Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (23 page)

“
Vos l
è
vres sont mon b
é
atitude
. Of course, I remember telling you that your lips are my bliss, Boots.
”
He kisses me.
“
Especially because they still are.
”

“
I love the name. It
’
s perfect for her.
”
I rub the puppy
’
s ears.
“
What do you think,
Bliss
?
”

The puppy lays her head on Aiden
’
s chest, sighs, and closes her eyes.
 

“
She
’
s in love with you, just like I am,
”
I tell Aiden, lying my head on his shoulder, sighing, and feeling pretty blissful myself.
“
When I went to my doctor’s appointment, he told me the date when we probably conceived. Remember the day we were up at the vineyard, and we took the Gator out, got caught in the rain, and ended up covered in mud?
”

“
I remember you kissing me and telling me it reminded you of when we got caught in the rain that night at the Cave in high school.
”

“
That was one of the best kisses of my entire life,
”
I confess.
“
So was the one in the mud, apparently.
”

“
You think that
’
s when we got pregnant?
”

“
It had to be. You
’
d been traveling, and I
’
d been filming. Remember, we met up there for the weekend?
”

“
I do remember,
”
he says, gently caressing my face.
“
I also remember you laughing, stripping off my clothes, and telling me I was a filthy boy.
”

“
Things got dirtier after that,
”
I laugh.
“
I just thought that was kind of fun. It was spur of the moment. One of the best kisses of my life followed by one of the best sexual experiences of my life
—
that resulted in us being pregnant.
”

He picks the puppy up off his chest and gently puts her in her kennel. When he gets back in bed, he pulls me close and gives me another one of his amazing kisses.
 

Which definitely leads to something more.

Shelby
’
s Bungalow - Sunset Boulevard

SHELBY

Riley walks into my bungalow
—
doesn
’
t that just sound so cool,
my bungalow
—
and I
’
m waiting with drink in hand. He
’
s been coming over every night, and even though he says he doesn
’
t do commitment, he sure seems committed to learning more about me.
 

Although, we’ve done more fucking than talking, he did take me to a charity event last night. Which I thought was a positive step. And I looked totally ah-mazing in one of the evening gowns I bought this week. Okay, so technically I didn
’
t buy it. And I
’
m going to have to figure out something quick. Although I have a very nice roof over my head and all the spa, food, and drinks I could want, I
’
m going to need some money, and I haven
’
t worked in a while.
 

Not to mention, my boss is threatening to fire me if I don
’
t work this weekend. But I
’
ll be honest, I
’
d rather stay here than work.

Riley takes his suit jacket off and makes himself at home.
 

“
I ordered us a romantic dinner to be served here,
”
I tell him.
“
Thought we could stay in tonight.
”

“
That sounds good,
”
he says, pulling off his tie.
“
It
’
s been a busy day. What did you do?
”

“
I had a doctor
’
s appointment,
”
I lie.

“
What did he say? Everything progressing well?
”

Oh, yes, I think, things are progressing perfectly
—
except for one minor detail.
 

“
He said my blood pressure was a bit high and suggested I stay off my feet. I
’
m back on the schedule at work next week, and I
’
m not sure what I
’
m going to do.
”

“
How much do you make there, including tips?
”

I give him a number that is about double what I really make.

“
Wow, that
’
s not bad,
”
he whistles.

I prance over next to him, letting him get an eyeful of my chest.
“
What can I say? Guys like to look, and as long as I don
’
t mind and bring them their drinks, they tip well.
”

“
If the doctor wants you off your feet, you need to listen to him. Why don
’
t you look for a job doing something where you can sit?
”

“
No one is going to hire someone who is pregnant, Riley.
”

“
You can
’
t even tell you
’
re pregnant.
”

“
I
’
ll be showing soon enough.
”

“
Tell you what. I
’
ll give you an allowance of what you usually make while you look for a job. How
’
s that sound?
”

“
Oh, Riley! You are so wonderful!
”
I allow myself to fall across his lap and then kiss his neck.

