Page 7 of The Billionaire's Naughty List

See, I know these things about her. Because I know her. And I'm sick of denying it.

I study the freckles smattered across her skin and ache to press my lips to each and every one. But that will have to wait.

She needs words, and I will find them for her.

"Last year at that party, I shut you down and I'm—" I swallow. "I'm sorry I hurt you that night. I was suffering a dump truck full of guilt for watching you move in that pretty little party dress and feeling all kinds of ways that I definitely shouldn’t have been feeling for a woman half my age. Mentally smacking myself because you’re Colt’s daughter."

Lily remains silent, almost transfixed, with those warm brown eyes watching me. I did that. Broke her trust. Bruised her heart.

Damn, that hurts more than I thought.

Because she's the same woman who trusted me to go with her for her tattoo. She trusted me with her grades and her goals and her plans to start her own business. But this last year she cut me from her life and then held me firmly on the outside. I've missed her inappropriate laughter, near constant smiles, sassy comebacks and quiet confidence more than I can convey.

"Say something—" Why isn't she saying anything? "Yell at me. Anything."

"I just… What made you change your mind?"

I hate—hate—how small and unsure she sounds. It kills me that this confident, incredible woman who is so much to so many could doubt herself.

But I'm really not sure how she's going to take this. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I need answers.

So I step back, pacing away, dodging the hot spray. Who knew all those years ago when Colt and I bought this place that this ridiculously large shower would come in handy?

"I saw your picture. On OnlySantas."

Her inhale is louder, sharper than the water raining down on the tile.

I don't know why it feels so important to me to explain that I wasn't perving on her. Well, itstartedinnocently enough. "One of the programmers downstairs was showing me a feature on the site that he thought we should implement on ours."

"How did you know it was me?"

I turn back to her.

She's not denying her participation on OnlySantas.

I'm not sure if I was holding out hope that another beautiful woman had the same tattoo and a proclivity for playing Miss Claus. Maybe I was, in my heart of hearts. And yet, I knew it was her, didn't I? I was so fucking sure, I upended my schedule and flew out here.

"Your tattoo." I glance down at her stocking-covered foot.

Something makes me cross back to her and drop to my knees. "May I?" My fingers ghost up her calf to the edge of the striped fabric.

She's got one hand pressed to the wall next to her thigh and the other against her heart. Desire and fear swirl in her eyes and there's a cute little furrow between her dark-chocolate brows that I want to kiss away.

But first I need to see that tattoo again. Prove that I'm not crazy.

She nods, a bit shakily, but I'll take it. "Y-yes."

Without missing a beat, I roll down the stocking revealing a cute knee, smooth skin, a sexy calf. She lifts her foot as I reach her ankle and toss the sodden stocking over my shoulder.

Her nails are polished a merry red. But it's the black ink across the top of her foot that holds my attention. Delicate and detailed, the design starts between her toes and then branches out, connecting and bisecting with small swirls and dots before connecting around her ankle.

Lightly, I trace the design before wrapping my hand around her lower leg.

"Now it's your turn. Why are you on a site like OnlySantas?"

5

LILY

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