She was snuggled into my side, her hand planted on my thigh, her head against my shoulder. She was in her dress with her heels kicked off, and I was in my sweatpants. She pushed off me then regarded me, her eyes filling with that same sadness she’d showed days ago. “Tell me about your family.”

I ignored the TV even though it was a game I wanted to watch. My focus was on her—like always. “Mother was a homemaker. Magnus and my sister were twins. My older brother was a great soccer player.”

“Magnus had a twin?”

I nodded. “He lost his other half. It still bothers him.”

“I can only imagine…”

“You would never guess I had a great childhood, judging by the way it ended. But I did. We had a nice home in Paris. We all went to private school. My mother was the best cook. She could have had the nanny chauffeur us around, but she also chose to do those things herself. She’d make us breakfast, take us to school in the morning, be there for all the performances and games. We’d spend our summer vacation at our other home in Tuscany. Attended events in society because of our status. But our mother never allowed our wealth to turn us into smug kids. She kept us humble.”

“She sounds like a great mom…”

My head turned back to the TV. “She was.” She thought money was the root of all evil, and she was right, because it was the reason she was murdered in her sleep.

“Is that why…you won’t sleep with me?”

I turned back to her. “Yes.”

She gave a slight nod, but her eyes suggested she’d already figured that out. “I understand now.”

I looked at the TV.

Her eyes remained on my face. “But you know I would never…” She shook her head, her voice getting choked up. “I would never hurt you.” She leaned into me and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

I did know that.

“I won’t ask you again, but…I just want you to know that.” She kept her lips there and breathed against me, her hand planting against my chest as she plastered herself to me, like she wanted to crawl inside and live there.

My chin turned back to her, and I pressed a kiss to her hairline. I left it there, my hand cupping the back of her head, cherishing her for the gift she was. The moment our eyes met, I knew.

Eyes locked.

Our bodies in unison.

Her body engulfing mine.

My body weak for hers.

Breathing the same air. Breathing at the same time.

The beat of our hearts.

I wanted her every night. I wanted her always. But it wasn’t her body that satisfied me.

It was something else.