Page 59 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
Then he reaches out, his fingers brushing against mine, and his voice is steady when he says, “You don’t have to have all the answers right now, Lucy. I’m not going anywhere.”
Something breaks loose in my chest at that, and I find myself blinking back tears.
I look up at him, and his eyes are so full of quiet determination that it makes it impossible to doubt him.
For the first time in years, I feel my heart opening — just a little.
We sit there for a while longer, just watching the ocean, letting the silence settle around us.
Then he turns to me, his smile soft.
“Can I kiss you?”
My breath catches.
I nod, unable to find my voice.
He leans in slowly, giving me every chance to pull away.
But I don’t.
His lips brush against mine, gentle at first, then deeper, and I feel the world fall away.
The sun is warm on my skin, the waves crash below, and for one perfect moment, it’s just us.
When we finally pull back, his forehead rests lightly against mine, and I let my eyes flutter shut, trying to memorize the feel of him, the warmth of his hand still holding mine.
But even as my heart swells, even as the taste of him lingers on my lips, one thought cuts through the haze.
This has to stop.
For his sake.
And for mine.
Because my worst fear is already happening.
I’m falling in love with him.
And it’s only going to make everything messier when I have to say goodbye.
Later ***
The days bleed together now.
Morning fades into afternoon. Afternoon fades into evening.
It feels like I’m sleepwalking through all of it.
I throw myself into work, clinging to the routine of it — checking the appointment book, answering calls, restocking the shelves. Anything to keep my hands busy, to keep my mind from wandering to the inevitable.
Two weeks.
Less than two weeks, now.
The weight of it sits in my chest like a stone.
And every time my phone lights up with a message from him, the stone grows heavier.
