The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys #2)(56)

She squinted one eye and seesawed her hand back and forth.

He reached out and took that hand. He couldn’t be this close to her and not touch her. “He’s like me.”

“No.” She shook her head and assessed him. “You’re different.”

Threading his fingers with hers, he admitted, “So are you.”

She smiled at him. “What’d you have in mind for tonight?”

“Full report on the bar over dinner. Then we’ll go back to the room and we’ll see what other tricks you have up your sleeve.”

“Tag!” She swatted him playfully. Then she peeked over her shoulder at Karina, who was bustling in circles around Craig behind the bar. “Did you know Karina likes you?”

“She…what now?” He caught Karina watching him, and her eyes widened before she looked away.

“Likes you, likes you,” Rachel continued. “I’m probably lucky I escaped with all my hair.”

Karina was pretty—dark hair, full mouth—but her demeanor was more military than soft. She was curt and abrupt, which made her a great manager, but dating potential? Even if there was a notable amount of attraction between them—and there wasn’t—her personality and Tag’s didn’t mesh.

“She’s not for me. I like women who—”

“Aren’t entangled with your work?” Rachel cut him off.

He yanked her over to his lap and caught her when she would’ve lost her balance. He tucked her close, one arm around her back, the other palming her jaw.

“You are entangled in my work, honey.”

“I’m guessing this isn’t something you normally do.”

That was true, too. He preferred the subtle blow-off. Sleeping with the people he worked with wasn’t only frowned upon, but it could also make future encounters awkward. He didn’t want to do his dates any damage, but neither did he want to continue leading them on when he knew things wouldn’t amount to anything long-term.

Looking at Rachel now made him realize he hadn’t had a single thought like that about her. Hadn’t worried she was getting the wrong idea or that he should start laying the groundwork for disentangling himself from what was rapidly becoming an “us.”

“This isn’t normal for me, Dimples,” was all he said. He palmed the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his, tasting her gently before letting her go. His eyes on hers, he watched as she studied his mouth.

“Me neither,” she whispered.

“Because you dated a guy in marketing who never treated you like he should’ve?” It was information she’d given him during their beach walk.

“Right,” she agreed, putting another soft kiss on his mouth. She reached up and stroked his beard with one finger. “He was clean-shaven with short hair and only a few inches taller than I am.”

“Sounds like a sissy,” Tag teased.

Her grin faded. “He didn’t appreciate me. I should have left sooner.”

She should have, but pointing that out wouldn’t do her any good.

“You’re out now.” He swallowed the urge to promise her she wouldn’t have to deal with any other guy like that again. Wanting to explore what was between them was one thing, making promises was another.

“Still want to work a day shift while you’re here?” he asked.

“You know, I would. I think it would give me a better idea of what you need to do to make this place a success.”

“You care, don’t you?” His heart swelled. “About this place.”

“Isn’t that why you invited me?”

Yeah, but she cared for more than that reason.

“I’m paying for dinner tonight, too.”

“I’m capable of—”

He put a finger over her plush lips.

“Shut up and enjoy it, Dimples.” Enjoy me, he wanted to say, but didn’t. He wasn’t sure what was going through her head. He wasn’t one for holding back, but this was new territory. The first time he’d suspected he liked a girl more than she liked him.

Rachel held back constantly, until she didn’t. He’d like more of her moving toward him instead of away. Even after Hawaii. A wave of certainty and nausea swept through him. Maybe it was being here that had made him sentimental, but he was sure something new was happening.

With her being the first woman in a long, long, long-ass time he was interested in moving toward, not away from, he wasn’t about to let her go.





Chapter 16



Their flight out of Hawaii was scheduled to leave early. Rachel was awake at dark packing her bags when Tag appeared in her doorway, cup of steaming coffee in hand.

“Oh, you’re an angel.” She reached for the mug, but he stepped away.

“You’re drinking this on the beach. Sun’s up soon. Let’s go.” He tipped his head and vanished around the corner.

Groggily, she slipped into her flip-flops and shuffled ahead of him as he grabbed a coffee mug for himself. She opened the door for him and pushed the button on the elevator. In a few short minutes, her feet were sinking into the sand at the shoreline, where there was a reserved pair of beach chairs waiting at the ideal spot.

“Really going to miss this kind of treatment,” she told him as he handed over her coffee.