LOVE AND HATE (A Billionaire Romance) (25 page)

“Cheryl.”

“Like Cheryl doesn’t bring boys home.”

“I’m guessing girls, actually.”

“Oh, really? Serena sometimes too. Well, whoever. Just remember. Be. Quiet.”

Mackenzie

Quiet. Yeah right.

I covered my face with a pillow as he climbed on top of me. Quiet, I reminded myself. Quiet. I couldn’t imagine what my father would do if he caught us, even if we were married.

Scott lifted my ass to pull down my shorts and my boring cotton panties. Staying here, I’d assumed there would be no chance at getting lucky.

“Baby, you’re dripping.”

I made a quiet affirmative noise into the pillow. He slid into me, groaning with pleasure. God, he felt so good.

“I can’t see you.” He took the pillow away. “Quiet.”

Oh my God, it would be impossible.

Usually Scott and I fucked hard, but tonight, with the lights out, under the shine of all my little stars, he moved slowly. Sensually. Making love. I felt every inch of him inside me, pulling all the way out, caressing my cleft, my clit, my ass with the head of his cock, then burying himself inside me again.

I rolled him onto his back and climbed on top of him, maintaining his slow pace, my lips firmly sealed. No noise. Complete silence. I rocked back and forth on him, biting my lip so hard I tasted blood.

Below me, Scott breathed harder and harder. I felt his pulse quicken. I knew he was close.

“Honey, I’m gonna come,” he whispered.

I sped up and brought us both to the most sensual orgasm I’d ever had, one devoid of theatrics and histrionics, just the two of us loving one another.

# # #

The next three months were full of wedding planning and drawing. I knew what I wanted for the wedding, and my plan was simple enough for me to make it happen without hiring someone.

The drawing was another story. Since I’d never changed my name, the comic studios I applied to had no way of knowing I was Scott Creed’s wife. I wanted it that way. He offered to help, to send some emails, but I told him no. I didn’t want a job because of whom I was married to. I wanted work on my own merit.

He held me as I cried when they rejected my work.
We wish you all the best… Not our style… Not enough experience… Good luck elsewhere.
It was okay. I got back on the horse.

My hands cramped from all the drawing. I bought a new iPad and software to render my work digitally. I got really good with the stylus and some drawing programs. So much work.

Susie came over the day my wedding dress arrived. No beads, no crinoline. Simple white silk, floor length, form fitting. Thick straps that almost counted as sleeves.

“I like it better than the one you were going to wear with Lucas,” she said.

I didn’t entirely trust her. This one was simpler and hilariously a quarter of the cost. My mom and her best friend were catering the event, and Scott’s parents rented the cabin as a gift for us. It cracked me up that this wedding would cost substantially less than the Lucas wedding, and Scott would easily be able to pay for everything out of pocket.

Scott

“I’m sorry, married?”

“Wait, wait. Married, or getting married? I didn’t quite hear you.”

My parents were baffled. The connection wasn’t great, since they were in Tanzania. Guess I should have called them a little earlier.

“Um, both?”

“Scott, honey, this line isn’t great. I’m not hearing you very well,” Mom said over the static connection.

“Let me start at the beginning,” I said. “The Hall merger.”

“Percy Hall is a dipshit,” Dad intoned.

“You’re telling me. But he wanted me to settle down before the merger went through.”

“Honey, don’t get married for Percy Hall. You take your time, and you’ll find what you need.” Mom, who I knew read about both her kids in the tabloids and probably lost sleep over it, always tried to be supportive.

“I got married for Percy Hall.” Mom sighed in disgust, and Dad harrumphed in a way that I could see his eyes rolling. “I was going to marry Giuliana PostvanderBerg.” Mom made a sound that reminded me of a disapproving, hissing goose. “But I didn’t. I met this girl in Las Vegas and married her.”

“I thought you were the smart one,” Dad said. “Holly, isn’t he the smart one?”

“Don’t talk about Serena like that.”

“Anyway, long story short, we got drunk, we got married a month ago. Now we’re in love, I proposed for real, and we’re having an actual wedding in Michigan.”

“Michigan?”

“I wanted you to meet her, but it sounds like you’re gone.”

“For the next six months, yeah.”

“You want to come back for a wedding? She was thinking August.”

A pause—I knew they were covering the mouthpiece and conferring.

“Are you protected?” Mom came back on the line. “Like, is this about money for her?”

I wasn’t, but they didn’t need to know that. “We’re good.”

“Do you want us to come back sooner? Do you want to bring her to Africa to meet us? Have you met her parents?”

“You can meet her at the wedding. We’re doing small and low-key.”

“This is so… fascinating,” Dad mused.

“And I met her parents, yes. They live in Iowa.”

“Scott, are you happy?” Mom asked.

“I am. It was a rocky road to get here, but I really love her, and I think we’re going to work out well together.”

“Then I’m excited to meet her. Let’s do a Skype call when we come back to civilization.” They were about to leave for a three-week safari, completely unplugged.

“How’s your sister doing with this news?” Dad asked.

“Haven’t talked to her yet.”

“You need to do that soon.”

“She’s my next call.”

We disconnected. I stared at my phone. Did I want to talk to Serena? I did a quick Google search to see what she’d been up to lately. Old news, old news, dating a 90’s pop star and flaunting her PDAs in typical Serena fashion.

I called her. It went to voicemail, and I called again. I figured third time was the charm, and she picked up, breathless.

“Hey, sis, how’s it hanging?”

“Oh, you know. Busy busy. I’ve decided to write a book.”

“About…?”

“Me. My favorite topic.”

“Are you writing it, or are you hiring someone?”

“I’m hurt you’d even suggest such a thing. I’m at least going to write a draft. The ghostwriter can take care of the rest. I’m not a monster.”

