The Billionaire's Desire: The Complete Series

by Cassie Cross

  “Cole, what were you thinking? This is just…” Abby looked around at her surroundings, still unable to believe this belonged to her. As if she needed a reminder, she looked down at the deed Cole had handed to her. “I can’t accept this. I mean, it’s a lovely gesture, but-”

  “Will you allow me to explain myself?” he asked, taking her hand in his.

  She opened her mouth to object, but then thought better of it. “Okay.”

  “Abby,” Cole said, touching her cheek. He loved the surprise in her eyes, the awe. The disbelief that this actually belonged to her. He hated to admit this to himself, but a small part of what drove him to do nice things for other people was exactly this reaction, of knowing he could help them in ways they could never help themselves. With Abby, the satisfaction was ten-fold. Because he loved her, he worshiped her, and he wanted her to succeed at everything life had to offer. “I had more money the moment I was born than most people will ever see in a lifetime. I inherited a substantial fortune when I turned twenty-one, and I invested it in my company. I work very hard, but I started out on the ladder two rungs from the top. Few people are as lucky as I am, I know that. What good does all this money do me if I don’t share it? If I don’t make life better for the people I love?”

  She considered what he told her, although doubt still clouded her perfect eyes. “Then give me business advice,” she said, her eyes pleading. “Not a building.”

  “A retail space,” he said, hoping to lighten the mood.

  “Stop correcting me, damn it,” she replied, laughing.

  Cole smiled. “It’s my fault that you’re no longer working for me. I can’t say that at this point I’m sorry about that.” Cole looked deep into Abby’s eyes, and she blushed at the meaning behind his words. He hoped she wasn’t sorry, either. Still, he wronged her, and he needed to make it right. “You have so much potential, and selfishly, I put myself above that. You would’ve gone far at my company.”

  “Would you rather I come back and work for you?”

  Cole pulled Abby close, then planted a kiss on the top of her head before letting her go. “No, I’d rather have you just like this. But I do bear some responsibility in knocking your career off course and I didn’t do right by you. I want to do that now.”

  Abby looked around, and Cole could tell that she was beginning to imagine what she could do to this store to make it her own.

  “So, say I accept this gift of yours,” Abby began as she walked along the far side of the wall. Cole wanted to tell her she didn’t have a choice in the matter, but this didn’t seem like the right time to bring that up. “There’s one important thing you’re forgetting.”

  Cole was certain she was wrong, but he humored her. “What’s that?”

  “I have no idea how to run a business.”

  “The important thing that you’re forgetting is that I do. I know a lot about it, actually.”

  “And you’re going to help me?”

  “Absolutely.” What, did she think he was just going to throw her into the water without teaching her how to swim?

  “May I ask the question that I probably shouldn’t ask?”

  Even though Cole knew this was coming, his stomach dropped to his knees. He nodded.

  “What happens if things don’t work out between us?”

  “That’s something I’d rather not think about,” he said. “But in any event, as I said before, this belongs to you. It’s yours to do with as you wish. If we break up, and that’s a very big if, this space will remain yours. Continue to run your business from it. Sell it, rent it out. Whatever pleases you.”

  Abby looked at him for a long while after he said those words, searching his eyes. She must have liked what she saw there, because she continued walking around, looking at the counters, the cabinets, the floors. She seemed to still be in a state of shock, so Cole continued speaking.

  “It needs a little bit of work done cosmetically, but I can hire a designer to come in here and give you some options. I’ve gotten a few names already. And I’ll have a consultant come in here to help you figure out what kind of machinery you’ll need.”

  Abby made her way back over to where Cole was standing and looked up at him with watery eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I love you,” Cole said, brushing her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against the palm of his hand. “And I want your dreams to come true.”

  Abby took Cole’s hand in hers and looked down at their fingers as they laced together.

  Worried, Cole wondered if perhaps the events of the evening had been too much for her.

  “Do you want me to take you back to your place?” he asked.

  “No,” she replied, looking up at him and smiling through her tears. “I want you to take me to yours.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  COLE’S APARTMENT didn’t look at all the way Abby expected it to. She was anticipating hard lines and black leather, more modern-styled furniture. She was anticipating abstract sculptures and strangely simplistic art. But Cole’s home was much like its owner: unexpectedly charming. While it was undoubtedly masculine, full of soft, worn leather and impeccable wood, there was a feminine touch to it. Abby was certain that a woman had a hand in decorating this space, because the rich browns contrasted with creamy whites, deep reds, and a few blink-and-you’ll-miss-them florals. There were personal touches, too. Family photographs and keepsakes peppered the shelves that lined the walls.

  “Do you like it?” Cole asked, the heels of his shoes clicking on the hardwood floors as he walked closer to Abby.

  “Very much.”

  Cole grinned, and Abby liked the way her approval looked on him. “Is this what you thought it would look like?”

  “Honestly, no. But I mean that in a good way.”

  “I’ll take your word for it,” he said lightheartedly.

  “I was just thinking that everything in here would be…” Abby paused, having difficulty articulating her thoughts. “I thought you would have, like, one of those uncomfortable Swedish sofas that looks like installation art or something.” She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling foolish.

