Free Billionaire Novelist's Fiery Debutante by Nic Saint

still okay between them. “I was thinking about you. Lying on my bed and thinking about you.”
    He chuckled softly. “Guess where I am.”
    “Um. In a meeting probably? With one of your high-powered agents?”
    “Nope. In bed. Thinking of you.”
    She giggled. “Wish you were here right now.”
    “Me too. I never noticed before, but my bed—my house —is awfully empty without you in it.”
    She swallowed away a lump in her throat. “You mean that?”
    “Uh-huh. Why don’t you come over?”
    Her heart leapt, but then she remembered. “I’d love to, but I can’t.”
    “Prior engagement?”
    “Something like that.” She hesitated, but then decided to tell all. It was no use keeping secrets from Josh. “Kiki’s got a rehearsal and asked me to come.”
    She could hear him frown on the other end. “A rehearsal? Why, he’s an actor or something?”
    “Stage performer. And he’s got a big show coming up.”
    “Oh.”
    Silence hung between them for a moment, and Chloe wondered how to break it. “So… perhaps we could have dinner later on?”
    “Sounds good.” His tone was clipped all of a sudden.
    “Domani’s at eight?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    “Great. I can’t wait to—”
    But he’d already disconnected.
    Frowning, she wondered what that was all about. Just because she couldn’t join him at his mansion was no reason to become all grumpy all of a sudden. She sincerely hoped he wasn’t one of those men who expected their women to jump through hoops. The kind who got upset when you denied them their every whim and fancy. He hadn’t struck her as one of those man-children, but you never knew. He was a celebrity, and from experience she knew that they tended to see the world as revolving around them all the time.
    She heaved a deep sigh and felt disturbed when a soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
    “Yes?” she hollered, a little louder than necessary.
    The door opened a crack, and Kiki’s big head popped in.
    “Hey, beautiful,” he croaked. “Just checking in on you.”
    In spite of herself, she had to smile. Kiki was a real sweetheart.
    “I’m fine. Just getting used to being back, I guess.”
    He stepped into the room, and took a seat on the bed, the bedsprings complaining loudly, and gave her a worried frown. “You look sad. Why are you sad?”
    “Not sad. Just… homesick.”
    “But you are home. How can you be homesick when you’re home?”
    “Homesick for Eden Island. For…”
    Kiki’s face lit up. “You’re pining for him, aren’t you? For Lee Child?”
    “He’s not Lee Child, Kiki. He’s—”
    The big guy waved his hand impatiently. “Whatever. You love him?”
    “I…” She hesitated. It was a little premature to talk about love. “Let’s just say I like him. A lot.”
    “I can tell. You have that look.”
    “What look?”
    “The puppy look. You know. The way a puppy looks at its master? I’ve sent you dozens of Facebook links.”
    She didn’t want to mention she’d carefully managed to ignore all of Kiki’s Facebook activity, which was borderline stalky. Kiki posted at least fifty status updates a day. A struggling writer like her had better things to do than spend all her time on Facebook watching puppy videos. “I do not look like a puppy!”
    “Oh, yes, you do, honey. I can tell. I’m a puppy expert.” He pointed his thick finger at her. “You love Lee Child. Don’t you deny it.”
    She heaved another long sigh. “Maybe I do. So what? I’m pretty sure nothing will come of it.”
    “Why? Because he’s a famous writer, and you’re not? Haven’t you seen My Fair Lady?”
    She laughed. First she was a puppy and now Eliza Doolittle? Women’s Lib would have a field day with the likes of Kiki. “I don’t think Josh qualifies for the Professor Higgins role, Kiki. He’s not that old. And I’m definitely no Eliza Doolittle material.”
    Kiki scrunched up his face. “If he loves you, he’ll turn you into a star. He simply has to!” He fixed