Southern Charmed Billionaire (14 page)

 My face burned, wildfire of flustered embarrassment taking over my expression. He casually stood in my doorway, dressed in gray sweats, a fitted white t-shirt, and running shoes. His demeanor was casual and low-key, just like his outfit. I’m sure his attire wasn’t meant to catch my attention, but damn he looked sexy!
 

He winked at me as he approached. That’s when I noticed he was carrying a breakfast tray with coffee, orange juice, and a shiny silver breakfast platter covered with a matching lid. My eyes grew wide with interest. God, I was hungry.
 

My stomach growled, loudly revealing my ravenous appetite. I crossed my arms over my tummy, giggling sheepishly as I covered myself in embarrassment. Still feeling out of sorts from a long night filled with incredibly intense passion and secrecy, I scanned the room. I had to restrain from pinching myself just to make sure I wasn’t still dreaming. After all, I hadn’t really paid too much attention oh, just a few hours ago. My mind had been replaying other things….
 

God, I was so tired. My body had been reintroduced to a world of pleasurable sensations it hadn’t experienced in a long time. My senses had been beautifully awakened from dormancy, but adrenaline had taken its toll. I’d just woken up, but my energy was depleted. I felt as if I had just run a half-marathon.
 

He set the tray down on the mirrored side table. As I inhaled a good whiff of what smelled to be fresh bread, eggs, and bacon, my tummy rumbled again, reminding me that I was famished. I would find out whether there were eggs and bacon soon enough, but there was something else on my mind that I had to know.
 

“Lover?” I questioned, cocking my brow in curiosity. Why did he call me that? Was he confessing his knowledge of our tryst?
 

“You’re carrying our love child. And this weekend holds the day of the grand revealing.” He replied matter-of-factly, as if we were discussing a casual matter.
 

Oh,
fuck
me.
 

He sat at the foot of the bed, something so very intimate for someone to do when we barely knew each other. What had it been – like three days? Yet it felt as if we had known each other for a much longer time.
 

A riptide of emotions coursed through my mind and heart. I really hated lying. I hated it so much. I still couldn’t believe I had agreed to this.
 

“I just thought I would run today’s schedule by you. We have our traditional Easter Good Friday party tonight. Like I mentioned last night, you don’t have to worry about a single thing. Your wardrobe has arrived and I find you’ll enjoy what your stylist has chosen for you.” He paused for effect. “Anyway, this has been a family tradition of ours for quite some time. Hundreds of people come. Tomorrow is a down day and most of my family stays for the entire weekend.
 

“We’ll attend church on Sunday. And then, later on after everyone’s inspired by the good word of the Lord and we’re situated around the table feasting, that is when I will announce that we are with child. The sonogram I ordered, in addition to mock files, will be here by noon according to the carrier.”
 

“Mock files?”
 

He smirked. “Our baby boy’s first picture. He’s a looker.”
 

“He?”
 

“You’re four months pregnant.”
 

My eyes bugged. “Four?”
 

“We’ll get into all of that later.” He waved his hand dismissively.  “The fake baby bump, when to start showing, and all of the other logistics that matter can wait. Right now, let’s just focus on this weekend and getting to know everyone.”
 

My head spun. I still couldn’t believe what I was agreeing to. I needed coffee. I needed to wake up. I was still covered with fantasy dust from our wild, passionate night.
 

I eyed the coffee as I sat up in the luxurious bed. If there were anything I really needed now, it was coffee. I leaned forward, preparing to pour myself a cup, but Atticus intervened before I could touch the coffee press. He jumped to press the coffee for me, and started pouring it for me instead.
 

“I don’t know how you take your coffee. Cream? Sugar?”
 

Whenever I was on vacation, someplace special, or dining somewhere with exceptional coffee, I’d always splurge a little with some cream and sugar.
 

This felt like a special occasion.
 

“I’ll take both please.”
 

Atticus nodded and continued making my coffee. I couldn’t stop staring at his hands as he spoke and treated me to his chivalry. Those hands had deliciously roamed every ounce of my body last night, er, this morning.
 

