Page 44 of Royal Flush

Yes, he was that kind of man. That much I knew but really?

I took gasping breaths, my nerves frayed. I was also angry with myself for allowing him to bother me in the least. He was just a man after all.

Albeit the sexiest man alive. He could grace the cover of any magazine and sell millions of copies. Oh, I had it bad for the man. That just wouldn’t do.

Unable to force the heat from my face and neck, I turned on the cold water, leaning over and splashing a couple of handfuls in my face. Like a dummy, I managed to get the water in my eyes, which caused some of my makeup to run and sting. I was forced to try to grab for the paper towel dispenser with my eyes cinched closed.

While I hadn’t heard any noise other than the sound of running water, when I was handed a stack of towels by another woman, I was truly grateful.

“Thank you. Ouch.” I tried to laugh it off as I blotted my face, careful not to ruin my makeup. When I lifted my head, two very distinct things came to light.

One, the person who’d provided me with relief was a man.

Two, the man was none other than Braxton Royal and he was leaning against the counter, his muscular arms folded and a smirk riding his face like he’d just won the Kentucky Derby.

Play it cool. You can do it.

The inner voice did provide me with encouragement and I plastered a sweet smile on my face. “Aren’t you in the wrong bathroom or is there something you need to tell me?”

“There are a few things you should have already learned about me, little koala. I don’t follow rules and I always get what I want.”

I laughed as my answer, tossing the towels into the trash. When I spun around, I dared take a step closer, planting my hands on my hips. “And I couldn’t care less about the pedestal-like position you place yourself on. You’re just a jerk acting as if you own the world.”

“Ah, darlin’. Maybe I am a jerk but I’m a rich jerk, filthy rich in fact and I can do exactly what I want. I am curious as to the coincidence of why we ran into each other in a busy town far removed from the islands.”

If he thought I was going to divulge any additional personal details, he had another think coming. “None of your business.”

“I beg to differ. Now, we need to have a discussion.”

“About what? You have your life. I have mine. We are different people.” I’d be damned if Braxton wasn’t crowding my space and the heat kicked up inside the smaller restroom by at least twenty degrees.

He took a deep breath, nodding a few times. “That is true. However, no one just runs away from me.”

“We had a deal. I fulfilled my end. So what? I had to get back to my life.”

I don’t know why it surprised me when the look on his face was no longer just carnal. There was a knowing look in his eyes. I’d been stupid enough to provide my real name, which meant if he’d done some serious digging, he could have easily found out who I was.

And more important, who my father was.

I lifted my head as he inched closer, the sly smile on his face one I wanted to wipe off. Damn him for making me tingle all over.

“You seem to forget I was in control of you and in my mind, I still am. There was time left on our deal.”

Was this jerk kidding me? “You said one night.”

“Technically twenty-four hours.”

The man was out of his mind. “You are…”

“Exactly what you need, a man who refuses to allow you to continue your errant ways. How much did you just win?”

He had a way of making me feel like a criminal even if I hadn’t been cheating. I brushed my hand through my hair, hating the fact I felt beads of perspiration trickling down the back of my neck. Thankfully, he shouldn’t be able to detect just how nervous he made me. “A few thousand dollars,” I answered, downplaying the amount.

“Uh-huh. That looked like more chips to me.”

“All for a good cause. You know, furry little animals who all deserve love and a home?” He continued crowding my space until we were just two inches apart. I prayed someone else would walk inside, but I had a feeling he was the kind of powerful man who’d commanded everyone else to stay away.

“Oh, I know, which is why I wrote a check for five hundred thousand.”

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