Romance: Marriage of Convenience Romance: Billionaire's Inheritance Bride ( Billionaire Bad Boy BBW Romance)

by Horton, Amanda

  After a few too many moments had past, she broke the silence this time.

  "Is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked, as she interlocked her fingers.

  "No, that'll be all." Alec said as he gazed at her out of the corner of his focused eye.

  Lily buzzed as she left Alec’s office. She had felt the undeniable tension that had been pulsing between them. She replayed the instance over and over again as she thought about what it had been that had engrossed him in her. She came up fruitless, but desperate for more.

  She wished for that moment of connection to have lasted forever, and it left her tender for more.

  The rest of the day, Lily spent it trying to draw Alec’s attention like she had in his office. She did what she could to get that buzz, if only for a moment.

  Each and every time that she looked at him, she wondered what the hell that girl was thinking so many years ago. She had lost a man that was handsome as well as driven.

  “Lily, come here will you.” Alec called from his office.

  As quickly as she could, Lily was going into his office, she had wondered how much work she had ignored. A knot formed in her stomach and she clenched her hand, willing the nervous energy to be relieved.

  “Yes?”

  “I have some questions for you.”

  Lily sat down across from Alec. He was a difficult man to read. His face gave way to a mysterious essence, one that was not there when he was young.

  “What are your questions?”

  “Well, I was wondering if you could ask around. Work effectiveness has gone down greatly, and they aren’t going to talk to me about it, so…”

  “You want to use me as a spy?”

  Alec let out a laugh as he shrugged his hands.

  “I wanted to avoid using that word, but yes.”

  “Okay?” Lily said as she stood and left the office.

  She checked the watch that sat on her right wrist for the time before heading to the lunchroom. Inside, people sat around large, round glass tables as they gossiped. Lily felt like her face was giving her away as she made her way to sit among them, something that until this point, she had avoided.

  After a few moments of awkward silence, a woman that Lily recognized as Sadie Gilstrap smiled to her.

  She was young, younger than her at least, and had short black hair that had streaks of red in it

  “Lilith right?” She asked, offering the first olive branch to the new girl.

  Lily was thankful for the gesture.

  “Oh, just Lily is fine.”

  “Great! It’s nice to meet you.” Sadie had a cheery disposition that Lily was thankful for.

  The rest of the table introduced themselves, and within a few moments the awkwardness had dissipated and all that was left was friendly chatter among coworkers.

  “So, do you all like working here?” Lily asked, cutting to the meat of what she wanted.

  “Well, we did.” Mike, and older man whom worked in accounting said as he took a large fry and put it into his mouth.

  “What do you mean?” Lily asked.

  “Mr. Cross has made a few budget cuts, and even though they were minor, it kind of made it suck around here,” added a young teen named Daron whom was working in the mailroom.

  “What kind of cuts?” Lily continued.

  “Well, our lunch breaks are shorter” mumbled April.

  The staff continued to add cuts that had been made, and Lily found each one to be an annoyance. She could understand why all these people had been upset by the cuts. They were the little things that made work enjoyable.

  “Well, that doesn’t seem quite right of him.” Lily noted.

  “That’s what we thought,” Sadie said as everyone stood and made their way back to their areas. Lily however, disappeared into Alec’s office.

  “How did lunch go?”

  Lily sat down and looked at Alec. She had known what happened to most people when they got a heavy dose of money, and more respect than what one could do with.

  “It was informative.”

  “Yes?”

  “Alec, why did you make so many budget cuts?”

  Alec leaned back in his seat and a look of almost embarrassment crossed his face.

  “Well, I thought we could be more productive.”

  Lily let out a laugh that was more mocking than she had intended it to be.

  “Alec, when you want your staff to be more productive, you focus on raising staff morale, not lowering it.”

  “Lily, you don’t understand. Every morning they would bring in donuts and coffee and talk for an entire hour before beginning work.” Alec said, trying to defend himself.

  “Alec, its work. They don’t enjoy it like you do. They need that extra hour in the morning. Trust me, bring those things back, and more, and you’ll get the productivity you want.”

  It seemed obvious to her, but Alec had obviously not considered it before now.

  “Okay, thank you Lily.” He said before focusing his attention back on the computer that sat before him.

  After the day ended, Lily headed to the bookstore

  “How are things going at the office?” Holly asked as the two of them enjoyed a dinner of pizza in the store.

  “Okay, I guess.” Lily shrugged.

  “At least you’re making enough to support the store and yourself.”

  It was true. Lily was making enough to do that. She was grateful for that, and also for Holly whom had made it all possible.

  A knock came at the door, and Lily stood up quickly to answer it. It was past normal store hours, but if someone wanted in, she wasn’t about to stand in the way of a perspective patron.

  As she reached for the door, she caught a handsome and familiar face outside of the window. She smiled as she recognized Alec and then opened the door.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked.

  “I wanted to come see your store.” She said, looking around.

  Holly came from the back and met eyes with Alec before shifting them to her sister. She looked as though she had seen a ghost.

