Page 20 of One Night Billionaire

He parked and went to her building, pressing the buzzer next to her apartment number and waiting. She quickly let him in and he took the elevator to her floor. Brian adjusted his collar, convinced it was trying to choke him as he neared her door.

Knocking, he stood and waited for her to come to the door. He didn’t like being nervous or unsure, and that was all he was with her. It made him question why he was putting himself through this, but he had to think it was going to be worth it in the end.

Anna’s nervous smile greeted him as she pulled the door open. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” Brian smiled back. He handed her the flowers.

“Thank you. Come in.”

Inside her apartment, the first thing he noticed was her. All of her. Her hair was damp like she had just showered, and Brian felt a smug smile appear on his face. There was comfort in the knowledge that maybe they were both floundering a bit here.

“Let me put these in water,” she said.

Brian followed her to the kitchen, taking note of her apartment as he passed through. It was decorated in lots of colors, something that surprised him at first. The more he took note of each piece, he realized how they all suited Anna.

She didn’t decorate with any sense of purpose, he decided. The painting of the orange flowers next to the statue of a dolphin by her dining room table drew him in. These were all simply things she liked and put on display.

“I know it’s not what you’re used to,” Anna pulled him from his thoughts.

He blinked, trying to figure out what she meant. “What?”

“I mean, you’re used to things that are a lot fancier. My whole apartment could probably fit in your bathroom,” she laughed.

Brian tilted his head and studied her. “I was admiring your things, not picking them apart. It might surprise you to know this, but I’m not a snob.”

“I didn’t think you were, but it doesn’t mean that I’m wrong.” She wandered over to the painting. “I bought this for ten dollars from a street vendor. This statue was a gift.”

“I like them both. Plus, I know what you make,” he winked. “You could afford more if you wanted it.”

Anna thought about it. “Not really. school was pricey. But you do pay me well,” she blushed. “But I like these.”

Brian couldn’t resist. He pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, chaste kiss. “Stop worrying. I like your things, and I’m not a snob,” he whispered against her lips.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” she asked.

“Hmm,” he pretended to think about it. “What did you have in mind?”

Anna laughed as he intended. “Well, I do have the internet, so I suppose our options are pretty open.”

He followed her to the living room, taking a seat on the sofa, and pulling her into his side, tucking her right next to him. She came willingly and flipped on the TV.

It took them half an hour to settle on a movie that they both agreed on. He hadn’t cared by that time and wasn’t quite sure what they were watching now. He’d agreed just to get her to relax and put the remote down.

“Are you comfortable?” Anna asked.

Brian stretched and stood as the opening credits rolled across the screen. As much as he wanted her there beside him, it was an awkward position he’d sat in.

He toed off his shoes and took her hand, pulling her to a stand as well.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Brian didn’t answer. Instead, he stretched out on her sofa and patted his chest.

“That will not be comfortable for you,” she told him.

“Let me be the judge of that. Come here.”

Anna lay over him, resting her head on his chest. He could feel her heartbeat near his ribs and decided this was more comfortable than she could dream.

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