Page 37 of One Billion Reasons

“Shut it, Miles.” He’s way too pleased with himself, and my face burns as he steps onto the path back to the property. He’s been carrying me for twenty minutes, and he’s not even breathing hard. My stomach does a stupid little pirouette.

“Well, you have the startup capital now. Why not use it to start your business?”

God, this is embarrassing. We went to college together, but he’s done so much in the intervening years and I’m at a standstill.

“Um, Mal and I are about to get kicked out of our building. A developer is buying it and tearing it down. We went to see some places, but we just don’t have the money.” I shut my eyes. I feel like a paid escort taking fifty K from him for a week of dating. “The money from this week is the only reason I won’t have to close my business. It’s the only reason we’ll have a place to live.”

His jaw clenches.

“Go ahead, Miles. Tell me I’m too dreamy and not practical enough. I know it irritates you.” I’ve heard it all before. We’re nearing the property, so at least he won’t be able to yell at me for too long before I can escape.

We reach the deck where people are eating dinner. The sun is a blaze of color to the West, and even the Atlantic is orange and peachy pink in the warm light. His arms tighten around me almost to the point of pain.

“It irritates me that you live like this.” His voice is low and rough and filled with rage. He sets me gently on the ground and keeps his hands on my waist while I find my balance. That sharp jaw is clenched, and his eyes are stormy.

“Not because I think less of you, but because you think less of yourself. It irritates me that I have to stand by and watch and do nothing while you struggle.” My stomach clenches, and I search his face.

“I…thank you,” I finish lamely. “You’re a good friend.”

At the word ‘friend,’ his eyes darken, and he looks away. Not for the first time, I wonder what it would have been like if Liam never chose Miles for himself, if Miles never chose him and instead chose me. It doesn’t matter. This fragile truce between us is new, and it will be enough.

But today he showed me all the reasons why Liam considers him the best man he knows. All the reasons I forgot. Or overlooked. I put my hand on his chest, right over his strong heartbeat, and his head jerks down.

“Miles. You want to make this believable, right?”

He nods. I can do this for him, give him this gift of my time. I haven’t really been trying, but he deserves it.

“Then let’s give them something to believe.” And I kiss him.

18

Miles

For a second, I’m frozen when Lane kisses me. My hands clutch her waist, but the rest of my body can’t catch up. Until she murmurs, “Kiss me back, asshole.”

And so I do. I thrust one hand into her hair and band one arm around her back and pull her against me. And when her lips meet mine again, I kiss her back with everything I have. It’s just for show. We’re in full view of the deck. The way I pull her bottom lip into my mouth is just for show. The way she presses against me is just for show. But the way she tastes, the way she opens for me, that’s not for show. That’s all her. And god, it’s fucking incredible. I always knew it would be.

I slip my tongue into her mouth. Just a little taste. Delicious. Just like I imagined for years. I groan and do it again. She shivers, and I angle her head to deepen the kiss.

My heart is thundering, my cock is hardening in my running shorts, and all of a sudden, this feels way too fucking real. She’s warm and willing and the press of her full breasts to my chest makes me want to pull her to the ground in front of this entire hotel. Or maybe scoop her back into my arms and drag her off to my room.

Her sighs are breathy, her lips are soft, and she wants this. And my world tilts on its side. Lane is forbidden. And why does that make it even better? You’re a sick fuck, Miles Becker. I tug on her hair, and god, I want to yank her head back until I can bite at her throat. I settle for small sips of her lips instead.

“Miles,” she breaths into my mouth, but I can’t stop. One more press of my lips, one more sigh I can capture of hers. And then she’s pushing at my chest, and I finally break the kiss. Her eyes are hazy, her hair is mussed, and she looks so fucking delicious.

“Wow.” She smiles. “You really put on a show.”

She turns and lets me help her back through the lobby and up to our room.

The entire time I wonder if it was a show at all. Because it felt a little too fucking real.

* * *

I text Liam as soon as I’m back in the room.

Miles

What’s Lane’s address?

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