Page 43 of The Rebel Billionaire

"Next-door neighbor and a friend," Iclarified.

That was all he was getting. Anything else was between Charlie and me. I wasn't going to make her a target of gossip, even with a man Itrusted.

Knowing I was full of shit, Brennan shook his head, but he let me get away with it. Before he left, he said in a low voice that wouldn't carry down the hall, "Keep sharp. The Winters family are good people, but they're trouble, and that girl is way above your pay grade. Don't let whatever mess is swirling around her take you downwithit."

"I've got this," I lied as I locked the doorbehindhim.

It was only half a lie. As far as Charlie's safety was concerned, I did have it under control. I'd talk to whichever Sinclair showed up to put in her system, and we'd get her securitysettled.

If she was smart and used her head, I could keephersafe.

The restofit?

Brennan wasright.

She was way fucking out of my league. I had no business being friends with a woman like Charlotte Winters, much less claiming a place inherbed.

Too fucking bad. Now that I'd had a taste of Charlie, I wasn't giving her up. Not until Ihadto.

Charlie was in bed when I got back, wearing some kind of strappy sleep top. I couldn't miss the blooming bruise on her shoulder. If I looked, I knew I'd find another on her hip. They matched the skin on her cheek that hadn't beenscrapedraw.

If I'd had a target to punish for touching her, they'dbedead.

I stripped off my shorts and T-shirt, leaving them on the floor beside the futon, and slid in beside her. My ego loved the regret in her eyes as she took in my mostly exposed body then realized she was too soreforsex.

Wrapping one arm around her waist, I said, "Maybe in the morning, Princess. I'm exhausted and you're too beat up to do allthework."

As I'd meant her to, shesmiled.

The smile drooped, her lips wobbled, and she looked away, saying in a thin, nervous voice, "I'm okay. You don't have to stay since we're not . . . you know. You can go home. I don't want you tofeellike—"

Her unease was cute, but I put her out of hermisery.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you to sleep here alone after you got jumped. Just close your eyes and go to sleep. We'll see about fucking in themorning."

I tried not to like the way her cheeks went pink when I said 'fucking'.

"I usually sleep on the outside," she said, rolling onto her un-bruised side and trying to get comfortable with the wall blockingherin.

"I'll move the futon away from the wall tomorrow," I said, "but for now, I stay between you andthatdoor."

"Okay," shewhispered.

A slow blink, then another, and she wasasleep.

I lay beside her, listening to the house settle, alert for any creak, any thump, anything that sounded out of theordinary.

I was more comfortable than I wanted to be with her warm body tucked up against mine, smelling of fruit and flowers andCharlie.

I never spent the night withwomen.

Ever.

I liked having a bed to myself. I didn't like clinging or the kind of expectations you created when you were there forbreakfast.

I liked to fuckandgo.

Tonight, I didn't even get a fuck, and there I was falling asleep with a woman for the first time in my life. After all these years, the surprise wasn't that I was sleeping with a woman, but how right she felt inmyarms.