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She couldn’t disagree.
Wait.
Did he just say—?
As if reading her mind, he leaned down to murmur against her lips, “I’m in love with you, Dakota Douglas.”
An image of them laughing as they stood on the beach holding hands popped into her head.
This should have been when she told him she was in love with him, too. Because she was. Her soul sang and her body thrummed whenever they were together.
Yet she didn’t say anything because the next reel that played in her mind was the one that always followed; the one of him walking away while tears streamed down her face.
She stared at the flames crackling in the fireplace, as if they would have the answer to how she should respond.
She knew she’d waited too long to reply when his hand holding her chin dropped away, and he kissed her forehead with a sad smile before he released his hold on her waist and stepped back.
“I probably shouldn’t have said anything.”
Her voice was whisper quiet when she responded. “I—I think I already knew. Just like I’m sure you know how I feel about you.”
“That’s just it—Idon’tknow you feel. When we’re together, you act like you care about me and like there’s no place you’d rather be.”
“I do care about you—”
He cut her off. “But you’re careful not to let me in too far. You don’t want to spend time with my girls, and you won’t let me anywhere near your family. We only spend time together when we can be alone. I want to take things to the next level while you’re holding me at arm’s length. I’m not sure how much longer my heart can take it.”
She felt her stomach drop to her feet as tears filled her eyes.
“What are you saying? Do you want to break up?”
“No, Sunshine. I want to do theoppositeof break up, but you won’t let me in. I’m only allowed a tiny sliver of your heart, and I want the whole damn thing. If I thought being patient was the answer, I’d wait. But you’re convinced that we aren’t meant to be because of some vision you keep having, and I don’t know how to combat that.”
A single tear slid down her cheek as she whispered, “I don’t either. I’m sorry.”
He gave her another sad smile. “Me too. More than you know.”
More tears followed and she was unable to brush them away fast enough. She’d give anything for him to pull her close again, where she could burrow her head against his chest so he couldn’t see her crying.
Aiden handed her tissues and kissed her temple.
“Let’s get ready for cocktail hour.”
That was the last thing Dakota wanted to do. She wanted to get naked and lose herself in him. Where she didn’t have to think and worry and could justbe. Where she felt safe and loved—in Aiden’s arms.
But she couldn’t find the words to tell him that, so she nodded her head and escaped to the bathroom.
****
Aiden
He still wasn’t sure he believed in auras, but even he couldn’t deny the Universe had conspired to bring him and Dakota together. But he also believed in gut feelings, and right now, his gut was all twisted up with an ominous feeling this weekend was going to be their last.
She came out of the bathroom in a black dress that hugged her waist while the skirt flared. The fabric gave the illusion of crossing at her chest, emphasizing her incredible tits. She wore a rhinestone lariat necklace that shimmered in the light and drew his eye to the hint of cleavage that her dress revealed.
Her hair was piled high on her head, and her long dangling earrings matched her necklace. Her makeup was dramatic, like she’d worn at the Animal Rescue gala, and her lips were red and shiny and would look incredible wrapped around his dick.
The black stilettos completed the ensemble.
