Page 126 of Nothing to Tell
“No,” she said.“Another reason I can’t take your money.I need mine to get myself somewhere to live.”
“I told you to live with me.”
She laughed.“Forever?”
If his luck was in.“Yeah,” he said.“Why not?”
“This will blow over eventually.Your family will realize we’re not together and you can be free of me… again.”
“I don’t want to be free of you, Harper.”
“You’re very generous,” she said.
She didn’t get it.Did he need to PowerPoint it for her?He wanted to open his mouth and lay the truth out bare.But he couldn’t.There was too much going on in her life.If she freaked, she’d distance herself.That wasn’t happening.Her safety was more important than his urges, his craving to pull her close.
“We’re friends,” he said.“The offer’s always there.No shortage of cash over here, Sweet.”
She exhaled.“You’re not what I would’ve thought a billionaire would be.”
“You’ve told me that before.”
“It’s a compliment,” she said.“You’re a good man.”
“I’d be the same man if I was dirt poor.”
Yes, because he was raised right.No matter their financial bracket, Carolyn would’ve seen to it that he was raised with strong values.
“I suppose I should say you’re not what men usually are.”
“So long as I’m man enough for you, I’ll take it.”And her, if she ever offered.“Are you ready to go home?”
She rested against him again, swishing her feet in the water.“Your family were talking about dinner.”
“Do you want to join them?”
“Honestly…?”She shook her head.“It’s late.I want your big TV and a giant greasy pizza… Not very sophisticated.”
“Sophisticated enough for me, Sweet,” he said, rising, taking her hands to help her out of the water.“Let’s go home.”
FORTY-THREE
BIG PIZZA, big TV, big bed… That last part hadn’t been part of her thought process.Her conscious thought process anyway.
Somehow, it wasn’t weird.
When she’d walked into the darkened room, the lights flickered on, but gave them candlelight rather than the full overhead glow.
That was the moment she paused to wonder if this was a good idea.
Oh, if only she’d listened to herself.
Movies, pizza, being there with him again…
The credits rolled on the TV, that was the end of the second movie, the third?She’d lost track.All she’d been thinking about for more than an hour was how well she fitted against her host.Tucked in at his side, head on his chest, this was home.The strength of his arm across her shoulders felt so good that she didn’t want to give it up.
Neither of them moved.
Was Bastian asleep?She could do that.Close her eyes right there and live in the moment.They’d wake in the harsh light of day, sure, and she’d have to remind herself that Bastian wasn’t an option.
