The Billionaire From Cleveland: A BWWM Billionaire Romance (United States Of Billionaires Book 14)

by Simply BWWM

  “I can’t believe we just met even though apparently you two have been dating for several months?” Samantha asked, confused.

  “Well, you know Ian. He’s kind of a private person,” Sasha said.

  “No, he’s not. He’s a famous athlete. He had a reality show for like a season, but when that family with all the sisters started getting famous people lost interest. He was also on another show for a while, and his name is still in the press,” Samantha said, making Sasha incredibly nervous. She had been so intimate with Ian but still didn’t seem to know him all that well. “This man is not private at all! But he certainly kept you a secret.”

  “I meant me! You know me, Ian, I’m a pretty private person,” Sasha said, giggling and trying to avoid the truth of the situation. She was starting to feel herself sweat.

  “So, I see you’ve already made a few changes around here,” Samantha said, looking right at Ian. “I don’t like that carpet, it doesn’t really seem like Ian.”

  “No mom, that was me. I picked it out. Sasha hasn’t had much time here, so it’s not like she’s going around changing things,” Ian explained.

  She barely knew the layout of the house but already had to pretend like she lived there. She was starting to get scared of his mom. Normally she would pop off on someone who was making such snide and obviously rude remarks. Instead, she decided to keep her cool, remembering what Ian was doing for her.

  “Well, I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving. Shall we grab some dinner?” his mother asked with a smile.

  Chapter10

  They had gone back to Dante for dinner, and Sasha wondered if any of the staff recognized her from the other night. For all they knew, however, she had met her grandfather for dinner. His mother insisted on the tasting menu paired with wine, forcing Sasha to pretend to drink and Ian chugging her glass down whenever his mother looked away, got distracted, or went to the bathroom.

  Ian had asked to not tell anyone about the pregnancy until after they had gone to the doctor and waited just a few more weeks. If Sasha hadn’t ordered wine, Samantha surely would have known that something was up. Going out with both of them at the same time was strange. Samantha certainly liked to draw attention to herself, not afraid to remind everyone who she was. Ian was a natural star, attracting the attention of a lot of people who recognized him.

  Sasha just sat there, not knowing what to do if someone stared or asked to take a picture. Ian seemed to enjoy the attention, getting a bit energized by the constant glares. Samantha seemed like she was built for it, like she only survived off pure unadulterated attention. Sasha was a little more intimidated than she’d already been once they returned home.

  Still, she felt like royalty. A certain comfort came along with all this chaos. She had someone to take care of her and protect her. Samantha had a body guard come with her everywhere she went, usually waiting outside in the car when she went in various places. It was a strange situation in which Sasha had never envisioned herself.

  Dinner went by fast, Sasha doing her best to not gag when seafood was served. Something about the fishy smell reminded her too much of the lake and made her want to lose her breakfast. Normally, she would love to devour some fish, but being pregnant made her totally hate the idea of eating anything from the water.

  She felt awkward at dinner for a while, but Ian was good at talking to his mom and knowing how to change the subject if it got a little strange. She had asked what Sasha did, and Ian simply told her she was working on her portfolio after graduating from Kent. His mother certainly judged this explanation, probably assuming Sasha was after his money.

  That was to be expected, and Ian was giving her his money, but it’s not like they were faking anything other than what they wanted Samantha to believe. The truth was, Sasha hadn’t picked up a pencil in months, losing all desire to sketch anything since becoming a call girl. At least she could still use it as an excuse for what takes up her daily life.

  As dinner had drug on, Sasha started to feel like his mother just wanted to grill the couple about their relationship. She was asking such specific things, like where they met, what they were wearing, how he asked her to marry him, and most importantly where the ring was.

  Ian had a quick explanation for everything, and Sasha did her best to keep up. She knew all the details of the lie that she was supposed to be living. It wasn’t easy, but they made it through the first dinner. They just had to get through a couple more days before his mother was gone. She’d likely have to see her again, but at least the election would be over before the holidays, sparing her from all those events and parties.

  At one point during dinner, Ian had put his arm around her chair. It felt strange. Being a couple felt normal, but part of her still felt like she was living a lie. She clearly was, but she also felt like she was lying to herself. She tried to pretend like she didn’t feel anything for Ian, but every time they talked about the wedding, their relationship, or anything related, Sasha would get butterflies in her stomach. They were usually followed by the bad butterflies, the ones associated with dread and guilt. But still, it felt good for a minute to picture the real-life version of the fantasy they were creating for Samantha.

  Though their relationship was rushed, strange, and not even completely authentic, Sasha still felt more for Ian than she had for anybody else. Part of that was certainly that his life was growing mixed with hers, creating a new little baby. Still, her emotions for him went further than that. She’d been unable to stop thinking about him since the day they met. Sasha had to stay focused, especially knowing that they had to make it a few more months. What if she did fall in love with him only to get her heart broken again? How would she live with him the rest of the time without it being incredibly miserable?

  As soon as they got back from dinner, Sasha and Ian went right to their bedroom, having enough of his mother’s rambling. She never said anything obviously mean, but Samantha certainly knew how to drop subtle hints about her strong opinions.

