Page 133 of Hold Me Tight

Even more than that, I’m no longer afraid of falling.

Because I know deep in my heart he’ll always be there to catch me.

Epilogue

Evelyn

Night of the engagement party…

* * *

The rooftop terrace is quiet.

Blissfully so.

Below, the penthouse hums with laughter and clinking glasses as music pulses low and the celebration rolls on.

But up here?

It’s just me, the Chicago skyline, and the hush of an autumn breeze brushing against my skin. The night is unusually warm, a small gift this late in the season. One of the last, if I had to guess.

I move to the ledge that surrounds the rooftop, my heels clicking against the stone, and draw in a slow breath scented with the greenery that lines the terrace. Potted trees, climbing ivy, and bursts of seasonal blooms. The city sprawls before me, a sea of shimmering lights that stretch endlessly into the distance.

It’s only in this stillness that the tension knotted within me begins to loosen.

When the elevator chimes behind me, my breath stalls. I don’t need to turn to know who it is. My spine goes rigid as my shoulders tighten instinctively. Hugh Landry steps out of the elevator and into my stolen peace.

No matter where I go, he finds me.

Lately, it feels more deliberate.

He doesn’t speak, just moves toward me with slow, measured steps until his presence looms at my back. Tall, broad, and unapologetically masculine. Living with him has been a test of willpower I never signed up for. Sharing a home with Hugh should be simple.

It’s turned out to be anything but.

Not when I’ve seen him barefoot, hair mussed from sleep, skin still damp from the shower with a towel slung low around his hips. I close my eyes, banishing the image before it can dig in deeper and do more damage.

There’s a shift of fabric as he stops behind me.

His low voice is dangerously close to my ear. “I thought I’d find you up here.”

I keep my lips pressed together, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reply.

He edges close enough for his body heat to seep into my skin. Near enough that my breathing turns uneven despite my best efforts.

“Funny thing,” he says, voice laced with humor. “For a woman who claims she can’t stand me, you keep ending up in all the places I want to be.”

His nose grazes the curve of my cheek before tracing the line of my jaw.

I fight the shiver threatening to betray me, and lose.

“You said,” I whisper, “you wouldn’t touch me unless I begged you to.”

His chuckle is rich and warm as it slides down my spine like silk. “You’re right. I did.”

“That will never happen,” I add quickly, though it sounds more like a warning to myself than to him.

“That’s all right.” His voice is even closer now, pitched low. “I’ve waited years for this. If I have to wait a little longer, I will. You’re worth it.”