The Reluctant Heir Read Online Free

one had offered so she wouldn't feel as if she was making a mistake by picking one over the other.
    Not wanting to think about that just yet, she looked back at Landen and asked, “And you? Aside from the buying up all the businesses, I mean. What do you like to do?”
    “Manage the businesses,” he answered dryly and her heart went out to him. With his busy schedule, he probably didn’t have any time for himself. There were no holidays for him. Just work, work, work.
    They quickly fell into silence again and though she knew it should’ve been awkward, she was comforted by his company.
    When she finished her meal, she grabbed her plate and stood up. “Well good luck on your deal. I’m going to go pack my stuff now and get out of your hair. Thank you for-”
    “I canceled your room.”
    “What? How-?”
    “You were asleep when they called. They’ve overbooked and since I had the extra room, I told them that you didn't need it anymore.”
    She groaned inwardly. She doubted she could actually sleep, knowing that his room was just a footstep away. The only reason why she’d been able to sleep earlier was because she had been so tired.
    But after all the wrong assumptions she'd made about his character, she didn't want to sound ungrateful. “You’re sure about having me stay here?”
    “Yeah.” Crossing his arms, he leaned back into the chair and raised his eyebrows. “That is unless you have a problem with that?”
    “No- Of course not. Thank you.”
    Having no where to go, she settled back into to the chair, a bit confused. Why was he letting her stay in his room? Surely, he didn’t need her here to bother him when he had so much work to take care of.
    “So what’s the plan tomorrow?” he asked.
    “Well, I hired a boat to scatter the remains out in the morning.” Mr. Shaw had left all the instructions on that in the will. For someone who hadn’t thought he was dying, he had been well prepared.
    A strange emotion passed over Landen's face and her heart went out to him. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what he was feeling right now.
    “And then an appointment to swim with dolphins and a luau at night.”
    She knew it was touristy, but she’d always wanted to swim with dolphins.
    He nodded. “Sounds good.’
    She raised her eyebrows. “You’re coming with me to swim with the dolphins?” she asked, smiling.
    His eyes twinkled with amusement as he nodded.
    “And the luau?” she pressed.
    He nodded again and she laughed. He obviously had more important things to do but if he wanted to play tourist with her tomorrow, that was fine with her.
    “All right.” she said. She looked down at one of the stacks of paper and saw that it was an income statement from a couple of years back.
    “Do you want me to help?” she asked as she gestured towards the stacks of papers he had.
    “You’re offering to help me with my due diligence?”
    Her cheeks flushed. She had forgotten that he might think that she was the opposition. She shrugged. “I have a little experience with M&A.”
    A grin tugged at his lips. “I know. I was just surprised. But I’m just looking over some things.”
    “All right then. I’ll just go take a shower now.”
    “Need help?”
    Blushing, she looked back to see his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Just returning the offer,” he supplied happily.
    Instinctively, she glanced at his lips before looking back at him. There was an intenseness in those eyes that made her shiver. Suddenly, the air seemed charged and she seemed all too aware of her beating heart.
    “Ha ha,” she said forcefully as she stood up quickly.
    Unable to look at him at the eye, she mumbled her good night and retreated to her room, ashamed at herself for being so obvious. Though he had started it, he was only joking and yet she had actually considered his offer.
    What kind of a horrible person was she?
    Here he was tying to bury his grandfather and she was thinking about how nice it would be to feel his lips