My nipples hardened from arousal at the visceral memory of his lips and tongue tasting me sensuously as he explored me down there. Oh, my gosh. I couldn’t believe how quickly and easily I’d become so turned on again, especially since we’d just finished making love hours ago. He aroused such a fire between my thighs.
 

“Shouldn’t I be showing a bit if I’m four months pregnant?”
 

He shook his head. “Your stomach is pretty flat because you obviously take care of your body.” He spoke with such intention, with such a knowing.
 

I gulped. How did he know that?
 

“That dress you wore to the gala…” He groaned in admiration, made a fist that covered his mouth, and blew out a breath. “You looked smoking. Your curves were bangin’.”
 

“Thank you,” I said, quietly sipping my coffee. I seriously could not stop
blushing, yet it was hard. I was quite bashful, but I didn’t want to give away my nerves and reveal how he made me feel. I wanted to remain cool, calm, and collected.
 

His eyes were dark, yet soft with the tiniest flicker of desire in them, as he observed my lips press against the china. Drinking coffee never felt this sexy. I took a long, slow sip, letting the espresso beans work their magic to wake me out of my slumber, and hopefully, snap me out of my lust. It always helped to move slow when I was nervous, so I could avoid being a klutz.
 

“Now,” he continued after a moment, “While everyone is here, since you are carrying my baby, this would imply that we have strong feelings for each other.” He looked into my eyes carefully. “At least feelings that are strong enough to make love and bring a baby into this world.”
 

I looked at him as the fresh roast swirled over my tastebuds, focusing on the flavor to temper my nerves. I wasn’t prepared for what he said next.
 

“We will need to sleep in the same room tonight. My room. You know, just to keep this as real as possible, Kate.”
 

Butterflies began to waltz all over again in my stomach as I started thinking about it all. Everything had happened so fast. Now I would be sleeping next to him in his bed? Dear God, I’d never be able to fall asleep while lying next to him. All I’d be able to do is just lay there thinking about his ripped physique and the enticing way his lower abs were cut. Seriously, who could lie there with all that deliciousness just inches away?
 

Damn, I was in trouble – and I knew it.
 

Smoldering passion filled the air surrounding us. I swallowed another sip of my coffee and nodded quickly, my attempt to dissolve the very palpable sexual tension, which was thick enough to cut with a knife.
 

“Um, Atticus,” I paused for another sip of coffee, thankful that I was starting to come to my senses. “I didn’t realize your family was religious. Church, you say?”
 

He lightly shrugged a shoulder. “Well, it’s the south and our family’s roots are in the faith.”
 

“With your grandfather being a religious man then, don’t you think he may frown a bit then on cohabitating? Me getting knocked up, so to speak? No ring, no engagement? Are you sure this is the best thing you want to do? Are you sure you want to go through
with this plan?”
 

“Do you want a ring? I mean, would that make you feel better?”
 

My heart caught in my throat. Did I want a ring? Getting a ring would only complicate things. Many, many things. It would really only make me feel like this was real.
 

Just as real as our connection hours ago.
 

I didn’t think my heart could handle that cruel joke.
 

Sizzling, searing scenes of sexual passion flooded my memory. I could feel my fingers clawing into his muscular back, his strong, manly grip on my ass cheeks holding me tightly as his hands slid down my legs, touching me everywhere.
 

Touching me
there
. God, touching me there.
 

I let out a slight sigh, feeling incredibly embarrassed about it, and took another sip of my morning beverage.  
 

“Don’t worry. My family is going to love you. Hair and makeup is coming in half an hour. Why don’t you finish drinking your coffee and hop in the shower? I’ll see you in approximately two hours, love.” He winked at me, his eyes twinkling with mischief, as he prepared to leave me to my thoughts.
 

I half sat up in bed, my eyes wide and mouth gaping. I looked at Atticus like he were an alien from Mars.
 

See you in two hours, love?
 

