Falling for the Billionaire

5

By the time Jake got back to the car, Lil had already started the vehicle and Colby was safely strapped in the back."I did it. He's not going to air it."

"You did it."

She smiled. "I really did it. I'm sure it helped that you were here, but I think it would have worked regardless."

"I bet you're right."

"You must be glad it's over. Now you can go back to New York and tell Dominic there is nothing to worry about." Lil let out a tremulous breath. "I know it's silly, but I was actually nervous in there. My legs still feel a little shaky. Adrenaline, I guess."

Jake put a hand on his seatbelt and asked, "Why don't I drive?"

Lil hesitated for a moment then unbuckled hers. "Only because I'm still a little wound up."

"Of course."

They quickly traded places. As they pulled onto a main road, Jake asked, "I have to make a quick stop somewhere, do you mind?"

Although Lil wanted nothing more than to get home and relax, she said, "That's fine." He had, after all, driven all the way up here just to help her. She'd be home soon enough. Hopefully the press would be gone. If she could settle Colby down for a nap, she might even get some studying done today after all.

Lil stared blindly at the skyscrapers they drove by. Even if she didn't want to, there was something that needed to be said. "I don't think I thanked you for coming up here, Jake. I'm not really good at accepting help."

"Really, I wouldn't have guessed," he said smoothly, with only the slightest trace of humor in his voice.

Lil smiled. "Don't start with me. I'm trying to be nice."

"Is it an arduous effort?"

"With some people," Lil joked.

He seemed to want to say more, but didn't. Instead he pulled in front of a high end residential building and handed the keys to her economy car to a valet, appearing unperturbed by the expression on the young man's face when he took them. She guessed that he didn't park many cars that smelled of baby powder and sour milk. Lil unclipped the portable section of the car seat and swung the diaper bag over one shoulder. Hopefully wherever they were headed had a spot where she could change and feed Colby or her daughter's pleasant personality would soon undergo a drastic change.

The security man at the front desk waved them by. Lil followed Jake through the pristine lobby and to an elevator that looked nice enough to live in. She wondered what kind of people lived in a place like that.

People like Jake, she guessed.

They took the elevator all the way to the top to the penthouse, not a surprise. What did give Lil a moment of pause was the way the penthouse was decorated. Large, comfortable furniture. Warm, feminine colors. It couldn't be Jake's place, could it? "Do you live here?"

"No, it belongs to a friend."

Of course it did.

He probably had a lot of friends.

A moment of jealousy was quickly followed by a mental self-shake–none of that was any of her business and she'd be a whole lot happier if she remembered that. She placed Colby's carrier on the floor and unhooked her. "Colby's wet. Do you mind if I change her on the bed? I have a blanket."

A moment later she returned from the bedroom and said, "You didn't tell me that your friend had a baby, too. The bedroom has a crib and a changing table."

Jake didn't respond to that. Instead he said, "Why don't you check out the view? It's quite impressive. You can see the Charles from the balcony."

Lil opened one of the French style doors and gasped with pleasure. The penthouse was just high enough to give a clear view of not only the river, but a good portion of Boston. "It's beautiful."