Page 154 of Make Me Yours
“So, what happens now?” I whisper.
Even with a little distance between us, the scent of his cologne drifts toward me, dragging me back to memories I have no desire to revisit.
“We talk over dinner and figure out what’s next for the team. And, more importantly, for us.”
I shake my head and glance away, unable to hold his steady gaze. “There is no us, Hugh. There hasn’t been for a long time.”
His hand rises slowly, and before I can move, his fingers brush beneath my chin, tipping it upward until I’m forced to look at him.
“There could be.”
My heart trips.
The worst part?
A small, treacherous piece of me wants to believe him.
But I’ve already survived his promises and the ruins he left behind.
I have no desire to do it again.
“You want to talk business?” I manage. “Fine. But keep your hands to yourself.”
The smile he flashes is knowing. “I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turns and walks out, like he didn’t just rearrange the ground beneath my feet.
And I hate him a little for it.
But not as much as I hate the part of me that wants to follow.
EPILOGUE
STEELE
Istep off the elevator into the penthouse, duffel slung over my shoulder from practice.
“Lilah?” I call out, already unzipping my hoodie and toeing off my sneakers by the door. “Are you home?”
The scent is what hits me first.
The air is thick with the aroma of garlic, rosemary, and something mouthwatering. My stomach grumbles in appreciation as I follow it to the kitchen. I toss my bag onto the bench, expecting to find Lilah humming along to some playlist in leggings and a sweater.
What I find instead makes my brain short-circuit.
She’s standing at the stove wearing nothing but an apron. Her hair is pinned up in a messy twist and her bare legs are on full display. I get an eyeful of her naked backside as she stirs something in a skillet.
I lean against the doorway, arms crossed, all the while fighting back a grin.
This woman is fucking adorable.
“Well, well,” I murmur. “What’s a guy gotta do to get more dinner prep like this?”
With a glance over her shoulder, she grins. “Tip well.”
I push off the wall, closing the distance with deliberate steps. My fingers twitch with the urge to touch her, but I keep them to myself.
For now.
