Lily and the Billionaire

by Beth Michele

  His hand falls away with his laughter, revealing a half-frown on his lips. “I gave Chaz an open invitation to live here.”

  “You did? That was so sweet of you.”

  Jace shakes his head and, in essence, shrugs off my compliment. “He’s my brother.”

  My fingers crawl over to his on the table. “Yes, that’s true, but you also have a kind heart.” And you’re a good man, quite possibly the best one I’ve ever met.

  A hint of red tinges his cheeks and he haphazardly waves a hand. “It’s not like I don’t have the space.”

  “Also true.” I tilt my head, driving my point home. “But there’s still the issue of your kind heart.”

  “Did you know that over a billion Barbies have been sold worldwide?”

  “Good diversion.” I stick my tongue out like the mature twenty-seven-year-old that I am. “And no, I did not.”

  His eyes flare with heat and his voice deepens. “You may want to put that tongue back in your mouth, Miss Conrad. Otherwise, I might have to put it to good use.”

  I let my tongue out again, sliding it across my lower lip. “Promises, promises.”

  A breath fills his chest and he glances over at Chaz reclining on the sofa. Visions of him clearing the island and taking me on the cold marble send warmth shooting between my legs. From the expression on his face and the sudden stiffness in his body, I have a feeling we’re on the same wavelength.

  Until my cell phone buzzes.

  He mutters a soft curse as I pull my hand away to wiggle it from my pocket. Of course, it’s Georgia.

  Georgia: I’m hungry, can we meet earlier?

  I catch my lip between my teeth, torn between wanting to stay here with Jace and wanting to see Georgia. Then it occurs to me that maybe there’s another way.

  sure, might not eat a lot, just ate

  Georgia: not a problem, I can eat for two

  LOL. mind if I bring Jace along?

  Georgia: are you kidding me? of course not

  cool. I need to run home and change, so I’ll meet you at your place at 7:00

  Georgia: okay

  Georgia: wait, you’re not home?

  nope

  Georgia: I seeeeee

  you don’t see anything, I type back, attempting to hold in a smile.

  Georgia: yes I do

  see you soon, Buddha

  Georgia: can’t wait!

  As I place my phone on the island, Jace takes his plate and slides off the stool. This time, I don’t try to stop him. “That was Georgia,” I say, picking up my dish and carrying it to the sink.

  He scrapes our plates in silence while I lean against the counter beside him. The air between us has shifted again, and I can’t figure out why.

  “Do…you want to come hang out with us? We’re going to The Corner Bistro. I know we already ate, but we can just get drinks or whatever.”

  He rinses the plates before organizing them in the dishwasher. “I wouldn’t want to interfere with your girls’ night out.”

  “You wouldn’t be.” I swallow down a sudden ball of nerves. “I want you to come.”

  His eyes snap to mine. “Yeah?”

  With one hand braced on the counter, I rise up on tiptoe, kissing his lips and hoping to put the doubt I hear in his voice to rest. “Yeah.”

  “Again?” Chaz shoves into our space and invites a glare from Jace.

  “Did you need something, Chaz?” he asks, pressing a loud kiss to my cheek to prove a point.

  “Just to squeeze past this overt display of affection so I can put this in the dishwasher.”

  He bends to place his dish next to ours and Jace winces. “That’s dirty,” he says, stating the obvious.

  Chaz stands up. “And your point is?”

  “You have to rinse it before you put it in the dishwasher,” he explains, drying his hands on a nearby towel.

  Chaz tilts his head, eyebrows pulling together. “It’s called a dishwasher for a reason. You don’t wash the dishes beforehand.” He stretches his arms above his head on a noise of satisfaction. “Is there any dessert?” he asks, egging his brother on. “I’m still hungry.” Then he breezes off, his smug laugh following him to the living room.

  Jace squeezes his eyes closed on a heavy exhale. “You see what I’m getting myself into here?” His gaze meets mine. “Kind heart, huh?”

  I smile up at him. “Yup.”

  “Black heart might be more indicative of my thoughts right now.” He grins down at me. “I think another kiss might do the trick, though.”

