Steffy flew into the restaurant unaware of everything but the fly away hair that wouldn't quite stay in place, he noticed as she made her way to him. She stopped at the front and quietly asked for her table, and a smile lit his face. She looked gorgeous. She was in an understated black romper with silver jewelry, it was simple, yet so her. The her she used to be.

"I'm sorry I'm running late," she issued without looking up. The hair was still pestering her beautiful face. It almost hid her dazzling blue eyes, but he saw. He saw her, the part of her that was trying to be the woman everyone else wanted her to be.

"It's quite alright."

He spoke and her head popped up. Her eyes locked on his. "What the hell? I was supposed to meet Liam."

"But you got me. Did you really think Liam would bring you to a place like this? Do you think he even knows it exists?"

Her eyes rolled, and he could see a flash of anger. "I'm leaving, Bill. You can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?" He grabbed her arm. "I only invited a beautiful woman out for dinner and drinks. If she's lucky, there might be some dancing."

"You know what you did. Liam's assistant called me with this plan. How did you get her to lie for you?"

"Did she lie or did she tell you that plans had been made? I don't think she left a name. There was no treachery here."

"Bill," Steffy sighed. "You know what you're doing. You knew it when you had his assistant call me and when you came over this morning. I have—"

"A boyfriend," he cut her off. "And you're committed. I can appreciate that, but my question to you is where is he? I know I offered to feed you tonight, and without me, where would you be? Home alone? Do you two even share meals anymore? He was gone for breakfast, and here you are here with me for dinner, and has he called looking for you? You have to ask yourself these things before you turn down a genuine offer. I just want to feed you."

"I can feed myself, Bill."

"But it sounds so much better with me being the one to feed you." He smiled at her, and he could see her resistance melting.

"Do you practice those stupid lines on every woman you meet?"

"No. Most women don't need lines from me, and these are not stupid. They're purely my desires when it comes to you."

"You want to feed me, you want to taste me, you keep kissing me. Sounds like a well rehearsed attempt at a booty call. I won't be one of your girls. You know, when I met you that night, I thought you were a good guy. I clearly misjudged you then."

Bill grabbed her hand and pulled her into her seat at the table. "When we met, I was a kid that was unsure of himself. I only had a mother and I didn't know my dad. I was working my ass off to pay for school and was flat broke, but you didn't care."

"If you were flat broke, why did you spend all that money on one meal with me? You could have taken me for a burger and I would have been fine."

"I took one look at you and knew that you deserved more. Other women got my cleverly rehearsed lines and all the burgers and fries they could eat, but you get only the best. That hasn't changed."

She didn't speak, she just stared at him. Maybe she was thinking of a clever comeback, but Bill wasn't ready for her to grab his hand and give it a squeeze.

"I believe you."

That wasn't what he expected.

"You seemed a lot less confident, but I could see who you were. I don't think you're a bad guy, I just think you have bad timing. I'm not available."

"But you wish you were."

"I didn't say that," she shook her head. "It's was a different time. I have different responsibilities now."

After she said it, Bill could tell she hadn't meant to. She made her relationship sound like a business deal, rather than love. He could use this to his advantage. They both knew it.

"Are you his girlfriend or his mother?" She didn't answer, she just blinked and turned her head. "You know what, I don't want that answer. I don't need any answers." He reached his hand out for hers and after a second of deliberation she accepted. "I've ordered drinks, and we can get food after you dance with me."

"Bill—"

"One dance, Steffy."

"Okay."

Bill led her to the dance floor, and while she tried to put a little distance between their bodies, he pulled her close enough to feel her breathe on his cheek. Sliding his hands down to her waist, he leaned in to talk to her.

"Why do you try to fight me on everything?"

"Why do you do things to make me have to fight you?"

"I don't want that. I just want the girl I met back. She was fun. She made me laugh."

"The girl you knew wasn't a CEO. She didn't have the life I do now. She also didn't have a boyfriend."

"I'm the CEO of my company, my life is as demanding as yours, but I'm not letting it stop me or hold me back. I plan to thrive in my business as well as my personal life. You only live once."

"Who says I'm being held back?"

"The expression you wore the first night I saw you again. You looked miserable."

Steffy sighed. "Maybe that was because you tricked my boyfriend into standing me up."

"And he didn't seem the least bit bothered by it. Did he even apologize?"

"He did." She answered so quickly, he could tell she was lying. Liam didn't seem like the type to apologize to her. It was as if he expected her to be okay with whatever excuse he provided.

"But does he cherish you? Does he look at you and see that there isn't any other woman like you and that he's lucky? Because I do. I see you. I see you for everything that you are and everything that you're hiding from the world. You just can't hide from me."

