My New Year Fling: A Sexy Christmas Billionaire Romance (Love Comes Later Book 2)

by Serenity Woods

  Then, carefully, I hold the condom and withdraw.

  Her lips part in protest, but when I motion for her to turn over, her disappointment turns to pleasure.

  “Take your dress off first,” I tell her, grabbing my T-shirt at the back of the neck and pulling it off, and then quickly removing my shorts.

  She does so, tossing it onto the floor, then rolls onto her front and pulls down a pillow to rest her cheek on. I move between her legs, position the tip of my erection at her entrance, and lower down and wrap my arms around her.

  Normally our lovemaking is fifty-fifty, or maybe sixty-forty—I tend to lead and Jess is always willing to follow, but sometimes she likes to take charge, and I humor her when she holds me down and tells me I’m her prisoner and I can’t escape.

  Today, though, I want to celebrate my satisfaction at her announcement that she’s going to stay. I’m not the type of alpha male who has to force women to do his will, but at times like these the primeval urge to take and possess sweeps over me. I respect her, and I’ll place her on a pedestal and treat her like a queen, but this woman is mine, and I give in to the need to show her as, slowly, I slide inside her.

  It feels different like this. I’m deep in her soft, womanly warmth, and she’s beneath me, submissive and passive, unable to do anything but take what I’m willing to give. I push forward until she groans and buries her face in the pillow, and then kiss up her neck until my lips are at her ear.

  “You’re mine, Jess Phillips,” I murmur as I begin to move. “Now I’ve got you, I’m not going to let you go.”

  She lifts her head, and I kiss her cheek. Her eyes are closed, and her teeth clamp on her bottom lip. She doesn’t object to my possessive whispers, and I’m beginning to think she likes them. She likes belonging to someone, having a man want her all to himself. “Mmm. Rich…”

  I slip a hand beneath her to tug at her nipple, conscious that I’m now sliding easily inside her. “No other man is ever going to lay hands on you. I’m going to keep you so satisfied that you’ll never even look at another guy.”

  She groans and widens her thighs, and I begin to move faster, plunging inside her. It feels good to take her like this, and I mean every word I say. I’m going to pleasure her every day, until she’s too exhausted to even think of another guy, until every man she’s had pales into insignificance. Until she has eyes and room in her heart for nobody but me.

  “Jess…” I’m beginning to lose control, but Jess beats me to it, and she gasps and jerks as her orgasm takes her, pushing back against me to let me go as deep as I can. I thrust hard, pouring my soul into this woman, and I come with a triumphant roar, filled with an abiding sense of satisfaction that she’s mine.

  *

  “Sorry,” I say five minutes later, when we’ve finally calmed down. She’s lying curled up in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder.

  She lifts up, though, as I speak, and looks at me with some surprise. “For what?”

  “For being all grrr. You know. Possessive. I went a bit Neanderthal. Sorry about that.”

  She chuckles. “It’s okay. Comes with the territory. Pardon the pun.”

  “Even so. I’m not going to chain you to the bed and refuse to let you out or anything.”

  We exchange a long glance.

  “Unless you want me to,” I add.

  She laughs and kisses my chest. “It’s all right. Sex brings out the animal in us. I like that.”

  “I love you,” I remind her. “And I’m going to tell you that every day.”

  “Okay,” she says happily, and lowers her head again. “I think I can live with that.”

  We lay there then for a long while. I think Jess is dozing a bit, and my eyes close, although I don’t sleep. I just enjoy having her there, her soft body, her warm skin, and let time do its thing until the phone finally rings.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Jess

  “I can’t believe Rich is actually flying us to Auckland,” Lara says, her eyes shining.

  And I can’t believe you’re actually here. I think the words, but I don’t say them. I do smile at her, though, and I’m sure she knows what I’m thinking.

  Gareth is sitting in the cockpit with Rich, and I’m in the cabin with Fiona, Max and his girlfriend Juliette, and Lara and Ben.

  Meeting them all at Whangarei airport was possibly the scariest thing I’ve ever had to do, and that’s saying something when you consider I’ve been to prison.

