Page 67 of Rival Hearts

Charlotte nodded, not saying anything, and she huddled tighter against me.

I knew this was just the storm and the situation throwing us together, but God, if I had to be here with anyone, I wouldn’t have had it with anyone else.

Having her this close to me was incredible, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I could do something of value.

I could look after her. Charlotte was precious and deserved to be looked after, and that was exactly what I would do to the best of my ability.

19

CHARLOTTE

At first, I felt exposed when Alex and I were alone and I had to get out of my wet clothes. We’d seen each other naked more than once, but somehow without the heat of the moment and lust driving us, it was different.

But Alex was a complete gentleman about it, turning his back so that I could get undressed without him looking, and when my blanket slipped a little, he averted his eyes.

There was so much about him I’d misjudged. Part of which was who he was as a person.

“You know, that first morning when you told me who you were… I was so mad at you.”

“Why?” His eyes were a light blue, and his face serious.

“Because I thought you did it on purpose.”

“Well, I did,” he pointed out. “Just not to fool you. It was more to protect me.”

I thought about it. “I can imagine you have trouble when you tell people who you really are. People act like you’re a celebrity of some kind.”

“Yeah,” he said and chuckled. “Except I’m not famous for people thinking I’m so great and so kind and they want my autograph so they can say they rubbed shoulders with me.”

I frowned. “Why, then?”1

“Money,” he said with a shrug.

His blanket had slid down enough that it exposed his broad shoulders and chiseled pecs, and leaning back against the tarp, he was completely at ease. It made him look like a god of some kind. An Adonis who’d been sent to Earth, except he didn’t seem invincible like a god would be. He seemed open, and there was a side to him that seemed vulnerable.

“Money?”

“That’s all they want from me. No one wants to date me because of my bright personality or my ability to do business. They want to date me because of what it will mean for them. Evennotdating, just spending one night together… most people use it as social clout, you know?”

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “That must be horrible. And then I was such a bitch to you about it all.”

Alex chuckled. “Actually, that was refreshing.”

I blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

“You were the first person who didn’t have an agenda with me. You wereangryabout sleeping with me, where all the others are usually thrilled.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I said dryly, but Alex shook his head and chuckled.

“I’m serious. It was such a breath of fresh air to just be treated like a human being.”

I swallowed. I hadn’t exactly treated him like a human being. I’d treated him like shit, pissed off at him, and accused him of lying to me, trying to take me for a ride.

“It sounds like a lonely life,” I said softly. “Being used all the time.”

“It is,” Alex said. “Not that people generally notice something like that… it’s pretty lonely at the top as a rule, or so most people at the top would tell their friends if they had any.” He cocked a grin at me, and I giggled.

“Well, you’re not completely alone, right? You have your brothers and Gabe.”