Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part One (BWWM Romance Serial) (7 page)

IAN BURST OUT LAUGHING. “DAMN, Jada. What do you take me
for? Do you think I’d lie about something like that?”

“I don’t know. Would you? It’s kind of tidy. Complete with a
moral and everything. In my experience, life is never that tidy.”

“Are you sure your name isn’t Jaded?”

“Haha. Like I’ve never heard that one before. But seriously,
you had to make some of that up.”

“Okay, you got me. Grandfather’s father didn’t abandon him.
He was a mason and made a good living and even sent grandfather to college. He
also gave grandfather the seed money to start his first business and bailed him
out more than once in the early years. There. That’s all. The rest of it’s
true, I swear. Story’s not as good, though, without the rags to riches
beginning.”

“I don’t know. I think it’s still pretty great. I don’t see
why we make the most fuss out of those who start with nothing. Sometimes, it
can be harder to motivate yourself toward greatness when you’ve got it easy,
when you don’t have to fight for every scrap of food and every dollar in your
pocket. It’s hard to work for something, when you want for nothing.”

Ian’s heart gave a hard thump. Was she talking about him?
“Yeah, well, most people don’t see it that way.”

“They probably just haven’t thought about it much. If they
did, they’d see that it’s so.”

He admired her certainty, even as he doubted that she was
right. He realized he’d arrived at the spot near the south shore that he’d been
heading for and secured the oars.

Jada needed no instruction from him on preparing the rods
and reels. She baited her own hook with one of Mrs. Best’s famous stinky dough
balls without comment or complaint. Then she made an expert cast, leaving Ian
impressed, though he didn’t embarrass her by saying so.

He launched his own baited hook a good distance away then
opened a couple of beers and handed one to Jada.

She took a long drink from the icy bottle and sighed.
“That’s delicious. I don’t recognize the brand.”

“I special order it from Germany.”

She inspected the bottle and label, then took another drink
and looked off toward the house. “Hey, I still don’t know why you call that
behemoth a cabin.”

“It’s because, technically, it is the cabin. Or, it’s where
the cabin once stood. It sat where the theatre and bowling alley are now.
Grandfather lived in the cabin while they built the new house, and they didn’t
tear it down until a section of the new house was livable enough to move into.”

“Oh, too bad. He should have kept the cabin as a reminder of
his beginnings.”

“I thought so too, but I was just a kid and he wouldn’t
listen to me. He said that rise there was the best place to build on the entire
property, and he wasn’t going to put his dream house on the second best spot
just to keep a ramshackle cabin that nobody would live in again.”

“Funny. So the building’s gone, but the name lives on.”

“There you have it.”

They sipped their beers. Ian’s bobber shook. He was getting
a nibble, so perhaps all the fish weren’t napping after all. The shaking
stopped. Apparently the fish wasn’t hungry enough to do more than taste.

“So, um,” Jada said, hesitancy in her tone, “I didn’t
realize you’d be coming out here with me. Not that I’m not glad to see you, I
am, but I know you’re busy and I’m surprised to find myself hanging out with
you.”

“I hadn’t planned to come, but Sullivan pointed out that I’d
be housebound all weekend because of the press and we’re not likely to learn
anything about the fake marriage license until Monday anyway, when government
gets back to work.”

“What do you think happened? Why you? Or why me? It doesn’t
make any sense. I try to figure it out, but I’ve got no clue. Do you have any
theories?”

“My guess is one of us has an enemy who wants to make life
difficult.”

“I didn’t consider that. Hmm. I don’t think I have any
enemies, Ian. Not that everyone loves me on sight, but I can’t imagine who
would have an ax to grind with me. I don’t mix it up with people.”

Ian ratcheted in his line a few clicks. “It’s far more
likely that if someone’s bent on revenge, it’d be someone with a grudge against
me. Unlike you, I’m always mixing it up.”

Jada smiled. “Kinda goes with a shark’s territory, I guess.”

