Marrying the Millionaire (35 page)

Kayla dabbed the paper towel at the
corners of her eyes. “I’m going to tell him later on today. I tried
telling him yesterday, but all he wanted to do was make love to me,
and sleep. After the horrible night he’d had at the hospital, and
with the tree falling on the house, I felt he needed some rest. But
I plan on telling him today.”

“
I agree. You have to tell
him.” Alana threw her arms up in the air. “Well, there goes my
fantasy about Dirk and me.”

Kayla’s eyes fixated on the time on
the microwave. “Dang. Look at the time. I’m supposed to meet
Richmond at the beach house by three-thirty. The furniture for our
master bedroom is being delivered today.”

“
Don’t tell him about
Granddaddy until after you break the bed in.”

Kayla couldn’t help but laugh at what
her sister said.

TWO HOURS AFTER THE FURNITURE had been
delivered to the beach house, Richmond and Kayla strolled along the
soft sand of the ocean, holding hands. Darkness was quickly
approaching. Nervous to tell Richmond about Leroy, a cool breeze
twirled up the ends of Kayla’s hair.

Richmond squeezed Kayla’s hand. “I
guess Isabelle’s Christmas wish for you to be her mother will soon
come true.” Silence swayed in the air. Oh God, give her the
strength to tell Richmond she wasn’t marrying him.

Noticing an ivory colored beach canopy
propped up in the sand a few feet away from her, Kayla’s heart
wrenched. She gazed out at the water, then back at Richmond’s face.
“Remember the other day, when I said I had something to tell you?”
Nervousness gripped her.

The love Richmond felt for Kayla
sparked inside his eyes. “Yes. You want to talk about it
now?”

Fearful, Kayla
nodded.
God, please let him
understand
. “Yes. When I first moved
here—”

“
Excuse me, my cell is
ringing.” Richmond dropped the cell to his hear. “What’s up?”
Frowning, he rolled his eyes. His brows creased. “He what? When?” A
deep sigh. “Well, he’s always been stubborn like that. Thinks he
knows everything. Call me if you hear anything.” Shaking his head,
he placed his cell back in the clip attached to his hip. “Russell
decided to check himself out of the hospital without the doctor’s
permission, and now he’s nowhere to be found. He left a note with
one of the nurses, saying he was going away for a long time. I’m
not letting him spoil my night with you. Come.” Tugging her hand,
he led her farther down the beach toward the canopy.

Building up the courage to tell
Richmond about Leroy, she tried to wave aside her constant
hesitancy. “As I was saying, there’s something I—”

Kayla’s breath caught when she stepped
inside the large canopy. An ivory fur blanket lay spread on the
sand. In the corner sat a huge blue crystal vase, overflowing with
red roses. Two lanterns glowed brightly on the ground, casting
their shadows on the back of the canopy’s fabric.

Gazing heatedly into Kayla’s eyes,
Richmond slid his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a tiny red
velvet box. Holding the box up to her face, he popped back the lid.
A huge round diamond glistened inside.

She felt her eyes widen with
astonishment. Her heartbeat soared. Gawking at the diamond,
affections surged through her.

“
I know I’ve already asked
you to marry me, and you agreed. But this ring is a symbol of my
undying love for you, Kay. It makes our engagement official.”
Smiling, Richmond plucked the diamond from the slit, grabbed
Kayla’s hand, and slid the rock up her trembling wedding
finger.

Spreading her fingers, she brought her
hand up to her smiling face. “It’s beautiful, Richmond. I love it.”
Nose burning, she sniffed. Tears of joy shot to her
eyes.

As she dropped her wedding hand to her
side, he cupped her neck and face. “I’m glad you like it, Kay. I
love you, woman. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with
you.” Richmond flopped down on the blanket, reached for Kayla’s
hand, then pulled her into his lap.

Curving his arms around her waist, he
mashed the side of his face to hers. His flaccid rod turned to
concrete against her butt. “There’s some gourmet sandwiches, salad,
and pasta in the picnic basket. We can eat in a little if you want,
but first let me just hold you. I love holding you. Love sitting
here gazing out at the ocean with you in my arms. I can never get
enough of you.”

Pushing her long hair from her nape,
he kissed her neck. Chills skittered up her spine. Holding her hand
out, she looked at the ring glistening on her finger. She hated she
had to give it back. God, why hadn’t she told him about Leroy a
long time ago?

Putting her right hand to her wedding
finger, Kayla’s lips threatened to erupt with a loud whimper. Still
sitting with her back to him, he didn’t realize she was twisting
the ring, trying to take it off so she could give it back to him.
Some lucky woman other than her deserved this ring.

Richmond slid his large hand into the
low dip of her shirt and cupped her breast. Flicking his finger
over her taut nipple, desire coursed through her veins. Need pooled
in her core. She felt her center go slick between the fluttering
lips of her labia.

Richmond shifted her in his arms,
forcing her sideways in his lap. Kayla gazed up at him to find his
eyes flickering with heat. “Your eyes, they’re wet. I made you so
happy, you’re about to cry.” Yes, she was about to cry, but not for
the reason he believed.

She parted her mouth to tell him it
was over, but his lips crashed into hers, sending shock waves
through her system. Listening to the ocean waves crash up against
the edges of the sandy beach, she savored his tongue. Savored the
present memory of the beautiful moment being shared between the two
of them. This romantic moment would forever be embedded inside her
head. Her heart. Her soul.

Kissing her feverishly, Richmond slid
his hands inside Kayla’s jeans, pushed her panties to the side,
then inserted his fingers in her heat. Her entrance clenched with
desire. “You’re hot and wet. Just like I like you.” Swirling his
fingers inside her heat, she groaned huskily. Giving in to the
tender strokes of his probing fingers, her hips began
gyrating.

