by Claire Adams
Of course, I also wasn’t a fresh-faced woman with no life experience. I knew who Logan was, and he’d shown it through how he’d treat me, even when I’d treated him poorly. I was old enough to know what I wanted, and Logan was better with Juniper than her own father had ever been.
Then again, I knew Logan loved me, but that wasn’t the same thing as being ready to marry me. Maybe the person really getting ahead of herself wasn’t Amelia Hawkins but me.
“What’s on your mind?” Logan said, his voice low, a slight look of concern on his face.
Apparently, my attempt to disguise my feelings by drinking tea had failed. No one but Logan seemed to notice though. Our mothers were still cackling about some society parties among themselves. Juniper had decided to focus on coloring instead of trying to steal more food.
“Nothing’s on my mind,” I said, also keeping my voice low. I don’t know how long we could have a private conversation right in front of two nosy women like our mothers, but it didn’t hurt to try.
“Something’s on your mind,” Logan said, his dark eyes seeing right through me. “I can tell by looking at you.”
“So much has happened so quickly.” I shrugged. “It seems like yesterday we had that first date, and I, well, it didn’t seem like much was going to come from it.”
“That’s how life is. Does that bother you?”
I took another sip of my tea while I thought my answer over. “No, it doesn’t bother me. It’s surprising is all.”
I leaned against Logan. He put his arm around me. It was nice being able to relax into him, no worries, and knowing he loved me and cared for my daughter.
“I love you,” I whispered into his ear.
“I love you too,” he whispered back.
To my surprise, he tilted my head up and planted a big kiss right on my lips. He didn’t try to enter my mouth, and though I was dying to kiss him more, I did have to think of where we were. My daughter and our mothers were right there too.
I pulled away and smiled. He smiled back.
“Well, if we both love each other, then when are you moving in?” Logan said.
I opened my mouth to tell him why that was a bad idea and then realized that was silly. It was a bit late to complain about Logan asking for the very things I’d been wondering about myself. Of course, certain proprieties needed to be observed.
“Why not?” I said.
Our mothers fell deathly silent. I could feel their stares.
Logan’s eyebrows went up. “If I knew it was going to be that easy, then I would have asked a long time ago.”
“Not going to be quite that easy.”
He grinned. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”
I lifted my hand. “I’m not interested in games. I’m interested in commitment. I’ll move in once I have a ring on my finger.”
I heard a gasp, not from one of the mothers, but from a nearby table. Now our entire section of the restaurant had fallen silent. Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell everyone was watching us, waiting to see how this all unfolded.
Logan jumped up and grabbed my hand. He offered a big smile to our mothers.
“Can you two keep an eye on Juniper?” he asked.
They both nodded in unison.
“Wait,” I said. I liked playing the little game with Logan, but now I didn’t know what was going on. “Why would we need them to keep an eye on Juniper?”
“Because we’re going ring shopping.”
Everyone else in the restaurant cheered. Our moms both clapped. Juniper bounced up and down. I don’t even know if she understood why everyone was so excited.
I fished my keys out of my purse and handed them to my mother. “Assuming Amelia has no problem riding in my car.”
“Just go and get your ring, future daughter-in-law.”
I laughed, and Logan led me by the hand out of the restaurant, everyone still cheering.
I’d found my man, my prince, my beloved. A man who wasn’t only good for me but also for my daughter.
I’d never felt so blessed in my life.
Epilogue
Six months later
LOGAN
Even though I was a billionaire and Emily was from old money, we elected for a simple ceremony in my backyard. We kept the guest list small and intimate. The overall set-up was modest, nice flowers, a harpist, that sort of thing. No champagne fountains or special performances by top stars.
I was surprised. Emily was the one who wanted to keep it small and simple. I’d planned to spend whatever she asked.
She’d told me she’d already had one elaborate wedding. The important thing was the man, she said, not the pomp and circumstance.
That was fine by me. I just wanted to make an honest woman of her.
The whole afternoon was nice enough, and the weather cooperated, being slightly warmer than normal for early October in the mid-seventies and offering no rain. I wasn’t sure if Emily would accept an autumn wedding, but again, she surprised me with her flexibility.
Of course, Juniper was adorable as a flower girl. I suspected though that both my mother and mother-in-law were a bit peeved they didn’t get to implement the plans they’d developed over the decades for the world’s most elaborate wedding; they’d made a few comments here and there in the lead up to the wedding to suggest as such.
My mother even had an entire notebook prepared, complete with vendors and contractors she’d spent years evaluating. The whole thing was as impressive as it was frightening, a testament to her obsession. I hoped she now felt free.
In the end, it didn’t matter much. Or at least I didn’t care. Emily, Juniper, and I would be in Japan for two weeks. The mothers couldn’t do much to us there.
I thought about that as I sipped some water in a seat on my private jet. We’d gone straight from the reception to the airport. Neither mother really had an opportunity to complain. After all, they weren’t going to risk causing trouble at the wedding.
