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I feel guilty making him do this, but he is committed, and today, we’re going public, so there’s no turning back.
My phone is full of upset messages from Cade, my aunties, and one from my father. They’ve asked me to come home and hold off on making the announcement, but I told them it had to happen because of Connor’s profile. Keeping our relationship a secret would be impossible and create rumors that would simply be a distraction from the important work he is doing at Barrett Enterprises.
A line Connor fed me and I’m passing on.
“Thank you,” I reply to Lilly, giving her a smile.
Connor leads me inside his office. “Send Tim in when he arrives,” he calls out to Lilly, then removes his jacket.
I try to keep my eyes off him, which is the opposite of what I should be doing, given he’s my fiancé, but Lord, it’s difficult. The man is sex on two legs.
When he walked downstairs earlier this morning while I was eating my bowl of cereal on the kitchen bench, I nearly choked. Connor Barrett, freshly showered and in a fitted Tom Ford gray suit, is a piece of art.
It didn’t help I was still processing that near kiss. He left me hanging, and while I know this is fake, it still filled my stomach with stupid lusting butterflies.
I’m a little embarrassed at how much I desire Connor, when it’s clear this is just a sexual contract to him. Yet when he demanded my consent last night, I realized he’s not the cold, hard asshole he presents to the world.
It’s something I’m still processing.
Still, I know he’s powerful and holds all the cards here. I’m not stupid.
Introducing him to my family on Thursday is going to be terrifying. So many things could go wrong, and I don’t know how they are going to react to him.
Connor, on the other hand, is cool as a cucumber.
I walk to the window and stare out across Manhattan. I am worried about so many things. My friendship with Sienna, losing my family, how I will achieve independence...I feel like I’m flying on an out-of-control magic carpet which needs a tune-up.
Or top-up in magic.
I feel Connor’s body behind mine, his hands on my hips. Without thinking, I lean back into him as his arms wrap around me.
Wait. Are the cameras here?
“Bet you regret spilling that drink on me now.” His voice is low, and his breath sends shivers down my neck.
Do I? It is hard to think around this man. I turn my face to his, waiting for him to claim my lips. He smiles and moves away.
What the hell?
He’s making me dizzy.
“Tim. Meet Mia,” Connor says, his dark eyes sparkling at my response. Then he turns. “My public relations manager.
I park my reaction and smile at Tim.
He’s everything you’d expect a corporate media person to be. Expensive suit, curly styled hair, and cool glasses. As he walks toward me, I spot quirky socks under his pants.
“Mia, nice to meet you.” Tim extends his hand. We shake, and he walks to the round table a few feet away, places his tablet down, and slides his hands into his pockets.
Then he studies me.
“First question. Are you media trained?”
Connor walks to his desk and begins to tap at his laptop.
“No,” I reply.
Tim nods and continues studying me. “That could be a good thing. They’re going to ask a lot of questions, mostly for Connor, so let him do the talking. But they’ll want something from you.”
