Her Billionaire Secret Part 2: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (2 page)

Tevis turned to her, aware the atmosphere had changed. Claire gave him a weak smile.

“Don’t you like it? Christine can get you something else.”

“No, that’s not it. I love it.” She brushed away a single tear praying she could prevent the gush that threatened. “It reminded me of someone, that’s all,” she said, hoping that would be the end of the subject.

“Someone special?” He was looking at her quizzically.

“Yes. Someone special,” she answered, closing down the topic with her next words to Christine. “Are there shoes to match?”

Neither Tevis nor Christine commented on her sudden interest in accessories.

Chapter Two

TEVIS

“Don’t you have anything else to do?” Claire sounded exasperated and her fingers tapped a rhythm on her knee.

Good, because he was determined to get some sort of emotion out of her after she shut down over the dress. It had been like a mask going on and he intended to remove it. He preferred the smiling, antsy Claire to this ‘cool lady’ act. He smiled to himself. He had the perfect way to help her relax but he didn’t think she’d agree to go to bed with him. Not yet.

“No,” he responded, knowing it wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“I thought you rich types were always working.” Claire narrowed her eyes at him from the sofa opposite.
 

He had his feet on the coffee table and his arms draped across the back of the sofa he occupied. He knew she’d expected him to sit next to her by the look she gave him when he took this seat; which was precisely why he’d taken it. He could see every emotion that crossed her face, which happened especially when he did or said the unexpected.

“No. I’ve taken four days off to spend with you.” He expected a scathing retort from her, but she didn’t give him one.

“You’re wasting your time. I won’t give in again.” She gave her knee an extra firm tap.

He grinned. So they were back on the subject of that fuck.

“I don’t recall you giving in. From the way you handled my cock, I’d call it demanding.”

Claire’s face turned a deep shade of pink. God, she was cute when she blushed. When did he last see a woman blush? And when did he ever think a woman cute?

Never. Claire was the first.

She was also the first to make him put his work on hold. He normally spent Saturday in the study—working, unable to switch off.

“I’m not talking about it!” she snapped.

He raised an eyebrow at her, “You brought the subject up.” He tilted his head at her. “What
 
do
 
you want to talk about, if you won’t discuss last night?”

She straightened her shoulders as if shaking off her embarrassment. “Well, a briefing about tonight’s party would help. Or, are you expecting me to go into it cold, without a clue?”

Claire was right. He was expecting too much of her. So far she hadn’t slipped but she had to know some of the family history to get through this evening.

“We could go for a walk and I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

Her face lit up. “I thought I had to stay inside?”

“No Ellie does. I don’t see a problem with the two of us going out together.” He grinned at the widening smile on her face, “I might even buy you an ice-cream.”

“Promise?”

He’d buy her an ice cream parlour if she continued to smile at him that way.

“Grab a pair of those huge sunglasses Christine brought you." He studied the tight fitting sexy clothes she was wearing. "And don’t change, jeans and a tee-shirt are perfect.”

Her smile dipped a little at the realisation they had to keep their faces covered, but she recovered quickly and dashed out of the room.

He loved the way little things made her eyes light up. He loved a lot about Claire.

***

“How many people are you expecting at this party?”

Claire didn’t look at him as she concentrated on eating the ice cream cone he’d bought her as they’d walked to Hyde Park. Tevis had an incredible urge to lean over and kiss her but he didn’t. Instead, he took a lick of his own ice cream as he thought about how much he should tell her.

“Around twenty.”

“That’s not too bad.”

You have no idea.

“It’s mostly family. Ellie’s parents, mine, plus a few friends—mainly the guests who’ll be attending the wedding.”

He glanced at her face, but she didn’t appear too concerned. Good, because although Ellie and Boyd would be the star guests, Claire would attract considerable attention of her own. After all, Claire had appeared from nowhere and she was so different. He didn’t fear they wouldn’t like her. Quite the opposite.

It was also the first time he’d brought a total stranger into the fold. That alone made her special. Not only in his eyes but also that of his father. If Tevis didn’t steer the conversation carefully, his father would be assessing her like one of his bloodstock fillies.

“You should know a bit about the family dynamics. They’ll expect me to have told you something about us.” He couldn't have her making a mistake around his father. It wouldn’t be fair.

“Well, yeah,” Claire responded with joking sarcasm. “Unless you plan to tell them I’m only interested in your body.”

“That’s usually the case with the women I date,” he laughed, “that and an interest in my money.”

“You do surprise me. You really ought to be keeping better company.”

“I’m trying, but all that my current woman is interested in is getting me to buy her ice cream.”

He expected her to explode. She didn't even take the bait. Here in the park, on neutral ground, she was different. She’d begun teasing him and he liked it. He’d have to suggest they do this again tomorrow.

“Tevis Drummond, firstly, I am not your ‘current woman’ and secondly, I’m only warming you up. I also have an expensive taste for well-made milkshakes.”

He noticed when she smiled, small dimples appeared at the corner of her mouth.

“What flavour?” He wanted to know everything about her.

“Strawberry.” She took another lick of her ice cream.

Tevis watched her in fascination. How could she make it look so damned sexy, the way her tongue dove into the cone trying to get the last little bit? What he wouldn’t give for her to treat his body the same way.

“Frothy, with ice cream floating in it?”

“How did you guess?” Claire sounded surprised.

“Just lucky,” he grinned.

“What’s your favourite flavour?”

“I haven’t had a milkshake since I was a small child.”

She stared at him in mock horror. “You were deprived!”