  “Hey Holly.” Alec greeted her.

  “Alec. How long has it been? WOW?” She said before leaving the store.

  “She was in a rush.” Alec noted.

  “She’s a mom now, she’s always in a rush.

  Alec smiled the continued to take in the bookstore.

  “It’s just like what you imagined.” He remarked, mostly under his breath.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m so proud of you”

  “You are?”

  “ Yes, and I have also missed you badly”. Their eyes met, as he said this. Lily did not say anything but she looked right into his eyes. There was love in the air and both could feel it.

  Alec came towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and placed his hand on her soft face before lending his lips to hers.

  All at once, she was overcome. Her nerve endings stood on end, her heart thrashed and her stomach became a knot. It had been so many years since she had felt his lips against hers. Those memories, those days spent together, all came rushing back to her, almost like she had never left him. She reached to him, holding him near her as she kissed him passionately.

  He pulled her in close to him, his scent radiating the room and her. She was immediately overcome and intoxicated by him, every part of him. He stepped forward, pressing her body against the counter as he then lifted her up, and then gently placed her back down with grace.

  They took a moment between kisses to gaze at one another. Alec gulped her down with his eyes before he pulled her close once more.

  Lily wanted to stop him. He was her boss now and she could not jeopardize this job for anything. But she was so overwhelmed with feelings that she could not say anything. She knew Alec loved her; he had always loved her even when she broke up with him.

  He focused kisses on her neck and down her chest before finishing on her chest as he removed her shir
t. As he took it from her, she worked the buttons of his dress pants, and then allowed them to fall to the floor. She felt his throbbing member between her legs as she also felt her pulsating sex become wet with excitement and anticipation. He pulled her skirt from her toned legs as he ravished her with more kisses all over her awaiting body.

  He ventured towards her sweet spot with his fingers and enjoyed her wetness. Impressed, with her, he plundered deeper, drawing moans and squeals from her. She moved her hips, drawing him in then out again as she moved.

  Finally, he pulled him to her completely as he thrust himself inside of her without hesitation. Lily let out a cry of pleasure as she did, filling her immediately and completely. She allowed her head to fall back as he worked, each pump more intense than the last. He placed his hand on her face and took in her beauty as she gazed back at him.

  He then pulled her close to him as his pumps became shorted. She felt him cover her with his nectar before he pulled back. Pleasure coated her from head to toe, and her breath was difficult to catch. She looked into his eyes as he smiled at her and helped her clean herself up as he dressed her.

  The two remained quiet until Alec stepped back and fell into a beanbag chair, which he invited Lily to enjoy with him. She obliged and met him on the floor.

  “You’re amazing.” He cooed.

  Lily smiled to herself.

  “You’re not so bad yourself.” She said with a wide smile as she looked at him.

  “I’d like to think that I bring something to the table.” He said with a laugh. “Remember that time when you caught the kitchen on fire when you tried to fry chicken?” Alec said, suddenly remembering the past.

  Lily’s hands flew to her face out of embarrassment.

  “Alec! I only tried to make it because it’s your favorite.” She said, her voice high.

  “And I appreciated it.” He said as he pulled her in.

  “What about the time you ruined Thanksgiving?”

  “It was canned ham and salad,” Alec said laughing.

  “Who forgot the salad dressing?” Lily asked, remembering the night that then felt like a disaster but now seemed hilarious.

  Alec shook his head.

  The hours past as the two of them talked about the past; good and bad. Lily thought back to the night where they had sat in each other’s arms under a night sky. They were each other’s only warmth, and it had been a precious night. They had planned their lives together, and she wanted to ask the question they had debated for hours.

  “ Do you still want to name our daughter, Rose? ”

  Lily felt Alec tense as she asked the question.

  “Did I say something wrong, Alec?”

  “I’m not sure if I want children anymore Lil. Or even a marriage for that matter” He said, his voice tight.

  Lily was hurt. She still had expectations from him even after all those years. Resentment came over her in an angry wave.

  “You haven’t changed, have you?” Lily asked, standing quickly.

  Alec pulled back from the sudden change of demeanor. He had been caught off guard, and had reacted as such.

  “What?”

  “You, you don’t know if you want to get married or have kids. Isn’t that a big decision?”

  “Yes, Lily, it is, but that’s just how I feel.”

  Lily shook her head and crossed her arms. Lily wanted to be married and she definitely wanted children - she wanted them desperately. She wanted the white wedding, the picket fence and children. She was sure about it, and had been since she was young. She could not stand being with him anymore.

  “ You have to go.”

  “God damnit Lily! Why do you always have to do this? Why are we fighting over my choice of life again?”

  “Because Alec! I can’t be falling in love with a man who does not want marriage!”

  Both fell silent for a moment.

  “I want you to leave.” Lily demanded.

  Alec looked as if he wanted to speak for a moment, but said nothing as he grabbed his suit jacket and left the bookshop.

