Billionaire's Holiday Bride: A Bad Boy Christmas Romance

by Serena Vale

  “It’s ok sir it was my fault I made her jump,” Riley said as he helped Jenna pick the money up.

  “Sorry dad,” she whispered as she lightly squeezed Riley’s hand and mouthed the words ‘Thank You’ at him as he looked at her.

  He smiled back at her and she rang his goods through the till.

  “Thanks Jenna,” he smiled down at her and as he took his bag of goods from her, he pressed something into her hand and left the store. She could feel her dad’s eyes burning a hole in the back of her head so now the store was clear again she went through to the staff room.

  She sat on one of the seats and looked down into her hand where she saw a crumpled piece of paper, Jenna carefully opened it and gasped as she read the words, ‘Jenna call me soon,” he’d scribbled his cell number down for her. Jenna smiled as she carefully folded the piece of paper up as though it were a delicate artifact. To Jenna right at that moment it was as precious to her as a rare antique would be to be an antique dealer.

  Chapter 2

  She floated through the rest of the day on cloud nine as she whistled and sang to herself happily.

  “Your good mood hasn’t got anything to do with a certain tall guy that was in here earlier has it?” her dad teased as they cashed up together before going home.

  “I don’t know what you mean dad,” she replied smiling at him.

  “I saw the way you looked at him Jen,” he said quietly. He only called her Jen when he was trying to soften her up and entice information from her, as normally it was always Jenna from her dad and Jen from her mom.

  Jenna tried her best to ignore him but she was bursting to tell someone, anyone, about her encounter with the sexy Riley and she guessed her dad had just become that someone!

  “His name’s Riley and he’s a Navy Seal, and he’s cute, sexy and so fit with amazing blue eyes and incredible muscles and so tall,” she blurted it all out without taking a breath.

  Her dad laughed and laughed, “Jeez Jenna calm down, yes I noticed he looked fit and very tall. A Navy Seal well we don’t get too many of them around this way.”

  “His folks live in Salem so he passes through every so often but has never stopped here before, until today,” she grinned.

  “Was his cell number on the piece of paper he gave you?” he asked.

  She was momentarily shocked, “What, how, you saw the piece of paper?”

  Again laughter from her dad, “Yes Jenna your dear dad might be old but he doesn’t miss much.”

  She walked closer to him and threw her arms around him hugging him tightly, “You’re not old and I forget just how shrewd you can be at times.”

  “Okay, okay you can release me now,” he muttered as Jenna loosened her vice like grip on him.

  “Yes he gave me his number and told me to call him soon but I don’t know what to do dad,” she mumbled as she stepped back from him and looked into his ageing face. Yes, he was old but he was still a rather debonair guy with his well-dressed appearance and charming manners.

  “In what way Jenna? Obviously you’re calling to call him aren’t you?” he asked looking at her pensively.

  She stared at the ground and shuffled her feet awkwardly, a habit she hadn’t lost from her childhood. Whenever she was contemplating a situation, she shuffled her feet.

  “Are you insane, of course I’ll definitely be calling him but the dilemma is when to call him,” she said and then starting giggling at the exasperated sigh that escaped her dad’s thin lips.

  “This is a conversation that’s better suited to your mom Jenna, as I’m totally bewildered,” he smiled as he shut the cash till up and they made their way to the staff room to collect their coats.

  “These finer points matter dad. I call too soon then I appear desperate I call too late then I appear nonchalant,” she mumbled as she slipped her winter coat on and her beanie hat on her head trying desperately to tuck some of her mass of frizzy hair underneath it.

  “Good god I’m so glad I’ve got your mom and don’t have to worry about such technicalities in life,” her dad laughed as they walked to the front of the store.

  “Don’t worry dad I’ll chat to mom later,” she smiled up at him.

  Their house wasn’t far from the store, which was just as well as it started to snow. Jenna held her dad’s arm tightly as they headed through the soft flurry of snow, and she giggled as the cold snowflakes hit the soft skin of her face gently reminding her of Riley’s light touch earlier.

