Bidding on the Billionaire (11 page)

She held up a finger and picked up her cell phone, her fingers flying over the keyboard. When she finished, she looked up and nodded in his direction.

Cade plucked his phone from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

Hannah: To quote somebody I know, I think I saw stars I came so hard. We should do that again.

Cade glanced back up. Hannah grinned at him. She had a wide mouth and full lips and her bright smile became the focal point in her face. For a moment, he could only stare, stunned. Mission accomplished. They'd almost gotten caught, but she beamed at him.

God, he was in trouble. That look and the feeling eating up his insides meant one thing. Hannah Miller had gotten under his skin, but right then, he couldn't be sorry for it. The light in her eyes had captured him. She radiated like the sun. He'd make a fool out of himself to put that joy back in her eyes.

He dropped her off in front of her store a half hour later. The moment caught him in the chest. The intimacy they'd developed had become painfully apparent. They'd walked the few blocks back to her store in companionable silence, her hand warm and right in his.

He liked the man he became with her by his side. She relaxed him, so much so he'd gone to the lengths he had to set up their tryst this afternoon. Something he never did. Hannah pulled him out of his rigid routines and made him do things he'd never have contemplated otherwise, just to see her smile.

She made him forget himself, his name, the obligations he'd worked so damned hard for. This made two times he'd lost his head around her, but he could only be sorry for one thing.

He caught her around the waist, holding her close. “I owe you an apology.”

Her brow furrowed. “What on earth for?”

He shook his head. “That didn't go as planned. I was a coward to hide in the stall while you handled that guy.”

She stared at him for a moment, gaze working over his face.

“And what? Let you get caught so we can get kicked out of there? I haven't had that much excitement in a while. I enjoyed the hell out of that. You getting caught wouldn't have done anybody any good.” She lifted onto her toes, hands braced on his chest, and caught his bottom lip between her teeth. Her voice lowered to a husky murmur. “Next time, I'll surprise you.”

She winked, then turned and moved into the shop, the electronic beep sounding as the door floated closed behind her. As she approached Maddie behind the counter, his earlier thought cemented. How the hell it was possible to feel as close to someone as he did to her in two days, he didn't know, but Hannah Miller had become a part of him.

The problem was, he liked her there. He could easily get lost in everything about her that made her so damn addicting. The soft, guileless way she smiled at him. Her quiet, breathy laughter. With her, he had the sensation of being king of the world, like he could accomplish anything, so long as she kept smiling at him.

Being with her humbled him. She didn't judge him, but accepted him, faults and all. Even online, for a few precious hours, he had no name, no obligations, and no pressure to be top dog. He could be himself. He didn't have that particular luxury much, and he appreciated the hell out of it now. It made him long to confide in her, to share Ethan with her.

All of which meant he'd gone off the deep end. He needed to put some distance between them, make up an excuse to be busy tonight and concentrate on the business he'd come to Seattle for in the first place. The last pieces of the merger needed to be completed. He had enough paperwork to occupy his time. When the deal finished, he'd go home and this insanity with Hannah would end.

And it
would
end. She was only a warm body. Granted, a sweet, alluring body he craved and a mind he ached with every fiber of his being to know, but their relationship consisted of sex, no more, no less. He'd do well to remember that.

H
annah closed her eyes with a sigh. The darkness of the bedroom and the quietness of the night provided a lull, but sleep wouldn't come. She'd hoped to see Cade tonight. He'd sent her a text two days before telling her he'd be busy for a few days, but otherwise, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of him since their afternoon tryst the other day. It shouldn't bother her. After all, she had no hold on him, save their agreement not to sleep with anyone else for these two weeks. She couldn't even call herself his girlfriend.

Yet no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, she couldn't stop the disappointment from surging through her. She'd been put off enough to know he was avoiding her. Standing with him in front of the store the other day, something intense blazed at the back of his eyes. The hamster wheel had been turning. She had a feeling the hamster was always running in his mind, because his eyes seemed to take in everything around him. Cade McKenzie was a watcher, like her. Something in the depths of his eyes had nagged at her.

She hadn't meant to invite herself to initiate their next tryst. She
ought
to be putting distance between them. Except their encounter in the bathroom had blown her mind. Being with Cade had become so easy and so addicting. In person, the chemistry between them intensified. Her body responded to his.

His impulsive idea had been naughty and exquisite. The risk of getting caught had been a thrill zinging through her veins, which only heightened the intensity. Getting to watch his lids droop and the heat and hunger rise in his eyes as he pounded into her from behind. The memory filled her head all over again and her insides clenched with need.

His regret afterward, though, had been palpable and it had rendered her defenseless. She'd been the one to talk their way out of getting caught and it clearly bothered him. Cade had always been an alpha, an in-control kind of man and obviously used to playing the role, but his concern melted her knees. It had been a long time since anyone wanted to stand up for her.

