Page 147 of Pretend To Be Mine

I took his hand.

The crowd erupted with applause and whistles usually reserved for the finale of a show, not the beginning. He pulled me up onto the stage. I finally looked at him properly. Really looked.

He looked exhausted. Wrecked. Like he hadn’t slept in days. There were shadows under his eyes, and I could see the worry written in every line of his face.

He’d been just as miserable without me as I’d been without him.

I reached up and pulled off my sunglasses with one hand so he could see my eyes. If I was doing this, I was doing it without hiding.

“Hi,” I said in a shaky voice.

“Hey there,” he breathed. “Thanks for showing up.”

Then he grabbed me and kissed me.

His hands were in my hair, mine were fisted in his shirt. The crowd absolutely lost their minds.

The roar was so loud I felt it in my bones. People were screaming, crying, jumping up and down. Someone was ringing a bell. It was chaos and joy and completely overwhelming.

When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I looked up at him with tears streaming down my face.

“You love me?” I asked, needing to hear it again without the microphone and the crowds. Needing it to be real, just for us, stripped of performance and spectacle.

“With all of my heart.” His thumbs wiped away my tears with such tenderness it made my chest ache. “I’ve never been surer of anything.”

“I love you too.” The words tumbled out, finally free after being trapped inside. “I’ve loved you since day one, I think. I was so scared to tell you.”

“I know. I was scared too. But I’m done being scared.” He kissed me again, softer this time, sweeter. “Elizabeth Laramie, will you forgive me for being an idiot? For taking too long to tell you?”

“Yes.” I laughed through my tears. “Yes, you crazy man. I forgive you.”

He pulled me against his chest, holding me so tight I could barely breathe. I held him back just as fiercely. The crowd was still going wild, but in that moment, it was just us.

“We should probably start the show,” I murmured against his neck, feeling his pulse racing under my lips.

“Probably.” But he didn’t let go.

I glanced over and saw Sebastian. He was grinning and giving us a thumbs-up. Briggs and Dash were there as well, looking equally pleased.

Mimi stood off to the side, one hand pressed to her heart, and a sweet smile on her face. She caught my eye and mouthed “thank you.” I understood.

Adrian released me enough to turn to the crowd. His arm stayed wrapped around my waist, like he couldn’t bear to let me go completely.

“So,” he said into his microphone, and everyone laughed at the understatement. “Should we have a fashion show?”

The cheers somehow got even louder.

He kept one arm around my waist as he signaled for the show to begin, then guided me toward the wings where we could watch without being the center of attention. I was grateful for the reprieve. I needed a moment to process what had just happened. I had to take a deep breath and let it all sink in.

“You really did all this for me?” I asked as models began lining up, some of their faces familiar now.

“I would do anything for you.” He said it simply, like it was obvious. “I should have done it sooner. I kept waiting for the perfect moment and almost lost you.”

“You didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”

“And I’m never letting you go again.” He kissed my temple. “Fair warning.”

The show began, and of course, it was a spectacular finale that combined elements from all four previous shows. Adrian’s legacy pieces opened, reminding everyone of where Blackwell Couture had come from. Then Sebastian’s decadence, bold and sexy and unapologetic. Briggs’s romance followed, elegant gowns that told stories of love and commitment. Finally, Dash’s seduction closed it out, pieces that pushed boundaries and made people gasp.