HANNAH (Silicon Valley Billionaires 3)

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage. I changed into skintight, black faux-leather pants (which were vegan) and a low-cut tank top, making sure my lacy bra was visible underneath. I put on extra mascara and dotted my lips with gloss. For the finale, I shook my hair loose so it hung it waves, the way Wes liked it, and put on sky-high spiked heels.

I looked ready for…date night. Date night with my big, sexy boyfriend, who I could tell needed me to hold his hand tonight and let him know everything was going to be okay.

But everything was not okay when I went back to the bedroom. Wes took one look at me and put a hand over his heart, clutching it.

I rushed to him. “Oh my God, Wes!”

His face was red. “Babe, you look so hot—my heart stopped.”

I clutched him with one hand and put the other over my own heart. “So you’re not having tachycardia?”

Wes chuckled and pulled me against his massive chest, careful not to smudge my makeup. “No—I mean, maybe, but it’s the best tachycardia ever.”

After I was certain he wasn’t about to have a heart attack, I swatted him.

He grinned, pulling me close as we headed out the door.

I relished the feel of his big body—even though I was five foot eight and wearing three-inch heels, he made me feel dainty and protected. “Do Brian and the other guys have to come to dinner, too?”

He shrugged. “They’ll sit at the other end of the bar. We can send them a drink.”

We sat at a secluded table in the corner, while Brian and the other guards sipped seltzer and watched the area like hawks. I perused the menu, which was fabulous. “I think I’m going to have the asparagus salad and the black cod with the dry miso rub. What looks good to you, babe?”

Wes peered at me over the top of his menu. “Do you want the truth?”

“Of course.”

“The rib eye.”

I scowled at the menu. “You mean, the twenty-ounce rib eye with the béarnaise sauce?”

Wes looked at me pleadingly. “That’s the one.”

I giggled. “So order it, silly. Just make sure you don’t eat any other red meat this week! You need to be heart-healthy.”

He threw his menu down and smiled. It was like the sun coming out. “You’re the best, babe.”

I smiled back, even if I didn’t approve of the steak. “So are you.”

* * *

After predinner cocktails and sharing a bottle of wine, Wes and I felt no pain as we headed back to our suite. We waved to Brian and the other guards. “Don’t wait up,” Wes joked.

Brian offered us a rare smile. “Good night, you two. We got you covered.”

I complained about having security, but it was nice to know that we didn’t have to worry about you-know-who…

I pushed the thought from my mind as we headed inside, and then all of a sudden, we were alone again, and I was a bundle of throbbing, frazzled nerves. But not about you-know-who; about you-know-what.

I licked my lips as I watched Wes strip out of his polo shirt and dark jeans. His muscles rippled, and even though I agreed his physical therapist was Evil Spawn, she had been effective.

He smiled when he caught me staring. “Are you checking me out?”

I twisted a lock of my hair. “Yes.”

He came over and pulled me against him. “If I didn’t say it before, you look beautiful tonight.”

“You did say it—but thank you again.”