Stepbrother: Instant Spark (Stepbrother Billionaire Romance) (Stepbrother Romantic Suspense)

Instant Spark

Stepbrother Billionaire Romance
 

L.A. Pierson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.

The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are completely fiction and are in no way meant to represent real people or places.

Copyright 2015 © L.A. Pierson

All rights reserved.

First Edition October, 2015

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Lucy didn’t know why she was surprised when her mother had called her to announce that she and Walter Davies were getting married. It would be her fourth marriage in the last twenty years. Lucy had really hoped that after the last husband - a man who had owned nothing but a fishing boat and a bad attitude - her mother would finally settle down on her own and stop searching for a spouse to fill a void.

The bewildered daughter simply couldn’t understand it. She herself had always been single and loved the freedom of being on her own. Sure, there were nights when
hypothetically
she wondered what it would be like to get lost in the eyes of a stranger and completely swept off her feet in a romantic whirlwind of passion, but realistically, she knew that such adventures were best saved for rom-com movies and women like her mother, for whom every man was ‘the one’.

Her mother, Ellen, hated the fact that Lucy had been single for all of her twenty-five years. She always commented on how Lucy was such a
pretty
girl and that she could have any man she wanted if only she would just
make an effort
. Lucy always rolled her eyes at such recommendations. It was true that she was what most people would consider attractive. She had a slim figure without being skinny and naturally blonde hair that fell to her shoulders and framed a face with big, beautiful green eyes and high cheekbones. All her life Lucy could have had her pick of men, but somehow, she’d always found that she preferred to be alone. Who would pick an argument over which restaurant to go to, when one could just as easily wander alone into a quiet little coffee shop and enjoy her own company? It was very rarely that Lucy longed for the company of men and when she did, it was much more often through a desire to fulfill her sexual needs rather than feeling like she needed a relationship to be whole.

“I’m just happy on my own, Mom,” she’d sighed, one breezy Saturday morning over brunch with her mother in a Parisian-style bistro that they favored downtown. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Nonsense!” Ellen had scoffed. Lucy’s mother would also have been very beautiful when she was young, although now her age had draped a few wrinkles around those sharp green eyes and her mouth dipped at the corners from too many years of pursing her lips in disapproval at her daughter’s stubbornness. “No woman likes being on her own. You just haven’t found the right man yet.”

“And you’ve found one too many.”

Perhaps it was watching her mother fall in and out of love every other week that had made Lucy herself so content to build a life just around herself without constantly questioning whether it left room for a man. It had meant that she’d grown into an interesting young lady with a deep mind and a whole host of hobbies. Free from the anchors of childish crushes and heartbreak, Lucy had managed to build a very successful interior design company. She earned a fair wage, had her own apartment, a big group of friends and was pretty satisfied that her life was on the right track. It was only her mother’s constant nagging that ever made her wonder whether she really had it all.

“What’s so great about having a man anyway, hmm?” she demanded of her mother, taking a defiant bite out of her croissant. “What have they ever done for us?”

“Well, you wouldn’t know, dear,” Ellen sighed, “you’ve never let yourself find out. Yes, a man can break your heart, but nothing compares to being in love.”

It was hard for Lucy not to scoff at her mother’s declaration of love as king, especially as her divorce record would imply that she had no idea what love looked like at all. Ellen would constantly go through these cycles of being swept off her feet and then knocked off them just as fast. Growing up, Lucy had seen Ellen date every type of man - the lay about, the drifter, the artist, the intellectual, the foodie...and every time she claimed that it was love. Lucy simply thought that her mother was in love with the idea of
being
in love and she probably didn’t mind the lifestyle that came with having a husband either. It had been a long time since Ellen had last had a job and she had always seemed disapproving that Lucy had forged ahead as a career woman.

“It’s so unattractive in a girl,” she had said many times before. “A man doesn’t want to be in competition with his wife.”

“Shame,” Lucy had always replied sarcastically.

“You know, if you would just have an open mind sometimes and let a nice man take you out, you’d be surprised at how differently you’d feel.”

“I really don’t think I would, Mom. No man, no matter how rich, powerful, mysterious or sexy is ever going to turn me into some simpering mess.” Lucy raised her eyebrows cynically over the edge of her cup as she took a long sip of coffee and she shrugged nonchalantly. “I’d just never behave that way.”

“You think you’re being wise, my dear,” Ellen said condescendingly, “but really you’re just missing out. We were built to come in pairs. Every human being craves companionship and besides, I’m your mother - I worry about you.”

“Worry about me? Why? I’m doing just fine.”

Ellen sighed impatiently. “It’s not right for a young woman to live on her own like you do. What will happen when I’m gone, hmm? Who will take care of you?”

“I’ll take care of myself, Mom.”

“I always dreamed of you settling down with a nice young man who earned a decent wage, so that you could keep a nice home and have a nice family. I’d already had you by the age you are now. I’ll be lucky if I’m even still around if and when you ever have children.”

