More Than a Billionaire (3 page)

“A bun it is,” she said as she pulled it into a high ponytail.

Kiera stabbed a hair stick through her bun, securing it as the intercom near the kitchen beeped. Passing the sink, she cast a glance at the overflowing mess. What she wouldn’t give for an industrial-sized dishwasher. Half the dishes in the sink wouldn’t fit in her tiny dishwasher. She had a lot of scrubbing to do later.

“I’m downstairs,” Gray said after she said hello.

“Come on in.” Kiera pressed the button that unlocked the door as she grabbed her jacket from the closet. Rather than wait for Gray to come up, Kiera shoved her arms into her jacket and walked into the hall and down the stairs.

When she hit the bottom step to the lobby, she stopped, annoyance almost making her groan. Of all the building occupants, why did Gray have to be in a conversation with
her
? Alexa Merrill, who lived in the loft next door. The one neighbor in the whole building Kiera disliked—and she suspected the feeling was mutual. They’d moved into the building the same day, yet that was about the only thing they had in common. Alexa gave the phrase “party girl” a whole new definition.

“I work Wednesday and Thursday nights at The Red Room,” Alexa told Gray as she leaned against the wall of mailboxes.

Kiera knew what type of place The Red Room was. The club posted huge billboards along the highway, which advertised the upscale strip club.

“If you’re still in town, stop by. You’ll
love
the show.”

She ought to save Gray from Alexa’s overzealous flirting, but he could probably handle it himself. His expression gave nothing away. A good friend would step in and save him, but she did find Alexa’s ability to come on to anything with a penis fascinating to watch. She, herself, had never mastered even the most basic aspects of flirting. Her neighbor, however, appeared to have a doctorate in it.

“I’m sure the show is great, but I plan to spend most of my time with family on this visit,” Gray answered, a polite smile pasted on his face.

Alexa ran a finger down Gray’s cheek, the bright pink nail polish almost blinding Kiera. “I’m free now if you want to come up. I’ll give you a sneak peek at my dance.”

Kiera ground her teeth together to keep the disgust from escaping. She seriously couldn’t believe men fell for Alexa.

“Actually, I’m having lunch with a friend.” Gray glanced at the stairs. “Hey, Kiera. Ready to go?”

Even with an exotic dancer almost groping him, Gray sounded unaffected, so maybe not all men fell under Alexa’s spell.

“Ready.” She smiled even more when Alexa’s mouth dropped open.

“Great.” Gray took her hand and always the proper gentleman, he looked at Alexa again. “Have a nice day.”

Kiera struggled to keep from looking over her shoulder as they walked out. Alexa’s gaze was on her back, and Kiera feared she’d find burns marks in that spot later on.

“You have some, shall we say,
interesting
neighbors.” Gray led her to a two-door Mercedes in the parking lot, and opened the door for her.

“I don’t know why you’d say that. She’s well liked by the men in the building. And she must have really liked you. She doesn’t offer free shows to just anyone.”

Gray shot her a dirty look. “She’s not my type.” He closed the door before she could say anything else.

He slid behind the wheel, then pulled out of the parking lot. “Trent told me about a great Indian restaurant near his office. Is that okay for lunch?”

“Sounds good.”

During the car ride from Lincoln to Providence, they talked about the wedding that weekend and the weather, of all things. So far, the winter that year had been brutal. By the time they reached the restaurant, they’d both agreed that they didn’t know why their families didn’t relocate to more tropical locations where the only ice to be found was in the kitchen freezer.

“I don’t remember the last time I had Indian food,” Gray said as a host led them to a table.

She’d eaten at the popular Indian restaurant a few times since she’d moved back to Rhode Island. Each time she did, she ordered the same thing, so while Gray studied his menu, she studied him. He resembled his older brother Trent so much that people might confuse the two of them, but Gray’s dirty blond hair was a shade darker and his eyes were a shade lighter than his brother’s Sherbrooke blue.

Man, she’d forgotten just how gorgeous Gray was. Sure, she’d seen pictures of him in the past few years, but the pictures didn’t do him justice.

“Are you ready to order?” a waiter asked, appearing at their table and disrupting her careful examination.

