Page 96 of 2X The Heat (2X The Pleasure 1)

“Well, that is partly my fault.” She muttered. She folded her hands on my sternum and rested her chin there, looking up at me with those big eyes full of wonder.

“I don’t think we know what we want.” I thought aloud.

“I think…I want to be with you. But I don’t want to neglect you because I’m too focused on work. Or the other way around.”

I nodded in understanding.

“I’m opening another business. I’d be busy too.”

Her brows raised. “You are?” I nodded.

“Yeah. A tech holdings company. It is something I have been wanting to do. I figured now was as good a time as ever. I shouldn’t keep holding it off.”

“I’m happy for you. That’s so good.” She smiled.

I traced small circles on her back. Distracted by how good she felt.

“Maybe we can try and at least date each other. After the wedding.”

Her face didn’t discourage me, but she wasn’t exactly jumping at the bit.

“Maybe.”

She kissed my chest softly and then laid her cheek against me.

“Emilia,” I said after a while.

“Hmm?” She looked up at me.

“How come you don’t talk about your mom?” I wondered about it for a while. She had only ever talked about her dad. And I wanted to understand her more.

“She…died when I was twelve.” Her voice was sad. I pulled her up next to me and tightened my arms around her.

“I’m sorry,” I said as I cupped her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“It…was a long time ago. But she’s the reason I love flowers so much.”

It all came into focus. Her shop, her business. She had been on a search to honor her mother for years. She doesn’t want anything to deter her from that. And I felt like an ass for being the one to do that.

“I used to just grow flowers in college as a reminder of her or something. I was a botany major, so I never planned on owning a flower shop. But one-day Sasha came to the greenhouse I used at school and bought some flowers. Since then it always felt like I was sharing the memory of my mother or something when I did that.” She explained. Her voice was soft, full of sadness as she talked about her mother.

It became clear how much she missed her.

“That’s why you want the shop to do well.” I said.

“Yeah. But even if it didn’t, as long as I was doing something with flowers. It reminds me of her. I feel close to her.”

I nodded in understanding.

“It’s good that you’ve found a way to be closer to her. I feel like…I got in the way of that.” She drew her brows in as she sat up, looking down at me.

“You didn’t. And I think…I don’t want to let you go, Tristan.”

I smiled wide at her words, but part of me still wondered if she was sure.

“I don’t want to let you go either, Emilia.” I brought her down to me, kissing her firmly.

She pulled away, “I should get to bed. So, I can be ready for tomorrow.”

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