THE BILLIONAIRE'S BABY (A Secret Baby Romance) (32 page)

Denise sniffed and didn’t reply. She looked back at Will and put her hand on his arm. Sympathetically, she said, “When you’re not busy catering to this one, give me a call. I’d love to see you.” She walked away in her too tight jeans, shaking her ass for Will’s sake.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hissed. “What the hell?”

“Okay, Denise and I dated for about a year. It ended ugly, almost nine months ago. That is the first time we’ve spoken more than two words to each other since then.”

“Why is she behaving like that? Am I in high school?”

Will tittered nervously, my irritation getting to him. “No, you’re in a small town.”

“I’m from Lubbock. I don’t understand this small town mentality, so why don’t you explain it to me,” I said caustically.

The seriousness of my anger hit Will with that comment, and he sobered. “Listen, I’m sorry, but I can’t control that maniac. The texts she sent asked about you and if we were dating. I chose to ignore her, which may have been a mistake.”

I sighed. “I’m being a little unreasonable. I know you can’t control her; I just am astounded by her rudeness.” I waved my hand and smiled at him, dismissing the incident. “Can we just forget about it? I don’t want the whole night to be ruined.”

“And that’s why I think you’re perfect for me. Another woman would have let that bitch ruin our date,” Will said, kissing my knuckles. “It’s getting late. Are you ready?”

Will

“So you’re staying with Ally tonight?” I asked. I had started the cleaning process yesterday afternoon, and it continued this morning. I wanted the house to look perfect when Mel came over tonight. Currently, I was dusting the paintings in the front hall as I talked to Cara.

“Yes, Dad,” she said, exasperation in her voice. “You’ve asked me three times since yesterday. I’m leaving around two.”

“Fine, fine. Are they picking you up?”

“Dad! I told you that too!” Cara exclaimed, slapping her hands against her sides. “Ally’s mom is picking us up so we can go to the movies, then I’ll be at her house until you come get me tomorrow. Don’t forget me like you keep forgetting everything else I’ve told you,” she admonished.

I gave her a baleful stare. “I’ve never forgotten to pick you up, smartass. I’m distracted.” I felt her eyes on me as I moved to the living room and began dusting the prints in there. “Why are you watching me? Don’t you need to get ready?”

“First of all, it’s ten. I have four hours. Secondly, why are you dusting? I saw Karen dusting the other day when she was here,” Cara asked as she flopped down on the couch to continue watching me.

“I want the house to look nice,” I said sheepishly without looking at her.

“For Ms. Ulrich?” she asked. I could hear the grin in her voice.

“Yes. And if you date a man who doesn’t put in this much effort—you know, when you’re thirty—you should walk away quickly,” I told her, pointing the dust rag at her.

“Dad, the only room that’s even close to dirty is yours because you haven’t made your bed.” She laughed and added, “I mean, seriously, mine is cleaner than yours, and I’m a teenager.”

I frowned. “I’m a guy. Guys are supposed to be messy. Did you put up your breakfast dishes?”

“And yours.” She watched as I fluffed the pillows on the couch. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were either turning into a woman or you’re planning to propose.” I fumbled one of the pillows and dropped it on the floor, causing her to laugh. “Is there something I should know? A sex-change surgery scheduled, perhaps? Or a wedding date?”

“You watch too much television,” I grumbled at her as I tossed the pillow on the couch. “My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.”

“Whatever.” She laughed. She followed me again as I headed to the kitchen to make sure I had everything I planned to make for dinner. “You know, Dad, I know you’ve only known her a week, but I can tell she’s special. You never did this kind of stuff for Denise.”

I stared at her, her observation both truthful and frightening. “I’ll admit, she is special, but I’m nowhere near ready to propose. It’s been a week!”

Cara smiled at me, walked over, and kissed my cheek. “But you will, won’t you? You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” My eyes were locked on hers, and though I was silent, she nodded and walked away. “I knew it! Nana owes me ten dollars!”

I sucked in a breath. “What do you mean?”

She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and tossed her hair over her shoulder as she left the kitchen. “I bet Nana ten dollars your relationship with Ms. Ulrich would jump from dating to serious in less than a month. You beat my time schedule, but I still won!”

“Smartass!” I yelled after her. I heard her laughing as she closed her bedroom door. I continued my search for the ingredients for my famous fajitas, my thoughts on Cara’s comments. How had she known I’d fall for Mel so hard, so quickly? My daughter, like her mother, could read people almost as if she were psychic. She carefully observed the people around her and made accurate conclusions about them. She’d seen Mel and me together twice for short periods of time, but she knew me well. I must have been acting differently this week.

I smiled. That was fine. I’d come to terms with the fact that I was falling for her, and my daughter didn’t mind one bit. So after tonight, Mel would have to come to dinner with Cara. I wanted the two of them to get to know each other better. I knew they were already close because of the dance team, but this would be a different kind of closeness.

I found the meat and pulled it out to thaw, the smile stuck on my face like it had been painted on.

Mel

I glanced at my phone again to make sure I was heading in the right direction. Will had texted me his address earlier so I could drive myself. I’d told him it was silly for him to drive to get me when he was busy cooking. I’d packed a small bag, hoping I wasn’t being presumptuous. I was certain, though, that Will wouldn’t think I was intruding.