  “I can’t watch football on installation art,” Cole replied, laughing. He walked up behind Abby, pulling her to him. He slid her hair to the right side of her shoulder, exposing her neck, and her body was electric. His fingers fluttered across her shoulders and down her arms, leaving tiny goosebumps in their wake. Then he took her hand, grinning, and led her into the next room.

  “C’mon,” he said. “Let me give you a tour.”

  Cole walked Abby through the apartment, pointing out his favorite features in each room. He had a flawless kitchen, with counter space Abby would’ve killed for. Such a shame, she thought. So much space wasted on a man who has never cooked a day in his life. His den was filled with beautiful leather-bound books and limited editions. His guest room had a fluffy king-sized bed that Abby wanted to dive into. She could’ve done laps in his bathtub.

  Cole saved his bedroom for last.

  They walked inside and Abby was completely taken by the view: floor-to-ceiling windows with the bright lights of Manhattan twinkling beyond the glass. Even though the decoration was somewhat sparse, the room still felt comfortable and lush. Abby’s eyes were drawn to the bed, which looked down and soft with simple white linens. It was perfectly made.

  “I have a maid,” Cole said, as if he knew what Abby was thinking. “If it were up to me, I’d never make that bed. She comes three times a week, and you should see how awful it looks on Sundays.”

  Abby enjoyed Cole admitting his flaws. Sure, it was just his habit of not making his bed, but it was a little piece of him that no one else knew about. Abby would’ve bet that he made his bed meticulously each morning, every fold and tuck of the sheets creased and exact. She loved finding out that she was wrong about him. She loved the thought of his messy bed and the fact that he admitted he had a cleaning lady. She loved that his hig
h school football jersey was hanging up over his desk in his den.

  But most of all, she loved him.

  Abby’s eyes scanned the room and came to rest on a relatively small box that was on top of his dresser, wrapped in lavender paper with a vibrant purple bow. It was presumptuous of Abby to assume that it was for her, but somehow she knew that it was.

  He has to know that I see it.

  “Just so you know, I don’t keep a gift in my bedroom at all times, just waiting for a beautiful woman to come over and open it,” Cole said as he took Abby’s hand and walked her over to the dresser.

  “Is this bribery?” she teased.

  Cole shook his head. “Do I need to bribe you to make you want me?”

  “No,” Abby whispered, meeting his gaze. There was a flurry of desire behind his clear eyes which made Abby’s skin buzz with anticipation.

  “Open it.”

  Abby picked up the package, but she looked at Cole tentatively. “You can’t keep giving me things,” she replied, even though she was desperate to find out what was inside.

  “I can and I will. I want to give you everything.”

  “What if what I want isn’t material?” she asked.

  “What do you want?”

  She was amazed that she felt confident enough to tell him what she not only wanted, but what she needed.

  “Your love, your heart.” Your body.

  Cole smiled softly. “They’re already yours.” He gently pushed the box toward her. “Open it, please.”

  Abby’s hands trembled as she reached out, but Cole steadied them with his own. She knew that whatever was in the box was significant; Cole wasn’t the type to give away meaningless trinkets. Abby took hold of both ends of the ribbon, slowly pulling until the knot gave way. She handled the paper like precious silk, gently pulling the tape from the seams to keep the paper in one piece. The box was plain white, with absolutely no writing on the outside to indicate what kind of treasure she would find inside.

  “I hope you like it,” Cole whispered, watching Abby intently as she pulled open the top.

  Abby gasped; she recognized the contents immediately. Inside was a little round box with green lacquered wood, a hand-painted frog and dragonflies decorating the top. It was an exact replica of the one Abby’s mother had given her when she was younger; the one she had told Cole about that night in the diner in Chicago. Abby took a deep breath as she wound the key on the bottom, and she couldn’t help the tears that fell when she opened the top and heard the familiar tinkling song.

  She felt closer to her mother than she had in years.

  Abby looked at Cole, her eyes blurry with tears. “You remembered.”

  “I remember everything you tell me.” His expression was so soft, so earnest. Abby was overwhelmed by the moment.

  “Everything?”

  Cole nodded. “Even from before you knew I was listening.”

  Abby set the box down on the dresser, then cupped Cole’s cheek with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair with the other. She kissed him. It was soft and long and sweet, a promise of what was to come later that evening.

  “How did you even find this?” she asked. She had searched eBay for years and was unable to find it.

  “I have my ways,” Cole replied slyly. “It arrived the day after we…well, I came home from Chicago.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering there. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you.”

  She nodded, pulling him closer. She couldn’t say she was sorry he’d done it. His mistake had moved their relationship further along than it ever would’ve moved if they’d returned home and continued seeing each other in secret. That pain was worth this feeling.

  “Just don’t do it again,” she said, teasing him.

  Cole didn’t seem to be in the mood to take anything lightly, not tonight. “I promise.” He kissed her again, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re the first woman I’ve had in this room,” he told Abby, slowly sliding his hands up and down her sides. “And I want you to be the last.”

