Page 37 of Starting Over with Her Billionaire Boss

“No, not at all. I just wish it had happened under different circumstances. I didn’t want us to wake up with regrets in the morning. Seeing you curled up in the blanket like you wanted to be left alone… I thought maybe you were upset. Then when we got up, I didn’t know what to do. I felt guilty. Flings aren’t my thing; never have been.” He felt like he was saying too much, but he didn’t know how to stop now. “I worried you woke up in the morning regretting it, feeling like you’d been taken advantage of. I thought I fucked up.”

He went silent as the GPS announced a turn.

Slowly, smiling hesitantly, Kinsley put her hand on top of his. He was glad then he hadn’t pulled away. “You really were worried about that? Daegan, I really wanted it. Even without the champagne, I would have wanted it.” She intertwined her fingers with his, sending a wave of warmth through him. “It wasn’t the drinks, Daegan,” she reassured him. “I wanted to feel close to you, to share something real.”

He let out a sigh of relief, like a weight had been lifted. It was as if he hadn’t been able to take a breath since that night. The doubts that had plagued him faded, replaced by a feeling he hadn’t let himself feel in years. “Then I guess we know where we both stand.” He gave her thigh a reassuring squeeze. “I still promise you’ll be safe with me.”

He glanced over at her, her face illuminated by the soft light streaming through the car windows. Daegan didn’t know what the future held, and he couldn’t promise her forever. His mind still raced with the practicalities—work, his project, everything that could come between them. But as he felt her hand squeezing his, he knew he wanted to try, as long as Kinsley wanted it too.

10

Kinsley didn’t dare tellhim it would take a bit more than two glasses of champagne to make her do something she would later regret. Nor would she tell him how she had thought about him every night. The last thing Daegan Westerhouse needed was an even bigger ego.

As they drove on, the scenery blurred by, colors mixing in the sunlight. Each bump in the road jolted her, though not nearly as much as his words had.

His caring nature only made him even sexier. Although she knew she shouldn’t, she wanted Daegan even more and not just as someone to fool around with. She hated to admit it to herself, but his actions, once she understood the sincerity of them, spoke volumes about who he truly was.

And it was sexy as hell.

As Kinsley grappled with this, she came to a startling realization. Her desire for him was not just about the present, but about a future she shouldn’t even be considering. She wouldn’t mind spending another night in his arms, or even a few more. But what she truly yearned for was a lifetime of his bad jokes, his thoughtful insights, and his very, very long nights.

She thought about that in comfortable silence for a long time before they pulled into his aunt’s homestead. An old wooden fence went as far as the eye could see; it likely enveloped the entire property. The house itself was a large, modern log cabin with plenty of windows to view the beautiful scenery.

“Do they know we’re coming?” she turned to ask as they made their way slowly up the long, winding driveway. Gravel crunched under the tires as they approached, mingling with the distant chirping of birds.

“Not a damn clue,” he chuckled.

Kinsley froze. “You mean you didn’t tell them?”

“Nah, pleasant surprises make better stories later. Besides, my mom is the type of person who will have a hard time sleeping the night before something fun or exciting; she’s always been that way. There’s no reason to keep her up at night just because her son is dropping by,” he grinned.

“But I’m sure they would have loved to know.”

“And theywillknow in about ninety seconds when we’re knocking on the front door.” He paused. “Plus, Aunt Tilly probably already knows,” he muttered under his breath.

“What do you mean?” she questioned.

“You’ll see,” he said, answering absolutely nothing.

“What if they have other company over or have plans or something?” Kinsley asked, nervous in a way she hadn’t been since her job interview.

“They really don’t do much, to be honest, Kins. Occasionally they travel, but they aren’t at the moment. Not many visitors stop by. There are really only a few family members left. My younger brother Vince lives overseas. There’s also my cousin Joe—my aunt’s only child—but he’s usually too busy traveling with whichever new girlfriend he’s picked up for the month.”

Kinsley looked at him. “Surely your cousin can’t bethatbad.”

Daegan laughed. “I wish I was joking. We can’t keep track of all their names. They change so fast. Years ago he brought one girl to Thanksgiving dinner and then a month later he had a different girl for Christmas and a completely new one for New Year’s. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the same one twice.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Daegan chuckled, pulling into a spot behind a garage door. “Now, before we get out, I need to warn you.”

Kinsley shifted her gaze his way. His demeanor seemed to soften.

“Aunt Tilly,” he paused before letting out a sigh. “She is a little…odd.”

“In what way?”

“In…” his voice trailed off in thought. “You’ll know it when you see it. She’s eccentric and overly dramatic about things. She means well, but…”

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