An Accidental Date with a Billionaire

by Diane Alberts

  It would appear that we’re kind of in business together and are attending the same event tomorrow. I feel no pressure to attend but will be doing so as it’s best for my company. See you there.

  Professionally,

  Ms. Matthews

  She hovered over the send button but eventually hit it. Within thirty seconds, she had a reply. Heartbeat echoing in her head, she clicked on the email.

  Sam,

  I’ve always loved you in red. I’m still looking forward to our second date.

  With love,

  Taylor

  She didn’t know what hit her the hardest: that he’d ignored all her professional cues and formalities, that he’d mentioned a second date, or that he’d thrown in the “L” word. Twice.

  Shaking her head, she left his email unanswered and grabbed her coat and purse. She had a red dress to buy, and it was going to be one hell of a dress, not because of who she was going out with, but because it was for a fancy work event, and she had to play the part.

  And if she told herself that enough times…

  She just might believe it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “I think it’s good, Mom.”

  “Almost…there…” His mother fussed over his red bow tie, tightening it until he shrunk into a tiny kid on Christmas Eve getting dressed for church all over again. He winced, swallowing experimentally. He could still do that, so breathing remained an option. She smiled, her wrinkled face lighting up when she stepped back to admire her handiwork. “Perfect.”

  Yeah, sure it was, if perfect meant suffocating…

  “Thanks.”

  Seven thirty-one. Jesus, his stomach was a tangled ball of nerves.

  He’d done a hell of a lot of thinking and soul-searching after he lost Sam, and he’d come up with the perfect gesture to show her just how much she meant to him. Hopefully it was enough.

  “Don’t be nervous,” his mom said, touching his cheek tenderly. His mother was so short, barely five feet tall, but somehow, she would always seem larger than life to him. She had done so much for him—given so much for him—and he’d never repay that. “This Sam girl won’t be able to resist you when she sees you all dressed up like this.”

  He’d told his mom about Sam and the way he’d lost her, and she had been nothing but supportive and excited over the fact that her son had finally met a woman he wanted to be with. “I hope you’re right, but she’s not exactly the ‘swooning’ type. Getting her to forgive me will be a lot harder than being nicely dressed when she shows up.”

  “Then it’s a good thing you have more of a plan than skating by with your handsome face,” she teased. “I can’t wait to meet her. Don’t forget dinner at my place next Friday.”

  He shook his head. “If I get her to give me another—”

  “When.” She pointed at him. “What did I teach you about the power of positive thinking?”

  He barely refrained from groaning. He loved his mother, but sometimes she was too much. “When I get her back, I’ll talk to her about it.”

  “I’ll order Mexican, since it’ll be Friday.”

  He checked his reflection, holding his breath. “Order whatever you want, Mom.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded absentmindedly.

  Was his hair sticking up in the back?

  Shit, he’d never been this goddamn nervous before. Everything about Sam set him on edge, threatened his control, and challenged his way of living—and he couldn’t live without her messing up his plans for another minute. “Wish me luck.”

  “You won’t need it.”

  He kissed his mother’s head. “I ordered a car to take you home.”

  She nodded, picking up the envelope and pocket-sized planner on the table. “Don’t forget these.”

  He’d almost forgotten the most important part of the evening. Shaking his head at himself, he said one more farewell to his mother, got in the elevator, and found his ride. He really didn’t want the first time seeing her again to be in a public setting, with all eyes on him. Maybe he should drop by her place, all casual-like, and offer her a ride there. He could play it off cool and test the waters. See if she hated him as much as he hated himself.

  “To the gala, Mr. Jennings?” his driver asked, watching him through the rearview mirror.

  Taylor checked the time, hesitating. “Actually…”

  By the time the car pulled up to her building, he was even more of a mess than he’d been in his apartment, because he wasn’t sure if this was the right move. With Sam, he never had a fucking clue what he was doing, so it wasn’t a surprise that this was the case again. He was a fighter, a winner, and he didn’t give up on anything until he got the outcome he sought.

  Normally, when he saw something, he wanted it, he got it. End of story.

  Gritting his teeth, he tucked the small envelope into his jacket, opened the car door, and stepped out onto the curb. As he approached the building, the door opened, and a blonde that he recognized instantly as Sam’s friend from the coffee shop stepped out, carrying a makeup bag and a pink blow-dryer. She stopped, giving him a frown.

  He bowed at her, smiling despite her obvious disapproval. “Izzy, right?”

  “Yeah.” She hugged her bag. “Taylor, right?”

  “Yep.” He nodded, stepping around her. “It was nice seeing—”

  She moved in his path. “What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to offer her a ride—” He broke off because that was a bullshit response. “I want to win her back.”

  “Don’t hurt her,” she said, looking him up and down.

  “I won’t,” he vowed. “I swear, if she’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making her happy. There’s nothing I want more.”

  She softened a little bit, her mouth not quite so thinly held. “She’s pretty set in her decision to be single.”

  “I know.” His stomach tightened even more. “But I’m not.”

  Shrugging, she moved out of his way. “Good luck.”

  “Yeah.” His heart pounded even harder. “Thanks.”

