How to Avoid a Billionaire(18)

Melanie returned holding his shirt. He studied her face while he slipped into it. The little minx had no intention of making him any promises she would behave. She had no idea what had become of the last guy other than the new job.

When he’d stepped into his shoes and straightened, he tugged her into his arms and raised her chin. “I didn’t get your answer, Melanie.”

“You got it.” She smiled at him. “You just didn’t like it.”

“If—”

She stretched to her toes and kissed him. “Have a good trip, Ryder. Maybe I’ll see you when you get back.”

He opened his mouth to ask what the hell that meant, but she disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. He ground his teeth at the sound of the lock and then the shower coming on. Grumbling, he let himself out of the apartment and headed down to his car. On the highway, miles from her place, he recalled he’d planned to spring a Paris trip on her. Now he claimed to have a business trip that wasn’t until the week after next. Things had gone horribly wrong, and it was his fault. What was it about her that did this to him? He needed to rethink his next steps.





Chapter Five

“Wéi.”

“Hi, Ma,” Melanie said into the phone. “How are you?”

“Oh, Melanie, honey. It’s so good to hear your voice. I thought it was one of your father’s friends calling.”

Melanie chuckled. “Ma, you know you have caller ID, right?”

“Yes, but I’ve misplaced my glasses.”

“Did you try your head?”

Her mother laughed. “Yes, that’s the first place I checked. I’m not senile.”

“I know. How’s Dad?”

“He’s doing well. The herbs are helping with the arthritis pain.”

Melanie sighed. She knew her dad had refused to see a doctor other than to get the initial diagnosis. He preferred to use Chinese herbs, and she didn’t necessarily blame him given she’d seen them work well growing up, but the man was also stubborn.

“When are you coming home, Melanie? We miss you.”

Her parents considered their home hers, even though she’d moved out seven years ago. She didn’t mind. They respected her—at least her mother did—as an adult. Her dad still saw her as a little girl, and for a while he hadn’t spoken to her when she chose to go against his will and get a job and her own place rather than head straight to college. He had considered it wasteful for her to pay for an apartment when she had no family of her own. If he had his way, she would still live at home, waiting for some man to sweep her away.

“I’m not sure. I work late so many nights…”

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? You sound sad.”

She straightened in her chair and pasted a smile on her face although her mother couldn’t see it. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Melanie Song Cai, don’t you lie to your mother!”

Melanie chuckled under her breath. Her mother might spend much of her time speaking in fluent Mandarin to her dad and his friends as well as traveling back and forth to Beijing, but she was still like every other mother, calling her by her full name when exasperated.

The truth was, Melanie had been feeling a little down. Ryder had walked out her door that last morning and she hadn’t heard from him since. Two weeks had passed, and she’d made the stupid choice to visit a financial news website and stumbled across a picture of Ryder and a leggy blonde. Of course the report had named the woman the CFO of some corporation, but there was speculation as to how far the two had gone to settle negotiations. Melanie didn’t regret how she had responded to Ryder’s insistence that she wait on him. He could hold his breath! However, it didn’t change the sadness she felt not seeing him. They’d had a lot of fun together, and sex with the man was explosive.

I guess it’s a good thing I’m not in love with him. The attraction would pass, and she’d find another lover. Simple as that.

“I’ll come to dinner on Friday, Ma.”

“Perfect.”

Melanie and her mother chatted a little longer, and then Melanie rang off with an excuse. Before she had a chance to get back to work, her cell phone rang, and her belly flip-flopped at the display. Of all people, Ryder called. She considered letting it go to voicemail. If she did answer should she mention the blonde? Then again, he didn’t need to know how his treatment affected her. At the last possible minute, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, beautiful. It’s been a while.”

“Oh has it?” She willed herself to lose the attitude. “I’ve been working on a new idea. Hanson has given me the opportunity to present my design to his boss, so I’ve had my nose to the grind. You had that business trip too, didn’t you?”