“What are you up to in August?”

“That’s so far away, who could possibly know.”

“Well, save the date. I’m getting married.”

“Aren’t you married already?”

“Yeah, but I’m throwing the party in August.”

“And you want me to come?”

“I want you to be in the wedding, my dear.”

“Huh. All right. Will I have to wear a tacky dress?”

“Maybe? It’s not up to me.”

“It must be a little bit up to you.”

“You know how women get about these things,” I teased. I was pretty sure there wouldn’t be tacky dresses. Kenz didn’t seem the type.

“When do I get to meet your blushing bride? Giuliana told me all about her.” Oh, Jesus. “Don’t worry, I didn’t believe any of it.”

“Did she tell you she tried to frame me for cheating and sent poor Isaac Cornell running for the hills?”

“Isaac is a bore. Never does anything but tweet. And yes, I did know, since he broadcasted the whole thing.”

“Are you back in New York?” I asked her.

“No, I’m in Australia.” She was serious. “I can’t write in the Northern Hemisphere. Can’t do anything creative there. Once I reach the halfway mark, I’ll be home and would be delighted to meet your wife.”

“Great.”

A load off my chest. The final call of the day was to Ryan, asking him to be my best man.

“You don’t even surprise me anymore,” he mumbled. “You’re some kind of weird romantic something or other.”

I shrugged, even though we weren’t on FaceTime. “I like her. She’s a cool lady.”

“Does the cool lady have a job yet?”

“She’s working on it. It’s a total career shift for her.”

“She’s lucky to have found someone who lets her follow her passions. Some of us actually have to work.”

“Some of us… who aren’t you, you mean.”

“Exactly. I work because it’s fun. I could walk away any minute. I just keep making more and more money.”

Mackenzie

My wedding day started out gloomy and cold, and I worried we would have to move everything inside. The cabin is beautiful and has a wide open space which would accommodate our meager cadre of guests. Big picture windows look out over Lake Superior, and looking through them I saw the sun break through the clouds in long, slanting rays.

“Told you it would clear up!” Susie said.

Susie, Cheryl, Becky, Serena, and I lounged in the cabin’s master bedroom, enjoying some downtime before we had to start getting ready. There wouldn’t be a point in getting dressed or doing my hair too early. I’d just spill something on the dress or something equally awful.

We sipped mimosas and watched the clouds break.

“Do you think they got Scott too drunk last night?” Becky asked.

“No,” Serena answered. “He wouldn’t.” I was surprised by how much I actually liked her. “He knows he’s got to be on his best behavior. And Ryan wouldn’t do that either. I bet last night was boring.”

“I think they went fishing, actually,” I said, which didn’t sound like Scott’s cup of tea at all. My brother Brian was excited to take them, so it’s what they did.

Serena shook her head. “Weird.”

“I mean, the whole thing is weird. You’re already married,” Cheryl said.

“Yeah, but today is kind of the start of a new thing,” Susie said.

“Whatever. It’s your party.”

“And I’ll cry if I want to.” I finished my drink and checked the sun. I looked at my phone. Nothing from Scott, but we had a few hours until the wedding started. Time for Cheryl to start working her magic.

I was glowing, but today it wasn’t only because of Scott. Image Comics said they’d be interested in hiring me to do some background panels. Not a lot, but my first paying job. I’d just heard yesterday and hadn’t told Scott yet. I held my good news inside me, wearing it like a crown.

# # #

“You’re sure you love him?” Dad asked me, for the thousandth time as we stood in the doorway of the cabin. Our guests were seated by the lake, a warm summer breeze blowing, and I could see Scott waiting for me at the rustic wooden altar.

“Completely sure.”

“And you’re not just doing this to save my house?”

“Nope. Dad, it’s okay. It’s already done. This is just putting a bow on it.”

He sighed. “I’m gonna have to start being nice to him. It’s not natural, how he doesn’t get worked up when I give him shit.”

“He’s used to dealing with board rooms and executives and stuff. You’re not going to flap him unless he thinks you’re serious.”

“He’d better not give me anything to get serious about.”

“He won’t.” If he did, I wouldn’t tell. They’d be my battles to fight, not my dad’s.

I linked my arm in my father’s as the band started to play the wedding processional. I thought I’d cry on this day, thought it would be so much different. I remembered my mermaid dress, my frightful hair in the Bellagio bathroom mirror. I wondered what I’d missed my first wedding night. Ah well, since we wound up here, it made for a funny story.

I hadn’t done the veil or the train. I watched my sisters and Serena walk down the aisle with the groomsmen. Susie and Ryan went last, sniping at each other as they walked.

Two nights ago, out on the rocks by the lake I’d seen Ryan and Becky sitting shoulder to shoulder, talking for hours. He knew about her delicate condition—she was beginning to show. They hadn’t realized I’d watched them walk back from the water, holding hands. They hadn’t kissed goodnight, but Ryan had leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers in a way that seemed more intimate than a kiss. He’d caught my eye as he left to find Scott and a cold beer, and I couldn’t read the look he gave me.

Susie, on the other hand, seemed to take a shine to Serena. I couldn’t tell if the affection was mutual or if Serena was that experienced at hiding her emotions. I hoped Susie wouldn’t get her heart broken.

It was time for Dad and me to walk. Today was about my heart, not my friends’. I caught Scott’s eye and held it as we made our way to him.

The ceremony was short. I wondered what the Vegas one had been like. Neither of us remembered anything beyond heading to the mall. I was glad I didn’t remember buying that damn dress—shoot me now.

When the night was all over, I didn’t remember much about this wedding, either. My mom, in the front row, tears in her eyes. Scott’s parents, so welcoming, smiling at me. A few friends, not the scads of people invited to my wedding with Lucas.