His dark brows pulled down again. “Who?”
I huffed in exasperation. “Pam. The woman I’m supposed to help you win. Is that over now? I mean, you and me, and tonight…”
He kissed my lips quickly and answered, “You are Pam.”
My head jerked back. “What are youtalkingabout?”
“It’s you. You’re who I wanted to win over. I made her up to spend time with you. To let you get to know me. Are you angry?”
I looked at him with both horror and relief. “Are you serious? Do you know what you put me through, only to find out I was jealous ofmyself?”
Pretending to try to wiggle out of his hold, he pulled me in tighter. “Please don’t be mad at me. This was all Mike’s idea at first, which I rejected, but then you offered to help on your own,” he sputtered. It all made sense then, but I was going to make him suffer for a minute.
Biting back my laughter, I pushed on his chest so I could step back, and glared at him as harshly as I could manage. “So you decided to lie to me?”
Niko was so stunned or confused he tried to speak but only managed grunts. When I couldn’t hold it in any longer, I burst out laughing.
His eyes got wide and his brows shot up in shock, taking another minute to understand.
Holding his hand to his heart and taking deep breaths, he said, “Oh my gosh, you just scared the life out of me. I was about to go ballistic that I’d finally confessed it all to you, only to lose you again. That was so not funny.”
I was laughing so hard he had to hold me up. To get me back, he started tickling me, making me scream out. He laughed as he watched me squirm, eyes squinted in mock anger.
“Stop, stop, please, please,” I stuttered, breathing heavily.
He stopped, still holding me close while I tried to catch my breath.
“That’s the last time I’ll ever lie to you, Leyla. I just want you to know that,” he said, looking at me with such tenderness.
“I know.”
He leaned closer, whispering in my ear. I swallowed loudly as his mouth moved against the shell of my ear.
“Please hear me, Leyla Cooper. There is no one else. It’s only ever been you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Nikolas
“You say the sweetest things,Niko. You’ve got me swooning,” Leyla said, pretending to faint, her breathing slowing down.
“There’s more where that came from,” I promised. “I’ll call you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be waiting,” she said with a peck to my lips, both hands on my cheeks. “Good night.”
“Good night,” I answered as she blew me a final kiss before shutting the door.
As I stood outside her closed door, I closed my eyes and thanked God for answering my prayer. When I finally drove away, my heart was buoyed by all that had happened that evening.
What we had shared was as much a love confession as you could get without saying the words, and knowing she felt what I did carried me home, my thoughts filled with how to make her mine soon.
I had just opened my front door when I saw her name flash on my phone. A wide smile split across my face as I stepped in.
“Hey,” I said, words betraying me again.
She chuckled lightly. “Hey, again. I called to see if you’re free tomorrow afternoon. Sofia and Vicky were blowing up my phone as soon as they found out I was home. I hope you don’t mind I told them we were, you know, together.”
“Mind? I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I’m afraid my neighbors will call the cops.” She laughed heartily, making me laugh.
