Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) by Krista Lakes Page B
Authors: Krista Lakes
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time and you'd be on that couch screaming my name right now, but...” Jace scrubbed his hand through his hair, feeling lost around a woman for the first time in years.
“But she's got your heart,” Allison finished, turning around slowly. Her green eyes appraised him, searching for the truth of his words. While they were the same shade as her mother's, they had a richness that Delores's did not. “You're in love with someone.”
“I think I might be,” he admitted slowly. He wasn't ready to actually say it out loud, though. He'd only talked to Ella a handful of times and they hadn't even kissed, but yet, somehow, he knew. Love at first sight did exist.
“Well, I'm glad it's not just me, then.” Allison let out a sigh of relief, her hurt features transforming into a companionable smile. Her shoulders relaxed and her body language shifted into something less sexual. “Don't get me wrong, you seem like a lot of fun, but...” She shrugged.
“Thanks.” Jace frowned, suddenly feeling a little less virile. “Wait, seducing me wasn't your idea?”
“I like my men more lumberjack and less suit.” Allison hopped up on the desk and sat facing him. Now that she wasn't actively trying to seduce him, her manner was relaxed and calm. He found he was liking her a lot more this way.
“You mother put you up to this.” Jace shook his head and he put the pieces together. “Your mother is having you be the miner in this gold-digging operation.”
“It's not really her fault,” Allison replied quickly. “This is how she got her husbands, or should I say ex-husbands, and all her money. She doesn't know any other way and she expects me to follow in her footsteps.”
Jace gave her a skeptical look. “That's no excuse.”
“That's Mom. I gave up trying to defy her a long time ago.” Allison shrugged, defeat hanging heavy on her shoulders. She put the pen back on the desk, the metal clicking against the wood. “There isn't any paperwork for you to sign. It was obviously all a ruse to get you alone. But, if you could just stay in here for a few more minutes, she'd at least get off my back and I'd really appreciate it.”
She smiled hopefully. He could only imagine what it would be like having Delores for a mother. Poor Allison, being forced to seduce a man for his money, despite wanting something else. What kind of mother was that woman? He could only imagine what Allison had to go through on a daily basis with her. He could give the girl a few minutes.
“I can do that,” he said, leaning against the far wall of the office. The smile that lit up her face was worth the extra time.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much you're saving me right now. You have no idea how much she's been pushing.” Allison's shoulders relaxed and her smile was genuine and soft. “So, who's the lucky girl? She must be pretty amazing to have captured you so completely.”
Jace chuckled. “I certainly think so,” he agreed.
“If you need any help setting up a romantic date, let me know. The inn is at your disposal.” Allison buttoned up the loose two buttons of her shirt. “I'd love to be able to return this favor you're doing for me right now.”
The idea of a romantic date, perhaps out in the small gazebo, with no interference from Delores was too good to pass up. “You think you could get Ella the day off tomorrow?”
Allison's hands stilled. “Ella? You mean the maid, Ella?”
“Yes.” Jace did not appreciate the way Allison twisted the words “maid” and “Ella” into something that sounded low. His shoulders tightened, wanting to protect Ella from words she'd never even hear.
Allison dissolved into laughter. Her shoulders shook with mirth and she nearly fell off the desk. Jace stared at her until she caught her breath, completely at a loss as to what was so funny.
“Oh, Mother's going to be so pissed,” she gasped, holding her sides and wiping tears from her eyes. She took a deep breath, noting Jace's confused
“But she's got your heart,” Allison finished, turning around slowly. Her green eyes appraised him, searching for the truth of his words. While they were the same shade as her mother's, they had a richness that Delores's did not. “You're in love with someone.”
“I think I might be,” he admitted slowly. He wasn't ready to actually say it out loud, though. He'd only talked to Ella a handful of times and they hadn't even kissed, but yet, somehow, he knew. Love at first sight did exist.
“Well, I'm glad it's not just me, then.” Allison let out a sigh of relief, her hurt features transforming into a companionable smile. Her shoulders relaxed and her body language shifted into something less sexual. “Don't get me wrong, you seem like a lot of fun, but...” She shrugged.
“Thanks.” Jace frowned, suddenly feeling a little less virile. “Wait, seducing me wasn't your idea?”
“I like my men more lumberjack and less suit.” Allison hopped up on the desk and sat facing him. Now that she wasn't actively trying to seduce him, her manner was relaxed and calm. He found he was liking her a lot more this way.
“You mother put you up to this.” Jace shook his head and he put the pieces together. “Your mother is having you be the miner in this gold-digging operation.”
“It's not really her fault,” Allison replied quickly. “This is how she got her husbands, or should I say ex-husbands, and all her money. She doesn't know any other way and she expects me to follow in her footsteps.”
Jace gave her a skeptical look. “That's no excuse.”
“That's Mom. I gave up trying to defy her a long time ago.” Allison shrugged, defeat hanging heavy on her shoulders. She put the pen back on the desk, the metal clicking against the wood. “There isn't any paperwork for you to sign. It was obviously all a ruse to get you alone. But, if you could just stay in here for a few more minutes, she'd at least get off my back and I'd really appreciate it.”
She smiled hopefully. He could only imagine what it would be like having Delores for a mother. Poor Allison, being forced to seduce a man for his money, despite wanting something else. What kind of mother was that woman? He could only imagine what Allison had to go through on a daily basis with her. He could give the girl a few minutes.
“I can do that,” he said, leaning against the far wall of the office. The smile that lit up her face was worth the extra time.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much you're saving me right now. You have no idea how much she's been pushing.” Allison's shoulders relaxed and her smile was genuine and soft. “So, who's the lucky girl? She must be pretty amazing to have captured you so completely.”
Jace chuckled. “I certainly think so,” he agreed.
“If you need any help setting up a romantic date, let me know. The inn is at your disposal.” Allison buttoned up the loose two buttons of her shirt. “I'd love to be able to return this favor you're doing for me right now.”
The idea of a romantic date, perhaps out in the small gazebo, with no interference from Delores was too good to pass up. “You think you could get Ella the day off tomorrow?”
Allison's hands stilled. “Ella? You mean the maid, Ella?”
“Yes.” Jace did not appreciate the way Allison twisted the words “maid” and “Ella” into something that sounded low. His shoulders tightened, wanting to protect Ella from words she'd never even hear.
Allison dissolved into laughter. Her shoulders shook with mirth and she nearly fell off the desk. Jace stared at her until she caught her breath, completely at a loss as to what was so funny.
“Oh, Mother's going to be so pissed,” she gasped, holding her sides and wiping tears from her eyes. She took a deep breath, noting Jace's confused
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