  Sasha kicked off the heels she’d slipped into before leaving and immediately unbuttoned her pants, realizing that was probably the last time she was going to wear them until after she gave birth. She scratched her stomach where her jean button had dug into her skin, relieved to get straight into bed.

  “Feel better?” Ian laughed as she scratched her belly. He took off his shoes and pants, not afraid to stand in front of Sasha in his boxers.

  “You have no idea,” she said, taking off her pants too and hopping swiftly into bed. She didn’t have time for pajamas that night. “Don’t look!”

  “I won’t!” Ian said, turning around. Sasha slipped her shirt and bra off as quickly as possible, getting snuggled under the layers of soft blankets on Ian’s bed. He pulled the couch out and grabbed some blankets from the closet, making a bed on the pullout couch that still looked more luxurious than Sasha’s regular bed back at Giselle’s apartment.

  “I know we’re rushing through this. I know it’s a little strange, but it’s just easier to do it this way, you know?” he asked her, as he crawled into bed.

  “I know. I made it through the night, and it’ll probably only get easier, right?” Sasha asked, partially joking knowing that wasn’t the case, but also really wanting to believe her joke.

  “I think my mom really likes you,” he told her. Sasha was shocked. She’d felt like she was getting death glares all night.

  “Yeah right, on what planet?” Sasha asked, assuming Ian was just trying to be nice.

  “No, Sasha, I’m serious. With my last few girlfriends, it was so much worse. She must really like you,” he told her.

  “Well, I guess I’m good at faking it,” Sasha said, making Ian laugh. She realized it hurt a little bit to hear him mention his “other girlfriends.” Was he telling the truth, or did he just say that to everyone, so they would agree to actually hang out with his mom again?

  She pictured the last couple of girls meeting his mom. She had looked them up on the inte
rnet and saw that they had both been white, making her wonder if he had ever dated a black girl before. She also couldn’t help but wonder what his mother thought about that situation too. They were a democratic family, but still, Ian mentioned they still held some conservative beliefs. How outdated were their thoughts on dating and who their son should end up with?

  Sasha felt lonely though he was only across the room. It was a huge bed and even though there were at least three blankets stacked that Sasha could feel, it was still cold. She held her stomach, remembering that she would have a guaranteed sleeping partner for the next seven months. Still, it would be nice to have someone hold her while she drifted away.

  “Goodnight Ian,” she said. She turned over, wishing that he would crawl behind her. She closed her eyes, wanting more than anything to feel his warm body pressed behind hers.

  “Goodnight Sasha. Have sweet dreams,” he told her back. He tried not to look at her through the darkness, as he couldn’t tell if she was looking back, but her figure was mesmerizing. The pullout couch was comfy, but more than anything he wanted to crawl behind her and wrap his arms around her tiny body, holding her close while they both drifted to sleep.

  Instead both Ian and Sasha held an extra pillow, wishing it was filled with a beating heart.

  *****

  Sasha woke up to Ian getting dressed. She had managed to keep her covers on all night, hopefully not giving Ian a free show. She sat up and stretched, sheets still wrapped around her.

  “I think that’s the best I’ve ever slept,” she told him, feeling peaceful and rested from his insanely comfy bed.

  “Good I’m glad,” he told her.

  “You’re up and ready early,” she told him, “Sorry if we’re doing something. I could have gotten ready earlier.”

  “No, you’re fine. Actually, my mom wasn’t supposed to get in until later tonight, so I still have this charity basketball game I promised I’d make an appearance at, so you’ll probably be alone this morning,” he explained.

  “Alone? With your mom? What does that mean? What am I supposed to do? What are we going to talk about?” She frantically started asking. When they were at Dante the night before, Ian had done most of the talking, leaving Sasha feeling better about faking their way through the relationship. He had acting experience, so he was clearly good at improvising. Sasha didn’t think she would be able to handle that. She figured once she got alone with Ian’s mom, she’d get stage fright and likely blow their whole cover.

  “Ian, I’m seriously not going to be able to do this,” she said frantically.

  “I know, it’s a lot to throw in. I’m sure that she’ll just want to have some breakfast and talk. I won’t be gone long. Just make things up as you go along, she’s not going to fact check everything you said,” Ian told her. Sasha knew that was far from the truth, remembering all the times that Samantha had grilled them about their relationship at dinner the night before. Samantha was very good at getting to the bottom of a story, and Sasha was panicking that she’d see right through her.

  She was clearly a creative person, as seen through her fashion designs. That did not make her a good actress. She was starting to doubt the whole thing, wanting so badly to just run back to Giselle’s and be alone in her own bed, despite the fact that it wasn’t nearly as comfy as Ian’s California King bed. Still, she knew that at the end of it all, this would be the best way to take their relationship and the easiest way for everything to play out.

  “Don’t worry. You can text me if you have any questions. She loves you, you’ll do great,” Ian said, walking out the door. Sasha wanted to kiss him goodbye, but that would completely change the dynamic between the two of them. What would it mean for their relationship if they were hugging and kissing each other hello and goodbye all the time? Sasha was confused, but trying to sort out the relationship between her and Ian was the last thing she should be thinking about.

