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Slowly, she slid down the wall and sat on the carpet, pulling her knees to her chest as she listened to the interview. The kid was clearly in awe of Keegan, but Keegan was warm and funny, giving him his full attention, not a half-hearted interview that he didn't want to do.
Keegan talked about Christmas with his family, about their traditions, and their annual party. He told the boy he was delivering Hart's Bakery items to his local customers. His voice was full of such pride and warmth as he talked about Alice and her wonderful store, and the others they'd visited today.
Sofia smiled as she listened to Keegan describe each store, and what they brought that was so special to the Christmas season. By the time he finished, she was ready to go back to each store and live there.
Keegan might be a billionaire celebrity, but in his heart, he was a regular cowboy who loved the local folk, rescued horses, and protected those he cared about. He was still the teenage runway who had lost his mom in an accident and had fought to find his place in the world after society had let him down…a man who somehow had never let life chip away at the goodness that defined him.
She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his voice, letting it wrap around and soothe the fear from her body. Without his attention on her, without having to worry about how she was feeling about him, it was safe to let his presence fill her heart with the peace and warmth that was him.
God, what was she going to do?
She realized that the reason she'd freaked out and run was because she was falling for him hard, just like before.
It was less than a day, and he seemed to consume her simply with his presence.
Was she brilliantly insightful that he was her match? Or just a foolish woman falling for a handsome knight who was willing to rescue her?
"Sofia?"
She opened her eyes to see Keegan crouching in front of her, his brow furrowed with concern. "Did you ever get married, Keegan? Are you in a relationship now?" She couldn't believe she'd never asked him that before having fantasies about him.
He sat down across from her and leaned against the wall, so his feet were touching hers. "I was engaged until a couple months ago."
"A couple months?" Suddenly, the same fear was back, that he was a player. "What happened?"
He shrugged. "I found out that she was in love with someone else. She wanted to marry Keegan Hart for the bling, but she had no intention of giving up her relationship with the guy she actually loved."
"Ouch."
"Yeah." He rested his forearms on his knees, watching her. "A couple of my siblings have tried to find someone, but other than Brody and Tatum, it's been tough. People see us as Harts, not as people. It's not worth it to try to filter out who is who anymore. At least not for me."
She bit her lip. "So, you have trust issues as well, then."
"I do. We all do."
She nodded. "I get that."
He rubbed his jaw. "Here's the thing, Sofia. You knew me before I was the guy that people care about. Our past…it's just us. It's not glamour or fame. It was simply us, and it was real. Right?"
"Yes," she whispered her answer.
"And when you found out about me, who I was, you never came after me. Not for my money. Not for a payoff. Not for anything. You just stayed away."
Understanding began to dawn. "So, that actually makes you trust me more, then?"
"Yeah." He held out his hand to her.
After a brief hesitation, she leaned forward and put her hand in his. His palm was rough and calloused, a man who, despite his money, still got out and lived life. He didn't close his hand around hers. He just kept his hand open, watching their fingers rest against each other. "You're both Sascha and Sofia to me," he said quietly. "I fell in love with Sascha, but Sofia is pretty amazing, too."
She watched their hands together, too. Her skin was considerably darker than his, contrasted shades that somehow seemed to become whole when they were together, just like before.
"Sitting on the floor in a hallway with you feels like old times."
He grinned. "We had no house to stay in. No hotel until that last night."
"Nope." She closed her fingers, holding onto his hand, but he didn't grip her back. He kept his hand loose and relaxed. "Sorry I freaked out."
"Totally understandable. Sorry about the video."
