Page 94 of Valentine’s Billionaire Auction

“You should’ve been a writer,” I said, sipping my coffee. “I mean I know that’s what you want to be, but I think you could have already had a couple bestsellers under your belt.”

She laughed. “I don’t know about that. It’s a commitment. I haven’t been ready to make that commitment.”

“Trust me, I know all about the fear of committing.”

We both laughed.

By the time we finished eating, I felt more relaxed than I had in years. Kaira looked at me.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“Just how much I’m enjoying this. You. Us.”

“Me too.”

35

KAIRA

The next morning, I woke up in Roman’s bed again, the scent of his soap lingering in the air. The fresh, clean scent mixed with the musky aroma of his cologne. I breathed it in greedily, reminded of our intimate moments shared in this very bed. He had left an hour ago, kissing me softly before he left the room. I rolled over and pulled his pillow against me.

It was becoming a dangerous habit, like I belonged in his bed. I lay there, reluctant to leave the warmth and comfort of his sheets. It was still early. I knew I should get up and start my day, but the thought of leaving did not sound appealing.

Yesterday, I felt like we made some progress in our relationship. And yes, it was officially a relationship. I still couldn’t believe it. Me, little old nobody me was with Roman Kelly. Never in a million years would I have thought this would be my life. I knew this thing was tenuous. Roman still had a lot of baggage. I didn’t want to let myself get too caught up too quickly.

But it was too late. I cared about him. Somewhere along the way, it happened. I wasn’t going to just stop caring about the guy when he kicked me out of his bed. I pushed away the thought. I didn’t want to dwell on the negative. Whatever happened, happened. It didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the ride.

I decided I needed to be productive today. After all, I had a birthday party to plan. The idea had come to me sometime yesterday. My thought was if he was open to being with me, something that was new to him, he might see the joy in celebrating his birthday. It was a special day. He just had a bad feeling about it, but it didn’t need to be a bad thing. He just needed one good birthday to realize it was okay to acknowledge the occasion.

And I was going to give it to him.

I got up and walked down the hall to my bedroom. I quickly showered and got ready for the day. I was going to hit the ground running. I didn’t have much time to get this organized.

On my way downstairs, I spotted Marilyn. “Can you have everyone meet me in the dining room in an hour?”

“Is something wrong?” she asked with concern.

“Nope, but I have big news and I want everyone there.”

She nodded, still looking concerned. “Okay. I’ll let everyone know.”

I grabbed myself some coffee and a quick snack. There was a hum of energy coursing through me. I was so excited to do this.

An hour later, I had turned the dining-room table into a war room. The entire house staff sat around the table looking very skeptical and concerned. They probably thought they were getting fired. I knew convincing them wouldn’t be easy.

“Thank you all for coming,” I began, clasping my hands in front of me. “I have an idea, and I need your help.”

A few wary glances were exchanged. “You know we’re always here to assist, but what exactly are you proposing?” Marilyn asked.

“A birthday party for Roman,” I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

The room fell silent. You could’ve heard a pin drop. Then the murmurs started.

“He doesn’t celebrate his birthday,” one of the housekeepers whispered.

“Not since he was a kid,” the gardener added.

“Oh, Kaira, that’s a sweet idea, but he’s just not the type to celebrate,” Marilyn said. “I really don’t think he would appreciate a party. I’m sorry to burst your bubble. It’s a thoughtful gesture, but maybe something with just the two of you.”