Marrying the Millionaire (27 page)

In the mood for some
holiday music, Kayla pulled out her cell phone to download some
jamming tunes. Just as she clicked a tune from Beyonce, her cell
buzzed in her hand.
Perfect timing,
she thought, noticing it was Carson.
“Hello.”

“
When can I see CJ?” Carson
blurted.

Wanting to prevent the children from
hearing her conversation, she strolled toward the hallway by the
kitchen. “You can see him anytime you want, Carson. You know
that.”

“
Yeah. Yeah. That’s what
you say, but as soon as I’m a little late with my payments, you get
all mad and get an attitude.”

Putting her fist on her hip, Kayla
rolled her eyes. “I’d think you’d understand my frustration when
you’re late with the payments for CJ. Providing a roof for CJ,
clothing, health insurance, and food isn’t easy on my salary
alone.”

“
Well, things should be
easier for you now that you’re dating a millionaire.” Kayla’s mouth
flew open. Shocked that he knew about her and Richmond, she
momentarily couldn’t speak. “Didn’t think I knew about the two of
you, did you? You should read the tabloids.” Silence.
Nothing.
There’s a picture of Richmond and
me in the tabloids? Ohgodno.
Hating
attention, she didn’t like it one bit. “Hello. Hello.”

“
I’m here.” So that’s why
he all of a sudden wanted to see CJ. He wanted to come check out
the new man in her life. Carson was more pathetic than she’d
imagined. “So when would you like to come see him?”

“
How about next Saturday?”
her ex-husband suggested.

Next Saturday? Isabelle’s birthday
party was next Saturday. Carson’s timing for wanting to come visit
CJ couldn’t have been more inconvenient. But because the two of
them hadn’t seen each other in so long, she wasn’t going to deny
her son the opportunity to spend quality time with his father.
Kayla struggled to maintain her curtness as she confirmed, “Sure.
Next Saturday is fine.”

“
Let me speak to my son,”
he demanded rudely.

She gritted her teeth. “Couldn’t you
ask instead of demanding?”

“
Will you please just put
CJ on the phone, Kayla? I don’t have time for games.”

“
Hold on.” Tempted to hang
up in Carson’s face, Kayla shouted for CJ over her shoulder, and he
came running to her. Knowing how much CJ would love to speak with
Carson, she smiled down at him. “Your daddy wants to talk to you,
okay?” She handed the phone to CJ.

Putting the phone to his ear, CJ
shrugged. “But I thought I didn’t have a daddy anymore?”

Kayla
gasped
. Oh Lordy! Carson’s going to swear
I taught him to think and say that. Forget what he thinks. If he
came around like he was supposed to, then CJ would know he was his
father.

RICHMOND STOOD ON THE
OTHER side of the wall, eavesdropping on Kayla’s conversation as
she spoke with her irresponsible ex-husband. Although he knew it
was wrong, he just couldn’t help but listen in on her conversation.
Fists balding, standing in the corner behind the wall, anger
stomped at his bones. The nerve of him to take his time making his
child support payments for that sweet little boy CJ. From what he
could hear, he didn’t pay that much either. Probably had her
struggling from month to month.
Tell you
what, from this day forward she’s not going to ever have to worry
about money again. I’m going to make sure of it.

As Richmond continued listening to
Kayla speak with Carson, rage pushed at his veins. It took
everything in his power not to come from behind the corner, snatch
the phone from her, and give low down, dirty Carson a piece of his
damn mind.

Kayla said, “Okay, that’s enough
talking, CJ. Give mommy the phone. Carson, why are you getting mad
at me? I never told him you were dead. Maybe if you visited him
sometimes.” Pause. Pause. “I’ve told you time and time again that
I’d be more than happy to bring him to North Carolina to see you.
Every time I offer, you always say you’re too busy. I’d love to
bring him there. Just tell me when. How about tomorrow?”
Silence.

She doesn’t have to explain
crap to him.
Richmond forced his anger to
settle down.

