This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, weather electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Cassie Cross.

One Night With the Billionaire

Book Two

By Cassie Cross

CHAPTER ONE

“Now that you have that nice new computer, I figured you’d be doing some actual work on it instead of just staring at the wall.”

Kaia realizes that Janine is talking to her a little too late, and looks up to see her roommate leaning against her doorway, looking at her patiently.

“What’d you say?”

Janine arches her brow. “Do you want to finally tell me what happened? You were so jazzed about your date, you spent the whole night out, and ever since you’ve come back you’ve been kind of a zombie.”

“I’m not a zombie,” Kaia replies defensively.

With a tilt of her head, Janine says, “You told me after lunch that you were coming in here to do some work, and the few times I’ve walked past, you’ve just been staring at the wall looking like, well…like that.”

“Like what?”

Janine frowns a little, then looks off into the distance with a blank stare.

Kaia considers arguing that there’s no way she’s ever looked like that, but when she stops to think about it…she probably does look exactly that way.

Ever since Kaia left Jason’s hotel room, her thoughts drift to him often. She knows that’s ridiculous, considering he was up front with her about what he was and was not looking for, and he followed through with that. She has no right to be disappointed that he didn’t want more, and yet, here she is, disappointed that he didn’t want more.

Using the laptop that Jason gave her isn’t exactly helping things. Every time she opens the lid, she remembers meeting him, remembers what happened after he gave it to her. It’s so bad that she’s considered selling it and using the money for a new one. But she’d probably think of the fact that she did that every time she tried typing on the new one, so she’d just wind up in an infinite loop of memories of a man she can’t have.

The other morning when she came home from Jason’s hotel room, she remembered giving him her address, and held out a little hope that he’d be the one who delivered the laptop to her. Imagine her disappointment after she heard a knock on the front door, only to open it and find a courier holding the package out to her with a friendly smile on his face.

“Just FYI, you’re doing it again.”

“Okay,” Kaia relents. “I see what you mean. Sorry.”

Janine gives her a soft smile as he walks over to the edge of Kaia’s bed, then slowly sits down.

“Wanna tell me what happened?”

“I already did,” Kaia says softly.

“You said that he didn’t want to pursue anything. I think there’s more to it than that.”

“There isn’t, trust me.”

Janine scoots closer to Kaia on the bed. “I don’t believe you.”

Kaia sighs. “He told me he doesn’t do relationships right up front.”

“You mean, you got all dressed up to go on a date, and were so excited for it when you knew there wasn’t even the possibility that the guy would commit?” Janine’s brows are furrowed, because she knows Kaia well, and definitely knows that is so unlike her.

“No, I got all dressed up to go on a date, then showed up at the guy’s place. He made me come so hard I couldn’t see straight, and then he told me he wouldn’t commit, but offered me one night together.”

Janine looks shocked. “And you agreed?”

Kaia flushes, and toys with the edge of her comforter. “If you had been me, you would’ve agreed. I don’t want to be too graphic, but his hands were so talented that I just had to find out what the rest of him could do.”

“He sounds rude,” Janine replies.

“How so?”

“Well,” she says, tapping her chin. “Either rude or a complete genius.”

“Janine,” Kaia warns.

“He gives you a taste of the goods, then lets you know they’re only available for a limited-time offer. Okay, I’ve decided. Not rude, definitely genius.”

Kaia can’t really argue with that assessment. “I agreed to it 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 time alone with Jason, but Kaia can’t help but think she’s a little bit of a traitor. She’ll forgive her tomorrow, probably. She grins at Jason. “It was nice to meet you.”

Jason grins back. “You, too.”

Kaia watches as Janine slips out the door. When she’s out of Jason’s line of sight, she gives Kaia a wide-eyed, excited look.

“Oh my god,” she mouths silently, then holds up her cell phone. “Text me later.”

Then the door shuts, and it’s just the two of them.

“Sorry to just show up without calling,” he explains smoothly. “But I don’t have your number.”

A little niggle of annoyance pulls at Kaia’s stomach. “That’s because you didn’t ask for it,” she says, trying to stay light. “Because you don’t...what were the words? You don’t
do relationships
?” She just barely manages not to make sarcastic air quotes.

Kaia tries desperately to rein herself in by reminding herself that she has no right to be annoyed or angry. He spelled out the terms of their night together very clearly before she agreed to them.

And
, she also reminds herself.
It was just one night.
For the life of her, she can’t figure out why it felt like so much more, like the two of them were standing on the edge of something great, but Jason just wasn’t willing to jump.

Jason has the nerve to let out a little breath that sounds somewhere in the vicinity of a laugh. Then he reaches out and crooks his fingers below Kaia’s chin, sliding the pad of his thumb along the curve of her lower lip.

“I did say that,” he replies, his voice low.

“And then you used a business trip that might or might not have been real to tease a little, then take it back.”

Jason nods. “I did do that, and I’m sorry.”

BOOK: One Night With the Billionaire: Book Two

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