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I took off his sunglasses and held them out to him.

“You know you can just keep those if you want.”

“They’re not really me.”

“No?”

“No,” I said. “I just need a boring pair from some kiosk in the mall. I have no idea why you’d need them to be this fancy.”

“Those are Moss Lipow.”

“I have no idea what that is,” I assured him. “Drive me to the mall.”

But we ended up at Louis Vuitton, and I picked out a pair that would work. I pulled out my wallet, but Aaron grabbed the glasses and my hand, and he ordered Miguel to take care of it. We were headed back to the car in minutes.

“You can’t just buy me everything,” I cautioned him.

“Right,” he agreed. “But I should be allowed to take care of a seven-hundred-dollar pair of sunglasses for you.”

I stopped walking and took off the sunglasses I had just put on. “These are seven hundred dollars?”

His grin lit up his face. “That was Louis Vuitton, baby, not Walmart.”

“Holy shit,” I said, holding them out to him. “I’ll get something at the airport.”

“No, you won’t.” He chuckled. “There’s no more airport for you—don’t you get it?”

I tensed because, really, the money thing was weird. I had the feeling it was like quicksand, and if I got too close, I wouldn’t be able to get out.

He squeezed my hand tight, and once we were back in the limousine, he twisted in the seat to face me. “You look like you’re freaking out.”

“Just gimme a sec,” I directed, staring out the window.

“Hey,” he said, and I was surprised when he threw a leg over me and straddled my hips, in my lap when I wanted some space.

“You don’t listen all that well.” My eyes flicked up to his face.

He put his hands around both sides of my neck, and I was stuck looking up at him.

“Duncan, honey, listen to me.” His voice dropped low as he stared into my eyes. “You ride in a private jet now. A car picks you up and takes you places. You have expensive sunglasses and tailored suits, and when it’s time for me to get you a ring, the store will be closed when we pick out what we want. That’s how this works.”

It was how it worked for him. It was his world, but it didn’t have to be mine. I⁠—

Wait.

“Ring?” I coughed.

“Yes,” he said, his eyes rock solid on mine.

“You said when, not if.”

“Because it’s a when—that’s why—not an if. If is gone.”

“Someday,” I said.

“Yes. Someday.”

“Okay, but you get that⁠—”