The Billionaire's Embrace: A Billionaire Romance (The Hampton Billionaires Book 2)

by Erika Rose

  Fawn yawned and stretched like a cat napping in the sun before she answered him. “I think we should come up for air. We’ve been here since Friday evening. I need some clothes, we’re running out of food and Dom will be wondering if I’m still alive.”

  “It’s only Sunday Fawn, we can come up for air tomorrow.” Seth said as he pulled her towards him.

  Fawn playfully wrestled out of his embrace. “Seth it’s Monday!”

  He pulled her back against him and felt himself hardening for her already again. He nuzzled the sweet spot between her breasts before nipping her nipple. “Who needs food, or air? Besides there are advantages to not fetching you clothes.” His hand ran down the curve of her hip before coming around and finding her soft folds already moist.

  Fawn moaned before pulling away. “Seth, I’m serious! It’s Monday, I need to finish the EP before I send it to John. Don’t you have things you have to do today?”

  Seth vaguely remembered he had somewhere to be today. “Yeah, maybe later.”

  How could he still want her? For the past two days and three nights, he had had Fawn every way he could imagine. In his bed, in the shower, on the porch, on the kitchen counter and how could he forget the beach? He should be sated, exhausted and yet as he watched Fawn standing naked in front of his bed with her hands on her hips and her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders, need stirred again.

  “Well I need to go to the hotel. I need to do a few things. Will you drop me off? I’ll have Dom drop me off tonight when I’m done.”

  “Tonight?” Seth asked confused. “You said it’s Monday?” He swiftly pushed himself off the bed before grabbing his phone.

  “Yes, why?” Fawn asked as she closed the drawer. She pulled the borrowed shirt over her head.

  “Shit! I completely forgot. Skye is in New York tonight, we’re having a boy’s night at Garret’s place.” Seth said as he pulled on a pair of jeans.

  “Oh, why the rush now? It’s only morning?”

  “I need to go by the hotel this morning and I have a few errands to run before this evening.” As he pulled the shirt over his head, he chastened himself for losing days. His friends must’ve wondered what had happened to him. They always saw each other over weekends.

  He swiped his phone and saw all the calls and texts he had missed over the weekend. Fawn’s arms circled his waist and he felt her head rest against his shoulder and he couldn’t regret missing anything at all.

  They had talked late into the night, making love in the early morning hours. They drank wine and only ate when their hunger couldn’t be sated by feeding off each other.

  He wouldn’t exchange his weekend with Fawn for anything in the world.

  “He’s alive!” Cole shouted as Seth walked out onto Garret’s deck.

  The sun was riding the waves during its descent. He had spent most of the day at the hotel helping out. Spending the previous week in studio had created a backlog for today. This morning as Seth worked he realized although he didn’t have a position at the hotel, his workload had grown quite a bit over the last couple of months. He would need to speak with the manager who had started skimping on his duties, letting Seth pick up the strain.

  He looked forward to spending the evening with his friends drinking beer and talking sports. As he sat down, four pairs of eyes turned to him in question. Seth had a feeling they weren’t just going to talk sports.

  “What?” He asked as he grabbed a beer and popped the top.

  “What? That's the best you can come up with?” Cayden shook his head exasperatedly turning to the others. “The last time I saw you, you ran out of Rosi’s after a girl and a big ass man followed you outside. I was certain you were either killed or kidnapped in the weeks since.”

  Stefan laughed, smacking Seth on the back. “Doesn’t look like either applies Cayden, I’d say someone got laid.”

  Seth sighed deeply, knowing he was going to have to come clean or they were going to keep on ripping him. He turned to Garret as he spoke, hoping he would understand. “I’ve been helping Fawn.”

  Cole and Cayden laughed and clinked their beers before Cole spoke. “He got laid!”

