Page 61 of The Billionaires' Prize

I don’t move because I won’t let him know just how much I want to toss him down the elevator shaft. “Have a good one. I won’t tell Katherine you stopped by.”

He stands there for a full second as if he’s not sure what to do. The doors start to close and I reach out, holding them open. God, he’s persistent; I’ll give him that.

The other elevator dings, and two of my guys step off. “Is there a problem, Mr. Hunt?”

Jerkoff whips his head toward them, then tosses me a dirty look. Chin up, shoulders back, defiant to the end, he steps onto the elevator and hits a button.

“Mr. Albrecht was just leaving. See that he gets where he’s going.”

When I get back to Katherine’s office, she’s standing in the doorway, arms crossed loosely over her chest. Next to her, Roman smirks. Her assistant seems relieved to not have to deal with Jerkoff anymore.

Can’t blame her.

Katherine cocks her head at me, an amused smile curving her lips, and then she backs into her office. The look in her eyes draws me to her.

I shove a sandwich at Roman’s chest as I pass. “Don’t start.” And then I lock the door behind me.

This woman. . . How easily she’s taken my orderly life and turned it on its ear.

I take a quick look around. It’s a spacious office with high ceilings and an incredible view. Tons of tall windows let in natural light. I’m not at all surprised to see half a dozen plants dotting her space. There’s a modern couch to the left and a desk straight ahead with matching chairs in front of it.

But my attention is firmly on the woman in front of me. Her hips. Those fuck-me high heels. That incredible ass.

My chest goes all tight and achy, and I wish like hell that I wasn’t so happy to see her. But I am.

“What are you doing here?” she asks as she turns back to me. Her gaze sweeps over me in a long, thorough swipe. Like I’m a canvas, and she’s a paintbrush.

My gut tightens, but I remind myself that I’m here to check on her. To make sure she eats and that she’s okay.

I close the distance and shake the bag. “I heard you didn’t stop for lunch.”

Her eyes widen, and she glances past me to the door. “Those tattle-tales.”

I can’t let her think her bodyguard or her assistant doesn’t have her back. “Actually, I called and asked.” Then, because that doesn’t seem like enough, I add, “I wanted to see you.”

She holds out a hand toward the chairs, and I fold myself into the one on the right and put the bag on her desk. Damn, is she stunning. The way her hair falls in a loose wave around her shoulders. The morning rain washed away the smog, and now the brilliant light makes her hair shimmer like gold.

“You okay?” she asks, sitting next to me. Her brows are carefully arched.

“Yeah. . . Of course.”

She gives me a don’t-lie-to-me look and I’m secretly impressed with how well she reads me. It’s like she sees right through my bullshit. Gabe is the only other person who’s ever been able to scale the wall I keep carefully constructed around myself.

Dang it. This visit wasn’t supposed to be about me. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay. You had an eventful weekend.”

She slides a hand down my arm to my wrist. My pulse jumps against the pads of her fingers. “You mean we had an eventful weekend.”

I nod.

“I’m fine,” she assures me. There’s a flash of a brave smile. “I’m not going to break.”

Do I need to remind her about her panic attack? That she darn near collapsed in my arms?

Whatever she sees on my face makes her frown. I don’t want that. This woman deserves to be happy. Safe and content and adored.

She half stands and slides onto my lap, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. Her tight little ass perches on my thigh, and I bite back a groan as I curl an arm around her back and coast the other up her leg. Heat simmers between us as she searches my gaze. This isn’t what I had planned, but I’m certainly not complaining.

“Seriously. I’m good. I haven’t felt this strong, maybe ever.”

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