  For a guy of 6’4” and of an incredibly muscular build his touch had been surprisingly tender.

  Her mom was waiting by the front door as they arrived home, “I was worried when I saw the snow falling.”

  “Seriously mom it’s not a blizzard,” Jenna laughed letting go of her dad’s arm as they went through the small garden gate.

  “I’m allowed to worry Jen,” her mom snapped as she stood back from the door to let them in. As soon as Jenna entered the house, her taste buds went into overdrive, as the delicious aroma of roast chicken being cooked for dinner teased them.

  “Smells great mom,” Jenna whispered as she kissed her mom’s cheek softly.

  Her mom smiled at her and Jenna looked at her lovingly seeing exactly where her looks had been inherited from, not that her dad wasn’t good looking but her mom had been stunningly beautiful in her youth. Jenna had seen photos taken of her mom during her early twenties with her frizzy hair and captivating green eyes.

  The only attribute she didn’t thank her mom for was her bigger build, her dad was slim. Jenna had grown to accept her figure and even to welcome it; at least she possessed womanly curves.

  “Jenna’s got news about a guy,” her dad teased as he went through to the kitchen.

  Her mom’s face was suddenly animated as Jenna looked at her and grinned, “Don’t get too excited mom it was only a guy in the store today.”

  “That’s not how I interpreted the situation Jenna,” her dad shouted from the kitchen.

  Jenna began to shuffle her feet and her mom burst out laughing, “Right I want the truth now young lady, you’re doing that damn thing with your feet and that can only mean there’s more to this guy than you’re letting on.”

  “God, why do parents have to know their kids so well?” sighed Jenna. “Yes okay, there’s more to him. His name’s Riley and he’s like the best looking guy I’ve ever seen in my life ever.”

  Her mom couldn’t stop laughing, there were tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks as she stuttered between laughter, “Oh dear Jen, he was obviously more of a hit with you than you initially made out!”

  “He’s a Navy Seal mom and around 6’4” tall with the most amazing pale blue eyes I’ve ever seen and the sexiest one-sided smile,” she exclaimed as she stared into her mom’s green eyes.

  “Are you getting the description now Linda?” her dad shouted through from the kitchen to his wife.

  “Yes honey, Jen’s giving me the whole description of this Riley guy, and I’ve got to say he sounds perfect,” her mom replied smiling at Jenna.

  “She’s got his cell number,” her dad yelled, with laughter in his voice. Her mom was fed up of him shouting through so she and Jenna made their way to the kitchen where her mom began checking dinner.

  “I assume you’ll be calling him then?” she asked Jenna.

  “This is where it gets confusing so I’m going to watch some TV, tell me when dinner’s ready dear,” he said as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

  Jenna envied their marriage as they were so happy with one another, neither one had strayed and she knew her mom had received plenty of offers throughout the years.

  “Confusing how?” her mom asked as she sat down and looked up at Jenna who was busy making a coffee.

  “I don’t want to mess this up mom. You know I can be impulsive what if I call too quickly and come across as desperate?” Jenna asked as she walked toward the table and pulled out a chair to sit opposite her mom.

  Her mom remained quiet for
a moment, deep in thought, “Life’s too short Jen for all these little dilemmas. In my mind if you like him and he obviously likes you to give you his cell number, ring him don’t question it or over think it just do it.”

  She smiled at her mom as she sipped her coffee, “You know what I think I will, I’m going to call him in a moment, why wait and play silly mind games?”

  “My sentiments exactly now off you go and ring him,” her mom said as Jenna hugged her close, she was so lucky to have both her parents and she valued their opinions so much.

  As she went through to the stairs her dad called through, “Did your mom help you get your thoughts together Jenna?”

  “Yes dad, yes she did. I’m going to call Riley right now,” she answered making her way upstairs.

  “Good that’s good honey,” her dad replied.

  Jenna walked up the stairs with a kaleidoscope of butterflies performing somersaults in her tummy, and as she entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her they stepped up their tumbling performance.

