“No love triangles out of that?”
Though her heart sped up, she kept her tone light. “Of course not.”
“One-sided love triangles?”
She laughed, turning to him. “What in the world is a one-sided love triangle?”
He grinned. “Involves less people and childhood crushes.”
Her cheeks flamed, and she buried her head in her pillow when his eyes narrowed. “I’d rather not talk about this.”
“The press had it right, didn’t they?” he asked, but there was no censure in his voice.
She nodded and then raised her head once more to look at him. “I was nursing a broken heart. The wedding and Daisy’s pregnancy was the final nail in the coffin for me.”
His fingers froze on the small of her back. “He didn’t lead you on, did he?”
Kate wanted to say yes, wanted Noah to be outraged on her behalf, but she would be lying. And she had been lying to herself for years. “We attempted to date, but it became very clear that my feelings weren’t returned.”
His lips flattened. “I don’t have the best opinion of the Romanovs.”
“Neither do a lot of people,” she said.
“But you do,” he pointed out.
She sighed. “Christian has never been anything but nice to me while Sebastian… when we were very young, we… ah, that is… attempted to become more, but then he went away to school and eventually outgrew me.”
“Sounds like a first-rate jerk.”
“We didn’t actually complete the…act. Maid almost caught us.” She lay down on the pillow again. “Later, we reconnected, but nothing happened except he apologized for his behavior, and then he met Daisy. Fell in love in an instant.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said fiercely. “He should have treated you better.”
Warmth suffused her, a different kind than she’d been experiencing. It was affection, she realized. Friendship had already turned into affection. Her heart sped up. This couldn’t be good.
Nothing good ever came of her feeling more than friendship. She started to move, intent upon getting dressed and taking a long walk along the beach on the other side of their private bungalow, but Noah began caressing her skin again.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of touching you,” Noah said before dropping a kiss on the back of her neck.
Little zings of pleasure ran through her body.
“I should hope not.” She regarded him and pushed herself up to a sitting position, not missing the way his gaze tracked her every move. Raising her hands in the air, she gave a big yawn and stretched.
“Are you teasing me, Duchess?” he asked roughly.
Giving him a coy smile, she cupped her breasts, offering them to him. “I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing.”
Noah’s head dipped, and she let her own drop back as he circled one hard nipple with his hot tongue. His fingers slid between her legs, and she cried out.
“Too sore?” he asked, immediately moving his hand to her hip, caressing her there instead.
“A little,” she admitted. “I might need more than an hour to recover from our after-dinner adventures.”
“How about you lie back and let me take care of you?”
“If I lie down, I’ll fall asleep.” But she was very interested in his offer.
Noah ran his palm down the center of her chest, curving around her hip and cupping her bum. “Then I’ll make sure you have good dreams.”
She lay back, parting her thighs as he settled between them. His wide shoulder pushed them further apart. “Such a pretty view,” he said, his hot breath making her ultra-sensitized body quiver.
His tongue touched her then, both hands on her bum now, lifting her to him. Unlike the first time he pleasured her like this, he took his time, lapping at her like he had nowhere else to be. Nowhere else to go. Which was true, but still…the care he took with her body. The way his eyes met hers as if to double check that yes, she loved what he was doing. He didn’t care if she talked, if she made loud enough noise so that everyone on the resort could hear her, or if she shoved her fist in her mouth to keep from screaming. All three had happened, at one point or another, and multiple times.
A long finger dipped inside of her, then another joined it before he sucked her clit into his mouth. Sensation after sensation jolted her body in languorous waves.
When her orgasm hit her, it was earth shattering, twisting her up tight inside and then letting go. She felt her body soar. Then, Noah did something clever with his fingers, and her hips bucked against his mouth. Pressing herself against him, she flew higher and higher until every cell in her body shattered.
Gripping the bed sheets as she came, she was at his mercy, unable to do more than moan his name. Then, something changed. Something shifted, and she found herself demanding he take her. That he fill her where she was empty and needed him.
Foil tore, and she rolled the condom down the length of his erection.
He flipped her on her stomach, raised her hips in the air, and with one thrust, he was inside of her. She was so slick, so wet, and yes, sore, but the need for him mixed with the pleasure and pain. It twisted her up inside until she slammed her hands against the headboard and pushed back, taking him deeper than before.
“Slow down. Slow down,” he murmured into her neck. “We have time.”
But they didn’t. They had no time at all. Soon, the real world would demand their presence, and all they would have was memories. She was sick to death of memories being her sole comfort.
“Easy, baby. I got you. Let me take care of you,” Noah ordered, his voice strained, though he didn’t stop thrusting inside of her. “Damn, you feel good. So fucking good.”
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “I want this. I want you.”
“What are you doing to me?” she heard him mutter before he pulled her to the side of the bed and stood.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, her long hair falling to the side. “The same thing you’re doing to me.”
