Page 159 of The Renegade Billionaire
“I love you. We need to discuss boundaries and your tendency to go extremely overboard, but I love you. Let’s get going on this thing, huh? Then we can go check out the competition.” She pulls a roll of masking tape from the large bag she’s carrying and hands me a measuring tape.
“You measure, I’ll follow along with the tape. Construction begins tomorrow.”
“I’m at your beck and call, my dear.”
“That does sound good.” She stands suddenly, a question forming on her expression. “Wait, did you actually try this…this Dirty Matcha? Is it any good?”
“Oh, sweetheart. Have you ever known me to do anything half-assed? Grey and I have been working since Christmas on the recipe. We finally perfected it last night.”
“Is that why he’s been bouncing around so much? He’s on a caffeine high?”
“Yup. It was better than him focusing his attention on a surrogate. I had to give him something else to obsess over while our company is shut down for the holiday.”
She snorts a laugh. “That’s true. I don’t think he’s actually given up on it though. He was in the Chug yesterday on baby websites.”
“He’s grasping at this baby idea because he feels as though he’s losing me and Sage. I don’t know how to get through his thick skull that he isn’t losing us, he’s just gaining all of you.”
“You’re a good friend, Mr. Reyes.” She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight.
“And you’re a fabulous fiancée, future Mrs. Reyes.”
“I love how that sounds.”
“Mm-hmm. Me too. Let’s hurry up and get this done so I can get you home and naked.”
“Are you always thinking about sex?” She bends over to unroll the tape, and I groan.
“With you, always. In every position, and every?—”
“Braxton,” she gasps.
“You asked, sweetheart. And I’ll always tell you the truth.”
No matter what, that’s a promise I’ll keep forever.
36
MADISON
“I’m going to kill him,”Braxton seethes.
We’re standing side by side in the park, staring down at what should be the outline of our booth. Instead, someone, likely named Harry, rearranged all the tape to say, ‘fuck you.’
“Braxton, it’s fine.” I pull the tape from the platform the town council insists we build on so we don’t kill the grass. “We don’t really need the tape anyway. It’s more ceremonial than anything.”
“He’s going to fuck with our booth every step of the way.”
Sadly, he’s right.
“I know. But I’ve been ignoring him for years, I’m not going to stop now. He’s throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get his way.”
“He’s not going to get away with it. We’re winning this entire damn thing.”
His vehemence makes me laugh. “Did you ever think you’d get so worked up over a festival celebrating caffeine?”
“I’m serious,” he grumbles.
“Serious about what?” Grey asks, joining us at our booth. Sage and Pops walk behind him with their heads together. Those two could be serious trouble if they join forces.