His chivalry made her yearn to melt into him, which meant she'd caught sight of his human side. She had no desire to see faults and human frailties. Those parts of him would only make her fall in love with him. Cade McKenzie was so far out of her league as to be humorous. They shared a fling, nothing more, nothing less, and something to be tossed aside when it ended.

Which was why she'd decided to stay home tonight instead of surprising him, as she'd said she would. He hadn't called her. She wouldn't go traipsing after him like a lovesick puppy.

The buzz of her phone as it vibrated on her nightstand jerked her out of her heavy musings. She turned her head, following the sound. The red numbers on her digital clock read 11:57 p.m. Despite every previous thought, her heart thumped in anticipation as she sat up, leaning on an elbow to grab her phone. A text blinked across her screen in neon green.

CMcKenzie: Hey, baby. Any chance you're still awake?

Her heart skipped a full giddy beat. His text meant one thing: he was awake at midnight thinking about her, too.

She sucked the corner of her lower lip into her mouth and bit down. She shouldn't want to talk to him tonight. He hadn't so much as called, and it bothered her. It meant he'd become too important. She'd started to do stupid things like hope, things that would get her heart broken again. She
needed
to start dating again, see other men so she'd stop pinning her heart's hopes on this one impossible dream. Cade was a billionaire's son, heir to more money than she could ever fathom. She was that child nobody wanted.

Except she'd promised him that for these two weeks, she'd be his and his alone. She liked the thought more than a little. She liked
Cade
. She enjoyed him. Being with him physically seemed a natural next step to their relationship.

Thoughts whirled in confusing circles in her mind. Her fingers brought up the text and punched in a reply before she could talk herself out of it.

Hannah: it's late.

His reply popped up seconds later. That fact did nothing for the giddy butterflies in her stomach.

CMcKenzie: Sorry. Did I wake you?

Should she tell him the truth?

Hannah: Would you feel bad if I said yes?

CMcKenzie: No. ;)

Hannah couldn't help her grin or the hitch to her heartbeat. He could be a cocky son of a bitch sometimes. She'd always found this aspect of him sexy.

Hannah: Well, then you're in luck. I was awake.

CMcKenzie: Can't sleep?

Her fingers paused over the keypad.
Don't do it. Don't tell him. Lie. Tell him you were reading.

Once again, her fingers didn't obey.

Hannah: No. Didn't think I'd talk to you tonight.

Okay, so she'd been hoping. She couldn't resist the luscious pull of Cade's presence in the city. After all, she'd only have him for two weeks. Two weeks, then he'd go home, never to be seen again, back to being a name on her computer screen, if she ever heard from him again at all. She'd go back to the loneliness and emptiness her life had become. The thought of going through the dating process again brought a deep, abiding sense of dread. She didn't look forward to the stares, to the excuses, to the creeps who'd use her up and spit her out.

Her phone dinged, Cade's reply almost immediate. The thought did nothing for the tangle of emotion caught in her chest.

CMcKenzie: Sorry. Work's crazy. My days are booked solid and my nights are for preparing for the next day. Lots I need to get done.

Something akin to envy surged in her chest, but she squashed it. She couldn't stake a claim on him. They didn't belong to each other.
This is a fling. Remember?

Time to steer this conversation back into safer territory.

Hannah: What is it you do, exactly, GQ?

CMcKenzie: Mergers & acquisitions. Right now, I'm working on a merger. Two large companies consolidating.

Hannah: Sounds exciting.

Okay, so it didn't. She attempted to stall him. He'd contacted her and her heart had glommed onto this small bit of him.

CMcKenzie: LOL. I'm afraid I'm bit of a nerd. It's a lot of late nights drafting documents & getting paperwork ready for filing. I enjoy things like reading & research. Always have.

Hannah: Nerds r sexy

She meant that. Sincerely. In all the wrong kinds of ways. Nerds were the guys you settled down with, because you could depend on them, and a dependable man could make her cream her panties.

CMcKenzie: Glad you think so. Most women I've come across don't appear to. What were you doing before I called?

Hannah gnawed on her lower lip. She shouldn't tell him the truth. No, she ought to make up an excuse and go back to sleep. He hadn't called in two days and it left her with the feeling of being somebody's beck-and-call girl. Something she'd been one time too many. Maybe she should have anticipated this. She couldn't expect the man to drop everything for her. After all, she meant nothing to him. They were lovers, nothing more.

Excerpt she couldn't deny she yearned to see him, if only to talk to him in the dark.

Hannah: Thinking about you & lunch the other day.

CMcKenzie: Funny. Me too. Want some company?

Hannah hesitated. Did she? Without a doubt. The thought of him coming over and being in her apartment rather than words on a screen made her wet all over again.
Should
she? This time, she had to be honest.

Hannah: 3 hours ago? Hands down. Now? It's late. I have to get up early.

CMcKenzie: Bummer. Guess I should've called first, then.

Called first? What on earth did he mean he should have called first? Halfway through typing out the question, the doorbell sounded through the apartment.

