Winning the Billionaire (Seattle Bachelors Book 2) (18 page)

He nodded and lifted a hand, stroking her cheek.

“Exactly why I didn’t. I
would
like to take our honeymoon there, though. You need to see that city the right way.” She stared up at him, silent for a moment, her eyes glowing. Overwhelming relief tightened in his chest, and he crushed her to him, burying his face in the fall of hair at her throat. “God, when I woke up this morning, I thought I’d lost you.”

“Me too.” She turned her head, pressing her lips into his neck. “I love you, Baz.”

Her words came as a trembling murmur against his skin. His heart roared and emotion overwhelmed him. His love for her. Gratitude that she was his, that he hadn’t screwed up their relationship. He squeezed her so tight she squeaked, then let out a watery laugh. When he pulled back, he leaned his forehead against hers.

“I love you, too. So fucking much.” His voice wobbled, his overwhelming love for her caught in his throat. “You’re mine, baby. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

“For always, Baz. For always.” She laid her head on his chest.

A quiet meow drifted from the floor, followed by the all too familiar brush of a small, lean, furry body against his right pant leg. Spike purred loud enough for the neighbors to hear as he wove his way through their legs.

Sebastian glanced down and laughed, then bent and scooped his best furry friend off the floor. “What do you say, pal? You okay if we keep her?”

Spike meowed again, and Christina let out a quiet laugh, glancing at Sebastian as she stroked the cat’s head. Spike, of course, leaned into her, rubbing his head against any part of her he could reach. “I think it’s official.”

The love in her eyes took his breath away. She really was his. He had to be the luckiest bastard on the planet, and he planned to spend the rest of his life showing her how grateful he was to have her. And he’d start now.

Sebastian leaned in and covered her mouth with his. Christina moaned softly and leaned into him. His tongue searched for hers and with a quiet shudder, she reached back. He lost himself in her sweet lips, in her quiet sighs and the little trembles moving through her. When her hands found his waist and she pressed closer, Spike meowed in protest.

Sebastian broke the kiss, somewhat breathless, and nipped at her bottom lip. “Hold that thought.” He set Spike on the floor, and he trotted off toward his favorite spot on the windowsill. Then Sebastian turned to scoop Christina off her feet and strode toward his bedroom. “It’s still Sunday. We’ve still got a few hours before the weekend is officially over. I believe we have some making up to do.”

She leaned in, tracing her tongue over the shell of his ear. “I can’t think of a better way to spend the day.”

Y
ou know, baby, at some point, we have to leave this hotel room.”

Still panting, her body hot and sticky, Christina let out a breathless laugh. Lying lengthwise on top of Sebastian, she dropped her head into the curve of his shoulder. Their bodies had glued together from the heat and perspiration they’d worked up in each other. Beneath her, he lay with his arms tight around her, his chest rising and falling as rapidly as hers.

His hands stroked her back, calloused fingertips caressing her spine. “I didn’t fly you to Vegas to stay indoors all week. We’re supposed to be sightseeing.”

They’d been married for three days. As she’d expected, the wedding had been huge. At hearing they were getting married, her mother had shrieked with excitement, then taken over the whole darn wedding. She’d demanded traditional. Among a sea of several hundred guests, most of whom Christina knew only through her parents, she’d vowed to love, honor, and cherish this man until she died.

Her heart filled for what had to be the hundredth time since the pastor announced them as husband and wife. He was now officially hers, and she was his. They were happy. Stupid happy. His presence was everything her life was missing.

As promised, they’d taken his private jet to Vegas for their honeymoon. Sebastian had planned it out, including renting out the penthouse of the Bellagio hotel. On the flight out, they’d discussed all the grand plans he had for her, to show her the city. All the shows they’d see and sites they’d visit. He was like a kid in a toy store, filled with exuberance and an addicting joy at the prospect of making her better memories of the city.

Oh, room service came and went. They showered, chatted, ate, did normal human stuff. They’d gone so far as the spa for couple’s massage, but they had yet to leave the room for more than an hour at a time. Once alone, they’d done what newlyweds do best—made love, then made love again. Clothing had hit the floor the minute the door closed behind the bellhop. They’d consummated their marriage in the room’s foyer, against the wall.

