S O F I A  G A R C I A

It's a beautiful sunny day in the Big Apple. The sky is vacant of any clouds, and I can feel the warmth of the sunlight resting on my cheeks as I roam the streets. Spring has always been my favorite season, but it's also the busiest season at the office. We've nicknamed it the season of love because it's the time of the year when we get asked to investigate the most love stories.

"Are you a detective?" The old man I am speaking to on the phone asks me.

My lips curl into a smile at his question. "Hm, not exactly...I'm what you call a fact checker," I clarify. "So where did you say you were when World War II ended?"

"Poughkeepsie. Ahh, I'll never forget. I was with an old friend of mine by the pier and he–" The man begins to say before I cut him off.

"—Poughkeepsie? Oh, wow. I'm sorry. I think I have the wrong Robert Beale. Thank you for your time," I say as politely as I can before hanging up the phone.

I can't help but let out a sigh as I cross 72nd street and walk into Central Park. Jerry, my boss at the New York Daily News, wanted me to fact-check the story about the famous World War II kiss in Times Square. So far, I haven't had much luck, but I still have a couple of Robert Beales left to contact.

Just as I find a bench to sit on in the shade, I check my phone and see that Jerry is calling.

"Hey Jerry, you know, I was just thinking about you," I say as I answer the phone. "What can I help you with?" I ask.

"Can you give me any updates on the World War II story?" Jerry questions.

"Um..." I take a deep breath before continuing, "to be completely honest with you, I still have a few more Robert Beales to contact. One was an officer in the navy, and I have a good feeling about him," I admit. "I'm sure you're going to have a great story."

"That's what I like to hear. Try and get me a brief statement of the facts on my desk by 5 o'clock today," He orders. "See you later."

"Consider it done," I tell him before hanging up the phone.

I flip through my list of contacts and dial the number I have for the next Robert Beale. Robert Beale, ex-naval officer, I hope you are the man I've been looking for.

•

"I still can't believe I found you!" I exclaim as I exit the yellow taxi cab at Times Square. "I'm standing exactly where the picture was taken. Can you describe to me what you saw that day?"

"Well, we had just learned we won the war. And then this drunk sailor randomly grabs this gal off the street and kisses her," Mr. Beale answers.

My eyebrows furrow at his statement. "Wait a minute, so the woman he kissed wasn't his girlfriend?" I inquire.

Mr. Beale and I speak on the phone for a few more minutes, and I make another phone call before I catch a train downtown to the office headquarters. When I reach my floor, I go straight to my office and spend the next twenty minutes drafting a brief statement of the facts for the World War II story. I greet Jerry in his office with the briefing in my hand at 5pm sharp.

He glances over it and looks back up at me with a hint of skepticism in his eyes. "And you're 100% sure about everything written here?" Jerry asks.

"Yes," I confirm. "Robert Beale, a former naval officer, said the kiss was spontaneous on the part of the sailor, but the woman didn't appear to reciprocate his feelings. I got in touch with the woman whom the sailor kissed in the photograph, and she corroborated his story. Her exact words were: That man was very strong. I wasn't kissing him. He was kissing me."

"Hmm, this definitely wasn't the ending I was expecting. The fact that this sailor sexually assaulted her will come as a shock to the people who believed the kiss was an act of true love," Jerry concludes as he sets the briefing down by his computer. "We'll have the story published first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, tell me about this trip you and your fiancé are going on. A pre-honeymoon, is it?"

I smile and drop my gaze to the floor before glancing out the office window. "We're just going on a mini-vacation to Verona before the wedding. Zayn is closing this huge multi-million dollar deal with a client of Goldman Sachs, and he's planning on doing it while we're down there," I answer. "These next few months are going to be pretty hectic."

"Well, I hope you enjoy yourself. You've certainly earned it," Jerry tells me as he stands up from his desk. "See you when you get back."

"Wait," I blurt right before he exits his office. Once I've gotten his attention, I swallow the lump in my throat and proceed. "I-um, was thinking maybe I'd write while I was down there."

Jerry laughs and shakes his head. "Now why would you do that? You're the best fact checker here," He tells me as he heads out the door.

"Right..." I trail off with a frown.

•

By the time I get back to my and my fiancé's condominium on the Upper East Side, it's a quarter to six, which means we have only two hours to get our stuff ready to catch our flight at 9pm. Zayn is in the kitchen with his back turned to me as he talks on the phone.

I smile to myself and quietly set my bag down on the coffee table before tiptoeing into the kitchen. Zayn still hasn't noticed my presence yet, so I take a few moments to admire his appearance as he converses on the phone.

A black Armani suit adorns his body in a tight fit complimented by black dress shoes. He sports the Bulova watch I got him for his birthday back in January on his right hand. If I move a little closer towards him, I can smell the strong scent of his cologne—Dior Sauvage—and it makes my body tingle.

Before I fully register what I'm doing, I wrap my arms around my partner's torso and lay my head on his shoulder, pressing a kiss to his neck. Zayn shoots me a grin and squeezes my side before wrapping up the rest of his phone conversation.

"It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Charles. I'll send you a copy of the final contract on Friday while I'm in Italy. Take care," Zayn says before hanging up the phone.

When Zayn fully turns to face me, he's biting his lip and giving me this sultry look that has made my knees weak ever since we first met. I can't deny how devilishly handsome he looks just standing there in his expensive suit, and I feel content knowing that he's all mine. Zayn catches me by surprise when he grabs my hips and presses me flush against his chest.

"I've been thinking about you all day," Zayn hums into my ear as he sways us back and forth in the kitchen.

"Good thoughts I hope," I manage to reply while looping my arms around his neck.

"They were naughty," He confesses in a low voice.

I giggle when Zayn gives my bum a light squeeze and playfully push him by his chest.

"As much as I want to continue this little escapade...we should really start packing," I insist. "We have a flight to catch tonight."

"Don't worry. The packing can wait babe," Zayn says as he pecks my lips. "I need you, Sof."

It doesn't take long for me to give into his touch. His hand maps my body with desire and squeezes the flesh of my bum over the fabric of my green dress. Once his tongue enters my mouth, my mind gets clouded with only thoughts of him.

I dig my fingertips into his lower back to create some sort friction between us and feel the vibration of his moan against my mouth as a result. Without warning, Zayn places his hands on the back of my knees, wraps my legs around his waist, and carries me into our shared bedroom. Our lips never stray from each other's.

For the next half an hour, the room is filled with my pleasure-filled cries and his praises of encouragement as I work my body's over his to reach both of our highs. He finishes before I do, but I continue to roll my hips against his hoping for a release of my own. Eventually, I grow tired and collapse on top of his chest. We spend about five minutes laying in a comfortable silence before getting up and showering together.

All I can think about under the cascade of water is how excited I am to visit Italy with Zayn. A vacation is exactly what we need for our relationship right now.

A/N

Hello my beautiful wattpad readers. Letters to Juliet is one of my favorite movies, and I can't wait to explore the plot of this story further and add my own little twists to it every now and then. I'm still waiting on my cover but decided I won't keep you all waiting in the meantime.

I learned recently that the famous World War II kiss was not an act of love between two individuals. The sailor grabbed the woman off the street and kissed her at random. I honestly don't know what I would've done if I were in her shoes, but I think it's important that the true story behind the image is unveiled. We often idolize things without knowing the backstory.

On a less heavier note, in my other book, Behind Closed Doors, I asked my readers questions, but in this book I will share fun-facts about myself and you all can ask me questions about it in return.

Fun fact about myself: I have a birthmark on the right side of my rib cage that kind of looks like a map of the United States.

-Kaylandia