Page 37 of Faking it with the Billionaire
But she makes me feel like a giddy schoolboy with a crush.
And I do not intend on her ever finding that out.
“I don’t think it’s something I can teach.” She laughs, and her shoulders relax as she nudges me. “Do you want to check the cameras and make sure Bristol is safe?”
I shouldn’t be surprised by her level of concern, especially since I’ve taken her away from Bristol for the evening. I retrieve my phone from my pocket and open the app, shuffling through the video feeds until I find my daughter sitting on the sofa watching a movie, a bowl of popcorn in her lap. I added a half dozen new cameras for inside the house when we hired Lia.
“I think we hired the right nanny,” I say and nudge her right back. “Can I tell you a secret?”
She rolls her lips together and nods, her eyes wide as she stares straight into my soul. I’ll have to share her tonight with the world, but right now, she’s mine and mine alone.
“Bristol isn’t the only one in need of a bodyguard.”
“What?” Her voice catches in her throat. “I thought you hired me because of the connection to her mother and—”
TEN
EMERSON
I swearhe’s trying to give me a heart attack. Leaving Bristol alone with Lia wasn’t exactly easy. Is that how it feels like for first-time mothers to leave their child with a babysitter?
Bristol isn’t my daughter, but it’s my responsibility to make sure that she’s safe and protected.
Kyler leads me effortlessly out of the vehicle. His hand is nestled at the small of my back. His scent is strong and masculine, and I try not to make it obvious that I want to lean in and take a strong whiff.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I still can’t get Kyler’s words out of my head that his daughter isn’t the only one in need of protection.
From the moment I laid eyes on him, I suspected there was more to it than the story he’d told the Eagle Tactical team.
He’s been leaving out details, and I can’t do my best to protect him if I’m left in the dark. But right now isn’t the time or place to argue and demand answers. There are cameras everywhere, flashing lights, and reporters asking questions as we shuffle inside.
I’ve always seen the red carpet on television, but I never thought that once in my life, I’d step foot on the plush velvet under my heels.
“Smile,” he whispers into my ear. “Pretend that you like me.”
“That’s a tough sell,” I say, leaning in and planting a soft, chaste kiss on his cheek.
He smirks and tugs me closer as the cameras around us flash over and over again, taking in the sight before them.
I try not to give an awkward look, but I’m not used to being in the spotlight. I knew what I was getting into when Kyler suggested that I play his girlfriend, but I didn’t think quite so far ahead to realize I’d be in the spotlight with him.
Imagining his arm wrapped around my waist or my hand on his arm as he escorted me to fancy events was the most I envisioned.
Kyler turns his head, his gaze on me as he dips me back and plants a long and firm kiss on my lips.
I’m startled by the gesture. His mouth doesn’t loosen, and his lips tease mine apart. Slowly, my mouth parts, granting him entrance as his tongue glides in past my lips. The world around us seems to melt away.
His hand remains planted at my lower back, keeping me secure to him before he lifts me back to my feet.
I’m sure my cheeks are flushed, and the cameras catch every glimpse of it. What will the headline tomorrow read? Something embarrassing, undoubtedly.
Kyler leads me inside, past the paparazzi, and into the gala. It’s being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a private function after dark, allowing only those invited guests inside.
I can’t imagine what it cost to host something quite so extravagant.
To say I’m impressed is an understatement. The event alone is probably more than I’d make over the course of a decade.