  I risk a glance at Max, relieved when I find him bending his head, talking to Juliette. He’s taller than Lara, and his hair is much darker, more like his father’s, from what I remember. I know he’s been reluctant to meet me, and Rich’s comment about Max worrying he’ll seem disloyal to Fiona struck me as true when we boarded the plane, and I watched him offer a hand to help her up the steps, whereas he left me to my own devices. He wants to prove to me that he thinks of her as his mother and that I have no hold over him, and I understand that. I’m not going to push anything. I’m just thrilled he decided to come.

  I don’t say much during the flight. I feel shy sitting with them, and I’m worried that if I start talking I’ll waffle and embarrass myself, so I’m content to listen to Lara and Max and their partners chat away about the journey and the forthcoming party.

  My gaze drifts to Rich in the front, and I warm through as I think of how much I’ve enjoyed the past few weeks. He flew me back to Kerikeri and I collected the rest of my gear and handed the keys of the sleepout to Caleb. It was a strange moment, and I admit to feeling a little scared as I walked away. But Rich took my hand, and immediately I knew that everything was going to be okay. He has that effect on me.

  He has a minivan complete with a driver waiting for us at the airport, which is going to drive us to Katoa for a tour, then back home, before we head off to Stratton’s house for the party tonight. The guys are excited about seeing the gaming hub and trying out some of the new games and equipment; the girls are too, but I think they’re more interested in the party.

  I still can’t believe Rich has done all this for me. I owe him a lot, but that’s not the only reason I moved in with him. I’m crazy about this man. I can’t get enough of him. And I figured the best way of satisfying that craving was to agree to his proposal.

  Deep down, I suspect there might be another proposal coming soon. I’m not sure about that, and I certainly don’t expect it, but Rich often makes comments about me being his and wishing he could somehow make it clear to other men that I’m taken, so I suspect some form of formal commitment is on his mind.

  Marriage. And possibly babies—Rich dropped it into the conversation the other day that he likes the idea of being a dad. I’m no youngster, but I’m still young enough to have children. Now I’m in contact with Lara and Max, I hope to stay in contact, and I certainly don’t want to replace them. But it would be a chance to have a little piece of Rich and me to love, the opportunity to do it properly. The thought excites me, and it makes me almost tearful to think about it.

  “Things are going well then?” Fiona murmurs, bending close to my ear. “With Rich, I mean?”

  I give her a smile. “Very well, thanks. I moved in with him properly nearly two weeks ago.”

  “I’m so glad. He seems like such a nice guy.”

  “He is.” I hesitate and glance over at the kids, but they’re all busy talking. “Thank you for talking Max into coming,” I whisper back.

  Fiona shrugs. “I didn’t have to convince him. He’s pretty excited to see the new Katoa game.” She smiles. “And to be honest, I think it was a good excuse for him to meet you without feeling he was being too disloyal to Gareth and myself.”

  So Fiona had picked up on that too. I nod slowly. “I don’t want any of you to think I’m trying to replace you. I’ll be forever grateful that you adopted them. You’ve clearly given them a wonderful life, and they’ve grown up into great people.”

  “We’ve done all right.” She smiles, but her eyes
are glassy. She clears her throat. “So, tell me more about this party tonight. I’m a bit nervous, not knowing anyone.”

  “I don’t either,” I assure her. “I haven’t met Rich’s friends yet. We’ve kept to ourselves until now, so I’m quite nervous too.”

  “Well at least we’ll know each other,” Fiona says cheerfully.

  I smile and nod, and it strikes me that I might end up being good friends with her. How strange. I could never have called this a year ago.

  We land at Dairy Flat Airfield, and all head to the minivan. Before long, we’re in the Central Business District—the CBD—and we head toward the waterfront, where eventually the van pulls up by a building with the Katoa sign plastered across the front. The driver parks in the underground carpark, and we all get out and follow Rich across to the elevator. He punches in a code, and we ride up to the first floor.

