Page 50 of The Elusive Billionaire

“Oh, because you did it so proficiently the last time?” So much for not falling for her antics.

Her hip snaps to the left. “It was a hurricane. Rain came down thick as walls. It’s sunny out today, and I’ll be fine.”

“Fine or dead, and it’s not a risk I’m willing to take, so get your ass moving. We’re doing this together.”

She takes one step before stopping again. “Have you decided yet?”

“Decided what?” Irritation has me reaching for my lucky coin. Could you imagine if I was actually in a relationship with this woman? I’d either wear out my lucky coin or break my fingers. She’s seriously the most frustrating human on the planet.

“How you feel about me? Love or hate? Friend or foe? Do you want to keep punishing me for being your friend or spank me…for fun? You’re very divided in your words, Patch, but your actions? Those are crystal clear.”

I recoil at the word love, grow hard at the vision of spanking, and no, I’m not one step closer to having any damn idea how I feel about this insufferable woman.

“Wear pants,” I grunt, then hurry to the kitchen to pack some supplies. “We leave in ten minutes.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Reyes, sir.” She’s so damn fresh—butsirfrom her pouty lips is something I could get on board with—permanently.

I may not know what I want to do with her, but right now, yeah, I know exactly what I want to do to her, and it involves her silent and on her knees.

This woman is going to break me. I feel it in my bones.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SAVVY

I knewit was a mistake after the first twenty minutes. Two hours later, covered in mud, grass, and debris, I’m ready to throw in the towel.

“It’s not that much further,” Grey says from where he’s standing. “I swear you’re part baby giraffe. How have you possibly made it through life walking on your own?” he asks before reaching down to offer me a hand.

“A, I’m not wearing my own shoes, and B, we’re slipping and sliding around in brown snot. This shit is nasty, so do you truly believe I’m not trying to remain standing?”

He shakes his head, hauls me to my feet, then drags me forward.

“Just hang on to me, and we’ll be to the main road any minute.”

I take two steps before I lose my borrowed shoe in a squelching, slurping mudhole. I attempt to release his hand, but he stubbornly holds tighter, and we both tumble to the muck. Again.

“Jesus, Monroe. You’re built like an athlete but with none of the coordination.”

He’s not wrong, and the absurdity of the situation makes me laugh.

Grey pauses, his pale blue irises glued to my lips, and the laughter dies away with the heaviness of his stare. He’s done this before when I laugh, and each time, my stomach tightens with worry and something so much stronger than desire that I can’t put it into words. What is it about my laugh that has him studying me this way?

“Are we going to end up with a parasite from all this mud and gunk?” I ask. I’d likely say anything at this point to steer us away from the intensity of his appraisal.

He shrugs but manages to gracefully launch himself back to his feet while I slip and slide on my hands and knees.

Please, please, please do not throw up. Who knows what the hell we’re actually walking through, but the rotten scent that wafts through the air occasionally isn’t helping me. My gag reflex is more than triggered.

“Probably.” He grabs me under my armpits before lifting me again.

“Think we’ll end up quarantined together?”

Grey has upped his side-eye game since we’ve been stranded together. And when he uses it now, I can’t hide my smirk.

“Monroe, I don’t know what to do with you.” Exasperation has never sounded so sexy.

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard that one,” I say. His fingers twitch. It’s the same motion he uses when he’s rolling his lucky coin through them. I’m nearly certain he’s not even aware he’s doing it.