For the Love of the Billionaire: The Complete Story of Barrett and Scarlet by Alison Ryan Read Free Book Online

room meetings, in litigation, and even on television. But in front of her, he was completely lost. Just hearing her voice again almost brought him to his knees. He was both angry with her and completely drunk in her presence with the feelings he still harbored inside. He hated himself for it.
    “Well, I’m sure she’s happy to see you. She talks about you all the time. Much to my dismay, admittedly,” he confessed. He glimpsed a smile, just briefly.
    “She really needs to stop that,” Scarlet said. “There’s not much to say about me, really.”
    “I think we both know that’s not true,” he said.
    “I don’t want to talk about the past,” she said. “Seriously. I’m willing to let you ride with me for whatever reason you need to but I swear to God I will kick you out of my car if you talk about anything-“
    “Relax,” he said, touching her hand that was shaking on the steering wheel. As soon as he did, the warmth of her skin went right to his crotch and he pulled away quickly.
    “Sorry,” he said. “Habit.”
    “It’s fine,” she said, clearly shaken. “I get it. I’m sorry, Barrett, I just can’t get into anything with you. I don’t mean to be cold. I don’t want to be like this with you.”
    Then don’t be he thought. But he didn’t say it.
    They drove the rest of the way in silence and Barrett suddenly wasn’t sure what he expected from this drive. Just that he didn’t want it to end at Green Valley Ranch. He might not have a chance again.
    “Scarlet,” he said, as they pulled into the front entrance. “Please. Have lunch with me. It doesn’t have to be about the past. Fuck, Scarlet, I haven’t seen you in five years. I just want to know what life has been like. Is that so terrible?”
    Scarlet shook her head, “Please, Barrett. I can’t. It’s been hard enough driving this far with you.”
    “What the hell?” he was angry now. “Why am I a bad guy? You act like you just had to drive a serial killer across town and not someone you claimed to love at one time.”
    “You’re not a bad guy, Barrett,” she said, tears in her eyes and a catch in her voice. “I’m just not ready to see you. Can’t you tell?”
    Barrett was so frustrated. Here was Scarlet, finally in front of him, and she was sobbing in a rental car asking him to go away. All he wanted to do was sweep her up in his arms and somehow make everything okay again. Another part of him wanted to shake her, yell at her to tell him what the fuck happened between them, ask her why she was being this way when she was the one that smashed his heart into a million pieces five years ago.
    “Okay,” he said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    “I know,” she said, calming down for a moment. “I just wasn’t expecting to see you. If I had known… Well, shit, I at least would have looked better.”
    He smiled, “You look fucking amazing.”
    She caught his eyes for a moment. Her eyes were still as breathtaking as ever but there was a sadness to them now. All he wanted to know was what put that sadness there. Why wouldn’t she let him see it?
    “Barrett,” she sighed. “Don’t lie.”
    “I’m not,” he said, turning to her. “You look as beautiful as ever, Scarlet. And since when do you have to look a certain way for me? You fucking stopped me in my tracks the second you got off that elevator. And now you want me to go in and pretend I didn’t see you. Scarlet, I just can’t.”
    “Please try to,” she said, looking away from him.
    He shook his head, “I can’t. I’ll let you go for now, but I have to see you again. When we’ve both calmed down a bit. Please.”
    She looked straight ahead and he was sure she was going to say no.
    “Okay,” she agreed. “One dinner. I don’t leave until at least next Monday. So it can be whatever night works best for you.”
    “How about tomorrow night?” he asked, trying not to show his enthusiasm.
    She shook her head, “I need more time. Thursday