Page 15 of The Rebel Billionaire

His green eyes studied me and Ilookedaway.

I wasn't vain most of the time. I was too busy to spend a lot of energy on the way I looked. And based on the way Lucas had kissed me last night, it hadn't occurred to me that the attraction between us was ephemeral enough to disappear after ahaircut.

But what did I know? Maybe he was really intolonghair.

Or maybe I looked horrible with my hair short. My shoulders slumped. I'd thought I looked pretty cute when my stylist was done with me. Then again, I'd spent the last few hours sweating, my hair jammed under a fadedbaseballcap.

I doubted there was any makeup left on my face, not that I'd been wearing a lot to begin with, and I already knew I needed ashower.

Shit.

So much for my plan to have an affair with LucasJackson.

"It looks fine," Lucas finally said. "I was justsurprised."

"Oh." I shrugged. "Well, thanks for your help with thefridge."

"I'll get it set up for you." He started to tear open the cardboard box, his strong fingers making quick work ofthejob.

"You don't have to," Iprotested.

Lucas didn't answer. He just finished unwrapping the refrigerator, lifting it out of the box and plugging it in. It kicked on with a low hum. It was pretty small, but I didn't need much room—just enough to hold leftover take-out, yogurt for granola, and half-and-half for mycoffee.

I took advantage of Lucas's distraction with the refrigerator to step into the bathroom and splash water on my face. It felt good against my hot cheeks. A shower would feel evenbetter.Soon.

I came back into the kitchen to find Lucas standing in the middle of the empty room, arms crossed over his chest. I tried not to notice the way his shoulders stretched the worn fabric of his T-shirt. Or the lush curve of hislowerlip.

Looking everywhere but at him, I said, "Well,thanks."

"I have your key,"hesaid.

"Oh. Why do you havemykey?"

I pulled my keys from my back pocket and belatedly noticed that only one house key was onthering.

"I locked up after you passed out lastnight."

I hated blushing. I didn't do it very often, but when I did, I turned bright red. Looking everywhere but at Lucas, I held out my hand and said, "Thank you. I'm sorry about that. It was abadday."

"Yeah, no shit. Any day your brother fires you from the family company is a bad day. You were due a little whiskey. Though your brother may kill you when he finds out what you weredrinking."

"He's not going to be happy," I agreed. "And I regretted it when I woke up thismorning."

"Hung over?" Lucas asked, one dark eyebrowraised.

"Not now, but I was earlier. I don't think I'll be drinking for awhile."

"Do you regret everything you did last night?" Lucas asked, those vivid green eyes lockedonmine.

A bolt of awareness shot through me at the neutral yet flirtatiousquestion.

He was giving meanout.

I could laugh and shrug and blame the whiskey. He'd give me my key and walk out the door, and we'd both be offthehook.

I'd assumed he didn't want me, but maybe Lucas Jackson liked to play his cards close to the vest. He wasn't going to put himself out there, but he wouldn't have opened the door for me if he wasn't interested in walkingthrough.

I held his eyes, seeing the intensity behind his casual question. Lucas wasn't an easy man. He'd probably be a nightmare as aboyfriend.