More Than a Billionaire (16 page)

“Much better.” Kiera came out rubbing a towel over her hair. She dropped the towel in the laundry hamper then crossed to the bed. “You look comfy.” She kneeled beside him.

“Comfortable but lonely.”

She smiled and leaned forward, the deep V-neck of her t-shirt giving him an eyeful. His hands wanted to be full, so he cupped one breast, flicking his thumb against her nipple, and ran his other hand up her thigh.

“Still lonely?” She kissed him, and his good intentions when out the window.

Gray gave control to Kiera. She didn’t disappoint. She coaxed his lips apart and rubbed her tongue against his as her hands moved across his body.

When she pulled the blankets down, he broke their kiss. “I thought you were tired?”

Her hand traveled lower, and he grabbed her wrist. If she went any farther, he’d never be able to stop.

“My shower woke me up.” She wiggled her hand free. “And I’ve been thinking about you all night.” She pulled her t-shirt off. “But if you’d rather sleep, we can do that instead.”

He never imagined Kiera had such a sexy side, but he liked it. “We’ll both sleep in tomorrow morning.” Gray pulled her on top of him and neither spoke again.

Kiera inhaled deeply, the incredible scent of coffee the perfect thing to wake up to.

Why am I waking up to it?
 

She reached out expecting to feel warm skin, but her hand landed on cool cotton instead. Kiera opened her eyes. The blankets on the other side were tossed back and wrinkled. The pillow sat at an odd angle and there was no sign of Gray. Disappointment settled in her chest as Kiera sat up, but it vanished when she spotted Gray’s suitcase. He hadn’t jetted off for work again.

Another strong whiff of coffee floated into the room. Eager for it, as well as Gray’s company, she pushed back the covers and got up. Rather than call out a greeting when she got downstairs, she watched Gray in kitchen for a few seconds.
I’m definitely one lucky girl.
 

“You made breakfast?”

Gray faced the microwave, but turned at her voice. “Don’t worry, I didn’t cook it, so it’s safe to eat.” He pulled out a chair. “Did I wake you?” He kissed her after she sat, then went back to the counter. “I tried not to make too much noise when I left.” He came back carrying a large bowl of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee.

“What else have you been up to?”

“I did some work, before I went to the bakery. The woman there promised I only needed to heat up the quiche. I got some muffins, too, if you don’t like it.” He placed the food on the table.

Kiera reached for him. “I love yo—.”

Her brain registered her words, and she dropped his hand. “I mean… I love it.” She looked down at her empty plate. “I can’t believe you did all this. Thank you.” How had she let
that
slip? She’d been waiting until he said he loved her to tell him.

Gray forced her chin up with his fingers, but she kept her eyes averted. “Why do you think I
bought
breakfast instead of cooking it?”

“Because you don’t know how to cook?”

“Yup. I love you too much to make you eat my cooking.” He appeared happy, not at all about to bolt out the door because she’d dropped the dreaded L-word.

“Since I love you, I’ll give you some cooking lessons.” Now, that she’d told him how she felt, she didn’t know why she’d waited so long.

Gray took the seat next to her. “You must really love me if you’re volunteering to do that. I’m a mess in the kitchen. It could take years to teach me even the basics. Are you up for that?”

“I love you to much to care how bad you are in the kitchen.” His warm hand wrapped around hers, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. “And don’t worry I’ll have you boiling water and making pasta in two or three years.”

“Sounds good but what do you get out of the deal?” He picked up a strawberry and fed it to her. “I could teach you all about international finance.”

“Sounds boring.”

Gray frowned. “You’re right. Fortunately, there’s another thing I’m really good at.”

“Which is?”

He leaned a little closer. “Sex. I could repay the favor with sex.”

Gray’s hot breath traveled across her skin, making her nipples tingle.

“Perfect. We can start your cooking lessons right after we come back downstairs. I require prepayment.”

Gray gave her a smile that made her toes curl, and then he fed her another strawberry.

“Why bother going upstairs?” He licked the strawberry juice off her lips.

