She ran her fingers on the rim of her wine glass, creating a melodious sound in the air. She’d been pensive since we started dinner tonight.

I had a long day at the office today but I still managed to come home earlier than I used to.

She bit her lower lip, but not in a seductive way. I knew she wanted to talk about something. That something I could very well guess.

I hoped she wouldn’t start on it because I had nothing good to tell her.

But she did.

“Have you thought about my offer?”

There was no other way but to be bluntly honest. This was something I could not allow to become a gray area between us.

“Yes. The answer is still no.”

I saw her fingers close tighter on the long stem of her wine glass. I was afraid she’d snap it and hurt herself. But she let the glass go, settling into her seat more comfortably.

“Why?”

There was a glint of challenge in her eyes now.

I humored her.

“You really think I should take it?”

“Yes. You know the offer is very good. It’s a win-win for you, and you know it.”

“You’re so convinced of this.”

“Other businessmen would have grabbed the offer right away. What’s stopping you from taking it?”

She was questioning my decision, as if she knew shit about business. “What do you think?”

“Is it me? Have I hurt your ego somehow, Josh? You enjoy watching me and my family dangle like puppets at your fingertips?”

“Now you’re calling me a sadistic bastard.”

Her breathing had escalated, her fists gripping the chair’s arms tightly. I could almost feel her claws on my skin.

“You want the bare facts, Cressida? I thought you’d figured it out by now, or you’re not as smart as I first thought.”

“Tell me.”

“I lost three billion dollars. Do you have any idea what needs to be done to recover that amount? If I take the deal, I’d probably be working my ass off more for Madden Securities than my own company and for what? To recoup my losses and save your company while my own company will suffer from my absence? I’m gonna be losing even more before I can get my money back, and I can kiss any thought of ROI goodbye, too. My investment with Madden Securities is dead. It died the moment your father invested it with Rutledge Capital. But I don’t expect you to get it when all you’ve probably done so far was spend Daddy’s money. So no, your offer is not good. In fact, it’s shit.”

Her lower lip trembled. Her eyes turned glassy.

“As for my ego, I remember you begged me on your knees to bother with you. Do you remember what I told you?”

She looked away.

I sighed. She asked for it, dammit! “Look—”

“I know. I know it’s not my place to even ask, much less question you. I apologize.”

I inhaled slowly, hating her lifeless tone. She looked at me again with those sad, sad eyes. My insides clenched painfully. “Are you done eating?” she asked me in a timid voice.

I simply nodded, finishing my wine in one go.

She stood up and started clearing the table. She turned away without a word, entering the house again, dishes in tow.

I collected the glasses and followed her inside. “Cressida…”

She didn’t turn from the kitchen counter. “I’ll take care of this. Go on to bed. You need to rest.”

I put the glasses in the sink and watched her load the plates into the dishwasher. It was really a big surprise that she loved to cook. My meals the past few weeks had been nothing but satisfying, just like sex with her. Except when I was reminded why she was in my house in the first place.

Strangely, the thought that she was doing all this against her will was starting to really rub me the wrong way. I was beginning to care what she truly felt about me. The thought that she was faking it with me— not her orgasms as I knew she wasn’t, but her actions outside the bedroom, her sweetness, and the way she took care of me— it didn’t sit well with me anymore.

The devil in my head taunted me. Of course, she’s faking it all, you fool. She’s the snake in your garden. She’s here to seduce you into giving in to her wishes. But then again, you bit her cherry just to teach her a lesson, right? Nothing more. Right?

Dammit!

I turned around and left her in the kitchen.

I didn’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t have said the things I said. He was right, of course. He was the one at the losing end of the partnership deal no matter where one looked at it.

I was just hoping that…

What? What did you hope? That he would start to care for you, enough to melt his heart and set aside business for the sake of what? Love? Come on, Cressida. Maybe it was time for Plan C, if you have any, that is. But Plan B has been shot down brutally tonight.

I bit back a sob.

I left the kitchen and went up to his bedroom on the third floor. The room I’d been sharing with him every day for the past weeks.

He’d dimmed the lights and was already lying on the bed, his eyes, closed. I padded closer to the massive four-poster quietly, careful not to disturb him.

My eyes roamed his body longingly, lingering on the hard planes of his chest, on his muscled abs. He looked so formidable, even in repose.

“Come to bed, Cressida,” he suddenly spoke.

I gasped faintly, but I didn’t need to be told twice. I crawled onto the bed. He pulled me into his arms and I melted into his embrace with a relieved sigh.

“I’m sorry Josh,” I whispered in his chest. “I know you had the trial postponed. I haven’t thanked you for it yet. Thank you. I know it’s against your better judgment to be even considering my offer, or for allowing me to try to change your mind. I came here with open eyes. This was my choice. I had expectations, yes, but I knew I was in no position to demand anything from you. I’m sorry.”

He pulled me up to straddle him, then cupped my breasts with his big hands. His eyes smoldered with desire in the dim light. Somehow, my disappointment was alleviated by look in his eyes. He still wanted me.

“Show me how sorry you are.”

I more than willingly did.

But he took over halfway and brought me to the highest peak once again.

I wasn’t sure anymore why I was still here with him when I knew he wouldn’t likely change his mind about my father.

Oh, you know why. You’re no longer just hoping he’d change his mind. You’re desperately hoping he’d open his heart to you and ask you to stay for good.

There it was. The sad, sad truth.

I set to conquer this man. But I was the one who fell into my own trap. I was the one he’d conquered.

