Bet On It: An Age Gap Billionaire Office Romance(29)

"Do you happen to have something else I could wear over this?" she asked.

I nodded and rose. "I'm sure we can find something in my closet." I led her out of the living room and down the long hallway to my bedroom.

I walked over to my closet, opening the double doors and stepping in. I knew the closet was bigger than most studio apartments, but again, in my defense, I'd expected to share it with a woman. And while I wasn't a clothes horse, I did have my share of expensive suits, shoes, and casual wear.

"Oh, my God." The words came out of her mouth with humor.

I glanced over as she scanned the closet, amusement lighting her eyes. I knew it was at my expense, and yet it was so lovely to see that for a moment, I just watched her.

She let out a laugh as she caught sight of the shelves of shoes. "I bet you have more shoes than I do."

She pointed a finger up and began to count my pairs of shoes. When she got to the lower shelves, she bent over, giving me a stellar view of her sublimely round ass. I stifled a groan as I imagined holding onto her hips and sliding into her from behind.

It occurred to me that this was a really bad idea. I could lose the bet. Then again, as she turned around and I saw her face lit up in delight, I was willing to bet everything I had to be with her.





16





Analyn





By now, I wouldn’t have expected that seeing Reed’s opulence would faze me. I knew the guy owned a billion-dollar company. I knew he had his own private dining area in a restaurant. And yet, I was still mesmerized by the size of his house and his closet. Why did one guy need all this room?

The closet was practically the size of Betts's condo. I noted that while Reed had very nice clothes, and more shoes than I did, there was still room in the closet. Perhaps for a woman? There were no signs of a woman at the moment. That shouldn't have given me as much joy as it did.

Teasing him, I started counting his shoes. There were fancy black ones and brown ones, and even a couple that were a slate gray. He also had more sneakers than were necessary.

As I finished counting his shoes, I stood up laughing, only to find Reed watching me with an intense expression. My laughter dropped away, and I worried that perhaps he didn't like being teased.

He cleared his throat and took off his robe, revealing that he was wearing a T-shirt and lounge pants underneath. I thought perhaps I saw evidence of arousal, but he handed me the robe, saying something about wearing it, and then he walked out of the closet.

I'd been thinking of borrowing something more along the line of sweatpants, but I suppose the robe would do. Especially when I slipped it on and its warmth and the scent of him wrapped around me. Yearning to get wrapped up in him filled me. If only he weren’t my boss.

Not wanting to get caught standing in his closet fantasizing about him, I exited and caught a glimpse of him as he headed back to the hallway. I followed him, taking another look around his bedroom. Of course, my gaze stopped on the large, sumptuous bed.

What would it be like to spend the night in it with him? I could picture him naked, and I nearly groaned at the desire the image filled me with. I wondered how many other women had enjoyed the experience of staying the night with Reed. That thought effectively doused my libido.

"Everything alright?" Reed popped his head back into the bedroom.

I started toward him. "Yes, of course. Thank you for the robe. Is there a room for me to stay in?"

He nodded and led me down the hall and into a guest room. It was large and luxurious like his own bedroom. The bed might not have been quite as big, but it was still a good size.

"This room has its own ensuite as well." He led me to a door, opening it to a bathroom that was nearly the size of my bedroom. In the middle was a large soaking tub and a tiled shower with a rain spout.

"Make yourself comfortable,” he said, as he moved back into the middle of the bedroom.

I followed him and sat down on the edge of the bed. Reed’s world was so different from mine, but as a person, Reed didn't feel out of reach. He had an authenticity and a down to earth quality that belied the opulence that he lived in.

"I'll leave you to get some rest. If there's anything you need, just let me know."

I nodded, and then realizing the imposition I'd put him in, I called after him. "Reed?"

He stopped at the door and turned to look at me.

"Thank you. I know I'm asking a lot, especially considering how I behaved this afternoon."

He smiled and shook his head. "Not at all, Analyn. What happened today was my fault, and you had every right to be upset. I'm just glad that you can still see me as a friend and that you trust me."

Guilt filled me that he was taking the blame for this afternoon. "You know what they say? It takes two to tango. It was my fault too. You have been exceedingly good to me, and I want you to know that I appreciate it."

"Have a good night, Analyn."

He exited and shut the door. I flopped back on the bed, letting out a breath. I actually felt remarkably calm and content considering what was going on in my life.

My best friend’s fiancé had hit on me, and I hadn't been brave enough to tell her. And I knew I would have to. I hated that I was going to have to ruin her dream. Ruin her happiness.

A part of me wondered if she would believe me. We were so close that I couldn't imagine she wouldn't, but when it came to affairs of the heart, sometimes, that took precedence over everything else, including friendships.