Billionaire Untamed - Tate(4)

I got what I wanted. Time to run. Literally.

“Thanks,” she said gratefully. “But I’m here to spend some time alone. I actually just broke up with a guy—a man who cheated on me. I’m kind of licking my wounds. I appreciate the offer, but I really do need some time to myself.” She hastily got to her feet and smoothed down her skirt. “Thanks for the chat.” She rifled through her small clutch purse to find her room key, and nodded at him politely and dismissively as she pulled it out and closed her bag. “Maybe I’ll see you around.” Or not…if I can help it.

Tate rose to his feet and swung the chair back into place. “Lara?”#p#分页标题#e#

She had started to walk away, but turned back. “Yes?”

He strolled up to her, took a lock of her hair between his fingers and stroked it for a moment before he leaned down slowly.

Lara’s breath caught as she inhaled the masculine scent of him. He smelled like fresh air, pine, and musky male, and he was intoxicating. He towered over her. Even though she was dressed in three-inch heels, she still felt defenseless with him this close to her, and she felt suddenly vulnerable in a way she never had before. Not afraid, but definitely exposed.

For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her, but he didn’t. His lips came to rest next to her ear, and he told her in a husky voice, “Any man who would stray from your side doesn’t deserve a second thought.” He straightened and lightly grasped her chin and turned it upward so her eyes met his. “Don’t let any guy fuck with your head. He isn’t worth it.”

Lara fell into the smoky gray depths of his eyes for a moment, mesmerized. His statement had been emphatic, sincere, and had stirred her soul. It had actually been awhile since she’d had the cheating boyfriend, but he really had existed. She hadn’t trusted another guy since.

“I-I’ll try to remember that,” she stammered awkwardly, momentarily drowning in his heated gaze.

Get a grip, Bailey! Remember what you’re here for. Keep your eyes on the prize.

“You do that,” Tate answered in a raspy voice.

Lara pulled her eyes from his and backed away from Tate before she turned and hurried toward the elevator. Tate didn’t follow, but she could feel his stare track her movements as she got into the elevator—thankfully without tripping on her heels this time—and punched in her floor on the panel with more force than necessary. It took everything she had not to look up at him again as the elevator door whooshed closed.

Alone in the plush compartment, she leaned back against the wall and let out a shaky sigh of relief.

What in the hell just happened?

She had an objective, a purpose, and Tate Colter wasn’t part of that design. Having gotten what she wanted, Tate was of no further use to her. He was a man to now be avoided.

Marcus was her target, and she needed to make certain that all of her attention was focused on the eldest Colter sibling. She needed to wheedle her way into Marcus Colter’s affections.

The elevator pinged when it reached her floor, and she hurried to her room, escaping inside with her composure intact and her goal firmly back in focus again.



She actually just blew me off.

Tate’s dimple showed in his cheek as he grinned like an idiot, still standing in the spot where Lara had left him. It wasn’t often—okay, it was pretty much never—that any woman didn’t throw herself at him, even the married ones. And it had been way too long since he’d been interested.

She’s not married. Some idiot was stupid enough to let her get away.

It probably should have bothered him that she had basically snubbed him, but he was actually amused. Women didn’t rebuff him, especially when they knew exactly who he was. He was a single Colter male, a billionaire, and a reasonably attractive guy. He wasn’t accustomed to women running in the other direction rather than trying to get his attention.

He’d watched Lara for a while, enchanted when he’d seen her stumble out of the elevator because of her high heels—after he knew she wasn’t going to trip and hurt herself. She’d rallied quickly, and Tate noticed how she surveyed her surroundings alone. Lara wasn’t stupid, and Tate already sensed she was here for a reason other than just a vacation. She seemed very alert, almost too aware of her environment for a woman who was supposed to be on vacation.#p#分页标题#e#

There was a mystery to be solved with Lara from the East Coast, and strangely enough, he wanted to figure out exactly what she was doing here in the middle of nowhere.

She didn’t ski.

She wasn’t interested in the hot springs.