Billionaires Dollar Series

Ethan rests his arm behind me on the couch and takes a sip of the drink just offered to him. “Something like that, yes.”

Cole shakes his head. “I can’t believe your luck, man. The perfect woman just moves in next door? That just doesn’t happen. I feel like you haven’t worked for it enough.”

Ethan snorts, but he doesn’t object. “Can’t say I disagree.”

“How about you?” I ask Cole and Skye, who’s just sat down on the armrest of his chair. “How did you two meet?”

“Well,” Cole says, “it’s a rather long story.”

“It’s very short,” Skye protests. “He was trying to tear down property that I was trying to protect.”

Cole mutters something in his glass that sounds an awful lot like that’s not how we met, but Skye ignores him completely.

“That sounds complicated,” I say, “and very intriguing. What happened next?”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

They launch into their story together and I listen, nestled into the crook of Ethan’s arm. It’s clearly a telling they’ve perfected, because they know when to pause for the other’s part. It’s as thrilling to watch as the story itself.

From there, the conversation flows easily. It’s not awkward at all, actually, being here with Ethan’s high-flying friends. I’m certainly aware of the difference between us-I have nowhere to live and they probably all own multiple houses-but it doesn’t make me self-conscious the way it had when I first met them at dinner. They’re people, I’m people. Not to mention that Ethan likes them, and I trust his judgment. Not once has he lorded his money or status in a way that’s made me uncomfortable.

Cole stops by my side later, a glass in his hand. “You’re the Gardners’ niece, right?”

The pulled pork slider I’ve just swallowed turns to lead in my stomach. I can’t reply.

By my side, Ethan speaks for me. “Yes, she is.”

“Some of their close friends are here, I believe. Craig and Joanna Robson. Do you know them? They’re over by the fire pit.”

“We can go over and say hi,” Ethan offers, finishing the last of his own slider. “I don’t mind.”

Oh no.

No, no, no.

“Thanks for letting me know,” I tell Cole. “I might talk to them later, but for now, I need another one of those burgers.”

“So do I,” Cole says, motioning to one of the waiters. “Isn’t my caterer the best?”

“Yes, and you’re the humblest,” Ethan says, accepting another of the sliders. Somehow, neither of them pick up on the panicked sweat that must have broken out across my forehead.

The second it’s just the two of us again, I grip Ethan’s hand tightly. “Do you want to head out soon?” I ask. “I think I’ve had enough miniature burgers and crooning jazz music to last me a week, possibly longer.”

Ethan tips my head back and kisses me, right there in front of anyone who might be looking. “Thought you’d never ask,” he says.

The sigh of relief that escapes me as we leave Cole’s mansion behind is tinged with heavy guilt. All it would’ve taken was one word to the wrong guest at that party for the innocent lie to come crashing down around me.

And it would be so much worse if he didn’t hear it from me.

“Ethan,” I say softly. “Tonight was amazing. This whole past week has been, actually. Absolutely amazing.”

He fits his arm tightly around my waist. “I’m happy to hear it,” he murmurs. “It’s been amazing for me too.”

“I want you to know that meeting you was… well, one of the best, most unexpected things in my life. I had no idea when I moved here for the summer that this would happen between us. It’s been the best surprise.” I swallow, forcing the next words out. “That’s what I want you to focus on.”

He unlocks the gate to his house, pulling me along up toward his front door. The sudden change in direction disrupts my flow. “We’re going to yours? What about the kids?”

“Yes. You’re sleeping in my bed tonight.”

“What about the girls? Won’t they be surprised when I’m here in the morning?”

“You often come by for weekend breakfast anyway,” he says, unlocking the front door. The second it closes behind us, he wraps his arms around me. “You can’t say things like that to me, Bella, not without living up to them. Stay the night with me. Let me show you just how good of a surprise this has been for me too.”

My arms tighten around his neck. The fierce sincerity in his voice has dealt a withering blow to my resolve, but it makes one final, valiant stand. “Ethan, I need to-”

He presses his lips to mine and swallows the truth I’d planned on laying out for him, meeting it with soft heat and strong, gripping hands. The truth is better spoken in daylight, after all.

The dark is for lovers.

He lays me out on his bed, strips me slowly, even as I do the same to him. Tonight there are no discussions about lists or wants or fantasies. There’s just us and the sound of our breathing.

And when he spreads my legs and fills me up, when I cradle him against me and run my nails gently down his back, it’s different than it’s been before. We make love without words this time, but we’ve never spoken louder.

Ethan shudders in my arms when he comes, burying his head against my neck. We lie like that for a long, long time.

“Stay,” he murmurs. “I love having you in my bed.”

I wrap both my arms and legs around him, fighting against the tears that prick at my eyes. He might have said bed, but the word I hear is life. And I feel the same way.

“I love being in your bed,” I whisper, desperately hoping that I’ll still be invited after tomorrow, when the truth meets the cold light of day.

Bella groans and turns over in bed, pretending to put a pillow over her head. She mumbles something that sounds like it’s so early.

Laughing, I pull the cover up around her and press a kiss to her bare, smooth shoulder. “Sleep a while longer, then.”

She grumbles again but doesn’t try to keep me in bed-not that I would’ve been averse to her trying. But there are sounds from the hallway outside of my bedroom that are easy to recognize.

I pull on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans and open my bedroom door to two girls, one in a tutu and the other in nothing but her nightie, dancing around with the theme song to Paw Patrol playing in the background.

“Morning!” Evie chirps. It’s one of those small Evieisms-she’s never quite figured out the point of adding good to good morning or good night.

I scoop her up and ruffle Haven’s hair. “Did you guys just get up?”

“Yes. Maria is making breakfast, but she says we have to wait for Bella, too.” Haven tries to peer around me into the dark of my bedroom. “Is she still asleep?”

“Yes. Let’s let her wake up slowly. Why don’t we go grab some orange juice?”

When Bella finally emerges, she’s showered and sheepish. The expression on her face makes me chuckle. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I thought I was used to early mornings, but apparently not.”

“You slept in for thirty minutes. It’s hardly a capital crime.”