Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (9 Book Bundle) (74 page)

“Found it,” I called
out, coming down the stairs.

“Oh, fantastic. Let’s see
what we can find.”

Pretty soon, we’d pulled up every
wedding vendor list, registry, and search result in the entire city. My head
was swimming, but Lindsey seemed to be digesting the information just fine,
taking copious notes in a little pad that she’d produced from somewhere.
Another family trait, it seemed.

“All right,” she said,
after what felt like hours. “So I’ve eliminated every place that we
definitely don’t want, which leaves us with about twenty choices. Personally,
I’m a big fan of the art gallery. Have you ever been there?”

I shook my head.

“Oh, my God, we have to
go,” she said. “They’re closed today, but soon. It’s absolutely
gorgeous. Of course you have to hire their overpriced caterers, but they’ll
take care of absolutely everything. And there’s no cake-cutting fee.” She
rolled her eyes.

“Cake-cutting fee?” I
stared at her. “Is that…is that a thing?”

“Trust me,” she said.
“They’ll nickel and dime you for everything in this industry. You’ve got
to keep your wits about you.”

There was so much I didn’t know,
and simply didn’t have the desire or motivation to figure out. I didn’t know
what I would have done without Lindsey. Hire a wedding planner, I supposed. I’d
almost forgotten for a moment that it was easy enough to solve these sorts of
problems just by tossing more money at them.

“Lindsey,” I said,
straightening up on the sofa, “can I ask you something about what we were
discussing earlier?”

“Sure,” she said.
“What do you want to know?”

“You said, growing up…there
wasn’t a lot of money. So what changed?”

She chuckled a little. “You
won’t believe me when I tell you. Dad hit it big at the casino. I mean, really
big. I still think he was trying his damnedest to gamble away everything he
had…mom had just passed, and in spite of everything I guess he just didn’t know
what to do without her. But instead of losing, he won the biggest jackpot
they’d ever had. His picture’s still on the wall, if you go there - a sad sack
in flannel and overalls, just holding up this novelty sized check like it’s a
death sentence. After that, he turned everything around. He could have
squandered it all, but instead he went downtown and handed a pile of cash to a
financial planner. I never knew him to be like that - but I guess something
about having all that money just scared him.” She let out a long breath.
“A few good investments later, we found ourselves moving into a nicer
house in a much better neighborhood, and suddenly we weren’t hoping and praying
for scholarships and applying for tiny scraps of federal aid anymore. We could
go to any college we wanted. After all these years, I still think back on that
time and how strange it was. It was like a waking dream. You know?”

I did know. I knew all too well.

“Wow,” I said.

“Wow is right.” She
stood up. “I’m guessing you’re more than a little bit familiar with the
feeling, though.”

“Yeah,” I said.
“Going from all my credit cards maxed out and bills overdue, to
this…”

Speaking of which, my credit
cards were still maxed out, and quite a few of my bills remained overdue. I’d
been so busy focusing on adjusting to my new life that I had completely
forgotten to ask Daniel about the possibility of taking care of a few of my
immediate financial needs. I should probably get on that.

“I know,” she said,
resting a hand on my shoulder. “It’ll feel strange at first, but
eventually you’ll adjust to it. And you don’t have to become one of those
obnoxious Old Money-type people who wear skirt suits to the country club and
yell at their cleaning ladies. Just keep your head on straight, you’ll be
fine.”

I smiled at the mental image.
“Thanks,” I said. “But can I at least get a little dog to carry
around with me?”

“Whatever you like,
hon.” She grinned. “The world’ s your oyster now.”

Chapter Nine

Ray had to get back to work, so
all four of us visited the art gallery on Monday morning, and then we bid them
goodbye. Lindsey had been right - it was gorgeous, with a massive hall of
historical sculptures and statues that they recommended for the ceremony. They were
surprised when Daniel said he wanted to book it “as soon as
possible,” but they were able to get us a date in a month. He put down a
deposit, but he wouldn’t let me look at the full quote.

Lindsey left me with pages and
pages of notes. Daniel had already put Emma on the task of finding me a dress,
and I’d picked a bakery whose cake was both beautiful and edible. Even with all
of the preparations that were underway, the whole thing still didn’t quite feel
like real life. But I was sure I would adjust to it. Eventually.

I put in my last day of work on
Friday, and Daniel asked me over lunch if I wanted him to hire a moving
service. As usual, he was ten steps ahead. In the flurry of wedding
preparations, I forgot that I’d also be expected to move in with him immediately
afterwards.

“No, I’m fine,” I said.
“I don’t really like strangers touching my stuff.”

“At least let me come over
and help you pack.” He sounded genuinely concerned.

“All right, sure.
Thanks.” He wasn’t a stranger, after all. He was my fiancé. A thought
occurred to me. “Hey, are we like…going to go on a honeymoon, or
something?”

The corner of his mouth quirked
up into a secretive smile. “Just leave that to me,” he said.