  “A kiss, huh?”

  “Yes.” He shutters his eyelids and puckers his lips, so I give him a peck. A second later, his gaze opens on mine. “Is that the best you can do?”

  “You think you can do better?” I challenge, knowing the answer—that his kisses alone make me see stars.

  He lifts my chin with two fingers, eyes roaming the curve of my mouth. “I know I can,” he murmurs, and with that promise, my hand reaches for his shirt, knowing I need to steady myself. My heart races as he leans in, breath a whisper away until there’s nothing between us and his warm lips are on mine. He gathers first my top then my bottom lip between his teeth, sucking the delicate flesh before venturing inside. Gentle sweeps of his tongue taste of bacon and maple, salt and sweetness, dragging a soft moan from my throat.

  All too soon, he ends the kiss. I grin against his lips, breathless. “You win.”

  “I know,” he whispers. “I always do.” He drops a kiss on my forehead then steps back. “What’s that?” He points to a piece of paper on the floor.

  “Look, it’s white,” I say, and his eyes narrow while his lips teeter on a smile.

  He bends to pick it up then unfolds the small square.

  He reads the words aloud and my cheeks grow hot. “Oh God, that must’ve fallen out of my pocket.”

  Jace holds the note out in front of me. “The little boxes are adorable, but they aren’t checked.” I notice a slight hesitation in his voice. “Who’s…Rowan?”

  “Georgia’s little brother.” I pluck the note from his hand and shove it into my front pocket. “I like to send him fun packages.”

  “And Cocoa Puffs make you smile.”

  Confused, I peer up at him. “What?”

  “When we first met,” he goes on, a lightness in his tone, “you said they make you smile.”

  “That’s right,” I reply softly, my heart thumping too loud and too fast. A sting pricks the back of my throat and I turn abruptly, heading for my purse. What is happening to me? “Do you mind meeting at The Corner Bistro?” I pretend to search through my bag, trying to get my emotions in check. “I want to go home and change.”

  “Of course,” he says, and I hope he doesn’t catch my unsteady tone. I’m sure he does, though. There’s not much Jace Harlow doesn’t notice about me.

  “It’s on the corner of Jane and West Fourth. Jane is Georgia’s middle name, and I think that’s why she likes to go there,” I joke, using humor like a sleight of hand. On a big breath, I haul the purse over my shoulder and spin around, walking toward an amused Jace.

  “I’m looking forward to meeting Georgia.” He taps my nose. “What time?”

  “Seven thirty.” I look toward the living room. “And bring Chaz, too, if you want. Georgia’s a kick, and it’ll be fun.”

  “Okay,” he says after a pause.

  “If you can stomach any more food, they have the best cheeseburgers, so you’ll be happy,” I gloat, doing some remembering of my own and trying hard to mask whatever’s happening inside this scrambled head of mine, inside my crazy heart.

  His eyes brighten. “Sounds good.”

  “So long,” I call out to his brother, and Chaz gives me a salute.

  Any hopes of a quick escape are dashed when Jace follows me to the elevator. “I’ll see you later.” I fiddle with my purse strap, counting the seconds until the car arrives and doing everything in my power not to look at Jace.

  True to form, h
e doesn’t let me get away with it. “Lily?”

  “Hmm?”

  He waves his hands in front of me until I’m forced to lock eyes with him. “You seem…nervous or…I don’t know. Are you okay?”

  Inches from a clean getaway.

  “I’m great,” I respond with a smile too big for my face. Apparently, I’ve taken to lying now. Go, Lily.

  His gaze is probing, and I wonder if he sees right through me. Whether or not he does, he lets me off the hook. “Okay.”

  The doors glide open—thank God—and I step inside then blow him a kiss. “I’ll see you later, Mr. Harlow.”

  “Yes you will.”

  I’m the one who’s being seen, though, because Jace takes notice of me in every way that counts. The thought clutches me, wrapping itself around my chest like a vine until I can’t breathe, how vital it is that he’s the one who does. As the doors close on his handsome, caring face, I huff out a breath and finally let the tears fall.

