Page 117 of Before Dawn
I turned to him, the moonlight casting shadows that made him even more striking.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly.
“That I’ve never felt more alive than I do right now.”
He leaned down, kissing my forehead gently, and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.
“Me too, baby,” he murmured against my skin.
Baby.
My heart fluttered at the endearment. I tilted my head to look up at him, searching his eyes for any hint of hesitation. But all I found was a depth that made me feel as if I was the only person in his world. The thought felt fragile, almost too good to hold onto.
“I’ve never been called that before,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “Not like this. Not outside of sex… ”
He smiled, a slow, lazy grin that sent a wave of flutters through my body. “Then it’s about time, don’t you think?”
I laughed softly as he cupped my cheeks. “Maybe it is.”
His phone buzzed incessantly on the blanket, slicing through the tender moment. With a reluctant sigh, he reached for it, his brows knitting together as he glanced at the screen.
“Give me a second,” he whispered before answering.
I watched him shift seamlessly into business mode. “No, Morison, we don’t respond directly. Release the prepared statement and keep an eye on the engagement. Anything concerning, flag it for me.”
The conversation was brief but efficient, and as he hung up, I found myself thinking about the carefully curated image he projected to the world. Everything about him seemed so controlled, so polished.
“You know,” I said after a moment, my voice tentative, “I’ve noticed that you have a very quiet media presence. There’s so much about you out there, but somehow, it feels like there’s nothing at all.”
Mikkel’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I may have Googled you,” I admitted sheepishly before he could respond. “It’s not every day a man like you enters my life.”
He chuckled, the sound warming my cheeks. “I’d hope it’s not every day, and I can’t blame you for being curious.” He leaned in, pressing a softkiss to my temple. “I’m big on privacy. I try to avoid the media at all costs.”
I nodded. “I was just curious, no big deal.”
Mikkel took my hand, his touch grounding. “Privacy doesn’t mean I want to keep you at arm’s length.”
“I didn’t think you were hiding me.”
“I know the thought might have crossed your mind, so let me make it clear, I’d never hide you. I understand you want to take things slow, and I won’t push you if you’re not ready. Whenever you need reassurance, I’m here.Siempre.54”
“Thank you,” I whispered, my heart lighter.
He smiled, brushing his thumb across my knuckles. “You don’t have to thank me. I want you to feel safe with me.”
I kissed him, grounding myself in the comfort of our connection—it was exactly where I needed to be.
Chapter Twenty-five
Abigail-Ann
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.”
— Blaise Pascal
Azzaria stormed into my apartment at the crack of dawn armed with her homemade chocolate cake I should’ve known was a bribe disguised as breakfast. Before I could even finish a slice, she dragged me out of bed with no mercy. Apparently, we had to decorate Dillon’s office for his thirty-third birthday, and absolutelynothingwas going to stop her.