They’d both been all smiles at the reception and wedding. Honestly, it was hard to say. Even if we didn’t have some fancy affair, both mothers had achieved their goal. They’d successfully introduced us, and we ended up getting married. That was the ultimate end goal.
And another goal, at least for my mother, was already on its way to being completed. I glanced down at Emily, who was sitting beside me, reading through a magazine on an iPad. Her pregnancy wasn’t quite showing yet, but it would be soon enough.
Not that I cared if people did the math. She’d been living with me the last six months, so it wasn’t exactly a mystery that we’d been sleeping together.
Juniper cheered, and I looked over at her.
She was watching Moana, though she’d been getting up every once in a while to run back and forth, apparently thrilled with the idea that we were the only ones on the plane other than the pilot. I’d even decided against a flight attendant this trip. I wanted the whole thing to feel more homey and intimate, like a sort of camping trip. Just in the air in a private jet.
Still, I was happy I could give her a unique experience, even if Emily was worried about spoiling her. I could already tell we were going to have more than a few mild disagreements about that. I had every intention of spoiling Juniper and the child now growing in Emily’s womb.
I took another sip of water as I thought that over.
Emily sighed. I wondered if I had a weird look on my face.
“You can have some wine,” she said. “Just because I’m not having any doesn’t mean you can’t. I don’t want you to spend the rest of my pregnancy trying to worry too much about solidarity.”
I chuckled. “Well, just let me worry for the next few days then.”
“It’s a long flight. Some wine might help.”
“This isn’t exactly my first rodeo.” I winked. “It’s not even yours.”
“We’re going to the rodeo?” Juniper asked, her gaze still glued to the overhead screen.
“It’s an expression, sweet pea,” Emily said, sm
iling.
Juniper paused the movie and turned around to look at us. “I’m gonna have to share, aren’t I?”
“Huh?” I looked over at Emily, and she shrugged.
“What are you talking about” Emily asked.
“My LEGOs,” Juniper said. “I’m going to have to share them with the baby.” She stuck out her bottom lip.
I chuckled. “Aren’t you excited about being a big sister?”
The little girl nodded. “Yes, but I don’t want to share my LEGOs. The baby will drool all over them. I know it.”
Emily sighed. “Juniper, the baby can’t even play with your kind of LEGOs for several years. I wouldn’t worry about it anytime soon.”
“Oh.” Juniper’s face brightened, and she clapped. “Yay. We should buy some of those big baby LEGOs in Japan, and then the baby can play with them and not even be sad she doesn’t have my LEGOs.”
“That’s very kind of you to consider the baby’s feelings,” Emily said, chuckling. “Even if it’s going to be a while before the baby’s born.”
“You said ‘she.’ How do you know it’s going to be a girl?” I said. “Your mom and I don’t even know that.” It was still way too early for us to find out the sex of the baby.
Juniper nodded. “I’m sure of it. I had a dream it’d be a girl.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“Keep in mind,” Emily said, “that you’re also getting this special trip. We wanted you to be able to see Japan before your sibling was born.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Juniper said. “Thank you…” She stared at me. “May I call you Daddy now?”
The question warmed my heart. I wanted to say yes, but I looked over at Emily for permission. She nodded.
“Sure, Juniper,” I said. “You can call me Daddy.”
“Yay.” She smiled, turned back around, and started her movie back up.
“Huh,” I said, after a few seconds. “I won’t have any good advice to even give her.”
“What do you mean?” Emily asked.
“I have no idea what it’s like to have a younger sibling. I was an only child.”
Emily blinked, and then her eyes widened. “So was I.”
We both laughed at that.
* * *
Two weeks later, Juniper snoozed in the limousine. We’d had a long flight back to Nashville, but she’d taken it like a champ. She’d wanted to play with some of her new LEGO sets, but Emily told her no. An airplane isn’t exactly the best place for precision work. At least I had a full library of movies for her to watch.
When I was her age, the longest flight I ever had to suffer through was only five hours. I was impressed she could handle the huge flight with only minimal complaints.
I couldn’t help but worry about some things. I shook my head.
“What’s wrong?” Emily asked.
“Do you think she liked it?” I lifted my eyebrow and tilted my head a little, studying her.
“Tokyo?”
“Yes.” I smiled at her returned question. She knew what I was talking about.
Emily looked at me like I’d grown another head. “How could you ask that? She loved it. We had to carry her crying onto the plane. We’re lucky she didn’t try to renounce her American citizenship and set up shop in Odaiba.”
I laughed. Emily was right, of course. I don’t know why I was so worried about the trip. Maybe because it was our first big trip as a family. I wanted it to be perfect.
We’d probably personally pushed the Japanese GDP up one percent with all our LEGO purchases, and we’d visited all sorts of interesting places. Juniper seemed to like them all, but I wanted to make sure.
“We should take a big trip every year,” I said. “To a different country.”
“I’d love that,” Emily said. “And I think she will as well. Maybe starting a bit after the baby is born, though.”
