Daddy by December (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series)

by Judy Angelo

  And then he said them, the words she’d been dying to hear all night, all semester, all her life. “You’re a beautiful girl, Meg. I don’t know how I never noticed you before.” He gave her a boyish grin. “I think I like you.”

  He patted the seat beside him. “Come sit over here. There’s lots of space, and you sure don’t look comfortable over there.” When she hesitated he gave her a gentle smile. “Come on, we’ll just relax and watch some TV. I’m not going to bite.”

  Meg swallowed. “TV? But…it’s kind of late…”

  “Just for a little while. I want to see the replay of today’s big game. It’s more fun watching it with you than back in my room. Can’t get too much football, right?”

  He patted the seat again and this time Meg moved. He was right. What harm was there in watching some television with him? It was probably the last time she would see Drake Duncan before he graduated and headed off to another life so it made sense to savor every moment with him. She got up off the chair and took the three steps to the sofa where he took her hand and pulled her down to sit beside him.

  Drake was true to his word. He flipped channels till he found the game and they watched play after play, comfortable in each other’s company. Eventually, though, the late hour got the best of Meg and her eyelids began to droop. She was barely aware of her head sliding to rest against Drake’s warm shoulder and then she was gone.

  When Meg woke up she found herself lying on Drake’s chest, her head tucked under his chin. He was sprawled in the sofa, his chest rising and falling gently, his heart beating in a slow and steady rhythm. He was fast asleep. Slowly, she lifted her head and in the soft glow from the TV she got her first really close look at the man of her dreams. She still could not believe that she was lying in his arms. Could this be a dream? Was she asleep and just fantasizing again? Well, if it was all a dream then she might as well make use of it. She might never get the chance again.

  Gently, so as not to wake him, Meg slid up Drake’s body until her face was over his. She smiled down at him. He looked so peaceful, so innocent when he slept. Gone were the crooked grin and the slight cock of the eyebrows. This was the real Drake Duncan, and she was probably the only girl in the whole school who had seen him this way. Suddenly, she was no longer afraid of him. She no longer saw him as a young god on earth. He was lying right there beneath her, big and warm, a man of flesh and blood. And she wanted him. Gosh, did she ever want him.

  With a sudden surge of adrenalin came a bravery which made Meg lose her usual shyness and do something she would not normally have dared. Before she could change her mind she closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Drake’s, savoring the feel of his mouth against hers. When he moaned, still deep in sleep, she slid her arm up around his neck and pressed her body into his, totally aroused by his groan. He was moaning for her, only for her, and the thought made her nipples peak inside her bra. She kissed him harder.

  And then he was kissing her back. She had no idea at what point he came to consciousness but before she knew what was happening she was no longer in control. He had his hand at her back now, anchoring her body to his while his other hand slid up to cup her head and angle her face so that he had full access to her lips. He was kissing her, all the desire she was feeling reflected in the passion of his kiss.

  “Mmm, Meg,” he breathed and then he rolled over until he was the one lying on top, even as he continued to kiss her senseless. He slid his mouth from hers and then, with his lips, he was tickling the skin of her cheek, her neck, her collarbone until his fingers pushed away the lace of her bra and he was nuzzling her breast.

  When he sucked the nipple deep inside his mouth Meg felt she would swoon from the sensation. Never had she been touched there by a man. And now his lips, his tongue, his teeth were on her, tickling and teasing, playing with her body until she arched her back, wanting even more of the sweet sensation.

  “Meg, I want you so much,” he murmured.

  And she knew he did. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. His desire was plain in the hardness that pressed against her leg. Her desire was obvious in the heaving of her chest and her breathless panting. They both wanted it.

  Meg shook her head, dragging herself out of her reverie and back to the present. No, she did not want to revisit that night. Not now. Not when she had a serious decision to make. It had been beautiful, that was true. As he reached for his wallet Drake had hesitated, wanting to know if she was sure, but she’d been eager, wanting it more than anything in the world. And he’d been gentle, oh so gentle, almost as if he’d known it was her first time. He’d been perfect, taking her to heights she had never climbed before.

