Read The Billionaire's Wife (A Steamy BWWM Marriage of Convenience Romance Novel) Online
Authors: Mia Caldwell
The Billionaire's Wife (A Steamy BWWM Marriage of Convenience Romance Novel) (10 page)
Cole
New Orleans was an incredible choice.
I had wondered about destinations still in the New England area, but Kiona had
picked a rather inspired spot. It was my first time down in New Orleans, and I
was pleased to have gotten to experience it before I had to stare down the painful
realities of my life.
But I wasn’t
ready to face them yet.
I needed a
few distractions first.
Kiona turned
out to be an admirable one overall. When I brought my sleepy bride back to the
hotel room, I let her take the bed while I slept on a couch in the living room.
I normally woke early, just to get the day started right. It was my way of
going about things. To my surprise, my eyes opened at ten o’clock in the
morning – with a blanket draped around myself, while she was back in bed
and asleep.
The rest of
the trip, we did the touristy things in the city – visiting the
boardwalk, taking a few historical tours, spending time at the Audubon Aquarium
of the Americas and Zoo, getting lost in the party-fueled throngs of the French
Quarter, even seeing some magnificent views of the Mississippi River and the
New Orleans skyline.
I wanted to
freeze the moments in time. Those three days were some of the best of my life
– delighting in a beautiful companion, temporarily free from the worries
of the business world, and able to enjoy some of the luxuries I’d earned for
the first time in incalculable years.
If only.
Instead, I
ignored the ticking bomb deep inside me that I held hidden from the world. I
focused on enjoying my time with Kiona and making this whole relationship as
real as an arranged marriage could appear, never trying to take advantage of
her even in her warmest, most romantic moments.
Maybe she was
a little too good at her job. It was no wonder she’d managed to fool all of my
staff. The ways that she looked at me sent a crystal clear message. Her eyes
would glaze over slightly, only to grow fiery with passion as a smile crossed
her face. Growing to know Kiona, I knew that the money was in the back of her
mind – she was sincere in her budding attraction to me. She had to be if
we were going to pull this off.
Truth being
told, I was flattered, and perhaps more than a little scared. All the features
that made me choose her – her impulsiveness, adaptability, raw talent for
blending into a role –
were
remarkably attractive to me. But I hadn’t counted on how her natural charisma
and beauty would only accentuate these features, making her the perfect
companion. In another life, maybe I’d have taken the time to get to know her a
little deeper. Maybe we could have been together without a Swiss bank account
and a stack of annulment paperwork.
It’s a shame that it just can’t be.
I wanted to
destroy the contract and keep her on my arm. All my life, people who wanted to
take advantage had surrounded me. I grew up a child who would give the shirt
off of his back, sent to the wrong public schools on a technicality – and
finding myself in a den of thieves. When I embroiled myself in my schoolwork
and managed to switch to a more esteemed high school, I was able to pull
everything together, secure the notice of Yale, and win several powerful
scholarships that made attending the school somewhat of a possibility.
But then, I
was singled out for my aptitude. Naturally introverted, whatever attention I
drew from my peers was almost exclusively to belittle me, undermine me, or try
to earn the praise of our professors by being associated with me.
Sharks.
Everywhere I
went, surrounded by sharks.
Of course,
building a small, lucrative empire did nothing to help. It had never been in
the design to become a billionaire, and the success only snowballed with the
passing years. I was too tenacious, too dedicated to fulfilling that role. One
day, I turned back on everything that I had built, realizing for the first time
that I had gone from young university dropout armed with ideas, a promise to
keep, and a few hunches…to a self-made man with a staggering net worth and
almost no time in the world.
Before I
could sit back and reap the benefits of my hard work, I was hit with the
diagnosis.
Maybe I was a
fool, but I felt like Kiona could learn to love me. I could learn to love
her
. Both of these were indisputable facts
to me, and I wondered what the possibilities might be. But what had originated
as a way to teach myself to force everyone out – just to keep myself safe
from those who would try to take advantage of me – became a defense
mechanism, preventing anyone from getting too close.
I didn’t want
to leave anybody hurt.
My partner
wasn’t attached yet, but she was a survivor. An opportunist. With the right
resources, she could build upon my foundation, starting something extraordinary
of her own. That’s why I had lied to her. I wasn’t going to pay Kiona fifteen
million dollars for her efforts here. There was no way I could organize my
charitable legacy in the short time I had left. I needed someone detail focused
and driven. I needed someone adaptable who could fall into the role of
conservator for my estate.
Maybe I just
wanted to shock the world, one last time.
I’d already
made the decision. To hell with the fifteen million. I was leaving her almost everything.
*
*
*
The flight
back was somewhat uneventful. Drained from a long day of cramming in the last
few sights we could fit, we relaxed in our window-side chairs of my private
jet, bound back for New York. I was rather pleased with myself for taking a bad
situation and turning it around, especially concerning my somewhat
temperamental partner.
