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He turns my head, brushing his lips against mine with such tenderness that I can’t help but melt against him. The kiss lingers for a heartbeat before he pulls back. It’s enough to look into my eyes again.
“Every inch,” he replies, determination lacing his tone.
“I think you just did.”
He smiles, and the room seems to shrink around us, like it’s just West and me at this moment. Not the boss and his assistant, but two people who choose to be together.
“And—” He hesitates again as steam rises around us. “I’m not letting you leave me.”
My heart thuds.
Does he mean forever?
Chapter 18
Amelia
Pushing the sunglasses over my eyes and pulling my long, brunette hair around my face as I step out of the town car.
My two new bodyguards step out with me and guide me to the bistro. It’s where I agreed to meet Carly for a drink and beg her to come to my engagement party at the weekend.
She’s worried about me. Worried I’m making a mistake by jumping from Felix to West and planning to make a life with him. I can’t tell her it’s not forever.
“Careful,” Jackson grunts as two suits rush past us. His arm wraps around my shoulder as Callum stands in front of me.
These two burly bodyguards, Callum and Jackson, are now my official security. Courtesy of my future fake fiancé since West wants to continue this charade.
It must be a charade–he hasn’t told me it isn’t.
He doesn’t want me to leave. He told me as much, and with so much hope he wants more, I’m staying.
I did have a long think about it. The plan was to go into hiding again. But with nothing to my name, the solution West gave me sure beats the one I planned for myself.
“Sorry,” a man grunts as he stares at the two giants.
Callum and Jackson are dressed in similar black suits and flanking me as I make my way inside the cafe.
I have to say; I have never felt more like the Italian princess I used to be than I do right now.
Carly glances behind me as I slide into the booth across from her. “What’s with the entourage?” she whispers, leaning forward.
I force a smile. “Just a precaution. You know how it is, dating someone like West.”
The lie tastes bitter on my tongue. I hate keeping secrets from Carly, but it’s safer this way. For both of us.
“Oh yeah, Felix called me,” Carly says, pulling me out of my thoughts and to a place I don’t want to think about. “He begged me to talk to you. He told me how much he loved you, and—”
“He loved me?” I laugh. “No, he didn’t.”
“We both know that, but he seems convinced.”
“Men will tell you anything.” I glance out the window, watching the city buzz with life. I have to remember that every time West tells me,“You’re mine.”
“Oh yeah, here,” Carly says, sliding a napkin across the table toward me.
A love heart is on the napkin with a note—a promise to never cheat again.
“Did you just write that?” I ask, a grin breaking through my frown. “Because Felix certainly didn’t.”