Page 14 of Billionaire Temptations

“He cried.”

He threw his head back in laughter. “Jesus Christ, Emma.”

I couldn’t help but laugh with him as he held up his wine glass.

“Here’s to broken X-box games and the start of a new life.”

I held up my glass and tipped it to his. After finishing my dinner, Max got up from his seat.

“I better get going. I have to be at the office early tomorrow.”

I stood up and walked him to the door.

“Thanks for stopping by.” I smiled.

“You’re welcome. Thanks for the wine.” His eyes stared into mine. He hesitated for a moment and then walked out the door. “Good night, Emma.”

“Good night, Max.”

I shut the door, locked it, and then leaned up against it. There was a part of me that didn’t want him to leave.

Chapter Six

I spentthe next couple of days inside my apartment building. I got up in the mornings, went down to the fitness center, worked out, and then sat in front of the TV all day. The only person I knew in New York was Max, and I hadn’t heard from him since the night he was over. He was probably too busy trying to fuck anything with legs.

School started tomorrow, and I couldn’t wait. I needed to keep myself busy and immerse myself in something other than thinking about him all day. What I thought was going to be easy wasn’t turning out that way. He had an effect on me that I couldn’t explain, and all I wanted to do was spend time with him. Maybe I felt this way because I lived alone in a strange city. I needed to get out and meet more people. I talked to my mom back in Miami and she was doing well. I’d never kept anything from her before, and it was hard not to tell her about Max. I missed my girls – Kara, Aubrey, and Molly – and I missed going out. After putting on my pajamas and climbing into bed, my phone beeped with a text message from Max.

“Good luck on your first day of school tomorrow.”

Really? I haven’t heard from him in two days, and he sent me that. I put my phone down and didn’t respond. Turning off my light, I snuggled under the covers and closed my eyes.

I arrivedand took a seat in my Integrative Studio 1 class. I was nervous as hell, just like any other person would be when they started something new and unfamiliar.

“Hi, I’m Hannah.” The girl next to me sat down and smiled.

“Hi, I’m Emma.”

A prospective friend already. I was excited.

We sat and talked for a few minutes before our, oh my God, sexy-as-shit professor walked in. He scanned the class and smiled, welcoming us. I swear I felt my ovaries explode when he looked at me. He stood a little over six feet tall with messy brown hair and a light beard that sat upon his perfectly sculpted jawline. I frowned when my gaydar started flying off the charts. Hannah and I found that we had the next two classes together when class was over. Before our last class, we took a lunch break and grabbed sandwiches at Breads Bakery. She was a cute girl with curly brown hair and big brown eyes. Her tiny body fitted her five-foot-four stature. She was from Iowa and was in New York cultural shock. She lived in one of the campus apartments and was shocked when I told her where I lived. I explained to her that it was Macy’s place, and she was letting me stay there. As we were talking and getting to know each other, my phone beeped with a message from Max.

“You didn’t respond to my text last night. I expect a response when I send you a message.”

“At lunch now. Can’t talk. TTYL!”

I smiled, and another message came through before I set my phone down.

“I’m coming over tonight.”

“Hey, would you mind if I sat with you lovely ladies?” a handsome guy asked. “I’m Austin. I was sitting behind you two in the last two classes.”

“Hi, Austin.” I smiled. “I’m Emma, and this is Hannah.”

Another potential friend. This day was turning out better than I thought it would. Austin was the same age as Hannah and me. He lived with his boyfriend, who was six years older than he was, in a studio apartment in SoHo. The two of them moved to New York from California over the summer when his boyfriend took a job on Wall Street. After finishing our lunch, we returned to Parsons and headed to our last class. When I walked out of the building, I noticed Darren standing in front of the Rolls Royce.

“Good day, Emma. I’m here to drive you home.”

“Hi, Darren. He’s not in there, is he?”

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