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Oh, Aurelia. So clever. I trust four people in this world without question, but their women are next tier on that scale.
“Yes. I agree,” I say. “I think there’s a lot to celebrate right now. When does the plane arrive?”
“Three hours. It’s already en route,” Zax answers, and I can tell by his tone, he’s not happy. I mean, he’s rarely happy—that’s just Zax—but he’s overwrought with this situation. He’s the protective big brother, but right now he’s forced to take a back seat and let me lead. Which hits me with a fresh wave of guilt over last night.
I broke my promise to him. And I’m breaking another by keeping it a secret.
Georgia is blinking at me, her brow furrowed ever so slightly as she starts to pick up on the tone and sub-context of the conversation. I shoot my gaze up toward the cameras in the corner, and when she realizes her blunder, her eyes close and her breath stalls. When she reopens her eyes, they’re bright and dazzling—a happy princess, a perfect actress.
“Great!” she exalts, leaning forward and kissing my cheek. “I know we did this on a whim, but the idea of actually celebrating with you is just everything.”
“Fabulous,” Aurelia exclaims. “I’m on it. I have the perfect dress for you. I can’t wait. We’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon.”
I disconnect the call, and without thinking, drag Georgia onto my lap, holding her body firmly against me. My intent is to whisper in her ear while appearing as a couple in love to the cameras. Only my body doesn’t catch up fast enough that this is meant to be fake. It’s in full-on Georgia is in our lap mode.
I shove it down and whisper, “Wrap your arms around me.”
She does immediately.
“I am going to dig into all things Earnhart,” I whisper. “I will take care of them. I promise. You are not to worry about them anymore, but if or when they reach out to you, remember, you have to tell me or show me everything.”
She nods against me. Even gives a small shudder as my breath fans against her ear and neck. Again, I shove that down or I’ll be hard beneath her sweet ass in a second, and I can’t do that. Last night is over and will stay in Vegas, where it belongs.
“I will have trouble not worrying about this,” she says quietly.
“Do you trust me, Georgie?”
She nods even as I get a pinch to the flank for the Georgie comment. I smirk against her, breathing her in because I have to breathe her in. “Then trust me that I’ll take care of this and them for you.”
She twists her head and drops a kiss on my neck. “Okay. I’ll trust that you’ve got this for me. Thank you. I’m not good at relying on others, but I will rely on you now.”
“What do you need me to do to get you on that plane? Because I agree, we’re done here in Vegas.”
I want her back in Boston. I want to go through everything on Alfie and Ezra. I want her away from them, especially while I do it, and I want her back in the safety of her cousins, where I can’t fucking touch her like this. I’m not sure I could make it through another night in the suite with her.
“I’m not sure.”
“Medication, meditation, biting…” I trail off on that last one, making her laugh, which merely feeds my addiction.
She breathes out a long, hot exhale and pulls away, meeting my eyes from inches away. And with her sitting sideways on my lap like this, with the whole of Las Vegas and the beautiful sprawl of mountains beyond, I realize I’m a man in great danger. In danger of not just falling for good—but of losing my heart along with it.
I’m going to fall in love with Georgia Monroe.
And it will be for forever. I’ll never learn how to fully exist without her again. And I have no idea how to stop it or what to do about it. I’ve spent the last six years of my life rebuilding myself to be a man who deserves her, all the while knowing I’d never have her. But with her in my arms, I’m starting to feel that want again.
And it’s stronger than it ever was.
“Honestly?” she asks, her long, dark lashes fanning over her cheeks as she blinks.
“Anything,” I find myself saying.
“I will likely take something this time, but…” She bites nervously into her lip.
“Just say it. It’s yours.”
“It sounds so dumb in my head.”
