Page 70 of Let Me Win You

“What do you know,” I marveled. “I think she really likes him.”

“Does that make you happy?” Invi tilted his head to see my face.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I bet our freaking cake that it was you who locked poor Geoff in the closet.”

His right eyebrow lifted in the expression that said the Sin of Envy harbored no regrets about dealing with Geoff as he saw fit.

I shook my head. “Is that the way you deal with competition? By locking people in closets?”

“Or basements.” He shrugged. “Whatever works to keep them away from you.”

“Invi.” I gave him a stern look.

“My dearest Nicole.” He grinned, unrepentant. “Do you know that envy,” he lifted a hand palm up, as if presenting me with something, “and jealousy,” he lifted his other hand in the same manner, “are very close?” He brought both hands together, steepling his fingers. “And I embody them both, so…” He spread his arms aside in a disarming gesture, and I was deep enough in love with him already to find it charming.

“Well, it’s a good thing that when it comes to me, there is no competition. I never had many men vying for my attention. So, you can ease your worries. And please, make sure to ask questions before locking up sins or people.”

“I’ll try,” he promised with that impish smile of his.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. It really was a good thing that men weren’t falling for me at the first sight.

“How about trust, Invi?” I peered at him. “For example, you’re arguably the most attractive man in this building, if not in the entire city, but I’m not going to shove every woman who bats her eyelashes at you into a closet, because it’s not about other women. When you said you wanted me and only me, I believed you. I trust you. Because I love you.”

His eyes opened wide. His breath halted. His mouth parted, and…

The signal sounded, announcing that the show was going on air again.

The judges gathered both teams by the cakes and stretched the announcement of the winner for as long as could possibly be accepted by the audience before they’d rebel.

“And the winning cake is…” the head judge finally declared, “The Haunted Ruins!”

“Aaaah,” Jess screamed as if her soul was leaving her body from happiness.

Her knees buckled, and Geoff grabbed her, stopping her from collapsing to the floor.

“We won?” I gasped, afraid to believe.

“We sure did,” Invi said softly in satisfaction clearly too profound to be expressed loudly. “Though I still think the cake should’ve been called The Swamp Princess.” He gave me a devoted smile.

Happiness burst out of me.

“We won!” I jumped up to wrap my arms around his neck, and he caught me, spinning me in a circle of happy giggles.

He buried his face in my neck.

“I love you, my darling,” he murmured against my skin. “I love you so much, sometimes I fear my chest may explode from this feeling.”

“Invi…” I leaned back to see his face, but he quickly caught my mouth in a kiss, and I closed my eyes, savoring the sensation.

“I love you more than I can tell…more than I could ever explain…more than anything,” he said softly, covering my face with light, tender kisses.

My heart sang, purring like a cat in the warm rays of Invi’s caress and affection.

The sound of someone clearing their throat popped our bubble. I unlinked my arms, sliding down his tall body back to my feet.

Jess stared at us, as did the entire audience in the room and, judging by at least two cameras aimed at our faces, probably a few million TV viewers all across the country.

“Wow!” the host exclaimed. “The winning team is off to a wild celebration already, ladies and gentlemen.”

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