ROMANCE: Billion Dollar Question (BWWM Billionaire Bad Boy Romance) (African American Alpha Mail Order Bride New Adult)

by Aisha Brooks

  When their passion was totally spent, he lay with his head on her breasts and she stroked his hair.

  “Welcome home, solider.”

  “I think I'm just going to say this was my coming home party.”

  Chapter 3: You Are My Escape

  Hours later, Eric woke panting. The dream that had haunted him since his return to American soil had returned. Somewhere through the fog he could feel Celeste stroking him chest and shoulders. He curled into her and pulled her close. She felt safe and warm. She smelled like strawberry shampoo and sex, their sex. Flashes of new memories crashed into him as she wrapped her arms around him. His heart rate slowly began to return to normal.

  “You're okay, baby,” she cooed to him and he pulled her closer.

  He opened his mouth to apologize for waking her or maybe to kiss her, but he found himself doing neither. Instead, he told her of the dream and of the event the dream nearly mimicked perfectly. He told her about losing two of his closest friends over there and of the guerrilla soldiers who shot down a woman and two small children for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “It's like it's burned into the back of my eyelids and every time I go to sleep it comes to life,” he said pulling her closer to him. “I thought when I came home I could just pick up where I left off, but now I don't even know what the hell I'm doing. How am I supposed to wake up everyday step into a pair of jeans and live like I don't know what's going on over there?”

  “You don't,” she kissed his forehead. “You get up everyday knowing what you fought against and the changes it made. You get up everyday and know that we have our freedom because of the sacrifices you and others have made. You live life to the fullest you can and you take it and squeeze out every bit of happiness you can.”

  “You make me happy,” he said before he could stop himself.

  “I'm not going anywhere, Eric.”

  “Thank you,” he said and then paused. So much for playing anything smooth now that he had his second nightmare that day in her home. “Thank you for tonight.”

  “Thank you,” she said and gave him a soft his.

  He kissed her deeply drinking in the affection that poured from his lips. Her touch wrapped around him as their bodies pressed together. For the first time since returning home, the Middle East was across the sea again and not buried somewhere deep within him. They eventually fell back to sleep wrapped up together after making love for the second time that night.

  The next morning, Eric woke with the sun despite his late night awakening. For awhile, he watched Celeste sleep. She looked content and peaceful and he wondered if he could really drag her through all of his baggage. She didn't deserve that. She was beautiful and funny, strong and caring. She deserved so much more than him. He dressed quietly and let himself out locking the door behind him.

  Three weeks later, Eric awoke from his reoccurring nightmare again. He reached out through the darkness searching for Celeste. He wanted to pull her warm body close to his and let her scent surround him. She wasn't there. He flopped onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. Of course she wasn't there. He hadn't spoken to her since the night they spent together and tried not to think about her either.

  Although he had become skilled at suppressing desire and emotion during his time overseas, he couldn't get Celeste out of his head. He thought about all the things he'd never know about her. Some of them were silly like how she liked her eggs and coffee in the morning and her favorite song. Others bothered him more. He'd never know her story. He'd never meet her parents or see her walk down the aisle in a beautiful white gown that framed her figure perfectly. He'd never know what she wanted to name her first child.

  Deciding to take a shower, he walked down the hall and into the bathroom. The clock on the wall said it was shortly after midnight. As he stepped under the hot water, he wondered if she was still awake or was she sleeping peacefully. Had she thought about him since that night? Was she pissed at him or was he haunting her thoughts as she did his?

  He turned his back to the water and let it beat against his back. The tension lessened as the hot water seeped into his skin. Could he have really fallen in love with a woman he had just met? Was it even possible? Or had he simply attached himself to her because she felt warm and safe. Just being around Celeste calmed his nerves. He tried to think of another person who had that affect on him and couldn't. Sure, before the war he had friends that he could be himself around, but even with them he knew what not to bring up. There are things in life that you simply keep to yourself or so he thought until he met Celeste.

  Eric stepped out of the shower and dried off. He dressed quickly and sneaked downstairs to avoid Bubbles wanting to follow him out into the yard. The golden retriever had become his shadow since he returned home.

  He paced the length of Celeste's porch three times over trying to decide if he should wait until morning before disturbing her. If he waited until morning would he lose his nerve? What would he say even if she did answer the door?

  “Everything alright, Eric?” the door opened suddenly and Celeste stepped onto the porch.

  She wore a long t-shirt that barely covered her panties. He pulled her into a hug before he could stop himself and breathed a long sigh of relief when she hugged him back.

