“Thank you,” I said in a low voice. “Let me return the favor.”

Her eyes widened.

“Oh no, I already have another thing in the oven. Please don’t coo⁠—”

She stopped talking when I brought out the box and placed it on the counter next to the plate.

“This hardly seems like a fair trade,” she murmured, her delicate hand coming to trace the edges of the box.

“On the contrary,” I said and took another bite of the delicious dish. “I think presents that come from labor are more significant than those bought with money.”

“Food isn’t a present.”

“It is to me.” My mind wandered back to when I was a kid. The times when I hadn’t had someone to cook me meals versus the times I did. It made all the difference. “No one has willingly cooked for me since my father passed.”

Her eyes shot to mine.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Open it.”

Hesitantly, she pried the box open, a small gasp escaping her lips as she took in the oval sapphire surrounded by small marquise and pear-shaped diamonds.

“This is too much.” Her eyes met mine. She didn’t want to accept it, but I saw how much it meant to her, so I grabbed the necklace from the box and moved to stand behind her.

“Nothing’s too much for you, Addi.” She didn’t know how true those words were. “All of this. The two million spent on you. The thousands spent on your outfits. The necklace. The money doesn’t matter to me.”

I gently placed it around her neck, clasping it at the back. Her hand came up to lightly touch the stone.

“What does matter to you then, Warren?”

She turned around, her unwavering gaze making me want to fall to my knees for her all over again.

You.

I couldn’t say it, but she must have seen what I meant because she was already lifting herself on her tiptoes and placing a light kiss to my mouth.

“Thank you, Warren.”

This time, when she whispered it, my heart sang.

31

ADDISON

It was easy to delude myself into thinking this could be my new life.

Wake up. Get fucked into oblivion. Eat breakfast. Eat breakfast. Start work. Break for more sex.

Our time in Chicago had opened the door, and now we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other.

So much so that, when Warren actually had to work, I found myself daydreaming of the next time I’d get to touch him again.

It was crazy how he managed to wear me down into this needy, wanton creature, but I knew for a fact I wasn’t the only one who had changed after Chicago.

My fingers brushed the beautiful sapphire hanging on my neck.

He didn’t need to get me this gift.