Tempting my Billionaire

Beneath The Surface

★Nathan★

I knew I should have stayed out of it. But the moment Timothy mentioned he was heading to Cassandra’s condo for lunch, I knew I was going. It was not planned. Not really. I had stopped by Timothy’s place that morning to drop off some paperwork from our joint project and maybe distract him from whatever new drama Sienna had stirred up. But then he mentioned that Cassandra had invited them for lunch, and before I knew it, I had said:

“I’ll join you.”

Timothy had not even questioned it. He was too distracted as he paced around. And then he muttered how Sienna was already running late and how she was upset about something he said the night before. He was a nervous wreck, and my offer to tag along had probably sounded like a blessing. Now, as I stood in Cassandra’s doorway, she blinked at me in surprise. I felt the faintest flicker of guilt. Maybe I had overstepped. Maybe this was not the right way to see her again. But when her eyes met mine, sharp and unreadable, I knew I would have done it anyway.

“Cassy!” Timothy said rather cheerfully. “You look great. I hope you don’t mind. Nathan stopped by just before we were getting ready to leave and…well, he is family,” Cassandra looked at a loss for words, and for a moment, I considered backing out.

“Welcome, please, come in,” she said as she stepped aside. We hurried inside, and Sienna immediately started to look around.

“Cassandra, darling, this place is gorgeous. I have been dying to see it!” she said.

“Oh, thank you,” Cassandra led us into the living room, and I was struck silent. Her condo was elegant, modern, and bright. Everything from the cream-colored walls to the soft sea breeze drifting in from the balcony spoke of her. It was refined and calm, yet warm in a way I had not expected. The table was already set with white plates, linen napkins, and a chilled bottle of wine waiting beside a bowl of salad that smelled incredible.

“You cooked,” Timothy said in surprise as he took a seat.

“Lobster salad,” Cassandra replied. “I thought something light would be nice,”

“It looks amazing,” I said, and I meant it. She gave me a polite nod but said nothing more. Her focus stayed on arranging the serving dishes, moving with that same quiet grace that always seemed to keep me at a distance. Sienna sat beside Timothy, as she crossed her legs and flashed me one of her fake smiles. I seriously had no idea what my best friend saw in her.

“So, Nathan…do you always invite yourself to other people’s lunch dates?” she asked. I froze, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cassandra huff softly.

“Babe, don’t,” Timothy pleaded. “Nathan is family,”

“Yes, yes, I know that,” she said, her tone dismissive. Lunch began awkwardly. Timothy did most of the talking. About work, his endless back-and-forth with Sienna, and how the traffic getting here had been terrible. I watched Cassandra as she served everyone. She moved with effortless precision, her focus entirely on the task, not once meeting my eyes. I could tell she was trying to ignore me, and that only made me more aware of her. The food was incredible. The lobster was tender, tossed in a lemon-herb dressing that was perfectly balanced. It tasted like summer, bright and fresh, a reflection of her. “So, Cassandra,” Sienna began after a while, as she rested her chin on her hand. “Tell me about you. I feel like I know everyone in this family except you,” Cassandra looked up, wary.

“What do you want to know?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sienna said with a smile that looked innocent but wasn’t. “Everything. Where you have been, what you have been doing, and what you are into these days. That sort of thing,” Timothy chuckled nervously.

“Careful, Sienna. My sister might start charging you for interviews,” he said, and Cassandra smirked faintly.

“I doubt anyone would pay for that,” she said, but Sienna leaned forward slightly.

“Come on, humor me. I know about LuxeLine, obviously. But what about you? What do you enjoy when you aren’t getting ready to run an empire?” Sienna asked, and there was a brief pause before Cassandra answered.

“Well…I love to read. And I enjoy binge-watching television shows that make me question my life choices,” she said, and that made Timothy laugh.

“She is obsessed with dramas. The more complicated, the better,” he added, but his sister rolled her eyes.

“That’s not true,”

“It is absolutely true,” Timothy insisted. “You once spent an entire weekend watching some series about murder and romance,” Sienna’s lips curved.

“A woman of taste,” she said, and Cassandra shrugged.

“I also like drawing when I have time. It’s something I picked up again recently. And animals. I love animals,”

“Really?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended. She glanced at me, her expression guarded.

“Yes. I’m hoping to adopt a cat soon,”

“A cat,” I repeated, as I hid my smile behind a sip of wine. “I can see that,”

“Why?” she asked quickly, but I merely shrugged.

“You seem like someone who would appreciate quiet company. Someone who doesn’t demand attention but knows how to get it when it matters,” I said. Her gaze lingered on me for a beat before she looked away.

“You make me sound boring,”

“Not at all,” I said quietly. “You make quiet look…interesting,” there was a flicker of something in her expression, but she covered it by reaching for her glass. Sienna’s eyes darted between us, curiosity flickering there, though she pretended not to notice. The rest of lunch unfolded more easily after that. Timothy joked, Sienna gossiped, and Cassandra managed to stay perfectly composed. But every so often, her gaze would drift to me, quick and cautious, as though checking if I was still watching. I always was. At one point, Sienna turned to her.

“So, you really went to that fancy school your mother is always talking about. What was it called again?”

“St. Albans Conservatory,” Cassandra said, her voice steady.

“Right. Sounds intense. All that etiquette and discipline, you must have hated it,”

“I didn’t,” Cassandra said simply. “It shaped me. I learned a lot there,”

“Like how to make lobster salad,” Timothy teased, and Cassandra chuckled.

“Among other things,” she said. I couldn’t help but watch Cassandra as she spoke. The way her eyes softened when she laughed. The way her fingers brushed against the rim of her glass. She was calm, confident, and in control. But underneath, I could sense it. Something held her back. I knew it was me, but I just wasn’t sure how or why. By the time dessert came out, fruit tarts from a local bakery, the mood had eased. Even Sienna seemed more interested in the food than in testing Cassandra further. When we finally stood to leave, I found myself lingering near the balcony. The ocean breeze drifted through the room, carrying the faint scent of citrus and wine. Cassandra walked over to collect the empty glasses, and I turned toward her.

“Thank you for lunch,” I said.

“You are welcome,” she replied, though her tone was cool.

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” I added.

“Yes, you did,” she said softly, as she met my gaze. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. She was quick and sharp. I liked that about her.

“Maybe,” I remarked playfully. Cassandra shook her head and looked away, but I saw the faintest curve of her lips before she got called away by Timothy. I had definitely intruded, but I didn’t feel bad about it. I had learned a bit about who she was today. And for some reason, that felt bigger than it probably should.

★★★