Can’t Win Me Back

Silas tightened his arms around her as he spoke as if fearing she might escape him.

A warm blush crept up Rose’s chest, a pleasant tingle settling in her heart. Her voice dipped to a playful whisper, more of a tease than a scold. “Well, at least you know you’re being sneaky.”

“Rosie.” Silas couldn’t tear his gaze away. A captivating blush painted Rose’s pale face as he murmured, “Well, you’re just as cunning. You’re the sneak who’s stolen my heart.”

Rose found herself at a loss for words.

She remembered listening to Alyssa chatter about her family and Silas. He had such a handsome face. Yet, he was so dense and cheesy that it raised concerns for him.

It seemed Alyssa was right.

Silas noticed her sudden silence and fell into a surge of panic. He turned her to face him. “Are you still upset with me?”

“Silas Taylor.”

panic intensified at the sound of

Unconsciously, he swallowed hard.

illegitimate daughter of the Emerson family. I am a disgrace. Even the Emersons would come to me and cause trouble. I have

tearing a piece of her heart away with each word uttered. “You

you might feel this way about me, and perhaps one of them is because your emotions stem from a desire to protect me—a misplaced

You come from a good place, and even if you don’t need someone of equal standing, you

life… it’s forever marked. Today was just a glimpse, a

icy veneer of a renowned designer, Rose harbored a wellspring of bitterness and insecurity. Her extravagant creations were a carefully crafted facade, a shield to deflect from

prestigious Emerson name, Rose felt adrift, a life without roots. She

wasn’t blind to Silas’ good qualities or the depth of his love, a relentless

necessary. She couldn’t bear the thought of a future where Silas’ feelings waned

she would rather not start it at

about your background for quite

but he pressed on, “So what, Rose? It doesn’t change a thing. I see you, all of you. And