MR BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT WOMAN

a's

th Liam Kingston had been a mistake. A colossal, almost cartoonish mistake,

elt...off-balance. Like I'd wandered too close to the edge

tensity in his eyes that suggested he was playing a

ery word, every glance, as if he'

me, trying to bury myself in my tasks. The bell on the door chimed every few minutes, and I did my best to f

or customer queries I answered, my mind kept drifting b

about him altogether, when the bookstore bell chimed o

fr

t belong here. He was dressed more casually than last night but still exud

orced myself to keep my voice l

he approached. "I told you, I'm interested in getti

my best to look unimpressed. "You know, ther

't flatter yourself, Emma. I just wanted to see wher

my attention back to the book I'd be

by shelf, his fingers trailing across the spines of books w

mused, glancing at me over his shoulder. "You

sier to read," I repli

rking in his eyes. "Touché. You s

ience wearing thin. "Why

e shelves, finally picking up a worn copy of *Pride and Prejud

zabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. N

s going with this. "If you're about to

gaze with that too-intense look. "I'm more interested in Elizabeth's pers

little more force than necessary. "An

e, if she'd let herself see past her own assumptions, she wou

or a second, I forgot where I was. Forgot the ringing bell, the hushed conversations, the cust

games, Liam," I said

soft, but his eyes burned wi

d been holding my breath. He looked around, his eyes

elf, "this is probably the last pla

sity slipping into my

at me. "I don't exactly hav

ling a spark of mischief. "You m

ising me. "So, you're saying I c

y arms. "Or maybe you're just no

this little back-and-forth. "Careful, E

to hide a smirk. "I'd love t

rprised. Then his smirk returned, sh

in the air between us, something electric and dangerous, and I had no idea how to defuse it. Every

ain. I looked over, expecting another customer, but instead, Sophie's unm

ng up beside me with a grin. "Fan

ut he gave her a polite

her eyes sparkling with

irst into a situation she had no business in. She glanced be

dly, "this is the kind of guy you

he ignored me, turning he

d, her voice dripping with curiosity

arper than I intended, but Lia

y, giving her a polite smile. "I

Sophie murmure

long look. "Maybe I'l

of the bookstore, leaving me standing

"Now that," she said, giving me a know

ess what had just happened. "I don't

hed, nudging me. "Maybe

ingston wasn't just dangerous-he was a walking, breathing complic

inside me couldn't help wondering...what w