The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max) novel Chapter 39

Lark was in her hotel room looking through her notes Friday afternoon and rubbing her head. Her father was gone to meet with his investigators. Bobbie was laying down in her room after telling Lark she was suffering with a brutal headache and needed an hour to herself.

She was wishing she too pleaded for an hour to herself because as she tried to review the pages displayed on her screen, Ollie was sitting on the end of her bed staring at her. She was waiting for a response to a question she’d asked Lark when they were on the plane. Lark hadn’t answered and Ollie wasn’t giving up.

“Ollie, stop!”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“I’m trying to work.”

“I know. It’s why I’m sitting here quietly waiting.”

“You’re being annoying?”

“Sitting quietly while you work is annoying?”

“Don’t you have a billion-dollar industry to run?” She shot Ollie an annoyed glance.

“I do and I’m doing it. I like to delegate.” She wriggled her phone in her hand, “and I check in every few minutes.”

“Why are you here? You don’t need to be here.” She put her gaze back on the document.

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because despite what you say, you’re going to need me.”

At this statement she looked up, “I’m going to need you?”

“Yes. Despite the fact you haven’t answered my earlier question and I’m still waiting,” she grinned wickedly, “on Monday you’re going to face Doug and his insane demands and it’s going to hurt. It’s going to hurt to know he’s trading the love you shared for monetary value. You will need to cry and quite possibly need to punch something, but” she gave a

self-deprecating smile, “it could simply be my way of dealing with heartbreak. I’m going to be here to hold you while you cry and then even let you beat me up if you need.”

She stared at Ollie incredulously. “You think I’m going to cry?”

“I know you will. Lark, even if he wasn’t the love of your life and we all knew he was never going to last,” Ollie reported factually, “you cared for him a great deal and you loved him. Facing him on Monday in an office across a table is going to feel like he’s reduced your entire relationship to a dollar figure, albeit a big one.”

She frowned at Ollie. “You seem sure of yourself.”

“I know you.” Ollie gave a sly smile. “Which is why I know you’ve peeked at Max’s pecker.”

“I did not!” she kicked her foot out and Ollie gave a shout of victory. “Oh, you’re awful.”

“Why not?” Ollie jumped to lay down beside her on the bed. “I know you’ve been sleeping there. You haven’t even copped a feel?”

“Nope.” She shook her head.

“Max must have a horrible case of blue balls.”

“Ollie, seriously. I don’t want to talk about Max and me.”

Ollie seemed utterly confused, “really? We tell each other everything. You’re not going to tell me what’s happening?” “There isn’t anything happening!” she snapped. “Max has been nothing but a gentleman and a friend all week.”

“But you slept at his house Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I saw him kiss you the other morning when I stopped over.” “You stopped over hoping to find me in his bed.”

“Who gets up at five thirty in the morning?” Ollie frowned at her.

“People like Max who exercise every day. We were going for a run before work.”

“There are better exercises to do at five thirty in the morning,” Ollie wiggled her eyebrows.

“Ollie, I don’t know what to tell you. Max isn’t interested.” She felt her cheeks burning as she stared at her screen.

“Whoa,” Ollie pulled on the laptop and leaned over it, kneeling now between Lark’s knees. “What do you mean he’s not interested.”

“Fine,” Lark sighed and slammed her laptop shut. “You are right. I slept at Max’s Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Monday he asked me to come to his place and he set up the most beautiful, romantic dinner. There were roses and candles, and he was charming and sweet. He was teasing and flirting. We shared a bottle of wine and talked for a long time. Many paragraphs are missing. Read the complete book on Jo b ni b.c o m. Then at ten-thirty, he told me I needed to get my rest and walked me to the room Johan usually stays in. He bought a bunch of clothes for me Ollie. Beautiful clothing from a speciality boutique so I could go to work in the morning. The softest pyjamas I’ve ever owned were on the bed waiting for me and the shoes, Ollie. Oh, the shoes are stunning.” She recalled the closet she walked into Monday night. “But he walked me to my room, kissed me goodnight and then went to his room. He repeated this Tuesday and Wednesday night. For someone we nicknamed Man-w***e-Max he’s behaving very monk-like.”

“Wait, he’s not making his move?”

“If by his move you mean, is he kissing me as if we were still in ninth grade and worried about our braces locking up? Sure, he is.”

“What about groping?” Ollie squeezed her hands in front of her towards Lark’s chest.