  “I just needed to talk to you,” he said stepping back. “I'm sorry about..”

  “Don't be,” she said, “we both agreed it was no strings attached. I get it you needed to connect with someone to feel normal again and while I do wish you would have hung around to say goodbye I get why you didn't. Mornings are awkward.”

  “I'd love a million mornings with you even if they are awkward,” he chuckled.

  “So that's why you came over,” she said stepping closer to him and cupping his package. “I might be up for a second round.”

  Longing spiraled through him, but he forced it back down.

  “No, I mean, yes, I want a second round, but..” he paused as she squeezed him. “Could you stop that for just a second. It's hard enough to think around you.”

  Celeste laughed and took a step back.

  “I can't get you out of my head. I think about you all the time and I want to know if there's something here.”

  “Something more than awesome sex?”

  “Yeah,” Eric nodded.

  “I don't know. You ran off before we could find out.”

  “I live next door. It's not like I took off across country or something.”

  “Eric, I'm almost thirty. I'm too old to go chasing men down even if it's just across two lawns. I like you – a lot. And I'd be lying if I said I was a little disappointed when I woke up alone that morning. But either we do or we don't.”

  “I want to.”

  “Want to what?” she asked him.

  “I want to try this, to try us. I don't want to drag you through my baggage, my problems. You deserve better than that.”

  “You can't drag me anywhere, Eric. I'm a grown woman and I know what I'd be getting into. I'm not going to sugar coat it and say I can love any of it away, because I can't. No one can. What I can do is love you through it and that's all any of us can do for anyone.”

  “Around you I feel normal,” he said taking her hands. “And happy and alive again. I want that everyday. I want you everyday. This could crash and burn..”

  “Or it could be the beginning of something that lasts the rest of our lives.”

  Celeste rose to her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his gently. Eric wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her in close.

  “You can come in, but only if you're still going to be here in the morning.”

  “I promise,” he said scooping her up into his arms.

  “I'll tie you to the bed if I have to, Eric. You only get to walk out on me once.”

  “Sexy, sweet, and kinky,” he kissed her neck. “You might never get rid of me.”

  Conclusion

  A year later, Eric and Celeste pull
ed into a downtown parking lot. It was late evening of Independence Day and they had agreed to join his family and hers for the celebration. Eric wasn't fond of the loud noises and crowds that came with the holiday, but remember how Celeste's eyes had lit up at the fireworks show the year before. He only hoped that this year they would shine even brighter and match the twinkle of the diamond he planned to slip onto her finger if she agreed to be his wife.

  As they carried the lawn chairs and coolers to join the rest of the crowd, he thought about how much his life had changed over the last year. Celeste had become the answer to questions he never even knew he had. They had settled into a quiet life at her home where he began a computer programming and networking business from home. The logic of the numbers and letters creating whole new things were soothing, but not at soothing as every moment he spent with Celeste.

  He watched her curls bounce in the summer breeze and couldn't help, but to smile. Their lives had slowly entwined until they had become inseparable. Celeste gave him a quick kiss and head off to say hello to her relatives. He set their chairs up close by and began unpacking the cooler.

  “Really have you told him yet?” her sister's voice carried to his ears. “I bet he's going to be thrilled to be a daddy. You guys are going to be such great parents and I'm going to be the aunt that spoils all of your kids and gives them enough chocolate to make them bounce off the walls before sending them home.”

  Eric laughed and glanced in her direction. She was talking to Celeste. He was going to be the daddy. He had thought about kids before, but could never decide exactly how he felt about bringing life into the world. He knew it could be a cruel place and had seen enough to know that it was a miracle anyone lived to be elderly. Now that he had heard the news (even if it was unintentional on both of their parts), he was elated. He couldn't wipe the goofy grin off his face. He was going to be a daddy. Together he and Celeste had created a new life that would be born as a living testament to their love.

  He could hardly keep it a secret that he had overheard when Celeste rejoined him. He kissed her hard and almost gave himself away. Though he doubted he would be able to last all evening. Eric had originally planned to wait until right before the big fireworks show to pop the question, but reassured by what he had overheard he knew he couldn't wait a moment longer.

  The crowd began to gather around as soon as he knelt on one knee. He ignored the onlookers, their smiles, and sounds of glee and looked into Celeste's eyes. She was smiling and already beginning to cry and he knew he'd join her soon if he didn't hurry up and ask the question. He pulled the small black ring box out of his pocket and opened it.

  “Celeste Bell, you have made me the happiest and luckiest man on the face of the Earth. I don't want to spend one day of the rest of my life without you. You are my life. I love you so much. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

  “Yes!” Celeste said and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you so much.”

