CHAPTER 44

　　‘Piper, you can’t slip up. Remember what you are here for.’

　　I told myself repeatedly while sipping the champagne from the glass. I was in a comfortable silk bathrobe, reclining on the sofa while watching Netflix.

　　“Sorry for earlier. I was just a little too enthusiastic.” He gently held my hand in his paw. “If you need to, we can take this a step at a time.”

　　I nodded amiably. Since I was merely putting on an act for Kaiser, he didn’t need to know what was in my mind. But tonight, I wished the person who asked me to marry him was not Carson, but his brother-in-law.

　　“I won’t rush you. Just sit back and enjoy the movie.”

　　I squeezed his hand back, faking a deeper smile. “Carson, you frightened me just now. You just reminded me of the past.”

　　“The past?” He eyed me gingerly, probing, “Has anyone proposed to you before?”