Free One Night With the Billionaire: Book Two by Cassie Cross Page A

knowing nothing would ever come of us being together, but after…” she trails off, feeling wistful at the thought.  
    “After what?” Janine asks impatiently.  
    Kaia shrugs. “He told me he had an early flight, but that if he didn’t he would’ve wanted to have breakfast with me.”  
    “What?” Janine’s face screws up in something that resembles shock mixed with confusion. “He led you on?”  
    “Not really.”  
    “Yes, really. He tells you that you can’t have more, but then says, ‘Oh, but I would if I could!’ Asshole.”  
    Kaia can’t help but laugh at that. “He laid out the rules. Besides, it’s silly to get all emotional over a guy I knew for less than a day. I just thought…”  
    “It’s not silly,” Janine replies, reaching for Kaia’s hand. “I think the knowing you can’t have him makes you want him even more.”  
    Kaia’s pretty sure she has a point there. “Looking at this computer doesn’t help.”  
    “If you want, tomorrow morning we can take it to the park and smash it into pieces. The weapons of destruction are on me.”  
    “Tempting offer,” Kaia says with a laugh. “But I do actually need something to do my work on.”  
    “Pity. But it’s an open-ended offer, in case you ever change your mind.”  
    Kaia smiles. “I’ll keep that in mind.”  
    “Since you’re clearly not going to get any work done tonight, why don’t we order an obscene amount of Chinese food, drink the last of the wine in the fridge, and watch some movies with happy endings?”  
    Kaia gives Janine a teasing look.  
    “The happily ever after kind of happy endings, not the sexual kind.”  
    Kaia laughs. “That sounds good.”  
    “Why don’t you put on your jammies, and I’ll call the Szechuan place down the street?”  
    With a nod, Kaia hums out her agreement. “Okay.”  
    There’s a knock on the door, and Janine sighs.  
    “First I’ll get the door, then I’ll order the food.”  
    Kaia shuts down her laptop, carefully closes the lid, and places it on her nightstand.  
    “Hey. Kaia.” Janine is whispering in some weird, clipped, excited way.  
    “Yeah?”  
    “Someone’s at the door for you.” Her eyes are wide and excited.  
    “Who?”  
    Janine turns back toward the living room.  
    “Jason,” she whispers.  
    Kaia’s heart skips a beat.  

    * * * * *

    Kaia stands awkwardly in her living room, which seems so small and cramped with a larger-than-life kind of guy like Jason in the middle of it. Jason’s hands are in his pockets, and he looks completely casual, like this is something he does every day.
    Meanwhile, Kaia’s heart is about to beat out of her chest. Her fingers are twined together behind her back, and she mainly focuses her attention on the floor, occasionally looking up and giving Jason a shy smile.  
    She’s afraid of making any other kind of move, afraid of what she might say with Janine in the other room.  
    “I’m gonna go out for some ice cream,” Janine says, as she walks out of her bedroom, pulling on a hoodie. She’s still wearing her pajamas, and Kaia’s pretty sure she doesn’t realize that. “Maybe a drink? But probably just ice cream. Or whatever I need to get that will keep me out long enough for you to do whatever it is that you need to do.”  
    “We’re not going to do anything,” Kaia replies, desperate for her friend to shut up.  
    “Oh…kay.” Janine is frantically searching for her purse.  
    “On the counter.”  
    Janine’s gaze shoots over there. “The counter, right.”  
    She walks over and slings the bag across her shoulder as she makes her way toward the door.  
    Butterflies are flapping their wings against Kaia’s stomach, and she’s trembling a little. Part of her is desperate for Janine to leave, but the other part wants her to stay for some moral support.  
    “I’ll see you later,” Janine says to Kaia with a smile. She’s a great roommate, giving Kaia some