  Eric rose to his feet pulling her with him. Their lips met in a passionate kiss and the crowd cheered. When the kiss broke he slipped the ring onto her finger and she kissed him again.

  “You're going to be a daddy,” she whispered when the kiss broke.

  “I know,” he kissed her again. “I can't wait to be a family. Looking back, I know my life didn't begin until the day I met you. I love you so much, Celeste.”

  “I love you too, Eric!”

  As if on cue red, white, and blue fireworks erupted in the sky and for the first time since coming home from the war, Eric didn't startle at the sound of a loud noise. He and Celeste cuddled on a blanket they had bought and began to talk about names for their baby.

  “If it's a boy I want to name it after you.”

  “We should name if after you if it's a girl,” Eric said and kissed her softly. “If we ever have a daughter, I want her to be just as strong and beautiful as her mother.”

  The Jock’s Omega

  A Gay Romance

  This deliciously dirty story is a part of Steven Fleming’s super-charged, highly lewd collection of love and lust, written in 2015. Those who attempt to steal any part of this goldmine and take it as their own risk being a fiery, hot death from a hunk bearing copyright notices—and he’s not about to play with you.

  This is a work of fiction—although we wish that people like this really existed, it’s nothing more than a figment of a very, very overactive imagination. Any resemblance to someone you know, a place you love or a thing you hold dear to your heart is nothing more than a craving in your heart that these carnal desires and actions were true!

  It goes without saying that this book oozes with erotic sex appeal, and is filled to the rafters with a smorgasbord of acts that you certainly wouldn’t tell your grandmother about. Bodice-ripping, panty-dropping and glasses-steaming, the scenes contained herein are wickedly naughty!

  Although all the saucy characters are flirting with forbidden desires and sometimes taking the naughty fruit they really shouldn’t be, all are consenting adults over the age of 18 and not blood-related. What they are is passionate and eager to explore their carnal desires all day long.

  In short, this book is going to get you very, very hot!

  © Steven Fleming

  All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any many whatsoever without the express permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental. The characters are all productions of the author’s imagination. Please note that this work is intended only for adults age 18 and over. All characters represented are age 18 or over.

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter 1: The Outsider Inside

  Chapter 2: The Dinner Debate

  Chapter 3: The Jock

  Chapter 4: Cleaning Up Your Mess

  Chapter 5: So It Begins

  Chapter 6: The Awful Game

  Chapter 7: Irresistible

  Chapter 8: Can’t Say No to True Love

  Chapter 1: The Outsider Inside

  Cory sat on a bench outside the coffee shop, watching the sun set, enjoying the summer breeze and privately bidding farewell to his hometown. His friends had thrown him a farewell party, a small get-together, and had left about half an hour ago. He lingered for a while after they had left, suddenly finding his town more beautiful than he had ever thought before.

  Perhaps it was because he knew he would not be seeing it for a long time that he had suddenly started noticing the little things in it and appreciating its beauty. He enjoyed the peaceful moments he had while he could, and mentally prepared himself for the emotional blackmailing, arguments, and fighting that was about to take place at dinner.

  He had applied to college secretly, with help from his father, and against his mother’s wishes. He knew she would have done everything in her power to stop him, so he had decided not to tell her until it was time to leave. He had been accepted at a prestigious college, made living arrangements at the on-campus hostel, and was all set to leave the next day.

  Cory’s father was a businessman who was always busy with work, meetings, or playing golf with friends. His mother, Georgiana, was a model and actress who was used to having her way; she had grown accustomed to people putting up with her throwing temper tantrums all the time, bossing people around, and nodding their heads to all her commands.

  Georgiana was a beautiful, sexy woman. Her petite figure, golden locks, and fine features were what helped her grace the cover of one magazine or the other at least once every week. She had worked very hard to reach the point in her career she was at, without any contacts or connections. And she wanted her children to take full advantage of her position. She could get them noticed, bring jobs, etc. She had succeeded in getting her daughter to follow into her footsteps, and now the 21 year old was on her way to becoming the ‘It Girl’ of Hollywood.


  But things got complicated when it came to Cory. Although he belonged to an affluent and influential family, the sort that people normally call the ‘party crowd,’ Cory was an outsider.

  Unlike the rest of his family, he was very unconfident and not the least into partying. Although physically he looked an awful lot like his mother, or even surpassed her in beauty, personality wise he was the complete opposite. He was down to earth, considerate, and serious. He looked at everything seriously, always considered people’s feelings, and never took advantage of the influence his family enjoyed.