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I shake my head. No way. That would mean contact and contract. I need to put some distance between us, not tie myself to him. This playboy billionaire is playing havoc with my equilibrium.

“I said no,” I snap.

“Why?”

“Because…”

“Would you have let Cal? The man you met in New York?” His expression takes my breath away.

“Cal didn’t exist,” I sigh.

“He does. He’s me - only without your preconceived ideas.”

I push off the wall and move towards him. “Why do you care so much?” I ask, finding myself getting closer and closer, as if drawn by an invisible string.

“Why are you so quick to judge me? Label me?” he asks, both our breathing become more laboured. His eyes drop to my lips, and I can’t stop my tongue from snaking out, moistening them.

“I don’t,” I protest, but know I’m lying.

“You do,” he counters.

I sigh, “I know all the good you and your family have done for this city.”

“So why?” he asks, stepping back as if it’s the only way he can maintain distance. Not the playboy image…

“Ah, there you go, labelling me again… playboy.”

Shit, did I say the word aloud?

I must have, as the look on his face hardens.

“Playboy. That’s what the press labels me.” He leans forward, placing his hands on the kitchen side. “I won’t apologise for enjoying my life. For living it the way I want to. Asfor the women I’m photographed with, they want the same things I do.”

Cal turns to face me.

“Do you know what it’s like to be raised in one of the wealthiest families in the country? What that means every time you meet someone new? Trying to figure out what they want. Do they want to be your friend or are they after something? Do you know how many people have tried to use me since I was a teenager? Social climbers who are only interested in my name. People who want to see what they can get out of me. My friends and I learned early on how to protect ourselves. I don’t make empty promises. But I won’t date or tie myself to someone who only sees my name and my wealth. Is that so wrong?”

I’m not sure how to reply. I never thought of life at the other end of the spectrum. For me, it has been a fight to ensure people don’t gain enough power over me to force me into things I don’t want to do. I never thought about people not being genuine, of using you, just in a different way. Maybe we aren’t so different, both protecting our hearts.

Caleb stops and laughs. It’s a hollow laugh as if he’s chastising himself. I don’t like it, especially when he says. “Do you know why I introduced myself as Cal when I met you in New York? When I realised you didn’t recognise me, I could be me. You talked to Cal that night, not Caleb Frazer, billionaire. You laughed and joked with me. I hadn’t felt that free and at ease in years. Then, the next morning, it was like I dreamt it. You were gone.” Sad eyes clash with mine. “Why?”

“You want to know why?” I wrap my arms around my waist. “Because, when I woke up in the presidential suite of the hotel, you weren’t plain, Cal. You were a somebody. I was out of my depth and so I left. I didn’t want that awkward morning after chat. The one I assumed a billionaire would have.”

“It wasn’t the presidential suite. It’s our family suite. We own the hotel,” Cal says, and I laugh.

I shake my head and smile. Only he would say something like that.

“It was an amazing night,” I say. His eyes snap to mine. “I didn’t want to ruin it by having you realise in the light of the day, I wasn’t anyone special. I wanted to preservethe magic of the night.”

We stare at each other.What the hell possessed me to say that?True or not, I just complicated things.

“I tried to find you,” he surprises me by admitting. “I waited for Samuel and the show to reappear, but when they did…”

I smile. “Samuel said,he told you to sling your hook.” It’s my turn to smirk, although the hollow feeling in my chest makes me wish he had told me Cal was looking for me.What would I have done if I’d known?

I’m playing with fire when the next words come out of my mouth. “What would you have done if he told you where to find me?”

A slow smile stretches Caleb’s lips, sending waves of desire straight to my centre. Memories of what Cal did to me that night coming to the forefront of my mind.