  Seth laughed but how could he make them see it wasn’t that simple. “Okay look,” he turned to Cayden. “The big guy that followed me out of the restaurant is Dom, her bodyguard. He nearly did kill me with a death stare, but let’s just say we’ve come to understand each other since.”

  “So what happened between Rosi’s and tonight?” Stefan asked as he brought his beer to his lips, watching Seth over the bottle.

  “I hired a studio and helped Fawn record the music she wants to sing, the music she writes herself. We finished recording on Friday and let’s just say we spent the weekend together.”

  “What? She’s doing so well, she can’t afford to rent a studio?” Cole asked confused.

  “It’s not the music she usually sings. Her manager is hesitant about recording it. So I helped her record it so she could send him the EP.”

  “What, you like, played producer?” Stefan asked narrowing his eyes.

  “Sort of, and the strange thing was I really enjoyed it. I’ve always like music, you know that, but actually being there and helping decide how it’s going to turn out, it was powerful man.”

  “Almost as powerful as a weekend between the sheets with FAWN?” Cayden cocking his brows a few times.

  “It wasn’t like that.” Seth sighed. How could he make them see? “She’s different and she’s more than that. I don’t know, it’s just different with her.”

  Silence fell over the table.

  Garret hadn’t said a word since Seth started talking but now a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke. “I get it.”

  Seth grunted. “I’m glad you do because I sure as hell don’t.”

  Garret shook his head. “Let me guess, you can’t get enough of her? You look forward to seeing her, to hearing what she thinks and you already can’t imagine your life without her in it?”

  Cole, Cayden and Stefan burst out laughing. “Garret just because you’re whipped doesn’t mean Seth is too.”

  Seth felt himself torn in two. On one side was his bachelor life with parties and no responsibility and on the other side was the feeling that he needed more. For the past week spending time with Fawn and making music was the first time he didn’t feel something was missing. Maybe Garret was right. “What if you’re right?” Seth asked.

  The other three quieted at the serious tone of Seth’s question, this time it was Garret who laughed. “I have no idea my friend. You stumble through the dark on your knees until you find a light switch. At least that’s what I did and when I switched on the light my world was brighter with Skye in it.” Garret shrugged as if it was simple. For Seth none of this was.

  Cayden passed Seth another beer. “You know what, if you like this girl go for it! It looks like she’s made you happy.”

  Stefan laughed. “Yeah, go for it man. I just have a favor to ask.”

  “What?” Seth asked.

  “Would a threesome be completely out of the question?” As Seth’s face darkened and his brows raised Stefan burst out laughing. “I’m kidding man. My cousin is a big fan of FAWN; do you think you can get me an autograph?”

  “Yeah, I’ll ask. But guys listen, the fact that she’s here is highly confidential, please keep it quiet.” He turned to Stefan. “For example don’t go telling your little cousin’s that she’s in town just to be the cool uncle.”

  Stefan smiled guiltily. “I’ll make sure she won’t tell.”

  “Yeah right.” Cayden laughed.

  Seth shook his head hoping Stefan was right before turning to Garret. “So where is Skye tonight? I know you said she was out of town?”

  “She went to Manhattan with Suki and Jess for the wedding dress. They decided to stay over for the night and do the rest of wedding shopping tomorrow.”

  “Shit man, I still can’t be
lieve you’re getting married.” Seth shook his head.

  “Neither can I.” Garret smiled as he widened his eyes.

  Seth could see the bafflement in his friend’s eyes, but he also so saw excitement.

  “Right, so are we going to talk girls all night or play some poker?” Cole asked pulling out a deck of cards.

  Seth, Cayden, Stefan and Garret turned to him.

  “You’re sure you want to take me on tonight?” Seth asked. “I’m feeling lucky.”

  “Screw you, you’ve got woman on your brain.” Cayden said as he picked up his hand. “I’m cleaning you out tonight.”

  CHAPTER 15

  “Fawn!”

