Billionaire Blaze, page 4
“I’m sure I can go over the numbers with whichever one of you has the head for them. It’s clear you make a great team, and I am genuinely excited about working with both of you.” As I spoke, I looked between them, letting Sarai have as much of my attention as her husband and partner.
She relaxed, her shoulders lowering, and Richard glanced at her as she smiled.
“Both of us would like that,” she said as Richard sat back a little and allowed the conversation to open up. Now, this was business I could enjoy. Business that would hopefully distract me from this wedding and everything about Kit.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kit
As I came down to the dining area the following morning, I knew I was shaking slightly. I wasn’t sure what to make of Lukas or his demand that I join him for breakfast that morning, but I was grateful that most of the house was still asleep. Everyone had stayed up late the previous night despite the wedding today.
I hadn’t been able to sleep, however. Something about Lukas had drawn my attention. I’d tried to hide it from the others, and most didn’t seem to notice, his attention mostly coming when others weren’t really looking. He’d also confused me.
Something about the way he had escorted me down to dinner had felt more right than wrong. But he’d denied that it meant anything at all. And then he’d happily gone to sit with others. When I put my armor back up and decided he was going to be yet another guy who wanted attention only when it suited him, he demanded I join him for breakfast.
I hadn’t known what to say and knew I’d given the impression that I would before he walked off. Despite that, I had considered not. Standing him up was something I had even intended to do about half the night. But when it came to morning, I wasn’t able to resist.
After all, I was awake anyway, and he was an interesting guy. It hadn’t made things any worse to find out that he was one of the wealthiest men at the party, and everyone thought highly of him. Kai had mentioned something about a mess with an ex a few years earlier, but I hadn’t been able to ask more questions without seeming suspicious, and the subject had changed.
It was also the first time that no one had made me feel small for giving an opinion on a house or the designs. Lukas had given my opinions to his close friend as if they were his own, as if he valued them. And that was a level of respect I wasn’t used to.
There was also something about the way he looked at me, with an almost raw hunger in his eyes. He had demanded my presence for breakfast like he was some kind of wolf and I was going to be his dessert. Even just thinking about it made heat rise in me and my heart race.
Lukas was just attractive enough and sure of himself enough that I wanted to be in his presence in a way I wasn’t used to.
At first, I was alone in the dining room, not a single other soul up and awake, although I could hear pots and pans banging from the open kitchen door. No doubt the chef for the wedding later would be in there beginning to prepare everything.
“You beat me. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting,” Lukas said, his voice making me jump. This morning, he wore a more casual outfit, but the effect was the same. His sculpted chest was clearly visible under the fabric, and he strode into the room like he owned the place.
I swallowed, finding my mouth wouldn’t work. What was it about this man that had this impact on me? He seemed to make me weak at the knees, and I couldn’t think straight or figure out what to say.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he reached my side, offering to take my arm again even though I wasn’t wearing heels this morning.
“Yes, thank you.” I frowned again, trying to figure out what to say.
“I made you wait, didn’t I?” He led me toward the outside terrace again, even though it was empty and no one knew we were even here for food yet.
“No. Not at all. I was only a few seconds before you.” I tried to see inside the kitchen as we went past the doorway, but I couldn’t. He glanced that way, following my gaze, but didn’t comment. The pair of us were alone for now.
Outside, there were already several settings for people to eat, and a few of the heat lamps were on despite the sun already warming the area. However, it was still appreciated to take the edge off the morning breeze.
Lukas led me to a table right by a heater and pulled out a chair for me to sit down. No sooner had we both taken seats than some of the staff came out and took our orders for breakfast from a seemingly endless list of options.
Already nervous, I chose something light and marveled when Lukas went in the opposite direction. Thankfully, he didn’t comment on my choices, seeming to respect them, or at least not mind them. I wasn’t the thinnest of women and sat a little above the average, although Juno always told me I carried the extra weight well.
Some men liked curves, and I had them, but there had been more than a few who criticized my food choices and felt they had the right to because I wasn’t stick-thin and as careful about food as others. Lukas didn’t seem to mind what he saw, if I read him well.
Although it still stung that he’d walked me to dinner the night before just to go somewhere else.
“Did you enjoy dinner last night?” I asked, my thoughts going in that direction and making me feel the anger that had almost stopped me from coming down for breakfast.
“I did. Although it was almost all business, as things often are at these events among these sorts of people.” Lukas waved it off. “But that’s concluded now. The last thing I want to talk about is more business. I’ve finished that, and I want to enjoy some good company and the romance of a wedding.”
I lifted an eyebrow. This was very forward compared to last night. Was he trying to seduce me? If so, I was beginning to fear it might be working. It might be really working.
“Tell me, did you sleep well? I found it so peaceful listening to the waves and imagining myself on a ship somewhere, rocked to sleep by its gentle movement.” He smiled again, giving me his attention even as more staff appeared to give us drinks and bring out the first part of our breakfast.
