Page 16 of A Billion Dollar Romance

I squeezed my eyes shut, burying them in my hands, and nodded. “I did.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t say no!”

“Did he threaten you? Like, blackmail?” she asked suddenly, and I shook my head. I’d climbed the flight of stairs separating her apartment from mine in my pajamas, and she’d let me in and wordlessly gotten a cup of tea and an only slightly smaller cup of bourbon, letting me pick which I wanted.

I went with the tea, which left Flora with the bourbon.

“Of course not. But…” I smiled weakly. “He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Whatcould hepossibly–”

“My sabbatical.”

He’d offered me his cabin. A stipend. Six months.Think of it like a scholarship,he’d said.

And a job to come back to, if…

I wouldn’t think about that. Ithadto work.

I had thought, for a moment, that he might offer me a book deal, a publishing contract. One book, or two maybe. I had already been trying to figure out if I could accept it. It was cheating, wasn’t it? I wanted to get one on my own merits. But then again, it would be easier to get a second contract, after the first.

But his first book had beenlife-changing, and mine wasn’t evenfinished.

So when he’d offered me the one thing I needed, that I wanted more than anything–the time and space and ability to prove myself–I had just nodded.

“This is crazy, you know that, right?”

I nodded again.

“But…” she smiled. “Good for you, Edie. You know… worst case scenario, it will make good novel fodder.”

I scrunched up my nose. “Yeah, if I ever decide to write ahorrornovel.”

“Domestic thriller,” she countered, and I groaned. “I’m serious, though. You can’t write if you don’t live a little. This will be good for you. And maybe–”

“Don’tevensay it, Flora–” I threatened.

“Maybe you’ll get some more of that tiny–”

It was good that my tea had cooled, and she’d nearly finished her bourbon, because they both spilled as I launched myself across the couch at her.

CHAPTER9

James

I hadn’t realized,when Grandfather died and I learned I’d be the one now at the helm of the company, just how manymeetingsit would entail.

“Last week’s launches went well, everything ran smoothly,” Bridget said, and I nodded. I wasn’t paying attention. She deserved more, but I couldn’t manage it today.

I’d been up half the night, wondering why I’d done it. Why I’d askedher, of all people.

And I’d been up the other half of the night, my hand on my cock, knowing exactly why I’d gone through with this ridiculous scheme.

For the chance to spend time with her, alone, even if it wasn’t real…

I was willing to give her a lot more than just a few months of writing time, but I didn’t want to stoop to something as tawdry as a publishing deal. All she needed was time.