Waking Up with a Billionaire (The Overnight Billionaires Book 3) (26 page)

“Oh no. I’m so sorry. No wonder you look so hurt. And here I thought it was due to your father marrying me.”

He blushed guiltily and apologized again. “I had no business letting my problems put a rain cloud over your wedding.”

She swatted his shoulder. “Now you stop that. We’re family now, Grayson. And family share in each other’s problems. That’s just how it works.” She glanced down at her feet. “And right now, my main problem is my swollen feet in these new shoes. Do you mind if we sit this one out?”

Thankful for the reprieve from dancing, he guided her down the steps of the gazebo and over to a wrought iron bench, where she slipped her shoes off with a sigh. “So tell me about this young woman of yours. Eden speaks of her in glowing terms and was very disappointed that she didn’t come with you. From what I gather, both she and her friend Madison tried to talk Chloe into surprising you and just showing up.”

The news didn’t make sense. Not that Madison and Eden would try to talk Chloe into coming, but that they would do so after she had gotten back with Zac.

“So you are trying to steal my girl, Grayson.” Donny John walked up. He quickly handed a sleeping Mikey to Grayson and pulled Suzanne into his arms. “I think they’re playing our song.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Suzanne said. “My feet are killing me.”

Donny John grinned evilly as he pulled her away. “That’s even better. There’s a chaise lounge right over here in the dark that would be perfect for a little slap and tickle.”

Suzanne swatted him and giggled. “You are too bad, Don Juan. Just too bad.”

Once they were gone, Grayson looked down at Mikey. If the baby had been any other baby, Grayson might’ve sat down and let him sleep. But he’d heard Mikey’s screams, and he wasn’t about to be stuck without help close by. Unfortunately, Deacon and Olivia had left the dance floor, and it took some hunting to finally locate them. They were cuddled in one of Donny John’s recliners sound asleep, not even waking to the sound of steel balls pinging as Nash and Eden played pinball on the other side of the room. Or Eden was playing pinball. Nash was standing behind her, nuzzling her neck.

The flashing lights and bouncing pinball might not bother Deacon and Olivia, but Grayson was worried that they might wake up Mikey. So he’d started to head back upstairs when the pinging stopped and Eden spoke.

“I can’t believe you would leave Chloe.”

Grayson turned to see Eden giving him a hard, mean look. Now that he thought about it, she had been glaring at him since he’d arrived. He’d just been too upset to notice. He walked over and handed Mikey to Nash, who wasn’t very receptive to the idea.

“What do I do with the kid?” Nash whispered.

“Since you probably will be having one of your own, you better figure it out.” Grayson adjusted Nash’s hand on Mikey’s back. “Just don’t drop the pacifier, and if Deacon wakes up, tell him you washed your hands before you took him.”

Nash studied the baby for a second. “He is kinda cute.” He glanced at his wife, who read his expression immediately.

“No. Not until I become a best-selling author and travel the world.”

Nash winked at her. “As long as you take me along for the ride, babies can wait.” He moved over to one of the recliners and sat down.

“So?” Eden said. “Do you want to explain why you left Chloe and broke her heart?”

“I think Chloe hasn’t been honest with you. I didn’t leave her. She left me to go back to Zac.”

Eden’s mean expression didn’t soften one bit. “Of course she did. She didn’t think she had much of a choice. Zac had convinced her that he was going to anonymously tip off the newspapers about Madison and her working for an escort service. Which would not only ruin Madison’s modeling career but also French Kiss.”

So that was what Chloe had meant when she’d said she didn’t have a choice. Grayson didn’t know whom he was madder at: Zac for threatening Chloe or Chloe for not telling him. Probably Chloe. All roads led back to her.

“But she had a choice, Eden,” he said. “She could’ve told me what was going on. She could’ve trusted me. Instead she was going to leave without a word. Which tells me that she cares for Zac more than she cares for me.”

“Well, if she cares about him, then she has a funny way of showing it,” she said. “Zac is now back in jail for trying to break his probation, and with his confession about running a prostitution ring on tape, he won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

“What does that have to do with Chloe?”

“She was the one who set him up. The one who was wired and got him to confess on tape.”

Hope flared to life inside Grayson, but he refused to let it catch. “Then why didn’t she call me and tell me?”

Eden sent him an exasperated look. “For being the Woman Whisperer, you certainly can’t read Chloe. It’s hard for her to show her love with words and hugs. She’s much better at showing her love through actions. When you get home, you’ll find her waiting.”

“I don’t believe it.” Grayson pulled out his cell phone. Since it would be too painful to call and not get an answer, he texted.

The answer came only seconds later. Not in words, but in a picture. A picture of three little speckled seagull chicks.

