Bedding the Billionaire (Book 3) (Legacy Collection) by Ruth Cardello Page B
Authors: Ruth Cardello
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make better decisions. F or me, for Colby, f or our future. Moving in with you is not a good decision. ”
He bent to pick his rumpled dress shirt off the floor , donned it and began to button it absently. “I can take care of you – b oth of you. You’ll never want for anything.”
He offered so much and so little at the same time.
“ You don’t understand yet, Jake. What I want can’t be bought for me . I want to look at myself in the mirror and respect who I see. I want to be a strong, independent woman so that Colby will grow up knowing what really matters in life. ” She turned away from him. “And so far I’m not doing very well. What kind of example am I for Colby ? I barely know you and look at us.”
He went to stand behind her. Touching her lower back with one warm hand. “Whatever is between us, Lil, it doesn’t change that you are a wonderful mother.”
Don’t be nice, J ake. I don’t want to like you.
“I wish I could believe that, ” Lil mumbled.
Jake wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her gently back against him, talking softly into her ear. “I envy your daughter. She has a mother who loves her fiercely and unconditionally. That’s the gift you will give her . Wanting me doesn’t make you weak or dependent. And I’m not a little boy, Lil. You can’t drive me away with your sarcasm or change my mind about what I want. I don’t know what we have and I don’t know if it will last, but it’s not cheap, Lil. ”
She looked back at him. “Then what is it?”
He was quiet for a moment, then said , “Do we need to label it for you to be comfortable with it? Call me a boyfriend. Call me a lover. I don’t care.”
Lil turned away again, rem oved his hands from her stomach and stepped out of his embrace. “ I care. And I’m not looking for an empty label, either.”
He took one of her arms in his hand and turned her to face him. “ What do you want , Lil? ”
She shook her head and refused to look up at him. I want the stupid fairytale , but who could admit that? She wanted to be loved, needed, cherished – a ll the cornball stuff she vehemently denied. The best response s he could give him was the truth. “ More than this.”
“ Do you want me to lie? Say something we both don’t mean yet?” His hand tightened on her arm.
Lil pulled her arm free. “Been there, done that.”
She stepped away, but he followed her, putting a hand beneath her chin and forcing her to meet his eyes. “I’m not your ex, Lil.”
Feeling cornered, she snapped, “No, you’re not. You’re not even my present. We’re nothing to each other except a bad decision. I’d like you to go now.”
“Lil – ”
Like removing a band aide, Lil wanted the pain to come in one swift rip at a time of her choosing. She pushed against him with her words. “I mean it, Jake. We’re not good for each other. We’re too different. This…this attraction between us is something that is better just denied.”
“ That’s what you really want?” He sounded almost sad.
“Yes, that’s what I want.”
“I’m not sorry I came back up here.”
Don’t be so damned sweet , Jake! It would be too easy to accept what little he was offering her and confuse his kindness with what she really craved from him. “I’m not either, but from now on we have to keep a distance from each other.”
He looked down at her like he wanted to kiss her again, but instead, he said, “ This isn’t over.”
A question leapt out of her, as unplanned as it was quickly regretted. “ Will you be at Abby and Dominic’s party this weekend?”
“Yes, ” he said simply.
She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from saying more. She didn’t want to be happy to hear that they would see each other again.
I’m such an idiot .
She walked to the door and opened it.
He followed her, but stopped in front of her. He leaned in and gave her a deep kiss , the kind that made her want to retract everything she’d just said and
He bent to pick his rumpled dress shirt off the floor , donned it and began to button it absently. “I can take care of you – b oth of you. You’ll never want for anything.”
He offered so much and so little at the same time.
“ You don’t understand yet, Jake. What I want can’t be bought for me . I want to look at myself in the mirror and respect who I see. I want to be a strong, independent woman so that Colby will grow up knowing what really matters in life. ” She turned away from him. “And so far I’m not doing very well. What kind of example am I for Colby ? I barely know you and look at us.”
He went to stand behind her. Touching her lower back with one warm hand. “Whatever is between us, Lil, it doesn’t change that you are a wonderful mother.”
Don’t be nice, J ake. I don’t want to like you.
“I wish I could believe that, ” Lil mumbled.
Jake wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her gently back against him, talking softly into her ear. “I envy your daughter. She has a mother who loves her fiercely and unconditionally. That’s the gift you will give her . Wanting me doesn’t make you weak or dependent. And I’m not a little boy, Lil. You can’t drive me away with your sarcasm or change my mind about what I want. I don’t know what we have and I don’t know if it will last, but it’s not cheap, Lil. ”
She looked back at him. “Then what is it?”
He was quiet for a moment, then said , “Do we need to label it for you to be comfortable with it? Call me a boyfriend. Call me a lover. I don’t care.”
Lil turned away again, rem oved his hands from her stomach and stepped out of his embrace. “ I care. And I’m not looking for an empty label, either.”
He took one of her arms in his hand and turned her to face him. “ What do you want , Lil? ”
She shook her head and refused to look up at him. I want the stupid fairytale , but who could admit that? She wanted to be loved, needed, cherished – a ll the cornball stuff she vehemently denied. The best response s he could give him was the truth. “ More than this.”
“ Do you want me to lie? Say something we both don’t mean yet?” His hand tightened on her arm.
Lil pulled her arm free. “Been there, done that.”
She stepped away, but he followed her, putting a hand beneath her chin and forcing her to meet his eyes. “I’m not your ex, Lil.”
Feeling cornered, she snapped, “No, you’re not. You’re not even my present. We’re nothing to each other except a bad decision. I’d like you to go now.”
“Lil – ”
Like removing a band aide, Lil wanted the pain to come in one swift rip at a time of her choosing. She pushed against him with her words. “I mean it, Jake. We’re not good for each other. We’re too different. This…this attraction between us is something that is better just denied.”
“ That’s what you really want?” He sounded almost sad.
“Yes, that’s what I want.”
“I’m not sorry I came back up here.”
Don’t be so damned sweet , Jake! It would be too easy to accept what little he was offering her and confuse his kindness with what she really craved from him. “I’m not either, but from now on we have to keep a distance from each other.”
He looked down at her like he wanted to kiss her again, but instead, he said, “ This isn’t over.”
A question leapt out of her, as unplanned as it was quickly regretted. “ Will you be at Abby and Dominic’s party this weekend?”
“Yes, ” he said simply.
She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from saying more. She didn’t want to be happy to hear that they would see each other again.
I’m such an idiot .
She walked to the door and opened it.
He followed her, but stopped in front of her. He leaned in and gave her a deep kiss , the kind that made her want to retract everything she’d just said and
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