  I know that Meg’s at home today, preparing for the party, but we’ve only just exited the doors when a tall guy with dark hair strides toward us. He’s handsome in an old-fashioned, Cary Grant kind of way, and when he greets us, his smile is warm and friendly. I like him immediately.

  “This is one of my business partners, Stratton Parker,” Rich tells us. “Stratton, this is Jess.” The two of them exchange a look, Stratton’s impish, as if he’s tempted to tease Rich about something, Rich’s a wry warning glance.

  Stratton turns all his attention to me and nerves flutter in my stomach, but his smile is genuine, his handshake firm, and he says, “I’m so pleased to meet you at last, Jess. I’ve been begging him to introduce us, but he was determined to keep you to himself.”

  “I’ve heard a lot about you too.”

  “All good, I hope.”

  “Not in the least,” I say, and Stratton laughs. “I like her already,” he tells Rich.

  Rich grins and introduces everyone else. I know he’s told Stratton about Lara and Max, but he introduces them only by name and doesn’t refer to their relationship to me, and Stratton just shakes their hands and says he’s pleased to meet them.

  “Let’s show you around,” he tells them. “I have about an hour before I need to go home. Meg’s on the verge of exploding because the catering crew aren’t letting her do anything.” He winks at me. “She can’t quite get used to not doing everything herself.”

  I’m looking forward to meeting Meg. It sounds as if she’s in a similar position to myself, in that she has had some adjusting to do, dating a rich guy.

  Stratton and Rich show us briefly around the offices. The guys are excited to see the boardroom, which is full of promotional material for Blank ready for its release in a few weeks’ time. Rich tells them a bit about the business and the plans they have for the game, including a stand at Comic-con and Pax West in Seattle later in the year. Then we head off to the gaming hub on the ground floor.

  I notice as we walk through the offices that the signs outside all the rooms have their names written in Braille, and that there are Braille labels on the filing cabinets, the photocopier, even on the coffee machine. Clearly, Teddi likes to be independent and do as much as she can herself. I admire her for that.

  We enter the gaming hub, and all of us give a sharp intake of breath. It’s like stepping into a futuristic world. The guys gasp at the amount of technology on show, including the best computers and cameras, motion capture equipment, virtual reality devices, and every console and controller under the sun. Rich and Stratton take us around the workstations where the programmers are working on digital sculpting, modeling, texturing, and painting. Then they take us to what they call the Play Lounge, which looks a bit like a small movie theater, with rows of seats in tiers. At the front is a huge screen, and before it a range of consoles and gaming equipment.

  “Who’d like to try the new VR version of Blank?” Stratton asks, eyes gleaming.

  Everyone’s jaw drops. “But it’s not out until March,” Max says. Rich has told me that they have a stand at the Armageddon Expo—New Zealand’s largest entertainment expo—where people are going to be able to play the VR version. I read the gaming magazines, and I know the gaming community is very excited about this.

  “Advanced viewing,” Rich replies with a grin.

  “Go on,” Ben tells Max. “But I’m next.”

  I watch my Rich hand my son the VR headset and help him on with it, while the rest of us seat ourselves in the tiers. Stratton sits next to me, smiling when Rich turns on the game for the first time, immersing Max in the Blank world. Max gasps, and on the screen, we can see what he’s seeing. He’s in the factory where the robot is created, and we watch him look around at all the amazing machinery, the flashing lights, the robotic parts being put together.

  “It’s amazing,” I whisper to Stratton.

  “Yeah, Rich has done a great job,” Stratton murmurs back. “I must admit, even I had doubts that he’d be able to top Dark Robot, but I think Blank is going to be an even bigger seller.”

  “I’m so pleased for him,” I say. “He’s obviously worked very hard.”

  Stratton gives me an appraising look. “Oh, I think he’s getting his just rewards now.” He smiles—he means me.

  My cheeks warm. “It sounds as if he’s had a tough time over the last few years.”

