Follow Me Always by Helen Hardt

Author:Helen Hardt [Hardt, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: City Life Fiction;Coming of Age Fiction;New Adult & College Romance;Romantic Erotica;Women's Literary Fiction;Contemporary Romance Fiction;Helen Hardt;#1 New york Times Bestselling Author;Steel Brothers Saga;Follow Me Darkly;Follow Me Under;Follow Me Always;Darkly;Billionaire Romance;New York City;Social Media Influencer;Alpha Hero Romance;Domineering Hero Romance;Kansas;Blue Collar Billionaire Hero;Alpha Hero Billionaire;Millionaire Books;Legacy by Helen Hardt;Decent by Helen Hardt;Awakened by Helen Hardt;Kinky Romance;BDSM Romance;Tortured Hero Romance;Sexy Romance;Sex Club;Secrets
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2021-06-11T01:03:25+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Unlike my first attempt, this meal for Braden turns out perfectly. The shrimp étouffée is spicy and delicious, and the Beaujolais-Villages I picked complements it very well. We don’t talk a lot at dinner. Just a little about his trip and about the posts I’ve done this week. He seems pleased with my progress as an influencer.

“I’ve been using the skincare line for a week now,” I tell him. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re as beautiful as you always were.”

“Seriously. My skin tone is a little more even, don’t you think?”

“I honestly have no idea.”

“Are you kidding me? I look better, and you don’t even notice?”

He chuckles. “Contrary to popular belief, beauty routines aren’t for men, Skye. They’re for women.”

“I just mean—”

“You mean you want me to tell you that you look better. What if I did? The first thing you’d say then is, ‘You mean you didn’t like how I looked before?’”

I scoff. “Maybe some women. I wouldn’t.”

He shakes his head. “You aren’t like any other woman I’ve ever met, so maybe you wouldn’t. But I’m telling you the truth when I say I don’t see a difference. You were beautiful a week ago, and you’re beautiful now.”

My cheeks warm. I’m not beautiful like Tessa, but in Braden’s eyes, I am. That’s all that matters.

Already I see I’ve come a long way in a short time.

“Ready for dessert?” I ask.

“Let’s talk first,” he says.

My heart beats hard. Here it is. The time of reckoning. I’m going to open up to Braden, and I have to accept that he may not be ready to do the same thing.

That’s okay.

It has to be.

Plus, maybe he’ll surprise me.

“All right,” I say. “You want any coffee?”

“I think just a little more wine.” He fills his goblet halfway and then lifts his eyebrows at me.

“No thanks.” I smile. “You want to sit on the couch? It’s more comfortable.”

“Sure.” He picks up his wineglass and walks to the living room.

I follow him, sit down, and pat the seat next to me.

He sits.

“You asked me a question the last time we were in New York together. A question I couldn’t answer then.”

“I did.”

“You didn’t think I was brave enough to find the answer.”

“That’s not exactly what I said. I said I was going to have my say, and then you could have yours, if you were brave enough.”

“All right. The exact words don’t really matter, because I’ve realized it’s not the answer that’s important in the long run.”

“Oh?”

“No, it’s the question. You see, Braden, I asked myself the question. I asked why the choking was so important to me, and I have an answer, but it’s not even the answer that’s important.”

“What do you mean?”

“Figuring these things out isn’t black-and-white. I know you like to think of things that way. You’re a lot like Tessa in that way.”

He chuckles. “Am I?”

“Don’t laugh at me.” I give him a friendly swat on the upper arm. “I’m serious. She’s an accountant. A mathematician. There’s always a right and wrong with her.

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