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    An hourter, ke and I were in my quarters in the east wing, and she was making herself thoroughly at home, examining every detail of the spacious rooms Hunter had given Caesar and me.


    “Okay, I have to admit,” ke said, running her hand along the back of the plush sofa, “this is pretty incredible. Look at this ce, Celine! It’s like a luxury apartment, but better because you don’t have to pay rent.”


    “It’s temporary,” I said automatically, the wordsing out before I could stop them.


    ke gave me a look. “Is it, though?”


    I busied myself organizing Caesar’s toys, not wanting to meet her knowing gaze. “Of course it is. This is Hunter’s world, not mine.”


    “Uh–huh.” ke flopped down on the sofa, making herselffortable. “And that’s why he’s taking you on dates and holding your hand in front of his entire staff?”


    My cheeks heated up at the memory. “That was… that was just…“.


    “That was a man staking his im,” ke said matter–of–factly. “Trust me, I know the signs. The sexual tension in that foyer was so thick I could practically taste it.”


    “ke!”


    “What? I’m just saying.” She grinned at me. “Besides, it’s about time. The way you two have been dancing around each other was getting painful to watch.”


    I sank onto the sofa beside her, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I don’t know what I’m doing, ke. This whole thing with Hunter… it’s so


    “Love usually is.”


    “I never said anything about love,” I protested weakly.


    ke’sugh was rich and knowing. “Honey, you didn’t have to. I could smell it the moment I walked into this mansion. Hell, I’m pretty sure the rest of the staff could smell it too, which is why those two bitches were so hostile earlier.”


    “They were hostile because….”


    “Because they’re jealous,” ke interrupted. “Because you went from being the girl they could look down on to being the woman their boss is crazy about. That’s got to sting.”


    I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. “What if this doesn’t work out? What if he gets tired of me? What if his mother decides I’m not good enough?”


    “What if the sky falls?” ke countered. “What if aliens invade? What if Caesar decides he wants to be a professional dinosaur when he grows


    up?”


    “ke, I’m being serious.”


    “So am I.” She turned to face me fully, her expression bing more earnest. “Celine, you can’t live your life based on what–ifs. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.”


    <b>Aug </b>


    <b>“</b>Easy for you to say. You’re not the one with a three–year–old depending on you.”


    687


    “No, but I am the one who’s watched you put everyone else’s needs before your own for the past four years. ke reached over and took my hand.


    “When was thest time you did something just for you? When was thest time you let yourself be happy?”


    I thought about it, really thought about it, and came up empty. “I don’t remember.”


    “Exactly. So stop overthinking this and let yourself enjoy it. Let Hunter spoil you a little. Let yourself fall.”


    “What if I already have?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.


    ke’s face lit up with triumph. “I knew it! You fell first, didn’t you?”


    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, but even I could hear how unconvincing I sounded.


    “Oh, you absolutely fell first. I could tell from the beginning.” ke was practically bouncing with excitement. “Even when he was being aplete ass to you, you had this look in your eyes whenever you talked about him. Like he was a puzzle you were trying to solve.”


    “He was awful to me,” I protested. “He made me feel small and insignificant. He….”


    “He was fighting his attraction to you,” ke said simply. “And you were falling for him despite yourself.”


    I closed my eyes, letting myself think back to those early days. When had it started? When had I begun to see past Hunter’s cold exterior to


    the man underneath?


    Maybe it was the night he’d helped Caesar when he was sick.


    Or maybe it was all those moments when I’d caught him watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher.


    Maybe ke was right. Maybe I had been falling for him all along, even when it seemed impossible.


    “You know what they say,” ke continued with a grin. “She falls first, he falls harder. And honey, the way that man looks at you? Like he wants to devour you whole? He has definitely fallen harder.”


    “ke,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.


    “What? It’s true! The man can barely keep his hands off you, and you’re worried about whether this is real?” Sheughed.


    “Celine, the man is gone. Completely, utterly, hopelessly gone for you.”


    Despite my embarrassment, I felt a flutter of hope in my chest. “You really think so?”


    “I know so. Nowe on, we need to get you ready for this date. When was thest time you went on a proper date anyway?”


    The question made my stomach drop. “I… I haven’t. Not since before Caesar.”


    ke’s expression softened. “Oh, honey.”


    “I mean, there have been a few guys who asked, but between work and Caesar and everything else…” I shrugged, trying to act like it didn’t


    matter.


    “There just wasn’t time.”


    “Well, there’s time now,” ke said firmly. “And we’re going to make sure you look absolutely stunning. Not that you need much help –


    13:04 Tue, <b>5 </b><b>Aug </b>


    you’re naturally gorgeous – but we want Hunter to lose his mind when he sees you.”


    “I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard,” I said nervously.


    “Trust me,” ke said, pulling me to my feet. “By the time I’m done with you, you’ll look like yourself, just… upgraded. Now, show me your closet. We have work to do.”


    The next hour was a blur of ke pulling dresses from my modest wardrobe, rejecting most of them, and finally settling on a simple sundress in soft blue that I’d bought on sale months ago but never worn.


    “This is perfect,” she dered, holding it up against me. “It’s pretty without being too formal, and the color makes your eyes look amazing.”


    She helped me with my hair, pulling it back into <b>a </b>soft, romantic style with a few tendrils framing my face.


    The makeup she applied was subtle but effective, enhancing my natural features without making me look like someone else entirely.


    When she was finished, I hardly recognized myself in the mirror. I looked… pretty. Not morous or sophisticated, but genuinely pretty in a way that felt authentic.


    “ke, I….”


    A knock at the door interrupted me. My heart immediately started racing as I realized who it must be.


    “That’s your prince charming,” ke said with a grin. “Go answer it.”


    My hands were shaking as I walked to the door and slowly turned the handle. Hunter stood on the other side, dressed casually in dark jeans and a button–down shirt that made his eyes look impossibly blue.


    In his hand was a single white rose, simple and perfect.


    When he saw me, his eyes went wide, traveling slowly from my face down to my feet and back up again. The intensity of his gaze made my


    skin tingle with awareness.


    “Fuck,” he breathed, and then seemed to catch himself. “You look beautiful, Celine. Absolutely beautiful.”


    The wonder in his voice, the way he was looking at me like I was something precious and rare, made my knees go weak.


    “Thank you,” I whispered, epting the rose he offered. “It’s lovely.”


    “Not nearly as lovely as you,” he said simply, and the sincerity in his voice made my heart skip.


    Behind me, I could hear ke making exaggerated gagging sounds<b>, </b>but I ignored her, too caught up in the way Hunter was looking at me to care about anything else. <fn2840> Get full chapters from fινdnοvel</fn2840>


    This was really happening.


    I wa