She lifted her head from the curve of his shoulder and met his gaze. His hair was mussed, but his eyes glowed, with love and a touch of humor.

Unable to resist teasing him, she stroked his stubbled jaw, trailing her index finger over his bottom lip. “Why? I have everything I need right here.”

His chest rumbled beneath her with his quiet laugh. “I’m sore, baby.”

She giggled, heart full, and laid her head on his chest again. “I know. Me too. We’ll go out tomorrow. I do want to see the Strip at night before we leave. Hannah and Maddie will never forgive me if I don’t bring back pictures. And I promised my assistant, Paula, I’d bring her back a souvenir.”

“And we have to do the casinos at least once.”

“Mmm. Definitely. And Paris. I want to see the Eiffel Tower.”

Silence settled over them, comfortable and luxurious. As their breathing evened and the sleepy lull of satiation and exhaustion rose over them, Sebastian let out a quiet laugh. “Seems you’re now two bachelors short for next year’s auction.”

He was right. Her top two auction favorites had been taken off the market. She slid off his chest into the space beside him, snuggling against his side.

“Mmm. So it seems.” She pressed a kiss to his chest. “Though I can’t say I’m sorry for either one of them. Now that Hannah’s had the baby, Caden’s delirious he’s so happy. Fatherhood suits him.”

Two days before the wedding, Hannah went into labor. Little Emily Moira McKenzie arrived twenty-four hours later, quiet as a church mouse. Christina hadn’t been certain how Caden would handle birth. He was cool as ice when dealing with work, but according to Hannah, he’d been a nervous wreck. Hannah had later confided that he’d had to take a seat. Twice.

She looked just like her father. A full head of dark hair and big wide eyes. He’d taken right to her. Every time she went over to see the baby, Caden had her tucked in one beefy arm. Yes, fatherhood definitely suited him.

“Cade’s delirious because he’s exhausted.” Sebastian let out a quiet laugh, but as they lay there, he became a little too quiet and his body tensed. For Sebastian, quiet and tense meant he had more on his mind than he wanted to share.

Concerned, she lifted her head, sliding her hand up his chest to rest over his heart. “Tell me?”

He peered at her for a long moment, eyes working over her face, as if he really were worried about something. Finally, he drew a breath and released it. “I have to admit, I’m kind of glad you didn’t end up pregnant. I don’t want kids yet. Not never. Just…not now. I want to enjoy you for a while.”

That weekend their relationship came to a head flitted through her thoughts. Sebastian had staked his claim on her at the cabin by the lake. Too caught up in each other, they’d forgotten the condom. As it turned out, her worry that she might be pregnant had been a false alarm.

She smiled, relieved that’s all that worried him, and laid her head on his chest again. “Me neither. I don’t think I’m ready yet. I’d rather enjoy this for a while, just the two of us.”

His arms tightened around her, his body relaxing, and he kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad we agree. I was afraid to tell you. I’ve disappointed you enough. So, what do you plan to do about the auction?”

The familiar face popped into her mind, and she couldn’t help smiling. “Oh, I know a certain bachelor who’s been evading me. I don’t intend to take no for an answer this year from Grayson Lockwood.”

Sebastian laughed softly. “Please don’t tell me you’re playing matchmaker again.”

She tried to be serious, she really did, but she couldn’t contain her grin. He knew her too well. “What’s the matter with wanting people to be happy?”

“You can’t fix the whole world, Tina. I feel sorry for the bastard. He doesn’t stand a chance against you. It’s why I always allowed you to volunteer me. You’d look up at me with those eyes, and I was a goner.”

“I’m kind of glad I won’t have to share you anymore. I wasn’t looking forward to this year’s auction.”

“Mmm. Me neither.” He hooked a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face to his, and playfully nipped at her bottom lip. “Now you’re all mine.”

Her heart swelled. “And you’re mine.”

He brushed a tender kiss across her mouth and resettled. Silence once again rose over them, comfortable and intimate. Christina closed her eyes, giving in to the luscious pull of sleepy satiation and contentment, and snuggled farther into his chest, letting his scent and the warmth of his body lull her.

“I love you, you know that?”

