Page 23 of Cinderella and the Outback Billionaire

‘I’ll...find him,’ Ari murmured.

‘I’ll stay here,’ Lilah offered. ‘Ma’am, let’s find you a seat over by the wall, and a glass of water while we wait.’ She and Ari shared a glance—they were doing their best to be accommodating but this was beyond what either of them had signed up for.

Ari plunged into the crowd and headed towards the front of the ballroom. She searched for Judah and Bridie.

Reid found her first.

‘Ari.’

‘Hey.’ As if beautiful suit-wearing billionaires called her by name all the time. Her body tensed as she met his gaze and something clicked into place, some missing piece of the puzzle that could teach her about passion and obsession. Irresistible fascination with another human being. She had no doubt she could learn such things from him. She just didn’t know if she wanted to go all in on him. He was Reid Blake and she was nobody.

‘There’s a guest with a sick wife who almost fainted at your announcement. They’re over by the second set of French doors from the bar. He’s belligerent and she’s scared witless. He’s demanding to speak with your brother and he wants a bed in the house for his wife.’

Reid passed a hand over his eyes, his fingers rubbing at a spot on his hairline. She could see the scarring, still puffy, not old enough to have faded to silver. ‘I knew this would happen.’ He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a phone. Ari began to drift away, job done, but he reached out and grasped her bare arm. ‘Stay.’

His gaze didn’t leave hers as he spoke into the phone. ‘We have our first contender.’ He gave Judah the directions and ended the call. ‘Come with me.’ Without waiting for an answer, he slid his hand down her arm, laced his fingers through hers and began weaving through the crowd, with Ari at his side. The warmth and tingle of his hand in hers crashed through her defences, bringing with it memories of their time in the tent. That magical, terrible time when their defences were down and they’d connected with each other in ways she’d never imagined opening up to another person. ‘I knew it.’

‘You sound like a crazy person.’

‘You know exactly what I’m talking about—you’re not that good an actor and unlike last time I can see you. I think you must have your mother’s eyes. They’re very expressive.’

He led her through to the long hallway that ran the length of the ground floor. Past the library, past the various bedrooms and sitting rooms until they reached the door at the very end. It was locked but the press of his thumb on a touchpad opened it to reveal an office decked out in burgundy velvet. Bookshelves, a massive walnut desk, an elaborate Aubusson floor rug and dozens of other examples of generational wealth.

‘I hope this isn’t your idea of cosy and informal.’ Seriously, could there be a bigger contrast between this room and her tent? Did he really think she needed reminding of her place?

‘This was my grandfather’s office. Judah needs to redecorate.’ He released her hand and Ari shivered at the sudden loss of warmth. He pulled the visitor’s chair away from the desk. ‘Sit.’

Did she want to defy him in this or save her fire for bigger battles? She sat, and he took the boss chair on the other side of the desk, but not before he’d shut the office door, plunging them into semi-darkness. The only light in the room came from the fairy lights in the trees outside the one narrow window at the opposite end of the room.

‘Talk to me,’ he commanded.

‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘How about you tell me why you never came forward? Start there.’

There was no give in his voice. None. And she still didn’t know what to say.

‘You left without saying goodbye,’ he continued. ‘Not that I want to appear needy, but when it comes to you, I am diabolically needy-feeling. You promised to wake me.’

‘I did wake you.’ She’d kept her promise. ‘You were delirious with fever. I did everything I could for you, you have to know that. I tried to help you. I did help you. What more do you want from me?’

‘You left me.’

‘To get help. I did not abandon you, I wanted you found. I was so happy when I saw them coming for you.’

His eyes blazed, caught on hers and held. A frisson of awareness snaked through her. She was craving his nearness, wanting his touch again, for reasons other than comfort.

Maybe this was way she’d never come forward.

She hadn’t wanted to try and recreate the closeness they’d shared in the tent and not find it again. ‘Can we turn on a light?’

He gestured towards the light switch by the door. ‘Be my guest.’

The overhead fluorescent lights gave off a bright daytime glow. Ari blinked. Reid reached for a pair of sunglasses tucked into the handkerchief pocket of his jacket. Moments later the dark glasses hid his eyes from view.

‘I’m still not good with bright light,’ he offered by way of explanation.

‘I’m really glad they fixed you. I’ve been wanting to know the details. I had that in the “reasons to reveal myself” column.’

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