Page 34 of The Billionaire's Runaway Bride

“Yes!” She beams. “The posts you’ve shared are getting a lot of traction. It’s added business. I’ve got more bookings than I have in the last two years.” She claps her hands and nods. “It’s going to be very busy around here.”

“That’s great, Marian!” I mean every word.

“And what makes it even greater is that Caleb has offered to pitch in and help around here, too.”

My frown immediately chases away my smile. “Caleb? You mean you don’t need me anymore?”

“No!” Caleb rushes to reply.

“No, no.” Marian shakes her head. “Not at all. I need you more than ever! Caleb has volunteered to help with the bigger projects. Things you’ve admitted you don’t know how to start.”

Or the tasks I worry I can’t safely do, like splitting the firewood. It clicks then, why I found him doing that part of the manual labor that’s been lacking around here.

“He’ll prepare the firewood, repair some woodwork.”

I raise my brows at him. “I thought you were a CEO or something.”

He grins, pissing me off even more. “Or something.”

I roll my eyes. I can’t help but feel threatened that he’ll reduce Marian’s need for me. He’s stronger and quicker, after all.

“He’ll help with painting, too.”

I drop my jaw and gape at Marian. “But…but that’s supposed to be my project.”

She smiles gently. “And like I told you from the beginning, that’s much more than one person can handle. Even a go-getter like you.”

I sigh and shrug. She’s the boss. I’ll do whatever she needs me to, but it hurts a little that she’d ask him without consulting me at all.

“I’ll help with the outdoor seating area too,” Caleb says.

I turn to him, pissed. He could lose that smug tone and confident attitude. “That was my idea.” I point at my chest.

“Yes,” Marian interrupts. “It’s your idea that will be made possible with Caleb’s help.”

Oooh, he just had to go there. I was so excited to organize the seating around the fire pit, which needs its own renovation effort. While I respect Marian’s sense of style inside, the designer in me is itching to create something somewhere. If the inside of the bed-and-breakfast isn’t an option, the outdoors has more than enough opportunities.

Why couldn’t Caleb offer to do something else, like mowing or weeding?

I can’t shake this growing annoyance that he’d butt into what is supposed to be my job, but I think twice about voicing my opinions out loud.

I can. I should. But another smaller part of me thinks I should zip my lips.

Marian’s right. I always have a voice. A right to speak up.

If I lash out and balk about Caleb volunteering around the property, it might be too obvious of a clue for him to pick up on. I told him just last night a kiss, or anything intimate, wouldn’t happen between us ever again.

The second I complain and protest about his offer to help, he’ll know why. In case he doesn’t realize it already. I can’t stand the thought of Caleb helping because it’ll be that much harder for me to resist him. I won’t even be able to avoid him at this rate. He won’t be seeking me out as a bored guest. He’ll be right beside me, collaborating on projects I’ve grown oddly possessive of.

Being so close to Caleb will set me up in a danger zone of being near enough that we could bump into each other. Accidental brushes might escalate. And the more I sense him so near, intoxicating me with his heat and scent, I’ll be worn ragged and desperate. Maybe even pushed to my wits’ end and want to kiss him—the one thing that I swore couldn’t happen ever, ever again.

I smirk at him as Marian continues talking excitedly about all the projects we can partner up on now. Two heads are better than one. All that mumbo jumbo. For the first time since I came here and met Marian, her words go in one ear and out the other. I’m too busy glaring at the enemy who smiles so smugly at me.

He looks pleased and mighty proud of himself, which irks me more.

He thinks he’s so smart, ensuring a way that he’ll be around constantly to tempt me and tease me. I have no clue how I’ll manage it or tolerate him.

Ignoring him can only work for so long before it wears me or him down. I might exhaust myself by avoiding him, and he might be encouraged to just try harder.

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