flights had found out about Declan's arrival. He immediately wrapped his arm around me as he greeted them, making his taken status very obvious. Even when he leaned over to sign a few autographs, he still held my hand.
We made our way through the rest of the airport and down to baggage claim. Just as we were about to leave the security area, he gave me one final look.