Page 26 of Starting Over with Her Billionaire Boss

She felt as if she was only half-present in that car ride back to the office. Reality didn’t snap back into place until Mr. Westerhouse pulled up next to her car and told her he would see her at seven o’clock sharp—to drive them to the airport. “Ah, yeah, right,” Kinsley sputtered.

“Is something the matter, Kins?” Mr. Westerhouse asked as she was about to shut the car door. Her eyes met his, and he lingered for just a second too long, as if searching for something beneath her smile. He had a way of reading her that was unsettling—like he knew exactly what she was thinking, even when she barely understood it herself.

Of course he would notice.Her heart pounded, each beat echoing in her ears. Why did he have to be so observant? For a moment, she hesitated, tempted to tell him everything—to ask him why he was doing this, why he was making it so hard for her. But letting him in would mean letting her guard down. She was better off not knowing those answers. “Oh no, just, you know… Going through a mental checklist of things I need to pack.” She flashed a quick smile.

Frown lines appeared on his forehead. “Ah, right,” he said, though he didn’t seem convinced.

He seemed to have a way of seeing through her lately, even when Kinsley tried to hide it. It made everything far more dangerous.

“Change into something comfortable for the flight. See you at seven.” He flashed her a smile, the one that made her lose her breath.

“Sounds good. Goodbye.” Kinsley shut the car door, letting out an exhale as she fumbled for her keys. How was he able to get under her skin like this, making her feel things she wasn’t ready to feel? She had spent so long building walls no one could climb. But with just a smile and a touch, he was threatening to tear them down.

Was this the real Daegan Westerhouse? Or was this the CEO trying to work his way into acquiring her property? Kinsley wasn’t sure. All she knew for certain was that this trip was going to be anything but easy.

A few days with Daegan was one thing, but sitting next to him for hours on a plane—trapped in that confined space, his warmth so close she could almost feel it—was another. Could she really keep her distance? Or was she about to make a big mistake?

Daegan came hometo find his suitcase packed and ready to go. All he needed to add on were some files and the envelope from his study. He walked swiftly into his master suite and undressed, picking out something comfortable for the long flight.

After a quick snack, he climbed into the back of the Rolls-Royce he didn’t get to ride in enough. It made more sense to have a member of his staff drop them off.

As the car floated down Kinsley’s road like it was riding on air, Daegan couldn’t help but imagine how nice it would be when he could finally bulldoze the eight houses.As soon as I get Kinsley to break.Sure, they were all beautiful homes, but beautiful old homes would not save the town. They would not bring in jobs and tourists. If it took a few months to get Kinsley to break, he would wait. Real estate was a game that often required patience.

“I’ll be right back,” Daegan said to Richard, the driver, as they pulled up next to Kinsley’s modest sedan. He closed the door carefully behind him.

Moments after Deagan knocked, Kinsley answered, looking out of breath. “I’m rather surprised you managed to get your exercising in before leaving,” Daegan remarked with a smirk.

“I don’t need your snarky comments,” she snapped. “I’ve been running around like crazy for an hour now! I just ran down here from upstairs and may have tripped over my suitcase in the process.”

“Impressive, though you shouldn’t have felt the need to rush. What was I going to do? Leave my favorite personal assistant behind?” he laughed, stepping into her home without invitation.

“I’m youronlypersonal assistant,” she corrected him, still fighting to catch her breath.

“Exactly.I could never make it without you, so how could I just leave you behind?” He shut the door, turning to face her. But Kinsley was already running up the stairs.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” she hollered as she reached the top.

Daegan took the time alone to sweep over the foyer, admiring the warm wooden trim and beautifully preserved staircase. It stood as a testament to the care Kinsley’s grandmother had put into the house. He couldn’t help but admire its craftsmanship, the elegance of a bygone era. He could save it for her, perhaps.Gently remove the wood paneling and the newel posts as a parting gift to go to her next place of residence.

His eyes settled on an old photo in a gilded frame sitting on a shelf. A small vase with fresh flowers stood next to it. It was a family’s hospital photo, taken for the birth of a baby. He couldn’t be certain, but he had a good idea who they were. Kinsley’s grandmother stood next to the bed, beaming from ear to ear. A younger woman, likely Kinsley’s aunt, smiled next to her. On the opposite side of the bed stood a man, no doubt Kinsley’s father. On the bed was a woman in a hospital gown holding a newborn wrapped in a blanket—Kinsley’s mother and the child who would become the woman he knew today. They were overjoyed for this new life in their family, blissfully unaware of the tragedy that lay ahead.

Kinsley’s phone rang, shattering Daegan’s reverie. She’d left her personal phone on a small table near the door. He glared at the name flashing on the screen—Cameron, adorned with a green heart. He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as unwelcome thoughts crept in. Could this be who Kinsley was with last weekend?

His lungs sank to his feet. For a few moments, it felt like he had forgotten how to breathe.

“Is that my phone?” Kinsley yelled from somewhere upstairs.

Daegan snapped back to the present. “Yeah, it’s Cameron. Do you want?—”

“Just…” She hesitated. “Just let it ring. But that reminded me to check for my charger.” He could hear her footsteps darting through the second floor as she hunted it down.

Daegan continued to glare at Kinsley’s phone until it stopped ringing. Jealousy washed over him again like a warm rain shower—sweat included. He needed to know what Kinsley’s relationship was to this man. Was Cameron an ex? A boyfriend? A lover? All of the above?

Why did it bother him so much? He had no claim on Kinsley—she was his assistant, nothing more. But the idea of someone else being close to her, of someone else having her attention, twisted something deep inside him that he couldn’t easily control.

And that terrified him.

“I told Cameron I’d call later,” Kinsley huffed as she lugged her suitcase down the stairs, an audible thud with each step. “How difficult is it to understand thatIwould call?” she complained as she reached the bottom.

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