As I listen to my ribcage, I know there isn’t really a decision to be made. My heart knows the answer and is communicating it to me by beating so fast it’s as if it wants to break through my sternum and fly over to his chest. I raise myself to my tiptoes, while I whisper, “Yes, Nathan. I think I can try.” His jubilant smile makes my insides mold a little more, and I add, “And, Nathan? I also love you.”
His eyes widen and he exhales loudly.
Before I know it, his mouth is on mine, sealing our destiny with a kiss. One mind-blowingly sweet and tingling one that wipes clean all previous hurt and betrayal, giving us what we deserve—a fresh start together.
Chapter 41
(Eva)
“Rachel, do you think we could get those keys already?” Nathan asks the blonde woman I stormed by earlier when exiting the elevator.
She’s sitting at the desk in front of his new office, so she must be his secretary. Her brows draw together as if she needs a second to realize what Nathan is talking about. Then she nods and flashes a smile.
As she bends to her drawer, I comb my fingers self-consciously through my hair. I can’t imagine how I must look after the two hours spent with Nathan. My cheeks must be flushed from the whirlwind of emotions, and my lips are likely swollen from the few—fine, maybe not just a few—kisses we shared before he jumped up and announced that he had something important to show me.
Nathan leans into my neck and whispers in my ear. “You look absolutely perfect, my love.”
His words start a faint giddiness in my chest, and I lower my hands to my legs. If Nathan thinks I’m presentable enough, I’m not going to worry.
As if to prove his point, Rachel straightens and hands the keys to Nathan while beaming warmly at me. She truly doesn’t seem to notice my disheveled looks, or if she does, she doesn’t let it show. “Here you go,” she says. “I think it should be all good. I went there after lunch and opened the windows.”
“Very thoughtful of you, thank you,” Nathan replies, then puts a hand on my back. “It looks like my surprise is ready. Let’s go and check it out.”
“Your secretary is very nice. I’d already started to like her because she didn’t try to stop me when I barged in on her boss with the flowers in my hands looking like a fury,” I say as we amble hand-in-hand to the elevator.
“Well, she may or may not have received specific instructions to let you pass, no matter what.” Nathan winks. “But you’re right. Rachel is a loyal and efficient employee. And since I took your advice about being more approachable at work, I believe she likes working for me even more. So thanks, Eva.” He drops a kiss on the top of my head.
“I’m happy we could help each other grow a little and change for the better.”
Nathan stops and his eyes widen. “You mean I helped you too? Really?”
“Of course you did. If it weren’t for you, I would still be stuck in that fortress of mine, thinking it’s too scary and dangerous to take a chance with my heart. I’d still dislike rich guys and blame myself for Alejandro’s failed future. But thanks to you, my brother has a great shot at a better life, and I’ve realized I’ve been carrying silly prejudices around with me, without truly understanding why.”
A crooked smirk appears on his face, and he snakes his arms around my waist. “So you don’t dislike billionaires anymore?” His voice is joking, but I sense a deep yearning in it too.
It’s as if the numerous times he made me, through his tender insistence, admit how much I love him aren’t enough to cancel out his insecurity. It’s so bewildering to think that Nathan is just as eager to feel sure about my emotions toward him as I am about his feelings for me. I lift myself to my toes and brush my mouth against his. “No, I don’t. And there is one particular billionaire who holds my heart captive for now and probably for eternity.”
“Ah, Eva,” he moans, and I know what’s going to come, so I close my eyes to fully savor the moment.
But just before he can close the distance between our hungry lips, a voice interrupts us. “And here are my two lovebirds.”
The soprano has a familiar ring to it, and as I move back from Nathan and turn, I find myself face to face with Nathan’s mother and an elderly man. The man has a traditional grey suit and a thin white beard, while Holly wears a patterned shell top with a beige tailored blazer, and her hair is arranged in a simple low bun. Despite the business attire, she still looks feminine and noble.
Holly doesn’t wait for my reaction but steps forward and closes me into a warm hug like the first time we met. “Eva, my dear, it’s so good to see you again.” When she releases me, she introduces me to her companion. “This is Larry Peterson, our new CEO. Larry, this is Eva Flores, Nathan’s girlfriend.”
Nathan’s arm immediately lands on my shoulders, as if he wants to claim me as his in front of everyone. “Yes, Larry, this is my Eva, the inspiratory muse to the Fresh Start. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to come up with this new game-changing piece in AMEA’s overall strategy.”
Larry extends his hand to me, his face glowing with a well-meaning joviality. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eva.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I
