The Billionaire's Hired Bride (BWWM Billionaire Romance Book 1) by Sherie Keys Page B

would you?”
     
    That got a long sigh, as Minnie looked away, unable to meet Avery’s eyes when she knew he had caught her. “I think I would,” she said grudgingly.
     
    She didn’t have to look over to know the kind of smirk Avery was wearing. “And it’s not just because the place is nice as hell, is it?”
     
    “Well, I don’t know how I’m ever going to get used to sleeping in a normal sized bed again,” Minnie said with a laugh, glad for the excuse to change the subject a little. “It’s so nice to sprawl out across a big one.”
     
    But Avery wasn’t to be deterred. “Even nicer than sharing one?”
     
    Minnie nearly threw her coffee at him.

Chapter9
    That night was one of their usual “stay in” style dates – a movie and hot chocolate, with Minnie in old, slightly-too-small PJs and James in a too-plush monogram robe. She wound up leaning against him as the movie neared its climax, the motion not in itself unusual, but it was the first time she’d really made physical contact since their return from Boston. James didn’t really react, though, and part of Minnie was glad that it seemed that that part of their relationship hadn’t changed.
     
    Another part of her was a little disappointed for the same reason.
     
    They sat and talked through the credits, as usual, but at the end, as the screen went black, Minnie felt and gave into the urge to give him a brief kiss on the cheek. It was at least easier to reach his face with hers while they were sitting. James looked a little surprised, but Minnie didn’t explain her action, instead just smiling and wishing him goodnight.
     
    Her heart was racing after that, at least.
     
    Minnie lay in bed that night, thinking about it, thinking about how comfortable she had been with James’ weight beside her in the hotel, wishing that she had the courage and self-knowledge to roll a little closer to him then. She had to remind herself – she hadn’t even known his feelings at the time. As far as she had known, that would have been just as likely to come to nothing as to produce any other result.
     
    She reminded herself, you barely know your own feelings. He said he would wait. There’s still more than two years.
     
    For their next going-out date, about a week later, Minnie dressed a little fancier and showed a little more skin than she might have usually. She wore heels that bumped her up a little higher, did her make-up a little differently –
     
    It didn’t give her all the confidence she needed, but it helped, a little, though the heels took a few practice laps around her room to get used to.
     
    “I’m ready,” she tried telling the mirror in a confident tone, then sighed and slumped her shoulders. Maybe she wasn’t ready. But the only way to get there was to act on it.
     
    The Italian restaurant wasn’t a super fancy place, by the standards of James’ budget, but it was well above Minnie’s previous cheap Chinese food dates. Those times seemed half a world away as they sat down, Minnie nervously smoothing out the tablecloth and noting the one or two faded spaghetti stains.
     
    Nothing for it but to do it, right? She already knew he wouldn’t reject her; wasn’t that always supposed to be your biggest worry, during a confession like this? And yet here she was, hesitating as always, “two more years” being a mantra of procrastination that she had to overcome.
     
    So when James set down the menu well before their waitress returned – she was surprised he’d even looked at it, when he almost always had the basil pesto just like she almost always had the lobster Alfredo – Minnie said, “It’s a good thing we never get spaghetti here, or we might have to do that movie thing where the couple kisses because of one really long noodle.”
     
    As confessions went, not off to a great start. But James laughed a little and seemed to catch her meaning, replying, “So are you saying you wouldn’t just bite the end