She didn't speak, she just looked at him, as if soaking up his every word, and while she did, he took the time to smooth the troublesome hair from her face, giving himself an excellent view of her eyes.

"Now it's perfect."

They didn't say more, she just laid her head against his shoulder. He held her tighter until the song ended. It was quiet around them besides the chatter of the other patrons, and he pulled her back to their table.

"That was nice," he smiled.

"Yes, you're a great dancer, you were then too."

"Now was that so hard?"

"What?" Steffy sipped the wine he had ordered before she arrived. She seemed a lot more relaxed.

"Paying me a compliment. They've seemed a little foreign to you when it comes to me. It feels as if everything I do sets you off."

"You're sneaking around pulling strings behind my back. It makes me mistrust the sincerity, but I don't know, maybe you just set me off because I don't know what to expect with you. I'm usually pretty good at reading people."

"Why am I so hard for you?" He meant the pun. He wanted her to know it as well.

She laughed before responding. She knew. "Because I met you as one person and you're completely different. You still have those qualities that made me spend an entire night wrapped up in you, but you're also this new person who is as cocky as he is confident."

"You want the guy you met? Look at me, he's here. He just has a family he didn't know about and had to change a little as well. I'd like to think that mine are positive changes."

"And mine aren't," she shook her head. "I know I'm not what you expected to find if you saw me again."

"When I saw you again," he corrected. "There was never a question in my mind that I would see you again."

"After all these years, that one night meant that much to you? I'm sure you've had so many women. Women that actually put out for you, women that didn't cost you an arm and a leg to feed. Why am I special to you?"

"I told you."

"Well tell me again," Steffy prodded. "You haven't been completely honest with me, have you, Bill?"

Bill wasn't sure what she meant, but he hoped she hadn't figured out that he knew about Liam. Maybe she already knew and chose to ignore it.

"What are you talking about, beautiful?"

She took a beat with her explanation as the waiter approached to take their orders. They quickly gave their selections and hurried him away. Bill was anxious to see what she had to say.

"My dad and your sister. How long have you known that my dad was once married to your sister?"

Damn. Bill thought. He could tell her that he hated her father and risk alienating her and making her shut down to him, or he could lie and risk losing her forever in the long run. Taking a deep breath, he went with what felt best.

"My father told me all about your dad and my sister. He's a slime ball. I don't like the guy, but that has nothing to do with you or business."

Steffy looked as if she wanted to believe him, but she seemed to need a little more assurance.

"So this that you're doing with me has nothing to do with him or your sister? Promise me, Bill."

"My feelings for you have nothing to do with your father and everything to do with that night. Do you think I'd spend years thinking about a woman for revenge when I have all these cleverly rehearsed lines and burgers to hand out?"

She laughed. That was a good sign, and although he didn't reveal that he had been tasked to personally make her father pay, he hadn't lied about his intentions with her. His plans for her were purely the result of the electricity between them. The fact that she happened to be the daughter of his father's rival was just an inconvenient coincidence.

"Maybe you wouldn't. I like to think you wouldn't, but it wouldn't be the first time I've been used to get back at my father."

Bill nodded, remembering what she had told him about her first. "That guy was an asshole. Anyone that would take your virginity just to get back at your father deserves to be castrated."

"It was my fault, partially. He was my sister's ex, and after she died, I just clung to anything to make me feel closer to her. He said I reminded him of her. It's pathetic, I know."

"No, it's sweet in a way. You loved her so much you just wanted to remember her in any way you could. You give me a name and the offer still stands to make sure he never walks straight again."

"Rick Malone is long gone. I haven't seen him in years. I doubt we ever will again. Besides, I've grown from it. I promised I'd never sleep with another man until I was sure."

"And then Liam came?"

"Yeah, Liam. He's the only other guy I've been with. He's the only other guy to—"

"To what?"

"Make me climax, but that's a lie. There is one more."

Bill's blood rushed to his most dangerous place, and he cleared his throat. Just one touch, one taste had done all this? Damn, he needed more, but not now. Not yet.

"Sweetheart, I'd love to give you so much more than that, but I don't break up homes. If you look me in the eye and tell me you love him and he's the one I'll drop all this."

He was waiting for her to speak, to accept or deny his offer, but she only swallowed hard and stalled long enough for the waiter to return.

"Wow, this looks delicious," she announced as he sat a plate down in front of her, Bill knew he had her. She'd purposely dodged his answer. He now knew he had his in. He just had to play this the right way to be able to get Liam out of the picture for good.

