Page 30 of The Rebel Billionaire

"Fine," I said. "But we have to go around back. It'll be a few more days before we can use the front porchagain."

I led Aiden to the backdoor, ignoring the way he gingerly climbed the steps as if afraid they'd collapse beneath his weight. The tour didn't takeverylong.

There wasn't much to see downstairs with the kitchen stripped bare and all of the rooms but my officeempty.

Aiden's jaw tightened when he saw my futon and open duffel bag on the floor. I ignored it. I wasn't moving home. He'd have to get usedtoit.

Showing him the upstairs was more interesting. I'd worked with an architect to redesign the existing layout. We'd combined some of the smaller bedrooms to create a master suite, complete with a spacious bedroom, his and hers dressing rooms, a sitting area, and an enormousbathroom.

It was too much for me on my own, but a renovation like that was excellent for resale. I had no plans to sell my house. I was too in lovewithit.

Still, I'm a Winters. I have business on the brain. Especially since I'd sunk a ton of my hard-earned money into theplace.

The contractor had already overseen rerouting the plumbing and electrical. The studs for the walls were in. Drywall was scheduled for thenextweek.

Walking through the space with Aiden gave me a tingle of excitement. I'd imagined what this house could be when I'd bought it, but seeing the fresh wood framing the new rooms, I knew the home I'd dreamed of was within reach. Soclose.

Just some drywall, trim, paint, new floors . . . okay, not that close. It was still the most exciting thing I'd done in ages. At that thought, I stopped, frozen, as I watched Aiden study the layout of themasterbath.

Itwasthe most exciting thing I'd ever done, more than any challenge I'd ever taken on at work or in school. My work for Winters Inc. never sparked my imagination. It never made my heart beat faster in anticipation. It never made me fallinlove.

Was this how Aiden felt when he was working a deal for the company? This exhilaration? The sheer thrill of seeing a dream cometolife?

I'd worked hard for Aiden. For the family. Aiden said he loved the company, and if he felt this way about it, maybe hereallydid.

Something to thinkabout.

I wasn't ready to forgive him, but possibly, maybe, I was starting tounderstand.

Aiden didn't stay long after the tour. He had to get back to the office. I had no doubt he'd be researching my contractor as soon as he hithisdesk.

After he called Sinclair Security and lit a fire under their asses. No question, as soon as Aiden got a Sinclair on the phone, my security system would shoot to the top oftheirlist.

I watched Aiden drive away with an odd mix of pride and homesickness. I was still angry with him. Angry, frustrated, and not ready to letitgo.

I loved mybrother.

I wanted to run after him and beg him to takemehome.

I wanted him to tell me he was proudofme.

I wanted him to leave work at a reasonable hour and maybe even find a girlfriend so he could havealife.

My feelings for Aiden would've been simpler if he'd just been my brother, if he hadn't raised me after our parents died. There was nothing I could do about that. The past was our history. It couldn't bechanged.

We had to find a way to deal with our tangled relationship. I hoped we'd emerge on the other side as adults with mutualrespect.

If we didn't, if he kept trying to organize my life, I really would throw hot chocolateathim.

Orworse.

The encounter with Aiden had distracted me so much, I almost didn't hear the knock at my back door. With no car in the driveway, there was only one person itcouldbe.

Lucas.

The shiver of anticipation went all the way tomytoes.

CHAPTEREIGHT