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So instead, she spent the next few hours in his lavish bathroo her privacy She filled the tub, adding a few of the vanilla lavender bath oil beads she’d found in the toiletries Maddux’s guys had brought frorant steam filled the enclosed area, she stripped out of her work clothes, pinned up her hair, then sank into the warm bath

She stayed in there for nearly two hours thanks to the self-heating tub and finished the book she was reading Coot out of the bath, dried off, and changed into her favorite dark blue silk shift she liked to sleep in Back in Maddux’s roonored the cas Walking to what she now thought of as her side of the mattress, she switched on the la books on the nightstand that she hadn’t put there

Her breath caught in her chest when she realized what they were Not just any ordinary set of books, they were the collection of first edition Jane Austen novels she’d bid on at the Wilder Way charity event on Saturday The saone well over one hundred grand

She ran her fingers over the surface of the top book, her heart pounding with pleasure and delight There was no doubt in her mind that it had been Maddux who’d left the books there for her Maddux who’d paid an astronomical amount for the rare editions she’d coveted for herself He ht, had watched her place a bid, and when it had reached over six figures, he’d offered the last amount to seal the deal For her But why?

She sed back the e in her throat He didn’t have to buy the first editions, and he certainly didn’t have to offer theift under any circumstances But he had, and she wanted so badly to believe that his actions spoke to soive soift that clearly meant so much to them—as these books meant to her

It took everything in her to resist the urge to turn around and face the security camera in the room, to thank Maddux and let him see the joy on her face and tell him how much she loved and appreciated the rare books That the kind, thoughtful gesture he’d ratitude and affection for him

But talking to an inanimate object was too impersonal, and she wanted, and craved, that inti a split-second decision, she headed toward the other side of his penthouse, certain he was tracking her movement every step of the way via his cameras When she reached his office, she walked in without knocking on the closed door

Judging by the casual way he was leaning back in his leather chair and the lack of surprise on his face, he’d been expecting her He held an allass of dark liquid she assumed was hard liquor, and his expression was unreadable as she walked toward hith silk shift she earing, and her nipples tightened against the cool fabric as a sensual awareness flowed through her veins

She lifted her chin a few stubborn inches “I know I’ in here, but I know you saw , and I didn’t want you to tellthe chance to walk into your office so I could talk to you, in person, face-to-face”

“Okay,” he said silass, shocking her with his agreeable de a more contentious response

She rounded his desk so she was standing next to his chair, so close she could reach out and touch him if she wanted But she didn’t “Madduxyou can’t just leave a gift like that fora word” Her words were soft and threaded with emotion

His gaze held hers, his still carefully shuttered “I believe I did”

“Why would you do it, Maddux?” she asked, needing to hear his answer, his reasons “Why would you bid on those books, pay a sive them to me, of all people?”

He tossed back the rest of the alass on the desk, then rocked back in his chair, a slight frown for between his brows “Honestly?”

“Yes” She wanted, needed, the truth