Wife Wanted (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance)(46)

 

She laid back down, giggling as his fingers found her ticklish sides—until she distinctly heard the front door open and Charlotte yell her name. Phoebe shot up in bed, trying to cover herself as Ben cursed. Charlotte appeared in the doorway a second later.

 

“There you are! Why haven’t you texted me back—is there a man in that bed with you?”

 

Phoebe was about to answer when Ben sat up straight, blankets covering his vital parts, and held out a hand. “Ben, at your service.”

 

Phoebe’s head fell into her open palm as she watched Charlotte slowly reach a hand out and shake his, her eyes grazing over what parts of his body she could see. “Nice to meet you, I guess. What the hell is going on?”

 

 “Pretty sure I don’t need to explain,” she muttered, hoping her friend would take the hint and disappear, but she just stood there, arms crossed over her chest, brow raised, tapping her foot. “What? Can’t a girl have a good weekend with a guy? Jeez, you’re always telling me to get a life, so I did.” She clutched the sheet tighter to her chest until finally, Charlotte burst out laughing.

 

“I can see you did. But someone else has been texting me all weekend, trying to figure out what’s wrong with you,” she said. “Made it sound like you were dying.”

 

Phoebe’s face scrunched. “Sorry about that…I may have lied to said person.”

 

“Got it. Well, I guess I’ll just wait out here to fill you in on other stuff,” Charlotte said as she winked at Ben.

 

But she kept standing there until Ben cleared his throat, pulling the sheet a bit tighter around his waist. “Charlotte, you mind?” Phoebe snapped.

 

“What? Oh, yeah, sorry. Wait, out here, just…sorry.” She pulled the door shut behind her, and Phoebe fell back on her pillows as Ben started to laugh. This was a nightmare ending to their perfect weekend. Her best friend crashing in on them to remind her that she had to call Mitch at some point today to make plans for their next date.

 

Why couldn’t she just keep Ben? Tell him what was going on?

 

But he didn’t have the money she needed. Probably made the same as she did, and there was no way she could ask him for a favor like that. They’d just met and spent a fantastic weekend together. Asking for something like that just didn’t feel right.

 

Nothing about this situation feels right, she thought. Except when I’m with Ben.

 

“She seems great,” Ben said as he got out of bed and stretched.

 

“Yeah, she has her moments,” Phoebe said as she watched him pick up his clothes from the floor. “I wish it didn’t have to end like this.”

 

“End? I plan on seeing you this week, my dear, sweet Anna,” he told her.

 

Phoebe felt her heart flutter at the sincerity in his eyes. “You do?”

 

“Yes. This weekend was great. Think we both needed it.”

 

She grinned as he walked around the bed, jeans on but still unbuttoned, then leaned in and kissed her. The kiss deepened, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back down with her on the bed.

 

A few minutes later, they both finally left her bedroom to find Charlotte grinning as she sat at the breakfast bar, nursing a cup of coffee. “Well, don’t you two just look smashing?”

 

Phoebe shot her a warning look as Ben made his way to the front door. He picked up the suit jacket still hanging there and told Phoebe he’d call her tomorrow to see what her plans were for the week. He gave her one last, toe-curling kiss, then left. Phoebe closed the door, leaning against it and feeling as if she was waking up from some crazy fantasy.

 

“So, that was the guy the jacket belonged to? Damn, Phoebe. How the hell did you find him?”

 

“That’s the pirate,” she said lightly as she headed into the kitchen to make breakfast. Check that, it was nearly three in the afternoon. Maybe she’d start making dinner instead. “We…ah, found each other again.”

 

“I want all the dirty details since you’re obviously no longer a virgin!”

 

“Seriously?” she asked, but couldn’t even be mad about it. It had been magical. As cheesy as that sounded, it was the only way she could accurately describe what being with Ben was like. As if she’d found her pirate prince, and he’d taken her on this incredible journey for a few nights. If only it could last…

 

“What’s with that face?” Charlotte interrupted her thoughts.

 

“Nothing, it’s just…I obviously can’t keep dating him.”