“I slept very well,” I replied, deciding to hide how worried I had been about him and his presence and attention. “Although I can’t say my dreams were romantic or anything.”
It was true enough, but he frowned as if this wasn’t the right answer. “You should sit up a little straighter. It accentuates that curvy figure of yours.”
I blinked, so surprised by his words that I found myself doing as he said and straightening a bit. His eyes roamed down me, lingering as they did.
“Much better. You have a natural beauty. And an eye for detail and beauty in constructed and man-made materials that go well together.”
“Thank you. From what I’ve seen of your houses, the same could be said about you.” I decided to throw the same compliment back and see how he reacted. It wasn’t even close to a lie. The houses he’d designed that Juno had shown me were stunning, but I got the impression that it was partially because of the amount of money and the quality of the building materials.
“Money can buy or make many forms of beauty, but nothing beats that which nature gives.” I expected him to motion to the surroundings, but again, he stared at me.
I found myself blushing and looking away. If nothing else, Lukas could say the right things to a woman when she least expected them. Could I really trust him, though?
CHAPTER NINE
Eating with Lukas was another slightly awkward event, at least at first. As soon as Lukas started talking about his dining experiences in other countries, I relaxed.
“Have you traveled much?” he asked when he finished talking about a Japanese dish he still wasn’t sure was truly edible.
I shook my head, not sure how to point out that I had been far too poor to do so for most of my life without making it obvious.
“I’ve been so busy with work, and my family is close. I want to travel more, though. Work with people in more places. Whatever will give me the opportunity to experience more.”
“You should stop by Chicago sometime. I could show you around.”
Although I nodded and smiled in acceptance of this offer, I knew that there was a good chance it was just politeness and not a serious offer in any way.
As soon as we had eaten, he sat back, his gaze still fixed on me. “What do you like to do outside of work?”
“It’s not much of a hobby, but I’m actually very much into cooking, experimenting and playing with flavors. I’m not very good, but I enjoy the process.”
While I talked, he nodded in all the right places and listened, his attention refreshing, although I quickly felt like I was waffling at him. How did I know if I had said too much or not?
Before I could think of anything else to add, Lukas reached forward, picked up the napkin I hadn’t used yet, and gently wiped some sauce off my cheek. As his fingers brushed against my skin, it was as if I had been touched by electricity, tingles radiating across my skin.
For several seconds, I was frozen on the spot, and I lost my train of thought entirely. This wasn’t the chaos of breakfast at all.
“I hope that wasn’t too forward of me,” he said, his gaze still not leaving me.
I still didn’t respond.
“Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes, too. There’s something soothing about the process of turning different ingredients into something new.”
“It’s creativity expressed in another way,” I replied, surprised that a man like him did any of his own cooking. He hadn’t shown much interest in the menu or in sampling while on the island. But he did know the owners of one of the best pizza places on the planet.
“All creativity has a beauty to it, and I think it should all be encouraged.” Lukas made a statement I couldn’t disagree with, but it still seemed to kill the conversation, bringing about more awkwardness. The waitstaff took our empty plates and topped up our glasses, barely relieving the growing tension.
Think, girl. Think. I needed to break the ice, and I was pretty sure it was my turn to try and generate the conversation again. Why was talking to people I liked so hard?
“Do you read?” I asked, and I immediately thought it sounded stupid.
“Actually, I do. Very much so. I find it’s the perfect activity right before bed.” Lukas smiled as if I’d just discovered a terrible secret about him, but instead of being ashamed of it, he was sort of proud but still a little embarrassed.
For the next twenty minutes, we talked about books, discovering both of us liked similar genres and soon moving on to the subject of Juno’s stories. He’d already read a lot of her books.
It felt like time flew as we went over characters we liked and why. His favorite book was Animal Farm, and mine was Jane Eyre. Not very similar, but it was fun to talk about them, and the time slipped by. Before we knew it, more of the guests were awake, and we were no longer alone.
As soon as other people came out onto the terrace for breakfast, Lukas excused himself and went to talk to some of them briefly. He hadn’t talked to them for a long time before Juno arrived. Jack had gone somewhere else with his best man to get ready for the wedding, allowing her to be at breakfast with us.
I wasn’t sure what to say when she came to sit beside me and steal the seat Lukas had been in, but he came over and offered it to her anyway.
“I’m needed with the groomsmen, so I will have to bid you both a good morning, and I am sure I’ll see both of you lovely ladies later.” Lukas smiled as warmly at Juno as he did at me, and I frowned. Juno caught the look as I stared at his retreating back. He’d gone from hitting on me while everyone was away and being clearly interested to not so interested again. What game was he playing?
“You okay? Lukas seems to be paying you quite a bit of attention,” Juno said when she followed my gaze. Did he upset you?”
“I’m fine,” I replied, not sure how much I should say to her. Did I even care that Lukas was being confusing?