-

Between shoving all of my worldly
belongings into boxes and returning vendors’ phone calls, the next few weeks
went by in a blur. I finally heard back from Emma, sounding almost breathlessly
excited, telling me she had the perfect dress. She refused to text me a photo,
insisting that I see it in person first. So I came by as quickly as I could, in
the car that still didn’t feel quite like mine, feeling intensely awkward as I
parked it in front of the boutique. It was hardly nice enough to be
conspicuous, but it was so far from anything I’d ever driven that I couldn’t
get used to it.

Emma looked like she was about to
go nuclear from happiness.

“Come on, come on!” She
put her arm around my shoulders and herded me into the dressing rooms as soon
as I stepped through the door. “I’ve got it hiding back here, I didn’t
want anyone else asking about it. And God forbid Daniel should drop in and see
it.”

“I’m not
superstitious,” I said.

“Oh, honey.” She shook
her head at me. “Everyone is superstitious when it comes to weddings. You
might as well get on board.”

I rolled my eyes, but she was too
elated to notice. “Look at it!”

The dress was hanging up in front
of me. It was sleek and elegant, without all the taffeta and usual trappings of
a typical wedding dress. Yet, at the same time, I felt I would be recognizable
as a bride when I put it on. It was a lovely cream color, with deep red
accents, including a sash around the waist.

“I figured something short
would be best for a summer wedding,” Emma said. “So? Do you like
it?”

“It’s beautiful,” I
said, reaching out to feel the material. “I just…none of this feels real
to me yet, you know?”

“I know,” she said.
“Come on. I can’t wait to see it on you.”

She helped me into it, having me
step into a pair of complementing shoes after she zipped me up. I stared at
myself.

This was what I’d be married in.

Emma gasped. She looked more
emotional about this than I felt.

“It’s really nice,” I
said, lamely. “Thanks, Emma. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Doesn’t even need a single
alteration,” she murmured, walking around in me in circles and touching
and tugging at various parts of the dress. “Even I didn’t think it would
be this perfect.”

“And you’re so humble,
too.” I smoothed the dress over my hips one more time, as if it would
somehow cement the idea that this was really happening.

“Shut up. You love it.”
She turned towards the door. “Don’t move, I’m going to find you some
accessories.”

She came back with some lovely
silver pieces that matched the red accents - were those real rubies? - and
before long I was out the door, and on my way to the hairdresser’s to settle on
a style for the “big day.” I hated that phrase, but with everyone
around me using it at least three times per hour, it was inevitable that it
would become a regular part of my vocabulary.

I hadn’t had a hot iron in my
hair since prom, and I almost wanted to choke on the smell of all the
hairspray. But at the end of it, with all my hair piled on my head and my tiara
on top, I actually looked like a bride.

As time went on, it was even
starting to feel real.

The weekend before the wedding,
Daniel came over to help me pack, as he’d insisted. Mostly everything was in
boxes already, and I was going to send over everything I didn’t absolutely need
for the next few days. Together we spent the better part of the morning loading
up a U-Haul, and every time he hefted a box I felt bad for not just letting him
hire a moving service. But he didn’t even show a hint of complaint or
frustration with the process, even when I did.

I ordered pizza for lunch. I was
becoming a lot less self-conscious about my choice of eating establishments,
which was nice. He seemed to enjoy it as much as I did, and while we sat
holding our slices on my empty living room floor, I figured it was as good a
time as any to bring up my faltering finances. It was more awkward than I had
expected - then again, with me, everything usually was.

I talked circles around it for
ages, until he finally prodded me to just spit out what was on my mind.

“I have a few bills…” I
started, and he raised his hand to tell me I’d said enough.

“Just give everything to
me,” he said. “I’ll see that it’s taken care of.”

“Some of them
aren’t…small,” I said. “And when I called to cancel my utilities,
they threatened collections if I didn’t take care of everything within 30
days.”

“Don’t worry,” he said.
“It’s going to be all right.”

And suddenly, I knew that it was.

Until that moment I hadn’t
realized how much I’d worried about this - even though it was ridiculous to do
so, I’d fretted over how he might respond, how he’d feel about the fact that I
was being so needy and demanding before we were even technically married. Not
to mention how many sleepless nights I’d spent before he came along, wondering
how the hell I’d ever manage to pay everything off by myself. I could actually
feel the muscles in my shoulders relax slightly, after being held tense for God
knows how long.

“Thank you,” I said,
perhaps a little too fervently, judging by the surprised look on his face.

“Maddy,” he said.
“This was part of our arrangement. I’d take care of you financially during
this time. It’s the least I can do, you don’t have to thank me.”

“It’s just…I’ve been so
worried for so long, wondering how I was going to ever get out of debt. And now
it’s gone. I don’t have to worry anymore.”

“That’s right,” he
said, smiling. “No more worrying.”

I still have no idea why I
thought it was a good idea to lean over and kiss him. Perhaps it was meant to
be a friendly peck, or maybe in the back of my mind I thought someone might be
peering in through the window.

Or maybe, just maybe, I couldn’t
help myself.

For a moment, he was still;
surprised, I supposed, at my forwardness. But the hesitation only lasted for a
split second before I felt his hand slide around the back of my head, pulling
me in aggressively, and it seemed the only appropriate response was to let my
lips part against his.

