Page 51 of Arranged with Twins
The raw honesty in his admission catches me off guard. “Then why do you?”
“Because I love you.” The words explode between us with the force of a bomb. “The thought of losing you to someone else makes me lose my mind. You’re carrying my children, and every protective instinct I have goes haywire when another man treats you like you’re available.”
I stare at him, stunned by the declaration I’d hoped for but hadn’t expected tonight, especially under these circumstances. “You love me?”
“Of course, I love you.” He rakes a hand through his hair, destroying the perfect styling. “I’m completely, desperately in love with you, and it terrifies me because loving someone in my world is dangerous. It makes me vulnerable.”
“I love you too.” The admission comes easily now that the door is open. “I’ve been falling for you for weeks, but I was afraid to say anything because I wasn’t sure if you saw this as just business with a side of pleasure.”
“Just business.” He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Sienna, you turned my entire world upside down. Nothing about us has been just business since the night I took you to bed for the first time.”
The tension between us shifts, anger transforming into something more primal and urgent. When he reaches for me, I meet him halfway, and our mouths crash together with desperate hunger. The kiss tastes of frustration and relief, possession and surrender, and love finally acknowledged and claimed.
When we break apart, we’re both breathing hard. “I’m sorry.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I overreacted tonight. Henry wasn’t really a threat, and I had no right to drag you away like that.”
“You’re always going to be possessive.” I trace the line of his jaw with my fingertip. “I can accept that as long as you remember I chose you. Henry meant nothing to me, and no amount of charming conversation was going to change that.”
“I know. I do know that.” He catches my hand and presses a kiss to my palm. “It’s just that when I saw him touching you and figured he was questioning your choice to be with me, something primitive took over.”
“I can handle men like Henry.” I lean back slightly to meet his gaze directly. “What I need from you is trust that I can navigate social situations without compromising our relationship. I’ll tell you if someone makes me genuinely uncomfortable.”
“You have it. You have my trust, my respect, and apparently, my complete inability to think rationally when other men flirt with you.” His smile is rueful. “I’m still learning how to balance protecting you with respecting your independence.”
“We’re both learning.” I settle against his side, grateful for his warmth and solidity. “I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning, by the way. It’s just a routine prenatal checkup.”
“I’ll pick you up.” The response comes immediately, sounding automatic. “What time?”
“Ten o’clock.” I look up at him. “You don’t have to come if you have other commitments.”
“There are no other commitments more important than our children, your health, and our future together.” He helps me out of the car as his driver opens the door. “Everything else can wait.”
At my apartment door, he kisses me goodnight with a gentleness that contrasts sharply with the possessive fury from earlier. We’re both still raw from the evening’s emotional upheaval, but we’re not parting in anger.
“I love you.” I whisper the words against his lips, still marveling at how natural they feel.
“I love you too.” He brushes a kiss against my forehead. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”
As I watch him walk back to the elevator, I realize despite the complications that love will bring to an already complex situation, I’ve never felt more certain about anything in my life.
18
Leo
Isit in the passenger seat of my sedan as Dmitri navigates morning traffic toward Sienna’s doctor’s office, my mind still processing last night’s emotional explosion. The words “I love you” escaped my mouth with such raw honesty that I’m still reconciling the man who blurted out his deepest feelings with the reserved, self-protective person I’ve trained myself to be for twenty years.
Vulnerability has never been my strength. In my world, showing weakness invites attack, and admitting love gives enemies a target. Yet somehow Sienna stripped away every defense I’ve built, leaving me exposed in ways that should terrify me but instead feel like relief.
When I pick her up at her apartment, she greets me with a soft smile that suggests she’s equally unsettled by our declarations. Neither of us seems quite sure how to navigate this new territory.
“Did you sleep well?” She settles beside me in the backseat.
“I did eventually.” I reach for her hand, needing the physical connection. “You?”
“Once I stopped replaying everything that happened.” She threads our fingers together, and the simple gesture sends warmth through me. “I keep thinking about what you said about loving me.”
“Do you regret me saying it?” The question comes out with more vulnerability than I intended.
“No.” Her response is immediate and certain. “I regret it took us so long to say it.”
