Page 23 of The Fake Fiance's Billionaire Adversary
“But I want you to. I think you deserve to have a little fun.”
Reagan looked down at the money, and a plastic card was sticking out. “This is too much.”
He shook his head. “I’m a single man who works all the time. Someone should be enjoying it.” He lifted his gaze to hers and smiled.
Could he get any kinder? “I feel bad taking this.”
“Well, how about we call it…me getting out of going Christmas shopping.” He winked. “Plus, they’re going to try to talk you into staying through Christmas. You’ll probably think it’s not enough by the time you get back.” He chuckled.
“I really like your family. They’re all great.”
“I didn’t realize how much I missed them until I got here.” He took a deep breath and stood. “Anyway, I’ll let you finish getting ready.”
Setting the money on the bed, Reagan quickly jumped up and touched his arm. “Thank you for…the money to go shopping.” Now that she’d said it aloud, she was a little embarrassed.
He tipped her chin up with one finger. “We’re a team while we’re here. What’s mine is yours. Okay?”
A flood of emotion hit her, and she swallowed back tears. A team. How much easier would things be if she were part of a team? Maybe that’s how her parents made it seem so effortless.
The longer he held her gaze, the more she wanted him to kiss her. She lifted on her toes and touched her lips to his. “I—”
The sentence was cut short as he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. It was the gentlest, most wanted kiss she’d ever experienced. One arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand slid up her back and into her hair. She circled her arms around his neck and held on to him.
He coaxed her lips apart, deepening the kiss, and she was lost in him. It was her and him and whatever this thing was between them. Not enemies, but not exactly friends. One thing she did know with certainty was she liked how it felt being in his arms and being kissed by him.
Just when she thought she’d starve for air, the kiss slowly came to an end with him brushing soft open-mouth kisses along her jaw.
He leaned back and held her gaze once more. She’d never seen a stormier set of eyes, but she was sure he was seeing the same thing in her eyes. What was happening between them?
He swallowed hard, touched his lips to her forehead, and stepped back. “I’ll see you later. Have fun, okay?” With that, he turned and left her standing in the room, gawking after him.
Talk about an easy man to fall for. Hunter West was so much more than what she gave him credit for. If she didn’t watch herself, she’d be traveling back to Tybee with her heart tied in knots, especially when he kept checking her boxes like he was reading over her shoulder.
* * *
Reagan’s tripto Amarillo was spent with Hunter’s mom, sister, sister-in-law, Stephanie, and Mrs. Fredericks chattering endlessly about previous Black Friday adventures. The shock on their faces when Reagan admitted she’d never done it before was funny. After that, they spent the rest of the ride filling Reagan in on their best tips and tricks.
As hard as she tried to listen, her heart and mind were on the kiss she’d shared with Hunter. It had been…beyond incredible. The man she’d thought of as an enemy kissed her with tenderness and want. When was the last she’d been wanted? Long enough that she couldn’t remember.
From there, her thoughts drifted to her family and how they might be spending their day. She wished now that they’d done more things like this. Something outside of the bed and breakfast that they could’ve shared. It wasn’t until she noticed the silence that she realized they were all looking at her. That’s what she got for momentarily daydreaming.
“I’m sorry. I think I missed something.” She smiled.
Carrie Anne smiled as she turned in the seat to face Reagan. “It’s okay. I was asking you what it’s like to run a bed and breakfast. Hunter said you’re a stellar chef.”
“Chef is a big word, and I don’t have formal training. I’ve been cooking since I was fourteen, so most of what I know has come from making a lot of mistakes.”
“Wow,” Carrie Anne replied. “I think I was reading gossip magazines at fourteen and crushing on actors.”
Gabby snorted. “Take out the ‘I think’ part.”
Carrie Anne wrinkled her nose at her. “Yeah, well, you were crushing on my brother, so it’s not like you were doing anything like cooking either.”
Reagan laughed at them. “You two are a riot. I think Naomi and Kaylee would love this.”
“Are they your friends back on Tybee?” Carrie Anne asked.
“Yeah, they bicker like the two of you.”
