The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs (Celine and Hunter) novel Chapter 72

Chapter 72

-CELINE-

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the strange softness beneath me. This wasn’t my small, lumpy mattress in the staff

quarters.

This was something else entirely….silk sheets that felt like water against my skin, a bed so large I could stretch my arms wide and still not reach the edges.

The second thing I noticed was that I was completely naked.

My eyes flew open, and the events of last night came rushing back like a tidal wave. The kitchen. Hunter’s hands on my body.

The way he’d looked at me like I was something precious. The way he’d made me feel thing

ver felt before.

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Oh God. What had I done?

I pulled the sheet up to my chin, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and something else–a giddy happiness I couldn’t quite

contain.

Despite everything, despite knowing this was mixed up and probably a mistake, I felt like a lovesick teenager who’d just had her

first kiss.

I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped me as I buried my face in the sheet, breathing in Hunter’s scent. It was everywhere…on the pillows, on my skin, in my hair.

A mixture of expensive cologne and something uniquely him that made my stomach flutter.

This was Hunter’s bed. Hunter’s room. And I was here, naked, having spent the night in his arms.

I turned my head slowly, afraid to look but unable to stop myself.

There he was, lying on his side facing me, his dark hair messy from sleep, his face relaxed in a way I had never seen before.

Without the harsh lines of stress and anger, he looked younger, almost vulnerable.

My heart did a little skip as I studied him. The strong line of his jaw, the way his lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, the slight part of his lips.

He was beautiful in a way that made my chest ache.

I reached out carefully, wanting to trace the perfect line of his face with my fingertip when his eyes suddenly opened.

I gasped, jerking my hand back like I’d been burned.

“Good morning to you too,” he said, his voice rough with sleep, and I realized he’d been awake the whole time, watching me watch

him.

I felt my face flame red as I tried to scramble away from him. “I…I should go…”

his arm shot out, wrapping around my waist and pulling me back against him before I could escape. The sheet weaved around us, and I found myself pressed against his warm, solid chest.

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Chapter 72

“Good morning.” I whispered, suddenly shy.

The morning light streaming through the windows made everything feel different, more real. In the darkness of last night, I could pretend this was just a dream.

But now, looking into his blue eyes, I couldn’t hide from what had happened between us.

“You’re awfully happy this morning,” he observed, his lips curving into a smile that made my heart race. “Any particular reason?”

I ducked my head, unable to meet his gaze. How could I explain that I felt like I was floating? That despite all the reasons this was wrong, I couldn’t regret a single moment of last night?

“I should go,” I said instead, trying to sit up. “The others will be waking up soon. Sally starts her rounds early, and if she finds my

room empty…”

“Five minutes,” Hunter murmured, his hand sliding up to cup the back of my neck. “Give

> more minutes.”

Before I could protest, his lips found the sensitive spot just below my ear, pressing soft kisses along the column of my neck.

I couldn’t stop the small moan that escaped me, my body responding instantly to his touch.

“You taste so good,” he whispered against my skin, his breath warm and sending shivers down my spine.

“You smell like vanilla and sunshine. I could do this all day….make love to you until neither of us can think straight.”

The words sent heat pooling low in my belly, but they also reminded me of reality. “No,” I said quickly, pushing against his chest and rolling away from him.

I stood up before I could lose my nerve, only to freeze when I heard Hunter’s low chuckle behind me.

“Well, that’s quite a view to wake up to,” he said, his voice filled with male appreciation.

It was only then that I realized I was standing completely naked in front of him, the morning light leaving nothing to his imagination.

I felt his eyes on me like a physical touch, taking in every curve, every inch of skin.

My face burned as I spun around to face him, which only made things worse because now he was looking at me from the front, his gaze traveling slowly from my face down to my toes and back up again.

“You’re staring,” I accused, my voice coming out higher than normal.

He was lying sprawled across the bed like some kind of Greek god, the sheet barely covering his hips, his hair tousled and his eyes, dark with desire,

The sight of him like that made my stomach clench with want, even as embarrassment made me want to hide.

“Can you blame me?” he asked, not even trying to look away. “You’re beautiful, Celine. Every inch of you.”

I scrambled for my dress from last night, which was still lying crumpled on the floor where he’d dropped it.

y

y hands shook as I picked it up, trying to ignore the way he was watching my every movement.

“I need to go,” I said, stepping into the dress and pulling it up over my hips. “Caesar might be awake, and he’ll be looking for me if

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Chapter 72

he can’t find me…”

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“He’ll be fine,” Hunter said, but his voice had changed slightly at the mention of my son. There was something there, something! couldn’t quite identify.

“Sally’s with him.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak as I struggled with the zipper. My hands were still trembling, and I couldn’t quite reach it.

“Here,” Hunter said, suddenly behind me. I hadn’t even heard him get up.

His fingers brushed mine as he took hold of the zipper, pulling it up slowly. The touch was innocent enough, but it sent sparks racing across my skin.

When he was done, his hands lingered on my shoulders.

“Celine,” he said softly.

I turned to face him, biting my lower lip nervously. He was so close I could see the flecks of darker blue in his eyes, and could smell his scent wrapping around me like a warm blanket.

“Last night…” he started to say.

“Was wonderful,” I interrupted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “But it can’t happen again. Not like this. Not when everything is so complicated.”

Something glinted across his face…disappointment, maybe, or frustration. But he nodded slowly.

“We should talk,” he said. “Really talk. About everything.”

My heart skipped at the serious tone in his voice. “Later,” I agreed, taking a step back toward the door. “After work. When Caesar’s asleep.”

I couldn’t stay here any longer. If I did, I’d end up back in his arms, back in his bed, and I couldn’t afford to lose my head completely. I had responsibilities. I had a son to think about.

“I’ll see you later,” I said, my hand on the door handle.

“Celine,” he called after me as I opened the door.

I paused, looking back at him over my shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said simply. “For last night. For… everything.”

The sincerity in his voice made my chest tight with emotion. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and slipped out of the room.

As I hurried down the hallway toward the staff quarters, my heart was racing for entirely different reasons than it had been minutes before.

mething had changed between us last night. Something big and scary and wonderful.

ut as I thought about the way his voice had changed when I mentioned Caesar, about the secrets I knew he was keeping couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the calm before the storm.

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Still, I couldn’t regret it. Whatever happened next, I would always have last night–the memory of being cherished, of feeling desired, of being held like I was something precious.

For now, that would have to be enough.

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