Her heart skipped a full beat this time. She threw the covers back and sprang from the bed, trying not to run to the door. She peered through the peephole. Cade stood out in the hallway, five o'clock shadow and all.

She undid the locks with shaking fingers and pulled the door open, too stunned for a moment to do much more than take in his tall, broad form leaning in her doorway. He had on his pajamas, too, baggy, blue plaid pants hanging low on his hips, a plain white T-shirt, and, of all things, running sneakers.

She darted an obvious glance down his body and raised her brows. “Last-minute decision?”

Phone in one hand, he hitched a shoulder, nonchalant. As if he showed up on women's doorsteps in his pajamas at midnight all the time. Something hot and promising flashed in his gaze, though, and her stomach dipped in the most exquisite way. “Something like that.”

A sense of vulnerability washed through her chest, and her smile fell. She ached to jump on him, to wrap her body around him and drag him inside. She couldn't deny the sight of him filled her with joy to near bursting. “I didn't think I'd get to see you tonight.”

“Me neither.” He pushed away from the doorway and stepped over the threshold. “I hadn't intended to come over. Prepping for tomorrow took longer than I expected. It got late and I thought for sure you'd be sleeping. But I couldn't go to sleep without seeing you.”

“Is that why you haven't called in two days?” She hadn't meant to ask him that, but the expression on his face and the tension mounting between them nagged at her. Something was off. She'd heard enough excuses over the years from guys backpedaling their way out of a date to know when someone was avoiding her. She'd rather Cade be honest with her.

He remained silent, his gaze searching hers. Great. She sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

Cade took another step, closing the door behind him and moving into her personal space. So close every time she inhaled, his scent invaded her nostrils.

“No. You're right. I've been avoiding calling you. You make me crazy, Hannah. I'm in meetings I need to be paying attention to and all I can think about is you. Almost getting caught the other day scared the hell out of me. You want the truth? I don't do crazy or impulsive. I do safe. I do what's expected of me, and I do it well,
because
it's expected of me.”

He lifted a hand, stroking her cheek, awe in his gaze as it worked her face.

“But with you? I find myself dreaming up ways to rock your damn world. Like fucking you in a public place, because I know, deep down, it turns you on. I don't take risks like that, but I like making you happy. Getting to watch you is the most erotic thing I've ever seen, and your smile afterward was all the reward I needed.”

He cupped her face in the warmth of his huge hands. Hannah was helpless to do anything but stare. His heartfelt words had hit their mark. Cade McKenzie was a good man, and she was melting beneath the power of him.

“So, no, I hadn't intended to come over tonight. I wanted some time to get my head together, but in the end, I couldn't stand it. I had to see you.”

His words lodged themselves deep within. She understood only too well. She didn't want to. Instinct said she'd broken all those rules she used to live by once, and it insisted she shove him back out of her life. He'd become far too important, when, in the end, despite his words, the two weeks would end and he'd go back to his life. Without her. Except right here, in this moment, they connected on a deeper level. They gave each other something they both needed. She may not understand what it meant for him, she may not ever know, but she understood the basic need behind it.

She opened her mouth, but he didn't give her time to form a response. Instead, he bent his head, silencing her by covering her mouth with his. He crushed her to him, his tongue restless and searching. His body shook as hard as hers. God help her, she answered. Her tongue sought his in return. Her hands slid up his chest, pulling him as close as she could get him. The solid warmth of his hard pecs rubbing her nipples made her want to weep with the pleasure coursing through her. She wanted to wrap herself around him and never come out. The way she craved him made her knees shake.

He let out a quiet moan, a sound of agony and relief, and nipped at her bottom lip before sweeping her off her feet.

“Bedroom.” The single word left his mouth on a hot demand. She didn't have it in her to deny him.

“Back of the apartment.” She leaned her head in, nibbling her way up his neck. He smelled incredible. His cologne was a hint on his skin, mixing with the scent of clean male and bringing images of him in the bath the last time she'd been in his hotel room.

Halfway through the front room, her gaze landed on the couch. Her laptop sat in its usual spot on the coffee table. She jerked her head up. “Wait. The couch.”

He shook his head as he carried her past. “Bed is bigger. I haven't seen you in two days. I aim to take my time with you.”

The thought sent a hot little shiver rocketing down her spine. Cade, she'd discovered, preferred to make love at a turtle's pace. He also liked driving her crazy, making her writhe in sweet agony.

“No, I mean”—she caught his chin, turning his head until his gaze met hers—“
the couch
. That was always where…”

She blushed, unable to make herself finish the sentence. Maybe she shouldn't have told him that. It had to be pathetic to admit she usually masturbated on her living room couch. That she did wasn't sexy at all. It was needy and desperate.

Two lengthy strides past the couch, he came to a dead halt, staring at her for the span of a heartbeat, then jerked his head in the direction of the living room. “On the couch? Really?”

She had to be beet red by now, because her face was on fire. “I just always ended up there. I waited for you some nights.”

His intense gaze seared into her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She didn't want to know how pathetic he thought she was.