Page 76 of The Billionaire's Ride

How is she so insanely gorgeous, even when dancing to “Copacabana”?And then it really hits me. Like the most beautiful ton of brownstone bricks. If I can love her dancing to “Copacabana,” then it must be real.

I take a deep breath, then tug her arm and she spins into me. My feet pick up the beat in a merengue-style move. I press my forehead to hers, gazing into her sparkling eyes. She screams in excitement and it takes everything I have to hold my straight face. I twirl her around, then grab her hips. Swishing them side to side, I drop down, my nose grazing the exposed skin between her soft breasts.

She throws her head back, giggling. “Okay, Swayze!”

“We’re dirty dancing now,” I say, laughing.

The song comes to a close, and Kate jumps, clapping her hands like I’ve just performed a mind-blowing magic trick. “That’s it. I can die a happy woman now.” She laughs that beautifully radiant laugh like nothing can be wrong in the world.

If that’s all I need to do to keep her happy, I’ll dance every night. She catches her breath and our eyes meet. Now, it’s time to make our own music.

“I get to pick the next song,” I say, walking over to the stereo. And as soon as the tune changes, the mood changes, and I can finally pull that zip all the way down.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

KATE

It’s Monday morning,and I could hardly sleep last night. I have another meeting in Midtown with Winslow Lane in about an hour. I’m going to take the collaboration deal and negotiate a fragrance to go with it. I’m just a bundle of nerves. What if they changed their minds since last week and don’t want me anymore?

I change my outfit half a dozen times. Drew doesn’t seem to mind me getting undressed over and over, and can’t seem to keep his hands off me. I want him too but I’m running out of time so I send him to another part of the house.

Finally dressed with my polished proposal in my sleek and stylish briefcase, I wander out to find him. Beautiful piano music finds its way to my ears, and I know exactly where he is. As I make my way to him, I recognize the song—“She’s Got a Way” by Billy Joel. I stop dead in my tracks. That was my dad’s song for my mom.

I remember walking into his home office one day when I was younger. The song played in the background while he sat with his head hanging over a half-empty glass of scotch, and I knew why. His despair was agonizing to witness. I wanted to go to him, make him smile, but I let him be. Let him have his grief.

Even back then I knew that there was nothing that could ever truly soothe the loss of my mother for him. Not even the beautiful, sweet, and funny Lisa Lake. So their marriage eventually ended too, and his sadness seemed to compound. How much heartbreak can a person take?

After an incredible weekend, Drew and I will be separated by an ocean and an entire continent tomorrow when we each fly back to our respective cities. I’ve been trying not to think about it but it’s here.

Drew and I can’t live in this fantasy bubble forever. We have lives to get back to. Lives that don’t include each other. I don’t know what’s going to happen. All I know is I don’t realistically see a way around it. And now, I’m beginning to understand a little of what my dad has felt all these years.

I come into the living room. With the window to his back, the light casts a shadow on Drew’s face. Clouds have rolled in outside. But then he smiles at me, and the room feels bright again. But this time, it doesn’t last.

“You ready for your big meeting?” he asks.

“I hope so,” I say and exhale a long breath.

The music comes to a halt. “What’s the matter?”

This is all going to be over soon and I hate it. But I don’t say that. I just keep my gaze on the floor and say, “Just anxious about this meeting.”

He rises from the piano bench and comes to me with open arms. “I know but it’ll be great. This is going to bring Kate Golden to the masses, and everyone will love you.”

“Maybe,” I say, chewing my lip in thought. I lean on his chest, breathing in his natural scent, which I wish could be bottled and sold just to me. This is the time to stock up.

He kisses the top of my head, and it makes the sweetest sound. “I wish we didn’t have to leave tomorrow.”

“Me neither. But if this deal goes through, I’m going to have so much work to do, and you have that photo shoot in a few days.”

“But we’ll be back here together for the art show next month.”

Is this how it’s going to be? Having these whirlwind romantic weekends when we have time? If I didn’t like the guy so damn much that might be okay. Preferred even. But I already miss him, and he’s literally holding me. I don’t want to miss him. I don’t want to feel any sadness around Drew.

“And then what?” I ask, taking a step back. “We see each other a few more times before you go permanently back to your part of the world and I go off to mine?”

“What?”

“I’m just saying, what are we doing?”

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