Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 298

Chapter 298

Nathaniel’s POV

When we got back to London, the traffic was surprisingly light for a late December afternoon. Even though it was the twenty-sixth, the city was usually packed with tourists this time of year. I drove through the familiar streets, passing historic buildings that stood shoulder to shoulder with sleek modern ones, that unique mix that just was London. The low winter sun hovered near the horizon, casting everything in a soft golden light that made even the plainest buildings look like they belonged in a movie.

Instead of taking the usual route to Annie’s apartment, I headed toward my place. She only seemed to notice when we were already practically in my garage.

“You’re not taking me home?” she asked, glancing around, curious.

“I was thinking we could spend a little more time together,” I said, parking and turning off the engine. “Just us this time. No family, no Alexandra, no interruptions.”

I turned toward her in the passenger seat, taking in the way the golden light filtering through the windows lit up her face. There was something about this moment-just the two of us, alone after days of social tension-that made me want to memorize every detail.

“Besides,” I added, leaning in closer, “I’ve missed having you all to myself.”

I pulled her in for a kiss that started gentle but quickly deepened when I felt her respond. Her fingers slid into my hair, and I could feel the strain of the last few days melting away with every second our mouths stayed together. It felt like we could finally breathe again.

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” she whispered against my lips when we finally broke apart. “But I need a bath to relax first. That trip was way too long.”

I smiled, tracing the line of her jaw lightly with my fingers.

“You’re tense?” I asked, letting my lips trail down the curve of her neck.

She shivered just a little under my touch, a soft breath slipping past her lips.

“A little,” she admitted, tilting her head to give me better access.

“Hmm,” I murmured against her skin, leaving a path of kisses from the base of her neck up to that sensitive spot just below her ear. “I’m pretty sure I still remember how to help you relax.”

Annie laughed-low, musical, the sound that always sent my pulse racing.

“Possibly,” she said, her hands toying with the collar of my shirt. “But your bathtub is some serious competition.”

I chuckled against her neck.

“Fair point,” I conceded, pressing one last soft kiss to the base of her throat before pulling back. “I’ll put something together for us to eat while you’re in there.”

“It can be really simple,” she said as she got out of the car and grabbed her bag. “I’m more interested in the

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that always disarmed me.

“Sounds like an excellent plan,” I agreed, stepping out and grabbing our bags.

We walked into the house in a comfortable silence, both of us wrapped up in anticipation. There was something deeply satisfying about having Annie here, in my space-far from nosy family members, Alexandra’s snide little games, and all the work complications. Here, we could just be ourselves.

Annie headed straight to my bedroom, and I followed with our luggage. I watched her move around the suite with easy familiarity, pulling clean clothes from the drawer I’d set aside just for her, and a wave of contentment washed over me. There was something about seeing her so at home in my place that made my mind wander to what it would be like if she actually moved in someday.

“I won’t be long,” she promised, giving me a quick kiss before disappearing into the bathroom.

I heard the bathtub start to fill and made my way to the kitchen, mentally running through what I had in the fridge. I went with something simple but still nice-a board with artisanal cheeses and cured meats I liked to keep on hand for spontaneous evenings, some bread I’d picked up at a bakery on the way back from Bath, and fresh fruit that would go well with the wine I planned to open.

While I arranged everything, I called a nearby restaurant and ordered dessert-a tiramisu I knew Annie loved, plus a few small chocolate treats that would pair well with the red wine I’d chosen.

While I waited for the delivery, I headed back upstairs to my suite to grab my work phone and check for any urgent messages. Even during the holidays, Kensington never fully shut down, not with operations running across different time zones.

I found a few emails from our Turkish partners-questions about a contract that technically could’ve waited, but I preferred handling them right away so nothing piled up. I replied to the urgent ones, clarified a few technical details, confirmed meetings for the first week of January.

That’s when I noticed a notification on my work phone-but not on my main number. It was a message on the secondary SIM, the number I’d bought solely to talk to Annie as Wanderer.

The phone was blinking. There was one unread message.

My stomach tightened, a twisted mix of curiosity and dread. No one else had that number. Only Annie.

My fingers trembled slightly as I picked up the device and opened the conversation. The message was recent- sent sometime during our stay in Bath, when I’d been completely absorbed with family drama and keeping Alexandra from causing another scene.

[Tenth question: is your name Nathaniel Carter?]

Everything stopped.

It felt like someone had knocked the air right out of my lungs. The question stared back at me, sharp and impossible to ignore, waiting for an answer that had been hanging in the air for days. Annie knew. Or at least she suspected enough to ask the one question that could change everything between us.

My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. When had she figured it out? How had she connected the dots? And more importantly, why hadn’t she confronted me directly?

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From the bathroom, I could hear the steady sound of running water and Annie humming softly, completely unaware that I was holding the one thing that could blow our entire relationship apart.

I stared down at the message, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Months of secrets distilled into a single sentence. Months of omissions waiting for an honest answer.

And Annie was only a few feet away, soaking in the bath, completely trusting me… with no idea I was standing here, about to make the decision that would define our future.

D

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