  Lily, Lily, Lily.

  God, I hope she’s okay. She’s been on my mind since she left. Hell, who am I kidding? She’s always on my mind.

  The afternoon plays out on a loop in my head. Did I do something to upset her? Something was definitely off, but I can’t pinpoint the change. That’s because she isn’t a financial equation, my overbearing brain reminds me.

  “I know, I know,” I say into the air.

  “Taken to talking to yourself, have you?” Chaz walks into the room, and not more than a minute later, he’s reclining on my bed.

  “You know…” I direct my finger toward the sitting area nearby. “There are three chairs right there. Take your pick.”

  “This is more comfortable for me,” he says, and I have to laugh. He’s always been so ballsy, and that’s one of the things I envy about him.

  “Of course it is.” My mock sincerity pairs with an exaggerated smile. “Perhaps you’d like to share my bedroom?”

  The expression on my big brother’s face is priceless. “No fucking way. That’s disgusting.”

  “Good to know you have your limits,” I tell him, my smile disappearing behind the t-shirt I pull over my head.

  A few beats of silence pass while I continue to get ready. “I’ve made a decision,” he says, and I glance up from strapping the watch around my wrist.

  “And?”

  “I’ve decided I’ll move in—if the offer is still on the table,” he adds quickly.

  “It is.” My nod is tentative, though I couldn’t be more thrilled with his choice. “Good decision.”

  “Of course, we’ll have to set some limits.”

  “Yes, we will,” I respond in kind, padding over to where my shoes sit by the chair.

  “Hey, I was thinking…” Excitement bursts in his eyes, reminiscent of his childhood expression on Christmas morning. “Maybe we can work out together at the gym, a little brotherly bonding.”

  The fact that he actually wants to spend time with me is a surprise, but not as much of a surprise as his face at my next words. “Sure, as long as you’re ready at four AM.”

  He scratches his head with a nauseated look. “In the morning?”

  “Yes, that’s usually what AM connotates.” I slide my foot into one shoe then the other. “I work out from four to five, and then I’m in the office by six.”

  His hand travels to his chest. “Man, I’d have a heart attack if I tried to work out that early. I was thinking more along the lines of ten.”

  I take a seat on the leather chair. “I’m already four hours into my day by then.”

  “That’s fucking ridiculous, bro. And you work till what, six?”

  A quick head shake. “Eight usually.”

  Dark brown eyes go round. “That’s a fourteen-hour day. That’s not normal.”

  “I have a company to run, Chaz,” I snap. “I can’t do normal.” Christ, why am I being so defensive with my own brother?

  “So you just watch life pass you by from those big glass windows?”

  Jesus. I’m about to protest with a snarky remark, but the comment dies on my tongue because he’s spot-on. If the past few weeks have shown me anything, it’s that there’s something to be said for living, for enjoying.

  I have Lily to thank for that.

  “I like Lily,” he says out of the blue, as if reading my thoughts. “She’s a feisty chick.”

  “A feisty chick,” I repeat, turning the words over in my mind. “Okay.”

  “You like her, too, don’t you?” He studies me for long enough that I become uncomfortable. “Actually, I think you’re in love with her.”

  I almost choke on the sound that leaves my mouth. “Love? No. I don’t know anything about love.”

  Chaz pushes himself up to a sitting position. “Why? Because even though Mom and Dad were obviously fairly active in the bedroom and had nine of us, we never saw them hold hands a day in their life? Never heard them tell each other I love you? Because they’re divorced and living on opposite ends of the country?”

  “I don’t…” I stop, take a big breath, and try again. “I don’t know what love looks like.”

  He scoffs. “Fuck what it looks like. What does it feel like?”

  Feel—that’s a loaded word. My chest is overcrowded with feelings, teetering on the edge of a precipice. I don’t know what to make of it, what to do with it. Is it love? Is that why I’ve been feeling so off-kilter?

  Even still, I protest.

  “Chaz,” I admonish, “it’s only been a couple of weeks. You can’t fall in love in such a short time span.”

  “Really? Says who? What are you, the fucking love police?”

