by Jenika Snow
I’m her guy.
The guy.
The only one for Marie.
Convincing her father of this fact, however, is a whole different ball game. But this unexpected visit to their home isn’t optional. I swallow the hard lump in my throat. It’s time to nut up.
Marie and I have been together almost every night since that evening at Lila’s place, since we shared our bodies, our emotions. I’m not letting her go, not now that I finally have her as mine.
Our friendship couldn’t be any stronger, but on top of that, having her in my bed almost every night, it’s the best of both worlds. I’m spending more and more time with Marie, including in the bedroom where I take pleasure in making her come every chance I get. It’s exactly the way we’re meant to be.
Every day, I’m grateful that I took my shot when I did, even if it was too long in the making. But I have her now, and I’m not going to fuck this up. It’s the kind of life I saw for us. Working with horses is something we were always passionate about, and now we both have jobs doing what we love. It’s even better now that Doc Trent knows his place and is smart enough never to make a move on my woman. There’s no doubt in my mind that Marie and I are solid. And as long as that douchebag keeps his paws off of her, I won’t need to break any of his limbs anytime soon.
I stare out at the front of Marie’s house, the ring box in my hand as I try to anticipate how her parents will react to us. They had no problems with us being friends. Marie and I sat on those well-worn front steps countless times, leaning back on the wooden railings, talking, laughing, and sometimes arguing about everything under the sun. Whenever I was around long enough, her mom would call us both inside to wash up, and we’d have dinner with the rest of her family. Her parents welcomed me like one of their own, no matter how far they had to stretch the meal so there’d be enough for one more at their table.
I’m pretty certain this visit will be different, though. It’s one thing to hang out with their only daughter as her friend, and completely different for me to show up unannounced and call on them about Marie, about marrying her. But it has to be done. I have to ask her father’s permission to make this right, perfect.
The Dawsons are a close-knit family with old school family values. I want a future with their daughter, so I need to know I have their approval. I just have no idea how they’ll react to the fact that we’ve been seeing each other as more than friends.
As I’m mentally running through what I’ll say to them, my phone buzzes with a call from Marie.
“Hi, babe.”
“Hey, sexy,” I answer, smiling just from the sound of her voice, even if her timing is really bad right now.
“I’m just about to wrap up at work. Meet you at your place?”
“Sounds great.” I don’t want to clue her in that I’m at her parents’ house, about to have a crucial conversation with her father, so I keep it short. “See you there soon.”
“You’re not home yet?” she asks in that sweet, sexy tone that consistently has an effect on my groin.
“Not yet. I’m taking care of something but I’ll be there soon.”
“Your answer sounds so… mysterious,” she says coyly. I can tell how curious she is, how much she’s dying to know what I’m up to, but I also know her well enough to be sure she won’t ask me what that something is outright.
“It sure does,” I confirm with a low rumble of laughter in my answer, and my eyes glance down at the ring box. I won’t even give her a hint. “You have the spare key still, right?”
“I do, babe. I’ll let myself in.”
My dick twitches from the idea of her alone at my place and already, I almost can’t wait to have her again. Before I can answer or properly finish up the call, I catch a glimpse of some movement out the driver’s side window from the corner of my eye. Marie’s father is coming toward me from the side door of their garage.
“Gotta go, sexy. See you in a while.”
Ending the call, I quickly tuck the ring box into my side pocket and do what I can to push the image of fucking my woman out of my mind, now that her father’s only a few steps away from me. The last thing I need is for him to see me sitting here with a boner tenting my work pants mere minutes before this talk. Hoping this erection goes down fast, I reach for the door handle to step out to meet him, but I’m not fast enough.
“Rowan. What a nice surprise,” he says, squaring his shoulders.
“Evening, Mr. Dawson,” I greet him through my open window, grateful that he stopped a couple of feet from my pickup truck.
“Marie’s not back yet, but she should be home anytime now.”
“Actually, I’m not here to see her, sir.”
“You’re not? What’s this about, son?” His green eyes narrow and he steps up to the truck, resting his massive, heavy hands on my door. Mr. Dawson and I are about the same height and have roughly the same build, but hell, looking out at him from my driver’s seat, knowing what I’m about to ask, it’s damn intimidating.
“I’d like to talk to you…about Marie.” My mouth goes dry and I swallow hard. Shit, I didn’t expect it to be this tough.
He steps back and straightens up to his full height. “I should’ve seen this coming,” he tells me. “Millie and I were wondering who or what has been keeping Marie out of the house all this time. Don’t think I didn’t notice you two have been spending an awful lot of time together these past few weeks. Maybe you should come inside.” He pivots around and starts to head up the front steps.
I jump out of the truck, pat my side pocket to double check that I have the ring, just in case he wants to see it, and follow him to the porch. That’s where I stop. I want to have this conversation with him, man to man. I’m worked up enough as it is. Last thing I need is an audience consisting of Mrs. Dawson and Marie’s two younger brothers.