  She flopped down on the bed and tried to think of a million reasons not to ring Riley, she’d almost convinced herself by telling herself it was too soon when her mom’s words drifted into her head about life being too short.

  Jenna grabbed her bag from the floor where she’d dropped it and reached into the inside pocket pulling out the now neatly folded piece of paper that Riley had crumpled into her hand earlier. Taking a deep breath of air, she picked up her cell and began to dial his number. It started to ring and it took all of her willpower not to end the call before he’d chance to answer it.

  “Hello, Jenna? Please tell me that’s you,” said Riley’s deep voice. Jenna relaxed, touched by the fact that he was waiting for her to call.

  Chapter 3

  “Hey you, yes it’s me,” she stuttered nervously into her cell. Her heart was racing and her hands felt sweaty Riley wasn’t even in the same room as her and he was having an effect. She felt like a teenager again talking to a boy she’d got a crush on.

  “I’m so glad you called Jenna. I was thinking about you and how I was going to have to drive to Laconia in the morning to the general store to see you if you didn’t call,” he laughed.

  “So I’ve missed out on seeing you again, now that I’ve phoned you?” she giggled flattered by the fact that he was prepared to drive back to her town just to see her.

  “No I wouldn’t say that exactly. It’s just that I don’t have your number so I couldn’t have reached you if you hadn’t have phoned,” he explained.

  “You should have it now that I’ve phoned you,” she replied but carried on and gave her number to him just in case. “Anyhow if you’d called in the store tomorrow you’d have missed me as it’s my day off.”

  “Oh really and what have you got planned?” he asked.

  He’d taken her bait and now she was reeling him in like a helpless fish, not that she saw Riley as helpless but she’d hoped he’d bite at her mentioning her day off. She’d actually lied as it wasn’t her planned day off until later in the week but she knew she could sweet talk her dad around if required.

  “No plans at all, just a free day relaxing,” she answered as she lured him in even further as a spider would to a fly.

  “Can we meet up?” he asked.

  “Sure that’d be great I’d like that,” she replied hoping she didn’t sound to desperate, but what the heck she liked him and wanted to see him again and right now she didn’t care how she sounded.

  “Terrific!” he cheered, and here I was worrying about how desperate I sounded she laughed to herself. It was a refreshing change to meet a guy that didn’t worry about hiding behind an act, he displayed his emotions and she liked and respected that. For a big built guy who could probably take on anyone and win, he was coming across as decidedly sensitive, a rare quality indeed.

  They arranged to meet up at the store in the morning and then she could choose where they should go for the day. She ended the call and raced downstairs to tell her parents the outcome of her call.

  “Guess what?” she cried as she ran into the kitchen and nearly straight into her mom and the tin of hot roast potatoes she was carrying to the table.

  “Jeez Jen slow down,” her mom snapped.

  “Sorry, I’m meeting Riley tomorrow, at the store and then I can choose where to go for the day,” she blurted.

  “Ummm have I missed something here Jenna?” her dad asked as he started to help himself to the potatoes.

  “No,” Jenna said as she sat down putting her orange juice in front of her on the table.

  “You’re working tomorrow,” he said, staring at her over the tin of steaming hot potatoes he was precariously holding with an oven mitt.

  Jenna looked sheepishly at him and mumbled, “I know but I was truly hoping you’d accept my offer of working another day instead of tomorrow.”

  She fluttered her long eyelashes and smiled at him, he grinned and muttered, “Jenna you know you’ve got working your old dad down to a fine art, of course you can swap your days!”

  She jumped up from the table knocking her orange juice flying and as she moved backward to save any going on her clothes, she knocked into her mom who was carrying a glass of water. The water spilt down her mom’s top and because the water was so cold, her mom jumped and dropped her glass, which proceeded to shatter into tiny sharp shards all over the floor.

  “Shit, I’m sorry I’ll pick them up,” Jenna said but her mom raised her hands in the air.

  “No you just sit down please. I think you’ve caused more than enough problems already for one night,” she snapped, and as she glared at Jenna, she began to walk carefully out of the kitchen.

