More Than a Billionaire (9 page)

By the time they laced up their skates a short while later, they’d exhausted Kiera’s list of new recipes. While she enjoyed telling him about her latest concoctions, she kept waiting for him to bring up the previous weekend. So far, they’d both acted as if it’d never happened.

“Ready?” Kiera waited while Gray finished lacing his rented skates.

Gray looked at the rink. Located at the heart of the city, the outdoor ice rink drew skaters of all ages and abilities. Most weekends between November and March, the ice was packed. Today, only a handful of people were skating.

“I haven’t skated in a long time.” Gray stood with one hand on the wall surrounding the rink.

Kiera walked onto the ice. “It’s like riding a bike. Once you learn, you don’t forget.”

At least, she hoped so. She’d hate for Gray to spend all day struggling. But if he did, it was his fault. He could’ve suggested they do something else.

“We’ll take it slow.” She waited for him to reach her, and then they started around the rink, side-by-side.

With each movement, Gray appeared more confident.

“What did I tell you? Just like riding a bike.”

They’d made it half way around, and he hadn’t fallen once.

“I still think I’ll keep to the basics. No fancy moves for me.”

He picked up his pace, and they passed a couple that Kiera guessed had attended Brown University since they wore sweatshirts with the name printed on the back.

“No, upright spins for you, Mr. Sherbrooke?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, she glided forward and did a one-foot, upright spin.

Gray applauded. “Yeah, I’ll skip that today.” He skated toward her. “Where did you learn that?”

“My cousin. She used to compete in figure skating. Now, she teaches children to skate.”

Together, they started around the rink again.

“She tried to teach me a camel spin, but I never got the hang of it. I can manage a decent sit spin or at least I could back in the day. I haven’t tried in a long time.”

“I’m impressed. What other talents have you been hiding?”

Gray took her hand, and she wished they didn’t have winter gloves on.

“I can play the piano now.” She’d never had the patience to lean an instrument as a child, but while in college, she took lessons. “My piano playing might be better than my ice skating.”

Together, they started a second lap.

“What about you? What secrets have you been hiding?’

Gray’s hand gripped hers tighter momentarily, and he picked up their pace. Then, just like that, he released her hand. “None.”

“C’mon. You must have some.” Kiera thought for a moment. “I bet you can knit. You probably sit in your office and make hats and scarfs all day long. Maybe baby booties, too.”

“I don’t have any secrets. How could I? The damn media is always around.” Gray’s relaxed attitude disappeared.

“I guess you’re right.
The Stat Report
does love to showcase your life.”

She’d never asked him how he felt about how the media printed everything they could about him and his family. Since he never curbed his partying ways, she assumed it didn’t bother him. The way he answered her question caused her to reconsider however.

She shouldn’t have pressed him for a different answer. Of course, everyone had secrets they didn’t want others to know. Most people found it easy to keep those things under lock and key, but someone like Gray didn’t have that luxury. The media hounded him and his family all the time, trying to dig up dirt. He didn’t need his friends hounding him, too.

Hoping to move past the awkwardness now surrounding them, Kiera nudged him a. “How about we go around on more time, then go get some hot chocolate? I need to warm up.”

For the first time in minutes, Gray glanced at her. “We can get some hot chocolate.” His lips curved into a smile that should be illegal in all fifty states. “Or I could warm you up.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “You tell me which you prefer.”

Had she felt cold a moment ago? She suffered from the opposite problem now. “Tough choice. You do know how much I love chocolate.” The little voice that urged her to live dangerously started back up. “But your other offer is tempting.”
Take the plunge!
The little voice shouted. “Can I have both?”

Gray stopped them and turned her toward him. “Absolutely.”

He planned to kiss her again. She saw it in his eyes, and when his lips touched hers, she leaned into him. Unlike earlier, he took his time teasing her lips until they parted, and then he slipped his tongue inside.

“Come on, buddy. This isn’t the place for that.” An angry man’s voice rang in her ears, and Gray’s mouth left hers. “There are kids here.” The man pointed to a toddler across the ice.

