I moved my thumb back and forth on the back of her palm, reveling in the softness of it.
“Like I said. You’re a good man, even if you don’t want to admit it to anyone, least of all yourself.”
“I want to be a good man for you,” I said gruffly. But was that possible, knowing what I did? I should heed Jace’s advice and come clean. Perhaps it would make wooing her easier. Perhaps not. Emilia was such an enigma to me. I had thought I had a good read on her, but then she’d do something that made me question everything I had ever known, and right now, I didn’t know how she would react if she knew the truth.
And it wasn’t me I needed to protect, though—fuck if I didn’t sound weak when I said I wanted to protect my heart from her just a little while longer.
I pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it.
Just a little while longer.
Emilia would be so easy to fall for.
And I would fall. It was only a matter of time.
I looked up and met her eyes, the green irises almost dark from her arousal. What would I have to do for a kiss?
A touch?
What did I have to give up, kill, or conquer, just for a chance to spend this lifetime with her? And perhaps a million more.
I didn’t know.
She cleared her throat and pulled away, going back to her pizza. I watched as she took another bite, and when the tomato sauce stuck to the corner of her lips, I moved my thumb over it, wiping away the sauce and bringing it to my mouth.
Her breath caught.
“Sorry,” I said. “Just a bit of sauce there.”
“I’m sure a napkin would have sufficed,” she muttered, a small blush forming on her freckled cheeks.
I grinned. “Where’s the fun in that?”
She looked away, but not before I caught the amusement in her eyes.
“Tell me something,” she said. I cocked my head to the side. “Do you like it?”
“What?”
“Your job?”
I took a sip of my wine, mulling over the question. To say I liked it would be an understatement. It felt like I was born for the role. I knew being born in my family meant I had very little choice for any other passion. I could be taught to play the piano and to read music, but it wasn’t something I could have made a career out of. It would have been looked down on in the Pierce family.
It was just my luck that I had a head for business and that I truly enjoyed what I did. But I had been willing to walk away from it all. Seven years ago, when my grandpa died, I’d left my legacy behind.
Until Elodie.
“Yes,” I answered finally, but my answer had come out subdued.
Emilia nodded. “You look like you were born to be the CEO of some important company.”
I smiled at that. “Do you think I was born in a suit and tie?”
I tugged on her hair playfully, and she let out a soft chuckle. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me that was the case.” She looked down at her plate, obviously thinking about something. I patiently waited for her to catch her thought.
“You left?”
“What was that?” I asked.