Latching on to his aroused gaze, her
channel suctioned his fingers. Her body tensed. Electricity sizzled
her skin, and she exploded. As her release squirted from her core
into the flat palm of his hand and thrusting fingers, her body went
rigid in his lap.

“
I feel you cumming, Kay.
Cum. Cum,” he urged, continuing to pump her.

Richmond rotated his arms, placing her
beneath him. Hovering over her, he zipped down his jeans. Her eyes
lowered to his lap. His shaft looked like a hard, chocolate banana.
Firm. Delicious. Yearning to place him inside her mouth, Kayla’s
mouth watered. Her tingling nipples snapped into hard
peas.

Flipping the script, knowing this may
be her last time tasting him, she scooted down the fur, clenched
his erection, and slid him in her mouth. Bobbing her head up and
down his shaft, a dull ache formed in Kayla’s center. Although
she’d just exploded on his fingers, she needed his member inside
her opening. Needed to make tender, passionate love to her body one
more time.

Deep grunts and moans wound from
Richmond’s lips as she curled her lips tighter around his solid
tool. Palming the back of her head, he fisted his erection and fed
it to her. Glided it over her moving lips. In and out of her mouth.
Twirling her tongue over his bulbous head, she tenderly massaged
his hard jewels. She placed her hands on his behind and felt the
muscles of his butt cheeks flex and squeeze with every rock of his
hips.

Sucking the life out of him, she
squeezed her jaws. His hands found her shoulders. A moment later,
his fingers threaded her hair. He fisted his manhood, tried to pull
out of her mouth, but she gripped him with the inner strong muscles
of her cheeks. “Kay, stop. Let me go. I’m about to…” Ignoring him,
she placed her fist beneath his and sucked harder.

Kayla locked her gaze with Richmond’s.
His eyes burst with flames. Rocking his hips, he thrust in and out
of her mouth. She sucked him to the back of her throat, spat him
out, then did it again. And again.

Groaning hoarsely, he shuddered, then
shot inside her mouth. Kayla’s cheeks expanded as his seed
shattered on her tongue. Loving the taste of his milky fluid, she
gladly swallowed it.

Peering down at her, he put a finger
to her chin and tilted her head back. “Whoa! I wasn’t expecting
that.” He flopped down beside her on the fur. “I didn’t think you
were the swallowing type.”

His creamy, salty aftermath still
clung to her tongue. “It was my first time, Richmond.”

Richmond dropped a quick kiss to her
mouth. “Thanks for doing that for me. I enjoyed the hell out of it.
But just so you know, I’d never ask you to do such a thing. I only
want you to do it if you want to. That goes for everything. The
only thing I want from you is to be happy. And to be mine.” Draping
an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer into his masculine
frame.

His declaration caused a flash of wild
grief to rip through her as she briefly stared at the ocean.
Darkness had finally faltered upon them. “I know you put my needs
first. My concerns first. My joy first. That’s why it’s killing me
to tell you—”

Richmond’s cell buzzed again for the
second time this evening. “I’m sorry, Kay. But I have to take this.
It may be about my father. Hopefully, he took his behind back to
the hospital.”

“
I understand. Go ahead and
answer it.”

“
Hello.” Silence. His face
crinkled. “Can this wait?” Nothing. “Okay, I’m on my way.” Richmond
hopped to his feet. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but an emergency
has come up and I gotta go.”

He reached for her hand and helped her
to her feet. “Where are you going?”

“
I’ll tell you all about it
when I get back. Keep your body warm for me.” Richmond took off
toward their beach home, leaving her behind. Well, not her home;
his home. She’d never get to live in the house she was so looking
forward to spending a lifetime in.

THE TIRES ON RICHMOND’S RANGE Rover
screeched as he came to an abrupt stop in front of Don’s private
investigative office. Throwing the gear in park, he wondered what
could be so urgent that Don had wanted him to stop everything and
run straight to his office this late in the evening. He’d just
gotten the best blow job ever, and it’d been hard as hell for him
to leave Kayla on the beach alone the way he had.

Wondering if Don finally
knew who’d murdered Salina, Richmond shoved the door open with his
shoulder and clambered out of the truck. Entering Don’s building,
he couldn’t wait to hear what he had to say. Bypassing the
receptionist desk, Richmond’s mind traveled to his father. The dumb
fool had left the hospital without the doctor’s permission. Seeking
attention, Russell had left a note saying he was leaving town for
good and was never coming back.
He’ll be
back.

Reaching the end of the hallway,
Richmond entered Don’s office. Sitting in the chair behind his
desk, Don stood. “Richmond. Come on in.” He stalked up to Don’s
desk, and the two men shook hands.

“
So what was so urgent you
needed to see me right away?”

Don looked fatigued. “You need to sit
down for this.”

“
No, thanks. I’ll
stand.”

Crinkles appeared on Don’s forehead.
“No, trust me. You want to sit for what I’m about to tell
you.”

Don finally knows who
killed Salina.
“I’m not sitting, Don. Now
tell me what’s going on.”

Don’s shoulders rocked as he blew out
a deep breath. “There’s no easy way to tell you this.”

“
Skip the intro, please,
and get to it.”

Animation jumped on Don’s face. “I’m
not sure if you know this, but your father and Kayla’s grandfather
were the best of friends before he died. Kayla’s grandfather’s name
was Leroy Van Buren. Leroy provided medical care to your parents.
Even after they divorced, he continued seeing them. But he didn’t
have a medical license. He practiced medicine using natural herbs,
etc.”