Samara was a woman from a tiny little house on the wrong side of town. Abandoned by her father before birth, her mother’s family wasn’t notable in any way. She made good money for a normal person, but it was like holding a plastic fork up for comparison with fancy silverware made of literal silver. They were the same as long as no one started cataloging the differences.
Which was what she had to do. She couldn’t afford to see Beckett as just the man.
But maybe I can…just for a little while. Just until this situation with Lydia is resolved.
No one has to know but Beckett and me. I’m on vacation, after all.
He was watching her too closely, making her feel like she was showing him more than she wanted to. “Be mine for the duration, Samara.”
“Okay.” She had to bend over backward and squint a little for this to seem like a good idea, but with Beckett standing before her in a pair of low-riding jeans and nothing else, it wasn’t that hard. “For the duration.”
He motioned at the stove. “Eggs?”
“Whatever is in that pan, it’s neither eggs nor edible.” She hesitated. “We need to talk.”
“Yeah, I know.” He scowled at the mess in the pan and turned off the stove. “I’ll order in breakfast, but might as well get started now.”
She retreated while he made the call. Samara explored his bathroom. It was just as tastefully decorated as the rest of the condo. A slight lean toward minimalism, which she suspected was more because he didn’t care about decorating than any love for the style. The bath was done in white on white, and the massive sunflower showerhead tempted her to get up close and personal with it. No time.
She splashed some water on her face and found a box of cheap toothbrushes in the cabinet below the sink. She considered their presence as she brushed her teeth. Did Beckett have so many overnight guests that he needed a Costco-sized box of toothbrushes to accommodate them?
Stop that. It’s none of your business.
She didn’t want it to be her business.
Samara braced her hands on the side of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Real talk time, Samara. Yes, you sure as hell do want it to be your business. You want for all your fears to be unfounded and for this to magically work out. You want Beckett to prioritize you over his company.
She shook her head. A fool’s dream. It didn’t matter if she liked how Beckett made her feel when they were alone together. What mattered was the choice he would make again and again. It wouldn’t be her. It couldn’t be her. CEO changeovers were no joke, and combined with Lydia’s underhanded stunts, Beckett needed to focus every bit of energy he had on his company and ensuring that it survived.
And Samara needed someone to put her first. She couldn’t be in a relationship and be a second-tier priority. She deserved better than that.
Getting ahead of yourself. Beckett said he wants you for the duration—not forever.
She scrubbed her hands over her face and finger-combed her hair. If she was smart, she would have stayed the hell away from him and this entire mess, but the pull between them was too damn strong. I am so screwed.
“Samara.”
She jumped and then silently cursed herself for jumping. “Sorry. I’m just lost in thought.”
“I can see that.” Beckett stood in the doorway, his dark eyes drinking her in. “What’s wrong? Is it the conversation we’re about to have or is it something else?”
She wanted to brush off his question and force him to focus on what really mattered—the danger Lydia presented—but instead Samara answered him honestly. “Both.”
He nodded like she’d confirmed something he already knew. “You’re still afraid I’m using you in my game against Lydia.”
“Aren’t you?”
Instead of answering directly, he crossed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. She tensed, but the heat of Beckett’s body was too tempting to fight. He smoothed a hand over her hair. “What happened last night—and every time before—had nothing to do with Lydia. That was all us. I know the situation is hardly ideal, but I’ll do everything I can to ensure you come out of this with your reputation intact.”
She wanted to believe him. She did believe him. But promising that she’d see the other side of this trouble without a scandal was different from saying she’d reach the other side with him. Samara rested her head against his chest and focused on breathing deeply for several moments.
This was not her.
She saw what she wanted and she fought hard until she achieved it. She did not waffle or bitch or whine about how life was inherently unfair. Life was unfair. It always had been. Instead of railing about how shitty that was, she should be focused on tipping the scales in her favor.
She inhaled the clean scent of him. “I never planned on this getting so complicated. You’re the absolute worst person I could be in danger of falling for.”
“That’s how it always seems to work.” His lips brushed the shell of her ear. “It’s good that you’re in danger of falling for me, because I’m already halfway there for you.”
She opened her eyes. “Don’t joke about this. I know I’m being ridiculously sentimental. Just give me a few minutes and I’ll be back to normal.” With shields firmly in place.
“Samara.” He cupped her face, urging her up to meet his gaze. “I’m not joking.” He brushed a kiss against her lips. “Let me take you out on a real date. We’ll talk about anything that isn’t connected to Morningstar and Kingdom Corp. We’ll eat good food and maybe drink a little too much good wine and laugh a little too loud.”
It sounded like a perfect