His voice drifted through the semidarkness of the room barely above a whisper, but so heartfelt and honest, tears pricked her eyes. If it were possible to love him any more…

She lifted her head, meeting his gaze, and brushed a soft kiss across his mouth. She was so damn grateful for him. “So much.”

D
read sank into Madison O’Riley’s stomach as the musical jingle of her phone announced the arrival of a message. Any other day, that sound would bring a smile. It would’ve meant that she’d gotten a text from one of her two best friends. Usually Christina confirming details for a girls’ night out or Hannah sending a picture of her three-month-old daughter, Emily.

Tonight, however, that sound meant the message she’d been waiting for had arrived. For a moment, she could only stare at the sender’s name, blinking on the small black screen. Was she really ready for this?

“Is that him?” Seated on the couch across from her, Hannah leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees.

Maddie lifted her gaze, peering across the coffee table. Hannah grinned, ear to flippin’ ear, her dark brows all the way up into her hairline. The rat. At least Christina tried to hide her excited smile. More refined, she sat with her long legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap. She looked calm and unperturbed, but the glimmer in her eyes gave her away. Both women were clearly waiting for the “deets.”

Maddie sighed and shook her head. “How did I let you two rope me into this?”

Okay, so she knew the answer. Both had found their soul mates. They were all so damned happy it made her flat-out jealous. At this point, she was stalling. This blind date they’d “encouraged” her into should be a good thing. She hadn’t dated in three years, and they were right. It was time. This hair-brained scheme provided a middle ground. After all, what harm could a little flirting do?

Hannah straightened, leaning back into the sofa cushions. “Because you’re lonely, babe. You said it yourself. But you also said that you weren’t ready for another relationship.” She shrugged. “It worked for me. I got to know Cade online. Start there. It’s just Gchat. If you decide you don’t like him, you don’t have to go through with the auction.”

Christina flashed one of her smiles, the soft kind that always managed to melt the nerves raging in Maddie’s stomach. There was something so calming about Christina.

“Hannah’s right. There will be hundreds of women willing to take him off your hands. But he’s nice. I promise. And he’s not a
toad
, as you so aptly put it. I gather only the best for my auctions.” Christina grinned, giving her a sassy little wink that had Maddie hard-pressed not to laugh.

Her two best friends couldn’t have been more different. Where Hannah was quiet and shy and often uncertain of herself, Christina was all elegance but bold as brass. Maddie had known Hannah since her days of working in the marketing department of Bradbury Books, long before they’d taken a walk on the wild side and opened their little bookstore four years ago.

She’d met Christina through Hannah. Christina was Hannah’s husband’s twin sister. They’d officially become friends when Christina asked for help planning Hannah’s bachelorette party. She’d made an instant lifelong friend that night.

Maddie hadn’t known it at the time, but Hannah had been having an online fling. One that eventually led to her falling in love and getting married. Hannah had taken a chance and met Cade in person, and what began as a two-week fling had become more.

Exactly how Maddie found herself staring at a Gchat message from a stranger, nausea swirling in her stomach. She wouldn’t exactly call herself celibate. After her breakup with Grayson three years ago, she’d sworn off men and dating. Which meant it wasn’t raining men in her world, either. It didn’t help that she’d trust another man when little pink elephants flew south for the winter.  

Hannah reached out a socked foot and nudged her toe. “Oh, go on. Answer him. What harm can it do? He doesn’t have your number, just your email address, and believe me, nobody in the world is going to know who Mad Hatter Three Thousand is.”

Maddie’s mouth went dry, a dull pounding starting in her temples. “Oh, God, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Her hand trembled as she picked up her cell from the coffee table. She swiped her finger up the screen, then tapped the Gchat icon. The message that popped up was innocuous really, but her phone shook in her palm anyway.

BookNerd: Hey. Christina gave me your email address. Apparently, you’re my date for the auction this year. ;)

Christina came from a wealthy family. As the founder and head of a local charity, which her family made a sizable donation to every year, her “baby” was a bachelor auction, in the name of raising money for breast cancer research. It was where Maddie had met her. Cade had been one of the bachelors.