  “Sorry dad,” Jenna whispered across the table.

  “This Riley guy has really climbed into your head my girl, you need to calm down before tomorrow,” he replied smiling at her.

  Her mom cleaned the glass up and they all sat and ate their dinner together without another word being mentioned about Riley or their big date the following day.

  Jenna took her dad’s advice on board and tried to calm down knowing if she remained this excited, she’d probably scare Riley off, as she ran a soothing warm bath she thought about where they could go tomorrow. Would he like Christmas shopping? Most guys weren’t big on shopping in general so probably not the best idea.

  Perhaps they’d go for lunch somewhere, as there were plenty of nice places to eat in Laconia. She didn’t really have a definitive plan at all and hoped they’d just work on an idea together in the morning.

  She stepped into the lavender scented bath and sighed, as the warm water caressed her curvaceous body as she sank into its warm embrace enjoying the way the water lapped gently against her big shapely breasts. She took a soft sponge and gently started to wash her dark, smooth skin taking comfort in the way the sponge glided over the silky nakedness of her body.

  While Jenna sat soaking in the warm water she began wondering what Riley saw in her, she was curvy and African-American. He was paler than pale and well-built and muscular. Was he just teasing her, no she didn’t think so as his sincerity seemed so genuine.

  Their personalities had clicked together well and they’d got along great, and she was more than a little interested in discovering his perfect physique underneath those clothes. Now she started to doubt her figure as she thought back to his overwhelmingly sexy body, his incredibly masculine silhouette and perfect poise.

  Jenna had never considered herself the slightest bit sexy; sure, her breasts were beautifully formed and heavy with their dark brown throbbing tips. Her legs were shapely and the hair between her legs was tamed more than the frizzy mess on top of her head! She often waxed herself completely as she felt it was more hygienic, it also heightened her own sexual experience when she pleasured herself. She’d heard many guys grew excited when they discovered their girl was totally waxed, a statement Jenna had yet to confirm.

  The last time she’d been intimate with a guy was a year
or so a go now and things were going fine until it came to the actual sex part of the evening. She totally lost the orgasm race to him and ended up satisfying herself, he exploded inside her wetness with a loud masculine grunt and then rolled over and passed out. Since that demeaning encounter, she’d stayed away from any romantic activity, which could potentially lead to sex.

  Now she was waxed and as she washed herself, she enjoyed the slippery smooth feeling of her skin between her curvy legs.

  She’d have continued and brought herself to an orgasm but she wanted to sort her clothes for tomorrow yet and also wanted to grab an early night.

  Jenna climbed out of the bath and dried herself off, applying body lotion liberally to her satin smooth skin. She stepped into her warm pajama pants and pulled them up over her shapely hips, next she pulled on their matching long-sleeved top.

  As she was combing her wet hair through her cell beeped to alert her that a text message had come through she placed her comb on the bed and reached for her cell on the side.

  She pressed the envelope symbol and grinned widely as she read the message, ‘Hey u, have u decided what we r doing 2morrow yet?’

  Jenna was all fingers and thumbs and quickly threw the cell on to the soft bed afraid that she’d throw it in the air and smash it. She composed herself and with shaking hands and five attempts later, she typed a coherent reply.

  ‘Hey, nope no further ahead with a plan as of yet ’ she added the smiley face for good measure and pressed the send key.

  ‘ we can always decide 2gether 2morrow’ his answer read.

  ‘I was hoping u’d say that!’ she replied thinking how nice it was to be texting one another like this. ‘Hey, I’m glad u texted I was thinking about u’ she wrote and sent the message before she changed her mind.

  ‘That’s too sweet, I was thinking of u 2 nite nite sweet Jenna x’ his reply said.

  ‘Nite nite sexy Riley x’ she said sending it quickly before she lost her saucy nerve, she was telling him what she truly thought and hoped he didn’t mind.

  ‘U r the sexy one not me x’ his message read, and her heart skipped a beat did he truly think she was sexy.