Page 98 of Stuck with the Billionaire Celebrity

I look down at Grace, searching her face. “You okay?”

She laughs softly, shaking her head. “If that’s the worst that can happen, I think I’ll survive. Who was she?”

I give her a grateful smile.

“You handled that better than I could’ve hoped. She tends to go for the jugular. We dated for about a month a long time ago. We’d known each other for a few years prior.”

She shrugs. “I’m used to catty women; she’s harmless.”

As we continue down the carpet, I feel another surge of affection for her. She has always been strong and poised, but watching her handle Lydia’s cattiness with such dignity, I’m reminded of just how exceptional she is.

We finally reach the entrance of the theater, and I exhale, relieved to leave the madness of the red carpet behind.

Inside, the atmosphere is quieter, with dimmed lighting and hushed voices as people take their seats.

I lead Grace to our seats in the front, grateful for a moment to catch my breath and justbewith her.

As the lights dim and the movie begins, I steal a glance at her profile, illuminated softly by the screen. There’s a calm in her eyes that seems to ground me, making everything else fade away.

I glance over at Grace during certain parts of the movie, my favorite parts, to see her reactions.

She’s grinning, or crying, or in shock, feeling all of the parts of the movie in different ways, but throughout all of it, she’s looking as though she’s incredibly proud of me the entire time.

When the film ends, the applause is deafening, and I’m swept into the whirlwind of congratulatory handshakes and claps on the back.

I keep a hand on Grace, making sure she’s by my side and that she’s tucked into me as closely as possible.

Finally, as the crowd thins out and we make our way back to the car, I pull her close, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“Thank you for being here with me.”

She looks up at me, a soft smile playing on her lips.

“I’ve never been to a premiere outside of the US. This was…incredible.”

I’m so grateful that I get to share these moments with her.

25

GRACE

Once we’re at the car, he leans in and kisses me hungrily. His kiss is amazing; it sends a wave of heat through me all the way down to my toes. He pulls away and puts his forehead against mine.

“This flight back to the manor might kill me,” he chuckles.

I give him a flirty look as I climb into the car.

"Oh really?" I tease, my heart still racing from the kiss. "I'm sure you'll survive somehow."

He grins as he slides in beside me, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I don't know about that. Being so close to you for hours and not being able to touch you? Pure torture."

As we pull away from the curb, his hand finds mine.

I love that he’s so affectionate in this way. I adore the touchy-feely stuff, and he excels in it.

Even that small touch sends shivers down my spine. The anticipation builds with each mile we drive, the air between us charged with electricity.

When we finally reach the small airstrip where his private jet waits, I can barely contain myself. As soon as we're on board and the door closes behind us, he pulls me into his arms again.

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