The Billionaire's Illicit Twins - Holly Rayner Page 0,52

in and cook tonight, rather than going out—and additional bags full of books. Because Bella had seen a bookstore and declared that she absolutely had to have at least one book. One book that had turned quickly into ten.

Plus three bookmarks. Plus a journal. Plus a reading light that she swore she needed in case she was reading when it got dark. Because you know, she might be in a place that didn’t have lamps.

“Thank you for this morning,” she said earnestly when we put the bags on the counter in the kitchen. “Thank you for taking me to the bookstore.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked, gesturing to the bags. “I’m just glad you didn’t ask me to buy the entire store for you.”

She snorted. “As if I would.”

I caught her hand and brought it to my chest, placing it right over my heart.

Yeah, it was a cheesy, romantic gesture. And yet, it felt exactly right in that moment. Even if she wouldn’t admit that we could be anything more than just friends.

“I would have bought you the store in a New York minute if you’d asked for it,” I said softly.

I heard her breath catch. Saw her catch her bottom lip in her teeth, surprise and something deeper coloring her eyes.

And then she was in my arms, her own arms wrapped around me as I claimed her mouth with my own.

I knew we hadn’t talked. I knew we needed to. I knew we had a whole lot of talking to do. But right at that moment, with her in my arms and her lips opening up to mine, her body pressed against me like she needed something only I could give her, I didn’t care about words.

I only cared about her.

Chapter 30

Ethan

When we finally managed to crawl back out of bed, it was mid-afternoon. We didn’t talk about what had just happened or how it had come about—or even how we felt about it. I thought it was probably something that was still too fragile to touch. Still too risky to take seriously.

I did wonder whether it meant that Bella had changed her mind about me. Though I doubted it.

Besides, she evidently had only one thing on her mind.

“Hungry,” she said, pulling her shirt back over her head. “Must have food.”

“Bella speak in sentence fragments, mean Bella running out of calories,” I teased, grinning at her.

She made finger guns at me. “Ethan right. Bella and babies need sustenance.”

I reached out and booped her button nose, unable to stop myself. Yes, I know, that whole thing about talking and needing to discuss what we were going to do. And further, that whole thing about me having her here this weekend when I still didn’t know if she was going to agree to what I wanted to propose.

Ethan making decisions with his heart rather than his instincts. Ethan verging into new territory. Ethan definitely putting his feelings at risk.

And screw all that. I had her all to myself this weekend, and I was going to make the most of it. Regardless of how dangerous it was. I didn’t even care if it made me stupid—for what could very well be the first time in my entire life. Because I’d never felt about anyone the way I felt about her. And that included the first girl I’d fallen in love with in high school, when I’d been so convinced that I was going to die if she didn’t go to prom with me that I had spent an entire weekend standing in her driveway, just waiting for her to come out and talk to me.

I was more sophisticated now. I mean, at least I was using the house in the Hamptons rather than just my body standing in the driveway.

I had no idea whether it was going to work. But I was willing to give it everything I had in an attempt.

“Good thing we bought all those groceries, then,” I said. “Spaghetti and meatballs?”

She rolled her eyes in what looked like it might actually be ecstasy. “God, that sounds amazing.”

I tried to stifle my laugh. I swear I did.

“And salad? And garlic bread?” I asked, making my voice as sexy as I could.

She groaned so loudly that I lost my fight to stifle my laughter—and then she was laughing with me, her whole face lighting up with joy.

“You wouldn’t believe how hungry I am all the time,” she admitted. “Let’s go cook.”

We made our way quickly into the kitchen and then made extremely