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He sets it down and pauses to admire my work.

That immediately catches everyone else’s attention. One by one, they stop what they’re doing and make their way over to take a closer look.

“It is incredible,” Thalia says with a smile from the safety of Ethan’s arms.

He looks down at her with absolute adoration before pressing a slow kiss to her forehead, making her melt into his embrace, her expression softening as she nestles closer to him.

“I think I’m going to ask for your help to redecorate Serena’s room,” Sierra says, also tucked safely in her husband’s arms, just as completely lost in his touch.

That’s what I always wanted for myself.

To enjoy my partner’s touch. To miss it, crave it, constantly find myself reaching for it without even thinking.

I want a man who can’t keep his hands off me, someone who can show me through the smallest gestures just how much he wants me and needs me.

As if he can read my thoughts, Zayn appears behind me. His arms slide around my waist, pulling me back into him as he presses a firm kiss to my neck.

“Wait until you see what the casinos and clubs in New York look like in person,” he tells them proudly.

And my heart skips a beat.

“You’re going to have a lot of work from now on, Selene,” Theo says. “Because I just decided it’s time to renovate the new hotels I bought.”

“Easy there…” Zayn cuts in. “Enough with the job offers. I want her to have time for me too.”

Nobody says anything after that. They simply look at us, their expressions brightening into knowing smiles that make warmth spread through my chest.

And for the first time in a very long while, I feel peaceful.

Complete.

Happy.

I’m scared to admit it, terrified that something will happen the second I do, but I’m happy.

“Of course we’ll renovate Serena’s room whenever you want, Sierra,” I tell my friend. “As for your hotels,” I turn to Theo. “As long as you don’t set some insane deadline—like the one Zayn forced on me—that requires me to work weekends too, then you can count on me.”

Theo smirks, and I realize then and there that he could ask any woman for anything, and all it would take is one smile for her to give in.

But I also realize that it has absolutely no effect on me.

The only man who can melt me with a single look or word is the one holding me tightly in his arms, intoxicating me with his familiar scent.

Looking from Theo to Thalia, I hesitate for a moment before finally asking, “What was it like living as though you were in some kind of movie for so long, pretending to be a couple?”

Ethan groans and shoots me a warning look, but Thalia starts chuckling in his arms, while Theo bursts out laughing, clearly entertained by Ethan’s reaction.

“Don’t start too,” Ethan tells me.

“It was actually really easy,” Thalia replies warmly. “Except for the moments when I had to accompany him to events and galas.”

She throws Theo a brief, serious glance, and all he does is wink playfully at her.

“I hated those. But at home, we were always like friends, and living together came naturally.”

“For me, the hardest part was making the world believe I was in a relationship while still trying to live my normal life without the press finding out,” Theo explains.

“Translation: without the press catching him with another woman and headlines coming out about him cheating on me.”