One Night With the Billionaire: Book Two by Cassie Cross Page B

time alone with Jason, but Kaia can’t help but think she’s a little bit of a traitor. She’ll forgive her tomorrow, probably. She grins at Jason. “It was nice to meet you.”  
    Jason grins back. “You, too.”  
    Kaia watches as Janine slips out the door. When she’s out of Jason’s line of sight, she gives Kaia a wide-eyed, excited look.  
    “Oh my god,” she mouths silently, then holds up her cell phone. “Text me later.”  
    Then the door shuts, and it’s just the two of them.  
    “Sorry to just show up without calling,” he explains smoothly. “But I don’t have your number.”  
    A little niggle of annoyance pulls at Kaia’s stomach. “That’s because you didn’t ask for it,” she says, trying to stay light. “Because you don’t...what were the words? You don’t do relationships ?” She just barely manages not to make sarcastic air quotes.  
    Kaia tries desperately to rein herself in by reminding herself that she has no right to be annoyed or angry. He spelled out the terms of their night together very clearly before she agreed to them.  
    And , she also reminds herself. It was just one night. For the life of her, she can’t figure out why it felt like so much more, like the two of them were standing on the edge of something great, but Jason just wasn’t willing to jump.  
    Jason has the nerve to let out a little breath that sounds somewhere in the vicinity of a laugh. Then he reaches out and crooks his fingers below Kaia’s chin, sliding the pad of his thumb along the curve of her lower lip.  
    “I did say that,” he replies, his voice low.  
    “And then you used a business trip that might or might not have been real to tease a little, then take it back.”  
    Jason nods. “I did do that, and I’m sorry.”  
    The apology surprises Kaia. Not that she has any experience with it, but she didn’t think that men in his position apologized all that much.  
    “Here to check up on your laptop, then?” she asks icily, cringing at the way her voice sounds. She’s being a bitch to him, and she knows it.  
    She doesn’t want to be a bitch, she’s just...confused.  
    Jason’s eyes soften. “That’s your laptop. And no. I’m here for you.”  
    She feels a pull deep in her belly. It’s excitement, and a little bit of hesitation.  
    “What?” she says, not fully understanding.  
    Jason steps forward, into Kaia’s personal space. He reaches up, and traces his fingertips along her hairline, making a shiver run up and down her spine. She closes her eyes against his touch, remembering all the lovely things his fingers can do, what they felt like running across her body…
    “I should’ve never let you leave that morning. I can’t stop thinking about you.”  
    Kaia revels in his touch, before opening her eyes and taking a step back. She can’t let herself get too wrapped up in this man now that she knows how easily this whole thing can slip between her fingers.  
    The movement surprises Jason, and Kaia sees his expression fall before he’s able to hide it.  
    Kaia squares her shoulders, wanting to be strong here. She feels like so much is riding on whatever happens next, and as much as she wants him, she knows she can’t just give in.  
    “So what does that mean? You want a relationship with me?” She goes right for the jugular, for what she knows will make him uncomfortable, so she can read his true intentions.  
    It works; she can see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. He recovers quickly.  
    “I was thinking more of a trial run.”  
    “You mean more sex, with no commitment.”  
    “No,” he says shaking his head. “I mean dating, more sex, and possible commitment.”  
    Kaia presses her lips together. All-in-all, this doesn’t sound like a bad offer, as long as it’s a sincere one.  
    “You mean it, you’re not…you’re not just trying to get me back into bed.”  
    Jason narrows his eyes, and looks at her intensely.
    “I’m