Chapter 200
A laugh slips out before I can stop it, though my voice comes softer than I mean. “As tempting as that sounds, I’ve barely saved enough for one plane ticket.”
He exhales dramatically, then dips his head into my hair, his nose skimming my temple. The contact makes my eyes flutter shut. My face ends up pressed to his chest, and all I can smell is him not soap, not cologne, just warm, clean skin and something that’s become home.
–
I fist the fabric of his shirt without meaning to, and he answers with a slow stroke of his hand up into my hair. His fingertips massage lightly at my scalp, sending goosebumps racing down my arms, before trailing down the back of my neck in a glide that makes my whole body hum.
“You’ve got a walking ATM right here, beautiful,” he murmurs, his lips grazing my hairline so faintly it feels like a secret. A shiver chases through me. “I’d buy you anything, take you anywhere, do anything to make you smile.” His forehead drops to mine, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw in slow, dizzying strokes. “But you’re too stubborn to let me.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the way he’s looking at me the only person in the room worth seeing
out of my throat.
–
like I’m
snatches the words right
“Not stubborn,” I say finally, though my voice sounds suspiciously like a squeak. “It’s just… the stuff you want to do is extravagant. If it didn’t cost thousands, maybe I wouldn’t mind.”
His brows lift, the tiniest shift, and suddenly his grip tightens at my waist, dragging me that bit closer like I’m about to pay for my honesty
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with my life. “Do you mean that?”
My brain short–circuits for a second because of course his voice had to go all low and dangerous right now. “Uh… sure,” I manage, which is probably the stupidest answer of my life.
He hums. “Maybe I don’t need to buy you anything, then.” His thumb traces my jaw, soft but firm enough to make me shiver.
I arch a brow, trying for sarcasm but mostly sounding breathless. “Seriously?”
“Of course not.” His mouth curves. “What am I supposed to do when I see something and think of you? Leave it there? You’re asking the impossible, love.”
I poke his chest, because someone in this relationship has to cling to logic. “The problem is everything seems to remind you of me. Even that hideous, wall–sized stuffed animal you brought home last week.”
“You made me return that,” he reminds me smoothly, and before I can pull my hand back, he catches it and presses a warm kiss to my knuckles. Like I didn’t already lose this argument three minutes ago. “And you were so excited when you saw it, until you googled the price.”
Okay, fine. He got me there. I was excited. It was limited edition merch from one of my favorite romance novels, which basically means it came with a caution label: “Warning, financially devastating. Do not look directly at checkout total.”
But he can afford it, so naturally he decided to play Fairy Godmother and drop it into my lap like a casual Tuesday surprise. Which would be sweet–heart–attack–level sweet – if he didn’t seem to think my happiness lives exclusively in the “luxury goods” section of his brain.
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Now I’m stuck mediating between letting him spoil me rotten and trying not to break into hives every time I look at a price tag. It’s a very delicate balance. Especially since, with his schedule games,
–
practice, general world domination we don’t even go out as much as we want to. Which is tragic, considering we have a whole dream list of places to go together and can never agree on what comes first.
“And did you even learn anything from that, huh, Mr. Calloway?”
He has the audacity to grin. “Yes, beautiful. Get everything custom- made so you’ll never be able to find a price in the first place.”
–
I nearly fall out of his lap from how hard I’m gaping at him — not that I could, thanks to his iron grip on me. “Liam. You cannot be serious.”
“I thought I was Mr. Calloway now?” His grin widens. “You know, I really love when you call me that. Do it again, love.”
If I had the ability, I’d combust on the spot. Instead, I bury my burning face into his shoulder like a coward. Of course, he has to brush his hand over my forehead. “Love, your temperature’s high. You sure you don’t have a fever?”
The teasing in his tone is so aggressive I nearly die of internal bleeding. “Shut. Up.”
He chuckles low, his hand at my waist flexing. “This is all your fault, you know. If you weren’t this ridiculously adorable, I wouldn’t tease you nonstop. Or hate having my hands off you. Or feel like I have to give you every little thing you so much as glance at. Honestly, Emilia, you should work on yourself.”
I sigh dramatically. “Yes, yes. My bad.”
“Exactly.” His lips brush the top of my hair. “Now, as punishment, you get me for the rest of your life. Fair deal?”
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Something in the way he says it makes me tense before I can stop myself. He notices instantly. “Em?” His thumb strokes over my jaw. “You said it’s okay if it doesn’t cost anything, right?”
“Not my exact words, but… sure.”
“So can I have more of this?” His hand slides into my hair, holding me close. “More of you. Here. Always.”
It takes me a second to catch up. My brain’s still recovering from his touch. “What are you saying?”
He grins like he knows he’s ruining me on purpose, but there’s
—
something softer underneath it – something shy that doesn’t show up often in the man I fell in love with. “I’m saying you basically live here already. Your stuff’s in every room. You know where I hide my snacks. You’ve stolen my favorite hoodie. And my bed doesn’t feel right without you in it.” His gaze steadies on mine, unshakable. “And… you know I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whisper, because my chest feels like it might actually burst open otherwise.
The look on his face right then? It could sell me on anything. No matter how reckless. No matter how impossible.
“So, Emilia…” His voice drops low as he leans in, lips brushing over mine like he’s testing the words against my skin. “Move in with me.”
Author’s Note:
I’m officially back! Chapters will be much longer too, I can’t explain how grateful I am, but I’ll do my best to try.
Love,
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Miss Anonymous
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