He returned her smile. “I’m not a shark. I’m just
misunderstood.”

“You’ve got pretty sharp teeth for a non-shark.”

“They’re caps.”

Jada laughed, a bright and cheerful sound that made
something in Ian’s gut tighten. God, he wanted to kiss her so badly it hurt. He
took a long swig of beer instead.

They chatted more, keeping the topics light and fun. Jada
drank two beers before saying she’d had enough, and admitted she couldn’t hold
her liquor, which charmed Ian so much he couldn’t quit smiling and was certain
he looked half-daft.

Jada caught a small fish, which Ian released back into the
lake for her so she wouldn’t get slimy and mess up her new clothes. Ian almost
caught a fish, but let it slip the hook so Jada wouldn’t have to worry about
splashes.

The sun had dipped behind the big house when Ian thought to
check his watch. He was shocked to see they’d been out for several hours.

“We should get back,” he said with regret. “Mrs. Best will
have dinner ready in a while. We’ll have just enough time to get cleaned up.”

He was pleased to see that Jada appeared as sorry to end the
excursion as he was, taking her time breaking down her equipment. She even took
her time cleaning her hands with the pre-moistened towels he gave her.

He rowed slowly, pulling the oars with ease, enjoying the
feel of working his muscles. He couldn’t stop looking at Jada. What a surprise
she was. Smart, funny, kind and warm. Beautiful. Exotic. Other, and yet not.

He noticed she glanced at him nearly as often he did her. He
didn’t want to be overly-confident, but he believed that she liked what she
saw. Most women did, and Ian wasn’t being a braggart; it simply was the truth.
However, Jada wasn’t most women. She was different, real in a way the other
women hadn’t been.

“I had a good time fishing,” she said, breezy. She looked
sideways at him through long, curling lashes. “Normally, I wouldn’t say this,
but, I feel like I already know you. That’s dumb, isn’t it?”

“No. I feel the same way.”

He imagined kissing her succulent lips, sucking the lower
one into his mouth and tasting deeply of her. Jada’s floral scent had been
driving him crazy. And her body. Just his type, slender in all the right places
and plump in all the right ones, too. He wanted to take her into his arms and
explore all the ways in which she was just right.

He managed to restrain himself until they bumped the dock.
An electric current had formed between himself and Jada the closer they came to
land. It was a tangible thing, and from the way Jada fidgeted and smiled shyly
at him, he knew she felt it, too.

He got out of the boat first and held his hand out “See? I
kept my promise. We’re back at the dock and your clothes aren’t wet or dirty.”

“I’m not on the dock yet,” she quipped lightly before taking
his hand.

He wasn’t playing fair, and he knew it, but something took
over him, the something inside him that demanded he get what he wanted as soon
as he wanted it. Ian was used to going after his desires. Right now, what he
desired was precariously standing in a tottering rowboat.

He couldn’t help himself. He sneakily stuck his foot out and
deliberately nudged the edge of the boat, rocking the small craft and upsetting
Jada’s balance. She gave a surprised cry and waved her free arm to try to
steady herself. He nudged the boat again.

“Oh! I’m fall—” was all she had the chance to utter.

He pulled her forward, leaned down and smoothly wrapped his
arm around her waist, swooping her up and out onto the dock. Of necessity, he
had to pull her in tight against his body, snug her right in there, so she was
secure, and safe. Had to be done.

Jada gasped and gazed into his face. She blinked, her
kissable lips forming the sweetest little “o” he’d ever seen. He looked deeply
into her dark eyes, looking for what he needed so he could take what he wanted.
He held her tighter. She exhaled and her lids slightly lowered.

There it was. Surrender. She was his.

He kissed her then, his lips slanting across hers with more
force than he’d intended. But he’d been wanting this and it was impossible to
hold back much.

Fortunately, Jada was no limp, overwhelmed maiden. No, she
pressed back against him, wrapped her arms over his shoulders and clasped her
hands behind his neck. Her waist fit nicely in his hands and her soft breasts
pressing against his chest was a full-blown assault on his senses.

