Page 24 of Billion-Dollar Dating Game

She mirrored his gentle shake of the head. ‘You’re the one inappropriately touching me. Go find someone else to sleep with.’

‘Can’t. You know I’ve made a vow not to sleep around for a couple of months.’

‘I still can’t fathom why you’d suggest something so obviously counter to your nature,’ she muttered tartly. ‘Sleeping around is as essential to your existence as breathing.’

He put his hand around her waist and pulled so she almost teetered on the edge of the top step. ‘Go harder on me,’ he smiled wolfishly. ‘I like it when you don’t hold back. Just be prepared for the same in return.’

It was dynamite again. And yes—she wanted to best him in so many ways.

A door slammed in the stairwell above them. Skylar stepped back at the same time as he dropped his arm. She stalked ahead, leading him back into the atrium but super aware of how close he was behind her and how much she’d wanted him closer still.

‘You’ve played your first card regarding Helberg, time to pay up with averyhigh-profile date,’ he said calmly. ‘Be ready.’

‘How formal?’ she choked.

‘I’ll be in black tie.’

So she was going to need a dress. Not slinky. Not white. She’d find something that covered her from top to toe. An enormous sack, perhaps.

Thankfully the atrium was emptier than it had been when he’d arrived this morning. She saw him glance up at the large portrait of Reed Helberg that hung above the exit and his smile evaporated.

‘You okay?’ she asked curiously.

He stiffened. ‘Of course.’

She didn’t believe him. ‘You never liked him. Why?’

He kept his gaze on the painting. ‘What makes you think that?’

‘You clashed the night you came back and did that speech at school.’ The night he’d told her she was pathetic. ‘Something must have happened to make you want to destroy his legacy so badly.’

‘This isn’t revenge, Skylar,’ he scoffed, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘This is just business. Their numbers no longer add up—surely you’ve looked, you must see it. Nothing lasts. Not even old money.’

No, judging by the look in his eyes a second ago, there was more to it than that. ‘You don’t care what others thinknow, but I think you cared abouthim. About whathethought.’

He remained silent, his expression blank. But for once that told her something. Adrenalin pooled inside her as she realised she was right. ‘How you feel about Helberg—about Reed—ispersonal. He’s different.’

And if she could understand what it was that bothered Zane about Reed, then she might be able to find a solution—an alternative ending to the one he was pushing for. But Zane wasn’t looking at the portrait any more. He was looking at her.

‘Why do you look so pleased about that?’ he growled.

‘Because it shows someone can get through your defences.’ Her heart pounded but she couldn’t help but be honest with him. ‘Someone can actually get to you.’

His lips twisted into a rueful smile. ‘No, Skylar.’

‘No?’ It didn’t look that way to her.

‘Not any more,’ he added softly.

But someone once had—Helberg. How and in what way? He clearly wasn’t about to tell her, which also meant that Zane still felt strongly about him. And in turn, that meant he stillfelt, full stop. So maybe she had more of a chance than she’d originally thought, because there was something of a heart still inside him.

‘I think I can make you change your mind,’ she whispered.

‘It’s a good thing you’ve got time to adjust to failure.’ Zane brushed her cheekbone with the lightest stroke of his fingertip. ‘You won’t take it so hard.’

CHAPTER EIGHT

ZANESTRAIGHTENEDHISTIE, swept his hand through his hair and stalked out to the waiting car. He’d been irritable all week. The days had dragged as he’d gone straight from home to work and back again, not setting a foot anywhere else so he wouldn’t inadvertently be ‘seen’ with someone. He’d been counting down the hours until he got his driver to take him back to her apartment. Skylar Bennet was still a catastrophe.

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