C
hloe was going to be sick. Literally sick. And it would be bad enough if she hurled backstage. There was no way she was going to hurl in front of millions of people.

She pushed the makeup brush away from her face. “I’m not doing this.”

The makeup artist who held the brush stared at her in confusion. “I’m so sorry, luv,” he said. “Did I accidentally poke you in the eye?”

“No…” She tried to remember his name, but her brain was too consumed with fear. “It’s not you. I just can’t do this.” She got up from the stool, forcing the hairstylist who had been fluffing her bangs to step out of the way.

She pushed through the makeup artists, hairstylists, and designers who surrounded her, only to have to push through the ones who clustered around Madison. Though this was her first runway show, Madison didn’t look nervous at all. In fact she looked as if she was thoroughly enjoying all the face painting, hair teasing, body bronzing, and skimpy-lingerie adjusting.

That didn’t surprise Chloe. Madison owned her lifestyle—whatever that lifestyle might be. Whether she was an escort or a supermodel, she believed in enjoying every second and making no excuses for past mistakes. After Zac had been arrested, Chloe had contacted her friend and told her that Zac was probably going to tell the world that she had worked for him as an escort. Instead of being upset, Madison had only laughed.

“Too late,” she’d said. “I blogged about being an escort months ago. And the majority of the response was positive. Most people viewed it as a
Pretty Woman
story and are waiting for me to find my Richard Gere.”

Chloe wished Madison had mentioned that before Zac had threatened her. But sometimes things work out a certain way for a reason. Chloe had needed to overcome her fear of Zac and realize that running was never the answer. She froze at the doors that led out of the hotel ballroom and rolled her eyes. She was running again. Obviously, habits were hard to break. She took a few deep, even breaths to calm her stomach before she turned around.

When she got to the small area that had been designated as her dressing room, the stylists and makeup artists were gone. There was only one person standing next to her rack of lingerie with his back to her. One person who made the queasy feeling return and her heart thwack hard against her rib cage.

“Grayson.” The name came out on a puff of air filled with embarrassing longing.

He turned, and the longing grew. He wore a deep gray suit that fit his body to perfection and a crisp lavender shirt with a light-gray-striped tie. His hair was longer, as was the stubble on his face, but the contrast of tousled artist with starched businessman made him all the more breath-stealing. When his beautiful forget-me-not eyes locked with hers, everything inside her stilled and her chest rose and fell as she struggled to catch her breath.

His gaze wandered down to the purple corset she’d been laced into—the same one she’d worn when they made love in the limo. “Did they lace you in too tight? Is that why you can’t breathe?”

She could’ve lied, but she was through keeping secrets from Grayson. “It has nothing to do with the corset.”

His gaze snapped up to hers, and
hot
didn’t begin to describe his eyes.
Scorching. Sizzling. Flaming twin torches of molten heat
were more accurate. They seemed to burn straight through her and brand her heart with the initials GRB. Or maybe he’d branded her with those initials from the moment he had first rescued her from Zac. He moved closer, and her world narrowed to the uneven curves of his top lip as he spoke. “So Josephine’s a mother.”

It was hard to talk around all the emotions that clamored inside her. “I thought you would come home after I sent you the picture.”

He cleared his throat as if he was having a hard time talking too. “I needed some time to think. And I was still angry that you hadn’t trusted me.”

“I should have, but I’ve always been a slow learner. It took me this long to realize that running never solves anything—that in life you have to face your biggest fears.”

“And what is your biggest fear, Chloe?” He studied her with eyes that were so intense she had to look away before she could speak.

“Losing you.”

He moved closer. But he didn’t touch her. His hands remained at his sides. “Funny, but that’s my biggest fear as well. And I think my fear is more justified than yours. You weren’t exactly nice when we first met. Which is why I raced off to Paris and couldn’t paint. Being rejected by the love of your life hurts like hell.”

She looked at him. “You loved me before Paris?”

“I’ve loved you from the moment I first set eyes on you. At first I thought I was looking for the perfect model to pose for me. But now I realize that I wasn’t looking for the perfect model. I was looking for the perfect woman. Not to paint. But to love.”

Chloe couldn’t help the tears that sprang to her eyes. “I love you, Grayson.”

“I’m sure glad to hear it.” He dipped his head to kiss her, but before his lips could touch hers, Samuel came charging up, more freaked out and emotional than she had ever seen him.

“Oh no, you don’t, Grayson Beaumont! I will not have you ruin Chloe’s lipstick with kisses.” He looked at Chloe, and his eyes narrowed. “Or her mascara with tears. Whatever you two have going on will have to wait until the last rhinestone and feather have paraded down that runway.” He clapped his hands. “Now get out of here while I try to repair the damage.”

