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His entire body is twisted, so he’s looking at me directly. I release a deep breath and something unfurls in the center of my chest.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a brother?”
“He’s at the ranch because he’s trying to get away from the world. And he's been having some personal and psychological issues that he needs to work on. I wanted and still want to respect his privacy. I cannot talk about his issues openly to anyone else. It's not my place. And I didn’t want whatever was happening with him to overshadow us.”
“Oh.”
Adrian takes my hands in his. “I’ve known you were special from the moment I laid eyes on you, Danielle. But I was scared, and I was stupid, and I told myself I was protecting you. I’m sorry that I let you down, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t honest.”
The warm feeling in my stomach grows.
“I should’ve told you the truth. I should’ve had more faith in you and us,” Adrian continues, his voice growing softer and softer. He holds my gaze as his lips lift into a half smile. “Will you come back to the ranch with me?”
My breath hitches in my throat. “I…I want to, but I can’t. I just got back to work, and my boss is finally giving me something I want to work on—”
“I’ve already spoken to your boss, and I told her I’d sit down for an exclusive with you at the ranch,” Adrian interrupts, with a smile. “Savannah already packed your bag, and it’s already in the trunk.”
I offer him a weak smile. “You really have thought of everything, haven’t you?”
Adrian nods and brushes his thumb along the inside of my wrist. “I tried, so what do you say? I’ve got a surprise planned for you.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Adrian
I pull her onto my lap and bury my face in her neck. “You smell amazing.”
Danielle squirms and sighs. “No, I don’t. You didn’t even let me go home and shower.”
I press a kiss underneath her ear. “Because I didn’t want to waste any more moments without you.”
Danielle stirs and leans back to look at me directly. “You do realize I wasn’t going to change my mind right? About coming back with you, I mean?”
I wrap my arms around her waist and smile. “I know.”
Because I saw the look on her face.
Flying out to her was the right thing to do and my honest explanation was exactly what Danielle needed to hear.
Over the past few weeks, she and I have been dancing around each other, getting close but never close enough.
Now that I’ve finally come clean about Brian, nothing is going to get in our way.
Not if I can help it.
Danielle offers me a tentative smile. “What about the other guests? I’m still technically a guest.”
“Not anymore. The minute you checked out, you stopped being a paid guest. But I don’t give a shit either way.”
Danielle’s smile grows bigger. “You don’t? What about that pesky journalist from the restaurant?”
“The only pesky journalist I want in my life is the one on my lap,” I tease, before I tuck her hair behind her ears. “All joking aside though, I mean it, Danielle. I want us to have a real shot this time. No more secrets or lies.”
Danielle’s expression softens. “I’d like that.”
I press a kiss to her forehead. “I’m going to make a quick phone call. I’ll be right back.”
She blows out a breath and slides off of my laptop and onto the seat next to me.
Then she glances out the window, at the private runway, awe and surprise written across her face.
