Escorting the Billionaire (The Escort Collection 1)

“Mr. Preston?” Kai asked. We were still idling at the curb near her house.

“Just put it in park,” I snapped.

* * *

One hour later, I dialed.

She answered after the first ring.

“Audrey?”

“James?”

“I’m sorry to bother you. Are you still up?”

“I just answered my phone. What do you think?” she asked.

I sighed. “Would you consider coming back to the apartment with me tonight? My mother just called,” I lied. “We have an early breakfast.”

“Oh,” she said. “Sure.” She waited a beat. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

She was going to make me work for this, I could tell. “Of course that’s what I want.”

“Okay,” she said. She sounded cautiously optimistic. “I’ll just call a cab. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“No need,” I said smoothly. “I’m still parked on your street.”

She was quiet for a second. “Then I’ll be right down,” she said.

Five minutes later she slid into the car next to me. She was wearing fuzzy boots, pink sweatpants, and a T-shirt.

“I was in my pajamas,” she said apologetically.

“It’s okay. I want you to be comfortable,” I said.

She looked at me with raised eyebrows and said nothing.

We drove to the Stratum in silence. I couldn’t tell if it was awkward silence or not, but I felt relieved that she was back with me, which was stupid.

Kai let us out, and we went through the opulent lobby together in silence. She shuffled across the marble floor in her fuzzy boots, not looking at me. I hit the elevator button, and we rode to the top floor. I noticed, against my will, that she looked very cute in her pajamas.

I inwardly groaned. Between the Bambi eyes and the use of the word cute, I needed to slap myself, hard.

I unlocked the door, relieved to be back home. I just wished it was Los Angeles, far away from my past. Audrey went over to the window and looked out at the city spread out and glittering beneath us.

“It’s so beautiful from up here,” she said, and she sounded very young to me. She was young. Too young to be living such a harsh life.

I wished I could explain myself to her. I sighed and sat down on the couch, finally loosening my tie. “Audrey, I’m really sorry about before,” I said.

“Which thing?” she asked.

“All of it, actually,” I said. “I’m sorry I told Cole about us. He’s the one person I’m usually honest with. And I’m sorry I just left you on the sidewalk like that.”

She said nothing, still staring out at the lights.

I sighed again. “I’m not good with people,” I said. “I’m more of an analysis guy.”

“You’re fine with people,” she said immediately. “You just don’t like them very much.”