by Violet Paige
He kissed my collarbone. “You’re fucking incredible. How did I get so lucky?”
“You?” I couldn’t catch my breath. We had outdone ourselves.
He tucked me against his arm. “Is it okay if we sleep some before dinner?” he asked. “And I brought two bottles of champagne.”
“Two?”
He nodded over my head. “One for the audition and one for the engagement.” He sounded drowsy.
“Naked nap, yes.” I closed my eyes in my fiancé’s arms and fell asleep to the sounds of the lake waves hitting the shore.
Epilogue II
Sam
I sat on the stoop of the cottage and held the fresh cup of coffee between my hands. I ran to the office to pick up one for Natalia while she slept. I didn’t want to wake her, so I waited here instead and watched the birds fly over the lake.
The lake was peaceful in the morning. We needed this time together. Time before we announced our engagement. Time before Natalia began rehearsals with the troupe. And for me, time before I had to start spring training. It was only a few weeks away.
I took another sip and thought about what was in front of us. I thought about my season and how far I’d come with the Wranglers. We may not have won back-to-back titles, but I had outperformed my rookie statistics. If it hadn’t been for Natalia though, I don’t know if it would have happened.
Maddie had screwed me over. I was convinced that I’d never date another woman during football season because of her. That was until I met Natalia. She was patient with me when no one else would have put up with my shit.
She shared herself so willingly, so easily, that I trusted her. It was the trust I needed to get over the fear that she’d leave. I was terrified she’d walk out like Maddie did. And it was the fear that got in my head—not the woman. It was the fear that distracted me. The fear that kept me off focus. I was a fucking idiot. I had trust issues and didn’t know it. I could have lost the best thing that happened to me because of it.
I heard the door creak and I turned around.
“Good morning.” She smiled. The sheet was draped around her shoulders. Fuck. She was still naked. “Can I join you?”
I scooted to the side. “I got coffee for you.” I handed her the cup as she settled in next to me.
“Thank you.” I watched as she inhaled the steam. “It’s so quiet this morning.”
“The opposite of last night.” I winked.
She whipped around. “Holy shit.”
“What?” I followed her eyes.
“Our windows were open?”
“Yeah. I wanted to hear the lake. I might need to jog back to the office for a refill.”
“The entire time? The windows were open since we got here?”
“So I aired out the place? It was stuffy. There’s not a single person here. And you’re the one sitting outside practically naked.”
“No one except the little old couple in the office.”
I laughed loudly. “Now you’re modest?”
She smacked me on the chest. “Do you think they heard us?”
“Have you tried to have a conversation with them? They both wear hearing aids. I think your double sex life is still safe.” I winked at her.
“It’s not a double life.” She pursed her lips together.
I kissed her on the cheek. She was cute when she was pissed at me. “So, how does the rock feel this morning?”
She extended her hand and her frown was replaced with a beautiful smile. “Unreal.”
“I’ve had that ring for two months, trying to decide when the right time to propose was.”
“Two months?” She studied the rainbows bouncing around the porch.
“I thought it might be at the Super Bowl.” I didn’t want to think about what a punch to the gut our season was. “But I knew that wasn’t the right time, even if we had made it.”
“And how did you know yesterday was it? What if they had rejected me and I was a crying mess? Would you have still done it?”
“That wasn’t going to happen. There was no way they weren’t going to offer you the position. I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked the past few months. You’ve thrown everything into ballet. You were meant for this, Natalia.”
She pressed a sweet kiss to my mouth. “I think I was meant for something else too.”
My eyebrows rose.
“For you. I’m meant for you.”
There was an instant pang between my ribs. I had done a lot of wrong things in my life. I’d made some shitty decisions and paid the price. But I didn’t know what I did to deserve this woman. This woman who could take me to my knees and then send me higher than a fucking kite. This woman who made dirty seem right, and love seem even better.
I had gone down on one knee yesterday, praying like a little kid that she’d say yes. That she’d join me in this crazy life I had. That she’d put up with my bad habits and my insane schedule. That she’d overlook the microscope I lived under as a celebrity. That she’d embrace my culture and realize we’d never live in Paris. That more than anything she would accept how much I loved her and wanted to protect her. I’d never had instincts like this to cherish someone. It felt natural to want to keep her close. I wanted her to be safe and happy, and nothing was more important.
She sighed over my shoulder. “How long do we get to stay this time?” she asked.
“I might have checked with the troupe ahead of time.”
“Oh?”
I nodded. “Sure did. And you have about ten days before they need you in Austin. So what if we spend three or four days here?”
“Are you serious?”
“Sound good?” I already knew the answer before she said anything. Her face was elated.
“It’s the best engagement present ever.”
“It gives us some time before everyone finds out. Before the media circus begins.” I was dreading that part, but it came with the territory of being a professional athlete.
“I thought maybe when everyone found out we were dating the fascination would have been over.”