  Taylor walked to her door. Before he could knock, it swung open, and Sam stood there in a long red dress that hugged every curve of her body as if it had been created solely for her by some expensive designer in Paris—something that wasn’t possible, because his Sam would never be that frivolous. Her long hair was swept back and gathered at the base of her neck, and soft curls fell over her shoulder and down her chest. She wore red lipstick, dark eyeshadow, and should’ve been on the cover of a magazine rather than on his arm.

  As she caught sight of him, she stumbled back, eyes wide.

  “Wow. You’re absolutely stunning,” he managed to say.

  Funny, though, his voice sounded foreign.

  “Thanks.” She blushed. “What are you doing here, Taylor?”

  She was a princess. A goddess. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with…and he couldn’t seem to string two words together coherently. “I mean it. You’re far too beautiful to be seen with me at your side. You deserve better than me.”

  She stepped back, letting him in. “Let’s not be dramatic.”

  “I love how you always call me on my bullshit,” he said as he closed the door behind him.

  She stiffened and turned away.

  “I brought you something.”

  She faced him. “I don’t want anything from you.”

  “Here.” He handed her the calendar. “Open it.”

  She stared at it, then flipped it open to the current month. She lifted her head, her forehead creased with confusion. “What—?”

  “See those circled dates?”

  She lowered her head again. “Yeah…”

  “Those dates are days I think we should go out together. Dinner, a movie, a show, whatever you’d like. It’s up to you.”

  She stared at the book, trembling, and slammed it shut. She set it down on the coffee table, not looking at it again, even going so far as
to put some distance between her and the planner. “Taylor…”

  “Don’t say no. Not yet. Think about it,” he said, smoothing his tux and stopping her from whatever rejection she had been about to slam down. “How have you been?”

  “Fine,” she said, her voice hollow.

  He gritted his teeth. “I hate that word.”

  “Sorry.” She crossed her arms and faced him again. She always did that when she was nervous, as if the gesture could somehow protect her from anything he might say. “I went dancing with Izzy last night at some loud, smelly club. Some dude invited me back to his place.”

  Jealousy hit him hard. He had no right to be jealous, though. He’d lost that right when she broke up with him. And yet…he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Did you go home with him?”

  “No.” She lifted her chin, squaring her jaw. “I could have, though. I could have gone home with him, had sex, and tried to forget about you.”

  Relief punched him in the gut, warring with the pain that had been his constant companion since losing her. “I know.”

  “Why are you doing this?” She tightened her grip on her arms. “Why invest in that company and plan this whole thing?”

  “Because you changed me,” he said quietly. “I want to do better. Be better. I want to save some companies, not just rip them apart. I want to be a man who is worthy of you.”

  She sucked in a breath, lowering her lids. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?” he asked, taking another step.

  He was close now—close enough to smell her floral perfume and shampoo. Something clamped around his heart, squeezing, and it was hard to breathe.

  “Talk like that,” she said, her voice cracking. “Nothing has changed. We can’t just pick up where we left off.”

  “Why not?” he said, not moving any closer.

  “Because I’m me, and you don’t deserve to be dragged—” she said, closing her eyes.

  “You’re right, I don’t deserve you, but not the way you mean. I don’t deserve you because you’re far too good for me.” This time he took a tiny step. “Far too good for anyone.”

  She shook her head. “I—”

  “I’m going to be honest here, Sam. I want to be with you, and I don’t give a damn what anyone else might think or say about it,” he admitted. “Nothing has changed for me. You’re still the one woman I want to break all my rules for.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t. Not really.”

  “How would you know?”

  She bit her lip hard. “Because once the truth came out and everyone knew who I really was, you would be dragged down into the dirt with me, and once you were there, you’d realize the mistake you made, and you’d regret it…but it would be too late to take it back.”

  “That’s not true,” he vowed, moving slightly closer. His heart pounded against his ribs. She backed up a step, maintaining the distance between them. “I would never regret a single second at your side.”

  She pressed her lips together. “You say that now, but—”

  “I regret a lot of things, though. Like how I got that stupid fucking report—”

  She waved a hand. “You had to find out somehow, and it might as well have been like that. I was going to tell you anyway.”

  “You…forgive me?”

  She nodded, not meeting his eyes. “I do. To be honest, I’m not even mad about it.”

  He blinked. “Wait. What?”

  “That’s not why I walked away that night.”

  He cleared his throat. He’d been all prepared to beg for her forgiveness on his knees if need be, and he didn’t even have to? “You’re not mad at me?”

  “You’re a good man. I’ve known that for a long time, and for me to hold a grudge against you is like being mad at the clouds for raining. It’s just not possible. I was very mysterious about the whole thing and refused to talk. I understand the temptation to investigate it and can see why you did it.”