Heat washed over her and she looked down at her skates. The man had a point. They were in a public place.

“My apologies. We were just leaving.” Gray’s voice came out so calm and unaffected that she looked at him.

Unlike her, he appeared not at all embarrassed. Then again, people caught him kissing women in public on a regular basis; what was one more time?

“Enjoy your day.” Gray took her hand and led her across the ice.

Kiera kept her face down while they collected their shoes and changed out of their skates. How many others had seen them kiss?

“Where should we go for hot chocolate?” Gray asked.

After his kiss, she didn’t need anything to warm her up. “Anywhere is okay.” She took her time retying her boots.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you out there.” Gray’s hand covered hers, making it impossible to tie her laces.

“We’re both at fault.” She glanced at him. “No need to apologize.”

He released her hand, and she finished tying her boots. “Besides I know how irresistible you find me,” she said, thinking of his comment from the day she’d baked cupcakes.

“Kiera—”

“Let’s go to Ambrosia. I love how they put cinnamon in their hot chocolate. Have you ever tried it that way?”

His eyes narrowed. “You can change the subject for now. No, I’ve never had it that way, but I’m up for trying it.”

Like most afternoons, customers filled the booths and tables inside Ambrosia Pastry Shop and Café. Even before Trent Sherbrooke married Addison Raimono, the granddaughter of the owner, the café and its other locations had always done well. Since news broke of Trent and Addison’s relationship, however, the place was packed every day.

“If you want to grab a table, I’ll order.” Gray held open the door for her. “Do you want anything else?”

Kiera looked around the crowded café and spied only two open tables and more than that number of customers ahead of them in line.

“Maybe we should get the hot chocolates to go. It’s busy in here.”

“That’s fine.” Gray put an arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer.

Now, like so many other times, she wondered about his actions. If she spent time with another man—perhaps one of the many blind dates her friends tried to set her up on—and he acted like this, she’d assume he intended to pursue a relationship and not just some quick fling. Was it safe to assume that with Gray? She’d have to ask him soon, if didn’t tell her for certain before the end of the day.

“What would you like today?” The woman behind the counter asked, and Kiera did a double take. The woman looked identical to the maid of honor at Trent’s wedding.

“How are you, Chloe?” Gray asked.

Gray and Chloe exchanged a few pleasantries before he placed their order.

“Addie invited me for dinner Friday. Will you be there too?” Chloe asked.

Gray took the hot chocolates from Chloe. “I won’t be around this weekend. Hopefully, I can join everyone soon.” Gray dropped a few dollars in the tip cup before they left.

Kiera had expected Gray to be gone before the weekend. Neither his lifestyle nor work tied him to the area. His comment about joining Trent, his wife, and her family soon, highlighted the fact that he didn’t plan to stay long now.

Gray started up the car and waited. “So where to now?”

“You pick this time”.

“Since I did promise to warm you up in case that hot chocolate didn’t, lets go to back to your place.”

Heat that had nothing to do with her hot chocolate spread through her as she considered how they’d spent their time at her apartment on his last visit and how they might spend it today.

During their trip into the city, Kiera had kept up a steady conversation. Now, she remained silent, sipping her hot chocolate and looking everywhere but at him. Gray didn’t know how to read that. The women he usually spent time with spoke just to hear their own voices. Did Kiera’s silence indicate something bothered her, or was she just content?

He’d thought she was happy to be with him today. Once or twice he glimpsed a frown, especially after he’d insisted he had no secrets. He’d been a little more abrupt then necessary when he answered her, so maybe that accounted for her reaction. But despite the frowns, she’d responded when he kissed her. If she wanted him to back off, Kiera wouldn’t have responded to him the way she had on the ice. At least, the Kiera he’d grown up with wouldn’t have. Judging by the time he’d spent with her so far, she hadn’t changed much.

On the way inside Kiera’s apartment building, they ran into the same woman who had let Gray inside on an earlier visit.

