“I’m a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.” Adam tilted his head to the side where a large, glass display case stood, glittering with numerous trophies.
“Whoa… no way!” Marie exclaimed. “I felt I knew you from somewhere! I have seen pictures of you with your wife” She realized now who his wife was, and the details of her passing. A car crash. She bowed her head meekly. “I'm sorry.”
“Please, don’t be,” Adam grinned, walking over to a mobile bar before squatting down and looking at his selection of wines. “We've had a wonderful day, so why don't we celebrate?” He opened a cabinet, shaking his head. “I’m sorry but my wine stock is currently a little low. Will some Richebourg be okay?”
Marie's jaw dropped. “You're kidding. That's twelve grand a bottle.” She rushed forward and took the bottle before he could open it.
“Of course I'm serious. After making my little girl smile today, you deserve it.” He took the bottle back, popping it open with a sigh. He smiled, pouring them both a drink. He handed her a sparkling, crystal-cut glass before sitting down next to her on the couch.
Without taking her sight off Adam, she took a sip. Her heart was racing. She couldn’t believe she hadn't recognized him. She couldn’t stop herself from staring at him.
With the dim lighting in the living room, shadows danced across Adam’s rugged face, making him look even more handsome. Marie bit the corner of her lip, trying to stay professional. This was a job, after all. What kind of actress was she if she fell for the leading man? As her cheeks turned red at the thought, she looked up, her eyes locking with Adam’s.
Marie’s eyes grew wide as she realized how close he suddenly was. Their knees were touching and his arm was stretched across the back of the couch, his fingertips playing with her hair, making her shiver. Her breath caught in her throat, her heart hammered and all she could see were his lips, approaching her own.
In no time their lips melted together in a passionate kiss. Adam’s large, powerful hand gently pressed against her cheek. Marie couldn’t help but think about how many baseballs he had held in that hand; how many all-stars he had struck off the field. But as the kiss intensified, her mind went numb and all she could focus on was the man, not the baseball player who had his tongue in her mouth, making her whole body tingle.
Adam quickly took control, pushing Marie down on the couch and kissing her a little harder. In her lustful daze, she dropped her glass of wine on the white carpet. She was about to apologize, but Adam didn’t even bother to turn his head. He kept his attention pinned on Marie.
Marie was left breathless as she melted further into the kiss, completely blown away. Soon enough, Adam’s fingers made their way up her milky white thighs, slowly hiking up her skirt. A soft moan escaped her lips, muffled by the kiss. She could feel his large, muscular body on top of her own. Her body burned with desire as she ran her hands along his thin shirt before lifting it up and admiring his well-defined six-pack, hiding underneath. Her eyes lingered there for a moment, impressed by the baseball player’s physique.
“Like what you see?” Adam teased, tossing off his shirt. His arms rippled with muscles as he moved down, positioning himself between her legs.
“Mmm.” Marie found it nearly impossible to properly express herself. Her mind was abuzz with excitement. Every time he touched her, she felt a jolt of pure pleasure running up her spine. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her pussy was already soaking wet. She wanted this man.
“Now, let’s see what you’re hiding under these clothes, shall we?” Adam smirked down at her before his head disappeared under the fabric of her dress. Unable to see what he was doing, each touch and caress came as a pleasant surprise. His large hands gripped her inner thighs, spreading her legs wide open.
Blinded by lust, Marie obeyed him without hesitation, allowing him full access to her quivering pussy. Suddenly, she felt her panties being pulled away from her body as his teeth locked onto their fabric. He tugged on it slightly, shaking his head as if he were some sort of dog. Marie giggled at the gesture as she reached down, trying to pull her dress up so she could see him, but before she could, he yanked it back down. He softly slapped her pussy, as if reprimanding her. From that moment onward, Marie kept her hands to herself.
Adam dove into her wet folds. The feeling of his rough, grainy tongue made Marie arch her back. She moaned out loudly, the sound echoing through the room. Instantly, Adam pulled away, his head popping out from beneath her dress.