  A big weight lifted off his shoulders, and he grinned, taking a step toward her. “Then can we give it another try? I swear this time, I’ll—”

  “No.” She held a hand up, her eyes watery. “Like I said, you’re a good man, and you deserve the best. You have it all planned out, your whole life, and I’m just a complication—”

  “The hell you are,” he growled. He’d had this whole speech prepared, but all that went right out the window the second she said that. Picking up his planner, he walked over to the kitchen and tossed it in the garbage. “Fuck plans, and fuck calendars. I’ll take ‘complications’ over that shit any day, any time, as long as they come with you.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Taylor—”

  Closing the distance between them, he didn’t take his time or allow her to stop him. He didn’t control each step or take a second to think.

  Not this time. Not with her.

  Without a word, without a warning, he wrapped his arms around her and caught her chin. “I knew, nearly from the beginning, that you were special, that you were in a category all your own. You challenge me, you force me to be spontaneous, and you help me see how I can make the world a better place. I didn’t propose this deal with Mr. Harper as a way to force you to work with me or stay in my life. I did it because I believe in you. You make me believe in unicorns.”

  She choked on a laugh. “And rainbows?”

  “Motherfucking rainbows.” He caressed her back. “I shouldn’t have hesitated that night when you asked me if I still wanted to be with you.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Yes, you should’ve.”

  “You’re wrong.” He pressed his thumb to the spot she’d bitten. “Next time you ask me if I’m by your side, I won’t hesitate to say yes. My answer will always be yes.”

  She fisted his shirt. “Taylor—”

  “Shh.” He pressed a finger to her mouth. “Let me finish. Yes, I want you. Yes, I choose you. Yes, I would do anything you asked me to do. Yes, I miss you. Yes, I want you back. Yes, I would walk through fire for you. Yes, I’d rescue a unicorn for you. Yes, I l—”

  She laughed, resting a hand on his chest. “There you go, being dramatic again.”

  “Only for you, Sam.” He lowered his face, stopping short of kissing her. “Only with you.”

  She let out a puff of air. “But—”

  “No buts. No fucking buts.” He gritted his teeth. “I want to be with you. I want you at my side, everywhere, and nothing will change my mind. Not your past. Nothing that could ever happen in the future. No matter what, I want you. The question is…do you want me?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  She closed her eyes, taking a page out of his book, and counted to ten. God, she wanted to say yes, to take what he was offering and run with it. He was fully aware of what he was taking on, and if he was willing to do that, to be with her despite her tarnished past, why not say yes?

  Was it wrong to be with the man she loved?

  People did inexplicable things when in love. They overlooked flaws, habits, addictions, differences, money, class, distinction—when those things went up against love, they usually lost.

  She loved him. She wanted to be with him.

  End of story.

  She stared into the deep green depths of his eyes. Had they always been this light? So bright? “The fifteenth.”

  He frowned. “What about it?”

  “You and I will be attending the SPCA fundraiser. It’s a black-tie event.”

  A smile lit up his face. “I’d say that I’ll put it in the calendar, but…”

  She smiled, because more than likely he’d be fishing that bad boy out of the garbage. It was a nice gesture and all, but he needed it. “We’ll go camping after.”

  That smile went away immediately. “O…kay…”

  “Just kidding.”

  “Thank God,” he groaned.

  “But in all seriousness, if we do this…it’s going to be more than before, Taylor. More than soft whispers, empty promises, and a fun fir
st date. I want those dates you circled in the calendar to be real dates. A third, and a fourth, and a fifth. If we do this, if we try again, it’s for real this time. No games to lighten it, no pretending it’s all one big date. Just you and me, making this real. Real commitment. Real feelings.”

  He touched her cheek. “Sam—”

  “And no more going to events with other women. You don’t share, and neither do I.”

  His mouth twitched, and he skimmed his fingers over her lower lip. “Any other terms?”

  “I want you to wear a unicorn shirt out in public once.”

  He laughed—a full-blown, hearty laugh that warmed her soul. “Only if you wear a shark one at the same time.”

  “Deal.”

  “You know…” He skimmed his finger over her mouth again, and she shivered. “Every time I’m with you, it’s like I’m on the edge of a cliff, and your hands are on my back. I’m not sure whether you’re going to push me off or pull me to safety, but either way I know I’ll be all right, because I’ve got you, and you’ve got me, and that’s all that matters, right?”

  “I’d never push you,” she breathed. “I’ll always pull you closer.”

  “I broke a promise to you,” he admitted.

  She swallowed. “Enough about that stupid report. I—”

  “Not that one,” he whispered, kissing the spot he’d just wiped dry. “I promised not to fall for you.”

  She held her breath. “I promised the same thing.”

  “I promised a lot of things back when we first got together, but I’m going to make different ones now. I promise to be there for you, in public and private, in any way you want. I promise to treat you as the most important person in my life and to always work hard to deserve you, because you’re so much better of a person than I am. And I promise to love you for the rest of my life, Sam.” Locking eyes with her, he cradled her face with his large palms and smiled at her. That smile stole her breath away before his words could. “I love you.”

  A small sound that she didn’t recognize escaped her, and she lurched up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Fisting his tuxedo jacket, she clung to the only thing holding her down on the ground right now: him. Even on her toes, she was at least four inches shorter than his towering frame. Tears wet her cheeks as she ended the kiss, sucking in a deep breath. “I love you, too,” she breathed.