Page 64 of The Billionaire Offer
“Is he here?” I asked. “Jeremiah’s friend, I mean.”
“Nope. To be honest, I haven’t even met him but I will soon. I have to play a game with him we both like in return for letting us use his house.”
“Wow,” I breathed as we walked in. “So let me get this straight. We get to stay here, and all you have to do is play a game with the guy? Could I get in on this game? Because I’d sure like to have access to this place more often.”
He laughed. “As long as we don’t burn it down while we’re here, Maddox seems like the kind of guy who’d be happy to let us use it whenever.”
“Just… wow.” There were no other words to describe it as we walked further in and got a good look around.
It was all open concept in the living and kitchen areas, with tasteful but fun and comfortable furnishings and local artwork on the walls. There were also a few pictures of the guy I was assuming was Maddox with some friends, one of them of him and Jeremiah.
All the areas in the center of the house looked toward the outside, where there was a dock at a wet bar on the beach, along with a firepit, chairs, and all the amenities one could ever need for a relaxing stay. “Who is this guy?”
Bart shrugged. “I’m not really sure, but a caterer he recommended delivered food for us earlier today, so I vote that we go put our stuff in the room, get comfortable, and then go eat on the beach.”
Since I was still in a mild state of shock, all I could do was nod. I followed him to where we thought the bedrooms were. Once we found the master, a suite that was bigger than my entire apartment with a bathroom and a tub the size of a small swimming pool, we set down our bags but left the unpacking for later.
The bedrooms also opened up to the beach, and I could imagine that once all the doors were open, it would almost feel like one was living right on the sand. It was the kind of place I could easily picture spending weeks at, just relaxing with the man of my dreams. A place that would be perfect for a honeymoon.
I swallowed hard as he left the bedroom, turning to glance at me over his shoulder once he reached the door. “Join me outside when you’re ready? I’ll grab the food and some drinks.”
Before I could respond, he was gone, and I was alone with my thoughts once more. Wandering over to the sliding glass doors, I ran my fingers across the delicate, sheer curtains hanging in front of them and watched as Bart walked out onto the deck in front of the house a few minutes later.
This wasn’t the kind of place where one brought a platonic travel companion. For as worried as I’d been about it for so long, I was convinced that bringing me here was the final bit of proof I’d been waiting for that he had feelings for me.
Our suite back at the resort had already been plenty private, but this was next level. This was just us, with absolutely no distractions except for those we created on our own. He’d organized this knowing that it was a private house, and I couldn’t believe he’d have done it if hedidn’thave feelings for me.
My heart swooped and then soared.I wonder if this is what has been distracting him for the last few days.
It certainly felt like being here was us gearing up for something explosive, and unless I was completely caught up in my own feelings, thatsomethingwas us getting back together again. Officially.
A soft squeal escaped me.
I stood there, watching him pouring champagne into what appeared to be crystal flutes and spreading out trays of fancy snacks.Yep. That’s definitely not just another meal.
I was smiling so wide, my cheeks hurt as I left the window and went outside to join him. There was a slight breeze, and his dark hair was looking just ever so tousled by it. He grinned when he saw me walking out, and he picked up the champagne to hand one of the flutes over to me.
“This place is pretty great, huh? I had a feeling that Jeremiah’s friend wouldn’t disappoint, and he really didn’t.”
“No, he didn’t,” I agreed. “I can’t believe we actually get to stay here. It’s great. I’ve just got one question, though.”
“Shoot,” he said, green eyes shimmering with what I was now pretty sure was love as he looked at me in the late afternoon sun. “You can ask me anything.”
“Is this the important business you had to take care of when we first got to Hawaii?” I asked. Surprise flashed in his gaze, and I laughed. “This is it, isn’t it? This is what’s been distracting you but you refused to talk about?”
“How did you know?” he asked softly, not looking away from me for so much as a fraction of a second.
This is it. This is the moment we’ve both been waiting for. I can feel it. I smiled, closing the distance between us and taking his hand. “I knew because I know you. I suspected that you were planning something, and first, I thought it might just have to do with the tournaments or your dad, but then I started wondering why you wouldn’t tell me about it. The only explanation that makes sense now is that you didn’t tell me because you were keeping this as a surprise.”
The way he looked at me was almost like he was marveling. “You really do know me well, and yes. That’s exactly what it was, although I doubt you needed me to tell you that.”
“I didn’t, but there is something I need to tell you,” I started, ignoring the thousands of butterflies that were suddenly zooming around in my chest and stomach. As I opened my mouth to finally tell him the truth, my fucking phone rang. “Sorry, let me just silence the call.”
I dug it out of my pocket but then saw it was Leah calling. “Crap. I promised I’d let her know once we were done scuba diving. She must be really worried by now. Let me tell her we’re okay, then we can talk. Otherwise, she might just call the police or something. If she thinks we’re in trouble, I wouldn’t put it past her to send in the cavalry. She might even call Shawn.”
Bart chuckled, releasing my hand and motioning toward the phone. “By all mean, take it, then. I’d hate for him to show up here, especially if he thinks we’re in trouble all the way over, and hewouldcome.”
“Yeah, he would.” I took a reluctant step away from him, then slid my finger across the screen and wandered back in the house as I spoke. “Hey, you. I’m sorry I didn’t call. We’re fine. Bart just surprised me again, and I completely forgot.”
