I couldn’t stop thinking about Sabine and the moments we’d shared in the car and at the boutique. I could have taken her right then and there, shown her what I wanted to do to her, and not given a shit if the sales associate saw it. I’d been hard, so fucking hard I’d thought about going to the bathroom to relieve myself to try and tame some of this need moving through me.

But I knew nothing would compare to Sabine. I knew nothing could tame my arousal unless it was she.

I’d waited four years to be with her, hiding my feelings, not sure if telling her what I wanted, and hoping she felt the same way, would work out. She was an adult, knew what she wanted in life, and the way she’d reacted to me today told me she wanted me.

My driver pulled up to the house and everyone exited. I watched as she climbed out of the car, her long legs unfolding. The heels I’d insisted on buying because they matched the dress and screamed “fuck me” looked incredible on her. My cock jerked, but I tried to keep the desire that burned deep inside of me at bay.

“Thank you for dinner. It was lovely,” Annabelle said and wrapped her arms around Leo.

“My pleasure.” I should have said more, how it was lovely to catch up with them, how we needed to do all of that, but my focus was on Sabine and the way she wouldn’t make eye contact with me. She’d been doing that all night, and a part of me felt like a predator wanting to grab onto its prey … and Sabine was my prey.

I could tell she might be conflicted about what was going on between us, the arousal that I knew she felt just as strongly as I felt for her. I looked at the feather necklace she wore. It had meant so much more than just a graduation gift all those years ago. It was a token of my feelings for her, light, easily held in the hand, but complex even if on the outside it didn’t appear as such.

And the bracelet she wore on her delicate wrist. I was possessive of Sabine, without a doubt, but I was also controlled, careful, and knew how to keep myself in check. I didn’t even want to think about her with anyone else.

She was mine, and I wanted to show her how good we’d be together.

* * *

After we arrived home, I’d hoped to spend time with Hugo. My parents had gone to bed a little over an hour ago, and here I was still in the dress Hugo had gotten for me, not wanting to take it off for some reason.

I didn’t know what any of this meant, or if I’d even get to talk to him about it before he left, but the very thought of him leaving and not coming back for so long—however long that might be—had this sick feeling consuming me.

I didn’t want anyone else. I’d known that before I’d even seen the desire for me in his eyes. The very thought of not being able to tell him the truth, to be honest with the both of us, made it seem as if the world would crash down around me.

I thought on that for several minutes and came to the conclusion I couldn’t just hope something like this happened again.

Hugo was it for me.

Thinking about being with anyone else just didn’t do it for me. I wanted only him, and he needed to know that.

* * *

I’ve never been the type of man to sit around and wait for things to fall into my lap. I didn’t get where I was in life, and with my corporation, by not taking action.

I’d waited long enough to be with Sabine, and I wasn’t going to wait anymore.

But when I opened the front door of the guesthouse, I saw her standing there. She still wore the dress I’d bought her, and this stab of possession slammed into me. I wanted her wearing the things I bought.

I wanted to be the one to peel what she wore off.

Lust slammed into me, but so did love. I fucking loved Sabine, more than I could even fully comprehend … more than she’d ever fully know.

For her I’d go to any lengths to make sure she was protected. I’d level buildings if it made her happy.

“Hugo.” She whispered my name, and everything in me tightened. “I’m just going to say this because I’m done hiding.”

I curled my fingers into the doorframe, trying to refrain from pulling her into the house and making her mine. I wanted to kiss her until she was breathless, until she was clutching at me and begging me to make her mine in any way I saw fit.

But I didn’t move, because she clearly had something to say. This would be a break it or make it situation. She’d either tell me whatever between us couldn’t go on or she’d finally give herself to me.

She looked down at her hands, which she started twisting together. She was nervous, and I hated that I’d made her feel this way, even inadvertently.

I reached out and placed one hand on hers and lifted her head up with a forefinger under her chin. She stared up at me, her eyes so wide, her expression so vulnerable.

“It’s okay,” I said softly, wanting to pull her into my chest so badly, to stroke my hand over her hair, and to let Sabine know she’d never have to feel anything but comfort and safety around me.

“I love you, Hugo.” Her eyes got even wider when she said those words, and if possible, my body tightened even further. I let go of her hands and chin, staring at her with probably a little bit of shock on my face. However, what I felt so strongly it could have knocked me on my ass, was possession.

She’s mine.