Page 67 of Billionaire's Promise
"I am very serious."
"So am I." She closes the distance between us and stabs a finger into my chest. "Are you seriously saying you regret what happened last night?"
"I regret," I swallow, "I regret letting things get this far between us. I should have stayed away. Shouldn’t have allowed you to seduce me, I—"
"I seduced you? I…?" She shoves at my chest. "You’re a jerk, you know that?"
Tell me about it.If this is the only way I can get her to stop thinking about me, if I can make her think I am enough of a douche—guaranteed, since I am… But if I allow her to see me that way, maybe she’ll walk away. If she’s angry enough with me, perhaps she’ll never look at me again. Because, God forbid, one look from her, one touch... If she’s anywhere in my vicinity, I won’t be able to resist her.
So, I am a coward, that way. And what I am going to say is going to hurt her, but if it means it will put distance between us, then it’s worth it. It’s the only way to ensure that I, and that bastard Edward, can get through this with some semblance of a friendship alive between us.
If that means I am going to rip my heart out and pretend it never beat for her in the first place, then so be it.
"Now you know." I smirk, then draw myself up to my full height. "It was intense, babe. I’ll give you that."
"Intense?" She scowls.
"Yeah, and your body…and your mouth…and man, that tight arse of yours… I’m glad I got to tap it when I could. In fact, I don’t know of any other woman who enjoys anal as much as you do. It’s what makes you special."
"I…it does?" She pales.
"Totally. One-hundred percent." I nod. "As for your pussy… So hot, so sweet, hell, I could write odes to it… But you know, you’re not the only fish in the sea."
She opens and shuts her mouth. "What are you talking about? This is not like you Baron." Her lips tremble. "Why are you saying such hurtful things to me?"
"It’s the truth."
"It’s not."
"Unfortunately, yes." I bend my knees and peer into her eyes, "You see, I said and did what was needed so I could—"
"Get in my bed?"
I smile. "Knew you were smart. Knew there had to be a reason Edward was so hung up on you."
"Don’t talk about him," she bursts out. "He was honorable. He wanted me enough to walk away from what was most important to him. Even when he left, he made sure I was taken care… If he’d only known what kind of a man you’ve turned into."
"And what kind is that?"
"A two-timing liar, who couldn’t wait to bed the very woman you’d been tasked with protecting." Her features grow stricken. "That’s why you did it. You wanted to get back at him. You wanted to get revenge on him…for whatever went wrong between the two of you… Which is why you left in the first place."
"If that’s what you think..." I raise my shoulders.
"It’s not what I think. It’s the truth." Her chest heaves. "Admit it. All of this was part of your plan so you could hurt Edward. So you could throw it in his face when he returns."
"Sure." My heart begins to thud. Sweat beads my palms.Turn away from her. Get out of here while she’s still upset.So, she’ll believe the worst of me. So, she’ll never be tempted to come near me again. If I can’t stick around long enough to be here for Edward, the least I can do is make sure that when he returns—and he will return—he has his woman to turn to.
"Good chat, babe," I pat her head, "but it’s getting late and I know you must be anxious to get to work." I pivot, walk out of the bedroom and to the kitchen where I’d run a wash last night. Yeah, I’d managed to wake up long enough to do that, and a few other things, last night, before I’d crawled back into bed and arranged myself around her. I’d pulled her close, spooned her, thrown my leg about her, so every part of me was plastered to her, before I’d fallen asleep. The feel of her soft skin, her curves, the tiny noises of contentment she’d made as she’d cuddled close and slipped deeper into sleep— Yeah, good thing I have those memories to keep me going. It’s all I am going to have… for I’m never going to meet another woman who’ll affect me as much as she does.
I shake out my dry clothes, pull them on, then slip into the shoes I’d rescued from the shower last night. They’re still damp, but what-fucking-ever. I can live with that… My heart though… How am I going to live without that?
I walk to the door, wrench it open and am about to step through, when footsteps sound behind me.
"Baron," she calls out and I pause. I want to look over my shoulder, want to see her face one last time. The delicate arch of her brow, the lushness of her lips, the curve of her shoulder. I shake my head.No, no, no. If you see her, you’ll lose the courage to leave her. It’s best you walk away without a second glance.I square my shoulders, stay where I am.
"I’ll never forgive you for this."
The hurt in her voice sinks into my veins.Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.I stare straight ahead, "You’ll get over it, babe," I say without turning around, "just like I am already over you."
