Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 Laura Burton (books to read this summer .TXT) 📖

pretty close by,” she said evenly. “As for hobbies…” She hung her head low and gave a self-deprecating laugh. “It’s silly.”

Edward leaned in, carefully placed his fingertips underneath her chin and tipped her head to look at him.

“What is it?” he asked softly. His breath tickled Catherine’s lips and the smoothness of his voice had her heartrate quicken again.

“Well, I like to go to art galleries,” Catherine began shyly. “I never buy anything. I wish I could go in and walk out with a portrait. But… you know…”

“What kind of portraits? Do you go somewhere in the city?” Edward asked. His voice sounded hopeful and the shadow behind his eyes told Catherine a dangerous idea was brewing.

“Yes,” she said hesitantly. “There’s a gorgeous one over on Stone Street.”

“I’ve never been to an art gallery,” Edward said as he scratched his chin. His brows furrowed as he looked at his cup in thought.

“What kind of art do you like?” he asked, his head bobbing up to meet her eye again.

“I love hyperrealism.”

“Hyper-what?”

Catherine laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as her shoulders relaxed.

“It’s hard to explain. I guess––”

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Edward asked, a little too quickly. Catherine shot him a careful look.

“Hey, you, slow down,” she said crossing her arms. “I don’t know anything about you.”

Edward’s face flushed with color.

“Alright. I’m thirty-years-old, I love cars––I fix them up for a living––I’m from England but my family moved out here while I was at board––” he closed his mouth and shot her a nervous glance. Then cleared his throat. “I mean, when I was abroad for a school exchange program.”

“Oh, where did you go?”

Edward’s forehead reddened and he hesitated.

“Here, actually. It’s erm, why my parents decided to move out to New York. I had such a great time and a job came up for my dad so…”

“What does your dad do?”

Catherine eyed him shrewdly. A little pool of sweat gathered above his upper lip, he wiped it away quickly and cleared his throat again.

“He’s um, well.” He shrugged. “I guess he’s in hotel management.”

“You’re lying to me,” Catherine said bluntly. His nostrils flared and eyes dilated. She knew the signs too well. Edward made to disagree, but Catherine raised her brows at him. He closed his mouth and hummed.

“This is a lot harder than I thought it would be,” he said frankly.

“What is?”

Edward puffed out the air from his cheeks and his shoulders slumped.

“Honestly, I can’t tell you much about myself. Not without lying and… I don’t want to lie to you.”

“Then why don’t you just tell me the truth?”

“I can’t.” Edward stood up and threw his cup into the trashcan with frustration. “I wish I could… but––”

“But what?”

Edward paced back and forth and scratched the back of his neck again.

“Don’t tell me you’re a hitman,” she said jokingly. Edward stopped walking, looked at her and burst into laughter.

“No, I’m not a hitman,” he said softly as he picked up his pace again.

“Has this got anything to do with the event tonight?” Catherine asked. Edward looked at her puzzled.

“What?”

“The climate change dinner. Come on, you don’t really think I’d buy your story, do you?”

Edward’s face paled and turned a tinge of green.

“I guess I’m not good at this.”

“Lying you mean?”

Edward tilted his head down and looked up through his dark lashes with a guilty grin.

“I’m sorry. I never realized I was a bad liar.”

Catherine crossed her arms and smirked at him, happy to have uncovered his façade.

“You’re not even a mechanic, are you?”

“Oh no, I am. That was the truth. I live and breathe cars.”

He gave her a sincere look.

“Alright. So, tell me, what is a mechanic doing going to a fancy charity event in downtown New York?”

“It’s for my friend Sam… you met him last night.” He lowered to the bench and looked imploringly in Catherine’s eyes, as if to offer a confession. “He didn’t want me to tell you. And he told me that if Anthony found out we were seeing each other…”

“Anthony? My cousin Anthony?” Catherine burst out with surprise.

Since when did Anthony care about my love life?

She shook the thought away and refocused on Edward’s beautiful blue eyes.

“We’re not seeing each other… we just met for brunch.”

She looked disappointedly at her cup of hot chocolate and her stomach grumbled.

“If you only knew where I would take you to eat if…” Edward stopped and sighed.

“You know what. Forget it. Let’s just go anyway.” He held out his hand and Catherine automatically took it. His touch was comfortable. Like putting on an old pair of jeans, molded perfectly to fit.

“Where are we going?” Catherine asked, her head spinning as he tugged at her hand and brought her to a stand. Edward had an energy about him that made her giddy. And there was a sense of mystery that piqued her interest. What was there to hide from her? Did he work for the government? Was he a spy? Or an undercover detective? Maybe a reporter trying to get in on the gossip at the climate change conference?

“We’re going to get brunch,” Edward said triumphantly as he led the way at top speed. He looked back, his hair rippling in the wind as they dashed across the grassy verge and back towards the city streets. Catherine clutched his hand for dear life and bit her lip with excitement. Whoever this guy was, he knew how to keep a lady on her toes.

Chapter Six

Unexpected Baggage

Great. You’ve blown your cover already.

Edward hurried through the streets with Catherine’s slightly clammy hand in his. He grinned. If there was one thing, he knew he was good at, it was thinking on his feet.

The two of them came to a small café with barely any customers in it. It was well-lit, with open spaces and small circular tables scattered around the edges of the room.

“Here you are,” Edward said as he pulled out a chair for Catherine to sit.

“You’re full of surprises,” she said as she took her seat. She