Page 53 of Billion-Dollar Dating Game

His smile faded. ‘Are you seriously mad with me about this?’

‘You hold back.Everything.’

‘What?’ His eyebrows shot up. ‘You cannot accuse me of holding back in bed.’

‘I mean your feelings.’

He stiffened. ‘I don’t—’

‘Have feelings? Right. You’re a robot. Who bleeds. You could talk to me, you know. About anything. I wouldn’t mind. But you won’t. You can’t even express a little literal pain to me, let alone anything actually—’ She broke off as she registered his shuttered expression.

She’d gone off. And now she was mortified. She stalked up the beach to the villa, fossicked for a sticking plaster in the small first-aid kit she always had in her pack, then turned back to find him right behind her. She handed the plaster to him.

‘I won’t offer to put it on for you,’ she said. ‘Heaven forbid you let someone tend to your wounds.’

He took the plaster meekly. ‘Thank you.’

She watched him ruin one plaster. Handed him another. Watched him ruin that one too. Which gave her time to think. To realise her mistake. He didn’t talk to her about anything deeply private because he didn’twantto. Because, as she well knew, this wasn’t a relationship. It was an arrangement. And while she might’ve spoken to him about stuff, that didn’t mean he then had to do the same. Talking had been her choice.Nottalking was his. She had to respect that.

‘You do it,’ he said gruffly when she tried to hand him a fourth plaster. ‘It’s too awkward a position for me to manage.’

He sat on the edge of the bed and she knelt to wrap the plaster around his thumb with quick, matter-of-fact ease.

He cleared his throat. ‘You think I’m...’

‘I think you’re okay,’ she said softly. Biggest understatement ever. ‘I think you’re kind. And I think...’ She trailed off and shook her head. ‘It doesn’t really matter what I think.’

Zane gazed down at her. Speechless. Because what she thought did matter to him. And that realisation made him motionless as well as speechless. It shouldn’t matter. Until this second, he would’ve argued it didn’t...but it really did. This wasn’t like their flirt-tipped verbal swordplay. Or a caustic analysis of their differing views on Helberg. This challenge went deeper.

She was bothered by his silence. And that bothered him.

That first night in his orchard, he hadn’t much cared at all—he’d thought it had been his chance to assuage their out-of-control chemistry. And that chance had been extended. He still didn’t reallycarethough, right? But he wasconcerned.

Surely not saying anything about a stupid small cut that he’d barely noticed was a problem? He’d wanted her to have a good time out there on the reef. Hell, he’d been having a good time. Even with that little bit of pain—it was a little price to pay for the pleasure of seeing her entranced by the sea life.

But now that nothing of a wound throbbed like his thumb had been sliced off completely. Worse, an ache pressed inside him and he couldn’t pinpoint the source. He’d put up with physical pain in his leg for years but this was different. He needed to soothe it. Soothe them both.Silencethem both.

Because talking was pointless. It was action that mattered. Always.

He cupped her face and held her so she couldn’t slip away from him and kissed her gently. Then a little less gently, and he leaned back so he could watch that smoky surrender enter her eyes. Then he kissed her everywhere.

And said nothing.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SKYLARSTRETCHEDOUTher warm, achy muscles. It had been another magical night of tease and sensuality... She blinked drowsily and realised the morning was onlyalmostperfect. Zane wasn’t lying beside her. She sat up. He was probably taking an early-morning swim. Which was fine. A little space was probably good.

Relax and enjoy it.

But her nerves were brittle and she suddenly felt a wave of warning. She tried to push the panic away—not ruin this moment by panicking about everything ending. Labour Day was a while away and she was herenow, she could settle for this. It was already more than she’d ever had.

She got out of bed and shrugged on a silk robe. Glancing out the window, she saw he wasn’t in the pool. She wandered from the bedroom into the lounge to check the beach view. That’s when she registered the softly playing music. She followed the sound—upstairs. Once she hit the second floor she stopped at the open door, unable to believe her eyes. There were tall windows with even more expansive views over that amazing teal water, but Skylar’s attention was completely absorbed by Zane. Wearing only boxers, he was seated at a sleek piano. She watched the muscles rippling across his back as he played. Still and silent, she listened until the last note had faded. And when it had? That’s when she lost it.

‘Are youkiddingme?’ She stalked towards him. ‘Of all the—’

‘What?’ Startled, he spun and lifted his hands like she was pointing a gun at him. ‘Did I wake you? I was playing softly. I didn’t think you’d be able to hear from the bed.’

She walked towards him. ‘I can’t believeyouwere really playing that.’

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