Page 32 of The Billionaire Mismatch

“It’s cliché,” I answer dryly.

“Well, I couldn’t swipe right on your warm personality and playful sense of humor, could I?” She teases, and it earns her a quarter of a smirk.

Like I said…she’s pretty good.

The drive to her apartment is quiet. But not in an awkward way. I’m not a fan of small talk. I’m also not a fan of overt conversation either. I’d rather it be silent than fill the air with the unnecessary. Olivia doesn’t seem to be unnecessary about anything. It’s hard to believe she’s trying to screw me over.

At the same time, women do that. Women, even ones you think you can trust–especially ones you think can trust–can be really good liars.

“This is me,” she says as I pull up to the complex. I put the car in park and unbuckle my seatbelt.

“I’ll walk you to your door,” I say.

“Or…you could come inside…” she says. Her eyes are dancing in the glow of the streetlight, and her lips look devourable.

I bet she tastes like honey…

I don’t say anything. I simply get out, round the car and open her door. She smiles up at me, and I offer the smallest smile inreturn. Then I walk her to her door, like I said I would. We scale the three steps that lead into the building, and she reaches out to punch in the code. Then she stops and turns back to me.

“Did you forget the code?” I ask.

Olivia giggles. “No…I was just going to say last chance…”

“Last chance for what?” I play dumb.

“To come inside…” she says. “Going once…going twice…”

I gaze down at her and gently pull her into a kiss. A long, slow, hot kiss that melts her body against me. Then I pull back, tell her I’ll call her, offer another quarter of a smile and head down the steps.

“...gone,” I say to myself. And I swear I hear her jaw hit the ground behind me.

Then, and only then, do I actually grin.

Chapter 10

Olivia

This was not supposedto happen.

As I walk inside my house, by myself, I close the door and shake my head. After kicking my heels off, I blink and laugh out loud. It’s a high-pitched sound, a sound of disbelief, and it gets Vivien Leigh’s attention because she walks out of the bedroom and stares at me, ears perked and head cocked to the side.

“He was supposed to try to sleep with me,” I tell her, taking my earrings out and tossing them on the counter. “He was supposed to come inside, expecting sex, and then I was supposed to turn the heat up just until it got hot. And then…Bam! I shut him down, call him out on his shit, and send him packing. That is what was supposed to happen. So I can get on with my life and stop catfishing a catfish, who, by the way, Viv, isn’t all that fishy.”

I take in a deep breath and head over to the fridge. I open it, close it, and look back at Vivien, who is still staring at me like I’m nuts and she wants her dinner. I was telling Luca the truth when I said I’m really afraid of dogs, including her. I fill her bowl.

Then I grab my phone and call Sadie.

“What’s going on?” she answers on the second ring. “It’s only ten.”

“And I am alone so I figured I should call you,” I say, sitting down on the couch in a huff.

“Damn girl, you already kicked him to the curb. You are efficient. How did he take it?” she asks.

“He took it just fine,” I mutter. “I, on the other hand, don’t know how I got myself into this mess.”

“What mess?” she asks.

“I invited him inside. And he kissed me,” I start.