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“Can we have an after-dinner drink?” he asked.
I smiled. “Of course. Follow me.”
I led him through a maze of hallways and staircases until we reached a small room with a fireplace and a well-stocked bar. I poured us each a glass of scotch and we settled into comfortable chairs by the fire.
“This place is truly amazing,” Theo said as he took a sip of his scotch.
“It has its charms,” I admitted. “But it can be lonely at times.”
“I can imagine,” he said. “But you’re not alone now.”
I looked over at him, studying his handsome face. “No, I’m not. Thank you for today. And the other day. Your expertise is extremely valuable. I hate to say it, but I know that’s why my parents were so set on getting you in the family. I hope you don’t take offense to that.”
Theo smiled and shook his head. “No offense taken. It’s true that my expertise is what brought me here, but that’s not all that I bring to the table. I genuinely care about you and I’m sure I will care about your family.”
I felt a warmth spread through me at his words. He had a way of making me feel seen and understood in a way that no one else had before. I took another sip of my scotch, feeling emboldened by the liquid courage.
“I care about you too, Theo,” I said, setting my glass down on the table. “More than I probably should.”
He yawned and finished his drink. “We should probably get some sleep. I’m sure we have a busy day tomorrow and then I have a very long flight the following day.”
“Back to America,” I said, smiling. I realized I was going to miss him.
“Home,” he replied.
He nodded, his eyes filled with a warmth that had become increasingly familiar to me. “I had a good time, Emilie. I like seeing properties that need some help.”
“As you saw, they are definitely in need of help.”
Theo chuckled. “Yes, they are. But with my guidance, we can bring them back to life. They aren’t in terrible shape. They are really beautiful properties. They just need a little revamping.”
I nodded, feeling a sense of comfort in his words. “I have faith in you, Theo. I know you can make them great again.”
“I won’t let you down,” he said, his gaze locked onto mine.
A jolt of electricity ran through me at the intensity of his gaze. What I was feeling was dangerous, but I couldn’t help it.
“Thank you so much for being so understanding,” I said. “I imagine it must be hard to be pushed into a marriage that you know is all about using you for your money.”
“I don’t think that’s all I’m being used for,” he said with a goofy grin.
“Oh, you mean your good genes,” I teased. “You think you’re a stud being used to make beautiful babies?”
He gave a casual shrug. “I would make beautiful babies with you.”
“Do you think our kids would have your dark coloring or mine?” I asked.
“Maybe they would have your blue eyes and my dark hair.”
“I want them to have your green eyes and my fair skin,” I said. “They will be beautiful.”
We both fell quiet, staring at the flames dancing in the fireplace. I never imagined my future kids, but now, I could see it.
He walked me to my bedroom door. I turned to Theo, a smile playing at my lips. “Thank you for today, Theo. It was nice.”
Before I could close the door to my room, Theo interrupted my thoughts. “Wait, I forgot something.”
I turned back to him. “What is it?”
