ONE NIGHT STAND WITH A BILLIONAIRE IN DISGUISE

la's

he front bell rings-once, then again, sharper the second

to the front of th

ike he doesn't belong

ed Jo

than my month's inventory. He looks out of place-too clean, too expensive,

can duck back behind

ame sounds too soft in his

doesn't need stirring, but I stir it anyway. My hand move

s he

oes he

why

d woman to fi

at him. "That's

ss my

e you do

ch. "I was in t

ares not. Maybe he knows I'

e to s

I hate the flicker in my chest. I hate that

owly, "you've se

he back, pretend he never existed-but his

nt to

o

se my

r, without turnin

g charity," he s

food, your dream, everythin

nd sharp, turning

cheque? Is it a belief? Not guilt or control or whatever it

ze doesn't leave mine. "

surpri

his coat pocket, and places something down. A smal

n't

is t

"An invitation to a food grant competition.

y y

" he says. "And your food remin

to beli

an't af

ope toward me, not picking it up. Just

going to fix

says quietly. "I just wa

between us f

t his

in that night. That hour fe

oorbell ri

: the polished heels that don't dare touch puddles, the flawless blowout, the blood-red lipstick t

she looks

he's

. A flicker of tension along his ja

re

ossy magazine headline in a grocery store aisle I cou

her gaze toward the café walls as they offend her.

ardens. "That's n

les. "You deserve someone who understands how thin

old friends catching up. "If your mother hadn't mentioned yo

head snaps

old yo

s, Wilfred. That you're being... distrac

distracted, the way her eyes flick to m

ose she just offered that information out of

laugh. It's a stage laugh, thin an

s on you, you know.

bl

a

a

s cold and slic

m, which means... t

one knew about this moment before it even hap

ld wal

o back to

I do

n the stupid, aching thing my heart keeps doing when W

's abo

les, but I can feel the

ly, stepping forward. "And I'm

row. "Oh, sweetie. This i

la this weekend, won't you? Your mother says inve

doesn't

he flicker

ed in her world.

t my sides, fightin

, my voice low. "You'r

s like she's

ybe sh

lfred does

hat s

er than a