Page 74 of Don't Fall for the Billionaire
“I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.”
“But—”
“I said go back to sleep,” I commanded and rolled over.
The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds. The war inside me was stronger than ever since that nightmare last night. Charlotte stirred beside me. As I stared at her, nothing existed but her warmth, her laughter, and the feeling when her skin touched mine. But reality crashed in, like strangers crashing a party they didn’t belong at—the memories I couldn’t outrun. Ifelt like I was that little boy again in a house that was once filled with love and that had rotted into pure hatred. I would not repeat their story.
I climbed out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, and went downstairs for a cup of coffee. I needed to think alone before she woke up. She entered the kitchen with a smile, her hair messy from sleeping.
“Good morning,” she said, walking over to the Nespresso machine.
“Morning,” I mumbled. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“Don’t worry. It was the need to pee that woke me.”
I needed to get this over with. If I put it off, I might not have done it. But I needed to at least wait until she had some coffee in her.
“Do you want breakfast?” she asked.
“No. I’m not hungry,” I said, my tone cold and flat.
“Is something wrong?” She took her coffee and sat at the island.
I couldn’t look at her. I’d done this a million times with other women, and it was easy. But with her, it hurt.
“We can’t do this anymore, Charlotte. You and me, the sex. It has to end.”
“What do you mean? Why?”
“Because it has to, Charlotte.”
“If this is because of your parents?—”
“It’s not! I woke up, Charlotte. You’re my nanny. I’m your employer. It’s wrong. I knew it but ignored it.”
“You’re not your father, Ashton!” she snapped. “Don’t lie to me and tell me this has nothing to do with them!”
Her words sliced through me. I wanted to believe her. God, I really did. But my fears were louder than my beliefs.
I shook my head and set my coffee cup on the island. “It doesn’t matter. This ends now. You’ll continue your job asEloise’s nanny, and that’s it.” I walked out of the kitchen, and with every step I took, I felt like I was breaking apart.
Charlotte
The heaviness in my chest was unbearable as tears streamed down my face. Getting up, I went to my bedroom and took a shower. As the hot water streamed over me, my heart ached, and every breath I took was sharp and painful. But beneath the pain was something even sharper: anger.
He wanted to erase everything we shared as if it had never happened. But I would never forget the way he’d kiss me like he needed it to stay alive. The way he held me was like he was terrified to let go. I cupped my face in my hands and cried as I sank to the shower floor. The only thing Ashton Cross was proving was that he was too scared to admit he was in love with me. Because he was. I knew it. He knew it. If he wanted to put an end to having sex because he couldn’t handle his feelings, fine. I already knew this wasn’t about me. It was about him and his fears. It wasn’t personal, and somehow, I knew that.
Standing up, I wiped my eyes, finished showering, and got dressed for the day. A part of me wanted to pack my things and get the hell out of here, but I couldn’t do that. Eloise already had my heart, and I wouldn’t do that to her. I’d have to find a way to manage living in the same house as him and avoid him at all costs.
I grabbed my purse. Halfway down the stairs, Ashton’s voice cut through the silence in the house.
“Where are you going?”
“Since Eloise is with your mom, there’s no reason for me to stay here all day. So where I go, what I do, isn’t your business.”
“Come on, Charlotte. Don’t be like that.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Like what? Like a woman who was just told she isn’t worth the risk? Who was good enough for your bed but not your heart? Don’t you dare tell me how to feel.” I shook my head, for I felt the sting of tears in my eyes.
