Page 65 of The Thing About My Secret Billionaire
“Does that mean youwantto leave me alone?”
“It means Ishouldleave you alone.”
“Why should you?”
All trace of humor fades from his face. His handsome features—the deep brown eyes, the chiseled cheekbones, the jaw covered with stubble that marks the days he’s been here, the perfectly shaped lips a little weathered frombeing outdoors—all now have the set of someone about to deliver bad news.
“What is it, Miller?” There’s a heavy weight in my stomach, maybe like the feeling animals get right before a storm that makes them naturally seek shelter. “Why should you leave me alone?”
“Shit, Frankie.” He slides a hand up my side, brushing my breast before his fingertips settle on my cheek. His eyes search mine and his teeth dig so deep into his top lip that the pink turns white. He shakes his head almost imperceptibly, just the tiniest movements, like he can’t decide something.
“It’s okay.” I run my fingers over his bristly chin. “You can tell?—”
“Hey, Mill,” one of his brothers shouts from upstairs.
We leap off each other right before feet thunder down the steps and Luke appears.
He stops half a dozen steps from the bottom and stares at us in silence for a moment.
To be fair, my cheeks are burning, Miller is running his fingers through his hair, and we’re standing only about eighteen inches apart, clearly not in the middle of doing anything even remotely kitchen related.
“What is it?” Miller releases a resigned sigh.
“Do you have any deodorant I can borrow? Ethan won’t lend me his, and Dad says I can’t have his either because I need to learn my lesson for not packing properly.”
“Uh, yeah.” Miller walks between me and the table, and it’s all I can do not to touch his arm as he passes by. “It’s in the bathroom down here. Hang on.”
He disappears behind the door, andLuke and I smile awkwardly at each other for the two seconds before Miller reappears, holding his deodorant.
“Here.” He tosses it up to Luke who catches it with one hand, like they’re a solid partnership who’ve been playing catch their whole lives.
“Thanks,” Luke says, but doesn’t move, just continues to stand there watching us.
“Okay. Right. Yeah.” Miller turns to me. “I think that’s got most of the kitchen stuff tidied up.”
“Yes, yes.” I tug at the hem of my sweater. “Thank you for staying to help.”
“My big brother, helping in the kitchen?” Luke says. “That’s a first.”
“I’ll head to the barn then.” Miller takes a dramatically slow walk to the hooks on the wall by the front door where his coat is hanging.
My brain hurts from how hard I’m trying to send telepathic signals to Luke to go back upstairs so that I can kiss Miller good night.
The quick glance Miller gives me over his shoulder tells me he’s dragging things out for the same reason.
“You going to help us tomorrow?” Luke asks.
“Sure.” Miller pushes his feet into his boots at a snail’s pace. “Once I’ve got the donkey chores out of the way.”
“I so have to see that.” Luke erupts in laughter as he turns to me. “I won’t believe it till my own eyes have witnessed it. And Mom will never believe it without a photo.”
Miller sighs as he puts on his jacket. “Yeah, thanks, Luke.”
Behind his words I know he’s screaming,Luke, go the fuck upstairs. I know it because I’m internally screaming it too, in perfect harmony with him.
Miller’s hand is on the door handle now, just resting there, hoping that he won’t have to push it down just yet.
“See you in the morning, then,” he says to his brother.
