Page 36 of Dating the Billionaire

She turned fully toward him now, studying his handsome face as she processed her shock over his admission. “What? You didn’t have food and clothes?”

His face flushed slightly. “Things were a little hard for us. But we got by with some help. Tony was a neighbor. He helped.”

“You’ve paid him back now,” she said, surmising that he’d probably helped the designer launch his own fashion house. Not that she expected Teo to admit it.

He shook his head, and his voice was even gruffer with emotion when he replied, “I will never be able to thank him enough for his kindness and generosity.”

“Your life...” she murmured. “I can’t imagine how it must have been.” She’d never been hungry for food—just for love and acceptance.

But her mother had been so busy trying to get her father’s attention and approval that she hadn’t had time for her children. And her father hadn’t shown love or any other emotions.

“I think you might be able to imagine it. Something about you...” Teo studied her face through narrowed eyes. “I don’t believe your life has been easy.”

She uttered a shaky sigh at the understatement. “If things were difficult for me, it was because of the choices I made,” she admitted. Like now...

She’d chosen not to tell him her real name and to hide behind a disguise when she flew him.

“What kind of choices?” he asked.

She couldn’t tell him about the flying, so instead she told him about Miranda. “I had a friend who often got me into trouble,” she said.

“You were a wild child?” he asked, his brown eyes twinkling as if the thought excited him.

“No,” she said. “I always got caught.”

“Is that why you’re so guarded?” he asked. “You are trying to protect yourself?”

She nearly jumped at his astute observation. How could he not see through Bill’s disguise but he could see her so clearly now?

That was why she had to protect herself, though, from him, from falling for him.

“I have no regrets,” she assured him.

“No?” he asked, his head tilted.

It was as if he knew she regretted not being honest with him.

Thunderous applause saved her from having to reply. She jumped to her feet along with everyone else. Tony came onto the stage and bowed. Then he gestured for Matteo to join him.

Matteo shook his head.

“This would not have been possible without you, my friend,” Tony called out to him. “You are responsible for this finally coming to fruition.”

“You are the talent,” Matteo called back. “Congratulations on a fabulous line!”

The applause and accolades continued even while drinks and hors d’oeuvres were served. While Teo kept Blair at his side, he didn’t have time to interrogate her any further about her past or her present.

But then he took her empty flute of champagne and passed it along with his to a waiter.

“Would you like more, sir?” the waiter asked.

Teo shook his head. “No, thank you. We’re leaving.”

And her heart began to beat faster. The interrogation would probably begin again—unless she could distract him as she had on the ride to the show.

When they stepped outside and the wind blew beneath her dress, over her bare skin, she knew just how to distract him. Once he’d taken the seat across from her and the chauffeur closed the back door, she spread her legs and pushed her dress up high enough that he could see how badly she wanted him.

“Damn you,” he cursed as his nostrils flared. “Damn you for being so irresistible.”