Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 208

Nathaniel's POV

I tossed enough cash on the table to cover the bill and went after her. I couldn't let things end like that, not when I finally understood why she'd spent the whole evening acting like some corporate robot.

I found her on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, staring at her phone with a frustrated look.

"Uber says fifteen minutes," she muttered, not even glancing at me.

"Annabelle…"

"Please don't." She shook her head, still avoiding my eyes. "I already said everything I needed to say."

"But I didn't."

She exhaled slowly and finally looked at me. Tears clung to the corners of her eyes, and she was clearly fighting to hold them back.

"What else do you want from me, Nathaniel? I told you I need distance. This is for my career."

"I want you to understand one thing." I stepped closer, but kept a respectful space between us. "Just because we slept together on that plane doesn't mean I don't take you seriously."

She gave me a doubtful look.

"Nathaniel…"

"Let me finish." I lifted a hand. "It's actually the opposite."

"What does that mean?"

"Annabelle, I take a woman very seriously when she refuses to let society dictate who she's allowed to be. A woman who takes what she wants because she wants it. Someone honest enough to own her desires."

She blinked a few times, clearly thrown by that.

"You were on a plane, convinced you were about to die, and you still stayed true to yourself. You didn't pretend to be someone else. You didn't hide behind fake morals. You were real." I ran a hand through my hair. "That didn't make me respect you less. It made me respect you more."

"But everyone thinks—"

"To hell with what everyone thinks." I cut in. "I know who you are. I know how capable you are. And you should know it too."

Annabelle went quiet, studying me with an expression I couldn't fully read.

"Listen," I continued, "I would love to get to know you better. Not as an employee. Not as Christian's sister-in-law. As… Annabelle. The woman I met on that plane."

"Nathaniel…"

"But if you think that's bad for you, then I'll back off." The promise came out harder than I expected. "I can do that. I can keep things professional if that's what you need."

"And what do you get out of that?"

"The peace of knowing you're not hiding behind some robotic version of yourself because of me." I gave a faint smile. "Because honestly, that performance tonight was starting to scare me."

She almost smiled.

"It was kind of robotic, wasn't it?"

"A little. You said 'appropriate professional conduct' so many times I thought I was talking to an HR handbook."

This time she actually smiled, and something in my chest eased.

"Look," I said, taking advantage of the fact that she finally seemed less tense, "you don't have to act like that with me. We can be… I don't know. Normal colleagues. Friends, maybe?"

But I stuck to the professional handshake she offered.

"Friends," I echoed.

When we let go, we stood there for a moment, silence stretching between us. But it wasn't uncomfortable anymore. It felt… different. Like we'd just signed a contract.

And if it was a contract, I had a sinking suspicion it would be the hardest one of my life to honor.

"My Uber's here," she said, looking toward the car that had pulled up.

"Of course." I stepped aside and opened the door for her. "See you Monday?"

"See you Monday," she confirmed as she climbed in. "And Nathaniel?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For… clearing things up."

"Anytime, friend."

She gave me a real smile and shut the door. I stood on the sidewalk, watching the car pull away, trying to convince myself I'd done the right thing.

Friends.

Hell.

This was going to be harder than closing any deal I'd ever negotiated in my life.