Speaking of
Kiona, she had fallen asleep with her face near the glass. As I stood up to
stretch my legs, I glanced over at her, admiring how the light bathed her sweet
mocha skin. I fought the craving to stir her from her slumber, guide her over
to the comfortable bed in the back of the small jet, and explore her body with
my tongue.
No,
I thought to myself sternly.
You know you can’t.
With a
tremendous sigh, I cursed my sex drive and my strong sense of morality.
What kind of billionaire can’t fuck his pretend-wife
at ten thousand feet?
Pushing my
feelings down, I considered quietly locking myself in the bathroom and
masturbating…but decided,
no, I am not
going to jack off in an airplane bathroom like some sort of uncontrollably horny
teenager.
Instead, I pulled out my laptop and reviewed sales figures,
answered some emails for the first time since Monday morning, and tried to
ignore the tremendous bulge in my pants.
Several hours
later, we finally touched down in New York again. Kiona awoke just in time for
us to hit the runway, and the process went about as smoothly as it had when
landing in New Orleans. My usual driver, Gregory, was ready with the car to
scoop us back up and take us home. While Kiona rested a little in the backseat
with me, I reflected on our unconventional marriage and the fun that we’d
experienced together…along with the impending meeting with Alphonse Megami.
I need to start making the arrangements for that,
I thought to myself.
Tomorrow,
I’ll contact Kylie.
I thought
about how useful my executive assistant had been these last five years as we
ascended the elevator up to the penthouse. Kiona, still yawning slightly, was
watching the beauty of the setting sun against the skyline as I found my
thoughts trailing to the previous jams that Kylie had helped me avoid or
mitigate. A couple of times during our honeymoon, I’d stepped aside to
privately answer a phone call or series of text messages from my assistant, who
was holding down the fort in my absence.
I still
needed to figure out what to do about Coppersmith. His preposterous posing and
wanton need to have his ego stroked at all times was making him trouble for me,
and I needed better management…but it wasn’t time yet. When the appropriate
moment came, Larry would fit the bill appropriately, and if the board wouldn’t
accept him, I’d step in to sign off on his ascension myself. A little parting
gift before I handed over the reigns of my company to Megami.
But that
still left the problem of leaving a supervisor for the marketing department…and
the training procedure for that would be somewhat time-consuming and
problematic…
Is there seriously nobody capable of stepping up
to that role, already IN my company?
Once again, I
needed people in the right roles. Sure, this transition would cause significant
upheaval in the company, especially after I gave everyone my parting six figure
bonus, but with the right staff in control I knew they could weather the storm.
“What’s the
matter?” Kiona asked, gazing at me thoughtfully with some concern.
“I
don’t…wait, where are we?”
The concern
across her face intensified. “We’re home.”
I glanced
around. She was right. I was standing in the kitchen of the penthouse, and she
was back on the other side of the divider. We were holding glasses of wine
again, even. I shook my head –
is
this déjà vu? Didn’t we JUST do this a few days ago?
“Yes, I’m…I’m
fine,” I nodded.
“You haven’t
been listening to a word I’ve been saying, have you?” Kiona chided me with a
mocking frown. “I swear, sometimes you just get wrapped up in that world of
yours…”
“No, I was…it
was just…I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I was distracted with work preoccupations.
Could you repeat whatever you were saying?”
“I was
saying
that I really appreciate the trip
down to New Orleans, even if it wasn’t a real honeymoon for a real marriage,”
Kiona smiled. “You’re very sweet sometimes, even if you try to hide it. But you
should know that you can’t hide things from me, Cole…”
That’s what I’m afraid of,
I thought to
myself before I realized that she was stroking my cheek with her palm. I
glanced down at my wine – I’d already almost finished the glass. While
absentmindedly wrapped up in thoughts about my company, I must have been
unconsciously drinking it.
Not a good combination
, I thought
to myself. Drinking wine and lost in thought…
how much have I been drinking? And how long have we been here?
I
glanced over to the window, seeing that the sun was already disappearing
towards the horizon.
“Listen, I
know what I see in your eyes when you look at me,” she whispered, standing on
just the other side of the divider again. “I can see it in them now. You didn’t
just pick me because I could play pretend. There’s some part of you that wants
this to be real…”
I realized
that she was right.
You know what you
have to do.
I began to concentrate again, taking a deep, soothing breath as
I closed my eyes.
I can’t let her inside.
I can’t let ANY of them inside. Just calm down…relax everything…and push the
safety of those walls back up…
Before I
could exhale, releasing the end of my self-conditioning ritual, Kiona’s
luscious, thick lips pressed firmly against mine, and every last ounce of
restraint I had collapsed out from under me.
