Page 123 of The Stolen Moments Trilogy

I exhale in relief when my front door opens. Sam walks in, and his eyes widen when he sees me. I dressed up for him tonight. I put on a tight black dress that hugs my figure and makes me feel sexy, and the way his eyes roam over me tells me he likes it.

“All this, for me?”

I bite down on my lip and nod. Sam walks up to me and I hug him tightly. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I know this isn’t much, but just let me spoil you tonight?”

Sam smiles and nods, his eyes twinkling. I grin up at him, relieved to find him smiling so genuinely. I grab his hand and drag him to the dining table. “Take a seat. I’m serving you tonight.”

He grins and raises his brow. “Serving me, huh?” he says, his voice husky. I blush and look away shyly.

“Food,” I murmur. “I’m serving you food.”

He laughs and shakes his head just as I place the food on the table. “That’s not all you’re serving me tonight, Emilia.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “Behave,” I tell him. Sam looks at the food and smiles happily.

“I love this, Emilia. I love having dinner with you after a long day. I love coming home to you. I think I want this for the rest of my life, you know?”

My heart skips a beat and for just a second, panic grips me. I push it down and force myself to nod. I should want this too, and I do. I do. Sam is perfect.

“Come on, try it,” I say, trying my best to sound excited. He chuckles and takes a bite under my watchful gaze.

“Delicious,” he says, grinning, and I smile back at him. “I meant it, you know. I think I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Emilia. I know we’ve only been dating for a year, but we’ve known each other for eight years now. Honestly, I knew you were the one for me the second I saw you. How about we stop paying rent on two properties and just move in together?”

I inhale sharply. I knew this was coming. It was only natural, and I have no real reason to say no, but somehow, I still don’t feel ready. I’m not ready for that type of commitment.

Sam’s expression drops when I don’t answer and he looks away. “You don’t want to.”

I shake my head furiously. “No, that’s not it. I’m just surprised, that’s all.” I inhale deeply and nod. “Of course we should move in together,” I say, even though my heart isn’t in it. I won’t ever meet a man that’s more perfect than Sam is. I need to stop holding back and commit to him fully.

“Really?” he says, his happiness palpable. “If you’re not ready then that’s totally fine, Emilia. I would love for us to move in together, but I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you’re not ready for.”

I shake my head. How did I get this lucky? “I’m ready,” I tell him — and myself.

Sam rises from his seat and walks up to me, pulling me to my feet. Just as he’s about to kiss me, my phone rings, the ringtone loud and entirely unique to my dad. I jump in surprise and glance at my phone.

“It’s my dad,” I tell Sam.

“I spoke to him yesterday,” Sam says. “I called to ask his blessing before asking you to move in together. It’s a bit old school, I guess, but it seemed like the right thing to do.”

I grin at Sam and shake my head. “You didn’t,” I say, wide-eyed.

Sam grins and nods as I pick up the phone.

“Hi Daddy,” I say, a smile on my face.

“Princess,” he says, and I sit back down, my heart twisting painfully. I miss him. “How are you?” he asks.

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I’m good, Dad. I miss you, though. How have you been?”

My dad and I were never close as I was growing up, but that has changed over the years. When I moved to London, he started calling me as often as he could, and over the years we’ve been able to mend our relationship. It makes staying away even harder.

“I actually have something to tell you, Princess.”

I grin and glance at Sam. “Me too, Dad,” I say excitedly. “Sam and I are moving in together!”

Dad is silent, and I frown. I pull my phone away from my face to check if we’re still connected, but we are. “Dad?”

He clears his throat. “I see,” he says, and my smile drops. I thought he’d be a little bit more excited than this. He seemed to like Sam just fine when I introduced him last year during his annual visit.

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