Page 54 of Stuck with the Billionaire Celebrity

The way he’s looking at me—it’s intense. Like he’s trying to tell me something more, something he can’t quite put into words. My heart pounds in my chest, and before I can stop myself, I find myself leaning into him, just slightly, just enough to feel the heat of his body.

There’s a beat of silence. And then, without warning, his lips are on mine.

His hands slide to my waist, pulling me closer. I feel myself melting into him, my arms wrapping around his neck as the kiss becomes more desperate and charged.

I’ve kissed men before. I’ve been in love before, but this—this feels different.

It’s like we’re both aware of the chaos around us, aware of the fact that we’re standing on the edge of something dangerous, and yet, in this moment, none of that matters.

All that matters is him and me and this electric connection between us that neither of us can deny anymore

He pulls back first, his forehead resting against mine as we both catch our breath. His hands are still on my waist, holding me like he’s afraid to let go.

"Grace," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. "I…"

But before he can finish, there’s a knock at the door.

We both jerk apart, the spell between us broken as he turns toward the door. "Come in."

One of the security team members steps in, looking professional but tense. "Sir, it’s time. Everything is ready downstairs."

Theo nods, all business again, though I can see how his jaw clenches, the lingering tension in his body from the kiss we just shared.

"Thank you. We’ll be down in a minute."

As the guard leaves, Theo turns back to me, his expression conflicted. He doesn’t say anything, but I can see the unspoken words in his eyes. This—whatever this is between us—it’s not over. Not by a long shot.

But now isn’t the time to talk about it.

"Ready?" he asks, his voice steady, though there’s a trace of something softer beneath the surface.

I nod, though my heart is still racing. "As ready as I’ll ever be."

The gala is a spectacle.Glittering chandeliers, champagne glasses clinking, women in gowns that cost more than my rent for a year. Everything is perfect, meticulously planned.

And yet, it’s all fake. Every smile, every conversation—it’s all staged for one man.

Theo keeps his promise, staying by my side the entire time. We move through the room, mingling with the hired ‘guests,’ keeping up appearances.

But I can feel his hand on my lower back, his thumb brushing against the fabric of my dress in a way that makes my skin tingle.

I can’t stop thinking about the kiss. It’s like it’s seared into my brain, replaying over and over again, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

And every time Theo glances at me, every time his hand lingers on my waist just a little too long, I know he’s thinking about it, too.

An hour in, I’m starting to feel the strain of it all. The anticipation, the nerves. The waiting.

"How long do you think it’ll take him to show?" I ask Theo quietly as we stand near the bar, watching the crowd.

He shakes his head. "I don’t know. But he will."

I want to believe him, but the longer we wait, the more the tension in my body builds. I can feel the eyes of the security team on us, and I can feel the weight of it all pressing down on my shoulders.

Suddenly, there’s a commotion near the entrance—a few gasps, murmurs, and then the unmistakable sound of someone being restrained.

My heart leaps into my throat, and I turn toward the noise, my breath catching as I see a man being dragged out by two security guards.

"Is that?—?"

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