Page 30 of The Royally Broke Billionaire
The extreme stress and worry over what might be wrong with her child began to abate as she watched the man comfort Liam.
“There, there,” he said in a soothing voice. “You’ve had a rough night, haven’t you?”
Her son gazed at the steward as if he was the only one on earth who understood what he was feeling.
It was difficult for Piper to keep her jealousy at bay. After all, the man was practically a stranger to Liam, and he wasn’t doing anything for her son that she hadn’t already tried. Her relief that Liam’s crying jag seemed to be over was too immense for her to hold a grudge, though. Whatever Finn was doing was working, and that was what truly mattered. She couldn’t stand seeing her son so upset.
When Finn eased into the rocking chair with her now-calm son cradled in his arms, Piper admitted, “You seem to have the magic touch.”
He nodded and said, “Babies usually love me.”
It didn’t sound conceited or boastful. He was merely stating a fact, and Piper could see the truth in his assertion by the adoring way her son was gazing up at him. Nodding, she said, “I can see that. You’re probably tired, though. I can take him back now that he’s calmed down. Thank you for your help.”
If the royal steward was upset by her efficient dismissal, he didn’t show it. “Happy to be of assistance,” he gave her a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes before shifting to pass Liam into her waiting arms.
As soon as the baby realized what was happening, his face crumpled as he began crying anew. Bringing the wailing bundle back to his chest, Finn suggested, “Perhaps I should hold him a bit longer.”
Piper tried to keep the bitter sting of her baby’s betrayal out of her tone when she said, “That might be best. It looks like you’re the only one he wants right now.”
Settling herself in the chair opposite them, Piper steeled her resolve for an incredibly long, impossibly awkward night.
29
The uncomfortable silence lingered in her living room until Piper couldn’t stand it any longer. The late hour must have lowered her inhibitions because she directly addressed the proverbial elephant in the room. “Look, I know you don’t like me.”
Finn had the decency to look surprised. “Why on earth would you think that?”
She wasn’t able to keep the sarcastic tone out of her answer. “Gee, I don’t know… You ignore me most of the time, but when you do speak to me, it’s generally to accuse me of being a traitor to our king.”
Nodding solemnly, Finn said, “I have been unkind and unfair to you.”
Piper was surprised by his admission, but she wasn’t willing to let him off the hook. “You run so hot and so cold, I can’t figure you out. One minute you blow me a sweet kiss, but then you call me a rat. After that, you team up with me, but later you completely ignore me. And then you show up at my door and bewitch my baby into forgetting he’s furious. I never know what version of you to expect.”
“I suppose that’s how you would see it, and you’re right.”
It was nice to have him admit that her interpretation of his actions was accurate, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She wanted to understand why he acted that way with her, and she was no closer to comprehending that than when she started.
Exasperation nearly overwhelming her, she asked, “Well… Do you have an explanation for it, or are you just going to leave and go back to ignoring me?”
“You think I want to ignore you?” He practically yelled the question, which startled the nearly-asleep baby in his arms.
Piper feared that being frightened awake would make Liam upset again, but when Finn lightly patted him and quietly cooed that he was okay, her son gazed up at the man like he was an angel before letting his eyes drift back closed.
“What are you––the baby whisperer?” Piper muttered, which made Finn chuckle. Bringing the conversation back to the matter at hand, she answered his question. “Yes, it sure seems like you want to ignore me. You do it frequently and with vigor.”
“I suppose I do,” he nodded, before going on. “But it’s just because I’m trying to control my feelings for you.”
“What feelings?” Piper whispered, trying to keep her hopes at bay, in case they weren’t the romantic ones that her heart was hoping for.
Finn looked at her without flinching when he spoke. “The feelings that keep me up all night thinking about you and wondering how you and Liam are doing. The feelings that bring out a jealous streak in me that I didn’t know I had, as I constantly wonder if you’re spending time with Cole Daniels. The unworthy feelings that tell me to back off because a dashing billionaire is a more suitable match for you than I’ll ever be.”
As much as she wanted to hear what else he had to say, Piper needed to interrupt him there. “Who says that Cole is more suitable for me? Shouldn’t I be the one to decide that?”
Looking away from her for the first time, Finn’s eyes rose to the ceiling before returning to her. “I have eyes and a brain, Piper.”
“I know that,” she snapped, feeling irritated that he was trying to tell her who sheshouldwant to be with.
“Well, he’s not my type, but I’m not too macho to admit that Cole is a nice-looking fellow.”