Grayson looked as happy as Chloe felt about the interruption, but he finally nodded. “Okay. I won’t kiss her until after the show, but I’m not going anywhere.” He looked at Chloe. “You’re not getting out of my sight again.”

He wasn’t kidding. He stood in her tiny dressing area and watched her with a possessive look while the makeup artist repaired her mascara and the hairstylist plumped up her hair. Chloe couldn’t take her eyes off him either. She felt buoyant. Like she’d eaten one of Mrs. Huckabee’s magic brownies.

Until Samuel called for her and she realized she was going to be the first model on the catwalk.

Once she caught a glimpse of the long runway, which was lit up like an airplane landing strip at night, she wanted to hurl all over again. Grayson must’ve read her fear because he moved up next to her. Taking her hand, he turned her until all she could see was his face. The warmth of his hand coupled with the love in his eyes calmed her stomach and her nerves.

Obviously she wasn’t as immune to the Woman Whisperer as she’d thought.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Okay, but if I do a nosedive out there, it’s all your fault.”

Chloe didn’t do a nosedive. She wasn’t as graceful as some of the models in their high heels, but at least she didn’t fall. And when she got to the end of the runway, she was so relieved that she broke out in a bright smile that had the entire audience applauding. Or maybe they were just applauding because the awkward girl had made it. Either way it gave her confidence, and she actually started to have fun. Chloe modeled the next few outfits without a hitch. But when she put on the diamond-studded Audrey Hepburn bra and thong, Grayson’s eyes widened, and he became as bossy as Deacon.

“I don’t think so. You are not wearing that on the runway. Your entire butt is hanging out.” He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders as the other models looked on with little smirks. Madison was the only one to out-and-out laugh.

“I don’t know what you’re worried about, Grayson,” she said. “Chloe had on less than this in the painting you auctioned.”

“That’s art,” Grayson said. “Not to mention that the painting is back where it belongs—with me.” Chloe had wondered if Zac had ever gotten his hands on the painting. She was relieved that he hadn’t. “This show is being broadcast to millions of people. And I’m not going to have some pervert getting his jollies from my girl’s butt.”

The
my girl
made Chloe feel all giddy, but she still stopped him when he started to button his jacket. “Grayson, we both know that I can’t wear this on the runway.”

He stubbornly crossed his arms. “Then you’re not going out.”

“Of course I’m going—”

Samuel hurried up with his clipboard and headset. “Why isn’t Chloe lined up? And why is she wearing that suit jacket?”

“It seems that Grayson thinks your design is a little too skimpy in the butt area,” Madison said.

Samuel shook his head as he pulled off the suit jacket and tossed it at Grayson. “Don’t be ridiculous. Not only is this the grand finale of the Romeo Collection, it’s the most expensive piece in the show. There are close to two-million dollars’ worth of diamonds on the brassiere alone.” He nodded at the two armed guards standing to the side. “Which explains Mutt and Jeff. And Tiffany’s will be extremely upset if this piece isn’t on television.”

“Then I’ll buy it,” Grayson said.

Samuel studied his stubborn stance for only a moment before he released an exasperated sigh. “Very well. I’ll find something to cover her backside, but she has to go out. And not in your jacket.” He placed a finger on his bottom lip and studied Chloe for only a moment before his gaze returned to Grayson. “Although you might be wearing something that will work.”

Chloe wasn’t sure how the audience would react to a model walking out in a purple dress shirt. But they seemed to love it. At the end of the runway, she pushed back the shirt as Samuel had instructed and let the lights flash off the diamonds in brilliant rays. The applause became deafening. Although, when she made her turn, she realized it had more to do with the man who confidently walked down the runway toward her. And Chloe had to admit that Grayson was applause-worthy with his bare chest showing beneath the suit coat and tie. He might look confident, but when he met her in the middle of the runway, his face held a bright blush.

“You are so shy, Grayson Beaumont.” Chloe couldn’t help but giggle as she took his arm and walked with him to the end of the runway. “And this coming from a man who paints nude women.”

“Haven’t you heard?” He smiled for the television cameras. Although it was more a baring of teeth. “I’m giving up painting nude women.”

She glanced at him. “Don’t tell me that you’re going back to apples.”

“I’m thinking I’ll try my hand at landscapes. Although there’s one nude woman I might have to paint on occasion.”

“And who would that be?” she asked as they turned and headed back down the runway.

He sent her a smile, and a dimple appeared. “My wife.”

That was all it took for Chloe Cameron to stumble in her heels and almost take a nosedive. Fortunately, there was someone there to catch her.