Page 4 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

“Except the Cedar Grove owners.”

She paused.

“It’s not like I’m going to ask you to do this without compensation,” he went on. “What do you think—quadruple time for the duration of the trip, plus a bonus if they agree to my offer to buy the resort?”

She blinked. “Like…for every hour we’re gone?”

He nodded.

“How long will the trip be?”

“Probably a week,” Josh said, his heart rate picking up.Just say yes.“I promise, it won’t eat into your Christmas vacation time. We’ll finish up right before you’d be heading home for the holidays anyway.”

Her crystal blue eyes went wider, cheeks stained pink. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not. I need you to do this. Please.”

She deflated slightly. “But, Josh, you want me to lie. It’s true I don’t know the owners, but I know everybody else. The people in my hometown have known me since I was a baby. My parents live there, and so do my brother and his family. I don’t think I can do this.”

“If money won’t convince you, then what will?”

Amelia nibbled at her bottom lip, the lip that he had imagined kissing only in his weakest moments. He looked away. He knew better than to mix business and pleasure, which was why this idea felt safe to him. Amelia posing as his fiancée was pure business. And he’d make sure to keep it that way by making sure she was fairly compensated.

“Honestly? A promotion.”

Her words fell with a thud. He frowned, letting the idea percolate through him.

“You’re sick of being my assistant?” He tried to joke it off, but the fear was real. He would be lost without her backing him up and keeping his life organized.

“Definitely not sick of it. When I accepted the position of your assistant, I’d hoped to learn from you, which I have, with the intent to move up the ladder.” She softened a moment later, like maybe she’d noticed that he was worried. “Trust me, I love working with you. But I want to be a location scout. I want to search for new properties to add to the hotel portfolio. I love the idea of being out on location searching for hidden gems.”

He couldn’t fight the grin. “Hidden gems?”

She nodded so hard, her glasses slipped back down her nose and she pushed them back. “You get so excited when you come across a unique property. And then when you manage to turn it around and make it better? I want to do that too.”

“That amount of travel will give you no time for a personal life.”

She shrugged, not even flinching. “I already don’t have one of those, so no big deal.”

“Why haven’t you applied for any of the open higher-level positions?”

“You mean in marketing or accounting? No thanks. I’d still be stuck behind a desk all day. And the location scout roles are hard to get because everyone seems to love their job and doesn’t want to leave.”

He hesitated. “I really hate the thought of losing you as my assistant. But…” He shook his head, allowing the truth to settle into him. “I knew this day would come.”

She batted her eyelashes at him, an infectious grin overtaking her face. “So? You’ll do it?”

“If you’ll come on this trip with me and help me secure the hotel,” he said, the words coming out heavy, “then yes. You’ll get your promotion and the money.”

Amelia squealed and leaped out of the chair, pumping her fist in the air. “Then you have a deal!”

4

AMELIA

It was after ten and Amelia could barely think for how anxious she was for Josh to get there.

Mixed emotions swirled inside her, making it difficult to concentrate on the remaining tasks she needed to do before leaving. She’d packed eighteen pairs of underwear, mindlessly stuffing her panties into the suitcase before realizing just how many she planned to take. She could pee her pants twice a day and still be fine. Not that she planned on it.

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