He took the invitation
immediately, his tongue slipping into my mouth and exploring the territory, and
I felt a shiver of pure bliss run down my spine. Within moments, I was
completely lost in him - forgetting where I was, and why I was here. I was
throbbing. I needed him more than I had ever needed anything.

I leaned into him, deepening the
kiss even further. When we broke apart to catch our breath, I expected him to
say something - to object, even if it was just halfhearted - but his eyes were
dark and fierce and single-minded. There was nothing in his face but pure lust.

I melted. He coaxed me down onto
the carpet with the movement of his body, stretching over mine, until he was
lying on top of me. I could feel him rock-hard and straining in his jeans. Oh,
God. This was really going to happen.

My head was buzzing with arousal
and disbelief, and to this day I still don’t know what possessed me to look him
directly in the eye and say, in a breathy voice:

“Thank you.”

The look on his face made my
heart sink.

He pulled away, his expression
twisted with something like disgust. At me? At himself? I didn’t know. I wasn’t
sure I wanted to. I sat up quickly.

“What’s wrong?” I felt
frantic. I was so close to having what I wanted, and he’d ripped it away from
me. Why? What had I done?

He shook his head, looking at the
floor. “This isn’t a good idea,” he said, flatly.

Well, no shit it wasn’t. I sat up
quickly. “You didn’t seem to care a few minutes ago,” I said,
starting to feel desperate.

“I lost my head for a
second,” he said. “I’m sorry. I really am. But we can’t do
this.”

I sat, miserable and motionless,
on the floor as he gathered his things. He’d been planning to drive the first
load over to his apartment after lunch anyway, but something told me he
wouldn’t be back again today.

After he shut the door behind
him, my massaging shower head got the workout of a lifetime.

Once my head was clearer, I
became determined that I wasn’t going to let that happen again. If he was going
to have an attack of conscience just because I said something silly, well, that
was his problem. Did he really think I was the kind of person to have sex with
someone purely out of gratitude? Had he not been able to tell how aroused I
was? How badly I wanted him? He was an idiot to walk away from all that, no
matter how complicated it might make our arrangement.

The next morning, bright and
early, my phone started to ring. I let him call a few times before I picked up.

“I was going to come over in
half an hour with the truck,” he said, without so much as a greeting.
“If that’s convenient for you.”

“Sure,” I said, coolly.

The pizza box was still on the
floor when I walked out into the living room. I crushed it angrily and shoved
it into the garbage.

When I opened the door, he
actually looked a little bit sheepish.

“About last night,” he
started, and I cut him off with a raised hand.

“Don’t worry about it,”
I said. “I was out of line. No explanation necessary.”

He seemed to accept this, but as
we packed up the rest of my worldly belongings, I could feel him watching me
carefully.

After he dropped me back off in
my mostly-empty apartment, I walked through the suddenly unfamiliar rooms in
silence for a while before collapsing on my bed. It was one of the few things
that didn’t need to come with me - of course.

But if he thought I was actually
going to sleep in his bed with him after yesterday, he was crazy. I wasn’t sure
if that had ever been in the cards. I’d thought about it, of course - several
times, and in exquisite detail - but unless I wanted it to end like yesterday
had, it was obviously best if we never let ourselves get that close.

When I answered the door, he
didn’t even look up. He walked in silently, picked up a box, and walked back
out again.

Okay. So that’s how it was going
to be.

On the last trip, I followed him
out to the U-Haul and climbed into the passenger seat. He glanced at me
briefly, but didn’t say a word. I figured I might as well start unpacking and
settling in.

It was a bit of a shock to see
his apartment with my boxes scattered all over it. It was no longer exactly a
candidate for an interior decorating magazine. He’d left most of the stuff on
the main floor, but I noticed some of the boxes were up in the loft area.

Might as well rip that Band-Aid
off right now.

“Why is my stuff up
there?” I pointed.

He looked at me like I’d sprouted
a second head.

“You don’t expect me to
sleep in your bedroom, do you?” I clarified.

He blinked. “You did read
the contract, didn’t you?”

Had that really been in there?
Oh, man. I really should have hired a lawyer.

“You’ve seen the bed,”
he said, dryly, beginning his trek up the staircase. “It’s a king size.
We’ll hardly even have to see each other.”

I briefly considering picking up
the vase of bamboo from the entry table and throwing it at his head.

I started digging into the boxes
on the main floor. I’d expected my stuff to look dowdy and out of place, but
now that I was actually faced with the prospect of unpacking it, I had a crazy
urge to throw it all in the garbage and start over. What had I been thinking
with some of this shit? Mugs full of pens? A ceramic dog from my trip to
England when I was eleven? At the very least, I should put it all into storage.
It had no business being here.

I rifled through all the boxes,
looking in vain for something that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to bring out.
Paperclips? Three boxes of paperclips? Why did I even have these? And two brand
new six-packs of sticky notes. What the hell did I think I was, a one-person
office supply store?

When Daniel came back downstairs,
I was sitting cross-legged on the middle of the floor, surrounded by
crumpled-up newspaper. I had ink stains all over my hands, and I was examining
an unopened package of multicolored permanent markers.