“Charming!” Lucy exclaimed. “I’m sorry I haven’t ended up with the ‘nice’ life you wanted me to have, Mom, but I’m happy. Isn’t that worth anything?”

Ellen sighed again and looked over the table at her daughter with morose eyes. She reached over and took Lucy’s hands pleadingly in hers. “I just don’t want you to miss out on falling in love just because you think you can do without.”

Lucy laughed lightly and gave her mother’s hands a light pat. “You’re worrying over nothing. If I’m meant to fall in love, it will happen.”

*****

Lucy had heard a fair amount about Walter Davies before the wedding, but it still came as a shock to her when she stepped into the wedding venue to find that this man was seemingly as rich as her mother had described. Ellen had the habit of exaggerating the qualities of her various love interests, seemingly in the hope of gaining Lucy’s approval, but Lucy had always been reluctant to be impressed by any of Ellen’s men. No matter how creative, or funny or charming they were, she could always pick out their faults in an instant - picky, clingy, broke. Yet, even if he had nothing else going for him, Lucy certainly couldn’t say that Walter wouldn’t have the means to take care of her mother. After all, this was some extravagant affair.

The wedding ceremony was taking place in a gorgeous country home that must have once housed royalty to have been so beautiful and ornate. Everything seemed to be made of marble and crystal and the sound of an orchestra playing seemed to be built into the walls. There were flowers everywhere; huge, sweet-scented bouquets of white roses in gigantic china vases which filled every spare inch of the place. There were butlers running around in black tuxedos, string quartets at every doorway and a red carpet leading all the way from where the valet took away your car to where the ceremony was being held in a room with high ceilings that were painted with breathtaking hand-painted murals.

Ellen’s daughter had to admit that this was no half-hearted affair and that whoever this Walter was, he was clearly a very able and influential man. The guests filing into the groom’s side were all elegantly dressed in fine gowns and speaking in perfectly cultivated upper-class accents. Lucy was a bit overwhelmed with the price tag of the wedding and the clear wealth of her soon-to-be stepfather and it wasn’t as if Lucy hadn’t been raised in a fairly affluent home herself. Before her father had died, they’d always been very comfortable. He’d been a successful lawyer who’d earned a healthy wage and Lucy couldn’t say that she’d ever gone without, but this was something else.

She was standing in the doorway of the room where the ceremony would take place, just to the left of that red carpet, holding onto a flute of champagne and not knowing who to mingle with amongst all these rich strangers, when one of those rich strangers approached her. He was gorgeous and Lucy wasn’t one to often let her heart flutter at the sight of a man. The stranger was tall and handsome with piercing blue-grey eyes and strong, defined features. His hair was dark and styled in an expensive cut. He was wearing an immaculate pressed grey suit with a silver tie and polished square cufflinks. He came and stood by her and followed her gaze out over the heads of the guests and spoke to her in cool, judgmental words.

“The whole thing is a farce.”

“Excuse me?”

“He’s marrying her because she’s ten years younger and she’s marrying him because he’s filthy rich.”

“That’s cynical.”

“Doesn’t make it any less true. I’m Peter, by the way.”

“Lucy.”

“Don’t weddings just make you roll your eyes? I mean, look at all this.” He lifted up his hands and gestured around to all the excess around them. “It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t his third marriage.”

Lucy laughed lightly. “Tell me about it. It’s her fourth.”

“Some people just can’t be on their own.” Peter looked her up and down with interest and Lucy suddenly felt very on display in her silky navy gown. She’d insisted that it was too tight when her mother had presented it to her, but had eventually given in and shimmied into the tight material. Lucy had a perfect figure, which a tight dress only served to accentuate. Lucy could see the stranger’s eyes running up and down her body and then his gaze settled on her face with a confident little smile. “Have I offended you? Let me guess: you’re married with three kids and just adore a good wedding.”

Lucy let out a light little laugh. “No, no. Single and proud.”

“And for the best, too. Marriage is a slow, downward spiral that ends in a painful and costly pile of paperwork. Just not worth it.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

“Not my own. I’ve never been married. My father is a serial monogamist, however.”

“That would explain it, then.”

“It’s a personal choice, too. I don’t think I’d cope with a woman looking over my shoulder at everything I do.”

“You think women are the problem? It’s men who always have to be in control. I, for one, would never go down that path. Why compromise when you’ve already got it sorted?”

“I’ll drink to that.”

Peter raised his glass towards hers and Lucy met it with a light
clink
of crystal on crystal. She wasn’t sure what she made of this slightly bitter man who had been so ready to criticize her mother’s marriage, but she couldn’t help but appreciate his blunt commentary on a wedding that she herself was against. At least she wasn’t alone in thinking that the whole thing would end in tears.

“The whole thing just went so quickly,” Lucy said. “It seemed she only met the man yesterday. I don’t see the need for such a rush.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Still, no reason to waste a good party, is there? The orchestra is playing well and the champagne is free. May as well enjoy it, mightn’t we?”

