Page 67 of Forking the Billionaire

“You’re going to keep cornering me until I agree,” I said, only half in question.

“If you won’t talk to me, I have to keep trying.”

I rolled my eyes. “That sounds very stalkerish.”

He raised his hands in defense. “It’s all very innocent, I swear.”

“You don’t have an innocent bone in your body, Jasper Carrington.”

“Guilty as charged,” he said with a small smile. “But I’ll gladly wear a muzzle if you’re worried.”

The joke loosened something in my chest. I could feel my conviction wavering, but I couldn’t seem to help it. “A Hannibal Lecter mask.”

“If there’s one on the island, it’s mine.”

I laughed despite my intentions to stay mad at him, to stay distant and cold, to not let him in. “I still have plans tonight.”

“Plans where it’s possible to add a plus one?”

His lips turned up in a hopeful grin. He slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall. It was all very charming. He was too charming.

He threw around those charismatic smiles like he had an endless supply. His smile transformed from sweet to sexy, and he very well knew the impact that expression would have on any straight woman in a mile’s radius. Add a wink, and my panties would melt right off.

But I knew better. I’d do better.

“There’s no room for a plus one who has a girlfriend sharing his bed,” I said.

“I’ve been sleeping on the couch to be safe,” he said. “But Jules hasn’t been around today or yesterday. We aren’t sharing a bed. And she’s not my girlfriend.”

“But you’re still sharing a room. And you were when you….” I glanced back to where Gabe and Layana were shopping.When he’d kissed me.I couldn’t say the words, not here, maybe not at all.

“Then I’ll leave. I’ll sleep on the beach, or Chester’s sofa,” he said. “Whatever it takes.”

I wasn’t sure which would be worse, sleeping out in the elements or in the room of someone he didn’t know. But as I looked over his open expression, I believed him.

He was entirely done with Jules. He was willing to prove it with his actions. He couldn’t uninvite her now that she was already here, so what exactly did I expect from him?

“Fine. But no dinner.” No having him at my house. I didn’t trust either of us enough for that at the moment. “Meet me at nine by the big sign at the island’s northernmost beach.”

“I look forward to it.”

This was a very bad, terrible idea. I added, “Fortalking.”

He nodded. “Scout’s honor.”

With that, he let me walk away without following. But I could feel him looking at me, smiling even wider than before. If the last smile was panty-melting, this one took all the world’s bras and underwear and tossed them into a volcano.

NINETEEN

JASPER

I stood at the side of the road as my ride drove off into the distance. He took all the light with him, leaving me to uselessly squint at the large sign posted by the roped-off dunes. I listened to the sound of waves splashing against sand, blinked, and waited for my eyes to adjust.

Fuzzy letters began to come into focus.

No trespassing.

My driver had assured me this was the northernmost beach. Then he left me alone in the darkness at the edge of some sand that was apparently off limits to the public.

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