The rest of their dinner was nice. They talked about their pasts and their present business ventures together. Bill had cooked up some new ideas for her company, all of which would entail a lot of time together for them, and she didn't fight him. She actually seemed intrigued. She said she wanted to dive right in. It would get her company larger global coverage, but he hoped her eagerness had something to do with spending time with him. Maybe it was wishful thinking.

Reluctantly, dinner came to an end and Bill paid the check before helping her to her feet.

"This was pretty amazing, Bill. Thank you for a great night."

"You're welcome. Can I walk you out?" He offered.

"I'm actually going to wait here for a car. I didn't drive, I thought I was meeting Liam and had my car service go ahead and take the night off. I was going to call an Uber."

"Nonsense," Bill took the phone that she had grabbed from her purse and ended her call. "I can drive you home."

"I've been enough of a strain tonight. I can wait on a car."

"You're two houses down, Steffy. I can take you, but if it makes you feel any better, you can put gas in the car. That will be two dollars and fifty cents," he stuck his hand out playfully.

"I'll write you a check," Steffy joked. "But thank you, Bill. Truly."

Bill grabbed his car from the valet and proceeded to drive them home. He kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye, and saw her looking at her phone. Nothing from her so called boyfriend. He hadn't called all night. Bill had watched as she carefully checked and tried to hide her disappointment. He'd wanted to tell her she was too good for Liam, but he didn't want to make her get defensive. She'd come to see her worth in that relationship soon enough.

"Are you okay?" Bill asked as her silence enveloped the car.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. It's been a long day. I just want to crawl into bed."

"I hope it's comfy and warm."

He was hinting at Liam being home, but she didn't take the bait.

"It's very comfy."

"Good," he kept driving.

"I hope you get a good night's sleep. I plan to work a little and then get up for a morning swim and a delicious breakfast."

She chuckled at that and he looked at her briefly. "Would you care to join me?"

"Bill—"

"No, for the swim and breakfast. No tricks or manipulations. Liam told me you like morning swims. So do I. And Justin is making breakfast, he's an excellent cook."

"Breakfast and a swim? I'll think about it, but no funny business, Bill."

"I promise."

"Okay."

When his car reached her house, Bill was almost reluctant to get out and open her door. She should be going home with him, resting in his bed. He should be the one holding her tonight and seeing those bright blue eyes when she fluttered them open.

Pulling her door open, Bill clutched her hand and pulled her out. "Safe and sound just like I promised," Bill teased.

"That I am. Thanks again, Bill. Tonight was awesome."

She reached out to shake his hand, and he took hers, pulling it to his lips. He swore he felt her shiver but ignored it.

"Tomorrow you and me in my pool."

"What?" She looked dazed, and Bill knew she'd heard it the way he hoped she would but played it off.

"Our swim, Steffy."

"Yes," she looked embarrassed. "I'll see you there."

She hadn't officially agreed until now. He'd have to remember the key to securing a yes. Say something dirty and clean it up while she thought she was just imagining things. He'd slid in so many innuendos that she'd dismissed as her own thoughts running rampant.

"Goodnight, beautiful."

"Goodnight, Bill."

He'd waited until she walked into her house, despite their peaceful neighborhood, and drove down to his house to find Justin kicked back in the den.

"Ambush number three worked, I take it? How do you pull it off?"

"She's intoxicating, Justin. I've never met a woman like her. I can promise you there isn't another one like her in this world."

"Bill, you're tripping hard. Did you at least sleep with her tonight?"

"I told you it's not where I'm headed yet. I need her to trust me."

"Okay, Bill. If you say so." Justin walked away shaking his head.

"Justin, make enough breakfast for three. Steffy is coming over. We will eat after our swim."

"But it's your turn to make breakfast," Justin complained. "You're not going to keep skipping out."

"I'll be in the pool with Steffy. I want it nice and hot for her when she is done swimming."

"Fine, but you're cooking the next two mornings, and I don't want to hear one word of protest."

"Done," Bill agreed.

"All this for a woman," Justin shook his head. "And you say you're not in love."

"I'm in strong like, Justin. I don't do love, you know that."

"Yeah, tell that to your sex starved man parts. You haven't had a woman since we left New York."

Justin left him alone in the room and Bill thought about his words. He hadn't had a woman since New York. It wasn't intentional. Every time he saw a woman he could be interested in, he thought of all the ways she wasn't like Steffy. Maybe her hair color would be different, or when she smiled, her face didn't soften in the spot's Steffy's did. Maybe her eyes didn't sparkle in the light like Steffy's and he would be instantly turned off. But this wasn't love. Maybe a healthy fascination with a woman that rivaled his business savvy and hunger, but it definitely wasn't love. He didn't believe in that bullshit sentiment.