Page 41 of The Runaway Bride and the Billionaire

I kissed her goodbye when I dropped her off and from there I headed to the office. I couldn’t stop the smile that played on my lips as I went about my day.

“Is everything okay sir?” Kayla asked me. I gave her a confused look and she said, “You seem different.”

“Must be the change in the weather.”

Kayla nodded and returned to work. She was working from my office because she’d planned my schedule for the week, and she wanted to run it by me. I nodded in agreement to everything and she left soon after.

Once she was out of the office, I reached for my phone and called Amelia. “I was thinking we could dine out tonight,” I told her when she answered.

“That sounds like a plan.”

“Wait for me at your office. I’ll come pick you up by six.”

“Okay.”

As promised, I showed up at Phoenix Consulting at six. I sent Amelia a text to let her know I was here. She walked out of the building and I got out of the car to greet her. My arms wrapped around her waist as I pulled her in for a hug.

Her scent was welcoming and comforting. I couldn’t help sinking my nose into her neck to breathe her in. There were several voices in my head telling me this was a mistake. Voices that constantly reminded me of what happened the last time we were together.

I worried about going down this path with her again but my feelings for her were greater than my worry. I pulled away so I could kiss her, not caring that some of her coworkers might see us. Amelia didn’t seem to care either. She kissed me back.

I opened the car door for her and she got in. Then I walked around and slid into the driver’s seat. I knew the perfect restaurant to take her to. It was an Italian restaurant that was located a few blocks away. Amelia loved Italian food so I knew she would love this place.

When we got to the restaurant, I pulled the chair out for her. “Thank you,” she said as she took her seat. She looked around atthe fairy lights dangling above us, the dark luxury decor, and the gorgeous aesthetics of the entire place. “This place is beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The waiter brought our menus. Amelia scanned hers but I already knew what she’d pick. Her eyes brightened as they landed on what I assumed was Cioppino. Her favorite.

Amelia turned to the waiter. “I’ll have the cioppino,” she said.

I was right. I couldn’t help the small smile that spread across my lips with that realization. The smile remained even after I placed my order for braciole and the waiter left. I could feel Amelia’s gaze on me. When I looked up, she had a frown on her face. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing. I just… I knew you would order cioppino.”

Her cheeks tinged. “It’s my favorite.”

“I know.”

Our food was served and we talked as we ate. It felt good to talk to her without the memories of our past weighing us down. In that moment, we weren’t thinking about everything that happened between us last time, we were only thinking about the future and what it had in store for us.

An hour, two delicious meals, and a few desserts later, Amelia and I walked out of the restaurant. We held hands as we walked to my car. And even while I drove, my hand remained entangled with hers. My thumb absentmindedly stroked the back of her hand while I maneuvered my way down the busy New York streets.

We stumbled into the penthouse, drunk on the revival of everything we once had and maybe a few glasses of wine. We’d yet to define our relationship but one thing was clear, we both cared about each other deeply. I pulled her into my arms and held her close to me, allowing myself to savor the feel of her body pressed against mine.

My head lowered to her lips but I paused when I saw something move in the dimly lit living room. I lifted my head and squinted.

Agnes coughed awkwardly as she stepped into the light. An amused smile tugged at her lips but she remained mostly professional. “I dropped by to grab a few things. This was the only time I could come because the baby just fell asleep. She’s been incredibly fussy recently.”

“Oh,” Amelia said as she stepped away from me. She fiddled with her fingers before remembering herself and rushing over to give Agnes a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, dear,” Agnes said. She returned Amelia’s hug with equal affection. “But it seems you’ve been quite busy while I was away.”

Even with the low lighting, I could still see Amelia’s red cheeks. She chuckled lightly and said, “Matteo and I are… ”

Her words drifted off. She wasn’t sure how to define our relationship and neither was I. We hadn’t had that conversation yet. We knew we had to at some point but postponing it had allowed us to live in a blissful paradise without the weight of expectations.

We hadn’t defined our relationship, but I knew what I wanted from this. I wanted her. I met Amelia’s gaze as I finished her sentence. “We’re together.”

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