"I am," Presley replied, her voice steady despite the way her fingers dug into my arm.
"I'm Caron. And you are?"
"Presley."
"And how do you know Etienne?"
I stepped in before Presley could answer. "She's with me. That's all anyone needs toknow."
Caron's smile tightened. "Of course."
She retreated, and I guided Presley to a seat near the glass.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly.
"Yes, I did. And don’t feel you need to answer any of their prying questions. Just watch the game."
I checked my watch. It was only ten minutes until kickoff. I needed to get down to the changing room. But first, I pulled her into my arms, wrapping her in a hug that was more than just comfort, breathed in her scent and let mine settle over her skin.
She stiffened. "What are you doing?"
"Scent marking you."
"Etienne—"
"So everyone knows you're mine."
She pulled back, her blue eyes searching mine. "You know I'm not your forever."
The words hung between us.
But I'd seen the way she looked at me. The way she fit in my arms. The way her lips lifted in a beautiful smile when Hastings and Fritz called her stunning.
I cupped her face, my thumb brushing her cheek. "We'll see about that, Princesse."
Then I left, before she could argue, before I could say something I couldn't take back.
But as I walked down to the changing room, my heart pounding as her scent clung to my skin, there one thing for certain. This wasn't just an arrangement anymore.
Not for me.
And I was damn sure it wasn't for her either.
15
Fritz
The flight attendant appearedat my elbow with a tablet and a smile that was all professional courtesy.
"Mr. Hastings, Mr. Bauer. The match is about to start. I've queued it up for you."
Hastings didn't look up from his laptop. "Thank you, Leanne."
She set the tablet on the table between us and disappeared back toward the galley.
I picked it up, settling deeper into the leather seat. The jet's interior was all cream and black, the kind of luxury that stopped feeling luxurious when you spent half your life thirty thousand feet in the air. But the Wi-Fi was excellent, and the screen was crystal clear.
Perfect for watching Etienne play.
