The Billionaire's Island Bride (South Shore Billionaires 3)

“Hey, buddy,” Cole crooned, squatting before the bed. “How’re you feeling, huh?”

Thump-thump.

“He’s pouting about the collar,” she offered and started pouring coffee.

Cole took the cup she offered. “I see you’ve got the necessities running off the generator.”

“Fridge, freezer, water pump. And one power bar in the kitchen, for the microwave, coffee maker, and a lamp.”

She held up the bottle of liqueur. “Care for some?”

“I wouldn’t say no.”

She put a splash in each mug. Irish cream coffee was a special treat she didn’t indulge in often, but considering the craziness of the last few days, it seemed appropriate. “This reminds me of my granddad,” she said, putting the cap back on the bottle. “He liked a drop in his coffee. We used to come over to the island on the weekends in the fall sometimes. He’d make his ‘special’ coffee, and we’d sit out on the front porch and smell the fall air.”

“That sounds lovely.” He looked into her eyes. “Would you like to sit out there now?”

She did, rather. She was feeling nostalgic this afternoon. Perhaps it was getting swept away for a few days, both in the emergency and the opulence of Cole’s way of life. The storm had barely caused a blip at the mansion, and he’d merely had to snap his fingers to have a helicopter on its way, the last hotel room in town, room service. Maybe money couldn’t buy happiness, but it could sure buy convenience.

It all seemed rather surreal now.

Marvin had settled into a snooze on the bed, so they went to the front verandah and sank into the cushions on the wicker chairs there. The wood creaked beneath their weight, and Brooklyn let out a sigh before she took a first sip of coffee and let memories wash over her. This had always been her happy place.

“Brooklyn, I came to talk about us.”

She hadn’t expected him to be so blunt. “Us?”

“Yes. Things have changed, wouldn’t you agree?” When she didn’t answer, he pressed on. “We spent the night together. That’s not nothing. And it would be really great if you could look at me.”

She did, the moment he said it. She lifted her gaze to his and felt that awful and wonderful turning in her stomach. He was in jeans and a sweater but it didn’t matter. There was something in the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, that put him in another league. She was hard-pressed to pinpoint it, but she figured it fell into the category of “I know it when I see it.” He had this presence about him that was confident but not arrogant, expensive but not ostentatious, and so very, very capable.

She could hold her own, but looking at him now, after what they’d shared, she found him a bit intimidating. Because any “us” would be horribly misbalanced, wouldn’t it?

“It was one night, Cole. I’m not harboring any big expectations.”

Was that disappointment on his face? She couldn’t quite tell, but she could see by the tension around his eyes that her answer wasn’t the one he’d been anticipating.

“I see.” He took a sip of his coffee and then turned back to her again. “No, actually, I don’t see. You don’t strike me as the type to indulge in one-night flings, Brooklyn. I appreciate maybe you think you’re letting me off the hook, but...” He cleared his throat. “But what if I don’t want to be off the hook?”

Her breath caught. What was he saying? That he wanted them to be a thing? Have a relationship? That was ludicrous. They’d already decided things couldn’t go further, that day he’d kissed her in the back porch.

And yet they had. They’d made love, twice. They’d passed “further” the moment she’d untied her robe and decided to follow her heart.

And that was it, wasn’t it? Her heart was involved now. She truly, truly cared for him. And that was exactly why she had to walk away now. She would never fit into his life, and she didn’t really want to. It would mean leaving this behind. The life she’d built for herself, by herself. She was a woman with a high school diploma from a tiny town, making a simple living. She had no business consorting with a billionaire, for Pete’s sake.

“What do you want from me, Cole?”

He reached over and took her hand. “I want you to come to New York with me. I have to leave in the next few days and I know Marvin can’t travel so soon, but I’d like for you to come stay with me when he’s better. I don’t want to say goodbye, Brooklyn. Not after last night. Not after everything. You make me laugh. I want to be near you all the time. And last night...that was so amazing.” He put his cup down and turned his chair so he was facing her, and then clasped her other hand, too. “Please say yes. I care about you too much to say goodbye.”

“You want a relationship with me.” Her voice was tight and she couldn’t quite sort out why. Any woman would be jumping for joy right about now. Why wasn’t she?

“I want us to have a chance to explore what’s happening between us. And realistically, I can’t stay on the island forever. I still have responsibilities. But you could come to my world, couldn’t you?” His face was alight with enthusiasm. “Have you ever been to New York? I can take you so many places. The theater. Restaurants. Museums. Walking through Central Park with Marvin. Whatever you want to do.”

Brooklyn frowned. Sure, it would be easy to get swept away, wouldn’t it? It was a Cinderella dream come true, with the prince sitting here saying all the right things. But in fairy tales the princess was always ready to live in the castle. Brooklyn was sure she’d be a square peg in a round hole.

“I have work here, Cole. It is one of my busiest times, leading up to the holidays. I can’t just jet off on a moment’s notice.” She met his gaze. “That’s not how the real world works.”

He frowned and sat back a little, perhaps a bi