Page 26 of Mr. Billionaire's Second Chance

“What can I say? He’s hot, he listens, and he doesn’t want to talk about work. What more can I ask for?”

I smiled, handing her the hot cup of coffee and she took a sip, shutting her eyes to take in how good it felt. I downed mine, telling her all about what was going on between Preston and I, which seemed to jolt her right out of her little love daze.

“I was not expecting that,” she murmured.

“Trust me, neither was I. I’m not going to let him get to me. He’s obviously doing this because he’s bored or he’s trying to keep my head out of the investigation, right?”

“Or he could genuinely be sorry.”

“What happened to steering clear of the Manhattan sharks?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

“Let’s say I’m not exactly the one that should be giving advice right now. If he’s really trying then maybe you should go for it. Who knows, things might be better than you think,” said Poppy.

“No, Pops. I can’t even think about what that would mean until I find out what’s really going on with his company. If I find out that he’s involved in fraud, I can’t exactly justify going out with him no matter how good it feels.”

“Well, if he turns out to be a criminal, you would have dodged a bullet. Though, if this really is just a wild goose chase, then maybe it’s time to test the waters again. Something tells me they’re going to be real hot,” she said, winking.

I laughed, heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day, and it wasn’t long before I made it right out the front door. I stuffed my keys into my work tote, about to hail a cab when I saw a flower delivery sitting on the ledge near some of the other packages. I looked closely at the card, realizing it was addressed to me. From Preston. Of course. I rolled my eyes, grabbing the beautiful bouquet and walking it over to the trash can near the sidewalk.

I started walking when I heard a soft, sexy chuckle behind me. My mouth nearly fell to the floor when I realized what he’d just watched me do, and I turned around nervously, wondering how I was going to get myself out of this one.

“Preston, w-what are you doing here?”

“Apparently watching you toss a perfectly good bouquet,” he teased.

“I’m sorry, I just-”

“No need to apologize, Kat. Now, what time can I pick you up for dinner?”

He had that enticing smirk on his face, the one that made my entire body melt, and he seemed so sure of himself, like there’d be no way I could say no to a meal with him. He was right.

“Dinner, huh?”

“I did say if I was trying to win you over I’d suggest dinner. I see that flowers really aren’t your thing, huh?” he asked, teasingly.

“They’re definitely my thing. I’m still trying to figure out if flowers from you are my thing.”

“What do you say we decide that over dinner?”

“I say, all right. You’re on.”

I couldn’t help the flush of my cheeks, the sweat in my palms, and how fast my heart was beating whenever he was next to me. Every bone in my body was telling me to run, that I was just going to get hurt all over again, but for the first time in my life, I wanted to play with fire.

I arrived at the office with my to-go coffee cup in hand, finally having some real information to share with Jamie, and I hoped it would keep him happy for a while. I was actually looking forward to spending the day at my desk, going over what I’d found without having to worry about running into Preston, but now the thought of having dinner with him was weighing heavily on my mind. I carried my files and purse to my desk, placing them all down and taking a moment to sit before Jamie’s morning meeting would let out.

I went through a few emails, made sure my calendar was set for the day, and before I knew it I had Jamie’s assistant peering over my cubicle wall, telling me it was time to see him. I took a deep breath, following her inside, just as Jamie finished up on the phone.

“Good morning, Kat. William tells me that you’ve received some pretty interesting information that might just lead you to find your pot of gold. Have you found any proof yet that Kingsman Enterprises is involved in fraudulent activity?”

“I haven’t found my pot of gold yet, sir, but when I do you’ll be the first to know. To find a document or a trail like that, it’s going to take time, even with the team helping me now. If there’s anything to find at all,” I reminded him.

“Oh, there has to be. Mr. Clarke has been involved in shady business practices from the very beginning and that’s why William was brought on to help him lead in the right direction.”

“That’s not the story I’ve heard, sir. Mr. Wolfe has also been quite close with his brother leading up to his passing, and that makes me think that he could very well be responsible for this as well,” I said.

The look in Jamie’s eyes made me think he was about to lose his mind. I knew how much was at stake for him to close this investigation, but it seemed to me like he was no longer interested in justice.

“He’s our client, Katherine. We have to honor his claims until there is evidence to prove that they are false. I was hoping you’d have something more by now. Please, don’t disappoint me again.”

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