Kiona
Cole’s warm
lips were suddenly magnetic to the touch – I didn’t want to keep mine off
of them. There was a crushing need in the way that he reciprocated my kiss, and
I leaned forwards and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He pulled back just
a sliver, but I crossed the distance, kissing him again openly, passionately.
The energy between us was just too addictive. I had felt it with a light brush,
here and there – whether he touched me or I, him – and my lips were
lightning rods to his awesome, crackling power.
Then he held
my cheeks in his palms, pushing back onto mine until our lips couldn’t stand
the thought of parting.
I honestly
don’t know what came over me. It didn’t have anything to do with the money
– despite chasing opportunities, I wasn’t
that
kind of woman, and life would have been hell of a lot easier
if I’d just slept my way into the right industries for the cash.
Maybe it was
the wine, but it just felt right. I could pretend to love him, but the passion
I saw in his eyes was more than pretend. I found myself more receptive to him. Sure,
in a few weeks all of this would be over, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have
a little fun…
It was more
than that, though. There had been sadness in his eyes when he spoke. He might
not have even known it was there. But the way he looked when he discussed
everything – it was the same look that he had in the car. He was hiding
something important – like an open wound, or some great burden on his
shoulders.
And as soon
as I understood that, as it clicked together while he spoke to me, the
compulsion to make everything better filled me. We’re both broken people, but
maybe together, we could be something more.
We soon
smiled into our kisses, aware of the divider between us, but before he could
pull away I pressed my lips against his again. We crossed around the edge of
the counter, suddenly enveloping ourselves in one another more properly.
Without the
barrier, we pressed together, our lips eagerly, desperately closing the
distance. Cole dug his needful fingers into my meticulously straightened hair,
his palms sliding up against my cheekbones and engulfing my temples. I tugged
at his bottom lip with my teeth gently, inviting more of him into my mouth. His
tongue snaked in, sliding against mine. I clenched into the back of his head,
as we tasted of each other.
As stoic and
emotionless as Cole Andrews had been, despite some small smiles and a laugh here
or there, it was reassuring to feel the pressure of his need against my leg.
That was when it was finally confirmed to me that there was flesh and blood,
sinews full of vitality and need, connecting this impenetrable man of stone.
“I should…we can’t…”
He murmured incoherently.
I smiled into
our kissing. “We can…”
“You don’t
have to do this…”
“It’s okay…”
He opened his
eyes, staring deep into my soul with the aches of cautious, barely restrained
pleasure. I nodded, slipping my tongue against his again, quietly gasping with
pleasure as his teeth held it in place and tugged lightly.
I became
aware now that we were moving across the penthouse, although I couldn’t grasp
my bearings of where. All that mattered was the powerful energy between us
– and how much I craved the might of his touch.
There’s no
telling how much time passed, but I was soon tossed down to the most
comfortable bed I’ve ever touched – a large, majestic king mattress,
wrapped in luxurious bedding in a dim, spacious bedroom. At our presence, the
lighting slowly adjusted to a warm, soothing level, shrouding us in enough
light to see but enough darkness to conceal. Within that darkness, our passion
intensified – as if our crushing need swelled to fill the shadows.
Cole was
kneeling beside me on the bed – I was ripping at his belt, eager to
withdraw the massive weapon inside. He pushed me back down into the mass of
pillows and took over, lifting my dress when I tried to bounce back up. He
helped me out of it, casting it to the other side of the bed as he descended
upon my body, peppering my skin with his lips.
My throat was
wide open for his mouth, and he furiously, needfully kissed the space, moving
his lips down my body in a trail of passionate pecks. I gasped in excitement as
he reached back up, kissing my neck as his hands slid under my shoulders
– I arched my back, and he took the opportunity to unclasp my bra.
Pulling the garment aside, my flowing bosom was free, the puckering peaks ready
for his pressing attention.
The
billionaire grasped my breasts, kneading gently as he explored them with his
trailing fingers. Catching my nipples between the knuckles on either hand, he
squeezed them together, tugging the erect nubs as his lips descended upon my
neck again. My back naturally arched once more, pushing my bosom into his
capable hands, and he dropped his mouth to swirl his wet, firm tongue around a
gracious, perky nipple. My fingers scratched down his back, eager to rid him of
his unnecessary clothing, but he held me at bay. The nipple slipped into his
mouth – he tugged with his teeth gently, flicking with his tongue, all
the while still grasping passionately at my breasts.
I grasped
onto his head, holding him down onto my breasts as he swapped to the other. His
mouth was incredible against them, and I could barely stand to let him part…but
then, after several moments, he began to pepper a trail of kisses down my
stomach. My hands pushed him further down, and he slipped his fingers into the
band of my panties, tugging them down my thighs and flicking them across the
bed.
“You’re so
wet for me,” he murmured softly, his warm breath wafting across my sex.
