Page 128 of Beauty and the Billionaire

I restrained myself.

“I’m sorry.”

I pinched my eyes shut.

Still, I needed more.

I winked one open. “What are you sorry for, exactly?”

He held my hands in his, an almost punishing grip. “I wasn’t ready to have that conversation with you last night. I fucked it up.”

“You really fucked it up.”

He dipped his chin to his chest. A rough chuckle wrenched from his chest. “I did.”

“And now you’re here.”

“I couldn’t stand the thought of you being alone when the latest headline came out.”

That was sweet. I extricated a hand and placed it on his cheek. “You know I’m used to this, right? This will likely keep happening until people lose interest in me. I stop going to red carpet events, I stop putting myself out there, people will lose interest. Maybe not fully, but enough.”

“I still don’t have to like it.”

I winked at him, trying to get him to loosen up. “It’s true. You don’t have to like it. I don’t, but it’s fine. I can handle it. I need you to be able to handle it until things die down. This is my world. Trust me to handle it.”

I looked up to find his brows knitted in concern. “Are you ready to have the conversation now? The one about us?”

“That's all I’ve been thinking about.” It was a quiet admission.

Then a door swung open, and Luna returned. “Hello, friends.”

Sebastian gritted his teeth. “You have the worst timing.”

I pinched his forearm. “She is giving me a place to sleep.”

“You can come back to my place.”

I leaned back on the couch, putting some physical distance between us. “I’m going to stay at Luna’s.”

“Wait, why?”

“I want us to have a conversation about what comes next, but I don’t want to do that tonight.”

Confusion swept across Sebastian’s face.

I cradled his cheek, his scruff rubbing against my palm. “It’s late. I’ve had a few drinks. While I love that you came here to check on me, I want to do this right.”

He dragged his thumb along his bottom lip. “Okay.”

“You lovebirds work it out? Or do I need to kick his ass, Faith?” asked Luna, glaring at Sebastian.

“Hello, Luna. Thanks for keeping Faith safe. Although I have to say, I don’t love that you brought her here.”

Luna planted her hands on her hips, her smile saccharine sweet. “That’s not for you to decide.”

I poked him. “She’s right. She didn’t make me do anything. Just like how you can’t make me do anything.”

He harrumphed.

---