Page 80 of The Billionaire's Assistant

I smiled for the first time since I’d seen the flames. “You really are something else.”

“Damn right I am.”

Miles’s driver idled at the curb as traffic backed up behind us. Motorists laid on their horns as Miles calmly stepped out of the car and walked into the burger place.

When the car began to move forward, I started to protest.

The driver must have seen my distress in his mirror because he quickly assured me, “We’ll circle the block, sir, and then pick him up.”

“Oh. Of course.”

When Miles re-entered the car. He handed me a bag and set drinks in the holders in front of us.

I opened the bag and the scent of burgers and fries hit me. I was suddenly starving. “Are you even allowed to eat fast food in a car as fancy as this?”

“I’m allowed to do anything, remember?”

I frowned. “I should probably wait, though.”

“No, you need to eat something. You haven’t been eating well, and you didn’t have anything at Eudora’s.”

“How do you know I haven’t been eating? Are you still fucking spying on me?”

“I know because Ford told me, though as you saw, I did have a guard stationed by your building to make sure you’re safe.”

I wanted to be mad about that but….

“Ben, I care about you. That was never a game to me. I know I hid things from you, but how could I tell you?”

Just like I couldn’t tell him.

Miles laid a hand on my arm. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you in the interview.”

I wanted to believe that so badly. “The interview was a game.”

“I suppose you could say that. I knew who you were. Did you really think I wouldn’t do a background check?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Mrrrow.” Felix yowled from his spot beside me, but I barely even heard him.

“It’s okay, Felix.” Miles said, his voice as gentle as I’d even heard it. “You’ll be out of the car soon.”

Miles extracted a burger from the bag and handed it to me, then he took one for himself. I grinned at him as he took a bite. “I didn’t think you’d eat fast food.”

“I can rough it as well as anyone.”

“I doubt that.” For the next several minutes, we both focused on eating. I was thankful for the food, not just because I was hungry, but because it gave me something to do with my hands and kept me from feeling like I needed to talk. Miles was a warm presence beside me. I wanted to snuggle against him, but I wasn’t sure exactly how I felt, and I didn’t want to let him hold me again until I did.

When we reached his building, Miles insisted on carrying Felix’s box. I still had fries to eat and part of my drink to finish, so I carried those. We were rather conspicuous with the screaming cat and Miles’s soot-covered clothes as we walked through the lobby of his posh building, but Miles wasn’t the least bit ruffled by it. He really did expect to get away with whatever he chose.

That had amazed, frightened, and angered me at various times, but right then I loved it. I looked around the lobby that had intimated me the first time I’d been here. Now all I saw was an open, airy space, decorated with marble and gold, nothing that should scare me. The only thing that mattered was whether Miles wanted me here.

We were silent during the elevator ride. When we got to his penthouse, I was shocked to see a self-cleaning litter box set up and ready to go, as well a bag of expensive cat food and dishes for food and water. “Where did all this come from?”

“I had someone bring it while I got your dinner. Should I put Felix in a guest room until he gets settled?”

I loved how he just glossed over that like it was something anyone could do. I chewed my lower lip, trying to decide. I wanted to curl up with Miles in his bed, kiss him, and let him help me forget how scared I’d been, but I was a mess. I should get myself together first. He’d overwhelmed me with the things he’d said as we stood by Eudora’s house. Then the fire had happened, and now I was here. When I walked out the other day, I hadn’t thought I’d ever be in his penthouse again, but being here felt so right.

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