Noah held himself still when she said that, trying to read the look on her face. Lust was there, desire, too, and if he wasn’t mistaken—which he could be, given the fact that he was buried to the hilt in her silky heat and could barely think straight—a little fear.
But not of him.
Hell, he was scared. She’d consumed his every waking thought since they’d arrived. All he wanted to do was eat, sleep, and make love to her over and over again. And not in that order. He was merely being polite on the sleeping part. Food was fuel.
Exhaling, he said, “We’re in this together. I’m not leaving you.”
That seemed to settle her down, and he pulled out of her. She made a face, her eyes questioning.
He stood up. “Get on your back.”
Confusion filled her eyes as she did what he asked. “But you already—”
He slid inside of her once more, but this time, they were chest to chest, face to face. Bracing his elbows on the bed, he lowered himself so he could frame her face with his hands, moving gently inside of her as he did.
“Nothing will change once we leave her. I’ll still want you, Kate,” he assured her.
Her mint-green eyes studied him, even as she gasped in pleasure. “Everything will change when we leave,” she said.
He knew she was right, but he wasn’t quite sure what change she was afraid of—her family, the paparazzi, or their relationship. Hell, it had already changed from what it once was.
But at this moment, he didn’t want to discuss all of that. He wanted her smiling again. And selfishly, he needed to hear her moan his name over and over.
So, instead of answering her, he captured her mouth and began to make love to her again.
*
It was dark when he woke up alone in bed. After his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, he searched for Kate. When he found her, his heart gave a funny little flip. She paced outside by the infinity pool, her phone held so tightly to her ear th
at he could barely make out the light from the screen.
She spoke in low, but clipped tones. Every so often, she would stop and stare up at the star-filled sky.
Placing his hands behind his head, he simply watched her, unsure if he should go to her or keep his distance. As much as he hated to admit she was right, they didn’t have much time left, and he honestly didn’t know exactly what to do about it.
Since they’d gotten here, they hadn’t spoken of living arrangements or when they’d see each other again. It was like a carefully orchestrated dance, where they only communicated with sex and food. Today was the first time they’d really talked, yet he’d hardly given up any information about himself. Instead, he chose to distract them both with sex.
Amazing, mind-blowing sex, but still a distraction.
He frowned.
“I refuse to cut my honeymoon short,” he heard her shout.
Kate’s parents had found out. Shit. He had thought they’d been so careful with all their planning with the look-alike, the falsely planted stories, and the borrowed plane. He had suggested they fly commercial, but Kate had looked so horrified that he quickly vetoed himself.
“All right,” she snapped, then dropped her head to her chest as she clutched the phone to her mouth. Her shoulders shook.
She was crying. Damn it. He shoved the covers off him and made his way to her, taking her slender form into his arms. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he asked, “What can I do?”
“Nothing,” she said tightly. “There’s nothing anyone can do. My parents are furious, and they’re threatening to take me to court over my inheritance.”
Could they do that? Why would they do that? Was money that damn important?
“They cannot handle the scandal of me marrying you without their blessing or knowledge, or having a hand in it at all. My father said I’ve made a joke out of him, and that our family will never recover from it.”
Ah, so it wasn’t the money, it was their reputation. “Growing up, my dad sent me to live with grandparents whenever he could.”
“Why?”
“He was already a drinker, but by the time my mother left him, he was hitting the bottle pretty hard, enough that I remember calling 9-1-1 when I was four because he’d passed out in the bathroom and hit his head. That summer, I got shipped off pretty fast and stayed there for almost five years before I came home again for any length of time.”
She sniffed. “That’s awful, and it makes my problems seem minuscule in comparison.”
“Not trying to compare, darlin’. Anyway, my dad’s little sisters still lived at home—they were thirteen and fifteen—and they treated me like their little brother. Sometimes, I even slipped and called Grandpa and Grandma Mom and Dad, but they didn’t mind. To them, I was their son. It was a blessing in disguise. One that I didn’t fully appreciate until I was much older.” Maybe even not until now.
“What about your mother?”
“I think she viewed me as a mistake that she didn’t want to be reminded of, so she didn’t do anything but stay the hell away from me,” he said, sharing one of his deepest fears with her.
“If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re bodging it rather badly.”
He had no damn clue what bodging meant, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t good. “What I’m saying is that we all have people in our lives that suck, that let us down, and view us as disappointments, but then God puts someone like my grandparents, like my aunts—my sisters, really—and you in my life, and it makes up for everything.”
“You really think so?”
“I do, but when we’re adults, it’s up to us to choose to allow those people—good and bad—to be in our lives,” he said. Like his dad. He chose to have limited ties to his dad.
“I have to go back and speak with them—I have to be proactive. I can’t allow their tantrum to affect your business, Noah. The transfer of funds hasn’t gone through yet.”
He rubbed her back. “I’m not worried about the money.”
“But your company needs it, and I gave my word. You’ve upheld your end and—”
“I trust you to keep your word. We’ll work through this.” He meant it. Money or no money, he’d stay with her. He’d find another way to fund his business. He could always get a loan—from someone, if not the bank—and in the meantime, sue the ever-loving hell out of his former lawyer. Even if he couldn’t get his money back, it would make him feel better.
