Free Rocked by the Billionaire: A Billionaire's Club Story by Mandy Baxter Page B

it.”
    “You’re talking like you’re old and gray, Kayleigh.” He’d never known her to be so introspective. That was usually his hang-up. “You’re not even thirty. You don’t have to have all of the answers now, you know. You can go after what you want—live the life you want—at any time. You’re in control of your life, baby. No one else.”
    “I’m supposed to be the rational voice of reason and you’re supposed to be the dreamer, remember? Not the other way around.”
    It was true that she’d always been the calm that balanced him out, but why did it have to be that way? If, in the course of their relationship, he’d made her feel that she had no choice but to be the reason to his chaos, then he’d hurt her far more than he realized. And the thought damned near stopped his heart.
    Luke reached up and smoothed her hair behind her ear, letting the silky strands pass through his fingers. “You only get one life, Kayleigh. Live it right so you don’t end up with regrets later. Don’t apologize for it, and don’t feel like you owe anyone anything. Ever. Okay?”
    He choked up on the reins, bringing Lucifer to a stop inside of Ryder’s posh stable. They sat still for a moment and Luke wrapped one arm around Kayleigh’s waist, hugging her tight against his chest.
    “I’ve missed you, Luke,” she said.
    He helped her down from the saddle but held onto her hand. When her eyes came up to meet his he replied, “I’ve missed you, too, honey.”
    ***
    If she could, Kayleigh would’ve lived today over and over again in a continuous loop. Despite the sadness she felt, she wouldn’t trade today with Luke for anything in the world.
    Every day could be like this. All you have to do is ask him to stay
.
    No matter how badly she wanted to, Kayleigh knew she’d ruin him if she asked him to stay just as surely as she would have suffocated if she’d left with him all those years ago. His words of assurance resonated with her, though. Maybe it wasn’t too late to lead the life she wanted. She simply had to be brave enough to go after it. The question was: What did she want?
    Luke?
    She couldn’t remember a time that she hadn’t wanted him. For a long time she couldn’t imagine a future without him in it. A long-distance relationship never would have worked and it wouldn’t now. Neither of them would be able to cope with the strain of being apart. There was no halfway for them. It had to be all or nothing.
    “How was the ride?”
    Kayleigh turned with a start at the sound of Ryder’s voice. His knowing smile did little for her already frazzled nerves but she met him look for look, daring the older Blackwell to lend a voice to his suspicious expression. “It was nice.” She flashed him a pleasant smile as she hauled the tack from Tallulah’s back and stowed it. “The creek is high this year.”
    “Uh-huh.” Ryder folded his arms over his wide chest and smiled.
    “Luke’s putting Lucifer away.” She wished he’d quit looking at her with that know-it-all grin. “Nice name, by the way.”
    “I gave him to Luke as a Christmas present a few years back, hoping it might get him to come home for a week or two. Guess what I should have given him was a kindergarten teacher.”
    Heat rose to Kayleigh’s cheeks and she averted her gaze.
    “Ryder, about what I said earlier, I—”
    “Are you harassing this lovely lady?” Luke emerged from the stall at the far end of the stable, dusting his hands off on his jeans. “Leave her alone and go find your own woman to pester.”
    “Lara’s making dinner reservations in the city. She wants to know if she should make it for four.”
    “Oh. No.” Any more time with the Blackwell clan and she’d be helpless to make a rational decision. She needed to decompress, weed through what she was feeling. “You all go ahead. I think I’m going to—”
    “Kayleigh and I already have plans for tonight,” Luke interrupted. “You two have fun.”
    Crap. Once again,