Page 35 of One Night Billionaire

“You’re not kidding, are you?”

Why in the world would anyone fake this? “No,” her voice was quiet but she knew he’d heard her.

His hand slid down her arm until it reached her hand and clasped it. “Come with me.”

She felt him slide by her and then tug her hand, urging her with him. She had no idea how he was seeing anything because she might as well have had her eyes closed.

A door opened, she heard it, and Brian led her into a room and backed her up just until her calves brushed up against something.

“Right here is the sofa. Just sit down.” He urged her down while keeping his hand in hers.

Anna nodded before speaking, remembering he couldn’t see her. “Okay,” her voice was shaky and she hated it.

“I’m going to let go and grab a flashlight.” Brian pulled his hand away.

Sniffing, she used her sleeves to wipe her face in case he did find a light. She didn’t want this man of all people to see her crying. It was already enough that he knew she was scared of the dark like a toddler, she didn’t need more humiliation to add to it.

Flashlight. Her phone. Anna swung her bag onto her lap and began rummaging through it. It had to be in here somewhere, she had just been leaving. However, she’d been distracted by Brian watching her and had just dropped everything into her bag with no order or logic.

Brian beat her to it, turning on a flashlight and pointing it at the ceiling. She looked around, recognizing the dark wood desk and the black sofa she was on. They were in his office. If her brain had been working, she would have known that was where they were headed, where else would they go?

“Are you looking for something?” he asked, walking over with the light.

“My—My phone.” She went back to digging, keeping one eye on the man in front of her.

“I left mine in the conference room,” he said looking at the door. He must have debated going to get it and change his mind because he shook his head and looked back at her.

“Mine is in here somewhere.” Anna kept digging around in her bag. It was probably right there and she wasn’t seeing it, one of those ‘if it were a snake, it would have bitten her,’ moments.

“Here.” He handed her the flashlight.

Anna took it and pointed it into her bag to keep looking. She needed to find it. If she had it, then she’d have her own light and could maybe calm down a little bit.

“You can keep that,” Brian told her.

“Thanks,” Anna mumbled, touched by the small gesture.

Brian crouched in front of her, taking her bag and moving it beside her. Both of his hands came up to her arms and began rubbing them up and down, soothingly.

“I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen,” he whispered, his words soothing her more than his hands.

“I’m sorry,” Anna said.

“Nothing to be sorry for. The lights will come back on soon.”

Again, she nodded. “I’ll be okay. I just need a minute.” She hoped so, anyway.

“Come here,” Brian said.

She went willingly into his arms. Brian hugged her from this awkward position of her on the sofa and him not. If it were any other time and place, she would have pushed him away. Here and now, she needed him to hold her for just a little bit longer.

It didn’t last long before Brian adjusted. He sat next to her on the sofa and pulled her in next to him. She felt safe and secure next to him and she couldn’t help the thoughts from creeping back in, doubting her reasons for leaving him in the past.

“We can just sit here and wait it out, okay? There’s nowhere else to be right now.” Brian kept one arm around her shoulders.

“We could take the stairs,” she said.

“That’s twenty-five floors,” he laughed. “I’m not doing that unless it’s an emergency. This is just a power outage.”

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