Page 67 of The Billionaire Land Baron

Chapter 17

It took some getting used to, but Shelby loved all the pampering once she could stop feeling guilty about it. After the first few minutes of being stiff in the massage, Shelby relaxed into the treatments. It was hard not to as strong hands kneaded her muscles. She had never felt anything like it. But throughout each new treatment, she felt Jake’s absence like the kind of nagging thought that sticks with you and won’t leave you alone.

While hands rubbed the knots out of her shoulders, she wondered what Jake was doing.

During the facial, she thought of the strong lines in his face and the slight cleft in his chin.

As her legs were being rubbed with warm stones, she thought of how he carried her to bed the night before.

When she saw herself in the mirror after a trim and a blowout for her hair, she wondered what he would think when he saw her.

She left the spa feeling both sleepy and energized. Her whole body felt fresh and new. It was incredible. Before, spas seemed like a colossal waste of money—paying for something so temporary. She and Gracielynn had openly scoffed at celebrity’s lifestyles while reading People magazines. Now she felt sad thinking about the fact that this might be the only time in her life she got to enjoy it. She didn’t know how much money Jake threw down on her afternoon, but it seemed like she got every single treatment in the spa. She would never be able to do it again.

As she made her way back up to his suite with the card key he’d left with her, she felt nervous. Would Jake be there? What would he say? Her clothes were the same she’d worn to the pool: the same silver bathing suit and sheer white cover-up that Maria had sent up, but her skin glowed and her hair had never looked or felt so soft. She wished that she had thought to bring down the blue sun dress so she could have something clean and fresh to match how she felt.

“Jake?” she called as she pushed open the door to the suite.

He strode out of the second bedroom and stopped when he saw her, sucking in a breath. Shelby looked down, feeling shy. He was already dressed in a suit for dinner and looked amazing. When he didn’t speak or move, she looked up at him. He had a wide smile.

“You look beautiful,” he said. “You did before you went and you do now.”

Somehow that second part of the compliment made her heart soar. “Have you been waiting long?”

“Nope. And I have something for you.”

He dashed back over to the couch and came back with a silver package wrapped up with a turquoise bow.

“Jake,” she said, a warning tone in her voice. “I don’t even want to think about how much this one-day date is costing. You can’t get me gifts too.”

“Shush,” he said. “Sit. Open.” He took her hand and pulled her to the couch, pausing only to notice her nail color. “That looks great. I like the natural look.”

After much debate, she’d gone with a clear polish on her fingernails and silver on her toes. Shelby hadn’t ever been a fan of silver, but it kept popping up through the day. She wiggled her toes at him. “And this matches the wrapping paper.”

Jake seemed pleased with this. “Maybe silver is our color?”

Her cheeks heated. She held the gift box in her hand, overcome with emotion. She fingered the ribbon. They had a color? She didn’t want to read too much into his words. He had been talking all day like they were a couple, but was still leaving for Chicago soon. Maybe tomorrow. He hadn’t been specific about the day, but it would be as soon as the parts came in for his car. Would he make some kind of commitment before he left? Is that what he was doing now?

Jake sat down on the coffee table in front of her and touched her hand. “Shelby?”

She fixed a bright smile on her face. “Jake?”

“Are you okay?”

Was she? Underneath, no she wasn’t. Taking a breath, she shoved that thought away. “I’m fine. Sorry. Did you wrap this?”

“The concierge did. If it had been me, you’d be looking at duct tape and newspaper or something.”

She giggled and began to undo the ribbon.

Inside the box was more silver: thin, gauzy cloth instead of tissue paper. Her fingers trembled as she unfolded the fabric to reveal a whole stack of books. Shelby couldn’t help her smile as she picked each up, turning them over to read the backs, to smooth her hands over the covers, to smell the pages. This was not what she was expecting. It was perfect.

“There’s one more thing in the bottom,” he said.

Shelby almost missed it because it was wrapped separately in more silver cloth. It was a smaller box and as she pulled away the paper, she frowned. “An e-reader?” She looked up at him for confirmation. The old books in the box had been perfect, as though he knew her that well already. The e-reader surprised her. It was one thing she’d never wanted.

Jake leaned forward and put a hand softly on her knee. The touch sent her reeling and she tried to focus on his words. “I know this probably isn’t your thing. But I thought it might be really nice to have something small and portable so you can read no matter what or where you are.”

“No matter what?”

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