Yours Completely (Billionaires and Brides 1)

A warm hand slid into hers, sending her strength. “Don't worry. It gets easier each time,” Jace promised her.

She nodded. He helped her into the luxurious helicopter and sat down beside her. His phone buzzed.

“I'm just getting on the helicopter,” he informed the person on the other side. “I'll take care of it once I'm in front of my computer. I can't do anything until I see the numbers.”

“Sounds fun,” Ella remarked once he hung up. “Something wrong?”

“The problem with running a conglomerate business is that there's always something going wrong somewhere.” Jace shook his head. “It's my job to put out the fires and keep investors happy, no matter what industry they are in.”

The helicopter's blades started whirring overhead. Ella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Jace laced his fingers between hers without being asked.

“Sounds awful,” Ella replied, doing her best to ignore the lift off sensation as they left the ground. “I'm guessing that it's going to take your evening away tonight, though.”

Jace smiled sadly and nodded. “Unfortunately. I wish it wouldn't, but...”

“You run a business,” Ella responded. “I get it. The inn doesn't stop running just because I want a day off. I'm just glad I got today with you.”

“Me too,” Jace said. His eyes grew soft and he brought her hand to his lips. The fluttering in Ella's stomach had nothing to do with the helicopter. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I have to work. There's another wedding coming in next weekend and I need to get everything reset. I don't know how much free time I'll have.” Or how much trouble she was in. Delores was bound to be pissed that Ella spent the day off cavorting with Jace instead of slaving away at the inn. “Why? How long are you staying?”

“My sister leaves for her honeymoon in Belize tonight, but I leave in the morning.” Jace frowned. “I would much rather spend it with you than dealing with this latest crisis.”

“Breakfast, then?” Ella tried to smile, but she could feel him already leaving her.

“That would be great,” Jace replied. His phone rang and he cursed. Ella smiled and motioned for him to take it, closing her eyes and pretending she was simply napping in a car and not floating on the wind in a windup toy.

She tried to imagine breakfast tomorrow. What would they talk about? Was it even a good idea? He was leaving and she wasn't. As much fun as they had this weekend, as strong as their connection appeared to be, their time together was over. Jace would go back to his life as the CEO and she would go back to trying to save the inn.

“You have that deep thought look again,” Jace said, pulling her from her thoughts. He took her hand again. “What are you thinking about this time?”

Ella chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before answering. She needed to know. They couldn't put this conversation off any longer. “What happens next?”

She hated the way he froze, his breath halting in mid inhale. Yet, he didn't let go of her hand or make any other movement. If she hadn't been touching him, it would have been difficult to notice any reaction from him at all. She held her breath while she waited for him to answer.

There were two possible outcomes. One, was that he would say that nothing happened next. That this was a wonderful, fun, and energizing fling, but that's all it was. That he was going to go back to his exciting life and she would go back to her dull one. Thanks for the memories.

Or... or he would say he wanted more. That she was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman and that he needed her to run away with him right now. They could be on his private jet by this evening and he would rescue her from her evil stepmother.

Three heartbeats turned into four, and into ten. She stared at his hand holding hers.

“I don't know what happens next,” he said after far too long. Ella didn't dare raise her head. That was closer to the 'nothing happens next' outcome than the 'run away with me' one.

“It's fine,” she said, saying the lie that all women tell men when it really isn't. She hoped he couldn't see the tear trickling out of her eye.

“Ella, it isn't fine.” His voice was low and deep, reverberating through her entire body. “I don't want to leave, but I never planned on meeting someone like you.”

She nodded, letting go of his hand and pretending to brush her hair from her face but really wiping away the tear. “I understand.”

“Ella-” He shifted his body and put his hand on her cheek, gently forcing her to look at him. “Ella, I haven't been this happy in a very long time. I don't want to lose this, but...”

“But it's only been a weekend,” Ella finished for him. “You don't want to run away with me only to find the magic doesn't last.”

Jace nodded. His blue eyes were dark and solemn. Ella stared into them, knowing his words were reasonable and honest, yet somehow they cut her to the core. She felt something with him, something she firmly believed would never go away. Yet, she'd seen enough marriage ceremonies to know that instant love didn't always mean perma-love. They needed to be careful.

She smile and squared her shoulders. She would be strong through this. It was only a weekend. Her heart would survive.

“I mean it when I say I haven't been this happy in a long time. You make me happier than I thought I ever could be.” Jace's blue eyes threatened to absorb her completely. She warmed slightly. He meant every word, and her head knew it was perfectly reasonable.