Under His Billionaire Roof novel Chapter 21

Leighton woke to a soft knock on her door.

She glanced at her phone. 11:47 PM. She'd fallen asleep after crying. Her eyes felt swollen. Her throat raw.

Another knock. "Leighton? You awake?"

Noah.

She should ignore him. Should pretend to be asleep.

Instead, she got up and opened the door.

He stood in the hallway in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Hair messy. Eyes tired. He looked as wrecked as she felt.

"Can I come in?"

She stepped back. Let him enter. Closed the door behind him.

He stood in the middle of her room. Hands in his pockets. Looking everywhere except at her.

"I wanted to apologize," he said finally. "For earlier. For Vanessa showing up. For putting you in that situation."

"You didn't invite her."

"No. But I should have made her leave sooner. Should have protected you from her."

"I can protect myself."

"I know. You proved that at dinner." A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "The modeling comment. That was brutal."

"She deserved it."

"She did." He moved closer. Still not touching. "But what she said to you. When we were in the kitchen. I heard some of it."

"You were listening?"

"The wall is thin. And she wasn't exactly quiet." His jaw tightened. "She was wrong. About everything."

"Was she?"

"Yes."

"She said I'm not special. That I'm just convenient. That you'll get bored and move on."

"She doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Doesn't she? She dated you. She knows how you operate."

"She knew the old me. Not who I am now."

"And who are you now?"

He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "I don't know. I'm still figuring that out."

"Great. That's really reassuring."

"Leighton..."

"She also said I'm not your type." She crossed her arms. "Is that true?"

"No."

"Because it seems true. Looking at her. At the women you used to date. I'm nothing like them."

"That's the point."

"What?"

"You're nothing like them. That's why..." He ran a hand through his hair. "That's why I can't stop thinking about you. Why I can't stay away even though I know I should."

"You said you were letting me go. For real this time."

"I was trying to. For about thirty minutes. Then I was standing outside your door again." He moved closer. "I can't do it. Can't let you go. Can't pretend I don't want this."

"Want what?"

"You."

The word hung between them. Simple. Direct.

"You called it a mistake," she said quietly. "You listed all the reasons we couldn't do this. You pushed me away."

"I know."

"So what changed?"

"Nothing. All those reasons still exist. Chloe. The complications. Everything." He stopped a foot away. "But watching you tonight. Watching you hold your own against Vanessa. Watching you be smart and funny and completely yourself." His voice dropped lower. "I realized I'd rather have you and deal with the complications than not have you at all."

Her heart hammered against her ribs. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want this. Want you. Even if it's messy. Even if it's wrong."

"It is wrong."

"I know."

"Chloe will never forgive us."

"I know that too."

"So what are you suggesting?"

He was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, "We keep it secret. Just between us. No one finds out. Especially not Chloe."

"A secret."

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. Until we figure things out. Until..." He trailed off.

"Until you get bored?" The words came out sharper than she intended.

"I'm not going to get bored."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've wanted you since you were eighteen. If I was going to get bored, it would have happened by now."

"So what? We just... sneak around? Hook up when no one's looking?"

"If that's what it takes."

"That's not a relationship."

"I know."

"So what is it?"

"I don't know. But it's better than nothing."

She studied his face. The sincerity in his eyes. The tension in his jaw. He meant it. He actually meant it.

"Rules," she said.

"What?"

"If we're doing this, we need rules. Clear boundaries."

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