“Promise?” she asked.
“You have my word.”
Chapter Seven
‡
The next morning, Kate and Noah flew to Heathrow airport. She attempted to remain sensible about the entire ordeal, but that was the problem, it was an ordeal for her.
She didn’t want to leave Noah yet, which was why she’d convinced him to come home with her instead of returning to the States straightaway.
“I have to leave for the airport in an hour, Duchess,” Noah reminded her, kissing the top of her head. “You’re going to have to let me out of this bed soon.”
Turning in his arms, she snuggled into him, pressing the length of her body against his. “Stay longer. Take the jet. You’ll have more flexibility if you do.”
“I could always go with you to see your parents,” he said.
She shook her head. “No. I have to do this on my own.”
He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. She leaned up on his broad chest and sifted her fingers through the light dusting of dark hair on his chest. “One day, I’ll have to meet them, you know. We can’t spend our entire lives avoiding each other.”
We’ll disown you, if you don’t get an annulment this instant, they’d said as nearly one voice. Like bullies. She couldn’t let them do that to her anymore. She refused to allow them to dictate her life anymore. It was why they thought it was perfectly all right to threaten her now.
“You have to understand, Noah. I’ve lived my entire life by their rules, not mine, and the very moment I decide to do something for myself, they lose their bloody minds.”
He caressed her face, then tucked a long strand of hair behind her ears. “Which is why I should go with you. It’ll be two against one, if I don’t.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
He smiled at her. “Then I won’t.”
“You’re not upset with me?” she asked. Men tended to want to fix things and when they were denied…most pouted. Or maybe that was just her experience.
His eyes crinkled at the corners, small, white lines radiating out. She thought his laugh lines were adorable. “Should I be?”
“You have to admit your response is unusual.”
“Maybe I think it’s sexy for a woman to take care of business.”
Smiling, she tilted her head to one side. “Do you?”
He nodded. “Yeah. It doesn’t make me less of a man for saying so.” His erection nudged at her. He was most definitely all man. “But I will admit that it makes me feel pretty damn manly to rescue a damsel in distress.”
“Like you did for me. Twice.”
“Twice?” His brows furrowed together, even as his hands began to explore her body and make her pulse race.
“Once when you saved me from being hit by a car, and the other when you agreed to marry me.”
His hands stilled. “Ah, Duchess, that time… we saved each other.”
*
Buoyed by her morning with Noah, she set out to her parents’ townhome in Belgravia with a firm plan in mind. Quite simply, she would inform them of her decision and that was that.
As for the man who was now her husband in every way, she missed him so fiercely. He’d only been gone for a few hours, but it already felt like a lifetime.
How would she get through these next few months while he waited for her to join him in Holland Springs? Perhaps she could visit him and—
Her heart stuttered.
Noah hadn’t asked her to visit him. In fact, he hadn’t mentioned her liv
ing with him at all. Maybe the five days they’d spent together had actually been quite enough for him. Maybe that was the true reason why he was so anxious to leave her.
He didn’t want to take her jet, didn’t want to use her money for anything other than what they agreed to, and they hadn’t even discussed the possibility of kids.
Did he even like children? Did he want them?
She took a deep breath, and then another, as tears pricked at the backs of her eyes. Dear God, if she didn’t stop soon, she’d start hyperventilating.
Her phone rang, startling her so much that she let out a half-shriek before she clamped her hand over her mouth.
“Get a hold of yourself, girl,” she ordered before taking her phone from her purse. She had an email notification from… “Noah,” she breathed.
Duchess,
I should have stayed longer.
Yours,
Noah
Clutching the phone to her chest, she allowed a few tears of happiness to fall before she brushed them away. They would work through whatever they had to, do whatever they had to do, and everything would be fine.
The driver stopped the car at the curb in front of her parents’ house, and then opened her door. They were expecting her, so as soon as her heels touched the bottom step, the front door was opened.
“Miss Kate,” the butler said.
“Harold, good to see you,” she replied, walking past him and straight to the library. There was no need to stand on ceremony and wait on Harold to lead her there.
The baron and baroness were waiting, her father standing by the fireplace with one arm slung across the edge of the mantle while her mother sat ramrod straight in the high-backed chair beside him.
Kate’s steps faltered slightly as she observed their tight, disappointed faces, but she tipped her chin up and clutched her purse tightly in her hand.
“Mother. Father.” She kissed them, on their cheeks, and then waited. Old habits were very hard to break, but she would be strong.
Her mother cast a glance at her hand, an elegant brow rising. “From your husband?”
“Yes. It’s very pretty, isn’t it,” Kate said, holding her hand up to admire the oval-shaped diamond. “I’ve never owned a ring that belongs solely to me. Someday, I shall pass it down to my daughters.”
The Billionaire Bride Page 6
