Page 27 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

Amelia’s forearms prickled, recognizing this for what it was: a power move. She nodded, smiling. “Yes, that’s perfect! That way we can all catch up.”

Josh made a point of looking around. “Colin, where’s your wife and kids? They aren’t interested in brunch?”

A brief emotion passed over Colin’s face before he smiled. “Afraid not. The youngest woke with a tummy ache this morning and my wife thought it would be best to order room service and stay in.”

“Oh, that’s terrible. You didn’t want to stay to help?” Josh’s question sounded innocent, but Amelia knew better.

Colin coughed out a laugh. “Would I be considered a bad parent if I admit that I was happy she shooed me out of the room?”

Josh gave a slight shrug. “I think only you can answer that. I’ll be right back.” He went to the hostess to amend their reservation, and when he came back, she could see the change in him. He’d transformed in front of her, from the laidback lover she’d met over the past two nights to this bristly, hard-edged businessman. To be fair, she’d seen this side of Josh plenty. But it had never been in comparison to thenewside of him.

The one that she wanted more and more of.

Their larger group was seated quickly near a long row of windows overlooking the trees lining the southern edge of the property. Josh made sure to sit across from Stan; Amelia faced Stan’s wife Betty, and to her right, Colin.

“You know, I’ve been hearing a lot about you,” Colin said to her once drink orders were taken and everyone had settled into pleasantries. “Seems you’re a Cedar Grove poster child for success.”

Amelia smiled, but panic seared through her. What could he have possibly heard? Maybe she’d underestimated how small Cedar Grove really was. “Is that so?”

“The whole town is proud of how far you’ve gone,” Stan said. “All the way to New York City, working with the esteemed Denton Hotels.”

Amelia glanced over in time to see Colin’s smile tighten.

“And I’ll never forget where it all began,” Amelia said, squeezing Josh’s knee under the table as a quiet plea for help. “In beautiful Cedar Grove.”

Stan smiled wistfully. Colin amped up his smile and leaned in closer.

“You know, Denton Hotels might be great, but have you ever considered working with the Forest Family?”

Amelia blinked, turning to him slowly. She couldn’t have heard him right. “I’m sorry?”

The air cinched tight around Josh. She could practically feel the prickles forming on his forearms.

“With all this talk about how far you’ve gone, you seem like a true rising star. I’ve been on the lookout for a new location scout. If Denton isn’t careful, I might have to steal you away.” Colin laughed in a way that clearly signaled the joke aspect. But was he really kidding?

Josh’s own hollow laughter arrived next. “I don’t blame you wanting to steal her away. Amelia is extremely talented. I’d happily have her as my assistant forever. Why do you think we’re getting married?”

The men at the table erupted in laughter. Amelia tried to force herself to join them, but the joke remained a sinking stone in her gut as the conversation moved on to other topics. Josh must have sensed her glowering, because he kept squeezing her knee and smiling over at her.

But the damage was done.

She faced the truth now.

Josh was a success-obsessed man who would say and do anything to close a deal.

She’d seen it over the years as he fought to win acquisitions. She’d known it the second he asked her to pose as his fiancée. And now, this brunch reminded her how far he was willing to go.

She supposed it wouldn’t have mattered as much if she hadn’t started sleeping with him. If she hadn’t granted access to that side of her that had been quietly infatuated with him since day one. But she’d allowed herself to fall for him, to get a little lost inside this fantasy ofbeing with him.

But this potent reminder prompted more questions within her. Josh knew how to turn on the charm and seal deals. Had he been doing that with her in the bedroom too? Maybe it was all just an act; maybe italwayswas. A twenty-four-seven attempt to wheel and deal to get what he wanted.

Amelia hardly even noticed when the food came, and she floated along in the conversation nodding and smiling at the right times. She couldn’t stop thinking about whether Josh truly cared abouthercareer goals, or only his. Whether he only saw her as the perfect assistant and not a person with her own life and trajectory.

“I’ll be right back,” she said once she’d finished her plate of eggs and bacon. She offered a small smile to the table and set her napkin aside, then hurried off to the bathroom.

She needed to be alone in the cool quiet to get her head on straight. She was losing herself out there; sinking deep into the quicksand of feelings and romance, when this thing was only ever supposed to be a work trip.

Romance wasn’t supposed to be part of it; what Josh thought about her future or her as a person shouldn’t matter.

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