I shook my head. “Have you seen you?” I eyed the dip at her breasts where the sheet was starting to come undone. “They will never want to stop taking pictures of you. I don’t think they care about me so much anymore.”
She giggled. “Not true. I see how the girls look at you.”
“Jealous?”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Maybe a little.”
I grabbed the edge of the sheet to test how tightly she was holding. It fell off her shoulders.
“Sam,” she warned me.
I licked my lips. I wasn’t going to stop there. Natalia was mine. My fiancée. My love. My life. And soon she would be my wife. I had to make the most of this honeymoon preview.
“If you don’t want that little couple to see what I do to make those sounds come from your gorgeous lips, you better get inside.”
“You wouldn’t.” She looked incredulous.
“Wouldn’t I?” I winked.
She scampered up the stairs, gathering the sheet around her waist, and ran inside with laughter. I dropped my coffee and pounced after her.
Natalia had taught me something the first night we met and it was a lesson I wouldn’t forget. No matter what—never let her get away.
Not Husband Material
Billionaire’s Contract Series
By Violet Paige
Copyright © 2018 by Violet Paige
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Not Husband Material
She wants a baby.
I want my billions.
Together, we can have everything we want.
I’ve inherited the family fortune.
Only there’s ONE hell of a catch.
I need to find a girl
. Put a ring on her finger.
And here’s the most important part—knock her up.
Sounds easy, right?
After all, finding a woman to suck my c*ck has never been an issue.
It’s not like I have to fall in love.
Seems like a lucky break when I run into Evie after twelve years.
She’s all grown up now with gorgeous seductive curves that can take a man to his knees.
After one night together we can’t deny our chemistry could burn down the city.
I’ll make Evie my wife and she’ll have my baby.
But I’m in for an unexpected surprise… what if it isn’t fake?
What if Jeremy Hartwell has finally found The One?
The stakes are higher now. If anyone finds out our marriage isn’t real, I’ll lose everything, including Evie.
But I’m a fighter. I’m the man who will do whatever it takes to make sure she will always be mine.
Not Husband Material is the first in the Billionaire Contract Trilogy. Evie and Jeremy’s story continues in Not Daddy Material.
*If you like steamy alpha male billionaire stories, you’ll love Not Husband Material. It’s so hot, you’ll need a glass of ice water by your side. No cheating, a HEA and special bonus books for your reading pleasure.*
1
Jeremy
There were three things I was certain of in my life. I’d never play baseball again. My millions were almost gone. And my father’s reach extended beyond the grave.
The snow fell, gathering in the corners of the window. The glass was frosted. I couldn’t make out anything happening on the street below the Law Offices of Lancaster & Hudson.
“Did you hear what I said, Mr. Hartwell?”
“What was that?” I turned to face him.
My father’s attorney cleared his throat. “Your father’s wishes. The final part of the will. Do I need to repeat it for you?”
My mother ran a finger over the base of her throat, skimming her pearls. “Jeremy,” she whispered. “Let’s not drag this out.”
My tie was too restrictive. I attempted to pry it from my neck. “No, I think I missed it. Why don’t you read it again?”
I needed to take the damn thing off. I loosened the knot enough to take a solid breath. My ribcage filled with air, stretching the seams on my suit. My shoulders were too broad for this damn thing. Why did my father think I wanted to trade in the life I had for one like this? Stuffy rooms with stuffy attorneys. Board meetings. Fitted designer suits that suffocated my biceps.
“Really, Byron. I think we can handle this as a family matter from here. Your service is appreciated, however I should talk to Jeremy,” my mother protested. She could pretend to be humiliated. I didn’t buy it. Sylvia Hartwell did everything by design. Every word was chosen for a purpose.
“No. I’d like to hear it again. I just want to make sure I have my instructions. The final words from my father.” I glared in her direction. Like hell, if I wasn’t going to make this uncomfortable for her too. “Dad’s most parental moment. Right here. On the record for that cute little stenographer to preserve for us.”
I winked at the girl sitting in the corner furiously translating every word we spoke into the legal record.
Byron Lancaster had worked for my father since I was a kid. If he was shocked by the contents of the will, he didn’t let on that it bothered him. He was used to doing the dirty work. It’s why he made more than anyone else who worked in this building.
“Very well.” The older man pulled gold reading glasses to the brim of his nose. “My sole heir, Jeremy Hartwell, will receive his inheritance in its entirety, totaling half a billion dollars, the Malibu property, the vineyard in Napa, and the hunting lodge in Aspen, upon completion of the following.” Byron continued quickly. “The Hartwell family line will be extended with the addition of a spouse and a child bearing the Hartwell name. Under no circumstances will this marriage be dissolved without a full retraction of the inheritance, to be withdrawn and placed in a trust.”
“And there you have it.” I slapped the mahogany desk. Byron and my mother flinched. The stenographer temporarily stopped typing. “I’ve been called a stud before, but not quite in this manner.” I pushed off from the leather chair.
