Page 17 of The Billionaire's Secret
“It’s not cold,” I protest.
“I know.”His throat works as he swallows.
We stand there staring at each other.
“I’ll see you at the office,” he says abruptly, before leaving and striding toward the elevator.
“Don’t give me that look,” I tell Jacklyn once I’m in her car and we’re on the way to the apartment.
“You should heed my look.You’re about to fall off the ledge and you know it.Get away from him.”
“I can’t.I have to find Heloise Perry first.I’ve called her office repeatedly and each time, I get the same spiel.She’s out of the country.When I show up at her office building, the doorman won’t even let me in.”
Jacklyn frowns.“But she was so nice to you before.”
“Before, when I was with Doug.Who knows what he might have told her.”
“I hate that guy.It’s one thing to be an asshole, but you don’t have to like spread spores of your assholeness around like a dandelion.”
I laugh.“That’s the perfect description for him.”
She slows at stop sign and smirks at me.“And Locke’s description?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re getting better at lying.”
“Just drive, will you?”
Locke’s description?Of course he’s handsome.He exudes charm and appeal.When he smiles, it makes my stomach flutter.When he looks at me for longer than a few seconds, I feel like I’m caught in a net and I’m being reeled in.I feel connected to him in a way that I can’t explain.A way that doesn’t make sense.
If I believed in reincarnation, I’d think that we’d known each other or had been together in a previous life.But I don’t believe.
The sooner I get what I need from his world, the sooner I can leave it and him behind.Walking away is the right thing to do.But why does that thought make me feel empty?
Chapter Seven
Locke
Ican’tconcentrate.Salemisat the desk just beyond the office door.She’s wearing a navy skirt that reaches her knees and a white blouse.Her hair is up in a bun and she’s barely wearing makeup.
And I can’t fucking think of anything else except stripping her and taking her against the desk.The woman I can’t have and shouldn’t want.I’m such an asshole.
I stand abruptly and cross to the windows.Below the office, Laketon Heights is bathed in sunlight, and the skies are bright blue though it’s late afternoon.Beautiful day.Looks peaceful.Except I don’t feel peaceful at all.My thoughts won’t stop tormenting me.
Why does she have to be married?Shoving my hands into my pockets, I grip my key fob.I drove myself to the office this morning rather than wait for the driver because I’d swung by the hospital to check on my brother and grandfather.
“I’m the one in here, but you’re the one who needs the doctor,” Oliver had warned.“You’re obsessing over a married woman, and you’ve never done that before.”
He’s right and I would say it’s a case of the forbidden fruit, but it’s more than that.Hell, I don’t know.Maybe we were together in a past life and that’s the pull I feel.The pull telling me she’s meant to be with me.
Or maybe she really was a siren before and lured me to my doom.No, it wouldn’t have been a luring.I would have gone willingly.
A light knock sounds on the door.Without turning around, I tell whoever it is to enter.I don’t care who it is.I’ll see anyone to help interrupt thoughts about Salem.
“There’s an invitation.”
Her hypnotic voice wraps around me and I turn, hungrily drinking her in.“Invitation?”My voice sounds like I ate gravel for lunch.
