Page 40 of Total Obsession

I pressed my lips against his and smiled. Just feeling him squeeze his arms around me did wonders for my mood. Somewhere deep down I knew that I shouldn't be so affected by one person, but I felt helpless to stop it.

He pulled back from the kiss, and I pouted. He laughed and pressed a kiss to my nose before sitting us back down on the couch.

"Tell me, how has filming been?"

"Good," I replied. "But, I don't really want to talk about that. I want to know what you've been up to. What brings you back to New York?"

"Just business," he said dismissively.

I scrunched my face up. "Are you still insisting on not telling me what you do for work?" I hated that the doubt nagged at me in the back of my mind. I just wanted to trust him.

"Who's gotten in your head this time?" he asked me.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, who's making you get all worried and curious over my work? I know the famous circles, my dear. I know how much they talk and how everyone's looking for a good story to sell to a gossip column."

I thought about Miranda. I didn't think my friend would really stoop to something so low. I honestly believed she was just trying to look out for me.

"I don't think that's the reason," I said.

"So, it was someone," he said with a wink. "Told you so." He turned me around and started rubbing my shoulders. "Just relax. I told you before, my work is pretty boring. It has to do with private equity funds, and that sounds way cooler than it actually is," he said with a chuckle.

I began to relax. I couldn't remember if he'd told me already that he did something with private equity, but it sounded right and put my mind at ease.

"You're always traveling," I said sadly.

"Investors are all over the world, unfortunately. So are the investment opportunities. Takes me many places."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"But, why does that matter so much to you?" he asked.

I turned to face him. He was looking at me with those clear green eyes of his.

"Do you miss me that much, Zoey?" he asked.

"Of course I do," I said immediately.

"Why? What even am I to you?"

My eyes widened, and I could feel the blush creeping up on my cheeks. He'd asked the question that I'd been too afraid to ask. I stumbled over my words. "I, I don't know," I said. "But, I wish I did know," I managed to get out.

"Are you saying you want to label us, Zoey?" His words weren't patronizing. They were sincere.

I gulped. It was what I wanted, but I was afraid if I admitted it, he'd laugh in my face or tell me I wasn't worthy of being the girlfriend of a guy like him. That I wasn’t rich enough or famous enough to be seen with him. That maybe I wasn’t pretty or thin enough these days. That stuff never really mattered to me, but maybe it did to him?

Or worse, he'd tell me that he never actually forgave me for the way I'd treated him all those years ago.

"It's okay, Zoey," he said reassuringly. "You want to tell me, so tell me."

"Yes, I want to label us," I said softly.

"And just what do you want that label to be?"

I knew my cheeks were bright red by this point.

"I'd like to be your girlfriend," I said, not able to look up at him.

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