Page 265 of My French Love Affair

A warm hand covers mine, stilling my movements.

I look up.

His expression is softer now, a rare vulnerability seeping through the usual arrogance.

"Youdowant this, don’t you?"

I suck in a sharp breath. "I…"

Yes.

The answer is right there, lodged in my throat, desperate to escape.

But I hesitate.

Because saying it means admitting that this isn’t just some summer fling. That it isn’t just a game.

That whatever this is, it’s already deeper than I ever meant for it to be.

Frederic watches me closely, his thumb brushing over my knuckles, waiting.

And then, finally, I nod.

"Yes."

His grip tightens slightly, his smirk returning.

"Good. Because I don’t intend to let you slip away that easily,mon ange."

I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. "You’re impossible."

"And yet, you love it."

I roll my eyes, but my heart is hammering too hard, my stomach twisting too much to argue.

Because he’s right.

Ido.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Poppy

The airport is bustling with travelers, the sounds of rolling suitcases and boarding announcements filling the space.

But despite the noise, despite the chaos, all I can focus on ishim.

Frederic stands beside me, his hands tucked into the pockets of his tailored trousers, his gaze fixed on me like he’s committing every last detail to memory.

I swallow hard, my chest tightening, because leaving himhurts.

More than I ever thought it would.

The girls are chattering around me, but their voices feel distant.

"Icannotbelieve I wasted my time on that assehole," Leah huffs, crossing her arms. “I could have found an entirelydifferentbillionaire instead ofthatbroke fraud.”

"Don’t worry, babe,” Emma says as she waves a dismissive hand. “There’s always next year."