Page 33 of Her Billionaire Boss
“I think everyone is, at heart, a gold digger,” he said firmly.“But it’s not her you should be careful of.You move through...phases of fascination—”
“That would be a good album title,” I interjected.
“Not really.”He continued with his original point.“From what I saw on the island, you two are super compatible.But that’s on the island.That’s all sex.Now, you’re back in your old life after how long?”
I tried to mentally add it up.“Six months?”
“You’re still learning how to walk, you’ve got a lot of new challenges, and then you’re adding a brand-new relationship into the mix.On hyper speed.She’s already living with you.”
“That’s because I couldn’t stand to be away from her.”Okay, not the healthy answer I was going for.“That sounds worse than it is.”
“But it’s not one of those Florence Nightengale syndrome things where you’re falling for her because she stood by you through your injury?”he asked warily.
I shook my head.“No.In fact, Charlotte was most helpful through my recovery because she didn’t take an interest in making me better.She asked about my injuries and kept in touch with me, but when everything in my life was completely focused on my leg and trying not to get another blood clot and die, she was this other part.Set aside from all the hospital shit and the dressing changes and the pain.She gave me something else to focus on.”
“I can see how she would command a man’s focus.”The set of Alex’s shoulders relaxed.“None of this was my business.But I care about you.I don’t want to see you go low the way you did after the Jason thing.”
“This is nothing like Jason.”I briefly considered how desperate and weird it might make me sound to tell the story, but I decided to, anyway.“She left.After the island, she was supposed to come back here with me.But I said the wrong thing, and she bolted.You know what made her come back?”
Alex waited for my answer.
“Scott came to me and said it would cost me all of my money to have a second chance with his sister.And I wrote him a check for thirty billion without hesitation.”I still wondered what would have happened if he’d decided to cash it.I wouldn’t have put it past Scott to do so as a joke.“When she saw that, she came back.”
“Well, that’s certainly more impressive than an engagement ring.”Alex snagged a bottle of mineral water and twisted the cap off.
“Whoa, whoa.I don’t think we’re quite at engagement ring yet.”I chuckled nervously.
“Aren’t you?You were willing to give up thirty billion to be with her, but you don’t think you can make a marital commitment?”Alex held my gaze as he took a long drink of his water.
“It’s...complicated.”The thirty billion had been an impressive romantic gesture, but a ring felt different.
“Because you’ve been engaged so often?”Alex asked, throat tight from the carbonation.
“There’s that, and she has a lot of stuff to work through.Not stuff that’s mine to tell, but she needs therapy.If I tried to propose to her right now, I have no doubt that she would run again.”Even though her dragon had instructed her not to.The lure of escape from her own personal shackles would be too strong.“Right now, I’m perfectly happy living together.And working together.”
That got a huge, kind of mean laugh from Alex.“You gave her a job?”
“What?”I tried not to get offended at how funny he found it.“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing.”He swiped one big hand through the air, as if totally brushing the remark aside.
But I wouldn’t let it go.“You’re going to laugh yourself right out of a membership to Ascend Manhattan.”
That sobered him quickly.“Wait, what?You’re making a resort here?”
“Not a resort.A kink club.It was Charlotte’s idea.That’s why I hired her to consult on it.”
“And for no other reason.”
I ignored him.“It turns out, there aren’t any laws specifically forbidding the operation of a kink club in New York.All of the clubs operating in secrecy aren’t doing it to stay on the right side of the law.It’s for privacy concerns.Ascend Manhattan will be the same way.Invited guests only, in a hotel with a hot restaurant that will provide a believable cover if someone is spotted coming or going.”
“Nice pun,” Alex said.
“Unintentional.”
“Your girl came up with the idea, and it never occurred to you?”Alex scoffed.“Major missed opportunity.You’re lucky you inherited that company.”
I could handle the teasing, because I knew I’d gotten everything I had by luck of birth.“That’s why I need Charlotte.Fresh eyes.”
