Page 76 of How to Train Your Billionaire

His lips find mine, desperate this time, as he advances me toward the bed. I barely have time to react before I’m on the mattress, his weight pressing me down. My breath hitches as he moves to undressme completely, his hands gentle but firm, as if he knows exactly what I need and when.

His lips trail lower, unhurried, leaving warmth in their wake. Every place he touches feels lit from within, a slow burn spreading through me until I can’t take much more.

When his mouth finds mine again, it’s softer this time—less hunger, more promise. He’s steady where I’m trembling, certain where I’m undone.

“Please stop being so good at this,” I murmur.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he says, his lips moving to my neck. He laughs softly against my skin, the sound low and warm, and for a moment, everything else disappears—the hum of the yacht, the weight of the day, the ache I’ve been carrying for so long.

“Was that okay? You’re kind of spacing out,” Hayes asks, clearly not getting why I’m suddenly silent.

“Huh? No, that wasnotokay. What just happened?”

I’m still processing the whole thing. The bar has been set so high, I don’t know how anything else could ever compare. “I don’t know who you are or what kind of sorcery you pulled, but no—I am not okay.”

“Come again?”

“Exactly!” I burst out, trying to collect my thoughts.

He chuckles, clearly amused.

“No, seriously, Hayes. That wasintimidating. I feel like I just went through an intense workout with no warm-up. I don’t even know where to go from here.”

“Shh.” He leans in to kiss me, trying to smooth things over with a dose of charm.

I blink, still stunned. “What am I supposed to do? Pretend it never happened?”

He shrugs, a little too casual, then covers us with the sheet. “Nope. We don’t have to pretend anything. Just act normal. I’ve found it’s best to maintain a ‘business as usual’ policy after these sorts of things.”

I squint at him, crossing my arms. “These sorts of thingsas in ... hooking up with the help?” I raise an eyebrow, giving him a pointed stare.

He waves a hand, nonchalant. “You’re not really the help. I’d say you at least qualify as Charles’s companion by now.”

I huff before turning on my side, snuggling closer—because he’s warm, and solid, and well, gorgeous. Even if that was annoying.

“You’re something else, Frankie,” he says around a deep, satisfied sigh.

“Yeah well, I really think I pulled a muscle.”

Hayes laughs.

Chapter Thirty

Hayes Is Bad at Feelings

Hayes

I can’t sleep.

I’m lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, the weight of everything that happened tonight practically crushing me.

I might have laughed and let her stroke my ego ... but alone now in my cabin, I can’t lie to myself. Something happened between us. Something that shouldn’t have.

Which is why I had to get the hell out of there. The last thing I can afford is to get tangled up with feelings I swore I’d never entertain. As soon as she fell asleep, I crawled from the bed, grabbed my clothes, and shuffled off to my own cabin. Which is where I am now—spiraling.

I force my eyes closed, but it doesn’t help. I keep seeing the way she looked at me, gazing at me in wonder. I keep hearing the sound of her soft voice ... remembering the way her lips tasted. The way her hands ...

Damn it.