She didn’t care if they did it on the table. Kiera stood and pulled her panties off. Her t-shirt followed.

“I could look at you all day.” Gray reached for her.

“Less talk and more removing your clothes.” She grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt.

Eventually, they made their way back to breakfast. It didn’t take Kiera long to finish a muffin and while Gray finished his own food, she sipped her coffee and watched him.

He loved her. The word sent waves of emotion through her. Happiness, which bordered on full-out giddiness, left her smiling.

Her mom meant well, but in this case she didn’t know anything. Any man who would go out of his way and surprise her with breakfast couldn’t be wrong for her.

“How long will it take you to teach me how to make pancakes? I’d like to make you breakfast sometime without going to the bakery first.”

“Seven or eight years.”

“That’s fine with me, but you’re going to be eating a lot of muffins until then.”

If he served her a muffin every morning for the next fifty years she’d eat it and not complain.

Kiera’s phone on the counter beeped letting her know she had a text message. Grabbing her coffee mug so she could refill it, she went and picked up her phone.

Your dad is excited to spend the evening with his two girls, but your grandparents are not coming.

She detected an underlying message in the text. Either her mom wanted to know if Gray would be there, or she was trying to tell her that Gray didn’t belong.

Then again, Kiera supposed the message could be her mom’s way of saying that her dad didn’t want Gray there.

Throughout her childhood, her father had been overprotective. He’d refused to let her sleep over a friend’s house until she turned twelve, and she hadn’t been allowed to date until seventeen. Could her dad share her mom’s opinion? If they both believed she and Gray didn’t belong together, would they think differently if they knew she loved him? What if they knew he loved her? And he did love her.

Gray had a humorous side, but he wouldn’t joke about something like that. He wouldn’t merely say the words because she had said them.

Okay, see you tonight.
Kiera typed the message and pressed send.

Maybe having him there tonight would change her mom’s mind. Perhaps when Mom saw how happy they made each other, she’d realize she was wrong.

“Did you decide on a meal for tonight?” Gray’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“I decided on sear-roasted beef tenderloin with a cognac-peppercorn cream sauce. It’s one of my dad’s favorites. I’m going to serve broiled asparagus and artichokes with it. Birthday cake, too, but not chocolate. My dad prefers vanilla. I’ll need to go shopping this morning.”

Gray stacked the breakfast plates and brought them to the sink. “If you make a list, I’ll go so you can take care of whatever you need to around here.”

She watched him load the dishwasher. The sight of him doing something so domestic didn’t jive with the persona she’d read about for the past several years.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You keep surprising me. First, breakfast, and now you’re doing the dishes. What’s next? Vacuuming?”

Gray’s sexy smile hinted at things to come. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I better do it myself. I know where everything is so I’ll be quicker. The place is a zoo on Saturdays.”

“What can I do while you’re gone?”

He sounded sincere about helping, but she couldn’t ask him to dust and vacuum. “Maybe pick up some wine? Something that’ll go with beef tenderloin.”

“I can do that. Anything else?”

“A kiss before I get dressed.”

Gray’s shoulders sagged, and he shook his head, his mouth set in a frown. “I hoped you’d ask me to help you in the shower.”

Kiera’s pulse shot up at the mental image his words created.

“I could get your back for you.” His voice simmered with passion and promises.

Fudge.
If she didn’t get out of her soon, she’d never leave. “How about after I get everything ready for tonight?” She brushed her lips against his and pulled back before either of them got carried away.

“Don’t be long.” He turned her toward the stairs, slapped her butt, and then gave her a little push.

***

She survived the packed grocery story and arrived home before Gray got back. Free from the delectable distraction that was Gray Sherbrooke, Kiera lost herself in preparations for dinner. Once she did all the food prep she could, she turned her attention to cleaning. No one ever used the words
neat
and
tidy
to describe her. Most days, that didn’t bother her. If she decided to leave her magazines on tables and her dirty socks on her bedroom floor, it affected no one but her, a definite perk to living alone. So far, Gray hadn’t commented on it either so she assumed it didn’t bother him.

