Page 5 of The Rebel Billionaire

"Isn't it a little early forwhiskey?"

The voice was smooth, dark, and luscious with a husky bite. At first, I thought it was the whiskey talking. Then Ilookedup.

Shit. Standing on the other side of the fence was my neighbor, the one Maggie and I calledLawnmower Hottie. The name was silly,butapt.

At first, I'd only seen him mowing his yard, always shirtless, his chiseled body on full display. He was tall, taller than my brothers and cousins. At least 6' 6" and solid, with broad shoulders, lean hips, and long legs. All of him was covered in muscle and what seemed like acres oftattoos.

He should have scared me. My cousin Vance was big and had muscles and a bunch of tattoos. But not like this guy. Lawnmower Hottie was dark, with olive skin, black shaggy hair, and apple green eyes. I'd never seen himsmile.

And I'd looked. I'm not going to admit how often I'd spied on him. I was Pavlov's dog. I heard that lawnmower start up, and I went straight to thewindow.

"How much of that have you had to drink?" he asked, nodding at the decanterbesideme.

I looked from him to my half-empty glass before I answered. We'd never spoken, never exchanged more than a vague half-wave, but now was as good a time as any to get to know my newneighbor.

For once, I was feeling reckless, my anger and the whiskey mixing in my blood, tugging at my memories of another time, when I'd beenanothergirl.

"This is my second," I said, holding my glass up to the light. "Do you want some? I don't have another glass. You'll have to sharewithme."

Lawnmower Hottie was over the fence in one fluid leap, landing on the balls of his feet, moving far too quietly for his size. This man was apredator.

Dangerous.

Before I could regret my invitation, he was sitting beside me, his spicy male scent blending with the whiskey and going straight tomyhead.

Had I said I was feeling reckless? The heat of his body warming my side, he took the glass from my fingers, his skin brushing mine, sending electric sparks shooting down my nerve endings at the briefcontact.

My breath caught in my throat. His green eyes were as clear as glass as they studied the whiskey before he raised the tumbler and tookasip.

Up close, he was a study in contradictions—the clarity of his green eyes gemlike, the line of his jaw aggressive, a perfect match for those bladed cheekbones. And his mouth. Lush and full, it was the mouth of a lover, a mouth made forkissing.

I found myself leaning into him, his lips a magnet. I started to pull back, to get myself under control. I was Charlotte Winters. Perfect Charlotte Winters. Perfect grades, perfect clothes, perfect job. Alwaysperfect.

Not anymore. That Charlotte was gone. I was left with Charlie, and Charlie was unemployed, sitting on her back porch in the middle of the day drinking whiskey and thinking bad thoughts about kissing herneighbor.

Charlotte would get up, politely excuse herself, wash out the glass, and set it to dry beside the sink before she went off and did something sensible. But Charlotte wasn't here. And Charlie knew exactly what shewanted.

I didn't care if it was the whiskey, the crappy day, or just good old-fashioned lust. I knew what I wanted. Maybe not in the big picture. My life was in a shambles and I had no clue what to doaboutthat.

But right there, with whiskey and desire fizzing in my veins and Lawnmower Hottie close enough to touch, I knew exactly what I was goingtodo.

Before I could think twice, I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips to his. Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids. He let out a grunt of surprise and his hands closed over my shoulders. He was going to push me away. Disappointment stabbedthroughme.

Then I opened my mouth to his, my tongue stroking across his lower lip, and he pulled me closer, my breasts pressing to his broad chest, his mouth slanting over mine, taking control ofthekiss.

My blood sang and my body was molten. He tasted of whiskey and pleasure. Of danger and sex. I had tohavemore.

I was a mess, lost and without direction. I had no idea what I was doing with my life, but I knew onething.

I wanted more of this man. And I'd do whatever I had to do togethim.

CHAPTERTWO

LUCAS

Iwas goingto push her away. That was the plan. I've lived a wild life at times, but I didn't go around kissing women I'd barely met. Especially not my neighbor. Hooking up with a neighbor hadcomplicatedwritten alloverit.

I didn't docomplicated.