Page 55 of Take Hold of Me

While I wait for him to get me, I check my emails. Monsieur Price sent me one marked “schedule.” I open it to find out that my movie cameo is scheduled for later this week, and I have a little break before heading down to Miami for theRatatatshoot. The dates stretch through October. On a whim, I forward the email to Wills.

I prepare for the usual surge of excitement about the possibilities of new gigs, but it does not come. Excitement about spending more time with Wills elicits a different type of surge throughout my body.

I revisit the very unusual question Wills recently asked me—Do I like being a model?Do I?It is all know. It is what I do. That has to be enough. I guess.

Closing my eyes, I shove such unwanted thoughts into the back recesses of my brain and open my Instagram app. I become engrossed with responding to my followers’ questions about how to improve their outfits.

A knock at my door almost makes me drop my phone. I cross my suite and answer the door. Wills stands in the doorway wearing dark blue jeans that ride low on his hips. A light blue button-down shirt is untucked, with a duffel in one hand. My mouth goes dry.

“Ready?”

I croak, “Oui.”

On the street, he opens the limo door for me, and I slip inside. “Wills,” I stop him from shutting the door. “Ride with me.” I pat the seat next to me.

He stands outside, his eyes darting from the front seat and back to me.

“Please,” I say in English. When he does not move, I repeat in French, “S’il vous-plaît.”

His head falls backward and he mutters something under his breath. The only word I understand is “French.” Whatever, it worked because he now sits next to me. “Ems, I am supposed to be your bodyguard, and bodyguards don’t ride with their clients.”

“You are so much more than my bodyguard, and you know it.” I want everything with this man. He is my future. I want to introduce him to my family. Maman will love him, because I do. The realization makes me suck in a breath. Now is not the right time to tell him, though.

Since his family is in LA, we should start by meeting his. I cannot accept his description of how he and his father interact. “I would like to meet your family.”

He pulls back from me, his eyebrows pulled together so they form a harsh “V.” “What brought that on?”

“Couples meet important people in each other’s lives. I want to introduce you to my family, but they live in Paris and I will not be out there for a few more weeks. Your parents live in LA.”

He makes a choking sound. “Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”

Too soon to call us a couple? I need to give him a little glimpse into how I am feeling. “Wills, we have known each other for over a year. After what happened last night, and this morning,” I say with a smirk, “I definitely want us to be exclusive.” Demons be damned. I am one hundred percent certain about us.

“Ems, there isn’t anyone else in the picture and, yes, last night was mind-blowing. But, I can’t let myself get too close to you. Even if it’s not my intention, I will hurt you. I think I proved that without even trying to this morning.” He glances out the window. “And, believe me, you don’t want to meet my parents.”

I sigh. “I am willing to go slow, but I want to know you. All of you. If not your parents yet, I would like to meet your friends.” I kiss his cheek, hoping to erase the tension I caused by bringing up exclusivity as well as his parents.

“I don’t really need to be around that many people. I’m fine alone.” He huffs and looks out the window. “I keep to myself basically.”

Sounds lonely. He has been through so much—losing his twin and partners, all within two years. At that moment, I vow to bring happiness into his life. Not with parties and events, because I know, first-hand, how fake they can be. But with real connections. I reach out to smooth his tense jaw. “You met my friends Lizzie and Val. And you already know Cole, Rose and McKenna, of course.”

He blows air through his mouth. “I guess I could introduce you to Zak. He was Cole’s personal trainer and he’s going to be my right-hand at Complete.”

“I would like to meet him. Seems like we have another thing in common.” When he does not respond, I continue, “Our professional lives kept us on the go and prevented us from making too many friendships. Which is why it hurt so much for me to miss Rose’s bridal shower. Thank you, again, for letting me be a part of it, even if it was by FaceTime.”

“Glad to have helped.” He takes my hand and kisses it.

“I want to help you, too. Out of bed as well as in it.”

He smirks. “You do a good job in it.”

Heat creeps up my cheeks. “As do you. And onsofas, in the shower—”

His lips take mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless.

Wills strokes my cheek. “We’re almost at the airport. I hate to say this, but you need to get ready for them.”

By “them,” he means the paparazzi. I push my head back into the limo’s seat, closing my eyes for a second. Blinking, I look into his worried ones. “Oui. I am ready to give them their photos.”

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