All Chapters of The Billionaire Escape Plan: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

I reach up, bringing my hand to Alex's face. It only takes a moment for me to find the bump on his forehead, and though he doesn't make a sound when my fingers brush against it, I feel him stiffen, so I know he must be experiencing some pain as well."Your lump is pretty big," I say, "but I still think mine is bigger.""On the contrary, I think mine is." His finger traces the edge of my bump. "You definitely have the harder head.""What are the symptoms of a concussion again?""I don't know," he says. "Maybe we should look that up.""Well, if anyone asks, you were already a bit wonky in the head."He laughs. "Me? I could tell them some stories about you - ""Hey," I say. "You better not be talking about anything we put in the friendship vault of silence.""I wouldn't dream of it."His fingers are still against my forehead. And mine, somehow, are still against his. We're standing close enough that I have to tilt my head back to look at him, which only reminds me of how tall he

The first thing I notice is the heat of his mouth. Then the pressure of his lips - soft and hard at the same time. Gentle but also deliberate, as if he wants me to be fully aware that he's playing our little game. Desire rushes through me, so strong it's nearly suffocating.It's strange, kissing Alex. But at the same time...it's not strange at all. Maybe because we've known each other for so long. Because we understand each other so well. Alex isn't some random hot stranger - he's the person I trust more than anyone else in this world. And my body seems to know this, because I can feel myself opening up to him.My mouth parts a little more beneath his, sinking into the kiss. His lips respond instantly, shifting against mine, finding a new way to fit together. His hand presses against the back of my head as he deepens the kiss. A fresh wave of heat moves through me, and I find myself leaning into him.This isn't what I expected to happen. The memory of our drunken kiss was pleasant e

"What do you mean?" I say, struggling up into a sitting position. The shirt falls down into my lap, revealing my breasts again, but I don't care. "I want this. I...I'm enjoying it.""That doesn't mean it's the right thing to do." Alex seems to be looking everywhere but at me. "I'm sorry, Mae. I shouldn't have let it get this far. I didn't think... I guess I just assumed you would have stopped me long ago.""I didn't want to stop," I say. "I don't want to stop." In fact, my body feels suddenly cold without him on top of me."We need to stop," he says. "And now I'd suggest we both go to bed - to our own rooms - before we do something we regret."He doesn't wait for my response. Instead, he walks around the couch and back toward his bedroom."Alex!" I call after him.He pauses at his doorway. "You'll thank me for this in the morning. Goodnight, Mae."And before I can get in another word, he goes into his room and shuts the door behind him.Needless to say, I have another sleepless

A few hours later, after a breakfast of admittedly delicious pastries and quiche, Alex and I head out into the city.In spite of the weird tension that still hangs in the air between us - I know we're both trying to forget about what happened between us, but that's next to impossible - I find my excitement rising as we head down the street. It's a beautiful day, I'm in New York, and even if I've made a couple of missteps with Alex recently, I do enjoy his company. As my good mood overtakes me, I find it easier and easier to push the memory of what happened last night somewhere deeper into my mind."This is glorious," I say, spinning around on the sidewalk.Even Alex seems to have loosened up a little. One of his eyebrows rises. "We haven't even seen anything yet.""It looks just like it does in the movies," I say. "How do you not get caught up in all of this every time you walk out the door?""You get used to it," he says."I can't imagine ever getting used to this," I say. "Ther

The day turns out to be pretty damn awesome.After Central Park, we visit the Museum of Natural History, Times Square, and then the Rockefeller Center. We ride all the way to the top of the Empire State Building, and when we come down, Alex takes me around the corner to a little bakery that has the most amazing cannolis I've ever tasted in my life. We eat so many that we're both too full for dinner, and even then, I'm wondering how many I might be able to fit in my purse and take back with me.Even though it's a bit of a walk back to Alex's apartment from here, we decide to skip a cab and enjoy the beautiful evening. A soft summer breeze dances around us, making my dress flutter around my legs as the sun sinks behind the skyscrapers.When we get to the edge of Central Park again, I stop. "Do you hear that?"Alex pauses and listens. "They must be having a concert in the park tonight."I'm exhausted - and my feet ache something fierce - but something about the music calls to me. "Sh