Kayla spat, “I’m not acting brand new.
Who I date is none of your business. Besides, Richmond and I are
just friends. Goodbye!”

Richmond’s heart
dunked.
Friends!
Hearing her address him as just a
friend
with another man, Richmond
tinged with regret. The day they’d went shopping for Isabelle’s
birthday present at the outlet mall, he’d insisted they not give
their relationship a title. Now his own unrelenting determination
had come back to haunt him. Right after they decorated this damn
tree, he was going to let her know she better not ever address him
as her damn friend again.

Annoyance flew through him
as he shoved his hands inside his pockets
.
Friend, my ass!
A
friend
wouldn’t spend ten thousand
dollars on a diamond necklace for a woman. A
friend
wouldn’t name their gotdamn
horse after a woman. And
friends
didn’t make love and fuck the way they
did.
Nah, Kay, we’re way more than just
friends.

Richmond waited a few minutes before
he reentered the living room to join Kayla, Isabelle, and CJ. He’d
been standing at the corner for what seemed like forever, trying to
tamper down his raging temper. Supposedly, this Carson character
was coming to Hilton Head next Saturday to visit CJ, and he
couldn’t wait to show him how a real man should treat a beautiful
lady like his Kay.

“
Let’s put on some music,
guys.” Kayla hit a button on her cell phone, and the cheerful
melody of “Jingle Bells” serenaded the room.

“
Let’s turn on the
fireplace.” Richmond flicked the button on the wall, and the
fireplace burst into orange flames.

Isabelle grabbed CJ’s hand, and the
two of them began skipping in circles. “Jingle bells! Jingle bells!
Jingle all the way!” the kids sang synchronously.

Richmond’s dog, Killer, ran around the
children barking like an animal that’d finally been set
free.

Draping the pearls around the tree,
Kayla’s head bobbed to the joyful tunes. God, he loved having her
here with him to decorate this tree. Decorating it without her
would’ve been rather boring. In fact, he loved having her here
every day, all day, to the point where he was thinking about asking
her to move in with him and Isabelle. But then if he did that, she
may get the wrong idea and think he wanted to marry her. Living
together was one thing, but marriage was a whole different story.
He didn’t ever plan on getting married again. And Kay deserved so
much more than a man who couldn’t commit fully to her. While he
wanted to be more than friends, he didn’t want to marry
either.

Knowing he had a lot to think about,
Richmond looped the hook of a sleigh ornament on the tree. Gazing
at Kayla as she and the children hung candy canes on the tree, he
hadn’t felt this jolly in years. Smiling, his heart swelled with
glee.

In the Christmas spirit, he began
singing, “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open
sleigh.”

Kayla joined him in his singing. “O’er
the fields we go, laughing all the way.”

Richmond continued, “Bells on bobtail
ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to ride and sing, a
sleighing song tonight!”

All four of them joined in to sing the
chorus. Music blared. The fireplace crackled. Joy and laughter
filled the warm room, and Richmond had never been happier. Feeling
like he could live like this for the rest of his life, he placed
the star on top of the tree and Kayla clicked on the
lights.

Bright white lights sparkled on the
beautifully decorated tree. Isabelle and CJ cheered. Wagging his
tail, Killer howled. Standing in front of the tree, he hefted
Isabelle in one arm and CJ in the other. Leaning her head on his
shoulder, Kayla put one hand over his heart and draped her other
around his waist. If someone walked in on them right now, they’d
think they were the perfect family. And they were.

Later on that evening after Kayla gave
the children their baths and put them to bed for the evening, she’d
joined Richmond in the downstairs bedroom. At his request, she’d
agreed to spend the night with him. More and more, he was wanting
to spend all his free time with her. His every awakening second
with her. Although he knew he’d been distant lately, his actions
had nothing to do with her, but with Salina, Jason, and his father
instead. Although he didn’t tell her, he’d hoped the diamond
necklace he’d bought for her would comfort her whenever he was
experiencing mood changes.

