Page 37 of Secret Billionaire

“Tissues are in a plastic container and there’s a baggie for the waste.”

She smiled, “You’ve thought of everything. Be right back.”

He liked that she wasn’t fussy about peeing in nature. Some girls got all weird about not having a proper toilet. One more thing of many on his list of things that impressed him about her.

He pulled out the food from the cooler. Southern fried chicken, Mom’s famous potato salad and collard greens, his favorite. She’d also thrown in a couple of cookies for dessert. He was starving.

Faye returned and sat on the log, “Looks yummy.”

“Wait until you sink your teeth into it.”

“My mom doesn’t cook,” Faye said quietly.

“What?” he felt his eyes go wide with shock.

She shrugged, “No big deal. Sorry, I don’t know where that came from, it just popped out.”

He got real still as he watched a bunch of emotions flit across her face. It made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss away the pain he saw hiding just beneath the surface. She was a mystery, that was for sure. One that he intended to unveil. He wondered about the meaning behind her tattoos and what had made her fall. Was she flying yet?

Faye could have bit her tongue off after sharing that information about her mom. She didn’t want to spoil the day with her pathetic, poor little rich girl upbringing. It was hard not to compare though. She’d grown up with the finest chefs catering to their family’s every whim and yet she’d have traded it in a heartbeat for home cooked meals prepared with love.

Putting those thoughts aside, she took her first bite of chicken and almost had an orgasm. It was that good. “Oh my! You weren’t kidding, were you? Would it be too soon for me to propose?”

Busy chewing a big mouthful himself, he swallowed before answering, “Nope.”

“Nope what?” she asked already forgetting that seconds ago she had practically proposed.

“As long as you get down on one knee to do it. I’m kind of old fashioned that way.”

“Oh you.” Giggling, she reached out and pushed against his naked chest. Suddenly the air crackled between them. She unconsciously licked her lips and he groaned.

“Babe, you’re killing me. You have no idea what you do to me,” he said.

“Wanna bet?”

He caressed her cheek with his thumb then leaned in for a kiss. “Faye, you’ve got to promise to go easy on me. I’m in the palm of your hand.”

She smiled against his lips, “Good. That’s right where I want you.”

“Let’s finish lunch and head on in. Joe’s picking us up at the Fox Run trestle. We’re about a half hour out now. I’ll give him a call. After we pick up the bike, I want to show you my place and maybe we can watch the sunset and take in a little Netflix action.”

“Perfect.” She fiddled with the strap on her hat. “Jesse?”

“Yes?”

“When I’m with you, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. How do you do that? I’m not used to it. It kind of feels too good to be true.”

His throat tightened, and he grabbed her, pulling her roughly against him. He wanted to give her everything she’d ever wanted. Burying his lips in her hair he whispered, “You deserve nothing less, if anyone ever told you otherwise, they were the fools. You make it so damn easy.”

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