Page 48 of The Billionaire's Assistant

“You use money to make things happen.”

“I do, that’s true, but that’s not all I do. I work with people to find solutions, create new ways to do things, create paths that haven’t existed before. That’s what I enjoy about running my company.”

After a brief pause, he whispered, “I like being with you.”

“I can tell.” I was rewarded by watching a flush rise up his chest.

“Let’s not think too much about the future for now; let’s just enjoy this weekend together.”

“Weekend?”

“Is there a reason you need to leave?”

He shifted to look at me. “You want me to stay here all weekend?”

“Yes.”

“I thought…I thought I’d be leaving after dinner.”

“The only place you’re going after dinner is back to my bed.”

He laughed. “Very confident of that, are you?”

“Yes.”

“All right. I’ll stay the weekend, and I’ll try not to think beyond that. I don’t know how well I’ll do though.”

“Baby, all I ask is that you try.”

When the bathwater began to cool, we drained the tub and rinsed the bubbles off our bodies. After we dried off, I offered Ben a pair of my running shorts. They were big on him, but he folded the waist over and made do. I put on shorts as well, then led him to the kitchen where I opened a bottle of wine and threw together a quick charcuterie board with olives, cheese, and crackers.

“Try this Albariño with the Manchego,” I said handing him a slice of cheese and the glass I’d just poured.

He seated himself at the island, tasted the cheese, then took a tentative sip of wine.

His eyes lit up. “Wow, that’s really good. I keep trying to like wine, but I haven’t really gotten into it.”

That was something I could help with. I’d studied wine extensively and recently invested in a vineyard. “Tell me what you like about this wine.”

He frowned. “I don’t really know.”

“Taste it again and tell me what strikes you.”

22

BEN

Itook another sip and considered. I didn’t know all the proper terms used by wine experts, and most of them didn’t make sense anyway. What did it mean for it to have mineralogy or be sharp on the finish?

“It tastes a little like citrus fruit, especially lime. I know it’s made from grapes but….”

“I get that,” Miles said. “It definitely has lime as well as other citrus notes. I think that’s part of why it pairs perfectly with Manchego.”

I took a bite of a different cheese, then another sip. “It tastes different with this one.”

Miles smiled. “It does. That’s Port Salut, not as great a pairing, but I wanted to put out some variety.”

“This is all perfect. What are you making?” So far he’d grated some Parmesan and placed almonds and sun-dried tomatoes in the food processor.

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