“Go for it. You make everything taste better.”
Priya rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you…one more bite.” She scooped up another spoonful and offered it to him.
They took turns feeding each other until the platter was empty. Ethan gathered Priya in his arms, and they stretched out on the couch, watching the city lights recede from view. Overhead, the stars began to reveal themselves, one by one, in the dark expanse of the sky.
Ethan laced his fingers with Priya’s, tracing his thumb along her knuckles. “Our hands fit like they were made for each other,” he said.
As her gaze dropped to their hands, Priya’s heart stilled, a wave of clarity breaking over her. She was holding back for so many reasons. Ethan’s fame terrified her. She hated the idea of being judged and scrutinized. And even if she got past that, there waspractical stuff to consider. He lived thousands of miles away. Dating him didn’t come with a trial run. Everything was out in the open, on the world stage. If things fell apart, she wouldn’t just be heartbroken: She’d be humiliated, forever branded as the girl who got left behind by Ethan Knight.
Yet somehow, at that moment, all her fears faded into the background. The warmth of Ethan’s hand in hers and the way he looked at her, made her feel like she had finally come home. Something clicked into place, like a lost star finding its path in the cosmos.
The idea of walking away from him seemed impossible. She had to at leasttry. Ethan didn’t just see her. He made her feel valued and understood in ways she had never experienced before. For the first time, Priya felt powerful enough to claim the life and the love she wanted.
“Let’s do it!” she declared.
“Here?” Ethan raised a playful brow. “I’m totally game if you are.”
Priya giggled. “No, notthat! I’m saying…let’s go to the premiere together.”
Ethan paused, his grin softening as he studied her. “Really? You sure?”
Priya swallowed and nodded. “Yes…I mean, it’s still months away. I have lots of time to prepare for it.”
Ethan tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “Okay, but which Priya am I bringing along—Priya 1.0 or 2.0?”
“What difference does that make?” Priya laughed.
“Well, Priya 1.0 will probably panic and vanish the second the cameras come out. Priya 2.0, on the other hand? She told me straight up she wanted a fling. Hell, she was practically ready to throw me overboard tonight because I didn’t propose.”
“Do you want to go to the premiere with me or not, Heathen Knight?”
“You bet I do! And I’ll take both Priyas,” Ethan replied with a grin. “I probably should’ve asked while I was down on one knee…but what do you say to officially being my girlfriend?”
Priya’s heart flipped nervously. Ethan wasn’t leaving any wiggle room. If she said yes to the premiere, she’d be going as his date, on full display for the world to see. There would be no hiding, no pretending it was casual. This was Ethan asking her to behis.
“That terrifies me.” Her laugh barely covered the tremble in her voice. “And yet saying yes to you feels like the safest thing I’ve ever done,” she declared, her heart pounding harder. “Yes, Ethan Knight. Yes!”
Ethan grinned, that signature smile lighting up his whole face. “Wow. Full name and all. That felt official.” He pulled her into him, forehead to forehead, voice rough at the edges. “I know how hard that was for you, and I’ll make damn sure you never regret it.” And then his lips were on hers, fierce and breath-stealing.
Priya melted into his kiss, her fingertips curling into the fabric of his shirt. When they finally broke apart, her hands lingered on his chest. “You realize this means we’ll have to talk to my parents, right?”
“I think it’s the right call.” Ethan gave her hand a squeeze. “We’ll keep things low-key after that. It’ll give us time to adjust and figure things out. By the time the premiere rolls around, you’ll be ready to own it. And I’ll be right there, showing you off on my arm.”
Priya’s breath shuddered out of her, anxiety tightening in her stomach.
“Nervous?” Ethan pulled her gently into his arms.
“Uh, just atinybit. Like on every level imaginable.”
Ethan brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled. “Lucky for you, I’m an expert at dealing with nerves. Let’s see…maybe one’s hiding right here.” His lips grazed the curve of her neck, soft and teasing.
“Hmm…” Priya’s eyes slipped shut. “It’s hard to tell…You might need to check again.”
Ethan kissed her again, slower this time, until Priya was lost in the warmth of his touch. Time seemed to stall as they gave in to the moment, the yacht gliding quietly across the lake, leaving a silver trail in its wake.
Twenty-Three
Priya had grown used tothe warmth of Ethan’s arm draped around her waist as she slept. Stirred by a faint sound, her eyes fluttered open. The room took shape in hazy shadows, the soft glow from the hallway casting a dim light across the floor. Seeing nothing out of place, she closed her eyes. But the noise came again. A creaking sound from near the window.
