Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Ilse craned her neck hopelessly to see past the crowd, but it was only when she reached the corner leading to Café Alles that she finally saw the billionaire, and her heart skidded to a stop as their gazes collided.
He stood taller over most other men, his powerful built emphasized by the magnificent cut of his pea coat, and when he started striding towards her, Ilse stilled, unable to do anything but stare at the billionaire’s elegant, graceful movements.
Around him, women blatantly tried to catch his eye, and a conflicting mix of emotions struck her at sight. She shouldn’t be mad, but she was. She shouldn’t be jealous, but she was.
Oh, how absurdly unreasonable her feelings had become ever since the billionaire had come into her life.
“You look cold,” were his first words when he reached her.
“I’m not,” she lied.
The billionaire didn’t answer, was already in the process of unweaving the white scarf around his neck.
Ilse frowned. “What are you—-” She stopped in surprise as the billionaire carefully placed the cashmere scarf around her. “I don’t need—-” But she stopped speaking again, Ilse sucking her breath in as, in the process of knotting the scarf, his fingers brushed her collarbone.
How absurdly sensitive her body had become as well, every time it came into contact with the heat of the billionaire’s touch.
When the billionaire stepped away from her, she realized she couldn’t meet his gaze just yet, and she quickly diverted her gaze to his handiwork. He had the scarf around her in a complicated, fashionable knot, and she did feel warmer now, but even so, she said gruffly, “You shouldn’t have.”
“If I hadn’t, then I’m not the kind of man you should be dating.”
Ilse managed not to let her jaw drop. They were...dating? He had never used the word when talking about them...until now. She slowly, nervously raised her eyes to him, and when his lips curved in a tender smile, her heart raced even faster.
“Thank you for coming,” the billionaire said softly.
“It’s nothing.” Ilse forced a smile. “So you’ll be leaving tonight...” She shoved her hands into her coat’s pockets so that the billionaire wouldn’t see how they had started to shake.
“I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to,” the billionaire said quietly.
“Right. Of course.” Ilse forced a laugh.
“You can come with me, you know,” the billionaire heard himself say, and as Ilse’s eyes flew wide open at his words, he wondered which of them was more shocked.
Had he really said that?
It was almost like admitting he couldn’t face a single day without her.
Recovering from her shock, Ilse muttered, “You don’t mean that.”
She might or might not be right, but her words gave the billionaire a perverse desire to prove her wrong.
Four weeks, the billionaire thought grimly. They had only been going out for four weeks, and now he was acting like his life began and ended with her.
“Will you come with me or not?”
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” But even though she had no need to hesitate over her answer, her heart ached at what she had to say. And when she saw the way the billionaire’s handsome face took on a shuttered expression, Ilse’s heart ached harder.
“I...I...” But she didn’t know how to tell him why without revealing everything, and she wasn’t quite ready to do that yet.
“You don’t have to explain,” the billionaire said very politely.
Her heart didn’t feel like it would ever stop aching now. But when she saw the billionaire start to speak again, Ilse knew that whatever he had to say – she wouldn’t want to hear it.
“Kiss me,” she blurted out.
The billionaire stiffened.
She made herself look straight into his bright blue eyes. “Kiss me.”
The billionaire’s jaw clenched. “What the fuck is this about, Ilse? If this is some kind of act of pity—-”
“I want you to kiss me,” Ilse gritted out, “because I want you to kiss me.” And as her face went up in flames, she muttered furiously under her breath, “Idiot.”
A soft, hoarse laugh escaped the billionaire. “Ah, God, Ilse.” How the fuck had things turned out like this? She was the first woman to have called him an idiot, and damn if it didn’t sound as sexy as dirty talk to him.
Ilse gulped as the billionaire’s head started to lower.
From the corner of her eye, she could see that the world still continued to move, to exist. So why did it feel like that same world was starting to fade the closer the billionaire’s lips came to her?
Her throat dried and her eyes involuntarily closed.
But in the end, his lips landed just a fraction away from the corner of her mouth.
Chapter Seven
Ilse’s stomach tightened with an aching sensation as he straightened away from her. Why didn’t he just kiss her? The thought shocked and mortified her – it was almost like she was complaining!