“Hi Joy. Heading out?”

“Ryan spent last night at his dad’s house. I’m going to pick him up.”

At first, he thought Kiera planned to end the conversation there and not introduce him, but then she nodded in his direction.

“Joy, this is Gray. He’s an old friend of mine.” Kiera turned toward him. “Joy and her son live upstairs.”

An old friend?
He didn’t want her to see him as just an old friend. He thought his actions conveyed that message. Evidently he’d done a poor job so far. Even if he had done a lousy job of getting his true feeling across, did she think he kissed all women the way he’d kissed her?

He listened as Joy and Kiera spoke for a few minutes, then he followed Kiera upstairs.

The scent of rosemary and basil remained from earlier. “If you want, I’ll hang up your jacket.” Kiera stood near the closet, having already hung hers up.

Gray shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her. “I had fun today. If we get a chance before the rink closes, we should do it again.” He waited for a “sounds good” or an “okay.” Neither response came. Instead, she shrugged and slipped his jacket onto a hanger.

“Don’t let me forget to give you your glove.”

He waited until she closed the door before he put his arms around her waist. “If I forget it today, I’ll grab it the next time I’m here.”

That statement should give her some idea of his intentions on the off chance the kiss they shared earlier hadn’t.

“You were right; the hot chocolate with cinnamon was delicious. I hope it didn’t warm you up to much. I did promise to help you get rid of any chill.”

Kiera smiled, and Gray took that as a green light and lowered his mouth to hers.

As if they’d done it a thousand times before, she put her arms over his shoulders and leaned into him. He took her actions as a good sign, and while he wanted nothing more than to slip his tongue into her mouth and taste her, he held back, instead, taking his time to memorize the feel of her lips under his.

Slow and gradual
. He could do that. At least, he managed to until Kiera slide her hands up his neck and into his hair and the tight leash he kept on his desire snapped. He changed the angle of his mouth over hers and tugged on her bottom lip until she opened for him. She tasted like chocolate.

A groan reached his ears when their tongues met. He wasn’t certain if it came from him or Kiera and honestly didn’t care. Without breaking contact, he leaned against the wall and pulled her tightly against him. The groan this time came from him. It escaped the moment her body pressed into his.

Kiera shifted against him, the movement causing his semi-aroused self to stiffen further. As if on their own, his hands traveled south to cup her ass. Since she gave no indication that he should move them, he took advantage of their position.

He slid them across her backside, learning every curve like he’d wanted to ever since she’d grabbed her ice skates before they’d left her apartment. She moaned as he continued his exploration, the sound giving him the encouragement he needed.

Satisfied he’d committed her ass to memory, he slid his hand under her shirt. Warm and silky skin greeted him. His fingertips traced a path up her spine and his lips found her collarbone. As he kissed her skin, he breathed in the scent of strawberries.

He should he let her take things from here. Let her set the pace.

Otherwise he might strip her naked right now.

Resolve set, he let his hand rest at the base of her spine. He’d let her decide how far they went today.

That was the thought anyway. But then she moved against him again and moaned as he kissed the pulse in her neck and his best intentions flew out the window.

In one movement, he reversed their position so she was pinned between him and the wall. Then he reached for the buttons of her flannel shirt. When he released the last one, he pushed the shirt open and slid his hand up her stomach and over her breasts.

Gray caressed and teased one breast through her bra until her nipple became a tight pebble. Then he switched his attention to the other one. It didn’t take much effort before that nipple tightened under his palm, straining against her bra.

He wanted her naked breasts pressed against his bare chest and later he’d get it. Right now, he wanted something even more. He wanted to taste her.

He tore his lips from hers and kissed the skin above her bra. Once he finished on one side, he switched to the other while he reached for the front clasp.

Gray spread the bra apart and took one nipple in his mouth. He licked the tight bud. This was the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Kiera’s sudden shove removed that thought from his mind.

“What’s the matter? Did I hurt you?” He took a step back and watched as she clipped her bra together.