“Jeremy,” my mother hissed. “Where are you going? Sit back down.”
I reached for my overcoat. It was February, and cold as hell in Newton Hills. “Where do you think I’m going, Mother? I need to get drunk and knock someone up. I just got my walking papers to fuck every girl in this town if necessary. Some girl out there wants to be a part of this fun and happy family, don’t you think?”
Her mouth fell open. “Come back here. We haven’t discussed this. We need to have a conversation in private. You make it sound so vulgar. So tasteless.”
I huffed. “I’d love to hear your spin, but I have women to fuck. Thank you, Byron, for your time.”
“I will send a certified copy of the reading of the will to your address, Mr. Hartwell.” His voice remained monotone as if I had inherited a collection of rare books, instead of a command to sire a child.
“I don’t know that I need it. The directive seems pretty clear to me. I don’t get the money until I have a wife and an heir. Got it.”
“It’s my responsibility to make sure you have official copies of all correspondence from the late Mr. Hartwell. It is my duty.”
“Fine.” I didn’t care if I never heard the words again. I knew I wasn’t getting my inheritance. My father had made sure of that. I was a lot of things, but I wasn’t and never would be husband material. And no one wanted me as a father.
I nodded and closed the door behind me.
I ducked into the first taxi I could find in front of the law firm. Uber hadn’t reached Newton Hills yet.
“Airport, sir?” the driver asked.
I looked at my watch. I still had a lot of time to kill before my red eye back to New York.
“No. What bars are still around here?”
I was downtown, but other than a coffee shop and a deli there wasn’t much open on the small street. Newton Hills wasn’t doing well when I was in high school, and the past twelve years hadn’t done the town any favors. Nestled in the hillside of the Georgia mountains, it wasn’t a Mecca for industry. It wasn’t a Mecca for anything.
“Bella’s is open,” he reported.
“The Italian place?”
He nodded. “It’s about five minutes from here. They have the best chicken parm.”
I considered my options. I could feast on vending machine snacks in the small airport until my flight, or I could try a bottle of wine at the old Italian restaurant. I used to know the owner’s daughter.
“Bella’s it is,” I decided.
He pulled away from the curb. “Hey, I know who you are. Didn’t know if I could say anything.”
“Oh really?”
“You’re the Hartwell’s kid. You played Major League Baseball, didn’t you?”
I glanced in the rearview mirror. His eyes were on me. “Yes. For a few years. I was on the Ravens then traded to the Hawks. Then injured.” Three years in the majors was better than most guys did. It was a ticket to my own fortune. But I fucked up. I wiggled my fingers, staring at my palm. I hadn’t been a baseball player in a long time.
“Sorry to hear about your dad. I had a friend who worked at one of his stations. It was a real shock here.”
I gritted my teeth together. “Thanks.”
The sympathy was lost on me, but I had been trained to be a Hartwell. I was gracious even when I was angry as hell.
“I’ve never had anyone famous in my car before,” he sputtered.
I stared out the window as we passed empty storefronts that used to be businesses. Family-owned and run. The Radio Shack was gone. So was the drugstore, and the ice cream parlor. Newton Hills was almost unrecognizable.
A red neon light blinked in the front of Bella’s.
“Here you are,” the driver
announced. “Do you think… ” His words drifted. “Could I ask for your autograph? I’d like to show my son I had a real-life pro athlete in my car.”
“Sure thing.”
I waited while he fidgeted for a piece of paper in the glovebox. He handed it to me along with a felt tip pen.
“What’s the name?” I asked.
“His name is Jordan.”
“Hmm. Ok. Got it.” I scribbled something more inspirational than my father had ever put in a birthday card, and handed it back to the man.
“He’s not going to believe it.” He glanced at the signature.
Seemed like a theme for the day. I didn’t believe what I had encountered either.
“Thanks for the ride.” I tossed a fifty in the front seat without bothering to hear the charge for the five-minute drive.
I pulled the collar up around my neck as the snow blew sideways. The bell jingled overhead as I walked into the restaurant.
2
Evie
I used the heel of my hand to blot a tear in the corner of my eye. It was the best way to keep the mascara from smudging. I sniffed involuntarily. I didn’t have a tissue on me.
“I do understand. I just hoped that I could set up a second payment plan,” I explained. I worked to keep the pleading to a minimum.
“Miss Rossi, we don’t want our patients to go into unnecessary debt.”
My throat closed. This wasn’t unnecessary to me. Quite the opposite. It was completely necessary in every way.
“But I only need one more treatment. I have this feeling, you know? If I could set another appoint—”
The nurse cut me off. Her voice was soft but firm. “Not until you have a zero account balance. It’s against our policy. I’m happy to forward a copy of the paperwork you signed. This was outlined and explained to you in your initial exam. It’s standard for all patients.”