  Abby wanted the rest of her firsts —whatever they were—to be with Cole.

  “I love you,” Abby said, those three little words drawing a smile from Cole’s perfect lips.

  “I love you too. And I’m tired of talking.”

  Abby grinned as Cole pressed his lips against hers, more urgent this time than they were before. He gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head, then unfastened her bra and dropped it on the floor. Cole kissed a trail down Abby’s neck and across her collarbone. He cupped her breasts in his hands before taking her left nipple in his mouth, circling the puckered skin with his tongue. Her head dipped back as she moaned, and she ran her fingers through his hair, gripping the nape, wanting him closer to her.

  Cole’s hands drifted down to Abby’s hips, then he cupped her ass and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they kissed, and Cole walked them over to the bed, gently lowering Abby onto her back. Reluctantly they parted, and Cole gave Abby a sexy smile as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside.

  Abby admired the smooth planes of his chest and the sturdy build of his body as she undid her pants, and Cole watched her as he undid his. Once he was completely undressed, Cole reached over and grabbed the cuffs of Abby’s khakis, pulling them off as she giggled. He kneeled on the bed, hovering over her, kissing her as his fingertips outlined the waistband of her panties.

  Abby wanted to call him a tease, to tell him she was desperate for him, but she let him have his fun. Trying to get him to hurry up would only make him go slower. Luckily for her, Cole wasn’t much into waiting tonight. He pulled the lace from her waist and slid them down her legs until it was just the two of them, skin against skin. Cole grinned a wicked grin as he kissed her ankle, then her calf, then her upper thigh, until he licked the spot that made her gasp and grip the sheets. His tongue swirled around her clit, pushing her higher and higher until she thought she was going to explode.

  Of course, Cole would never make it that easy for her.

  He kissed and licked his way up her body until they were face to face, and he kissed her long and slow and deep. Abby bucked her hips, trying to find some relief, and Cole moaned as his erection grazed her thigh. She reached down and slid her hand along his length, but Cole only allowed her a few passes before he brought her arms up above her head and laced his fingers with hers.

  And then their eyes met. Abby couldn’t look away.

  The only time she broke his gaze was when he pushed inside her, when she drew a quick breath and closed her eyes to savor the feeling.

  “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered, before brushing his lips against hers.

  And then all was quiet and they were the only two people left in the world.

  Cole released her hands as he moved inside of her, reaching down between them to find her clit. Abby gasped and lolled her head back, offering her neck for kisses. The feeling of Cole’s lips on her skin as he moved inside her was heaven; she wanted to remember every touch of his mouth on her body. It wasn’t long before she felt a glorious wave of pleasure rise up from her belly, urged on by Cole’s masterful fingers. Abby’s breathing quickened as she desperately sought release, grinding her hips up against Cole until she came, glorious ripples of satisfaction pushing out to her fingertips. Cole squeezed his eyes shut as Abby rode out her orgasm, and knowing how good it must feel for him too, she pushed him over onto his back, straddling him as she rode him, rotating her hips as his muscles strained, trying to prolong the building pleasure.

  “Let go,” she whispered, and she pressed her forehead to his as he came, gripping her back, bringing her as close to him as he could. She loved the look on his face, his complete surrender to her. She loved that she could make this rich and powerful man so weak, that she could make his limbs like jelly.

  As the two of them came down, Abby lay on his chest, their legs tangled together. Cole’s fingers twisted through her hair, and t
hey shared soft kisses and soft words.

  “I’m the first,” Abby breathed as her lips peppered Cole’s jawline with tiny kisses.

  Cole tilted her head up until she looked into his beautifully clear blue eyes. “You’re the only.”

  Their lips met again, and then Abby rolled off of Cole and onto the bed. Cole gripped her wrist and playfully pulled her back to him as she squealed.

  Cole slid his hand up the inside of her thigh, then nuzzled her ear. “I’m not finished with you.”

  In her heart, Abby knew he never would be.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  COLE PULLED his Blackberry out of his pocket and pressed the number 1, which was pre-programmed with Abby’s number. He smiled when she picked up the phone, sounding breathless. She was so busy these days, and there were other, easier ways for her to get to her meeting with her store’s designer uptown, but Cole needed to spend some time with her this afternoon.

  “I just got in the car and I’m leaving my office now. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

  “I can take the train, you know,” Abby said, with a hint of humor in her voice. His overprotectiveness with regards to her safety in the city did border on ridiculous sometimes, but today he was being selfish.

  “I know that,” Cole replied gently. “I just need you.”

  Understanding what he meant, Abby relented. “Okay.” If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she sounded excited. “I’ll see you in a few.”

  Cole hatched this plan this morning when they left their apartment. He so loved the way her legs looked in the skirt she wore, and he had been thinking about them all day, the ache in his cock growing by the hour.

  It had been six months since Cole had taken Abby to Chicago. They’d seen more of the world together since then: London, Paris, Tokyo. Abby moved out of her apartment and into Cole’s nearly four months ago. Waking up next to Abby every morning made Cole the happiest he’d ever been in his life.