Her parents, especially her dad, viewed her lack of housekeeping skills in an entirely different light. Numerous times growing up, she’d been grounded when her bedroom didn’t meet his standards. He could no longer ground her, but he’d let his opinion be known if he found her apartment less than perfect. If he made such comments with her mom there, Kiera would brush them off. With Gray joining them tonight, however, she’d rather avoid any negative comments from her dad. Since her parents had no reason to examine her bedroom for an unmade bed or stray sock, she focused her attention on the living room.

As of late she made a conscious effort to keep the room in better shape. Ever since Gray’s first kiss, she’d hung up her jacket and brought her shoes upstairs rather than leave them by the couch or wherever else she’d kicked them off. She’d started sorting the junk mail that often lingered on the table every few days so a month’s worth didn’t build up. A few of her favorite magazines did remain on the coffee table now, but since she’d already read them, she tossed them into the recycling bin. She then moved on to vacuuming, an activity that took little time thanks to the size of her apartment.

Once done in the living room, Kiera moved on and finished the rest of the loft.

With everything in order, Kiera stretched out on the bed. She couldn’t officially start cooking dinner for another few hours, and the cake was cooling, which meant the only thing she had left was to shower.

Shower.
Gray’s words earlier teased her and brought up all kinds of visions. She’d expected him back a while ago. He’d only gone for wine. Had he decided to pick up a few other things while out? Or had he run into friends.

Whatever kept him; she hoped he got back soon. In the meantime, she’d close her eyes for a few minutes. She’d slept later than normal this morning, but thanks to Gray, she’d gotten little sleep the night before. Kiera rolled onto her side and pressed her face into the pillow Gray slept on. The scent of his shampoo still lingered. Memories of the way he’d held her and touched her made her smile. Soon, those memories led to how she’d showed him her love, and she again hoped he got his cute butt home soon.

***

“Hey there, love.”

Warm lips touched her cheek, and she snuggled deeper into her pillow.

“Time to wake up.”

Something heavy dropped over her waist, and a solid form pressed against her back. Kiera touched the object now resting against her stomach. It felt like a hand. She moved her fingers upward across warm skin.

“Your parents will be here soon.”

Gray’s words sent her eyes open wide, and she rolled onto her back.

“Have a nice nap?”

Nap? She intended to lie down for a few minutes not fall asleep. “What time is it?”

“Almost three-thirty.” Gray leaned over at the same time she bolted upright, causing her to bump her head in his chin.

“Fudge.” Kiera rubbed her head. “That doesn’t give me a lot of time.”

“Fudge? You can’t think of a better swear than that?” Gray rubbed his chin where she’d bumped him.

Kiera scooted off the bed. Before she got dinner going and frosted the cake, she needed a shower. “My vocabulary isn’t as educated as yours.” She pulled her t-shirt off. “I need a shower. I’ll be back.”

“I thought you wanted help with that?”

She’d spent much of the afternoon thinking about that. “I need to make this quick. You should have gotten back sooner. What took you so long anyway? Did you go all the way to California for the wine?”

“After I bought it, I decided I should get your dad a present. It took me awhile to settle on something.” Gray came and stood near her. “Your dad still likes the theater, right?”

Kiera pressed her lips together and nodded, otherwise she feared she’d tell him he was the most thoughtful man alive. His ego didn’t need any boosting.

“Good. I got him and your mom tickets for a Broadway show next month. I booked them a suite at The Sherbrooke Regency in New York, too.”

“Gray, that’s—” Kiera stopped herself. For most people, Broadway Tickets and a stay at that particular hotel would put them in the hole for few months. Gray Sherbrooke didn’t fall into that group. If she wanted any proof about how far apart their stations in life were, there it was, right in front of her. “You didn’t have to get him anything.”

“I wanted to.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her. “Are you sure we don’t have time for that shower?” He pulled away and looked at her. The love and passion she saw reflected in his eyes left her wondering how she’d gotten so lucky.

“Unfortunately, I’m positive. Later, though, you have an appointment with a washcloth and my back.”