“Did you already decide on something?” Gray looked up from his menu.

“I always get the same meal here.”

“Then I guess we’re ready.” Gray handed over his menu. “For an appetizer, we’ll have the aloo chaat, and for my entrée, I’ll have the chole bhature.”

“Excellent choice, sir.”

Kiera placed her order, and once the waiter walked away, she turned her full attention back to Gray.

“Did you hang around your father’s and gorge yourself on my dad’s cooking yesterday?” She’d known Gray her entire life and had never been uncomfortable around him—at least until this afternoon. She didn’t know why she was now, and she didn’t like it.

The smile Gray gave her before answering didn’t help matters. “Tempting idea, but no. I’m staying at Trent’s apartment since he’s on his honeymoon. I’m stopping at my dad’s for dinner on Thursday and I’m looking forward to it.”

“I can’t get used to the words
Trent
and
married
in the same sentence.”

“A few months ago, I would’ve agreed with you, but he seems happy. My family adores Addison and my dad’s excited that he’s about to become a grandfather.”

She hoped her mouth wasn’t hanging open too much. “Trent’s going to be a
dad
?” Her voice came out louder than she’d intended.

Gray laughed. “Hard to believe, but yes, Addison’s pregnant. They haven’t told many people.”

The short engagement now made more sense. “My lips are sealed. She doesn’t look pregnant.”

“She’s…” Gray frowned “I’m not sure how many months along she is.”

“When’s she due?”

Gray cringed. “I don’t know.”

The Sherbrookes were a tight family despite the distance that separated some of them. “You don’t know when your niece or nephew is due?”

“When Trent told me, I was about to board a plane for Spain. Or maybe it was Greece. I don’t remember.”

She didn’t miss the annoyance in his voice. “Fair enough. So are you still living in New York City?”

“Technically, yes. But I don’t think I’ve slept in my own bed in weeks.”

Kiera should resist the temptation to ask, but he’d made it to easy. “So whose bed have you been sleeping in?”

The question hung in the air, and Kiera wished she’d asked him if he’d seen any good movies recently because who he spent time with wasn’t any of her business.

“Forget I said that, Gray.”

Gray shrugged. “We’ve known each other too long for that question to bother me. Work has kept me from home. I even missed my dad’s Christmas party last year.”

“I know. Everyone missed you.” Her question might not bother him, but she needed to be more careful. She couldn’t ask him every question that popped into her head.

“You went this year?”

Kiera didn’t answer until the waiter set their appetizer on the table.

“Yup and it was great. As always.”

Over the years, she’d attended several of Mark Sherbrooke’s Christmas parties and even a few of the Sherbrookes’ New Year’s Eve parties, but last December’s had been the first one in three years.

“I think the last time I saw you before Saturday night was at a Christmas party.”

Kiera searched her memory. “You’re right. You were with Melanie Franklin.”

“We broke up three years ago.”

“I remember. It was all over the magazines. Every article said some ex-boyfriend of hers came between you two.”

Gray stabbed the potato on his plate. “Not even close. She wanted to get married; I didn’t.”

“That makes more sense. I don’t think any female would pick another guy over you.” Heat climbed up the back of her neck. She shouldn’t have said that. She was without a doubt losing her mind.

Gray laughed. “Strange things do happen. Like my brother getting married.”

Kiera rolled her eyes. “Let’s change the subject. Your ego doesn’t need any more boosting today.”

“Ouch. That hurt, but if you insist…” Gray reached for his fork again “Since you don’t want to talk about me, let’s talk about you.” Gray stabbed another potato his full attention on her.

They spent the rest of lunch catching up and reliving childhood memories, most of which Gray hadn’t thought of in years. The more they talked, the more he realized just how much he’d missed being able to sit down and have an enjoyable lunch with a friend. More and more, it seemed he either spent his time alone or with business associates.

“When will those cupcakes be ready?” Gray pulled into a spot behind Kiera’s building a few hours later.

“Depends. When are you going back to New York City?”

“I’m planning to leave on Friday.”

“Then they’ll be ready on Saturday.”

