Page 13 of Snow and the Seven Billionaire Dates

Snow was glad the elevator dinged. Her anticipation hiked the closer to her room they drew. Preston was going to kiss her. And she was going to let him.

6

Aknock preceded them, along with the sound of crinkling cellophane. Snow and Preston rounded the corner to find Judd wearing his cowboy hat and knocking at her door with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

“What are you doing here?” Preston snapped, his cheerful demeanor instantly kicking into a ferocious gear. What made him kindle this blazing anger? Snow withdrew her hand. Preston hadn’t behaved badly the whole night. She’d thought he was just nervous. She’d thought she was wrong about him—but this?

“I wanted to let Snow know I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout her all day long,” Judd said with his southern drawl. His handsome mouth crinkled at the corners, adding light and admiration to his green eyes. “I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t bring the lady some flowers. Beggin’ your pardon, I didn’t realize y’all were on your date.”

“She’s my lady right now,” Preston said, tearing the bouquet of flowers from Judd’s hand and slamming them to the ground. Hector, the videographer, trotted on quick feet to get a better angle of the confrontation.

Snow placed herself between the two men.

“That’s enough,” she said, closing her hand around the apple in her purse. She removed it, holding it tightly. Simultaneously, she bent for the fallen bouquet of roses.

Preston didn’t miss the gesture. He lifted his head as if bracing himself. Judd’s cheeks were pink.

“My apologies for this rounder,” Judd said. “That ain’t no way to treat a woman.” He was a few inches shorter than Preston and quite a bit stockier with thickset shoulders and ropelike arms. If the two had a fist fight, Snow could guess who would win.

Preston couldn’t sing and dance his way out of that.

“As I said before, I didn’t realize y’all were on your date,” Judd said.

Snow’s heart pounded. She didn’t know if the other men were informed of her activities or not, but based on the sincerity in Judd’s eyes and from his gentlemanly nature, she doubted he would have done anything to intentionally thwart or interrupt another man’s time with her.

“The flowers were a beautiful gesture. I had a great time with Preston today and was going to give him this, but under the circumstances…”

She skirted past Preston’s flaring nostrils and offered the apple to Judd instead.

Preston swore.

Judd raised his hands. “But I didn’t take you out yet,” he said.

“It’s okay. This is me saying I want you to.” She offered the apple in his direction again. Judd analyzed her as if waiting for her to withdraw the offer.

She didn’t.

“If you’re sure, though I swear I didn’t mean to intervene.”

“I’m sure,” she said.

Judd smiled crookedly again and closed his fingers around the apple with a courteous nod.

Preston scoffed. Anger radiated from his tense shoulders. “I see how it is,” he said. “This is bull!”

“It’s your own fault,” she said. “Our date had a rough start. I thought it was hopeless until you finally started paying attention to me at dinner. I thought maybe things were looking up for us—until now.” Until he’d ruined it. Seriously, what had gotten him so instantly bent out of shape? If he were this extreme, she didn’t want to see what he would be like withheras the one he chose to get upset with.

Preston scowled. His nostrils flared; he noticed Hector pointing his camera right at him. In seconds, his shoulders sagged. He had the decency to lower his head. “I should have kept my cool. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. Too bad it has to end like this.”

He bobbed his head a few times. His throat worked against a swallow, and he lifted his head enough to look through his lashes at her. He really was gorgeous. She might have been affected before, but now the look did nothing for her.

The corners of his lips quirked upward. “I guess that means a goodbye kiss is out of the question too.”

“I can’t believe you still think you’d get one.” She’d been all for it a few minutes before. Then again, was that what had set him off at the sight of Judd? Had Preston been looking forward to a kiss at her door? Temper temper.

Snow held out her hand, and a muscle ticked in Preston’s jaw before he grasped and shook. “Best of luck to you, Snow,” he said.

---