“Definitely,” he agreed. “How about remedying it tomorrow? We could get away early and find the ultimate milkshake.” He held his breath. For most of his life, people had done whatever he wanted. He’d never be able to guarantee it with Claire.

She brushed him off. “Not possible, my Dad makes that.”

Tevis wasn’t about to give up. “Okay, what about second best?”

“That might do. I insist you line them up and try each flavour.”

“Deal, it’s a date.” He held out his hand to her and waited to see what she would do.

“Tevis Drummond, that was sneaky and manipulative,” she said firmly but grinned as she held out her hand to him. “Agreed, it’s a date… but I hope you throw up!”

They continued walking for a while in silence. Tevis finally broke it.

“We came out to discuss my family and I haven’t told you anything yet.”

“You don’t have to tell me much, only enough to get through tonight. They won’t expect me to know everything, we’ve only just met.”

“They’ll expect you to know what gets reported in the press.”

“I have zero knowledge,” she grinned at him. “I don’t read gossip. You could be a serial murderer and I wouldn’t have a clue.”

“Damn, you’ve guessed my secret,” he laughed. “No seriously, Claire, you must know something about me?”

“I hate to disillusion you, but you are not that interesting. I’d never heard of you until yesterday.”

He held his hand to his heart. “Ouch! Claire, that hurt.”

“Tell me what I need to know,” she laughed.

“I’m a womaniser, loaded, and a bastard.”

“Correct, that’s easy enough to guess.”

“Seriously, I am a bastard.”

“So you’re saying you’re not a womaniser or loaded?”

He gave a dramatic sigh. "Woman, I’m trying to prep you for tonight.” 

She grinned at him. In that moment he wished he could keep her like that forever; free and easy with him and happy in his company. He took her hand and she didn’t try to pull away. “Let’s find a bench and sit and talk. I want you prepared.”

From the bench they selected beneath the trees they could watch people going by. No one took any notice of them, other than the squirrel searching for food around their feet. He stretched his arm out along the back of the bench. Not touching Claire, but it still felt good.

“My mother gave me up when I was born. I wasn’t adopted. My father is my genetic father, but my mother didn’t want to be burdened by a child so early in her career. It was an accidental pregnancy and she and my father came to an arrangement. He kept me. She went on to be a famous soprano, world famous. No one knows she has a son.”

“Did it hurt, knowing she didn’t want you?”

He smiled at her. “No, my father loves me and so does Emma, my stepmother. My mother lost out, I didn’t.”

“So, Boyd is your half brother?”

“Yes. Emma married my father over a year after I was born. She’s the love of my father’s life. I think you’ll like her.”

“Okay, that’s all I need to know. I won’t step on any toes.”

“How about you? Anything I ought to know.”

Claire stood up. The spell was broken, the teasing gone. Her face closed up and her smile fixed.

“My father is alive. I have a stepmother and five-year-old half brother. We all love each other.” The words came out stilted and it appeared there would be no elaboration.

“What about your mother?”

“She’s dead. That’s all you need to know.” She held her hand up to stop him as he tried to speak. “Don’t ask for more. I’m not going to tell you. I think it’s time we went back.”

She walked away before he’d even had a chance to stand. He realised from the expression on her face that whatever the history was about her mother, it had cut a path through Claire’s heart.

Chapter Three

CLAIRE

The dress hugged the curves of her body and swept down into flowing skirts. The hem brushed her ankles as she walked in the three-inch heels which matched the dress to perfection. Christine was a wonder. She’d not only managed to get her the perfect dress overnight, she’d arranged for a hairdresser and makeup artist to come to the house to give her a complete make-over.

When she looked in the mirror there stood a Claire she almost didn’t recognise. And thank goodness she didn’t look the image of her mother as she feared. Having dark hair rather than blond, and a curvier body helped.

She walked through from the dressing room as Tevis walked out of the bathroom, his hair still wet from the shower.

“Gorgeous.” He tucked his towel firmly around his hips as he studied her.

Oh, my.

Tevis in just a towel was almost as bad as Tevis naked. She wanted to walk up to him and unwrap the present beneath. She lifted her gaze from the towel, travelled up his firm muscled chest, and finally stopped at those hazel-flecked sexy eyes. The laughter lines around them deepened as his grin widened.

“I suppose I ought to get dressed. Do you want to come and help me?” His voice was teasing but the invitation was clear.

If she did, there was a danger she’d end up naked because every nerve ending in her body was responding to that look he was giving her. The one that said, ‘I want to fuck you.’

She rejected the invitation. “No, I’ll wait in here.”

It was safer staying away from him. Not that she’d had much chance. Even when she’d distanced herself from him after he asked about her mother, he hadn’t taken the hint and left her to her own devices. He’d been considerate and not asked any more questions, but he continued to chip away at her defences in other areas until they’d become comfortable with each other again.

Too comfortable.

She watched him go into the dressing room, unable to take her eyes off him. Just before the doors closed behind him, he whipped off the towel and flaunted his taut bare ass.

Nice.

If she hadn’t had her makeup done, she would have licked her lips. If she wasn’t already dressed for the party, she might, just might, have broken down and followed him through to the dressing room.

God, this was worse than last night. Yesterday she’d fought against him because she was sure she knew his type. Arrogant, cocky, and confident of his ability to get any woman into his bed. She didn’t know why he’d chosen to chase her, but she'd fought him all the way based on those assumptions.

And I still begged him to fuck me.

Sexual attraction. It had to be. He had a body that held all the aces and he’d used every one on her.

But today? Today had been different.

He’d helped her relax.

He’d made her laugh.

He’d shared his secrets.