Page 100 of Imperfect Player

“You clean up pretty nice yourself,” she says, giving my tie a slight tug.

“Oh, that?” I raise an eyebrow. “It comes with a purpose.”

“I bet it does.” Her eyes glance down at the flowers. “More?”

The sight of her looking like a sinful angel had me forgetting all about the damn flowers. The ones I wanted to specifically hand-deliver because they reminded me of her.

I extend the flowers to her and suck in a breath.

“Something wrong?”

I shake my head. “Just the opposite, actually. Everything is perfect. Better than it’s been my whole life. All because of you.”

Her eyes well with tears.

“I’m really grateful you gave me a chance.”

She giggles. “I didn’t have a choice. You sucked me in the moment I met you.”

“Funny you say that.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

Everly looks over my shoulder, her eyes widening when she notices the limo behind me.

“What the . . . Where . . . Ethan, this is too much.”

“Obviously, Tripp didn’t share my financial documents with you,” I say as I shut the door behind her. “This is nothing.”

“I don’t need all this. I just need you.”

“You’ll have plenty of me tonight. I promise.”

I rest my hand on the small of her back and lead her to the limo. She emits a soft sigh.

“Something wrong?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “God, no. I just love when you do that.”

“Do what?” I ask, unsure of exactly what it is I’ve done, and needing to know so I keep on doing it.

“Rest your hand on my back. Escort me. It makes me feel . . . ”

“Horny?”

She slaps me playfully. “Special.”

“You are special, Everly. Hell, you’re the only good thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true.” My hand touches her cheek. “It’s why as much as all of this scares me, I’m willing to do it. I can’t lose you. I . . . ”

She smiles as I stand here, unable to let the word I want to say fall from my lips. The one I feel so deep inside.

She kisses me softly.

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