Page 44 of Filthy Hot Billionaire
Knoxkissingme.
I could still feel his lips on mine, the warmth and confidence.
Knoxtouchingme.
The way his thumb circled my sensitive nerve endings until I hadn’t been able to contain the sensations. It had been terrifying but exhilarating at the same time.
But then he’d basically told me I wasn’t good enough for him.
Andthathad been real. It hadn’t been a dream or a fantasy. Real.
A shiver danced down my spine, and I was tempted to throw myself beneath the blankets, to tuck myself into the safety and security of my bed for the foreseeable future, to pretend that my first exploration into my own sexuality had resulted in epic failure. I had cried myself to sleep last night, my fear and confusion turning on a flood. With no one to talk to, no one to trust to ask why he had so easily shunned me, why there was an ache in my chest when I thought about it, I had succumbed to my own emotions.
Was he still here?
Was Knox asleep in the room across the hall? Or was he downstairs having breakfast with Rhett and Kitty, chatting it up like he hadn’t broken my heart last night? Or had he packed up and slipped out during the night?
It pained me to know that I wasn’t sure which answer I was hoping for. The thought of Knox having left without saying goodbye made my chest hurt in a way it shouldn’t. At the same time, facing him again scared the daylights out of me.
If I went downstairs, would I have to face him?
Perhaps I should stay locked away in my room today. It would make things so much easier for everyone.
If only I could.
Unfortunately, I had to go downstairs. Kitty would be expecting me. While my father and Kitty never waited for me before they had breakfast, I was expected to be there before they were finished, to make my presence known. The last thing I wanted to do was to kick today off on a bad note. I wanted today to be perfect, and in order for that to happen, I had to be perfect, too.
Half an hour later, I was stepping out of the bathroom, dressed in a brown suede skirt and a long-sleeve cream blouse. I’d hated the outfit on sight because it made me feel old and not in a good way. But since the only other option I had was to wear the gown I’d found laid out for me on my bed when I returned to my room last night, I’d pulled them on and tried to make the best of it.
I didn’t even want to think about who might’ve found the other gown I’d accidentally left in the hot tub last night. I figured whoever it was had been the same person to provide me with the clean one, which meant someone knew what had transpired between me and Knox.
When I stepped around the corner in the bedroom, Hannah was there waiting.
“Good morning,” she said solemnly, holding up the hairbrush and motioning for me to sit at the vanity table.
I watched her as I moved closer, wondering if she would wish me a happy birthday. She never had before, but every year I held out hope that someone would.
When she started working on my hair, I watched her in the mirror, realizing she was distracted. She seemed lost in thought, but rather than grill her with questions, I kept my mouth shut, allowing her to do her job as she always did.
It didn’t take long for her to brush out my hair and add a little bit of curl, leaving it down as was my stepmother’s preference. Once she’d applied lip gloss and mascara, Hannah met my gaze in the mirror one final time, and I swear I saw tears in her eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
Obviously catching herself, Hannah forced a smile. “Not at all. You look lovely.”
Lovely was the translation for stodgy, I knew. I didn’t look lovely, I looked like what I imagined a future old maid to look like.
“Your father and stepmother are waiting,” she said quickly. “You should join them.”
A trickle of excitement whirled in my belly, and I briefly wondered if maybe they were doing something for me. But when I got to my feet and Hannah pulled me into an awkward hug, my hope was dimmed. She had never hugged me before and it felt oddly like a goodbye.
“What’s going on?”
Another forced smile was all I got before Hannah scurried out of the room.
I was left frowning after her, confused and a little hesitant, but I forced myself to head toward the dining room. I didn’t dawdle like I normally did; instead, I moved with purpose, curious as to what was going on.
I encountered no one on my trek, but I did find Kitty and Rhett sitting at the dining room table as they did every day when my father was home.
