Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
I want to know everything.
But I don’t have any right to.
Because although I held her and let myself drag my fingers over her soft skin, I also decided that after this, I won’t touch Billie again. She’s right in that our families are connected now, so I’ll have to see her from time to time, but I won’t seek her out. I won’t pull her away to steal a moment with her.
I won’t be that guy.
I have so much respect for this hardworking, incredible woman. She deserves everything she desires, including a man who knows how to open up to a woman outside of the bloody bedroom.
Miller pulls up in front of her small house in Bitterroot Valley, and I press a kiss to her head.
“Wake up, angel. You’re home.”
She stirs, yawns, and then sits up and stretches. The material of her dress pulls tight against her breasts.
Fuck me.
“Wow, did I sleep that whole time?”
“You did, aye.” I unbuckle her belt, then mine, and step out of the vehicle to keep me from wrapping her in my arms and pulling her close. How can I have just spent all afternoon hugging her, and I still want more?
She climbs out of the car and walks up to her door to unlock it.
Just a key. No keypad. No alarm. No cameras.
She should be in a safer house.
“I’ll get those,” she says as Miller lifts the totes out of the back of the SUV.
“No, miss, I have them. I’ll set them just inside.”
She nods. I’ve never seen the inside of her house, and I’m jealous of my own bodyguard as he walks in to set down the totes.
“Thanks for the ride,” she says to Miller, offering him a smile when he walks out the door.
“My pleasure,” he replies with a nod and walks past me to the vehicle, where he’ll wait.
“I already sent messages to have your car towed,” I inform her. “It should be at Brooks’s garage first thing in the morning.”
“Oh, just let me know what I owe you for the tow.” She bites her lip, and I shake my head.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“I can pay for the tow truck, Connor.”
“I said no.” I sigh and push my glasses up my nose. Christ, I love her sassy mouth, but I also miss that sweet side of her from that first night. I wish she’d smile at me. When she smiled, laughed, gasped, moaned, she lit up my whole world.
But she doesn’t smile. She’s scowling.
“You want to put your hands on me and make me lose my mind, but that’s it. Then you walk away like I’m a stranger, and you’re so fucking cold. I just deserve more respect than what you’ve been handing out.”
She’s not wrong. And I don’t deserve those smiles anymore.
“Fine. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” I nod and turn to walk back to the SUV, but she calls out my name.
I fucking love it when she says my name.
“Connor?”
I turn and raise an eyebrow.
“Thank you.” Her voice is softer, and those delicious lips lift in a small smile. “I appreciate your help.”
“You’re welcome,” I repeat, gentler this time. I shove my hands in my pockets and make myself walk to the car before I beg her to forgive me and let me have her in my life.
I can’t do that to her.
It wouldn’t be fair.
Chapter Three
BILLIE
I’ll never sleep tonight. Not after sleeping on the drive home. I can’t believe I did that. When I told Connor I was going to nap, I’d planned to just close my eyes and pretend to sleep so I didn’t have to talk to him and humiliate myself more.
I can’t believe that I sat in that car and told a billionaire all about my used-clothes habit. Sure, they’re luxury brands, but I explained it to him as if he doesn’t know what Dior is.
I’m pretty sure his white button-down cost more than all the clothes I bought combined.
Not to mention, his sister, Skyla, wore a couture Dior gown to a benefit earlier this year. He didn’t need me to give him a lecture on ready-to-wear clothes from fashion houses, and the sad state of fast fashion in our society.
Although, I really do love everything I bought today, and I enjoyed talking about it.
“I’ll just unpack it all and hang it up and forget about my stupid fashion lecture to the billionaire,” I grumble as I drag one of the totes into the primary bedroom. This house used to have four bedrooms, but I converted the smallest one, which happens to be next to the primary bedroom, into a beautiful closet and dressing room. I did it all myself with a closet kit that I ordered online.
Okay, I didn’t do it all myself. My brothers helped.
I painted the walls in a soft blue, the floor is hardwood, and the lighting is specifically designed to perfectly showcase my racks, shelves, and the area in front of the mirror so I can see myself well while dressing.