  Fawn recognized the voice coming from the waves as she walked along the shore. Dread filled her, not knowing how this conversation was going to go. Yesterday she had come back to the hotel in love and excited about the music she had recorded the week before. She had spent all day catching up on calls and text and had delayed sending the music to John until this morning.

  She had spent the best part of the morning listening to the EP and was proud of the end result. After gathering all her courage she hit the send button on the email and her dream made its way to John’s laptop. A rush of nerves swept through her. What if John didn’t like it?

  She decided a walk on the beach was a good idea to get her mind off John and her EP while she waited for his feedback.

  Her legs were starting to ache from the distance she had walked in the damp sand and her nerves were still shattered. She delayed going back to the hotel fearing John’s response.

  The last thing she needed now was the surfer running towards her with his surfboard under his arm. “Hey what happened to you the other night?” Danny called out as he reached her, accusation clear in his tone.

  Fawn smiled and noticed again how attractive Danny was. With water dripping down his face and his sexy smile wide as he spoke, Fawn couldn’t help but feel guilty for walking out on their date. “I’m sorry Danny, something came up.”

  Danny looked at her, assessing for a moment before he spoke. “And you couldn’t even leave a message with the waiter?” He asked exasperatedly.

  “Danny, like I said it was sudden I …” Fawn tried to explain before he interrupted her again.

  “Don’t even bother; you think you’re too good for a nobody like me? You know what, actually it’s the other way around.”

  “I’m sorry Danny, I should’ve apologized sooner, but I’ve been busy.”

  Danny smirked at her words. “Busy doing nothing in your penthouse suite?”

  “Actually I’ve met someone Danny, someone I think it might be serious with. I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. I was wrong to walk out on you and even more wrong for not apologizing. You’re an awesome guy and any girl would be lucky to date you.”

  Danny shook his head. “Yeah right, any girl but you.”

  Before Fawn could speak Danny turned and ran back into the waves. She watched for a while as he paddled out against the waves. He came to a stop just behind the surf waiting for the perfect wave.

  Fawn took a seat in the damp sand, wanting to see how well he could surf. She felt her heart speed up as he started paddling fast on a swell heading for the shore. As the swell started to roll into a wave Danny stood on his board expertly glided along the curve.

  She felt sorry for hurting him but remembered his interest in her fame and pushed it aside as she brushed the sand from the seat of her pants and headed back to the hotel.

  She couldn’t delay John’s feedback forever.

  As Fawn powered up her laptop she felt anticipation and trepidation claw up her throat. Her mailbox pinged with a new message alert from John. She took a deep breath before opening the mail.

  Fawn,

  I applaud your effort but something is missing…

  The essence of pop that has brought you fame and fortune is not present in this music.

  The tempo is too slow for your young fans and the lyrics too deep.

  This might be something we can pursue in future but this isn’t the type of music your fan-base will support.

  When you get back we can go over the new music I just received from the writer for your next album.

  You’ve had your time Fawn; it’s time to get back to reality and your true sound.

  John.

  Fawn felt the rush of disappointment and failure settle heavy in her chest. Her tears started spilling over and she had no power to stop them. In a few short sentences John had just ruined her dream and sentenced her to a lifetime of singing shallow pop music.

  Tears rushed down her face as her body started racking with sobs. She had poured her heart and soul into the four songs John had just condemned.

  As her dreams fell to pieces Fawn wondered for the first time if John had her best interest at heart or only the bottom line?

  Maybe Seth was right; she would lose some fans but gain more loyal fans if her sound changed.

  Did she just waste three weeks of her life writing music that would never be recorded?

  Shaking her head and brushing away the tears Fawn gathered herself. She couldn’t see her time in the Hamptons as wasted, if anything it bought her Seth.

  She couldn’t regret the arrogant way he had teased her for weeks since their first night together, she couldn’t regret their time together in the studio and she wouldn’t regret their weekend together.