  But it was what happened afterward that made her cringe. After the act she’d been overcome with feelings of guilt and shame. This had been their first date, if you could call it that, and what had she done? She’d gone and slept with him. What must he think of her? She couldn’t bear to look him in the face. What if, for him, this was just a one-night stand? And what else could it be, anyway? He’d be leaving the university the next day and, chances were, she would never see him again. She couldn’t bear to think about it.

  After that she'd been very quiet, drawing into her shell . He’d seemed confused at the change in her. He tried to speak to her but she shook her head, the tears at the point of spilling over. But she held on till he’d gone through the door and she’d closed it. Only then did she let the torrent of tears burst free.

  If he called her next day then she’d know he had true feelings for her. But what if he didn’t? And why should he? He’d got what he wanted. Wasn’t that how college guys were? Once they’d had a taste they lost all interest in you and moved on to the next conquest. And that was all she was, just a conquest. Why else would a jock like Drake have paid any attention to her?

  And, just as she anticipated, she never heard from Drake Duncan again. Graduation day came and she was in the crowd when he walked up to receive his diploma. With honors, of course. Then she’d gone back to her room and waited. And waited. And waited until the sun went down behind the hills and her roommate yawned her goodnight.

  That night Meg did not sleep at all. She packed through the night and first thing in the morning she was heading for the bus station. She would not put herself through any more torture. She had accepted her fate. She’d suffered the fate of so many other college girls before her. She’d learned a lesson she would never forget.

  Now that lesson had come back to haunt her in a very real way. If she was not careful Drake Duncan would be back in her life and back in her heart. Of course she’d known how big he’d become in Chicago. His rise in fortune had been phenomenal and he was often featured in Illinois newspapers. But she’d vowed she would never make herself known to him, never attempt to even go near him. But, fight as she would, it seemed that fate had other plans. The gods had thrown him in her path and, as it was before, it was her decision. And this time she had to make it the right one.

  ******

  “Come on, Jessie. Grab your lunch kit. I have your school bag.”

  “Coming, Mommy.” Jessie came racing into the living room, her pink woolly hat in one hand and her hand-knitted gloves in the other. “I just wanted to kiss Miss Kitty goodbye.”

  Meg gave her daughter a warm smile and bundled her into her jacket. Jessie never left the house without saying goodbye to her favorite toy. Miss Kitty had been a gift from her grandmother for her second birthday and she loved her just as much now as she had when she just got it. When other kids clung to a beloved ‘blankie’, Jessie clung to Miss Kitty.

  “Okay, let’s go.” Meg grabbed Jessie’s backpack and her handbag with one hand and took her daughter’s hand with the other. As the little girl chattered away they went out the door and down the driveway to the car.

  As Meg drove her daughter to school her mind drifted away from the conversation. She gave her usual responses of ‘Yes, sweetie” and “Of course, honey” but her mind was on what the rest of the da
y would bring. She’d stayed up late two nights before, thinking through her options, battling with the decision until finally she had come to the conclusion that she needed to accept the contract. It would be difficult for her, that was for sure, but the man was offering five figures to get his memoir written. And it was not as if there were any other offers on the table. She had the rent to pay and her daughter to feed and clothe. She would just have to bear things for the months that it would take to get the job done. Then she would bury him once more in the back of her mind and get on with her life. And so the next day she’d called and made an appointment to see him that very week - before she had a chance to change her mind.

  The main office of Duncan Investments was impressive. Meg pulled into the parking lot then walked up the driveway to the twenty story building fashioned in black tinted glass and silver beams. It had a futuristic look and feel that made her wonder at the man Drake Duncan had become. From his days at the university he’d been voted as most likely to succeed. He’d been touted as a progressive and innovative thinker. And look where it had taken him. She was not surprised.

