Page 15 of Enticing My Off Limits Billionaire

I bask in the praise, biting my lip. And then, before he can stop me, I fling my arms around his neck in a hug.

He's tall, which means my face is buried in his chest as he wraps his arms around me and hugs me back. We hug for a long time...long enough that I can start to pinpoint the unique aromas in his cologne, his natural scent, the brand of his laundry detergent.

He smells incredible.

I pull away, and for a second, we pause just inches away. I want to kiss him. Maybe it's the booze, but I want really badly to kiss him.

But we pull away.

"Goodnight, Madison," he says in that rough, low voice. "I'll see you soon."

"Goodnight," I reply.

Then we go our separate ways, and I know that I'm about to get myself in a whole mess of trouble.

Chapter five

Quinn

Ihaven'tbeenbackto the White Oak Society since Kylie and Gavin's wedding.

Not because I don't like it there, and not because I have a problem with them—but I used to go with Gavin, and now it seems that he's out of touch.

It makes sense; he's with his new wife, and they're living their dream together. He has no reason to come to the White Oak when he has the perfect life waiting at home.

That's why I'm surprised when he gives me a call that Friday night and invites me out with the two of them. He and Kylie are planning on visiting the White Oak together that night, and they want me to come with them.

The more unexpected thing?

Madison is with them, too.

I walk in to find the three of them sitting in our usual nook, Madison looking like she would rather be anywhere but here. Gavin and Kylie are sitting side by side, so wrapped up in each other that I don't think they even truly see her.

And that makes me...I don't know. It makes me angry, I guess. I realize at that moment that I'm starting to see Madison as more of a friend than even Gavin—and more than that, as someone I need to protect.

I can see the relief in her eyes when I get close enough to talk to them, and Gavin gets up to shake my hand and pull me in for a one-armed hug. Kylie stands too and gives me a real hug while Madison stands up awkwardly and wrings her hands. I'm not sure if Gavin knows we've been working together; I haven't mentioned it to him, and I don't think he and Madison talk very often.

"It's great to see you," Gavin says.

"Good to see you, too," I say with a smile, sitting down next to Madison as we all get settled again. "It's been a while."

"We've been a little distracted with moving and getting used to our new set-up," Kylie says. "Ever since we got back from France, it feels like we haven't had more than a few seconds to figure out what life looks like on the other side of the wedding."

"I hear that's how it goes," I nod. Not that I would know—I've never been married. But it's hard to tell how I'm supposed to talk to them.

Gavin has gone somewhere I can't relate to.

He's a family man now.

"Madison tells us you brought her on to work with you on a project," Gavin says. "I'm surprised you didn't mention it."

I peer at him, trying to figure out if he's frustrated with me for not saying anything. It would be pretty audacious for him to be annoyed that I'm talking to his daughter—given that he had a full-on affair with Madison's best friend—and nothing untoward is going on here. But I write his comment off as paranoia and nod.

"I did," I say. "She mentioned she was looking for a project when we chatted at the wedding, and it felt like fate that just the right thing landed in my lap."

"Quinn has been really great about finding me this opportunity," Madison says, flashing me a smile.

I wish I could ask her how much he knows about our friendship—if he knows about the texting, about meeting and talking for hours at Josie's. And as I start to think about it, I'm not sure why I want to know, as I remind myself that nothing weird is going on between us.

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