My butterflies inside danced like they were getting down at a New Year’s Eve party hosted by Pitbull in Times Square. I really was a sucker for terms of endearment, yes. But I still wanted to gauge him, to see if he showed any sort of signs that I had been with him last night, er—this morning.
 

Love
.
 

As in one letter off from lover.
 

Racking my brain, I replayed everything over in a millisecond. Yes, I had been very careful not to let my body utter beyond the slightest of moans. Just a tiny one. I barely spoke, just nodded. After all, I was careful to not say a word to him, only let myself moan slightly because I couldn’t risk him hearing my voice; if he did, then he would have figured it out. I was sure of it.
 

Yes, he acted like nothing had happened, like he didn’t know that it was me he fucked last night. And hot damn was it a fucking good fuck.
 

My pussy clenched and heated flurry remind me that it had happened. It wasn’t just a dream
 

“Oh, one more thing.”
 

I remained comatose as I watched him walk across the palace floor to the large window drapes. He opened them, revealing the most magical view I’d ever seen. Rolling green hills, thick, lush trees, glorious mountains; it was heaven.
 

“Oh my god. That’s breathtaking!”
 

“That’s why I like it out here.”
 

His hands were on his hips. I stared lustfully at the back of his tanned neck and strong triceps. I delighted myself in the view of his masterfully toned body that I had just seen naked hours ago. It took everything within me to not just tackle him and bring him back to bed for round two.
 

“It’s going to be a beautiful weekend up here in the mountains. There is a forecast for snow. You should see it when it snows up here. It’s like paradise. Air so crisp, snow so white.”
 

“It…it looks like a post card,” I admitted. My gaze was still drawn to his strong back muscles and tight butt. Those buns teased me mercilessly in his, no doubt, thousand dollar sweatpants. But damn did he look good!
 

He turned around with those mischievous eyes of his.
 

“Everything good? You good?”
 

I nodded  quickly. Too quickly. So quickly I knew he caught it.
 

“Ah, you’re nervous.” He walked back towards me.
 

I thought he was leaving? Oh, he needs to leave right now, otherwise I may confess that it was me last night, or perhaps reach for his hand to touch me again because I craved him that badly. Or, I may just jump his morning bones. (I don’t think I could ever be that bold, but he seemed to bring out this other side of me.)
 

He sat next to me again, this time closer than before. In his presence I suddenly felt naked; without my makeup and my hair done, I was probably a ratty mess. I’d just snapped out of La-La Land realizing this very fact.
 

I moistened my lips together and sat up a bit taller. The sheets fell from my upper chest, revealing the same baseball shirt I had on earlier. My bra-less nipples were hard and protruded through the thin fabric. His eyes didn’t miss a beat; they looked directly at them, a hint of lust darkening his gaze.
 

Score
. I’d tease him just like he teased me.
 

He cleared his throat and leaned over his legs, propping his arms on his thighs as he stared at me.
 

Was he covering his junior again? Oh this made me happy. Very happy.
 

“You’re really beautiful, you know that? Naturally beautiful. I really like this look on you. The whole sexy vintage baseball shirt…it’s like, really down to earth.”
 

Oh why was he saying things like this to my heart? It was only complicating things.
 

“Thank you.”
 

“Listen,” he reached for my arm with his right hand, while he still remained crouched over his legs. I knew it; he was covering his erection! The very light touch of his hand on my bare arm was tingled, kickstarting a small trail fiery sparks along my skin. The sensation made my breath catch. I had to force myself to breathe.
 

“I can tell you’re nervous. But, there’s nothing to worry about. You’ll meet my youngest sister Lacey, who is as sweet as icing. My two twin cousins will be coming over later with their boyfriends; my oldest cousin does philanthropic work with her doctor husband in Africa. They should be here tomorrow if they can’t make it in tonight. And then you’ll meet my aunt and uncle, who basically were my second set of parents. You’ll see I have a very nice family. Nice enough to cancel out Brittany’s antics, okay? Oh, and then you’ll meet Granddaddy this morning.”