Ian’s body reacted in unprecedented ways. He wanted to carry
her away to a cave, strip her naked and do all manner of ungentlemanly things
to her splendid body until the cave echoed with her cries of release. But he
also had an annoyingly distracting urge to carry her away to a cave and bar the
entrance to all comers, to protect Jada from ... what? Who? Himself?

He groaned and kissed his way over the dewy, velvety skin of
her jaw and neck. He nuzzled behind her ear and inhaled deeply of her
intoxicating, sweet scent. When Jada pushed her fingers into his own hair he
shuddered, aroused by the passion evident in her touch.

It was too soon, too soon, he told himself. But he couldn’t
listen, not with her quickened breath on his cheek and the taste of her
sun-warmed skin on his lips. He should stop.

Then his hand strayed from her waist, up toward the softness
pressing so passionately against him. She trembled. He should stop. His hand
rose higher, cupping the underside of her breast. She moaned. He should stop.
He nibbled her ear lobe.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered

His hand closed over her breast and her nipple pebbled
against his palm through her bra and silken blouse. He ran a thumb over it and
nearly groaned himself when it grew even harder.

“I want you.” Ian whispered. He knew he couldn’t stop now.
Wouldn’t stop. Ian Buckley always, always got what he wanted.

Jada melted against him. She was his. He squeezed.

WHEN IAN’S HAND CLOSED OVER her breast, Jada thought she
might shiver into bits on the spot. How his touch created this maelstrom of
sensations she couldn’t begin to explain. She’d never experienced anything like
it, not even close.

He wanted her. He’d said it, and she had no doubt of it
being true. The evidence of it pressed hard against her belly. Knowing his
desire, that this powerful, drop-dead sexy man desired her, played no small
role in her own cravings.

She buzzed all over, ultra-aware of each body part that was
in contact with his. Even her fingertips tingled from stroking the smooth skin
on the back of his neck, the hard, muscled contours of his shoulders and the
springy softness of his hair.

He wore a loose shirt of soft, white cotton, open at the
throat and rolled up at the sleeves. While they were fishing, it had been hard
not to stare at the triangle of bare chest the shirt revealed, hard not to
imagine what the rest of his tan, sculpted chest looked like. Now, it was hard
not to unbutton the stupid shirt. No, it was hard not to rip it off, toss it
into the lake and kiss every ridge and plane of Ian’s gorgeous body.

Ian’s lips claimed hers again, and she opened her mouth to
allow him in, meeting his tongue with her own, tasting the remaining hints of
beer mixed with the indefinable flavor that was Ian Buckley, more intoxicating
than alcohol.

He smelled of sunshine, exotic cologne and the unmistakable
musk of manly lust. He needed her. Ian Buckley needed her. Jada’s stomach
twisted and turned over.

He squeezed her breast with more urgency and she moaned,
pushing against him, wanting more. And he gave her more. His other hand stroked
her hip, then lower, gliding over the curve of her rear until stopping to cup
her plump flesh from beneath.

Now it was Ian’s turn to moan. Jada shivered at the deep
sound, even though the sun was warm on her back and bare arms. The bulge
between Ian’s legs grew larger, harder against her belly.

My God, she thought, rubbing herself against him. She’d do
anything he wanted, anything at all.

And it was this thought that splashed on her like cold
water, shocking her out of her dreamy stupor. The idea of anyone having so much
control over her emotions, over her physical self, jarred Jada back to her
usual self, albeit a tingly, breathless version of herself.

She was aware of her vulnerability. They were standing on a
dock and she was allowing him to handle her, basically, in public. Since when
did she allow that sort of thing? Anyone could be watching.

And knowing the overzealous staff, she thought she and Ian
probably were being watched. Someone, Billy or Elly, or whoever, was
undoubtedly aware of what was going on and were likely wondering if they should
haul a mattress down to the lake so Ian and Jada would be more comfortable.