Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) Read Online Free Page A

she focused on Captain's grooming, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. “It's not important.”
    “Ella.” The way he said her name made her look up. He was smiling at her, and not in a way that made her feel little or stupid. The way he was looking at her made her feel special. Important. Like maybe her dreams were important. “Tell me. I'm actually interested.”
    It felt like she could cook eggs on her cheeks they were so hot. Something like hope or pride filled her chest. The words tumbled out, desperate to be heard by someone who might think they were worthwhile.
    “I want to make this place the number one hotel in the state. Then, make it best in the region, and then, maybe even in the country. I want to upgrade the restaurant to a five-star rating, and get boats back out on the lake. I want every billionaire wedding to come here, not just one.” Flustered and hot, she stopped. There was a reason she stopped telling people this. He was going to think she was silly. He was going to laugh at her.
    But he didn't.
    “Ambitious,” he replied. She looked up to see him thoughtful as he paused in Commander's brushing to consider her words. “I like it.”
    “Seriously?” she asked, honestly surprised. “You aren't going to make fun of me for it? Tell me it's impossible? That it will cost too much or never be worth it?”
    “Why would I make fun of you?” he asked. “You have a dream. From what I've seen of this place, it's doable. You have the space and the amenities. It'll be a lot of work, but it's not impossible.”
    Ella openly stared at him. Her stepmother always ridiculed her plans. The other maids told her she was too ambitious and to aim lower. Allison, her stepsister, would just sigh and shake her head. No one ever believed she could do it. But Jace did. Jace thought she could.
    Hope blossomed in her chest, finally finding a source of encouragement. Ella knew it didn't really mean much. He was just a random wedding guest. What could he actually know about running or managing an inn and resort? Yet, his kind words touched her in a way that few words had.
    “Do you have a hard brush? I'm done with the curry comb,” Jace announced, stepping back to view his work.
    “Of course.” Ella picked up the heavy wooden brush and thought about just handing it over iron bars separating the top half of the stalls, but she didn't. Instead, she went to the door and walked around, entering Commander's stall with Jace.
    She didn't know why she did it. She knew she should keep her distance from this man since he was a guest, but her body moved on its own accord and suddenly, she was standing very close to him. She had meant to say something clever and cute, but now that she was actually within touching distance, her brain went blank. Commander stood quietly to the side, watching the two of them with uninterested ease as he waited for the rest of his grooming.
    Her mouth went dry. “Here,” she said, holding out the brush, her heart pounding for no reason that she could come up with.
    He took a step toward her, closing the small distance between them in half a heart beat. She could smell the soft scent of his aftershave. It was a nice clean scent, something with pleasant cedar notes that reminded her of camping under the stars. It was hard not to get melty when a guy smelled that good.
    “Thank you.” He was suddenly very, very close. His hand closed around hers and the brush. The first time they'd touched had nothing on this. This time, her entire body tingled and goosebumps spread down her arms. She was sure he could hear the pounding of her heart in her chest.
    His eyes were so blue they physically made her ache. The green accents deep within them only made her think of dark water and wonderful secrets, but it was the warmth with which he was looking at her right now that had her gasping for breath.
    Commander shuffled his feet, unhappy with the lack of brushing. His rump ran directly into Ella's shoulder and