Page 17 of Playboy Billionaire

He grinned rakishly. “Are you hot for him, too?”

“No!”

“Good. There’s still hope then.”

“That ship has sailed.” She dove under the water and swam to the opposite end of the pool.

He popped up beside her. His eyes burning with desire, regret, pain…“I miss us. I love you Penelope.”

“Please, don’t start Noah. It will never be us again. It’s time for you to move on. I have.”

“You’re so shut down. Thirty-two is way too young to give up on love.”

“Who said I’ve given up?”

“I can see it in your eyes. It breaks me that I did that to you.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She felt his erection pressing into her belly. Her breasts smashed against him as he hugged her tightly to his chest. She struggled, pushing him away, as ancient memories of another life and time gripped her heart in a vice, almost paralyzing her.

“Noah, stop! Please. We’ve got to work together, don’t blow it. I would like to find our way back to friendship. But this isn’t going to get us there.”

“God, I fucked everything up so bad. You’re killing me.”

Her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths, “It is what it is. I have forgiven you Noah. You’re human. I realize that I needed more from you than you had to give. I want to be the only one. I want a mate…someone who needs nothing more, and I need to know that I’m enough.”

“I can be that now…youarethe only one. I screwed up. I’ll never do it again. Besides, at this point in your life and career, would you ever really be able to tell who loves you for you…or if they’re only hungry for your fame and fortune? We knew each other before we were famous. We rode the star together.”

“I’ll have to take my chances, won’t I? I’d never be able to trust you again Noah. I wasn’t enough for you then and nothing has changed.” She knew that he loved her, he just didn’t love her as much as he loved himself.

He climbed out of the pool. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bye Noah.”

With her calm mood completely disrupted, she got out and decided to make a slushy frozen Margarita. She called to Archie who had found a comfortable spot in the shade and went inside.

8

Griffin sat at the bar regaling his sister Faye and her fiancé Jesse with his latest dramatic chapter.

“Only you Griff. I swear,” Faye said, rolling her eyes.

He held up both hands. “I wasn’t looking for it. You can hardly blame me.”

“Wanna bet? I completely blame you. You could have said no from the git-go.” Griffin looked so flabbergasted that Faye sputtered with laughter. “See, that’s exactly how you find yourself in the middle of everything. Your adventurist side is going to be your downfall one of these days. So, tell me, has your opinion changed? What’s she like?”

“Cold.”

“I don’t believe it. She seemed kind of shy the other night.”

He bit back a sarcastic laugh, “Shy? Try stuck-up snob.”

“Did you know that her mom died in the last couple of years? The tabloids said she was devastated. I’m sure she’s still grieving.”

Griffin rubbed his chin, “I didn’t know that about her mom, but she came right out and said she didn’t like me.”

“Ha! Penelope Winters is resistant to your charms,” Faye said.

“You can say that again. Her royal highness, Ms. Penelope Winters, is barely even civil to me.”

“My little brother may have finally met his match.”

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