Page 43 of Cinderella's Fling with the Off-Limits Billionaire

“You and Harper. Move there until you’re on your feet. You do not need to live with your parents, Skye.”

She blinked quickly. The offer was too much, and nowhere near enough.

“Or I’ll get you somewhere else, if you don’t like it.”

She spluttered, struggling to catch her breath.

And there it was—the problem with everything he was offering. It made her sound like his mistress. It somehow made their relationship transactional—and emotionally hollow. “I don’t need that,” she replied, with unintentional hauteur.

His brows drew together. “You don’t think so?”

She stood, spine straight, gloriously naked and proud. “No.” She spat the word. “If you want to be with me for me, then why can’t I feel the same?”

His expression was guarded.

“Do you think I need any of that?”

“Like the necklace?” He asked, his tone dark. “Why did you give it back? It was a gift…”

“Because of this! Because I don’t want to feel as though there’s anything transactional in what we are. We might come from completely different backgrounds and exist in totally disparate worlds but I would like to think that regardless of that, we share something that’s genuine and real.” Careful, Skye. You’re showing too much. “I don’t know what we are, or what will happen in the future, but I do know this. If you keep buying me things and trying to move me into your expensive homes, I will never see you again. I don’t want any of that stuff.”

A muscle jerked in his jaw, his lips were grim. He stood completely still.

She kept going.

“I’ll tell you what else,” she murmured, crossing her arms now. “If you want to see me again, then stop treating me like just a body to fuck when you’re in the mood.”

His jaw dropped. “That’s not how I think of you.”

“Start talking to me,” she ploughed on tears sparkling on her lashes now. “I have shared all of myself with you, while you’ve pushed me away at every opportunity. I’m sick of it.”

He dragged a hand through his hair, eyes hooked to hers. “I’m offering more of what we had before. I liked it. I thought you did too. I can’t rewire who I am for you though.”

A lump formed in her throat. “Then it’s not enough.”

“I thought you said you just wanted me?”

“I do want you. All of you.” Stop. Careful. Back away. But it was too late. She’d said it. She’d thrown down the gauntlet and had to know if he’d take it.

“I will give you as much of myself as I can,” he said without moving. “You have to decide if that’s enough for you.”

It wasn’t. It never would be. But she couldn’t turn him away. The last two weeks had shown her how much she needed him in her life in some capacity.

“I need to think,” she said, even though she knew what her answer would be.

“Will you stay with me a while longer?” He asked, and though the words were toneless, she heard something in them. A desperation she understood. He needed to look at her some more, just as she needed to look at him.

But need like this was the beginning of the end. Her independence had been too hard fought. She shook her head, trying to conceal the sadness from showing on her face.

“How long are you in the city for?”

“Two days.”

She bit back a curse. Was that all? And she was really prepared to walk out of there and waste this precious night?

“Why are you staying here? You have a home now, remember?”

“I wanted to see you. I didn’t know if you’d come there.”

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