Page 13 of The Billionaire Love Match

“I bet you’re glad that you didn’t wear a thong like I recommended,” Amanda said as they watched Casey tumble, her dress flying up to reveal her shapewear underneath.

But Casey was focused on Colt—the way his face changed as she fell. How he made it across the stage and threw himself to his knees to catch her and break her fall. He had no concern for himself. Just her. The tender way he smoothed her dress down to cover her.

“Why didn’t he pick me?” she whispered.

And not for the first time that night, she burst into tears again. She was breaking her promise, but since she wasn’t on the show, those promises didn’t matter anymore. The thought made her cry harder and Amanda crossed the room to wrap her up in a hug.

“Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry. It will be okay.”

“Will it? Because I don’t think—”

A knock at the door interrupted her words. Casey’s head jerked up. “Is that the pizza?”

Amanda shook her head. “I meant to order but hadn’t yet.”

Another knock.

And then Colt’s voice from the other side of the door: “Casey?”

Casey knew the look on her face mirrored the wide-eyed look on Amanda’s.

“Is that...?” Amanda asked.

“It’s Colt. What do I do?” Casey whispered.

Amanda pulled a tissue from the box in the table and wiped around Casey’s eyes. “Not much I can do here, but a little better at least. Now go answer the door, dummy.”

Casey stood in front of their door and looked through the peep hole on her tiptoes. His face looked distorted through the tiny glass, but it was definitely Colt. Looking anything but Mr. Casual. He couldn’t stop moving—rubbing his neck, then turning his back and pacing a few steps, putting his hands through his perfect hair—

Casey opened the door.

Cameramen and a few crew surrounded him. She hadn’t seen them but wasn’t surprised. His mouth dropped open at her sudden appearance, but he regained his composure almost immediately.

“Yes?” she said, lifting her chin and forcing her face to stay calm.

“Hey, Boots.”

He said it in almost a whisper she wondered if the mics could pick up. Casey’s heart went all fluttery even as her head tried to reason with all the traitorous parts of her body that reacted to his presence.

Colt met her eyes and in the cheap fluorescent light of the hallway, they looked more green than brown. Again, there was an intensity she couldn’t read there, but it felt like he was pleading with her. What was he saying?

He licked his lips and a camera swung as far as it could to the side to get his face, while another stayed steady on her. She ignored them, but noticed that he stepped back to let the camera capture him more fully.

So that’s all this was? Some ploy for fame. Why did he need that when he was already rich and famous? What game was he playing?

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “It’s late. I can’t think of many decent reasons for a man to knock on my door after midnight so I hope you have one.”

Again, his jaw dropped. “I—”

“You have thirty seconds. And then I’m going right back in there to keep bingeing on chocolate and watching movies with my best friend,” she said. “What do you want, Colt?”

A smile played on his lips at her honesty, then changed to a repentant look. He was handsome either way, but she could see what a good actor he was when the expressions changed so quickly, like clouds passing over the sky before a storm.

He’d acted before. She had googled him as soon as she and Amanda got home. Saw the many articles about him being a playboy. Always a supermodel—or two—on his arm. Driving fancy cars. Movie premieres. Red carpet events. Always looking casually, incredibly handsome.

He licked his lips again and took her hand. She pulled back but he held it tightly. Underneath her palm, where the cameras couldn’t see, his thumb stroked her hand lightly. She stared down at his hands, then back up at his face. The light touch sent sparks straight up her arm.

“Casey, I was so wrong to let you walk away tonight. It should have been you.”

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