I pulled through the gate at the end of their drive and gasped. Everything was beautiful here, even the fence and gate. I drove down the long drive, my head swiveling left and right so I could see all the sights. Cows grazed lazily in the fields, which were so green it looked as if they’d been painted. The house was a sight, too, suddenly popping up on the horizon and growing larger as I drove toward it.
Magnificent
, I thought, my eyes wide as it came into full view.

The outbuildings perfectly complimented the house, and the horses running in the paddock added to the feeling I had that I was looking at a painting rather than real life. I parked my car beside his truck and climbed out, smelling the fresh air. I could smell the hay, the horses, the grass, and I fell in love with the place.

Will waited at the door for me, smiling. As I walked closer, he met me at the bottom of the steps. “Where’s your bag?”

I laughed at his greeting. He wrapped his arms around me and smiled down at me. “It’s in my car. I wasn’t sure…”

“Cara is gone, and if you want to, I’d love for you to spend the night,” Will said. I nodded my head, and he kissed me hard on the lips before walking back to my car. “I’ll grab it, gorgeous, and then I’ll give you a tour.”

When I stepped inside the door, the scents of spicy meat reached my nostrils. “Wow, something smells good.”

“Fajitas with all the trimmings,” he said proudly. “My specialty. Want a tour of the house?”

“Yes, please.”

Will showed me the house proudly, telling me what each room was. He pointed out Cara’s door but didn’t open it, claiming he had no idea what the condition of her room might be. I laughed as we continued down the hall.

“I use the other spare bedroom as an office.” He opened the door to a room so masculine I thought testosterone might be leaking out of the walls.

I stepped in and whistled. “This office is so you.” The walls were painted to resemble leather, and several paintings as well as photos hung at intervals on the walls. Curtains, a deep red and pulled back to reveal a devastatingly beautiful backyard, hung from the windows, which were as tall as Will. The chair behind the overly large desk was dark leather and looked like you could fall asleep in it.

I stepped to the windows and looked out into the backyard. “Your backyard looks like a resort. I keep listening for the crash of waves.”

He laughed. “My late wife always wanted a beautiful backyard, somewhere she could relax with a cup of coffee or a margarita.”

“You accomplished it,” I told him.

“She never enjoyed it. Cara and I didn’t move into this house until after she’d died,” Will told me. He stepped up behind me and put his arms around me.

“How did she die?” I asked, and quickly added, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“No, you can ask. She had cancer. She was fine, went to the doctor because she had no energy, and they told us. She lived for six more months,” Will replied, his voice melancholy. “The chemo was fifty/fifty, so she decided against it. She wanted to spend her last few weeks having fun with Cara, not in a bed so sick she couldn’t move.”

“She sounds like a great lady,” I murmured, feeling his breath against my ear.

He turned me around to look into his eyes. “She would have liked you.”

“Good. I’d hate to think you’d bring a woman into Cara’s life she wouldn’t approve of. Doesn’t seem right, you know.”

“I do know, and I knew you would know it, too. That’s what I like about you,” Will said, nuzzling my neck.

I tilted my head so he had better access to my neck. “You know, you haven’t shown me your room,” I whispered huskily. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry for something other than fajitas right now.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asked into my neck, his warm breath leaving a cool trail where he’d kissed me. “What’s that?”

“You.” I put my hands on either side of his face and lifted it until our lips met. I cupped his cheeks with my hands, and he cupped my butt cheeks with his hands, holding me tightly against him so I could feel the erection just beginning to emerge.

“I’ve been dying to be inside you all week. It’s all I could think about,” he murmured against my lips.

“Take me to bed or lose me forever,” I said to him, smiling wickedly.

“
Top Gun
?” he asked, his smile broad.

“Oh, yeah. One of my favorites,” I told him. “And I mean it!”

“I’ll see what I can do about that,” he said. His hands were on my ass, and he used the leverage to lift me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and began kissing his neck as he walked down the hall to the last door. He kicked open the door, then kicked it shut behind him, and pressed my back against the wall.

What I thought would turn into a hard, fast fuck, slowed immediately when he knelt and lifted one foot to remove my shoe, then the other. He unbuttoned my jeans and pushed them over my hips, leaving my underwear on after I’d kicked the jeans off. He ran his hands up both my sides, taking my shirt with them as he rose. I lifted my arms, and he slipped the shirt off my body. He skillfully unhooked and removed my bra quickly and captured my wrists with one hand, lifting my arms above my head so my breasts were arched outward and in his face.

“Mmmhmm,” he hummed as he took my nipple into his mouth and sucked. My moan escaped my lips, and I was grateful Cara had been sent off. Tonight was going to be a loud night.

“Will,” I whispered as his fingers slipped into my panties and slowly pulled them down. He knelt again, lifting one leg then the other to remove my panties. He buried his face between my legs, inhaling my scent before spreading my thighs so he could slip his tongue into my slit, gently licking my clit with the tip. I jerked in pleasure and spread my legs further. I wanted to feel his whole tongue on me. He read my mind and licked me from my opening to my clit, lingering there until I shook with sensations.

Both my palms were pressed against the wall, and my head fell back with a hollow thump against it. The sensations his tongue forced on my clit began to shoot up and through my body, and I let out a cry as the orgasm that had been threatening caused all my muscles to contract. Pleasure surged through me, and my knees weakened. When he felt me sliding down the wall, he scooted back and helped me land softly on my knees in front of him.

My hands fisted in the shirt he should no longer be wearing. I yanked him forward until our faces were so close out noses were touching. Through clenched teeth, I hissed, “Why are you still wearing clothes?”