Page 70 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

I nodded gratefully as I took it from him. “Yeah. Thank you.”

“Need a ride?” His lips quirked but the gesture held no warmth. “I can drop you on my way.”

“On your way where? I thought you were getting pizza.”

“Change of plans. Meeting a friend.”

I tried to keep my face neutral, but it was nearly impossible. Had my snap judgment driven him into someone else’s arms?

Hello, that itself is yet another snap judgment. He probably has plenty of friends he doesn’t sleep with.

Besides, after this morning, could he really need more action so soon?

I waited for him to explain his friend was Clint or another old college buddy or someone I didn’t have to concoct stupid stories about. But he said nothing, finally raising his eyebrows and indicating his car. “You ladies ready to go?”

“No,” Berry said with a pout as she looked back at the house. “Bob will be sad all alone.”

“I won’t be gone that long. He’ll be fine. He stays alone while I’m at work most of the time, too, though I usually swing by home on my lunch. I didn’t feel comfortable last night because I didn’t know how late I’d be.” He cleared his throat and nudged us ahead of him toward the car.

Berry giggled as he opened the passenger door and bowed at the waist like some fancy manservant while she climbed into the back. They were so cute together. Berry really liked him.

She wasn’t the only one.

It was harder than I expected to just keep walking and smile as he gestured for me to follow her into the car. To not throw caution to the wind and then grab his face and kiss the hell out of him before I made him listen to my apology.

It didn’t make sense. He was a virtual stranger. But I knew I’d hurt him and that sat in my belly like lead.

I didn’t want to become a woman who believed no one. Trusted no one.

Ruined good things in a supposed effort to protect myself.

She’d wanted pizza. My stomach growled. I did too.

If I’d just not made a fuss, he’d be staying home for pizza not possibly going out to meet some woman who probably had no issue coming and made sure he came first to ensure he’d return for more.

I was too much work on about fifty levels.

The ride to my cottage was punctuated with Berry’s occasional out-of-nowhere questions. Like about the koi. What did they eat? Did they always live outside? Did they count as a pet?

Then where did he get Bob? Were there more of his family to adopt?

She didn’t addhint, hintto me, but I grasped her point just the same.

“We’re going to volunteer soon and maybe…” I sneaked a glance at his ridiculously handsome profile as I trailed off woefully. That was likely out the window too.

“Volunteer where?” Berry asked.

“At Kitten Around, a critical care cat rescue. They’re having a speed-dating event for both dogs and cats in a couple weeks, and I figured that’d be the perfect photo op for you.” He looked at me pointedly, looping one wrist over the wheel as he drove.

Everything the man did was sexy. Or did it just seem that way now that we’d had the sex?

God, I needed to stop referring to it that way, even in my thoughts.

“I don’t just want a photo op. I want to snuggle some babies. Kittens,” I clarified quickly.

“There will be kittens and cats and puppies and dogs. Maybe even some guinea pigs.”

Berry’s head popped between the seats as he turned onto our street. Dusk was imminent and the last rays of sunshine made her freckles super evident. “I wanna go. Can I go? Can I?”

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