  *****

  She looked down at the sweater in her hands. No, Samantha was not interested in just talking over breakfast. After they were prepared individual omelets and fresh fruit salad by the chef, Samantha insisted that the girls do a little shopping together as a way to bond and get to know each other a little better. Samantha believed that you could really tell a lot about a person by their style and the things they chose to purchase.

  Sasha still had plenty of cash from her trio of disaster dates, and Ian had also given her a credit card in case she needed anything at all throughout her pregnancy. It was also so she could start ordering all the necessary things she’d need to prepare for the baby. At the very least, Sasha could afford to spend a few bones on something nice for herself, a little retail therapy to help the stress brought on by the stunt she and Ian were trying to pull.

  She had never owned anything quite as soft as the peach cashmere sweater she had in her hands. She loved seeing all the fall clothing appearing in stores, getting excited for sweater and scarf weather. They were at a regular department store, but one of the upscale ones as opposed to the Bullseye Sasha had worked at.

  “Please! Let me buy that for you! The color is perfect for your skin!” Samantha told Sasha as she appeared behind her.

  “Oh no, I couldn’t. It’s much too expensive,” Sasha said, looking at the price tag of the soft sweater, not even on sale.

  “Oh please! You’d be crazy not to buy it. Only someone with your look could really pull this one off. It’s like it was made for you!” Samantha said enthusiastically to Sasha, walking toward the counter with the sweater in her hand. Sasha probably wouldn’t be able to fit in it by the time cold sweater weather came about, but it was a timeless color, so it would likely be in next season as well.

  Sasha couldn’t help but think about Samantha’s comment about only someone with ‘her look’ that could pull off the sweater. Was she making a comment about her race? She couldn’t help but wonder if that was an issue for his mother. She wanted to ask her outright, but Sasha never got a straight answer from white people like that. Deep down, Samantha could certainly hold some racist sentiment, but she was politically trained, so what were the chances she would ever be honest with Sasha.

  Sasha really wanted to know what Samantha thought about her being black, but more importantly she couldn’t help but wonder Ian’s opinion. Was it even an issue for him? She wanted to ask his mother if he had ever dated a black girl before, but she might not know, and Sasha wasn’t so sure she wanted to know herself. It really didn’t make a difference either way, but Sasha could certainly twist either outcome to induce more anxiety depending on what mood she was in.

  “On to the next!” Samantha said as they walked out of the store, shopping bag in hand. Sasha wasn’t quite sure what the protocol on the shopping-for-each-other situation was. Did she have to buy something for Samantha now? It all felt strange. At least she got a brand-new sweater out of it all. She had bought herself plenty of new clothes with the money she’d made dating Ian, but once it had started running out, she had feared she wouldn’t be able to buy anything of that quality for a while. The sweater was certainly nicer than most things that she had. Why not let Samantha buy her something nice?

  “Oh, we have to come in here! I absolutely love this store!” She told her as they walked by a well-known bridal shop. It was called Miranda’s Vintage Bridal, and Sasha had passed by a few times, always wondering what her dress would look like on the day she married her prince charming. They opened the door, the first time Sasha had ever been inside despite the fact that in her mind, she had been inside all of the dresses displayed in the window.

  “You must just be so excited,” Samantha said as they made their way around the quiet shop.

  “It still doesn’t feel real,” Sasha said, not totally lying about anything.

  “It never will either. I thank God every day for my wonderful husband. Ian’s such a lucky boy. We thought he might never get married. When his little sister got married, I thought that it would be the first and last wedding I eve
r helped plan,” Samantha revealed to Sasha. She felt a little guilty that there still wouldn’t be a wedding, at least not with her.

  She started to realize that what they were doing could actually hurt someone. Then again, she couldn’t be too upset to see her son not get married. That didn’t make him any less successful. He lived in a mansion with an unlimited number of bathrooms. Any mother should be proud to call that their son, married or not.

  The store was quiet, and she felt at peace with all the beautiful things surrounding her.

  “What kind of style are you looking for?” Samantha asked Sasha.

  “You know, I really have no idea. I mean, my style is kind of eclectic, you know. I try to wear trendy things, but I certainly like my vintage pieces,” Sasha told her. “What did your dress look like?” Sasha asked. She was legitimately curious to know what Mrs. O’Shea wore on her wedding day.

  “It was a straight silk gown with a lace top and massively puffy shoulders. I wore a ridiculous hat and veil. Of course, I was so trendy at the time that everyone was jealous. I had it perfectly designed and made a specific style only for me. But a year later that style was completely out of trend, and I’ve had to look at my tacky wedding pictures for the decades following,” Samantha revealed, both girls laughing at the idea.

  “Yeah, trendy is probably not my first choice when it comes to a wedding dress. I certainly want something classy and elegant. A piece that would be timeless and always in style,” Sasha said.

  “I can definitely help you find that,” the store cashier, Amanda, said as she emerged from behind a rack of dresses. Sasha hadn’t realized anyone was listening.