Page 8 of The Billionaires' Prize

“You assume he knows how to make a pizza,” I insert, crossing the room to grab my coffee.

“That’s what I keepyouaround for,” Gabe shoots back.

“My point is, let’s find you a designer who will keep it cozy and bring back the charm.”

“It’d help if they actually showed up for the job,” Gabe deadpans.

“True.” Kingston’s fingers fly over the screen of his phone and, a handful of seconds later, gives a satisfied nod. “Here. What’s your number? I’ll shoot over the contact info for my mom’s designer.”

The man is a Tasmanian devil, an absolute whirlwind of energy. Still shirtless, completely at ease in his own skin, and apparently, Gabriel’s beach house. Katherine’s gaze collides with mine and I see the laugh lines around her eyes, the giggle she’s holding back.

She loves this man and is completely comfortable with him, amused by and playful with him. He brings out the real Katherine Montgomery.

I want that. A piece of her. Her laughter and those smiles that make my heart ache because she’s so lovely.

“Come on, man. It’s not like I’m going to put you on blast,” Kingston says.

It’s like those words wake Gabe from a slumber. He rattles off his number, and a second later, his phone buzzes. They wander off, talking about beams and sconces.

Katherine doesn’t hold back her chuckle any longer and crosses the kitchen to stand in front of me. My chest aches at the idea of going back to the city without her and without knowing when I’ll see her again. Mostly, it aches at the idea of going back to the way things were. Paths crossing at events, seeing her whenever Gabe has a board meeting.

She puts her coffee cup down and slides a hand up my chest. “Is this okay?”

Her voice is soft, and the uncertainty there slays me. I press her palm into my chest. “More than okay.”

Damn, I want to pull her into my arms and take up where we left off last night before we all fell asleep in a pile of arms andlegs and questing hands. It’s like she can read my mind. Pressing closer, she smoothes her other hand up my chest, along the side of my neck, and through the hair at my nape. I shiver at her touch.

Her gaze drops to my lips, and I’m a goner. Uncaring of who sees, I duck my head, and she stretches up to meet me halfway. The eagerness in her kiss steals my breath. A quick brush of our lips turns firm and demanding. Her mouth yields to mine, opening for me.

She moans as my tongue breaches her, teasing my way inside her mouth, tasting her coffee and the sweet lemon of her breakfast. I used my free hand to pull her even closer, stretching my other arm out to deposit my coffee on the nearest horizontal surface.

It’s not enough. It won’t be enough until I have her naked beneath me again. Panting my name, cunt tight around my dick, rippling and begging for more.

Groaning, I sever the kiss and trail my lips down her jaw to her throat. She tips her head to the side in welcome, baring her most vulnerable spots to me. I nibble my way down her skin and pause long enough to consider leaving my mark over her pulse point.

“Do it,” she whispers, reading my mind. “Mark me.”

3

KATHERINE

Alex makes me want things I never thought I’d want.

Here I am, in Gabe’s kitchen, with Gabe and Kingston a room away, begging Alex to suck on my skin until he leaves a mark. His steady acceptance makes me bold. Brave. Reckless.

I love it.

This is the new Katherine. A woman breaking out of her shell and living life. Reaching for what she wants and not letting anything hold her back. Finally.

Eyelids fluttering, I tighten my grip on his hair and make myself a promise.No going back.

This weekend has set me free and I intend to keep moving forward, paving the life I want.

“Soon,” Alex says, pressing a kiss against my trembling pulse point.

Then he straightens to his full, intimidating height, eyes glazed with desire. But I can see that the real world is intruding on our time. He’s wrestling with it, this place between bliss and reality.

I feel the weight of my responsibilities growing heavier, too. It’s like, for a handful of hours, gravity let up, and it was just the three of us floating in a limbo of our own making.

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