  Meg signed in at the security desk and rode the glass paneled elevator up to the top floor. There she checked in at the receptionist’s desk.

  “Please have a seat, Ms. Gracey,” the smiling young woman told her. “Mr. Duncan will see you in just a few minutes.”

  Meg sank gratefully into the plush leather sofa in the waiting lounge. She felt like her knees were turning to Jello so she was glad for an excuse to get off her feet. Then she slid forward and perched on the edge with her handbag propped on her knees. Her palms were moist and with each passing moment there was a quickening in the rhythm of her beating heart. Goodness, it was sheer torture sitting there, anticipating their meeting.

  “Ms. Gracey?”

  At the sound of her name Meg jumped. She looked up and found herself staring into the warm brown eyes of a gray-haired woman in a navy blue suit.

  “Yes,” Meg said with a nod, and hopped up off the seat.

  “My name is Liz Dobson. I’m Mr. Duncan’s personal assistant.” The woman held out her hand and gave Meg a firm handshake. “Thanks for making yourself available so quickly. I’ll take you to see Mr. Duncan now.” As if sensing her visitor’s nervousness the woman smiled at her again then turned toward the heavy oak door that led to the inner offices.

  Meg followed, feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughter, but she sucked in her breath, straightened her back and put on her bravest face. Even if she melted inside Drake Duncan must never know.

  They walked down a long passage until finally they came to another oak door. Liz gave a gentle tap then pushed it open and stood aside, indicating with a nod that Meg should go in. She nodded and stepped past the woman and onto the plush cream carpet of Drake Duncan’s private office.

  And there he was, sitting in the high-backed leather chair, the phone receiver to his left ear, a gold pen in his right hand as he scribbled on a yellow notepad. He looked worldly, powerful, and even more handsome than she remembered. Gone were the hooded sweatshirt and jeans of his campus days. Those had been replaced with a charcoal-gray suit, white button down shirt and wine-colored tie. His hair was different, too. Instead of the crew cut of his youth his dark blond hair now coiled at the nape of his neck, giving him the look of a sexy male model rather than a billionaire businessman. All this Meg saw in a split second. And yet he was not looking at her.

  And then suddenly he was. As he reached over to hang up the phone he lifted his head and a smile softened his firm lips. “I’m sorry. Just had to finish a quick call.” He got up from behind his desk and she was reminded of how tall he was. At well over six feet he towered over both of the women in the office. He walked over, his hand outstretched.

  “Thank you for coming, Miss Gracey,” he said as he took her hand in a strong grip. “Glad you accepted my offer.”

  “Mrs. Gracey,” she corrected, and lifted her head to look straight into his striking gray eyes.

  Drake Duncan froze. His grip on her hand tightened and his brows furrowed. “Meg…Donovan?”

  Her heart leaped and, to her chagrin, she felt a slight trembling in her lip. She bit down on it. He had remembered. After all these years he still recognized the pathetic little junior who had thrown herself at him. She didn’t know whether to feel elated or dismayed. What she felt was nervous. Would he reject her because of their past encounter?

  For the moment Meg could not speak. All she could do was nod.

  Shock registered on his face. His brows raised and he sucked in a quick breath. There was an expression on his face that she could not read.

  Oh, Lord. What had she done? In coming here had she just made the second biggest mistake of her life?

  *****

  Drake Duncan could not tear his eyes away. Meg Donovan. She was here, standing right in front of him, looking even more beautiful than when he had last held her in his arms. And his body had remembered her. Even before she’d lifted her face to his, before he’d had a good look at her, he’d known. The moment his hand touched hers an electric charge ran through him, so strong that he’d held her tight. It was either that or whip his hand away from the shock.