“Sure.”
Emily’s phone rang. She frowned and pulled it out of her purse.
“Mama. I told her I’d send her a text when we got in, but somehow she already knew.” Emily sighed and tapped the phone to answer it. “Hello, Mama. Yes. Yes. On our way home now. Yes.” She tilted her head. “Oh, she’s asleep. Little thing is so tuckered out, but she loved the trip. Okay. Yes. Wait. What? Are you kidding me?” She listened intently for a long moment. “Okay, thanks for letting me know, Mama. We’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” She ended the call and slipped her phone back into her purse.
She shook her head, her face a mask of shock. My heart kicked up. I’d wanted the perfect honeymoon, but perhaps tragedy had ruined it at the end.
“What’s wrong?” I said.
“Nothing. I was surprised is all.”
“By?”
“We’d gotten so caught up in the wedding and the Tokyo plans, I’d let it slip my mind.”
“Let what slip your mind?” My shoulders and neck tensed. I wanted to reach up and rub them but hoped I didn’t give my internal struggles away.
“Lionel’s trial.”
“Oh.” I let out a long sigh as discomfort filled my chest. “Did that bastard manage to wiggle out of getting punished?”
“No. Not at all.” Emily shook her head. “He was convicted. He’s been sentenced to two years in prison.” Her gaze flicked to Juniper. “What am I going to tell her?”
“The truth. That’s all you can do.” I pursed my lips as my heart contracted in my chest. Fuck Lionel for putting Emily in this situation, and yet, it was going to happen no matter what. He was a bastard and finally had gotten what he deserved.
“But…” A soft smile appeared on her face.
I wasn’t quite sure why she’d had such a sudden change in demeanor, but I didn’t like seeing her upset, so I welcomed it.
“You were going to say something?” I asked as my shoulders started to relax. There was something she wasn’t telling me. Anticipation and hopefulness swelled inside of me.
“I was going to say she’d have to go without a father, but I was wrong.”
“Oh? How?” I reached out and ran my hands down her arms, pulling her a little closer. God, she was so beautiful it hurt.
Emily reached up and ran her soft fingers over my cheek. “Because she has a better stepfather anyway.” She leaned over and gave me a soft kiss. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to us, Logan Hawkins, and I’m proud to be Mrs. Emily Hawkins. I love you.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. I stroked her hair and pulled her in tight. Every desire I’d ever had came to fruition at that moment. I had a family now, with one more member on the way.
I almost felt too blessed. I had a perfect and beautiful wife. I had an adorable and loving stepdaughter, and soon I’d have another child, another daughter according to Juniper.
All these years I’d been trying to feed my soul with success and money. In the end, I just needed the love of a good woman. Funny how matters of the heart always sneak up on you when you least expect it.
“I love you, Emily,” I said softly as I closed my eyes and kissed the top of her head. She was my forever, and I wasn’t ever going to let go. “And I will always treasure you.”
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BILLIONAIRE RIDES
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Ethan
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Colso
n?"
"Yes: blow me," I stated.
I leaned back in my chair as my beautiful assistant Angela got down on her knees beneath my desk and went to work. I ran my hands through her red hair as her head bobbed up and down and her mouth worked enthusiastically. Within a few moments, her expert tongue would bring me to climax and I'd shoot my load down her eager throat, and then watch as she picked up her files and went back to work.
This was the life, and I was living the dream every man wished for — only it hadn't come easily. I'd started working at 13 when my mother ran out on my father and me for another man. My father had been weak and couldn't take it. He turned to drinking and could never hold onto a job, so it was up to me if we were going to keep from starving out on the streets.
It was tough, but even though I was working full time, I still managed to keep top grades in school. One of my teachers noticed and recommended me for a special internship in the Business Leaders of Tomorrow program at his alma mater. My father had remarried by then, and I knew he'd be okay on his own, so I went ahead and applied, never thinking that I'd really get in — but I did.
They admitted me on full scholarship, and when the program was over, I was offered full-time employment at one of the nation's top manufacturers of engine parts: Krueger Auto Parts. Even without a fancy degree, I could do the job of running the shipping and manufacturing warehouses in every town I was sent to, and soon I was brought to work in their corporate headquarters in Los Angeles.
I worked my ass off, coming in early every morning and staying late every night. I took on all the shit assignments nobody wanted to do and volunteered to work weekends and even holidays. I climbed up the ranks faster than anyone had ever seen, and by 30, I was running the motorcycle parts division for Krueger.
The job was my passion, and I worked closely with scientists and engineers, wanting to learn everything I could about what made bikes run better, faster, and more efficiently. I talked with long-time riders and kids just starting to learn what they wanted in a bike. On my days off, I went for long rides in the California countryside to get a feel for the wind in my face, the tires on the road, and the motor between my legs. It was a powerful feeling, completely freeing, and I wanted more. Most importantly, I understood what drove our customers and how to give them the best riding experience possible.
