Page 32 of The Billionaire's Heart

She doesn’t answer me, and I think I might have lost her. I watch her stare out the window of the plane as we taxi up to the hangar. Standing along the fence line is a large group of paparazzi taking pictures of the plane and trying to get a glimpse of one or both of us.

Mia’s phone pings a text message and she opens the app, reads the message, and then closes the app without responding.

The jealousy I feel is unwarranted. She probably already has someone special and I’m kicking myself for even making the proposition without knowing. It’s bad enough I’ve probably ruined whatever relationship she may have had with someone,although I’m not too torn up about that. I still don’t want to hurt her, either.

“Anything important?” I ask.

She places her phone in her bag. “Definitely not important.”

God, I want to know more about her. I hope she lets me in.

Chapter 15

Mia

This is unreal.

After getting off the plane, Ian’s security team ushered us into one of the three large SUVs waiting for us with almost blacked-out windows and then off to Ian’s home on Hibiscus Island. I hate to admit it, but Ian was right. There were a ton of people standing just outside the hangar trying to take our pictures and yelling all kinds of stuff at us. I didn’t hear any of it, but I’m sure it wasn’t something I wanted to hear, anyway.

He calls this his home, but it’s more like a compound with multiple buildings on the property and a guard gate at the front entrance. It’s beautiful, though. At least from the drive up to the house—mansion — whatever it’s called. It’s certainly not a one-room apartment in a three-story building without an elevator.

The tropical foliage along the driveway is bursting with many different colored hibiscus plants, and they are all blooming. They’re quickly becoming my favorite flower since moving to Hibiscus Harbor. They’re everywhere you look.

The driveway is all pavers in a keystone pattern that leads you up to the front porch that has a line of white, wooden rocking chairs. The hanging ferns give it a soft, homey feel andI could see myself enjoying some time out here reading a book and drinking some tea if the circumstances were different.

Ian scans his palm on a pad by the front door and the door opens automatically. “Welcome to my home,” Ian says with apprehension in his voice. It’s the first thing he’s said to me since we got off of the plane.

I walk into the house and am in a foyer that opens straight through the house and out to the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s mesmerizing, and it draws you in immediately. The blue of the ocean compliments the beachy tones of the décor in the house.

Definitely not what I would have called a bachelor pad. I was expecting black furniture with silver accents and statues of half-naked ladies when I walked in, but that’s just because I watch too many movies and was expecting a stereotypical bachelor pad. This is not that. This is like a beach cottage, just on a grander scale.

“Your home is beautiful, Ian.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to hear you say that.” He looks nervous for some reason. Oh yeah, maybe because he’s basically kidnapped me and offered to pay me two million dollars to play his fake fiancé. That’s got to be it.

God, even my internal voice is sarcastic right now.

“Here, let me show you to your room.” Ian’s got my bag and climbs one of the dual staircases that face the front door and on either side. “It’s right here to the right.”

I follow him up the stairs and to the right and into something that is more than a room, more than a suite, even. There’s a living room, office, balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean, an ensuite with a tub that is almost deep enough to swim in, a walk-in closet that’s as big as my apartment, and a bedroom with a huge king-size four-poster bed.

“This is all yours. Of course, you also have the run of the house, the pool, the gym, the beach house, game room, and whatever else you want.” He places my bag on the couch. “Is this okay, Mia?”

I take in the amazing place and then turn to him. “This is more than I need, but thank you.”

“Anything you need or want, just let me know and I can have it brought in. You’ll be safe here from reporters, stalkers, and the press. I’ve also beefed-up security on the premises, on the island, and on the beach, so you shouldn’t have to worry.”

“Am I in some kind of danger, Ian, because you keep mentioning my security and being safe? Should I be worried?” He’s kind of freaking me out with all this security talk.

He sighs and sits on the arm of the couch. “Whenever you’re in the public eye, you have to constantly be thinking about security. People are unpredictable. With the things that are being said online about you, I want to be extra cautious. That’s all.” He looks like he was about to say more, but decides against it.

“What aren’t you telling me, Ian?”

He looks around the room at everything else before his eyes land on me. “Just that I’m so sorry that I didn’t see this coming. I shouldn’t have taken you to the gala last night. But seeing you in that dress and your smile… I just… I just should have thought this through more and I’m sorry that this is happening. That’s all.”

I only nod because I don’t know what else to say. Is it his fault that this has happened? Not really. I’m the one that kissed him trying to shut up that reporter. Well, the joke is on me now, isn’t it?

“You must be hungry. You haven’t eaten all day, and it’s almost dinnertime. Why don’t you get freshened up and I’ll gomake dinner? Is pasta okay? It’s really all I know how to cook.” He looks at me sheepishly.

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