Page 39 of Billionaire's Coastal Haven

It’s like saying, here Landon, take my insecurities and fears and use them against me, pretty please, because you’re so stupidly handsome, I can’t resist when you’re nice to me.

He blinks like I didn’t make any sense. I probably didn’t, so maybe there’s hope.

He presses his hand to his chest. “I’ve never been so insulted and proud of myself at the same time. I don’t know which emotion to follow.”

“No emotions. Landon, there cannot be emotions.” I thread my hands in a prayer under my chin. “Listen to me. I can’t kiss you. I can’t make out with you. The only thing I can think about is making sure you do what the historical society wants. If we don’t and they ask questions, they’ll take my dad’s job from him. He doesn’t know who he is if he’s not the mayor. He’s not ready to retire. I need you to help me buy him time. Please.”

He tucks his upper lip between his teeth. His expression gives nothing away. When he meets my gaze, steel fills it. “I want to talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” If I stay in this room one more minute, I’m going to lose my nerve. He’s too kissable. I like being in his arms too much to think clearly. “I’m going to find another place to sleep.”

He grabs my arm. “That’s ridiculous. The rest of the house is freezing.”

I shake myself loose. “I’ll be fine.”

His jaw works with all the things I’m guessing he’s forcing himself not to say. He shakes his head. “Here.” He pulls his dry jacket from the sconce by the fire. I didn’t even realize he’d moved our jackets to this room. “Put this on.”

“I—”

His eyebrow twitches with an unspoken challenge. Fine. I slide my arms in. The fabric is soft and warm against my skin. He spins me around and tugs the lapels under my chin. “Take the pallet. I’ll sit next to the door. I promise to leave you alone.”

I hate the way my heart sinks with his words, even if it is what I asked for.

Chapter 11

Landon

True to my word, I sat against the wall the entire night and watched Zoe sleep. She tossed and turned for hours, mumbled a little bit, but eventually she settled into a deep sleep. Deep enough for me to tuck her jacket over mine to keep her warm.

I don’t understand what happened last night. One minute we were making out and the next she was insulting me in the most adorable of ways.

She thinksIcan manipulateher?

Manipulate? No. Influence? She gave up a childhood dream because of an offhanded comment from a stranger, so it’s not unlikely.

The second biggest takeaway is that her dad is sicker than anyone knows. Sick enough that she knows he can’t do his job, but he’s also stubborn enough not to let her have it.

Is he the one who convinced her she needs to be mayor when he retires?

Seems so.

I’ve never met someone so passionate about anything in my life.

What is it like to glow so brightly?

To care so deeply?

So completely?

Especially about an inanimate object that could have been destroyed in the storm as quickly as her car when it fell over the edge of the cliff.

Her passion isn’t something that’s learned. It’s innate to who she is, and its hypnotic.

Why doesn’t the same passion she has for this house extend to following her dreams?

She doesn’t even realize she has this fire.

She stamps out her enthusiasm to make small-minded people happy.