As soon as Kayla entered the room, he
forced Salina, Jason, and Russell out of his mind. This cool
December night belonged to Kayla, the children, and him. Like hell
was he going to let thoughts of them spoil it.

Walking toward him, Kayla tied her
hair in a bun on top of her head. When her arms had extended above
her head, her boobs had rounded. Her nipples had pressed hard
against the long sleeve shirt she wore.

Wanting to taste her,
Richmond held out his hands. “Come here.” Kayla walked into his
open arms, placing a kiss on his mouth. “Let’s take a shower
together.” Holding her, his shaft hardened against her
stomach.
Carson was a fool to let
something like this go. Apparently, the sorry, dumb man has trouble
seeing.

“
You want me, don’t you?”
Kayla reached inside his pants and scraped her nails over his
erection.

Richmond’s shaft tingled. He nipped
her bottom lip with his sharp teeth, then released it. “Yes, I want
you. And I’m going to have you.”

Naughty desire emblazoned her eyes.
She snatched her hands from his hard rod, then took off running.
“You’re not getting any tonight! I’m going to bed!”

Balls hurting, Richmond ran after her.
“You don’t play with my dick like that, woman, and get away with
it!”

Giggling, Kayla ran inside the
bathroom, and just as she was about to slam the door in his face,
he stuck his hard shoe between the door and frame and kicked it
open. Kayla’s sensual laughter caressed him like the sweet autumn
night it was.

Holding her hands up to her chest and
snickering, she walked backwards toward the shower. “I’m serious,
Richmond. As soon as I take my shower, I’m going to
bed.”

Ignoring her, Richmond removed his
jeans and underwear, and then he rolled his shirt over his head and
tossed it on the floor. Backing her into a corner, his column
pointed straight out at her. Fisting himself, he jerked his tool up
and down.

Heat pooled inside her hooded pupils.
Her gaze lowered to his thick member and her tongue protruded from
her mouth. Such a pretty little liar. She knew she wanted him to
spread her legs and fuck her good.

With her back pressed into the glass
shower door, Richmond had her trapped. Looking around as if she
didn’t know whether she wanted to run or escape, he lifted her
shirt to her boobs and ran the head of his erection over her belly.
A sharp breath whipped from the circle of her mouth.

“
You know you want this.
Admit it.” Kayla’s whole body tensed as she nodded her head.
“Thought so.” He slid his free hand down inside her panties and
thrust two of his fingers inside her slick sex. “If you want it,
you’re going to have to ask for it.”

Gasping, her lips trembled. She
swallowed harshly. “Please.”

Richmond thrust his fingers in her
heat, and she flinched. “Please what?”

Kayla’s hands came down hard on his
shoulders as she bucked wildly on his fingers. “Please make love to
me, Richmond.” Hot need spooned inside her eyes, her breathing
intensified.

Spanking her belly with his shaft, he
demanded. “Say it louder, Kay!”

“
Please,
Richmond!”

“
What do you want,
Kay?”

“
I want you!
Now!”

Richmond yanked her shirt over her
head and pulled her jeans and panties down her thighs. He’d said he
wanted her to join him in the shower, and he damn well meant it.
Hardheaded woman. Pretending like she didn’t want him when she knew
she did from jump.

He flung open the door, turned on the
shower, then spun her around to face the counter. Waiting for the
water to warm, standing behind her, he placed a hand on her spine
and reached down between her hot thighs. Spreading her wet labia,
he gripped his concrete length and inserted the hard knob to her
entrance.

Staring at her reflection in the
mirror, her groan was deeper and huskier than he’d ever heard. She
glanced back over her shoulder at him. “More, Richmond. I need
more.”

Tenderly spreading her butt cheeks and
circling his head at her entrance, he slid further inside her
channel. “Is this want you want, Kay?” he asked, slowly sinking
inside.

Steam from the hot shower rose above
their heads, making white clouds form on the glass
mirror.