Twelve hunky guys were being auctioned off for a good cause. Any other time, she’d have been all over that. She had no desire to date, or God forbid, fall in love again, but she was a woman, after all. With needs and yearnings, and she missed things like sex. She had a sore need to get laid. She wanted the weight of a man’s body pressing her into the mattress, yearned for a real cock pounding into her, hot and hard and not made of rubber. She wanted the huff of his warm breath on her neck, and by God, she ached for the luscious rush of an orgasm she didn’t have to give to herself.

She’d grown damn tired of her own fingers, but sex with a real man meant complications, which she flat out didn’t do. Flirting with a hot guy, though, could make her whole night. Knowing the men Christina chose for her auctions were all successful, with muscles on top of muscles, didn’t hurt, either. Christina had excellent taste.

This year, Maddie had a date with someone she’d never met and wouldn’t until the night of the auction. Exactly two weeks from today.

She glanced down at her phone again. His username seemed harmless enough. It hinted that they had something in common—books. Her stomach still wobbled all the same, and she cursed her nerves. It wasn’t like her to be so nervous. She was a people person, damn it. Besides, she couldn’t stay single forever. If she truly wanted a night of hot, sweaty sex, she had to get back up on that horse. And it started with this damn message.

Her thumbs hovered over the on-screen keyboard. “What on earth do I say to him?”

Christina gave a soft, airy laugh. “You could start with hello.”

“Hello.” Maddie nodded. “Right. I can do that.”

Oh, God help me, here goes nothing
. Her fingers shook so hard she had to type the word twice.

MadHatter3000: Hi

She swallowed past the lump of fear stuck in her throat, punched SEND and waited. His reply popped up almost immediately, sending the butterflies in her stomach into an uproar.

BookNerd: How are you?

Maddie grinned. Okay, this was easy. This she could do. She punched in another quick reply.

MadHatter3000: Good, thx. U?

BookNerd: Oh, I’m fairly certain my night just got a whole lot better.

Maddie rolled her eyes. Oh, that was cheesy.

MadHatter3000: Ur a flirt, aren’t u?

Once again, his reply was instantaneous.

BookNerd: Guilty as charged.

Across from her, Christina arched a brow in silent question.

Hannah sat forward again, bouncing on the couch like an excited child. “What’d he say?”

Maddie pursed her lips and lifted her gaze. “He’s flirting with me.”

Hannah’s grin nearly split her face in half. “That’s not a bad thing, Madds.”

Maddie shrugged. The knots in her stomach weren’t so convinced. “I suppose.”

Christina smiled over the top of her wine glass, her eyes gleaming with playful impishness. “This is where you flirt back. If you want some company after the auction, you’re going to have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for the man.”

Maddie laughed and shook her head. Christina was right, of course. If she wanted an orgasm from somebody other than her Battery-Operated Boyfriend, otherwise lovingly referred as to B.O.B., she’d have to come out of her shell a bit. After all, wasn’t that what she’d told Hannah to do? When Hannah had been in the same place two years ago, trying to decide if a fling with Cade was what she wanted, Maddie had urged her to live in the moment or else she’d regret it. And Maddie had a lot of regrets. What would that weekend with Grayson have amounted to, had she not gotten cold feet?

She sighed. “Okay, okay. Let me think. I’m rusty at this.”

She tapped her finger on the side of her phone, thinking. The words popped into her thoughts seconds later, and Maddie typed and hit send before she lost the nerve to say them.

MadHatter3000: Confident aren’t we? Don’t think a date means ur automatically getting into my pants. ;)

She stuffed the nail of her index finger into her mouth and waited. Had she been too rude? Too presumptuous?

Seconds ticked by before his reply came back. Just long enough for the doubts to close around her throat. She had to be insane for agreeing to this.

BookNerd: Are you challenging me?

Her head filled with visions of what he must look like. Tall, dark, and handsome, like Cade and Sebastian. Full of muscles, for sure. And sitting somewhere doing exactly what she was—his phone in his hand, waiting on her replies. The thought had her heart hammering a giddy beat, and her palms sweating, but damn. This could be addictive. It was the most fun she’d had since…well, since Grayson.

Thoughts of her ex had the beginnings of panic clawing up her throat. Hands shaking in earnest now, Maddie leaned forward and set her phone down on the coffee table. “I can’t do this. This isn’t me.”