“Thanks a lot. Some friend you are.”

Kiera smiled at him, then reached for her door handle. “I’m kidding. If you really want cupcakes, I’ll bake some for you. I can drop them off at Trent’s apartment on my way to work one night.”

He almost took her hand in his, but, at the last moment, he stopped himself and squeezed her leg instead. “I was joking, but thank you.” Gray dropped his hand into his lap. Time to get them both out of the car before he made an ass of himself and did something he’d regret later. “Come on. I’ll walk you up.”

Keep your eyes on her bun
. Gray repeated the sentence as he followed Kiera upstairs. Unfortunately, his brain kept interpreting the word
bun
for
bum,
and his eyes kept dropping to that very attractive part of her body. Jeans had obviously been created with a butt like hers in mind.

“Thanks again for lunch today. It was a lot of fun, but I wish you let me pay for half,” Kiera said as she unlocked her apartment door.

It had been fun, and he wished the afternoon wasn’t about to end. “You can pay next time.”

“Sure. The next time you’re in town, give me a call.”

Judging by her tone, Kiera didn’t expect to see him again anytime soon. He guessed he deserved that kind of response.

“I’d invite you in, but I really need to get ready for work.”

“Don’t worry about it. I understand. I should get back to Trent’s place anyway. Derek is coming by tonight.”

Kiera pushed her apartment door open. “Tell him I said hello.” She took a step forward but didn’t continue inside. Instead, she leaned toward him and placed a sisterly kiss on his cheek. “It was great catching up today. Have a safe trip home.”

The desire to back Kiera into her apartment and kiss her like she’d never been kissed before overtook him. He stepped toward her, just one kiss, and then he’d go.

Down the hall a door opened, and he froze. “Have a nice night.”

It took most of his will power, but Gray made it downstairs and outside without doing anything stupid. Despite the small victory, he couldn’t shake the image of laying Kiera down on the closest flat surface, removing all her clothes and kissing every inch of her.

How could someone he’d rarely thought about in years now hold all his attention? Not to mention, what the thought of her was doing to his body. Gray suspected tonight was going to be one hell of a long night.

Gray stopped in front of his dad’s house and looked around. From the outside, it looked the same. As far as he knew, his dad hadn’t changed the exterior since he and Gray’s mom designed it a year after they married. The same couldn’t be said about the interior.

His mom had preferred a more classic style, much like her husband. His dad’s second wife, a woman Gray suspected his father had never truly loved, had preferred a contemporary look. Mere months after she’d moved in, she redecorated the entire mansion, erasing any hint of Gray’s mom. Thankfully, that marriage had lasted only a year—and everyone was happy when it ended.

Not long after the divorce, his dad had the place redecorated again, so it resembled the home Gray remembered. When his father remarried a third time eight years ago, the whole family had held their breath when Abby decided the place needed a few changes. Much to everyone’s relief, Abby’s changes were minor ones.

However, according to Allison, his stepmother had done some redecorating once again over the summer. He hoped the place didn’t resemble the inside of his father’s downtown office. Trent had told him all about the major changes Abby made there. According to his brother, the office resembled the set of a futuristic movie.

Gray pulled open the front door and stopped. Even after all these years, he sometimes expected his mom to be waiting inside for him. Today, though, like on his last visit, the foyer remained empty, the chandelier casting shadows on the floor.

“Gray, you’re here.” Abby walked into the foyer and smiled at him. “Your dad just got home.” Abby hugged him and kissed his cheek.

He didn’t hesitate to return the gesture. He liked and respected her, something he couldn’t say about his father’s second wife. Even more important than the fact that he liked her, was the fact that Abby made his dad happy.

“Allison is here, too,” Abby said as she started walking down the hallway.

He followed his stepmother through the house, a place he hadn’t lived in for years and avoided as much as possible. Not that he didn’t love his family; he adored them all, but being inside the house regardless of its current decorating trend always brought back memories of his mom, a woman who had died fifteen years ago whom he still missed.

He suspected his dad understood that and that was why he didn’t nag him about visiting. Instead, his dad came to see him in New York or saw him when Gray visited Cliff House in Newport.