More Than a Billionaire Read Free Page A

with a friend.
    Kiera’s hands dropped to her sides, his cue to let go of her waist.
    A cue his brain failed to follow.
    “I’d love to, but I can’t. I’m scheduled at work every night this week.”
    “Lunch then?” It took some effort, but he peeled one hand off her waist. He left the other on her lower back as he guided her back to her table.
    “That I can do.”
    “Excellent. I’ll pick you up Monday at noon.”
    Kiera gave him her address, which he had just enough time to put into his phone before the damn thing rang.
    “It’s work. I’m sorry, but I need to take this. I’ll see you Monday.” He took the call, but didn’t say hello. He didn’t need to; he already knew who it was.
    She nodded. “Twelve o’clock.”
    Gray walked away, but cast one more glance in Kiera’s direction, wishing he could dance with her again. Unable to do what he wanted he greeted his boss.
     
    ***
     
    Fudge . It couldn’t be eleven-thirty.
    Kiera checked the wall clock. Double fudge . It said eleven-thirty, too. Gray was due in thirty minutes, and she hadn’t even stepped in the shower yet. One of these days, she’d learn not to experiment with a new recipe when she had plans.
    Kiera pushed away a stray piece of hair. She’d clean the dirty bowls and pans later. Right now, she needed to get the perishable food put away. Thanks to years of practice, it took mere minutes to get food wrapped and put away, leaving her enough time for a hot shower, she hoped.
    For the second time that week, only luke-warm water flowed from the showerhead. Actually, luke-warm water in her loft had become the norm over the past month. In fact, on several occasions, she’d driven to her friend’s apartment for a hot shower before work rather than suffer through an unpleasant cold one. Today, she’d have to suffer.
    Once showered and dried off, Kiera grabbed a sweater from her drawer, her teeth chattering too much for her to care which one it was, and then she cranked up the thermostat. While the hot water remained temperamental, the heating system worked just fine. Quickly, she pulled on her clothes, which left only one thing to do: tackling the mess on her head that passed for hair.
    Most days, she took the extra time required to blow the curly mop out straight. The clock said she didn’t have that luxury today.
    “A bun it is,” she said as she pulled it into a high ponytail.
    Kiera stabbed a hair stick through her bun, securing it as the intercom near the kitchen beeped. Passing the sink, she cast a glance at the overflowing mess. What she wouldn’t give for an industrial-sized dishwasher. Half the dishes in the sink wouldn’t fit in her tiny dishwasher. She had a lot of scrubbing to do later.
    “I’m downstairs,” Gray said after she said hello.
    “Come on in.” Kiera pressed the button that unlocked the door as she grabbed her jacket from the closet. Rather than wait for Gray to come up, Kiera shoved her arms into her jacket and walked into the hall and down the stairs.
    When she hit the bottom step to the lobby, she stopped, annoyance almost making her groan. Of all the building occupants, why did Gray have to be in a conversation with her ? Alexa Merrill, who lived in the loft next door. The one neighbor in the whole building Kiera disliked—and she suspected the feeling was mutual. They’d moved into the building the same day, yet that was about the only thing they had in common. Alexa gave the phrase “party girl” a whole new definition.
    “I work Wednesday and Thursday nights at The Red Room,” Alexa told Gray as she leaned against the wall of mailboxes.
    Kiera knew what type of place The Red Room was. The club posted huge billboards along the highway, which advertised the upscale strip club.
    “If you’re still in town, stop by. You’ll love the show.”
    She ought to save Gray from Alexa’s overzealous flirting, but he could probably handle it himself. His expression gave nothing away. A good friend would