He gave her a wild grin before settling himself between her sprawled out legs. Marie was breathing hard at this point, her eyes locked on the baseball player, wondering what his next move would be. To her delight, she finally saw him working on freeing his penis. Her eyes grew wide when she saw how long and thick he was. Soon enough he rammed himself inside of her.
Marie screamed out, biting her lip in an attempt to stay quiet, but it was pointless. His huge, throbbing penis just felt too good. Adam started to thrust himself in and out of her until the couch was creaking with the effort. Marie moaned loudly as Adam penetrated her harder and harder.
Placing his hands on her hips, he gripped them roughly as he threw all caution to the wind, giving her all he had. Soon, it was too much for her to handle. With her nails digging into his muscular arms, she felt herself tightening up. Her pussy walls quivered around his throbbing dick, causing him to grunt in response, but despite it all, he didn’t stop ravishing her. Marie’s pussy got tighter around him, forcing him to push himself even harder.
As he relentlessly pounded into her, Marie found herself reaching her orgasm. Every time Adam rammed himself inside, she felt her whole body surging with pleasure. She felt like it would slowly drive her insane. She didn’t know how Adam was keeping up for so long, but at the same time, she didn’t want him to stop.
But, soon enough, Adam started to tighten. He bit his lip and tilted his head back, trying to delay his impending orgasm, but finally, he lost all control. With his load now deep inside of her, he collapsed by her side, pulling her into his embrace. Marie gasped, looking into his dark eyes. The feeling of his seed inside of her felt strange, but somehow hot and exciting at the same time. Smiling, she laid her head on his chest, letting out a contented sigh. This was about to be the best job she had ever had.
***
A week after her initial meeting with Lacey and her steamy night with Adam, she found herself in the New York Courthouse, presenting herself to the judge as the primary caretaker for Lacey. The judge was satisfied, though skeptical, but in the end everything went smoothly. They left the tryst out of their story, however, even though it was still very much on their minds. With the clause of his wife’s will now underway to completion, Adam no longer had to worry about losing custody of his little girl.
As time went on, the three became very close, growing fonder and fonder of each other day by day. Soon, however, spring began to come to a close, and baseball season was about to begin anew. The fall had been a time of respite for Adam and his daughter, but now reality would have to begin again.
There was another cup of coffee on the table, waiting for Adam when he finally decided to get up. Marie couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in those few, short months. Surprisingly, she was settling into the role of a nanny quite nicely. It felt good to have a routine and people who cared about her. This role seemed less like acting and more like real happiness.
“Good morning!” Out of nowhere, Lacey came barreling toward Marie’s legs, hugging them tightly. She smiled brightly at her.
“Good morning,” Marie answered, patting her head. “You look like you slept well. Are you ready for school?”
“No, of course not. I’m still in my pajamas!” She quipped before dashing off to get dressed. Marie smiled to herself. Lacey had been so excited when they had enrolled her in a local elementary school. It was Marie’s job to make sure she got on the bus every morning. Marie walked into the kitchen and turned on the stove, about to mak
e some scrambled eggs for the little girl.
As she looked in the refrigerator, she also noticed some bacon and took it out. The sound of sizzling echoed through the spacious room as the intoxicating aroma made its way through the apartment. The smell seemed to have woken Adam up because he was now standing in the entranceway of the kitchen. Marie chuckled and walked up to him, kissing him on the cheek. Though she loved Lacey, this part of their arrangement was Marie's favorite.
“Good morning. You’re up early.” She handed him his cup of coffee and two pieces of toast - his preferred breakfast. Marie was quickly getting to know the dynamics.
“Mmm. You’re the best.” Adam mumbled, shuffling toward the kitchen table and sitting down. Seconds later, Lacey showed up in her school uniform, her small backpack on her shoulders. Marie placed a plate in front of her.
“Careful. It’s hot.” She warned. She watched the little girl dig into her eggs before grabbing a comb off the counter and brushing her hair. She was soft and gentle about it, making sure not to hurt the little girl. “What would you like today?”