  “Yeah. We all have,” he says, and I remember that Will was also one of the founding members of Katoa, and Teddi’s partner. I feel a sudden wash of sympathy for her. Up until now, I’ve felt somewhat envious of her relationship with Rich, and of his feelings for her. I suppose I’ve resented her a little for having had some kind of hold over him. But it occurs to me now that you don’t have any control over how someone feels about you. She lost her partner at a young age, and that must have been extremely hard for her to get over—if indeed she has.

  “I’m sorry.” I watch Rich guiding Max through the factory, talking him through the opening sequence. “He’s one of the good guys—he deserves to be happy.”

  “Oh, I think he’s on the path to enlightenment,” Stratton advises. “I’ve never seen him this happy, and I think we have you to thank for that. He’s a lot less grumpy in the morning.” He grins, and I flush because I know he’s guessing what puts a smile on Rich’s face before he has his breakfast.

  Ben takes a turn at the game after Max, and then Lara wants a turn, and after that Gareth has a go, finally admitting he’s as curious as the kids. Stratton slips out part way through, saying he has to go and help Meg before she pulls a muscle trying to convince the caterers to give her something to do, but he tells us that he’s looking forward to seeing us at the party.

  When we’re done in the Play Lounge, Rich takes us back up to the boardroom, where he gives Max and Ben heaps of stuff—posters, books, keyrings, buttons, and T-shirts, with both the Dark Robot logo and the new Blank logo of a half-skull, half-robot face. The two young guys are thrilled, and are busy sending their mates photos of all the gear they’ve been given.

  At that moment, there’s a knock on the door, and I turn to see a woman of around my age—maybe a few years younger—standing in the doorway. She’s slim and pretty, with darkish hair in a long bob, and she has the most amazing bright-green eyes. At her feet, however, sits a Labrador with a harness and she’s holding the handle, so clearly those amazing eyes cannot see.

  “Teddi!” Rich walks across to her and puts a hand on her arm. “This is the third member of Katoa,” he tells us, leading her in. “Teddi, I want you to meet Jess.”

  He looks at me and smiles. His eyes are hopeful. He wants us to get on. She’s his friend and the partner of his twin brother. I know she means a lot to him.

  She holds out a hand in my direction. “Jess, Rich has told me so much about you. I’m so glad to meet you at last.”

  I take a deep breath, walk forward, and shake her hand. “Likewise. I’m really pleased to meet you too.”

  She drops the Lab’s handle to rest her other hand on top of mine. “I’m so glad he met you, Jess. He’s a new man since you came on the scen
e. He’s actually quite nice to be around now.”

  Rich pokes his tongue out at her, and she says, “I saw that,” making us all laugh.

  “She always knows when I’m making a rude sign at her,” he tells us. “I don’t know how she does it.”

  He turns back to the guys and asks them whether they would like him to send them a copy of Blank on release day, and proceeds to take their addresses. The girls start looking through the T-shirts hanging on a rack by the window.

  To my surprise, Teddi takes my hand and leads me out of the office.

  “I hope you don’t mind me spiriting you away,” she tells me when we’re out of earshot.

  “Of course not.” I’ve never met a blind person before, and it’s odd to think she can’t see my face. I think about all the Braille around the office, and how hard it must be for her to do even the simplest of tasks I take for granted. And yet she’s dressed elegantly, she runs a business, and she’s clearly one smart, sassy lady.

  “I’m sorry to hear about your partner,” I tell her gently, feeling as if I want to say something. “That must have been very hard for you.”

  Her eyebrows rise in surprise, and her expression turns wistful. “Yes, it was. Thank you. Look, I just wanted to say that I meant what I said in there. I’m thrilled that Rich has met you, and you seem to make him very happy. I hope… I hope we can be friends.”

  She knows, I realize. She knows how Rich feels about her. He told me they had a conversation when he went back to Auckland after I ran off at the beach, and I wonder whether they discussed their relationship, and their feelings for each other. Whatever happened, Teddi’s trying to tell me that she won’t get in the way. Not that I’m worried about that, not anymore. I feel secure in my love for Rich and his for me, and I no longer fear that one day he might decide I’m not enough for him.

  “I hope so too,” I tell her, and I mean it.