“Sir,” I call out as his hand wraps around the door handle. “I was hoping we could talk… privately.”
He turns to face me and nods. “All right. Go on.”
“The reason I’m here is…Marie and I, we’re…” I start, but can’t seem to finish the thought. I’m verbally sputtering around like a fish out of water, struggling for what to say, and for no good reason. I’m the guy for Marie. We’re right for each other, and then some. And I plan to be damn good to her, and to do whatever it takes to keep her happy. But why the hell can’t I put it into words when I open my damn mouth in front of Marie’s dad?
“What’s on your mind, son?” he asks after a few minutes of waiting. “I don’t have all evening. I’ll miss half the football game on TV if you keep this up. Spit it out.”
“I’m in love with your daughter and I’m going to marry her, sir,” I blurt out, and regret how it comes out the second I hear the words. “What I mean Sir, is it would mean a whole lot to me to know I have your blessing…before I ask her, that is.”
Mr. Dawson furrows his eyebrows, looking stern for a minute. After a while, a broad, toothy grin lifts up on his face. He slaps me hard on the shoulder and shakes my hand. “I knew it. Took you long enough, son. I always figured the two of you would get together.”
Thank fuck he approves. I can relax. Smiling, I lean into his handshake. “Thanks, Mr. Dawson,” I say, relieved and a little giddy. “This means a lot.”
“Just be sure to take good care of her. Treat my baby girl right and we won’t have a problem.”
I nod over and over again. “Yes sir. You can count on it.”
“Good. When are you planning to pop the question?”
“Tonight. I’m heading home now to make her dinner.”
“Let me know when you do,” he chuckles and turns to the front door again. “I’ll pass on the good news to the missus.”
“Enjoy the game, Mr. Dawson. Have a good evening.”
As he opens the front door and places one foot in the doorway, the sound of an approaching vehicle gets both our attention. We turn at the same time and see Marie’s car slowing down behind mine
in the driveway. Mr. Dawson and I stand on the porch, waiting. My cock jerks. I hope she's not planning to stay here for long. I exhale. Because watching her walk up to us, her hips swaying, that sexy smile and the questioning look on her face, and knowing I have her father’s blessing to take things to the next level … yeah, I can’t wait to have her all to myself at my place. I can’t wait until she’s naked and ready for me to fuck her the second she walks in the door.
“Hi, Dad,” she greets him first.
“Marie, how’s my darling daughter? Long time no see,” he teases. “Now I have an idea about why you’ve been so scarce around here.”
“Oh, Dad. You know I was home for dinner two nights ago.” She kisses him on the cheek but her eyes are on me, eyebrows knitted together, her mind no doubt filled with questions. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Rowan. What’s going on?”
“Talking to your father,” I tell her.
“About what?” She looks back and forth between us, her eyes searching for answers, growing more demanding by the second.
“Stuff,” I say with a smile.
She purses her lips, and I don’t hold back when I put my arm around her shoulder and pull her in for a kiss that takes away any doubt that she’s all mine.
Her father grins. “Good talk, Rowan. My game’s about to start, so have a good evening, kids.”
“Are either of you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asks, but he heads inside with a smile on his face.
I briefly kiss her again and pull slightly from her. “I was just leaving, sexy. See you at my place tonight?”
“Maybe, or maybe not, as you’re being so weird right now. You realize you still haven’t answered my question, right?”
“You’re so sexy when you get demanding,” I tell her. Running my hand down her back, I cup her ass cheek and match her gaze with one that’s just as insistent, except it’s mixed in with lust and longing. “Unless you’re feeling like taking chances, tempting me like this on your parents’ front porch.”
Her cheeks flush and she sighs out a breath, finally backing down. “All right,” she giggles and pulls my hand from her backside. “I’m just grabbing some clothes, but don’t wait for me. I’ll be home in a bit.”
That’s fucking right. My place is her home now. That’s where she belongs. With me. And I can’t wait to make it official.
“I love you, sweet thing.” I head down the front steps toward my truck, then glance back. “See you at home.”
“Okay, babe. Love you too.” She waves. “I hope by then, you’re ready to tell me what this was about.”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I tell her.
I can’t wait to hear her say yes and see the smile on her face. Keeping my best friend and the love of my life happy every day for the rest of her life will be worth every single second.
The End
About Bella Love-Wins
Bella is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves writing steamy, high-action romance stories about bad boys, athletes, firefighters, billionaires, and alpha males who know what they want and aren't afraid of laying claim to the women who catch their interest.
She enjoys a happy ever after ending, as well as reading, hiking, the countryside, and traveling to destinations unspoiled by commercial tourism, like Las Vegas. :)
Like so many characters in her novels, Bella gets all hot and bothered for action, romance and unexpected love connections that take her breath away. For the next while, you'll find her in Toronto, plotting and writing about her latest stories on her MacBook.
