Page 58 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
Her phone buzzed, and she fished it out of her bag, immediately recognizing Jackie’s number on FaceTime. She flicked it on, and Jackie waved at her enthusiastically.
“Hey,” Alexa said, her pulse fluttering with excitement.
She missed Jackie. Thankfully, Jackie had continued to run House of Alexa with a lot of success—which was why Alexa didn’t ask for updates very often, because she knew how busy Jackie must be.
And she had a life now, too. Enjoyed the work, even if a part of her felt like she ate delicious food without tasting the flavor.
“What’s wrong?” Jackie asked. “You look sad.”
“I’m not sad. I’m subdued and in a café.”
Jackie wrinkled her nose, like she didn’t buy her excuse. “You left a lot behind, Alexa. Make it count.”
“I am,” she said, injecting some enthusiasm in her voice. “I’m doing good work to help save the world, I’m walking everywhere, and oh, I’m also going to museums. A lot of them.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes.” A couple of volunteers had taken her out once, but she hadn’t really wanted to open herself to new relationships. Not yet. Not when she was still healing from one. Healing from Brooks. A knot formed in her stomach. She hadn’t expected to get over him quickly, but their memories playing back in her mind every waking hour didn’t help.
“Sounds like you could use some company,” said a deep Texan accent she knew too well. She glanced from the phone to the man standing in front of her, and every part of her froze for a moment. Her stomach dropped, and when her heart beat again, it throbbed all her pulse points at once.
“I’ll talk to you later. Gotta go,” she managed to say to Jackie before turning off the call.
He pulled out a chair and sat in front of her. He wore a casual shirt with jeans, but what caught her attention was the gleam of resolution in his eyes. How is he here? Jackie. Jackie must have told him about the café she usually went to.
She squared her shoulders. “Maybe I’m on my own because I want to be.”
He tilted his head to the side, like he wanted a good look at her. His gaze heated her flesh, but she managed to stay still. “Then you’re stronger than me, Madam. Because the last month has been hell.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. His words echoed in her ears a few times until they made sense. He’d missed her. Was it possible he’d come all this way for her? She shifted in her seat, heart drumming in her ears. “Has it?” she managed to say, afraid she’d make a fool of herself.
“I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
She meant to swallow, but her tongue got stuck on the roof of her mouth. Ripples of excitement moved through her, and she leaned in, finding it difficult not to move. “How’s your mother?”
“Alive and well. Asked me about you a couple of times.”
“What did you say?”
“I called her on my way here—after I talked to Jackie and found out your address—to say I’d be going out of the country to be with you.”
Be with me. Sweat slicked her palms. For so long she’d been afraid of experiencing happiness and having it taken away—and now, the man who could show her a slice of heaven was here in front of her. For her. With her. “What did she say?”
“She gave me her blessing and said she was proud of me for going after what I wanted.” He dragged his chair close to her until he was within a breath of her.
“I know, but you have other family members and friends who might not share her enthusiasm,” she said, teetering between hope and caution.
He stroked her cheek, and she sighed. Her stomach sank, and she focused on the intensity of his gaze to keep from jumping into his arms. “Anyone who thinks our relationship is wrong isn’t worth my time. I doubt anyone who sees us together will have those thoughts, but if they’re petty and old-fashioned, then fuck them.”
Her mouth dropped a notch. “Brooks—”
“I love you, Madam. I’m sorry I wasn’t one hundred percent upfront. I love the woman you are, and your past made you that woman. I promise I’ll never take you for granted. If Spain is your home, I’ll move here to be with you. I’ll leave everything behind if that means building a life with you. I also—”
She didn’t let him finish.
She pulled him to her, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him with all she had. Fire ignited in her blood. She caught his manly smell, and touched his hair, reveling in having him so close again. Her tongue meshed with his, caressing his and challenging at the same time.
When she wrenched her mouth from his, she could feel the eyes from other patrons of the café, but she didn’t care. “When you asked me if I loved you, I didn’t answer. I wasn’t ready.”
