“I just want this.” I grip his shirt tighter. “One more minute of just us before we go back to not speaking or seeing each other.”
He doesn’t say anything. Just pulls me against him and holds me, one hand in my hair, the other spread across my back. I press my face into his chest and breathe.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers into my hair.
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He holds me until I pull away.
I take a breath. “Tell me.”
“Tatiana’s on our side. She wants out as badly as I do. She’s in love with someone back home.” He shrugs. “We made a deal. Fake courtship until the ball. Public breakup. Then we’re both free.”
I study him. “And you actually trust her?”
“I have to.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “We’re almost through this, Addison. That’s all.”
“Did you know I was assigned to paint your engagement announcement portrait?”
His hand stills. “No.”
I keep my voice steady. “I’m supposed to capture your connection.”
“Fuck,” he whispers.
“Yeah.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Can you do it?”
“Paint my boyfriend being in love with another woman while I pretend not to care?” I tilt my head. “Sure. Sounds easy and like a great time.”
“Addison.”
“I’ll do it.” I meet his eyes. “I’ll paint you. I’ll paint the background, the composition, everything. But Tatiana stays blank until the last possible second.” I shrug, not wanting to paint that relationship into existence. “Art takes time. I’m a perfectionist. If the portrait isn’t finished before the ball, I’ll deal with the consequences.”
A slow grin spreads across his face. “You’re going to stall.”
“Until this fake-engagement is over.”
“You’re amazing.” He pulls me closer. “Thank you.”
“I know.”
“Humble too.”
“Always.”
I let myself lean into him, and he kisses my forehead.
“One day, we won’t have to hide in the shadows,” he promises.
“I’m holding you to that.”
He kisses me one more time before pulling away. “I’ll see you as soon as I can. Don’t believe anything you read or see. It’s all fucking lies. Okay? You and me. That’s it. Ever. There’s no other choice.”
“Okay,” I say with a laugh.
He steals one more kiss before whispering in my ear, “I promise I’ll make this up to you for the rest of our lives together.”