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The Billionaire and the Virgin
Copyright © 2017
Bella Love-Wins
All rights reserved.
Blurb and Author’s Notes
Jackson
I caught her trespassing on my property. That makes her mine.
The world tilted a little on its axis the second that innocent little country girl appeared from the other side of the privacy glass on my penthouse terrace. Everything changed. Her timing couldn’t be any worse, but the second she climbs onto my balcony, I have to have her.
Her name is Dahlia.
My doll.
Now, she’s my property.
She doesn’t know it yet, but Dahlia is about to be owned.
Dahlia
The bossy billionaire wants to make me pay.
The first time I laid eyes on Jackson Knight, the bossy billionaire next door, he gave me an intense, panty-dropping stare with those mesmerizing sky-blue brooding eyes.
The second time, I trespassed onto his penthouse balcony to retrieve a wayward, high-strung Shih Tzu I was pet-sitting for his neighbor.
Jackson warned me never to do that again, or next time he’d punish me and make me pay.
Well, dogs will be dogs.
It happened again.
And I found out he wasn’t lying about punishing me.
Now I’m naked and tied to Jackson’s bed. Any minute now, I’ll have to tell him that I’m a virgin.
*Authors’ Notes:
I’m so excited to share this three-chapter sample of The Billionaire and the Virgin with you!
Prologue – Jackson
Dahlia’s been mine since the second I saw her.
My doll.
She opened her mouth to whisper something, but I stop her by taking her lips for the kiss I’ve been waiting all week to give her. I wrap a hand around her waist, gripping the small of her back as my tongue parts her lips. She molds to my chest as much as she can with her bindings, yielding to each swish of my tongue as I explore every contour of her mouth. Tasting her for the first time is more intense than I expect. I want to cover every inch of her body with mine and impale her hard without holding anything back.
Moving deeper into the kiss, I support my weight with one arm and stretch out beside her. She can’t turn to face me, but she does what she can with her legs, sliding one up and down between my ankle and calf through my pants. I have to pull away, so that I don’t end up ripping off my clothes and burying my cock deep inside of her. The entire night is ahead of us, so I plan to pace myself and taste every inch of her before I fuck her hard.
I pull apart from our kiss, and smile as she takes a breath and runs her tongue over my bottom lip, eager to continue. I’m just as ready to devour those lips again. Raising off the bed, I move to the spot between her knees, parting them to make room as I bury my hands into her long, raven tresses, and tilt her head up sharply, crashing my mouth over her lips.
Her feet slide up the bed, and she presses her thighs against the outside of my legs. Heat radiates from her center and in an instant, I’m rock hard. Gripping her back with one hand, I lower my torso and hips to her body, letting my full weight rest on her as I grind my cock at her barely legal pussy, separated only by my boxers and slacks.
Dahlia is hardly breathing, surviving on the lungful of air we share, and manages a whimper that sounds like words. I want to stifle out the sound, to keep this kiss going, but she repeats the words.
“Sorry, what?” I ask, pulling from her mouth to let her speak.
“I said, I haven’t been with a man…like this. I just wanted you to know.”
There’s no stopping the ringing in my ear that sounds like I’m in the middle of a room during a five-alarm blaze. Lifting up off her torso, I study her face. “Did you just say you’re a—”
“A virgin,” she answers, finishing my sentence. “Yes. I’m…that.”
A slew of questions starts to surface, along with two urges fighting each other in every single cell in my body. The one hardwired to m
y dick wants to end her virgin status right this second. Right here in my bed.
Dahlia
“Be good, you hear? Or there won’t be any special treats for my darlings. Give me a kiss, babies. Give Mommy a kiss. I love you all.”
Is Vivian ever going to leave?
I nod repeatedly with a polite smile lifting my lips. This is my attempt to keep a look of professionalism on my face as my part-time boss, Vivian Chandler, lowers to the floor to dole out embraces and kisses to her little ones in the hallway outside her penthouse condo front door. Well, not all so little. She still babbles on and on to me with instructions about her fur babies before she flies off for a three-week trip to Europe. Preston, one of the more senior condo concierge staff, waits patiently with her mountain of designer suitcases stacked on a shiny gold-plated rolling luggage rack at the elevator on the opposite wall.
After some more cuddling, the pampered pooches go back to what they were doing. Vivian rests her Salvatore Ferragamo designer handbag on the threshold and starts to put on her plush, all-cream fur coat. That’s progress.
“All the emergency numbers are in the email I sent you, and in the top drawer beside the fridge,” she reminds me again. “And upstairs in the dogs’ room.”
“I’ve got them right here in my cell,” I tell her, pulling my phone from the pocket of my sweatpants. “And the dog monitoring app is installed from the last few times I was here. Even while I’m on campus, I’ll know what they’re up to, and I’ll be close enough to make it over here fast if they need anything.”
