Page 27 of How to Undo the Proud Billionaire

Radd walked over to the lounger, picked up the bottle of wine and the glasses, and placed them on the closest wrought iron table. “Come on over, Mari. And bring a glass for some wine.”

When Mari turned away, he handed Brin her glass and she shuddered when his fingers brushed hers. She lifted her glass in a toast, her hand trembling. “Thanks for not dropping me in the pool, old man.”

Radd’s hand shot out, gripped the back of her neck to pull her closer and his mouth, hot, hard and insistent, swiped over hers. A second, maybe two later, he lifted his head and his eyes glittered with frustration, lust and a healthy dose of humor. “Oh, I still can. And before the week is out, I probably will.”

Brin had the feeling that he wasn’t only talking about an unscheduled dip.

Brin watched as Radd flipped on the outside lights and the atmosphere on the veranda changed from sensual to sensible. Slipping on her flip-flops, Brin started to excuse herself but, before she could, Radd waved her to a chair.

Radd leaned against the railing behind Brin, his wineglass resting against his bicep. “What’s the problem, Mari?”

Mari crossed her elegant legs, hauled in a deep breath and tried to smile. “Apparently your guests will be here for breakfast, not afternoon tea.”

Radd frowned. “Okay, that’s not a huge problem, is it?”

Mari’s deep brown eyes reflected her frustration. “No, that’s easily handled.”

Radd moved to take a seat next to Brin, and Radd placed his hand on her arm. “Ready for dinner?”

As if she could think of food when he was touching her. Sparks ran up and down her arm and warmth settled in her stomach and between her legs. Really, her reaction to him was instantaneous and inconvenient.

“I still need a little more of your time, Radd. Sorry, Brin.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Brin asked.

Mari smiled at her. “That’s not necessary.”

Radd stroked her arm before lifting his hand off her skin. He placed his forearms on the table, his focus shifting to Mari. Mari started to run through the coming week, the guests and their preferences. Brin was impressed by their no-notes discussion, both owner and manager had all the facts at their fingertips.

Brin admired Mari’s ability to answer Radd’s rapid questions, but she was very impressed by Radd’s insightful and detailed questions.

He deep dived into the operation, and Brin’s eyes bounced from Mari’s delicate features to Radd’s masculine face, frequently losing track of what they were discussing.

She’d expected Radd to only have a surface-based knowledge of Kagiso. He was, after all, the not-here-that-often owner, and he had many fingers in many business pies. But Radd could, at a moment’s notice, drop into Mari’s position and run the lodge with precision and assurance.

Radd caught her stare and a small frown creased his eyebrows. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Brin lifted one shoulder, a little embarrassed to be caught out. “Um, I’m just impressed at how much you know about the day-to-day running of the lodge.”

“It is my lodge,” Radd pointed out.

“I know but I thought, because you own so many other businesses, that you’d oversee the place and leave the details to your management team,” Brin said.

Mari laughed, her eyes dancing. “Radd is a control freak, Brin. Actually, I’m surprised that he didn’t spend the night looking over your shoulder, telling you where to put each individual flower in your arrangements.”

“I’m not that bad,” Radd protested.

“Yeah, you are,” Marri told him, patting his hand affectionately. She smiled at Brin. “Even as a kid, he was incredibly bossy. The only person Radd ever listened to was Jack.”

Brin placed her chin in the palm of her hand, watching the interaction between the two. That they knew each other well wasn’t in dispute, and Brin was both glad and sad—weird to be both at the same time—that her instincts about Radd’s controlling personality were spot-on. Glad because who didn’t want to be right, and sad because, well, if there was a man she could see herself becoming entangled with then Radd Tempest-Vane was right at the top of that list.

Attraction played a huge part, but she also liked the man, which was unexpected. Then again, she occasionally liked her mom and sister, too. But they were, in their entirety, bad for her. Radd would be, as well.

While she enjoyed their conversation earlier, loved seeing a glimpse of the real man behind the ruthless veneer he wore, she wasn’t under any illusions itmeantanything. Radd wasn’t looking for anything permanent, neither was she.

But, while resisting Rich Radd, the implacable billionaire, was easy, she was crazy attracted to the flawed, sexy, sweet man she’d glimpsed earlier. Resisting that Radd was going to be as hard as hell.

But that wasn’t who Radd was all the time; Real Radd was hard, tough and uncompromising. Real Radd would overwhelm and dilute her…

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