Page 312 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 7

“Okay, Ash. If you’re sure.”

We both knew I rarely slept anymore. But thankfully she was being merciful.

“And just for the record. Before Joe proposed to Sierra, you were slaying that date.”

I really had been.

“But don’t ever say I’m Madison’s gay date ever again. Gag. I don’t want to give her any ideas.”

I laughed. “I promise I won’t. I’m going to go…to bed now.”

“Alright. Love you!”

“Love you too.” I hung up the phone and pulled my fuzzy blanket up to my chin.Woe is me.

I was just starting to reread all the Instagram comments when someone knocked on my door.

What now?Chastity probably knew I was out of ice cream. It was sweet of her to stop by. But I really wasn’t in any place to break my vow of reclusivity. I’d proven to everyone that Icouldn’t be trusted in the wild. I’d just yell at her to go away through the door. I tossed my phone on the coffee table and walked over to check the peephole.

And I almost screamed. It was Dr. Lyons. Normally I would have thought about hurling myself out of the window. But he didn’t look upset. He was just standing there balancing a bouquet of spring flowers and a to-go bag from the Midtown Pudding Place.

I couldn’t help but smile. After all that had happened tonight - after I barfed on him and ran away - he still wanted to see me? I didn’t deserve him. And I almost didn’t open the door. But that bag of dessert…I needed it. I needed it more than life itself. My dessert cravings outweighed my shame. Just barely.

I begrudgingly opened the door.

“I brought dessert,” he said, holding up the bag. Even through the bag I could smell the sweet sweet aroma of freshly baked bread pudding. “Oh, and these are for you.” He handed me the bouquet.

I didn’t know what to say. No words could describe my weird mix of emotions. I was so angry at Joe. So embarrassed about Incident #4. And somehow so thankful for this wonderful man in front of me. But most of all, I was just confused about why Dr. Lyons was still pursuing me. He’d already seen so many things he couldn’t un-see. Yet, here he was. I thought about all the times Tanner had pushed me away. And here was a guy that just kept showing up? Screw Tanner. Screw Joe. Screw all other men. Dr. Lyons trumped them all.

“Sorry it took me so long,” he said. “There was a long line at the Pudding Place. And I had to run home to change.”

“You really didn’t have to do this. Especially after…well, you know.” The projectile vomit thing. God, it was possible that Incident #4 was the worst yet.No.No, nothing beat the original incident.

“There was no way I was going to let our first date end like that. Honestly, I was happy to leave. That restaurant was a little stuffy for my taste.” He pulled out two containers of bread pudding and put them on the coffee table. “Gossip Girl and dessert is so much better.”

I laughed. “You watch Gossip Girl, huh?”

“I mean…not anymore. I already binged the entire thing.”

“I feel like that’s not something a guy should admit.”

“Hey, I like what I like.” He sat down and took a big bite of his raspberry bread pudding. “I can’t exactly watch manly shows, anyway.”

I laughed again. “Are you mocking me?” I sat down next to him.

“No, I’m serious.” He looked a little embarrassed. “Anything with gunshots or violence is out unless you want to see me scream like a schoolgirl and hide under a couch for thirty minutes. I have the army to thank for that.”

Oh.“PTSD?”

He scratched the back of his neck like even hearing the term made him nervous. “Yeah. Being triggered by gunshots isn’t so bad, though. I’m just thankful they never threw pudding bombs at us. Then my life really would have been ruined.” He took another big bite.

“I want to make a joke about me having PTSD from barfing on you, but I kind of feel like that would be in poor taste.”

“Not at all. I probably will too. I’m not sure I’ll ever look at grits the same again.”

I hid behind my hands. “Oh God. Can we please never speak of that?”

Dr. Lyons laughed. “It’s really fine. I totally get it. I don’t want to offend you, but…that ex of yours seems like a total douche. I mean…his proposal was somehow so overdone and so lame all at the same time. If someone proposed to me like that, I’d throw a glass of champagne in their face and tell them to try again.”