Page 17 of Date The Billionaire

She tried to kiss me, but I pushed her away gently.

“No, Arabella. I know this might be hard for you to grasp, though it is often repeated but no means no. I don’t want you, I don’t want you in my room. I certainly don’t want to fuck you.”

Rather than leave, she leaned more deeply into me. “What were you doing in the shower, Jake? Were you touching yourself? Thinking of me?”

She was trying to sound seductive again, but it had no effect on me. In fact, I laughed at her.

“Oh, I was definitely touching myself in there, Arabella.” I laughed again, and I hated to be cruel, but directness wasn’t working. I leaned over her, my finger pointing her chin up to me. I lowered my head, until our lips almost touched, before I started to speak, our eyes locked together. “I was thinking of Laney, though, not you.”

That made her turn on her heel and leave, roughly grabbing her robe as she did so. The door almost shook out of its frame she slammed it so hard, and I let out a loud laugh. Perhaps the loudest laugh I’d let loose since I’d been there.

I pushed the covers down on the bed and looked around the room. A large, antique bed filled it, mosquito netting pinned to four posts on each corner. The comforter was gold, the room decorated with dark wood furniture and dark paneled walls. It was rather like a coffin, at times, but it was only to sleep in.

I pulled out one of the books I’d brought, a horror novel by one of my favorite authors. You’d think with a past like mine that horror would be the last thing I should read. But I’d faced the worst life had to offer at an early age. It had made me hide from life for a long time; my studies, then work had kept me busy.

I’d played the field, yeah, but I’d played it with women that understood I wasn’t a second date kind of guy. They’d obliged, as had I, and we’d gone on to live our lives. I’d never really wanted a family. It was something to lose, right?

Laney was changing that, though. I was starting to think about the long-term, about futures, and maybe, one day, maybe even children. Gran had been right. I needed a woman. I needed Laney.

The Beatles started playing and I smiled. I wasn’t going to let Laney down. I settled down into the covers, checked to make sure the door was locked with a glance, and settled down for the night.

It was almost done, thank fuck.

Chapter Nine

Laney

“They’ve called a meeting!” Kelly came into the bedroom I now had to myself and sat down on my bed. “I think it’s another elimination. We have to be ready in twenty minutes.”

She didn’t look at me as I sat up, my hair wild and my face a sleepy mess. She sat flicking a nail against her thumb nervously. A deep sigh was another clue that she was eaten up with anxiety.

“It’ll be okay, Kelly. After what David said yesterday, you have nothing to worry about.” I pushed my hair out of my eyes and scrubbed at my face, just in case I’d drooled down one side. I hated that.

“What did he say?” She turned to me, her eyes excited and full of hope.

“I’ve not had coffee yet so I can’t remember exactly, but the man is head over heels for you. Seriously.” I pushed the warm comfort of the covers away. I had about fifteen minutes to make myself look presentable. “Now, since you’re already functioning, could you find me a cup of coffee while I try to make myself look human again?”

I gave her a pitiful smile and she jumped off the bed before bending down to give me a peck on the top of my head. “I’ll be back in five.”

After she left I pushed out of the bed and stood up. It was time for my own nerves to take over. A quick sluice in the shower, my hair piled into a knot on the top of my head, and some eyeliner made me look more alive. I hadn’t slept well, worrying about what had happened on Jake’s date with Arabella had seen to that, and the stress showed on my face. I was as good as I was going to be today.

I slipped into a pair of jeans and a sapphire sweater, black leather boots over my pants my last step before I left my room. I headed to the dining room and hoped I’d be allowed some kind of breakfast before the next bomb was dropped on us. My tummy rumbled as I sat down and smelled the delightful fragrance of ham and the fluffy buttery smell of southern biscuits. Unlike some of the others, I didn’t care enough about my figure to deny myself the delight of a ham biscuit. I had a feeling nervous energy would soon do away with the calories anyway.

I was almost finished with the biscuit when Kelly sat down beside me, two cups of coffee in hand. She was about to speak when Skip walked in, drawing our attention.

“Ladies, are you finished eating? You are? Good, because you’re all going home now. You will return on Christmas Eve when the conclusion to the show will be broadcast live.”

He left without another word as shocked noises filled the air.

I just looked at Kelly, unable to form a thought.

“I have to find David. He has to know how to contact me.” She took off, her own red hair a flag behind her.

I decided I needed to do the same thing and went to find a pen and some paper. I quickly scrawled out my name, phone number, and email address on the paper, folded it up, and headed for his room. I tapped at his door and he soon answered, surprise on his face.

“Laney,” but I interrupted him.

“There’s no time, take this. Call me!” I said and headed back to the dining room, just in case there was more news.