Unfortunately, the doorbell rings.
 

I give his crotch a squeeze as I get up.
“
Maybe we should skip dinner and go straight to dessert.
”

He chases after me, slapping my ass.
“
Why don
’
t I let room service in while you go get naked?
”

“
Sounds like a plan.
”
 

I go into the bedroom and strip down, deciding to put on one of the new pieces of lingerie I bought. This gown is a gorgeous silk and lace chemise, and it
’
s very different from my usual sex-store stuff.

But it still shows off my body. My boobs are spilling out over the front, and my ass is showcased by the short hemline.

Riley will love it. Especially once he sees what I ordered for
dinner
.

“
This is an interesting meal,
”
he says, carrying the tray of chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate sauce, and freshly made whipped cream into the bedroom.
“
You
’
re not naked.
”

“
What do you think of what I
’
m wearing?
”

He brushes his hand across the silk.
“
It
’
s too pretty to get covered in chocolate. Take it off.
”
I do as he asks. I love when he
’
s bossy and commanding.
“
Undress me, then cover me with something on this tray, and eat it off.
”

I strip off the lingerie and am unzipping his pants when his phone rings.
 

He looks at the number, says,
“
I need to take this,
”
and steps out of the room.

I carefully open the door just a bit so I can eavesdrop. And based on the gentle tone of his voice, I know he
’
s talking to
her.
 

And we can
’
t have that.

Shelby
’
s Bungalow - Sunset Boulevard

RILEY

“
Riley, we were supposed to talk this week,” Ariela says to me when I take the call. “I know you were upset over the note, but at Eastbrooke we promised to put the past behind us and focus on our future. On if we have a future.
”

“
I wanted that, but now I
’
m not sure about all this. I can
’
t begin to understand why you did what you did to me.
”

“
I can
’
t understand why you never contacted me either. You act like you
’
re the only one who got hurt. I knew I was going to hurt you, Riley, but I never imagined you
’
d completely give up on us.
”

“I can’t deal with this right now. We’ll talk this weekend,” I say then hang up.

Just as I end the call, the doorbell rings again. I answer it to find room service with a full-blown steak dinner.
 

“
Hey, Shelby, get dressed. Let
’
s eat. I
’
m starving.
”

She comes out
—
naked this time
—
and sits down at the table.
“
Did I hear you saying something about this weekend?
”

“
Yeah, I have an out-of-town event to attend.
”

“
Oh, how fun! What should I pack? Do I need to get anything new?
”

Part of me wants to take her to the wedding so that I can show Ariela I don
’
t need her.
 

I really don
’
t understand my desire to hurt Ariela when all I
’
ve ever wanted to do is love her. But if I take Shelby, I
’
m pretty sure we
’
d never get back together. I
’
d be putting the final nail in our love coffin.
 

And I
’
m not ready to do that.

“
No, it
’
s a small private event. Friends and family only.
”

“
Where is it?
”

“
Northern California. Wine country.
”

“
Keatyn and Aiden have a winery up there. Is that where you
’
re going?
”

“
No,
”
I lie.
“
It's just a fundraiser.
”

“
A fundraiser for friends and family only? That sounds more like a wedding. Surely, you can bring a guest.
”

“
I
’
m going to be busy and wouldn
’
t be able to entertain you.
”

“
I can entertain myself. It would be good to get away.
”

“
Except the doctor suggested you stay off your feet. You
’
d be on your feet at this event, so it
’
s probably best for you and the baby to stay put.
”

“
But
—”
she presses.
“
Maybe I
’
ll stowaway in your suitcase.
”

“
Look, Shelby, I
’
ve been here every night trying to get to know you better.
”

“
I
’
ll say. Last night you got to know my ass pretty up close and personal.
”

I stop eating and put my fork down.
“
You
’
re right. I did. Is that not something you
’
d like to continue?
”