All Chapters of The Billionaire Bargain : Chapter 21 - Chapter 28

​"Henri."​She wasn't sure from what part of her this determination had come—this courage or this desperate want. She only knew she needed him. He annihilated her mind, her senses. She hadn't realized how far she would go, or how hard she'd fight to be with this one man, until she'd seen Marie.​She hadn't yet finished saying his name—a word that echoed the passion roaring through her—and he was already there, growling "Elizabeth" and taking her mouth in a fierce kiss. A flock of butterflies exploded in her stomach when their lips met. Her head swam as the flames spread. His tongue thrust precisely, strongly, inside, emotion hissing through her, weakening and overwhelming her.​Growling, he deepened the kiss as he tugged the bow loose at her hip. She felt the fabric of her dress unfurl until it opened and hung at her sides. "It’s important your body becomes familiar with my touch. All of it," he rasped against her lips. "You want Marie to believe us, don't you? If you want others to b

Elizabeth stirred on the bed. She stretched her arms first, then her legs, sighing when it hurt pleasantly to do both.​"...in an hour… yes… we’ll be there…"​Elizabeth bolted upright when she recognized that particular deep baritone. Her head swam. Memories flooded back—lips tugging at her nipples, fingers pinching, touching, pleasuring… whispers in the dark. A throb started between her legs. She squeezed her eyes shut and swung her feet until her toes touched the carpet. Calm down, she told herself. She would not panic.​Sunlight flooded the living room, making her squint as she entered. Henri stood by the window in a crisp shirt and slacks. His raven-black hair looked damp from a recent bath. He was a formidable presence; sturdy and unshakable, he commanded the space just by standing in it. That was simply the way he was.​"Good morning," she muttered.​He turned and smiled.​Elizabeth poured a cup of coffee from the carafe, set it on a small round table beside the desk, and lowere

She loved Lyon.​There was something deliciously decadent about the way they spent the following days, poking around little shops, lingering in restaurants, and wandering the city streets.​That afternoon, as Elizabeth’s heels clicked against the marbled floors of the awe-inspiring Musée des Beaux-Arts, she drew in a deep, reverent breath. This was a luxury she’d never allowed herself before. In the past, she’d rarely permitted herself outings to relax or stimulate her mind; she’d always been too consumed by worry.​Now, as she wove through the exhibits with Henri’s presence a steady warmth beside her, she felt as though she’d stepped into an alternate reality. She viewed every painting and sculpture with the eyes of a woman who had suddenly acquired sight—and hearing, and touch. The colors were vibrant; the themes were all passionate. Even death, captured in oil and stone, seemed to pulse with life.​That night, Henri took her to Café Comptoir Abel, tucked just blocks away from the c

She was tidying up his office the next morning when Henri halted at the doorway. The sight of Elizabeth fiddling with the coffeemaker froze him, then heated up his blood.​As she poured a cup—black, as he liked it—the plain buttoned-up shirt she wore stretched across her breasts in a way that made watching feel like purgatory.​"Good morning."​She glanced up with a soft gasp. "Henri —Mr. Gagnon." And there went her breasts again, swelling, pert and lovely as she took a little breath.​His heart thudded as they stared at each other, the words lingering in the air. Mr. Gagnon.​A word meant to erase everything that had happened in Lyon, France.​Having never expected she would make it this easy, he stepped inside and pulled the doors shut behind him. "Good morning, Miss Stone."​He really could do this.They'd pretended to be lovers before.Now they would pretend they never had been.Black coffee mug cradled against her chest, Elizabeth stared at him with the glazed wariness of a woman