I WAS SURPRISED WHEN RENO arrived with the chopper at five in the afternoon without Josh.

“Mr. Landis is very busy today but he wants to see you in Manhattan this evening.”

I got dressed and rode with Reno in the chopper back to Manhattan.

As I looked out the window at the city skyline, I was amazed how I didn’t miss it all this time that I was in Camelot. The only things I missed was being with my Mom every day. But Josh had generously allowed me to use the chopper whenever I wanted to, so I still managed to spend a few hours with her the past weeks. We both went to visit Dad in jail a few times.

I hadn’t even updated my social media accounts. I didn’t miss the internet at all. I declined any calls from the media, too, since I moved to Camelot. I was all focused on Josh.

We landed on a high-rise helipad.

“This is not The Excalibur,” I said to Reno when we disembarked from the chopper.

“Mr. Landis owns this building, too, and he’s waiting for you here, Miss.”

“Now? Here?”

The bodyguard nodded.

Minutes later, Reno escorted me into a restaurant.

Josh was meeting me here? I thought he didn’t want us to be seen in public that was why I’d stayed at Camelot all this time.

It was my first time to be in a public place like this in weeks. I didn’t even feel I was out of the loop for some time now. I was quite content at Camelot.

The restaurant looked very pricey and exclusive, evoking the ambiance of a club with its very intimate setting. Fully padded sofas took the place of chairs. The diners lounged about lazily as blues music played softly in the background. I’d never been to this place and I’d dined in a lot of fabulous restaurants all over the country.

I saw Josh stand up from a table at a far corner. He was wearing his usual power suit, gorgeous in black as always.

I smiled. God, I missed him today. I seemed to miss him more as the days passed. I would count the hours till he came back from work and I just felt more at peace when he was home.

Home. I was dreaming again. Camelot was not my home.

“What is this?” I asked him teasingly as he pulled me to sit beside him on the lush love seat.

“I was thinking you must miss eating something you haven’t cooked yourself.”

“Just a little.”

A waiter came over and handed us the menu.

“What would you have?” he asked.

“I haven’t dined in this place before so you choose for me.”

He ordered for us. The waiter nodded and moved away.

“Is this a club or something? It doesn’t look like the usual restaurant.”

“Yeah. My club.”

“Yours?”

“Exclusive for the executives who work in my companies.”

“It’s very nice. Very cozy. I love it.”

“Glad you like it. And you look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I wore a floral-printed loose dress tonight that almost reached my feet.

He leaned over and kissed my hair.

He groped me under the table, his hand creeping between my legs.

“Josh!” I gasped.

He grinned like a rascal. “I love this dress. Very comfy.”

I giggled.

I didn’t know why I brought her here at the club. Maybe I was guilty. Maybe I was feeling her sadness as she spent all day at Camelot without me.

The security camera replays showed she’d been helping with the gardeners water and prune my plants every day. She made good use of the kitchen, too, baking and cooking with my chef, talking to the house staff. She got along with everyone. But she spent a lot of hours staring out into the sea as she waited for my arrival in the afternoons.

I knew what she was thinking.

Her father. Her family.

So yeah, I was guilty as hell for giving her false hopes. I should end our association, because nothing had changed. Armand was still going to be tried in court and I couldn’t hold off the wheels of justice from rolling any longer.

It had to happen soon. The public was clamoring for justice. It must be served.

But I couldn’t let her go. Not yet.

I couldn’t part with her smiles and laughter yet.

“Josh…hey…!”

I cleared my throat. “Huh?”

“Where were you?”

I touched her cheek. “Here. I’m right here, princess.”

We danced the night away. I probably drank too much champagne because I was light as a feather on my feet as we moved together.

I was right. I knew there was more to him than meets the eye. Josh was actually a romantic. We had a delightful dinner and now we were dancing!

The mighty Joshua Landis dancing was probably for the books. He didn’t have to do this at all, but here we were.

I rested my cheek on his chest as we swayed to Love Story being played poignantly by a quartet on the stage.

I let myself get lost in the moment.

In this little point in time, my father was not in jail, and Josh was not his enemy. Josh and I were truly together. We were in love. He was my man and I was his woman.

I lifted my face and looked in his eyes.

In this moment, I wanted to believe that the look he was giving me was real. His eyes held me in thrall with possessiveness and reverence, making me feel desired and cherished. I’d like to believe it was love. A love that would defy all odds. A love that would last a lifetime and beyond.

“What are you thinking?”

I smiled at him dreamily. “I’m thinking that this is probably the happiest night of my life.”

I thought I saw his eyes turn misty, but it must be my imagination as he was smiling back at me now.

“You’re very low maintenance, Cressida Madden. I thought it would take a 35-carat diamond to make you say that.”

I shook my head. “Joshua Landis, you’re the most cynical man in the world.”

“Sorry, hard habit to break.”

I was learning to manage his cynicism. I knew it stemmed from his traumatic childhood. Karin told me to be patient with him. I would. He deserved it after all the pain he had suffered. I would heal this man’s hurts until all he saw was love.

My love.

Yes. I loved him.

I figured that life would be easier for me if I just accepted it. My heart felt lighter, my mind clearer, and my body stronger.

“I’m so easy to please, you should know that by now.”

“Yeah? How easy?”

Giving him a sultry look from under my lashes, I raised myself on my toes to whisper in his ear. “Make me cum. Now.”

The look on his face was priceless. He shook his head, his eyes smoldering. “Woman…”

He dragged me to the nearest restroom.