“That sounds good to me.”

The ceremony was short and sweet and although Lucy wasn’t too keen on her mother’s fourth marriage, she had to admit that Ellen looked beautiful in her modest white wedding dress and if Lucy hadn’t been so cynical, she would have even said when Ellen and Walter drew together for their first kiss as man and wife, that their eyes were shining with love. Who knew? Perhaps it would be fourth time the charm.

After the ceremony, the guests filed out to the front of the great country house for their photographs to be taken. It was endless cycles of flashes and clicks that seemed to last forever and all the while the butlers were coming around with fresh flutes of champagne. By the time the photographers took Walter and Ellen inside for a private shoot inside the building, she was feeling quite giddy and when Peter sought her out to speak to her again, she was struck even more powerfully by how handsome he was.

“I think the second ceremony was better worded, but it lost its spark after the third.”

“Oh really? Because I thought that the first wedding was the most magical, the third was a bit dry, but she picked it up again with the fourth.”

“Yes, you’re right. This one has been particularly memorable.”

Lucy realized that he was looking right at her as he said it, with a lustful gleam in his eye and suddenly she suspected that he was feeling the very same attraction that was drawing her closer to him. She went to take a step closer and her heel dug into the grass, making her stumble slightly. Peter quickly caught her with a firm arm around her waist and a charming smile. She felt her cheeks flush as she felt herself swoon for the first time in her life.

“Woah, there. Perhaps you drank a little too much. I have a room in the house booked for the night. Would you like to lay down for a little while?”

“Yes, perhaps I should. Maybe just for half an hour, before the speeches begin.”

“Come with me.”

Peter kept one arm encircled around her waist as he lead her inside the building and up a narrow cobblestone staircase that led upwards towards the hotel rooms at the back of the manor house. He took her to the end of the corridor and opened a door into a sumptuous antique-style bedroom with a huge, crimson four-poster bed with oak posts and heavy red velvet curtains at the bay windows which looked out over the estate gardens, where some of the guests were still grouping together for pictures.

Lucy stood for just a moment looking down at them all, but her eyes were torn away from the wedding party outside when Peter spun her towards him and pressed his lips down over hers in an urgent, passionate kiss that took her breath away. Instinctively and against all her preconceived notions about ‘sparks’ and ‘chemistry’, Lucy gave into the most powerful magnetism she’d ever experienced and pulled Peter down towards her to kiss him more deeply. She let out a little sigh of contentment when his tongue parted her lips and she could taste the warmth of his mouth. His hands were in her hair, pulling her closer and closer as if the kiss couldn’t be deep enough. A kiss was not enough to satisfy.

She grabbed the lapels of his smart jacket and roughly pulled it down over his shoulders and then her fingers began to grapple at the buttons on his shirt, one by one popping them open to reveal more and more of a sculpted chest and firm stomach. She ripped his shirt off his body and ran her hands down his back as Peter’s kisses drifted from her mouth and began to trace their way down her neck, spreading heat everywhere that they touched.

The sexy stranger pulled both straps of her dress simultaneously over her slim shoulders so that in one swift motion her silk dress fell to the ground and left her standing there in her matching black lingerie and a pair of heels. Peter took a step back to admire her body and Lucy stood there for a moment, enjoying his attention. Then her own desire got the better of her and she took an eager step towards him to begin kissing him again as her hands wandered down to unbutton his pants. She could feel him hard and ready for her through the material and it sent thrills rushing through her. She was unbelievably turned on and wanted him,
now
.

She kicked off her shoes and Peter gently pushed her down onto the bed and hovered over her, his face inches from hers, his lips lingering close to hers so that she could feel his breaths on her cheek.

“Let’s do it,” she pleaded breathlessly. “I want you.”

Peter didn’t hesitate to oblige and he teased her by slipping his fingers into her panties rather than ripping them off, and slowly massaging her clit in steady, measured circles that made the pleasure build and build until Lucy was on the very brink of an orgasm, at which point Peter slipped a finger inside her and made her gasp with how good it felt. He teased her a while longer and it drove her to the edge, but she wanted more.

“I want you inside of me.”

The sexy stranger threw off the last of his clothing and Lucy felt her body tingle with delicious anticipation again when she saw his hard, erect member just before it thrust into her and sent her body into the most incredible waves of pleasure as she orgasmed on his first thrust and each new movement from his hips sent her spiraling into new realms of bliss. She began to cry out so loudly that she was sure she heard the orchestra begin to play more loudly, but she couldn’t contain her breaths as Peter made her body feel on fire. Lucy enjoyed every single second of Peter’s perfect body next to hers and the sensation of him inside her driving her wild. Then, all at once, Peter finished with a satisfied moan and he knelt over her with a wicked grin.

“Maybe weddings aren’t so bad after all.”

*****