Page 7 of The Billionaire's Obsession

“Rich, entitled, powerful and probably more used to women getting on their knees for them than running out on him. If he’s interested in knowing who I am, it is to extract some petty revenge for denting his ego, or he can’t wrap his head around a woman not wanting him, especially some low life grifter like me.”

Ella frowned. “Ouch, be careful, that’s my friend you’re talking about.”

“I’m just being real. Anyway, it’s probably for the best. I can’t keep up this hustle before I run into the same people. It’s time to retire, and besides, Laura says I might get a space in the Spring line up at the gallery.” Happiness and pride filled my chest at the thought.

“Shut up! You didn’t tell me that! Your next show is going to sell right out, I can tell. I’m so excited!” Ella clapped, nearly jumping up and down with excitement, making me laugh.

“Really?”

“Really! Why are we wasting time talking about men when my friend is about to get famous?”

* * *

My studio downtownwas my favorite place in the world. It was a shared workspace, and I knew most of the other artists that took a studio. After the gym, I let myself into the building and walked past the first two areas, where artists were already hard at work. Lee was a painter and he was already shirtless, with both hands wet with striking cerulean paint.

“Morning beautiful. You have a visitor,” he said, jerking his head along toward my space, right at the end of the long warehouse corridor.

“Really?”

“Really. And congratulations on the show. You’re going places, girl,” he said, giving me a wide smile.

I ducked my head, as always, a compliment making me feel odd. “I’m sure it’s just a small thing.”

He rolled his eyes at me, knowing my tendency to shy away from celebrating my wins, and let me go without arguing.

I hurried along toward my studio space. Who would wait for me? No one visited me here.

I reached the huge barn door that separated my area from others and found it open. I never locked it, so that was nothing unusual. However, the figure standing in the open space, walking slowly past my sculptures, was bizarre as hell. Bizarre because I had never imagined I’d see Cole Preston again, and certainly not standing in my studio.

I stared at him, my mouth open, thoughts scrambling frantically for purchase. He was clad in a bespoke suit again, dark gray, with a blue shirt. The artist in me appreciated his striking looks, even as I panicked about his purpose.

“I’m not really qualified to give a critique of art, but even I can see, you’re exceptionally talented.”

His deep voice jolted me. He had known I was standing there, frozen with panic, without even turning. He continued to move along the display wall I put the finished pieces on. “So, this is your actual job. I knew it couldn’t just be tanking arranged dates.”

“Actually, being a fake girlfriend is my usual bread and butter. The blind date thing was an exception for Ella.”

He turned slowly, taking me in. “Because she’s your best friend, right? For future reference, tell her to be herself and tell a guy she isn’t interested up front. She might be surprised to hear that he wasn’t interested either.”

I blinked at that. “If you weren’t interested in meeting her, why’d you agree?”

“Maybe she isn’t the only one being guilted into meeting a family friend’s single child. Rich families are the same, the world over.”

I pondered that response, feeling called out. He was right, after all.

“Why are you here?” I changed the subject, the weird reality of him having found me dawning.

Cole strolled toward me. He had the air of a man who took his time, doing things when he wanted to, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. People answered to him, not the other way around.

He stopped just short of me. “Because we hadn’t finished our conversation last night, when we were so rudely interrupted.”

“Do you mean when I ran off?”

One lip ticked upward in a smirk. “Your words, not mine.”

“Well, I think our conversation was over, so I didn’t run off anywhere. I left, as I had a right to.”

His eyes flashed with something dark and intriguing as he studied me. “Are you always like this?”

---