Free To Charm A Billionaire (Men of Monaco Book 1) by Michelle Monkou

But he wanted to pump his arms and break into a sprint. Instead, his strides widened pushing him forward to the safe zone where she stood waiting for him.
    The reporters' questions morphed into an annoying dull buzz. Anna, with the sunlight framing her where she stood on the curb, greeted him with a sweet, soothing smile.
    Deep inside the knot of worry loosened and unwound in his gut.
    "Figured you might need company." She stood her ground as the gentle breeze played with the bottom half of her dress whipping the fabric around her legs. Her thick dark hair rustled under the wind before her hand made a failed attempt to restrain it all.
    "Seeing you is ... unexpected." He shook his head to rid his thoughts of the reporters' constant and noisy intrusion. 
    "I caught the news. Figured I'd check to see if you needed rescuing."
    "I'm fine." His chin raised a smidgen.
    "Stop being prideful." Her tone sharpened with disapproval.
    "Fine, but maybe I don't want or need your pity." He lowered his finger that jabbed at the space between them. The euphoric glow of seeing her tarnished a bit with her observations.
    "Good to know. Showing you an ounce of sympathy never crossed my mind."
    Damien sidestepped Anna to get to his car and before she picked up on the turmoil churning within him. Reaching out to her conflicted with the need to keep her at arm's length. Yet his personal vow couldn't stand up against her presence.
    She was a guiding light in the storm. Where she'd lead him to his final destination remained a mystery that he didn't want to solve. At least, not this instant.
    He reached his car with Anna keeping up with his steps. "What do you want?" He looked at her over the top of his car.
    Believing her proved difficult. Impossible. Trusting in whatever she said meant way more than he was willing to give.
    The problem with his strategy was that he had no stamina against her steady invasion. And damn it, he wished there was a magic pill to build up his defense.
    Otherwise, her smile, the small clearing of her throat, the habitual smoothing of her hair behind her right ear, all the tiny actions she performed knocked hard at his soul to let her in.
    "Stop treating me like the enemy." Her demand shot out at him in a desperate plea.
    "What are you, then?" He agreed that enemy was a strong denouncement, but her motivations weren't clear either. It already had been one hell of a day. He didn't need to crumble like a lovesick adolescent. What did she want?
    "A friend."
    Damien shook his head. "Right now, I'm flying solo."
    "Since when did you run from me?"
    He bristled under the challenge but also at the contemptuous pose she struck with her fisted hands on her hips.
    "Okay, say the word and I'll go." Anna raised her hands in surrender and backed away from his car.
    _________
     
    S ay the word and I'll go .
    Anna couldn't believe that she just said something that she would regret if Damien did tell her to leave. Nothing left to do but hope that he'd have a miraculous change of heart as she continued with her retreat.
    She was almost out of earshot, as she continued backing away. Her feet neared the end of the curb before she'd cross the road to walk to her car. Sad that it ended this way. She massaged her thoughts into accepting the reality.
    "Stay. Please."
    Anna hesitated, then continued to put distance between them. She needed to hear more than two words from Damien. Needed to see a change of heart. A sign that he believed her actions were for his wellbeing.
    He pressed, "Help me get away from here. They won't know your car."
    "And then you'll dismiss me when you're satisfied." Anna wanted to be with him enjoying his company, but not by losing her self-respect.
    He looked down breaking eye contact with her.
    His introspection unnerved her. Climbing out of his bed after his rejection had wounded her heart. Offering up another olive branch to him took a bit of effort on her part when it would have been easier to give up.
    To come and see