  Meg, in living color, all five foot five inches of her. Where she used to have wild chestnut curls framing her pixie face, her hair was now swept up in a sleek ponytail that flowed, long and straight, down her back. Her hazel eyes were huge in her face and her lips, those full, soft lips he remembered, now trembled under his gaze. Everything around him disappeared and all he could see was that sweet, innocent girl he had fallen for so many years ago.

  Get a grip, Drake. That was another lifetime. And she walked away, remember? In the microsecond it took for Drake to take things in he realized he was still holding her hand. He released her and shoved the offending hand deep in his pocket. But still, he did not look away.

  Liz cleared her throat. “May I get you anything, Ms. Gracey? Coffee? Tea?”

  It took that interruption for the spell to be broken. Drake stepped away and went to pull out the chair in front of his desk. He pasted a smile on his face and nodded to Meg. “Please, have a seat.”

  Hesitantly, she took a step toward him. Then she paused and looked at Liz. “A cup of tea would be nice,” she said, smiling at the woman. “Thank you.” Then she took the two steps to the chair and gracefully sank down into it.

  Drake released the back of Meg’s chair and walked around his desk. He took his time getting there. He needed those two seconds to gather his thoughts. Meg had hurtled back into his life, slamming him back against the wall of a reality he thought he’d buried years ago. He’d wanted Meg Donovan from the day he’d seen her at the podium, so small and yet so brave, speaking to a lecture hall of over a hundred of her peers. He’d wanted her even more when they danced at the pre-graduation party. And, after having one taste of her that night, he’d wanted her for life.

  And, to his chagrin, none of that had changed. Seeing her again, holding her hand in his, had the feelings barreling into him as if not a day had passed. He wanted this woman just as much as he had from day one. But now there was a problem. A major one. Meg Donovan was married.

  CHAPTER THREE

  As Drake walked back to his chair Meg folded her hands in her lap and held her breath. Gracious, what had she gotten herself into? As she stared at his broad back her mouth went dry and she knew she hadn’t lost a single ounce of the attraction she’d felt for him. Oh Lord, she was in trouble.

  Drake sat down and rested his crossed arms on the desk. “Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice deep and low and so sexy that she felt a blush creep up her neck. “Under the circumstances you didn’t have to, so I appreciate it.”

  That brought her back to earth with a bump. ‘Under the circumstances’ he’d said. Meaning what? I used you then dumped you so I didn’t expect you to show up at my office? Was he rubbing it in? A wave of humiliation washed over her and her palms went damp. If she didn
’t need the money so desperately she would get up and walk right out. But sadly, she did. She had to put aside her feelings and think of Jessie. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, willing herself to stay calm.

  Then she looked up and caught him staring at her with hooded eyes that made it impossible for her to read his expression. As her eyes darted up to his he blinked then cleared his throat.

  “You have an impressive profile, Meg,” he began then said quickly, “I mean, Mrs. Gracey.”

  Oh, so he was going to be formal, was he? She was very good at playing that game. And anyway, maybe it was for the best that they should remain formal. That way, she would never forget her position. She was Drake Duncan’s ghostwriter, nothing more, nothing less.

  She gave him a slight nod. “Thank you.”

  “Even before I knew who you were I thought you’d be the perfect person to write my memoir.” His face became more animated as if he was beginning to relax in her presence. “So many novels under your belt, one of them on the USA Today Best Seller List.”

  She couldn’t help smiling at that one. “Oh, so you’ve been reading up on me.”

  “Of course,” he said with a smile that brought a twinkle to his eyes and for a moment he looked just like the Drake Duncan she’d swooned over in college. The years fell away and the person she saw before her was the tall, muscled athlete that all the girls chased after.

  Except that he was even more handsome now than he’d been ten years ago. There was a worldliness about him, a self-confidence and sophistication that hadn’t been there before. If he’d been a lady killer then she could just imagine what he was now, successful and super handsome and single. Yes, he was still single. He’d read up on her but she’d read up on him, too. And she knew he was one of the wealthiest eligible bachelors in Chicago.