Redeeming The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport, #5)

Trent removed his suit pants and pulled on a pair of jeans. On his way out of his room he tossed the pants into his laundry basket with the rest of the dry cleaning. After grabbing a cold can of soda from the refrigerator, he retreated to his entertainment room for a night of mindless television. Long spans of solitude were not his thing. In fact, he’d spent more nights alone since his recent return to Providence than he had in the last five years combined. Yet if the small sacrifice now earned him a seat in the Senate, he’d manage. If only Jake or one of his brothers was around. Their presence would help the situation.

Not too much longer. This afternoon he’d taken one step closer to winning Addison over. Next week at this time their relationship status would be on the front of every society page and magazine cover. He had no doubt about that. And while Addie had questions regarding his intentions—he’d seen them in her expression that afternoon—she hadn’t hesitated to accept his invitation for that weekend. A weekend he was looking forward to with anticipation and not only because isolation didn’t suit him.

Unlike the numerous women he’d spent time with over the years, and there had been plenty, Addie made him laugh. She teased him and shared information about herself without first worrying about how he might interpret her words. She let her true feelings regarding family show rather than try to distance herself from them as many people he met did. At the same time she never kissed up to him. At least as far as he could tell, she treated him the same way she would any other person or client.

Taking a gulp from the soda can in his hand, he propped his feet up on the coffee table as he planned their upcoming night out. First, they would have a romantic dinner at perhaps Lucerne. One of their secluded tables would do. Then they’d take a stroll down to Waterplace Park to watch WaterFire. Afterward, he’d take her back here for a drink or two. Once back at his place, he’d let her determine just how far things went. While Marty complained things with Addie were moving too slow, Trent disagreed. If he moved too fast it might spook her. While she was a well-educated businesswoman, she came across as a woman who didn’t date a lot. Hell, she even blushed from time to time. Truthfully, it wouldn’t shock him if he learned she hadn’t gone on a single date since the end of her last relationship. And thanks to Marty’s research he knew that relationship ended more than a year ago. Although if that was true, the men she came into contact with must be blind.

Addie didn’t resemble the supermodels that walked the runways in Paris or New York or the actresses that he’d dated over the years. Rather, she reminded him more of Sports Illustrated’s recent mega star that had graced their summer swimsuit issue. She had curves in all the right places and didn’t look as if she’d fall over if a strong breeze came through.

A picture of Addie dressed in a bikini like the one worn on the cover of this year’s swimsuit issue formed in his mind, and Trent smiled at the mental image. While he found fashion models and movie stars just as attractive as the next guy, he’d always favored those who looked fit and healthy. Those that looked like they ate more than once a month. His expert eye told him that description fit Addie and he was looking forward to finding that out for himself.