  An actual snort leaves my mouth. “Where do you even come up with these things?”

  He grins, tapping a finger against the side of his head. “It’s all in here, bro.”

  I send him a maniacal glare. “It definitely is,” I say, and Chaz reaches around for a pillow then tosses it at my head. “Hey, no need to get violent. Now get off my bed and go get ready because you’re coming out with me.” I’m already up and out of the chair, and still he hasn’t moved.

  “I need details first so I can make an informed decision.”

  I swipe my wallet from the dresser. “We’re meeting Lily and a friend of hers.”

  Finally, he springs up. “Wait a minute—this isn’t a setup, is it?”

  “Absolutely not.” I jam the wallet into my back pocket. “There’s no way I would subject anyone to that kind of suffering.”

  “Hardy har.” He throws me one more dose of Chaz cheer as he shuffles into the hallway. “Is her friend hot?”

  His cackle of laughter nearly drowns out my next words. “Get. Ready.”

  “I’m going, geez.”

  Ten minutes later, Chaz appears in the living room carrying a large cardboard box.

  I glance up from the newspaper. “What’s that?”

  He sets it on the table then steps back. His hand is stuffed in his pocket as he examines the wood floor with excessive interest. “It’s just…something for you.”

  “For me?” I pause, staring at the box like it might bite before flipping open the top. Inside are stacks of vintage comic books. My chest is engulfed by warmth and nostalgia as my head shoots up.

  Chaz pulls at a leather cuff on his wrist, finally meeting my stare. “I know I act like an asshole sometimes, but…I just wanted to say thank you and let you know that, you know, I don’t take it for granted, what you’re doing for me.”

  “Chaz. You didn’t…” I stop then start again. “It wasn’t necessary, but, thank you.” I thumb through a few of the comics, remembering that dorky kid who hid away in his room and read for hours. A smile curves my lips. “I can’t believe it. All the superheroes…where did you manage to find these?”

  “I actually got them a few months ago. I know a guy,” he says, and my eyes narrow. “I swear it’s all on the up and up.”

  “Okay.” I slide off the chair and move to where he’s standing, pulli
ng him in for a hug that catches him off guard.

  It doesn’t last long before he pats my back and retreats. “All right, we’re good. Let’s go. Scottie downstairs waiting for us? I’m looking forward to riding in luxury.”

  “Actually, I thought we’d take the subway.”

  “The subway?” He grimaces. “Why take the subway when we can ride in style?”

  My shrug is nonchalant. “I thought I’d try normal for a change.”

  He fists both hands on his hips. “Oh sure, now you want to do normal.”

  Yeah, I think I do.

  “You better start talking. We need to leave in fifteen minutes.” Georgia folds her arms across her chest, eyeballing me with a look that says she means business.

  “What are you talking about?” I stare into her bathroom mirror, painting my lips with a soft pink gloss.

  “What am I talking about?” She takes three steps until she’s standing behind me, making eye contact with my reflection. “For starters, you showed up here with red, puffy eyes, and now, you’re working on your third coat of lip gloss. Any more and you’ll be the newest addition to the Manhattan skyline.”

  “I guess my head is elsewhere,” I say, twisting the cap on the gloss and setting it on the counter.

  “Obviously,” she drawls, “if you’re not even laughing at my jokes.” She grips my shoulders and spins me around until I’m facing her. “You’ve been distracted since you got here. What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. I…I spent the day with Jace and it was great, and then…I don’t know, I got all emotional and…I can’t make sense of what’s happening.”

  She gives my shoulders a squeeze. “First of all, take a breath, Lil. Come on,” she coaxes. “One big one.”

  I do as she says, inhaling deep then letting it go.

  “Better?” she asks with a soft smile.

  “Yes.”

  “Now start again and tell me what happened.”

  “Jace, he…remembered something from when we first met, and it was something simple. But it’s not that simple, you know? It’s him and that damn heart of his. He listens and he pays attention, and he’s so kind, Georgia. I don’t know what happened, but it just hit me all at once and I felt like a wave was knocking me over. I’m…I don’t know what I am.”