“He’s pretty hot, isn’t he?” Juno smiled at me over her cup of coffee.
“I’m not sure you’re meant to be noticing things like that. Especially not today.” I shook my head, but I smiled despite my words. Juno was smirking at me.
“Oh, I’m not noticing for me. I’m noticing for you. Have some fun while you’re here. Flirt a little. What harm can it do?”
I let out a small laugh, surprised at how well she had noticed there was something when he seemed to be hiding it so well from others. Or at least, he was determined to do so.
“Do you know much about him?” I asked her, unable to stop myself.
“Not a lot. Just that Jack likes him, and that’s rarely a bad sign. If he’s showing interest in you, then enjoy it.” Juno shrugged and ordered some food, although I noticed it wasn’t a lot compared to the breakfasts I normally saw her packing away.
“Nervous?” I asked her, pushing the focus away from me and onto her. This was her big day, and I was her maid of honor. It was time for me to step up to my duties and make sure she was taken care of.
She nodded, and we began talking about her day and what she wanted, quickly going over everything so I had it straight in my head. It wasn’t going to be very fancy, but she deserved a happy day without needing to worry about anything. That meant I was in charge of a lot of things.
Thankfully, Jack had a lot of staff on the island and a full catering team already handling every meal. It was far easier than I feared it would be to support her.
As soon as she finished eating, we grabbed more coffee to go up to her room. It was time to start on the hair and makeup and then get into our dresses. Thinking about her beautiful dress and the similarly stunning dress she had picked out for me in a rich blue color, I couldn’t help but be happy.
It would be a good day, and I’d get to see one of my best friends finally be as happy as she deserved.
CHAPTER TEN
Lukas
I paused in my room for a few seconds, taking several deep breaths. When I first saw Kit at breakfast, I was more than a little excited. She had somehow made some very simple clothing look amazing, but it had been awkward to talk to her, and my fears had set back in again.
They had been pushed aside by her determination to help me, however. There was just something about her.
Now wasn’t the time to be distracted by a girl. It was time to support Jack and see him married to the love of his life. I was thrilled for him and more than a little envious that he’d finally found a woman who seemed to complete him. I hadn’t seen them together much, but they clearly got along well.
Could her best friend provide something similar for me?
I let out a growl and pushed the thought aside. I couldn’t go there. I just couldn’t. There was no way I could contemplate another woman in my life right now, and that wasn’t even why I was here.
After gathering everything I needed and thought Jack might need to get ready, I made my way through the house to the back door and then toward the second building and the suites that made up the larger part of the guest house. We’d agreed to get ready out of the way of the bridal party, and all of us were going over there to keep Jack company.
I found several other groomsmen there already, including Kai, who would be the best man. He clapped me on the back as I walked in, Jack nowhere to be seen.
“He’s in the bathroom shaving, and then we’re all going to be able to get ready ourselves,” Kai said as I lifted an eyebrow and looked around. He’d anticipated my thoughts, something Kai had the regular uncanny knack of being able to do.
“Thanks,” I replied and put my suit bag and toiletries out of the way for now. I had worn my shoes over. We had matching outfits, but we had been responsible for handling our fittings and bringing everything with us to the event, something I appreciated. I was particular about a good suit and making sure it fitted right.
Not everyone liked the idea of being so formal, but after I’d suggested some fabrics and cuts that flattered all the men, we’d managed to settle on something. Even Kai would look good in it.
“Enjoying time on the island so far?” Kai asked, also a person good at keeping a conversation going and putting people at ease.
“It’s definitely a nice way of life. Makes me want to consider getting a retreat out of the way like this. Of course, they’re not so fun without people to share them with.”
Kai smiled and nodded like a conspirator. “Say no more about liking some company. Have you got your eye on anyone? Kit seems to have noticed you. You two looked like you enjoyed the flight here together, if nothing else.”
As I thought about how she’d helped me with my friends, I couldn’t help but smile and nod. “She’s a sweet person.”
“Sweet can go a long way.”
Again, I smiled, but less enthusiastically this time. I hadn’t wanted to be obvious or to draw too much attention to any kind of interest. Not only did I not like answering questions about things like this, but I was also very much aware that women came after me for two main reasons. Money and fame.
The more low-key any relationship was, and the more they provided for themselves, the better. Of course, so far Kit had seemed perfectly happy to talk to me when fewer people were watching. After all, she had agreed to breakfast alone.
When Jack appeared, shaved and ready to get on with the next part of his preparations, I was grateful for the interruption. There was something about Kai and how transparent he could make me feel. It was hard not to spill my guts to him and try to get his opinion. But this time, I couldn’t. And there wasn’t really anything to ask him about.
Kit was a friend and a very kind person, but she was no more than that.
At least, not yet, my mind pointed out. I sighed and tried to ignore the thought again. It couldn’t be ever. It really couldn’t.
