Page 19 of The Bride's Billionaire

They stopped in front of the elevator. “Last night,” she said in a rush. “I had the driver circle back to find you.”

When the door opened, he stepped inside and pulled her into his arms. “I ran after the cab. Down the street until it turned.”

She rested her face against his chest. What was she going to do? Right now, it didn’t matter. She just allowed the comfort of being in his arms to wash over her, relieved she hadn’t lost him forever, that he hadn’t tried to avoid sharing phone numbers. And she was too tired to think of anything else. “Can you push ten?”

He grunted, and the familiar lurch of the elevator rising made her step away. “Tyler.”

His answering raise of the eyebrows when she pulled back to look at him made her smile. “I had a wonderful night last night.”

“Agreed.” He watched her, and she couldn’t tell what was going on in his head. How strange to feel like she knew him so completely last night and then this morning realize she knew nothing about him.

“And I thought I’d lost you,” she added.

“It was the worst kind of torture.”

“But—” She shook her head. She didn’t know what to say.But I’m going to try to steal this bid from you? But I hope they pick me and not you. But I’m stuck. I either win this or I’m trapped?

“Let’s get some rest before we deal with the rest of that sentence,” he murmured

The door opened, and he let her exit first. She headed toward her room. He followed. She kept walking and his grin grew.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. I just wonder how close our rooms are.”

“You’re on this floor too?”

“I am.”

She stopped in front of her door, and he shook his head. “Right across the hall.”

“No way.”

He pulled out his room key and showed her.

“I couldn’t have made this up.” Her room keycard lit green, and she paused. “Do you want to come in? I have a sitting area.” What was she doing? She wanted him to come in, but also, she didn’t want him to come in. She needed to spend five hours researching his company and finding weaknesses, coming up with strategies on how to present herself as the stronger of the two, but instead she waited, hoping he would join her.

He paused. Then he shrugged. “With you, I can’t resist. It’s like last night is stretching out into my whole life.”

She pushed open her door, grateful for housekeeping having cleaned up the signs of her shower and exercise session that morning. “Even today. Not at all what I expected.”

“I should have known. They’re a bit eccentric.”

“Me too. It’s such a Brazilian way, to treat us so well, tour the city, and enjoy other people before talking business.”

“Yes exactly.”

And there it was, the competitive edge between them. She tipped her head. “Are we gonna play ‘who knows Brazil better’??”

His expression softened. He rubbed his forehead. “No, not now. Tomorrow? Who knows? But now, I just want to sit on your couch.” He stepped around her and dropped to the couch, leaned his head against the back, and closed his eyes. Then he opened one. “You gonna join me?” He rested his arm along the back of the couch, and she sat down and snuggled into him.

His voice rumbled through her. “Ah, this is nice. Let’s sleep on it and talk about it over dinner tonight.”

Even more time she should be researching how to beat him, but she only nodded and closed her own eyes. “You’re on.”

His breathing became steady and heavy almost immediately. But she couldn’t relax completely, not yet. Her mind spun with too many scenarios, seeking, hoping for one where she could get the bid and keep Tyler in her life. Soon they all jumbled in a mass confusion, and she knew she would nod off. She laid down with her head at the end of the couch and rested her legs on Tyler. She felt strangely at peace and safe with the man who could ruin all of her company’s hopes.

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