I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis
Chapter 209 - 210 No Time

Chapter 209: Chapter 210 No Time

Even the handful still trying to insult me got shouted down.

Ashton tossed the phone on the bed and caught me before I could climb out.

His arms locked around my waist.

‘I don’t like watching you get trashed by strangers.’

‘You’ve been dodging interviews for years,’ I said, frowning. ‘Now you’re dropping back-to-back posts like a wannabe influencer. That’s not going to look good.’

‘Who cares how it looks?’

He dragged the duvet up and over both of us, stole my phone mid-reach, and flung it to the other side of the mattress.

His voice dropped low near my ear. ‘Now there’s no more bullshit to deal with. We have time.’

Time to pick up where we left off last night and earlier this morning.

His eyes telegraphed the message to me.

I blinked back a reply.

He yanked the covers up again, sealing us in.

We didn’t get far.

Someone started knocking, fast and loud.

Ashton cursed.

‘Mirabelle? You up?’ Daniel’s voice came through the door. ‘There’s a car downstairs already. The organisers want to take us to the venue soon.’

Shit.

I wriggled out from under the covers and lunged for my phone.

The screen lit up: 9:32.

The shuttle for the tour was coming at ten.

I slapped Ashton’s arm. ‘Get up. I’m late.’

I raised my voice. ‘One sec! I’ll be down soon.’

I jumped out of bed and bolted for the bathroom. ‘I’ve only got thirty minutes. Don’t distract me.’

I caught his reflection in the mirror as I wiped moisturiser across my face. ‘Seriously. Don’t start. I don’t have time.’

He leaned against the glass door and drawled, ‘Relax. I’m not here to bother you.’

He didn’t come closer, just stood there, a few metres back, arms crossed, watching.

I grabbed a brush, yanked it through my hair.

I finished in under twenty.

Hair pinned back, breath minty, light makeup, just enough to not look half-dead.

I slid on a pair of hoops and swiped the lipstick across my mouth. ‘Time check?’

Ashton glanced at his watch. ‘Nine fifty.’

‘Good. I can still make it.’

I strode to the door.

He stepped in front of it.

‘Move.’

‘Nope.’

I frowned. ‘What are you doing? I’m seriously out of time.’

He tapped the corner of his mouth with his finger.

I went up on my toes and planted a quick kiss right where he pointed.

It left a red mark on his skin, a perfect smudge of lipstick that made his face look ridiculous.

I laughed. ‘Happy now?’

He scowled on purpose, then grabbed my waist and shoved me up against the door.

His mouth landed on mine before I could dodge it.

My breath vanished.

I slapped his chest once, twice.

Between kisses, I muttered, ‘Lipstick. That’s my lipstick, you idiot.’

He didn’t let go.

One arm was locked around my back, the other gripping my wrist.

I squirmed, but he kept going like he hadn’t heard a thing.

Then came the knock.

‘Mirabelle? Are you ready? It’s nearly ten!’

Daniel’s voice snapped me out of it.

I made a muffled noise, wrestled Ashton’s hand off my waist and shouted, ‘Coming!’

He stepped back, lips stained red.

I looked up at him and burst out laughing.

I rushed to the mirror.

My makeup had held up, barely, but most of the lipstick was gone.

I reached for the tube. ‘You made me waste all that lipstick.’

Ashton came up behind me, wiped my lower lip with his thumb. ‘There, better now. Pink suits you.’

‘You serious?’ I checked the mirror.

He wasn’t wrong.

It didn’t look awful, and I didn’t have time to fix it anyway.

‘Right. I’m off. You flying back today?’

He shrugged. ‘Maybe.’

I dashed out of the bathroom, shrugging on a coat jacket. ‘Text me if you head back to Skyline. I’m swamped today.’

‘Will do.’

I reached for the handle, then glanced over my shoulder and raised a finger to my lips.

But the second I opened the door, he yelled, ‘I’ll miss you!’

Daniel stood outside, gaping. ‘Is... is someone in your room?’

‘Nope. Come on. We’re late.’

I slammed the door and strode past him, heels thudding against the carpet.

The lift dinged.

I stepped in and turned.

Daniel was still dawdling in the hallway.

I jabbed the open-door button. ‘Move it!’

‘Coming!’ He jogged over, awkward smile plastered on his face.

I stared at the changing numbers. ‘Had a good night’s sleep?’

‘Yeah.’

‘But you have circles under your eyes.’

He raked a finger under his eyes. ‘Yeah, I stayed up a bit. Games. And you don’t look so hot yourself, either.’ He hastened to add, ‘I mean, you look hot, just not... well-rested.’

I thought back to last night.

From the time Ashton showed up at my doorstep, to our conversation, then the abortive attempt at sex, then this morning...

Yeah, definitely not well-rested.

‘I don’t like the hotel mattress,’ I lied.

‘Oh.’ He stared at the floor.

The door opened.

I strode out.

He hurried to catch up.

‘Wait, um...’ Daniel cleared his throat.

‘Yeah?’ I didn’t slow down.

‘I thought I heard someone in your room earlier.’

‘A hotel staff. To check the plumbing.’ The lies came more easily now.

‘Really? Something wrong with it?’

‘Don’t know. The shower’s cold. I called the front desk. They sent someone up.’ I spun around to face him. ‘Why are you so interested in knowing who it was?’

‘I just thought...’ He smiled, sheepish. Then he held up his phone. ‘I saw your post. Everyone’s talking about it.’

‘Oh, that.’

‘Yeah.’ He nodded.

‘But you already know I’m married.’

‘I know. That’s why I thought it was him in your room.’

I thought of Ashton in his silk pyjamas, of the small mountain of condoms on the nightstand.

‘Nope. Not him.’ I turned around. ‘Let’s go. We’re late.’