I could
barely manage a nod before he plunged his middle finger inside. My lips shuddered
apart as I leaned my head back into the pillows, enveloped in the feeling that
filled me.
“Oh God,
Cole…that feels so incredible…”
My slickness
was already prepared for a second finger, and he indulged. His index met the
middle, curling to slide against my inner button, and he worked my body
perfectly as his lips pressed slow, meaningful kisses upon my inner thighs.
Pleasure
whiplashed down my spine – my back arched and my throat groaned as I
squeezed my breasts in aching need. As my fingers trailed across the nipples, I
plucked at the peaks between the firm Venus mounds beneath my thumbs and the
nearest fingertips.
His fingers
retreated from inside, and he married his tongue to my wet, slickened channel.
My hands could only be in one place now – wrapped around the back of his
head, my fingers buried in his hair. I rode the billionaire’s face as he lapped
away my juices, digging his firm tongue deeper inside me. With my thighs slid
up over his shoulders, I cried out in ecstasy as I felt his thumb sliding
across the bead of my passion, rubbing circles against my clit.
I was already
wound so tightly with pleasure. I couldn’t last long under his masterful
command of my body, and soon the crushing orgasm ran its course, flooding my
mind with a burst of impossible desire as the release surged across my body. My
lungs let out a passionate scream of pleasure, and I clutched onto his head as I
rode out the climax.
But Cole
wasn’t done with me yet.
And I was
ready for him.
As the
billionaire rose between my legs, my fingers slipped straight to his belt
again, eager to release the restraints on his rock-hard passion. Cole
graciously tossed the blazer aside, removing his tie as I unclasped the belt
and unzipped his slacks. He began unbuttoning his long-sleeved top, grinning
confidently down at me as I reached into his boxers, grasping the powerful tool
with my fingers for the first time.
The size of
it was incredible – but the sheer heat emanating from it made my jaw
drop. He radiated power, even between his legs, and groaned as I began to
stroke his mighty cock.
Cole withdrew
from my touch long enough to shed the rest of his clothing. He knelt between
me, a handsome, chiseled specimen of masculinity perfected – the
washboard abs stretched down to a cut V joining his hips, as if pointing down
to the long, thick, incredible tool at his disposal.
“Are you
ready?” He asked calmly.
“Yes,” I
murmured softly, drawing out the syllable.
Cole shifted
off of the bed for a moment, returning with a condom from the drawer. Slipping
the wrapper against his teeth, he tugged the plastic open and expertly sheathed
his weapon. Next, he leaned down against my skin, supporting himself with his
elbows as he reached down for the forthcoming point of no return…but my hand
grasped his cock first, eager to take control of this moment.
“No, let me,”
I whispered into his ear, tugging on the lobe lightly with my teeth as I
stroked him gently. Rubbing his cock against my lower lips to tease us both, I
could feel him groan a deep, hearty murmur of satisfaction from within his
chest.
I adjusted my
hips, lining him up…
…And I pushed
the billionaire inside.
I knew that
it was going to be a squeeze, but I hadn’t anticipated how much he would
stretch my walls. Taking it gently at first, Cole tactfully retreated when
necessary, only to capture further ground when he pushed inside. My ankles
naturally slid along his calves as his overwhelming cock tunneled further into
my slickened, yearning canal, wet with desire. Within a few more slow pushes,
my body was adapting to his size; he was hilting himself into me now, his hips
against mine.
My
fingernails surged down his spine as he ratcheted up the ferocity, thrusting
slower at first, and then harder, faster, absolutely dominating me. When my
eyes opened and I gazed into his, the dim lighting twinkled ever so subtly
against his pupils, and I saw him for what he really was – impressively
powerful, highly reserved, and in need of connection. Why he had cut himself
off from everyone around, I didn’t know; but our bodies were intertwined and
his passionate, hungry eyes bore into my sight, I saw every last, heavy ounce
of his need.
Our hips
rocked together thunderously, dueling with our wills – I was submitting
to his power, yes, but only on my terms. Cole, on the other hand, continued to
dominate my body. His lips found my neck again; his powerful hand clasped my
leg beneath the buttock. My lover was thrusting rapidly, uncompromisingly into
me, pushing both of us to our brinks.
I could feel
him coming close, and I knew that I was so very near the edge myself.
His hand
grasped my face, palming my cheek as his lips crushed into mine. Cole’s
thrusting was growing frantic now, and I could feel my own pleasure uncoiling
once more, ready to flood my body.
One last gasp
from us both – my inner muscles clenched tightly around his cock as I
came, letting the cries rip from my heaving chest. Clutching his cock like a
vise-grip, I felt his cock empty his seed between my legs, secured with our
protection.
“That
was…fucking…incredible…” I murmured in ecstasy, my body sapped of strength.
“You’re
goddamn right it was,” he agreed, sliding against my side and pressing his lips
to my shoulder, and my neck, and my lips…
