Tempting the Billionaire (Love in the Balance 1)

“I love…” you. “It.” She refused to take her eyes off the figurine in her hand. And she couldn’t look up at Shane. She couldn’t let him see the emotions racking her. What if his being here was nothing more than a platonic gesture? Or worse. What if he’d stopped by to drop off a few files before work tomorrow? Or just happened to pick up Speak No Evil while away on business?

She rolled the monkey between her fingers. But it had to mean more than that.

Maybe he wanted to go back to being friends. Friends would be better than losing him altogether…wouldn’t it?

“I’m curious to see if he matches his mates,” Shane said. She tipped her head up to look at him. His casual smile all but crushed her.

Friends, then.

Sometimes a monkey is just a monkey.

He stepped aside so she could unlock the door, which, to her credit, she did in one clean motion. He caught her purse as she pulled it from her shoulder and hung it on the antique hall tree that used to be her mother’s. Refusing to look at him, she led him to the living room, and he followed, too close behind her, smelling beachy and soapy and manly.

She placed Speak No Evil next to his counterparts, where he sat a full inch taller than the other two, his painted fur black instead of brown.

“Not perfect, I guess,” Shane muttered just over her ear. She jumped, having no idea he was standing so close. He reached out and turned the collectible so that he lined up with the others. “I was thinking about what you said about how even though the set wasn’t perfect”—he paused to face her, assaulting her with his closeness—“it was still worth keeping. And I was hoping…”

Oh, my gosh.

“That might apply to me as well.”

The very air around them shifted as she tried to respond, and failed. Shane linked his hand with hers, licked his lips. A truncated sound came from his throat. He blew out a sharp laugh, giving her a bemused smile.

“I’ve said it a hundred times in my head over the last two weeks, and I can’t speak a single syllable now that I’ve got you here.” He dropped her hand to drag his palms over his face, swearing into his hands.

Please say what I think you’re going to, she begged with her eyes.

Hands folded into prayer pose, he watched her over his fingers for a second before dropping his arms and speaking. “The plane that brought me home almost crashed.”

“What?” She clutched at her heart, which came to a full stop before mule-kicking her rib cage. Almost crashed? He could have died. All of her earlier excuses about them working together, and her getting over him, and the petty, pithy thoughts about how he’d been neutral and businesslike slipped away in an instant.

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

She raked him with a glance, swept grateful eyes over his four intact limbs, the fact that he wasn’t bruised or scarred or bloody. Not a big deal? Was that a joke? She could have returned home from shopping for useless, meaningless stuff and received a phone call saying Shane’s plane had crashed. And if that had happened…she couldn’t even…

“I was a coward,” he said.

Mind still playing out her worst nightmare, she reached out and stroked his arm, unable to stop herself. “It must have been terrifying…awful.” She was crossing the line consoling him, but she couldn’t seem to stop touching him. She swept her hand into his. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“I’m not talking about the plane.”

She lifted her chin.

His face softened as he smiled down at her. “I meant with you, I’ve been a coward.”

She couldn’t have looked away from his face if a plane crashed into her kitchen.

Shane squeezed her hand. “I love you, Crickitt.”

She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t move.

“And I don’t want to lose you.”

She stood statue still, fingers curled over her lips even though she couldn’t remember lifting her hand to her mouth. He didn’t come here because of work. Her eyes filled with tears. He’d come for her. Because he loved her.

I’ve said it a hundred times in my head over the last two weeks.

“Say something,” he said.

Thoughts ricocheted off the interior of her skull. Say something? Like what? She was halfway between screaming at him for keeping this from her for so long, and kissing him senseless. She pulled her hand away, tears streaming down her face.

“I’m so glad you didn’t die,” she choked out.

Shane chuckled softly, reaching up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “So am I.”