Free Kiss me if you dare: Alpha Billionaire Romance (The Secret Matchmaker Book 3) by L.N. Pearl, S.K. Lee Page B

alone." I wrapped my arms around myself, trying hard to shove the need to weep back down inside of me.
    He thought he wanted something with me, and by his reaction to my pushing back a little, I could tell he was upset. There was nothing to do but comfort him, to reassure him and yet that would just open a door that I wasn't willing to open.
    "Sounds good." He turned as the moonlight filled up the space between us. "I'm sorry you were scared. Bad idea on my part."
    "No. It was a lot of fun. I loved..."
    He lifted his hand and cut me off. "It's okay. Really. I don't need you to placate me. I'm a grown man."
    The door opened to the front door and the driver got in, dusty and laughing, but alive.
    "That was one hell of a storm. You two alright? No?" He turned and looked at Asher, ignoring me completely.
    I moved farther to my side of the car and snuggled up while he and Asher spoke to each other. I had offended my lover, spurned my client and set in motion the proper response by the man I was falling in love with.
    It was for the best. I would go home alone and try to expunge my desires for him, while he would finish doing what he came to do. He wasn't in love with me. Hell, there was a chance that he wouldn’t actually be in love with the woman I found for him. Some men never truly loved anyone but themselves. It was irrelevant though… she would fall for him just like I had – hard.
    Hell, I was an unmovable force where love was concerned and I yearned for a relationship, even though I knew it would end in disaster. I glanced over at him, but he seemed to be lost in thought.
    Good. This was the wake-up call I needed.

2 - Lila
    By the time we made it back to the city, I’d realized what a bad idea it would be to go home without him. Gisele would be pissed and it wasn't the way a professional should act at all.
    The SUV pulled up in front of the Burj Khalifa and I got out as a valet opened the door. Asher moved up beside me and glanced down at the small bag I had on my shoulder.
    "I'll replace anything you lost in the storm, of course." His voice was tight and unyielding.
    "I didn't bring anything that mattered."
    But my heart.
    "Well, just check the bag you have and I'll give you more than the value of anything you lost." He shrugged and held the door open for me. "I'll call a driver to come get you for your flight home. How long do you need to get ready?"
    "I'm staying." I moved toward the ornate elevator and turned to face him as his expression softened.
    "You are?"
    "Yes. It's silly of me to run back home because I got a little off-kilter. Forgive me. It was unprofessional."
    "Unprofessional. Right." His facade slipped back into place as he held the elevator door open for me. "I have a few meetings this afternoon, but you can use the office in the penthouse if you like. I'll be in and out."
    "Sounds good." I pressed the button for our floor and moved toward him, putting a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry about overreacting."
    "It's natural. It was a scary situation." His eyes held a foreign emotion and I forced myself not to over-analyze it. If he had feelings developing for me, I didn't want to know. Because they wouldn't go anywhere.
    "I know, but we're safe and everything is fine. So, let's get back to business as usual?" I forced a smile.
    He chuckled, his lip half lifting as his dark blue eyes moved across my face. "Yes. Business."
    The door opened and I moved through it as I quietly sucked in a shallow breath. He was everything I wanted in my life. By admitting it to myself, I accidently knocked down my first wall of defense.
    "There are two bathrooms, so feel free to take the larger one if you want a shower." He turned to watch me.
    I smiled back at him before walking into the large penthouse. "Let's see... I'm covered in sand, sweat and sex."
    "Why does that make my cock twitch?" He gave me a smile that left me breathless. "Oh right... because it's you."
    "Hush. You're killing me and you know it." I moved away from