Ensnared (The Accidental Billionaires #1)(71)

“They’ll have no choice but to back out of it now,” he said drily. “I’ll be damned if they’re going to stand guard over you. That’s my job now.”

“It’s nobody’s job,” I retorted. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And speaking of that, what can I do to take care of you, Mr. Stone? Since you’ve just made my dreams come true, I really want to do something for you.”

“You know the only thing I ever want is to get you naked,” he said huskily.

I smiled at him and tightened my arms around his neck. That was not the only thing Eli wanted, but he did think about it an awful lot. Maybe as much as I did.

“I want to make you happy,” I told him.

“Way too late for that, Butterfly. I’m already happier than I could have ever imagined.”

He’d changed so much in the last few months, and he seemed much more content with who he was now. Eli talked openly and often about Austin, and there were pictures of his brother everywhere in his home.

Although he still did some dangerous things, they weren’t as outrageous as his previous pursuits. I was learning to rock climb along with him, but I drew the line at auto racing. I had bitten my fingernails to the quick when he’d done a celebrity racing event for charity last month, but I’d gotten through it.

The guy had a thing for fast cars, but I could live with that.

I was just glad he’d cancelled the challenge to swim the English Channel and the insanely dangerous multiskill race across the wilds of Patagonia.

Eli kept the crazy going for charity, but he was doing only the things he personally enjoyed.

“I love you,” I said, the declaration coming from the depths of my soul.

He nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m so damn happy. Because I love you, too, Butterfly.”

I kind of feel like a butterfly.

He lowered his head and kissed me, and I spread my wings a little further.

I’d come a long way from the woman I’d been just months ago, and it had nothing to do with my inheritance.

Eli had slowly pried me out of my shy, unconfident cocoon of confusion. Maybe I’d taken a few missteps along the way, but the night I’d agreed to let Eli show me his world had sealed my fate.

Even then, when he was a noncommitment kind of guy, I’d still instinctively trusted him.

I threaded my hands through his hair and kissed him back.

As long as I had this man who loved me so fiercely, I knew I was always going to keep flying higher.

We’d always be soaring side by side.