“Hmm… can you do a French Braid?” Lacey asked politely.
Marie nodded and started to weave strands of hair together. Minutes later, she tied off the end, showing off the beautiful braid to Adam.
“It’s beautiful. Just like my two girls.” Adam smiled, taking a sip of his coffee.
Lacey giggled at the compliment. Marie just blushed slightly. She couldn’t believe how natural it felt to be a part of this family when it wasn’t even her own child. “Lacey, you should finish up or you’ll be late”
Lacey’s eyes grew wide as she nodded and quickly scarfed down the rest of her food. When she got up, she grabbed her lunchbox off the counter and looked at Marie expectantly. Marie grabbed her hand and together, they made their way to the elevator.
Adam watched them go, smiling contentedly. He was glad he had chosen Marie for this job; she was proving to be very capable and useful. He took a bite out of his toast and started to read the morning paper that had been on the table. “Hmm… so the Yankees made the trade, huh?” Adam started to read up on the new player's bio and stats on his phone when Marie came back through the door.
“She’s off then.” She announced, sitting down across from Adam who just grumbled, staring down at his phone screen. “What are you looking at?” He was too distracted to provide her with an answer. She chuckled, knowing it had to be baseball.
She picked up her cup of coffee again, noticing her bare fingers. It felt like something was missing. She continued staring at them for a bit before it hit her. She was yearning for a ring on her finger. She wanted to get married. Married. The feeling was uncomfortable, terrifying even, but it wasn't novel. She had been thinking of bringing up the topic for a while but now, she could no longer hold back. She wanted more from this than just a contract, more than noncommittal sex with an expiration date. Marie didn't expect herself to fall for Adam, but she had come to love this life. She knew he felt the same. He had to! They'd been sharing a bed since she'd moved in.
“Adam…” She looked up at him.
“Yeah?” He asked.
“Well, our contract ends in October, right?” She asked, trying to ease into it.
“Right.”
“Well, what happens after that?” Marie questioned.
“I don’t know, Marie. Why do you want to talk about it now?” Adam replied in a slight shock and with a slight premonition for where this conversation was headed.
“Because I need to plan my life, Adam.” She was looking right into his eyes.
“You don’t have to worry, Marie. I will honor our contract and you will have the five hundred thousand dollars. It should set you up to do whatever you want. Work, travel or not do anything at all. It’s a heck of a lot of money,” Adam replied with a smile trying to pacify an aggravated Marie.
“Just like that?” Marie retorted, a little offended. “So this was all just an arrangement. So these past months meant nothing?” Marie pressed, her fingers tightening around her mug.
“Of course, they did. What's the matter?” He finally set his newspaper down, looking intently into her eyes.
“Let’s get married. For real. Not just to appease some judge.” Marie’s eyes blazed with determination. She had finally expressed what had been weighing on her for days, and now she was all in.
“What?” Adam's expression was blank. “Are you crazy, Marie? Have I ever made you feel like I want to get married to you?”
Marie’s face turned red at his response. “Am I crazy?” Marie got up, her hands on the table, her body thrusting forward. “I-I love you!” Marie blushed, lips terse with emotion. “I know you love me, too. Can’t you see that? Or are you too afraid?”
“I'm not afraid of anything,” Adam growled through gritted teeth. “But we aren’t getting married. Marriage only causes problems and love doesn't mean anything. The arrangement we have is perfect because it’s an arrangement. Don’t you see it?” Marie thought she saw his jaw catch, like he was caught up in a memory. But rejection stung her deeply, and her pride resurfaced.
“Love means nothing??” Marie demanded. “What about Lacey? What about her love?”
“Don't talk about her. You aren’t her mother.” Adam snapped, getting up as well.
“I might as well be! I’m the one who feeds her, helps her with her homework and goes out to the park with her.” Marie’s voice rose. “Hell, I’m a better parent than you ever were! Why else would you need to show me off in court?”
