Page 249 of The Billionaires

“That’s it?” I demand. “You won’t even bother asking for another mirror so you can see how it looks from behind?”

It looks amazing, of course, but he doesn’t know that.

“I trust Georgiana.” Adrian gestures at the nearby shower. “Do you mind if I wash the hair off?”

“Of course not,” Mom says breathily but doesn’t move. Nor do I.

After waiting for a couple of beats, Adrian smirks. “I might need a bit more privacy, if you don’t mind.”

Cheeks red, Mom thrusts a big towel into his hands and rushes out of the bathroom, almost trampling me.

There’s the click-clack of Adrian locking the door, which is good, because when the shower starts, I feel very tempted to go inside—in case he needs some help getting soap on his back, of course.

“How does it look?” Mary asks us with the same intonation she uses when asking things like, “Do you think global nuclear disarmament will happen in my lifetime?”

“How about we wait at the table?” I suggest.

She and Mom both nod and we take our seats. The tea and coffee have cooled by now, so Mom warms them in the microwave. Finally, the bathroom door opens, and Adrian joins us, smelling fresh and looking like his haircut cost a grand.

“Thanks again, Georgiana,” he says as he sits down. “Between the new look and my beautiful fiancée, everyone at The Ball will be dying of jealousy.”

Help! I’m a melted puddle, and I can’t get up.

CHAPTER 16

ADRIAN

Jane reaches for one of the chocolates, and I do my best not to ogle her when she puts it into her mouth. There’s a child present, so I need Yoda on his best behavior.

Jane moans in pleasure.

Damn it. How can I be this turned on so soon after having my hair set on fire?

Seeing Jane’s reaction, Georgiana and Mary exchange glances and each snatch a piece of chocolate.

“This is amazing,” Georgiana says after she tries hers. “Better than s”—she glances at Mary—“eafood.”

“Seafood?” Mary exclaims. “It’s better even than the smell of old books.”

“Hey now.” Jane grabs another piece of chocolate. “It’s good, but not old-book-smell good.” She channels Leo in front of peanut butter as she stuffs the next bit of chocolate into her mouth and then moans again.

Yoda suffers in silence.

“This chocolate was made from Nacional—a rare cocoa bean variety,” I say, desperate to get my mind on something besides Jane’s sounds of pleasure. “It was aged for many years in a wooden cask—hence the subtle notes you’re probably tasting.”

Jane stops herself from grabbing another piece. “Are you trying to get us hooked on a super-expensive chocolate, like some kind of drug dealer?”

Shrugging, I take a piece. “I don’t like dealing with options, so when something is considered the best, I go for that.”

“Right,” Jane says with a slight eyeroll. “We wouldn’t expect you to lower yourself to eat a Hershey’s bar.”

I wink at her. “I’d go for one of those Hershey’s Kisses.”

Her mom says, “Aww,” and Jane’s blush is back with a red vengeance.

Mary takes a sip of her coffee and winces the way I did back in the day when Mom used to make me drink fish oil. “How come this is the first time Jane has tried your favorite chocolate?” she asks after she’s done grimacing.

Shit. This is an example of the type of thing that could trip us up at the hearing.

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