Page 62 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé

I reach for her, my hand sliding around her waist, pulling her flush against me.

Her lips part slightly, her breath hitching.

Then, I kiss her.

She gasps softly, but melts into me, her fingers gripping my shirt like she needs something to hold onto.

And for the first time, I let myself feel it.

The way she fits perfectly against me. The way her scent, vanilla and something uniquely Layla, fills my senses, sending my pulse into overdrive. The way her lips move with mine, slow and unhurried, like we have all the time in the world.

But it’s more than just the way she feels in my arms.

It’s the way she makes me feel.

Like I’m not just Valentino Marchetti, heir to a fortune, a man shaped by duty and expectation.

Like I’m just a man.

Like I’m her man.

And then, I say it.

“Layla, I think I’m falling in love with you.”

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. Before I can think about what they mean.

Layla freezes. She pulls back slightly, eyes wide, lips still slightly swollen from our kiss.

Her hands are still fisted in my shirt, but I feel her body go rigid.

Fuck.

I immediately regret it.

What the hell am I doing?

This wasn’t the plan. I wasn’t supposed to let this happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall.

I step back, shaking my head. “I… I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself…”

Distance. I need distance before I do something even stupider. Like beg her to love me back.

But then, she reaches for my arm, stopping me.

I freeze.

When I look back, there’s something in her eyes I didn’t expect.

Not panic. Not rejection.

Something else.

“Valentino,” she breathes.

I stare at her, waiting for the inevitable. For her to tell me I’ve ruined everything.

But then, she takes a deep breath, her fingers tightening around my wrist.

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