“Enough!” Adam bellowed. The room suddenly grew quiet, the air around them turning tense. Their eyes locked.
“I don’t need this. I don’t want a man who’s just going to waste my life.” She turned away, fighting the angry tears. “You know, you made me happy for once in my life, and we all could've been happy if you weren’t so damn stubborn. Tell Lacey I love her, but I’m sorry, I just can’t live with some brute who's too afraid to admit that he's in love!” She spat before rushing out the door and slamming it shut.
“Do we really have to go, Daddy? What about Marie?” Lacey’s big brown eyes implored her father for answers.
“Yes. We have to go.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m your father and I said so.” He said harshly, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door.
“I don’t want to go without Marie!” Lacey whined.
“You can either come with me or stay here all by yourself,” Adam answered coldly.
“But what about school?”
“You’ll go to school in Boston.” He answered, getting annoyed.
“But all my friends are here. I like New York.” She was getting impatient, but Adam couldn't take it anymore.
“Marie is never coming back and that’s the end of it. I don’t want to hear another word out of you until we’re at the airport. Got it?” Each word was colder than the next. He didn’t even bother to look at his little girl as he dragged her out the door. Tears streamed down her face as she walked quickly to keep his pace
***
After a short plane ride to Boston, they settled in their old, colonial home. It was quite a change from their New York apartment, but Adam had it constantly renovated so it wouldn’t go out of style. He sighed, sitting on his luxurious, white sofa.
Lacey stood in front of him with a sad look on her face.
“Don’t look at me like that. There was nothing I could do,” Adam said sadly, feeling sorry to disappoint Lacey for what felt like the hundredth time that day.
“Now it’s time for us to get some rest, it’s been a long day.” He announced as he got up from the sofa and walked towards the bedrooms.
“Okay, Daddy” Lacey’s voice sounded hollow before she rolled her carry-on into her room and closed the door. Adam sighed, knowing this was his daughter’s way of telling him that she wanted to be left alone. She got that from her mother.
I just need to forget about her. I don’t nee
d her to take care of my daughter. I can take care of her myself. Adam grumbled to himself as he made his way up the stairs to his own bedroom. He dropped his bags by the door and fell into his bed. It was already approaching midnight and he could definitely use some sleep. Love isn't worth it anyway. He buried his face in his pillow and let sleep carry him away.
As soon as he was asleep, the nightmare began. His mind brought him back to the last night he had ever spent with his wife. They had gone to the club together. There, Adam was sure that he had seen his wife flirting with another man. He had confronted her about it, dragging her back to the car.
“Adam! I didn’t do anything. I was just dancing.” His wife crossed her arms over her chest, with an angry look on her face.
Adam’s rugged face locked in a look of rage. “I saw you.” He shouted at her. “I saw you all over him. Don't try to deny it.”
“You can’t keep insulting me! I won’t stand for it. I’m your wife.”
“Where do you think you're going?” Adam demanded, ripping at the locked passenger door. “Alexandra!”
She merely shook her head, pealing out as she left him in the parking lot.
He called one of his friends over and demanded that he follow his car. An app on his phone showed him just where to go, and they sped after her, running red lights and cutting cars off at each turn. Rage blinded him as he followed her trail, crisscrossing the city and out into the suburbs.
He was met with police lights when he got close to their home, and he quickly popped some mints to hide the liquor on his breath. His annoyance turned to dread as he recognized the crumpled heap of metal on the side of the road as his own car. He jumped out of the car, pushing past the firemen and trying to catch a glimpse of the scene.
The last thing he remembered before waking in a pool of sweat was a gurney, a body bag. Adam had tried his hardest to wipe that memory from his mind, but now, all he could think about was the pile of crumpled metal, his wife's body in the ambulance and the look on Lacey's face when she heard the news. Every day after that, he had drunken himself into a stupor in a desperate effort to forget her. Their marriage had not been perfect, but he had never wished his wife harm, much less death.
The Billionaire's Fake Marriage (A Romance Collection Boxed Set) Page 28
