Billionaires Dollar Series

I want to be something more than enemies. More than casual, too, and definitely more than friends. I just have to gather the courage to tell him that.

There’s a wry smile in Cole’s voice when he pulls up outside my apartment, the glint in his eyes speaking of his own hidden thoughts. “We’re here.”

“So we are.”

His gaze caresses my face, my cheek, my lips. “I’m proud of you for standing up to your friend like that.”

“A simple thank you? I was sure I’d be chewed out for that.”

“I’m not always awful,” I say, wetting my lips.

His smile is a curve of possibility. “Oh, I know that, Skye.”

The silence between us is warm, and heady, and I want him to come up. I want to say all kinds of things, some more sappy and outlandish than I’m sure he thinks me capable of.

But then he nods at my door. “Take your contraband and go inside, Skye, before I push my luck.”

“Maybe I want you to.”

He closes his eyes with a dark exhale. “We’re doing it right this time. That’s my mantra, anyway. And that includes settling things with your business first. We’re not mixing the two again.”

I give a shaky nod. “That sounds like a plan, Porter.”

“I’m trying to have one this time around.”

His eyes are still closed, head leaning against the headrest, the picture of masculine restraint. So I press a soft kiss to his cheek.

His eyes fly open, but I’m out of his car and on the sidewalk before there’s a sound of protest.

“Until tomorrow,” I say.

His gaze lingers, watching as I find the keys to my apartment. The voice that reaches me through the open window is soft. “Can’t wait.”

“We’ve run the numbers,” Tyra says. “Between the Pages was profitable. Not by a huge margin, that’s true. But it was.”

Karli visibly slumps in the chair she’s in, like hearing it from one of my staff makes it real-real in a way it hadn’t been before. Next to her, Skye shoots me a look that’s equal parts triumph and pride. What Chloe admitted is true.

I tap my knuckles on the table. “This means, ladies, that Between the Pages will be incorporated in the upcoming Porter Development build, per our agreement. Congratulations,” I say. “You managed to turn it around.”

Karli releases a shaky sigh. “I can hardly believe this. You’ll really keep the bookstore?”

“Yes,” I say warmly. “You won the bet. Besides, having seen how much the store increased its sales these past two months has made us reconsider. It could be an interesting business venture.”

Skye clears her throat. “And the renovations will begin right away?”

“Yes. My design team drew up two different alternatives for the new hotel, depending on the outcome of this. Kassandra?”

My head designer gives Karli and Skye a huge smile. “Between us,” she says conspiratorially, “I was always hoping for Between the Pages to stay. It’s not Mr. Porter’s usual style, but I think a more Old World-feel to this development could be a fantastic thing. It would diversify the brand.” She pushes over some sketches, the ones she’d shown me before Skye and Karli arrived.

The theme of the bookstore will set the theme for the entire hotel. There’s nothing minimalist about it. No hard lines or brutalist glass. Kassandra’s vision is dark wood, chandeliers, a speakeasy-themed bar in the back.

It takes me a minute to see the brilliance.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

Porter Hotels are known for their sleekness, their elegance. It’s a concept we share with many other chains. But this design… well, it’s unique. If it’s received well, it could launch a new line of hotels for us.

Skye inspects one of the images. “The bookstore would be a part of the ground floor?”

“Yes, on the corner. We’d essentially build around you. Tricky, but not impossible.”

Her smile widens as she looks through the sketches. “When did you prepare all this?”

“Weeks ago,” Kassandra replies. “We had both options ready, depending on the outcome of your two-month business agreement.”

And that’s when Skye’s gaze meets mine, her hazel eyes wide and warm, and I know exactly what she’s thinking. That this was in the pipeline from the beginning-that we were always going to honor our agreement. I knew she’d doubted that, and no words of mine could’ve set that fear to rest like Kassandra’s just did.

I can’t say anything to Skye here, not with these people around. So I nod instead, a smile playing on my lips. She looks away with a grin of her own.

That’s right, I think. We’re not over, you and I.

We’re just getting started.

I approach Karli and Skye as soon as the meeting is over, letting the rest of my team filter out behind us. I ignore the curious glances they throw my way and focus on Karli. “Mrs. Stiller, I’d like to apologize on behalf of my company.”

Her eyes widen. “What for?”

“For accepting your initial bookkeeping reports, despite their obvious errors. We should have been more vigilant.”

“Oh. Thank you, but that’s okay. We’re the ones who should have double-checked.” Karli straightens her blazer, a hint of nerves in her voice. “If you feel the need to apologize, then I definitely feel the need to say thank you.”

“Thank me?”

She meets my gaze. “Yes. I know that it would have been easier for you to accept the false numbers and ignore our initial agreement. But you didn’t. Thank you for that.”

My gaze drifts from her to Skye, both of them looking up at me with an emotion I’d never expected to see from them. Gratitude. I reach up and rub my neck. “We made an agreement,” I say simply, “and I always adhere to mine. That reminds me of something-are you in contact with a lawyer for dealing with Chloe’s embezzlement?”

Karli sighs. “No. Skye and I haven’t even spoken about it yet, but we’ll find one.”

“I’ve already made a shortlist of possible firms,” Skye adds.

I want to smile. Of course she has. “I’d like to offer our in-house lawyers. As Between the Pages is now a member of Porter Development, you’re free to use them.”

Karli’s mouth opens. “We couldn’t do that.”

“Of course you can.” I stride to the door of the conference room, holding it open for them both. “I keep them on retainer. Might as well get some use out of them.”

Skye mouths a silent thank you behind Karli’s back, her hand brushing against mine as she walks past. I escort them to the elevator and the lobby beyond, the need for Skye burning inside my chest. To talk about us, about the things we haven’t said. To ask her if she’s willing to turn the page.

Out on the curb, Karli extends a hand to me. “Thank you for this, Mr. Porter,” she says. “We won’t forget it.”