  The moment he was out of sight, Lily collapsed into a pile on the floor. Seeing him leave reminded of the time she had broken up with him years back. It was not a pleasant feeling. Not a feeling she wanted to feel after the most beautiful evening with a man after years.

  ***

  Two Months Later…

  “What are you doing!?” Holly called as she ran to her sister who had been hanging a ‘for sale’ sign.

  Lily sighed as she looked to her sister. She hated to fail, and she had never in her life felt like a bigger failure.

  “I’m selling the book shop.” She said with as little emotion as she could muster.

  “Wow, wait. What the hell, is this because of Alec?” Holy asked, taking the sign from her sister.

  “No, why would it be because of him?” Lily lied. She could not face Alec anymore. She was still strangely attached to him to keep things just professional.

  She had to quit after what had happened. There was no way that she could look at Alec like nothing had happened between them.

  “Lily, what are we going to do?”

  “Nothing Holly. We aren’t going to do anything. I am going to sell the store. I can’t hold up your life’s savings in a business that’s going nowhere. I need to pay you out and move on”

  Alec who had walked in and stood behind them interrupted Holly.

  “Hey Lily ” He asked.

  “Alec, what are you doing here? I wish I could say it’s nice to see you”

  “ Hold on Lily, can we talk?” Lily felt Alex had something on his mind. Something urgent.

  “Okay.” Lily said.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’m cutting my losses. Selling the store. What are you doing here?”

  “I came to thank you. You were right about the productivity thing.” Alec said as he handed Lily a vanilla Latte.

  He hated the look that he saw on Lily’s face. He knew what the store meant to her, and could only imagine the amount of pain that she felt.

  “Lily, can we go back to being friends again?” I miss you and I don’t ever want to hurt your feelings.

  “ Alec, please just leave,” said a cold, angry Lily. Her store had just shut down officially. This was the worst day in her life.

  “ Well, I guess that’s it.” said a disappointed Alec, not knowing what else to say. Lily broke in to tears as he left.

  Alec left, and made a quick note of the Realtors number from the FOR SALE sign outside the store.

  “I don’t need to see it. I know that I want it. I’ll be there tomorrow to close.” Said Alec to the realtor.

  “Sir…”

  “No, make it happen.”

  Alec slammed the phone on the receiver. His hand quaked as he pulled it back. He was a man of strength, and yet his hand shook. He had spent so many years wishing that Lily was back in his life, and now she was. He was on the verge of losing her once more, and the thought shook him to the bone.

  He leaned back in his chair as he looked up toward the ceiling. He wanted, no, he needed this to work.

  ***

  “I can’t believe someone already bought the store.” Holly marveled as she helped Lily pack the books that remained from the sale she had put on.

  “Yep.” Lily said curtly.

  This was killing her. She was aching so deeply within herself, she felt as though she had fallen into a pit.

  “I thought this is what you wanted.” Holly said, reading her like one of the books she held.

  “I did. I do.”

  Holly didn’t know what to say. The only sound in the store was the shuffling of paper.

  A knock came at the front door, bringing both women’s attention to the door.

  “Lily, what’s he doing here?” Holly asked as Alec stood in the doorway.

  “I have no idea.” Lily muttered as she walked to the door.

  The sight of Alec was welcomed but also resented. De
ep down inside, Lily wanted to run to him and jump in his arms just the way that she always had. Another part of her was angry, angry that he seemed able to achieve his desires and she was not.

  He stood before her “Hey, I thought all the books came with the sale.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m sure that when I bought it that the realtor said the books were included.” Alec wore a sly smile as he looked at Lily.

  “You’re the one that bought the store?” Lily asked, her voice timid.

  “Yeah. You know, after all those years of you talking about it, I thought it sounded amazing.”

  “It was.”

  “Lily, I want you to have the store.”

  Lily turned on her heel.

  “Alec, I failed. I can’t run a store.”

  “Maybe not alone, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do it, with say a business savvy man by your side.”

  Lily dropped her head as she smiled.

  “Alec, I need to apologize for being so mean to you earlier”

  Alec interrupted Lily just as she had begun speaking with a wave of his hand.

  “No Lil, you were right then, and you’re right now. It’s just hard for me to decide what I want in the future because it allows for so much disappointment.”

  After all the years the two of them had spent together; she had never heard Alec speak like this. She wasn’t one to open up too often. She immediately craved more.

  “What do you mean?”

  “My mother, she wanted so much out of life. She wanted the husband, the kids, and the perfect job.”

  Lily knew how that story had ended. After his mother had fallen pregnant with him, his father left her without a dime to her name. She worked two full time jobs as well as babysat for the local kids, all the while looking after her son. Her life was miserable until she met her second husband and Alec’s stepfather.

  “I understand Alec, and I am sorry I expected so much from you even after all those years”

  “Lily, I bought this store we can start off to a new beginning. I love you”

  “I…like you too Alec, but we just think very differently. And in any case I can just keep this store. I am sure you will be able to put it to better sure than I have.”

  The cold and crisp air bit at their exposed necks and chilled them as they spoke. Still, they held their gaze.