Page 24 of How to Avoid a Billionaire

“Spend the weekend with me. Let’s get to know each other without plans or tricks or games,” he said. “At the end, we’ll have had fun at the least. At best…” He shrugged.

“Let me go.”

He dropped his hands to his sides, and she stepped away. She felt his gaze follow as she walked to the French doors, but she focused on the water. A longing came over her she couldn’t deny, and she grinned. “Okay. First, you have to cook me breakfast—you, not your maid—and then I want to go out on the boat.”

“Done!”

A short while later, Melanie sat on one of the stools in the kitchen and drank fresh brewed coffee. She’d had to make it herself because Ryder had never made his own. “I can’t believe you’ve never brewed coffee. At the least you could have thrown together some instant in your life.”

He winced as he opened the refrigerator. “If I wanted to choke, sure. I’ve tried it. Not good. I’ve grown up with servants. My father kept full-time staff, so there wasn’t a need to learn anything.”

She held up a hand. “Hold on. No need to learn anything? That means you have no clue what you’re doing in that refrigerator right now? And you not knowing how to cook is incongruent with the guy who stayed up all night studying B movies.”

“I study what is directly useful. As for food…” He tapped his temple. “I memorized the numbers to caterers just in case Jodie is unavailable. Even in the few times she was not, there are other assistants at the company to fill in.”

“And at home?”

“Maria, the maid, can be called in at a moment’s notice, and James is a certified chef. So you see, I don’t have use for learning to cook.”

“Goodness, you’re complicated.”

He laughed. “And as for what I’m doing in here, I’ll show you.” He pulled out a plastic-wrapped plate piled with an assortment of pastries and set it on the counter. “Breakfast is served.”

“You knew that was in there when you agreed to make breakfast, didn’t you?”

“I’m always prepared.”

She grinned. After they enjoyed warm pastries that she heated and hot coffee, they headed upstairs to shower and dress. Melanie had to fight off his advances and then gave in once or twice before they strode outside in the direction of the pier. Melanie stopped short when she didn’t see a boat.

“Is it invisible?”

Ryder frowned and switched directions. She followed him into a small building, and she gasped. The place looked like a clubroom on one side and more rustic on the other with two wide doors that could swing open. She judged the

doors to be facing the water.

“James?” Ryder called when he entered.

“Mr. Neyland, I apologize. I inspected the boat this morning and found a leak in the gas line. Rather than repair it myself, I wanted to have the entire engine inspected by a professional. The shop picked up the boat ten minutes ago.”

Ryder rubbed his neck. “I appreciate your thoroughness.”

“Thank you, sir. I was about to call you, but I wanted to make sure the jet skis were ready as an alternative.”

Ryder snapped his fingers. “Perfect, but take out one. Melanie will ride with me.”

Melanie’s eyes widened. “Whoa, did he say jet ski? Because I don’t know if I’m up for that.”

“Trust me, angel. You’ll love it. Come this way. I have a wet suit that will fit you.”

“Always prepared?” she asked.

“Always.”

The spray in her face, wind raising goose bumps on her skin, and her heart racing, Melanie wrapped her arms around Ryder’s waist and had the time of her life. She couldn’t believe how much fun riding on a jet ski could be. Both terrifying and exciting, the experience was unlike anything she had ever done.

“I want to drive,” she shouted behind him. Ryder slowed the vehicle to a stop and maneuvered to sit behind her. With his big frame, he crowded her, and his strong arms holding her waist, her pussy vibrated and they hadn’t even started the engine yet. Ryder’s lips brushed her ear as he gave her instructions on what to do, but she hardly focused, feeling his cock pressed against her ass. The wetsuit left nothing to the imagination.

“You got all that?” he rumbled in a throaty voice.

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