Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)(67)

Somehow everything had gotten so complicated, and she didn’t know how to make it simple again.

“Aurelia?”

She turned toward the voice and found Stephen standing behind her. Despite her best attempt, he’d still managed to sneak up on her. For a single heartbeat, she felt only happiness at the sight of him. So tall and strong, so handsome. She smiled and knew he could read everything she was thinking.

Then reality returned and, with it, the realization that she could never be right for him.

“I guess we have a date to get through,” she said. “If we continue to be the most boring couple, I’m sure we’ll get voted off this week.”

“Is that what you want?” he asked.

“It makes the most sense.”

She found it difficult to talk. When she was that close to him, her brain didn’t work right. She could only think about him holding her and how she felt when he kissed her.

Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn’t he be older or her younger?

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she blurted. “I never wanted to be someone you would regret. I’m not afraid for me. I’m afraid for you.”

She clamped her hand over her mouth and wished there was a way to call back the words. She should never have told him that, never have admitted the truth. He would think she was an idiot. Or worse, he would feel sorry for her.

Without thinking, she started walking away. She had no destination in mind, just a burning need to escape the situation. But before she could go anywhere, he was in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, his intense blue eyes staring into her face.

“I could never regret you. Us.”

How she wanted that to be true. In this moment, it probably was, but one of them had to think beyond today.

“Let’s say I believe you,” she said. “So what happens next? What are you going to do?”

He grinned. That happy, easy grin that made her toes curl.

“Go back to college.”

She stared at him. “Excuse me? Go back to college? That’s what your brother wanted all along. Why would you agree to it now?”

“Because I know it means you’ll take me seriously.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. “Really?”

He nodded. “I liked college. I enjoyed studying engineering. I’ve been taking classes in bioengineering, with an emphasis on alternative fuels. It’s a growing industry. College was never the problem—it was Finn. He knows Sasha isn’t interested in the family business, so he’s expecting me to be the one to join him.” He shrugged. “I like flying, but I don’t want to make it my career. I’ve never wanted that.”

“I know that, but Finn doesn’t. You have to tell him.”

His mouth twisted. “Would you tell him if you were me? Finn has a bug up his ass about the business and college. I think it has more to do with our parents dying and him having to raise us. He’s done a good job, but he’s gotten too used to running our lives. I knew he expected me to go into the family business. I didn’t know how to tell him I didn’t want that. So I did something drastic—I came with Sasha to be on the show. I never expected to find you.”

She stared at him. “I don’t understand.” Her voice was a whisper.

“I thought I was looking for something. Now I get that I was looking for someone. You. I’ll go back to school and get my degree because it will make you happy. But also because it will make me the kind of man you want. This is all about you, Aurelia. Don’t you get that?”

All she heard was a faint buzzing sound. The world seemed to move around her, and it took her a second to realize she was on the verge of passing out. She couldn’t catch her breath, but then Stephen was kissing her and little things like breathing didn’t matter.

She kissed him back, losing herself in the feel of his mouth on hers. The moment was everything she’d ever wanted. Better than that, the man was everything she’d ever wanted.

He raised his head and stared at her. “I love you, Aurelia. I think I have from the first moment I saw you.”

“I love you, too.”

She hadn’t been sure she would ever get to say those words to a man. Now, as she spoke them, she knew the rightness of each syllable.

Sure, there were complications. Things to be worked out. Explanations to be made. But that was for later. Right now there was Stephen and the fact that he loved her.

He kissed her again. She moved closer and—

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Geoff said. “This is good television.”

Stephen straightened, looking as shocked as she felt. She stared at him, horror growing inside of her. The cameras. How could they have forgotten about the cameras? They weren’t having a private conversation. They were on television.

Stephen swore softly. “I’m sorry. I forgot they were there.”

“Me, too.”

There was no point in going to Geoff. He wouldn’t understand the concept of keeping a private moment private. He was interested in ratings. The boring couple had just given him a blockbuster of a teaser.

It wasn’t just that Geoff and the crew had seen it all. Soon everyone would be a witness.

Stephen cupped her face. “Want to change your mind?”

“No.”