Page 79 of The Rebel Billionaire

Shaking it off, I locked my house and headed next door to get Charlie's things. I went in through the back door, winding my way through the crew working on her kitchen. It would be a while, but the room was starting to takeshape.

Her design was the complete opposite of mine, but I liked it. Where my kitchen was dark, with bold colors and dense concrete countertops, hers was alllight.

Custom white cabinets with glass doors on the top, all the appliances covered in the same white woodwork. Beautiful white marble on the counters and island, deep farmhouse sinks like mine and a huge gas range, alsolikemine.

It was smart, considering that the big window in the kitchen looked out onto the covered porch. The view was pretty, but without direct sunlight, the room could've beentoodim.

Charlie had chosen a funky black iron and crystal chandelier to hang over the island. It was an offbeat choice, but I could see, looking at the rest of the room, that it would be perfect. A spark of Charlie in an otherwise too-perfectkitchen.

She was good at this. If she decided to flip the house, she'd probably make a decent profit even considering how much she was usingcontractors.

She was planning on keeping this place, but I caught her checking out listings in the neighborhood on her tablet. I'd wondered if she was being so stingy about the truck because she wanted to keep her cash handy to invest in anotherhouse.

I hated that truck. I knew I'd been a dick at the dealership. And I respected that she wasn't wasting money.Idid.

But Charlie was too good for a piece of shit truck. She deserved something better. If she'd let me, I would've bought her anewone.

Stupid,Iknow.

I was never reckless with my savings, but the second I'd offered, I knew I meant it. I wanted her to have something from me. Something I'd given her, something that sheneeded.

I didn't try to justify the impulse. I was afraid if I thought about it too much, I wouldn't like what it said about my feelings for Charlie. I should have been relieved she turned me down. Iwasn't.

If she wouldn't let me buy her a truck, at least she was letting me keep her safe. I packed up her things with quick efficiency. She'd only brought a duffel bag from Winters House, but in the weeks since, her belongings hadexpanded.

It took two trips, but I managed to get her moved in, making space on the other side of my dresser for her stuff. I was not going to think about the jolt in my chest at seeing her clothes neatly folded in her own drawer in mybedroom.

I was not going to think about the way they looked right, her T-shirts, her lace underwear and practical athletic bras. I wasn't going to take a deep breath, absorbing the flowery fruity scent of herlotion.

It didn'tbelonghere.

She didn'tbelonghere.

The sooner I got that straight in my head, thebetter.

It was time to draw some boundaries. For my own sake, if not for hers. Sleeping with her, moving her in with me, that was all tied up in protecting her and our previous arrangement as neighbors withbenefits.

Going to dinner at Winters House? That was another thing altogether. It was as close to dinner with her parents as I'd ever get, and it sent everyone the wrongmessage.

Before I could think too much, I picked up my phone and dialed Charlie, intending to cancel. She could get a ride home with one of her brothers or Vance andMagnolia.

Charlie didn'tanswer.

"Problem?" Aiden askedbrusquely.

Mentally shifting gears, I said, "No problem. Stuff has come up. I'm not going to make dinner. Can you give Charlie aridehome?"

There was a longpause.

Then Aiden said, "Bullshit. I wouldn't have taken you for apussy."

Did he just call me apussy?

Gritting my teeth, I said, "Fuck off, Winters. I said somethingcameup."

"Yeah, and I said it's bullshit. You don't have to be scared. Wedon'tbite."

"Now I'm agreeing with Charlie. You're an asshole," I said. I wanted to hang up on him. I wanted to go over there, snatch up Charlie, and drag her back to my house so we could avoid the whole Winters familyscene.