Page 60 of The Renegade Billionaire

“Maybe a little. To be fair, I haven’t had many opportunities to be charmed, so you could be nailing it and I have no idea.”

The song ends, but we continue to sway to a beat that vibrates between us.

“That needs correcting. I’ll have to talk to Pops about charming and wooing you. Something tells me he isn’t going to let last night slide without a discussion.”

She laughs so hard, tears dot the tips of her lashes. “He really likes you, Braxton.”

“And you?” I drawl. “How do you feel about me?”

Her cheeks are a delicate pink that reminds me of cotton candy.

“I think I’m worried that you’re some kind of mirage. You know, too good to be true.”

“Ah,” I say. “Were you always a pessimist, or is this lingering fear from whatever Turd did to you?”

It was the wrong thing to say. She shrugs and attempts to pull away. “That wasn’t a dig, sunshine. That was me, asking you to show me your skeletons so I’ll know how to bury the memories.”

“Braxton, you don’t even know me. What if my skeletons have already filled the cemetery?”

Hitching at the waist, I bring my nose in line with hers. “Then I’ll cremate the fuckers and spread the ashes wherever you ask me to.” As soon as I say it, I know I mean it more than anything else I’ve ever said.

Ace always talked about how love struck him with the precision of a whip the first time he saw my grandmother. I don’t even know if I believe in love at first sight, but whatever this connection is with Madison, it definitely feels as though I’m headed in that direction.

“That’s pretty intense for a man who’s never even been on a date before.”

I shrug and stand upright. “Not true. That was pretty intense for a man who went on the best date of his life last night and hasn’t made it home yet.”

She scoffs. “This wasn’t a date, Braxton.”

Holding up one finger, I correct her. “One, I’ve been called worse things than intense. Two, we had drinks.”

“I.Ihad a drink. You didn’t.”

“Three,” I tap her nose with my fingers. “We danced. A lot.”

Madison rolls her eyes, and I have a momentary vision of tugging her over my lap and spanking her bare ass for the infraction. I’ve never had a spanking kink.

This woman is bringing out all kinds of interesting shit in me.

“Four, I fought for your honor.”

“My ex was being an epic twatapossamus. That’s not fighting for my honor.”

I tap my jaw where a light bruise has formed. “Five, we talked about our shitty childhoods. Six, we snuggled—all nightlong while watching for shooting stars. Seven, we’re dancing to the sunrise. I know I’m not an expert—yet—but I’ve seen enough movies to know that this could rival any Heartmark first date.”

“You have a strange obsession with Heartmark, Mr. Mitchell. Plus, you weren’t even watching, soyoudidn’t see any shooting stars.”

She loves to bicker with me.

With a hand pressing into her back, I dip her low and allow my body to follow so our mouths nearly touch. “Au contraire, mon amour. I did see a shooting star, and my wish already came true.”

She searches my expression for the truth.

“You wished on a shooting star, and it already came true?”

“I did, and it did.”

Who knew that my happiness looked like Madison Ryan?