Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Finally, I lifted my head to meet her stunned gaze. Tears filled her eyes as she clasped my face in her hands and kissed me gently, reverently. When she released me, it was to snuggle against my throat and wrap her arms around me.
Catching my breath, I held her tight and promised myself it was okay that she hadn’t told me she loved me back.
I could be patient.
Twenty-Eight
ARIA
It was unusual for me to be off the estate on a weekday at lunchtime, but here I was, attempting to have more of a life. A month ago, I’d reluctantly left North in London and flew back to the Highlands to have a serious chat with Lachlan about the hours I worked. My boss had never asked me to take on the overtime and responsibilities that I had, so he seemed relieved that I was creating boundaries for myself.
“We have a management team capable of running the estate at the weekend,” he’d reminded me. “That’s how the place ran before your arrival.”
I still worked longer hours than most during the week, but those extra hours created a guilt-free zone for me to leave early on Fridays to catch a flight to London. They’d just moved locations, though, so last night I’d arrived back in Inverness from visiting him in Berlin. We didn’t always get a lot of time together on those weekends, but I was used to hanging around a film set, having worked as my father’s PA when I was in college. So I was cool to watch North do his thing until I could get him all to myself. The days they didn’t need him—when they filmed elaborate stunts with the stuntmen—were my favorite.
We’d spent some glorious hours in bed. And in the shower. And up against the wall. Over a dining table … My skin heated just thinking about it.
“I think we’re ready to go at the end of the month. Do you think we’re ready?”
Realizing Sloane had directed a question to me, I blinked out of my aroused stupor. “Ready?”
We sat in Flora’s, a café on Castle Street, with Monroe having lunch. Brodan was taking care of their baby boy, Lennox, this afternoon so Roe could catch up with me and Sloane. Sloane was friends with both of us and that friendship had brought us together. Thankfully, Monroe had a sincerity and kindness I felt I could trust. North was teaching me to lower my barriers again to let good people in. It helped that I hadn’t had any more weekly reminders from Caitlyn that friends like her existed. Things had grown quiet on that front, and it was bliss.
“My bakery.” Sloane smirked at me. “Where were you just now?”
“Nowhere.” I took a quick sip of tea, not meeting her eyes.
She snorted. “Yeah, I’ve been to nowhere. Walker’s usually in nowhere. Naked.”
I rolled my eyes. “What were you asking me about the bakery?”
“That it should be ready to open by the end of the month.”
Considering she was so organized she was ready to go now, I thought it sounded more than doable and said so.
“Oh, I’m so nervous thinking about it.”
“People will flood to it, Sloane,” Monroe assured her. “And opening it for only a few days a week is so smart.”
“Yeah, I hope so.” Sloane eyed me suddenly. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about you and nowhere. How was Berlin?”
My decision to date North was an enormous step for me, so we’d agreed to contain our relationship to just our friends and family. Obviously, I was on North’s set every weekend, so they all were aware, but the crew also knew better than to gossip about the cast. At least in any way that could reach the public. So I’d told my family (Allegra was happy for us, my dad was worried and wary, and Mamma kept badgering me about when she would meet North), and Sloane, Monroe, and the Adairs, but no one else officially knew. Well, North had told Theo Cavendish. I still wasn’t sure about that guy, but North fully explained what happened with Preston in London, and I was glad Theo had the presence of mind to get North out of there. And he’d said nice things about me. So maybe there was a beating heart in the aristocrat’s chest, after all.
“It was great.” I bit my lip against a secret smile. “We saw little of the city, but it was great.”
“Oh, I know what great means.” Sloane wiggled her eyebrows comically. “So, is it getting serious?”
At her words, I heard North’s deep voice in my head.
I love you.
Inwardly, I flinched and lowered my eyes so my friends couldn’t see my panic. I’d read it in his journal before I flew to London, so I knew that’s how he felt. Having him say it while we made love was one of the most beautiful things that had ever happened to me.