Hannah set down her glass of soda and pushed off the couch, coming to perch on the arm of Maddie’s recliner. She looped an arm around Maddie’s shoulders, hugging her tightly. “Yes, you can. You’re the first person in the store to pounce on any halfway decent-looking man who walks through the door. You’re an incorrigible flirt. Why does this one make you so nervous? It’s just a date.”

Maddie shook her head, memories rising over her. “When I flirt with the guys in the store it’s just fun. I haven’t had an actual date in three years.”

Grayson Lockwood wasn’t the first guy she’d fallen in love with, but that breakup had hit her the hardest. Discovering his lies had taken from her everything she swore they had and made her feel like a hopeless fool. She’d discovered on the front page of a local newspaper that he wasn’t just another editor working his way up through the rungs of the publishing company they’d worked for at the time. He
owned
the company.

Her phone pinged again from the coffee table. She and Hannah both turned. Another reply flashed on the black screen.

BookNerd: Nervous?

“Do what you do best, Madds. He’s just a guy, and you need this. You want this. You said so yourself.” Hannah squeezed her tight, then released her and resumed her seat on the sofa. “Try being honest with him. Always worked for me and Cade.”

Maddie sighed. She had to admit, Hannah had a point. Cade was good for Hannah. He’d opened her up and given her confidence. Hannah no longer hid the scars that cut across her face. The two of them were so damned happy Maddie couldn’t even envy them. Hannah deserved to be happy. More to the point, if honesty worked for them, maybe it would work for her, too.

She picked up her phone, typing in a more honest reply.

MadHatter3000: I don’t usually do this sort of thing.

BookNerd: Honestly? Me neither.

This reply soothed the knot in her chest. His confession, however, filled her with questions.

MadHatter3000: So y r u?

BookNerd: Because I told Christina the only way I’d participate was if she made sure I didn’t end up with some 80 y/o woman or her lonely daughter.

Ah, now they were getting somewhere.

MadHatter3000: So, u don’t want to do this, either.

Knowing her date didn’t feel so certain either wasn’t the most promising prospect she’d ever had, but the nausea swirling in her stomach eased by a large degree. At least she wasn’t alone in her nervousness.

BookNerd: Not originally. I don’t usually participate in these things. I have no desire to end up as someone’s plaything. But I have to admit I’m enjoying this. I’m betting you’re feisty. And clearly you don’t trust easily. Truth is, neither do I.

Maddie smiled. Beginning to finally relax, she couldn’t resist teasing him.

MadHatter3000: How do u know I’m not an ugly hag?

BookNerd: LOL I’ve known Christina since high school. I trust her judgment.

Hold the phone. Christina had distinctly left out that little detail.

Maddie peered across the coffee table at Christina. “You know him?”

Christina smiled. “Of course. You didn’t think I’d set you up with someone I didn’t? I’ve known him since high school. Gr—I mean, Dave is a nice guy.”

Maddie narrowed her gaze on Christina. It had almost sounded like Christina was about to say another name. In fact, since this whole thing began, Christina and Hannah had
secret
written all over them. Their heads were always bent together, and they often exchanged grins that ceased the minute Maddie joined the conversation. She’d let them convince her it was nothing, but this time, she had to know.

She pursed her lips and pointed a finger. “All right, what is it you’re not telling me about him?”

Christina held up her free hand in mock surrender. “Nothing, I promise. You just picked an excellent wine is all. I’m afraid I haven’t indulged in a while, and this Moscato is delicious. It’s going straight to my head.” Christina glanced down, brushing invisible bits from her lap, and lowered her voice. “Thought I might be pregnant there for a while. False alarm.”

Hannah nudged her sister-in-law with an elbow and shot her a grin. Christina flushed to the roots of her dark hair.

Momentarily distracted, Maddie couldn’t resist a giggle. This was what had drawn them all together in the first place. They were all so much alike. Teasing came easily, and the laughter flowed freely. Now it had her mind shifting gears. Christina and Sebastian had been married almost a year now. Christina had married her brother’s best friend. Having known each other most of their lives and been in love with each other for half that, the two were the poster children for typical newlyweds. They had a penchant for disappearing together. Christina always returned a little flushed. Sebastian usually came back with a swagger and a grin, like he’d conquered the world.