  She hadn’t seen him since yesterday morning and suddenly the urge to see Seth overwhelmed her. She wanted to talk to him, tell him about John’s mail. She wanted him to hold her in his strong arms and tell her everything was going to be all right.

  Fawn grabbed a couple things and threw them into an overnight bag before calling Dom.

  “Dom, I need you to take me to Seth’s”

  “I’ll meet you at your door in five.” Came his curt reply.

  Fawn knocked on Seth’s front door hoping he’d be home. They had arranged for her to come over later this evening, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She needed him now. The thought itself scared her, but it was the truth. He was the only one that believed in her dream; she needed him to tell her that she didn’t pour her soul into her music over the last week for nothing.

  As the front door opened she waved goodbye to Dom before turning to Seth.

  Seth appraised her face and without saying anything pulled her into his arms. The warmth and the strength of his embrace had tears escaping from her eyes again.

  “Shhh.” He cooed as he pulled her inside. His one hand held her close as the other softly stroked her hair. “It’s okay; whatever it is its okay.”

  Fawn sniffed a few times trying to gather herself; Seth’s scent soothed her as much as his words. She felt raw from John’s critique and it scared her that she had turned to Seth. The playboy she had vowed not to get involved with.

  She pushed the thought aside and hung onto him tighter. When she was in his arms like this he didn’t feel like a playboy. He felt like home.

  They stood like that for a while; Seth didn’t move or pepper her with questions. He simply held her and soothed her until she was ready to speak. Fawn didn’t realize how much she needed it, until he gave her the freedom to weep for the music that would never make the air.

  She slowly pulled back and looked at him through tear streaked eyes. His face was tinged with concern. Brows drawn together, eyes questioning and yet he didn’t say a word.

  “John came back to me about the EP.” Fawn said dejectedly.

  “Oh baby, if you look like this he didn’t like it, which could only mean he’s an asshole.”

  Fawn snickered before swallowing it down. “But he’s not. John is one of the greatest managers in the industry, he’s…”

  Seth smiled as he brushed a tear from her cheek. “You’re defending him after he…what did he say Fawn?”

  “He said it isn’t me and it isn’t worth pursui
ng basically. My fans won’t like it and we can’t chance it.”

  “Screw him.” Seth said angrily as he stepped back from her. “He doesn’t want to give you a chance. How can he be great if he doesn’t even want to spread your wings and see what you’re capable of?”

  Fawn understood what Seth said, but it felt like betrayal to speak poorly of John. “I don’t know Seth, I’m confused.”

  Seth watched her for a few moments before he pulled her close again. “I know just what you need.” He took her hand and led her to his bedroom.

  Fawn felt butterflies starting to flit in her stomach, Seth was going to take her mind off everything, and hopefully he was going to make her lose it.

  As they reached the bedroom Seth let go of her hand and pulled back the bedspread. As he walked back towards Fawn she felt need pool low in her belly. She closed her eyes waiting for him to take her. She felt his hands undo the button of her denim shorts and pull it down her legs. After he slipped it off along with her shoes she felt his lips softly brush against hers. “Come on, jump into bed.”

  Fawn opened her eyes confused. “Alone?”

  Seth laughed deeply, arousal clear in his pants. “Yes, alone. You don’t need me to make love to you, well maybe you do but I’m not going to. At least not now.”

  “What are you going to do? Tuck me in like an upset errant child and go about your business.”

  Seth laughed as he did exactly that. “But I’m not going about my business. I’m going to order us some pizza, make some coffee and grab a DVD.”

  Fawn gave her best attempt at pouting. “Seth.”

  “Don’t Seth me.” He smiled before leaving the room. “I know exactly what you need; afterwards I might consider taking advantage of you.” He winked before leaving.

  Fawn lay back in his bed and wondered what he had up his sleeve. She closed her eyes and replayed the songs in her mind. They were honest and powerful and as much as Fawn didn’t want to admit it, John was an asshole for not realizing it.