Loving the CEO (bundle of five romance novels)

by Noelle Adams

  Kaya was the soothing salve in the aching wound of his heart.

  Last night he’d been reminded of what it felt like to make love to a woman he cared deeply about. This morning he was reminded of what it felt like to have a woman care about him. Amazing, what the comforting touch of a woman could do for a man.

  “I hope Victoria rots in prison for what she did,” Kaya said when their sobs stopped.

  “She’s in hell where she belongs!”

  Kaya drew back and stared up at him, her liquid eyes opened in awe. “Did you kill her?”

  “No, she saved me the trouble. When she realized what she’d done, she put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.”

  “You wouldn’t have killed her, though.”

  “Oh yes, I would have, Kaya. That woman killed my wife and my unborn child.”

  “Pilar was pregnant?”

  He swallowed on a shockwave. “She was five weeks along. Erik confirmed it. She was going to tell me over a candlelight dinner that night.”

  “She must have been so happy.”

  “She was. We both wanted children so badly. It was one of the reasons we got married so quickly. We planned to have at least five. With her dying breath, she tried to tell me about the baby. We didn’t even have a minute to share the blessed news of creating a child out of our love. Victoria robbed us of even that precious moment.”

  “No wonder you’re so attached to these kids, especially Alyssa. You try to hide it, but I know she’s your favorite. I see the way you look at her with love and regret in your eyes.”

  He brushed his fingers through her hair and traced his knuckles along her forehead and cheek. “My child would have been Alyssa’s age if he or she had lived. It was only after Alyssa was born that I started building L’etoile du Nord. I had to make at least one of our dreams come true.”

  “Why did you name it Star of the North?”

  “My grandmother used to call me her little Northern Star. She used to take me to church every Sunday. She had a lot of faith in me.” He chortled. “She packed me off up here to boarding school when I started hanging out with the wrong crowd in Queens. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” He paused. “She always used to tell me to surround myself with successful people, to listen to them, learn from them. When she died, she left me a small fortune. She was a millionaire, and nobody knew—not even my dad, her son.”

  “Whoa. Where’d she get that kind of money?”

  “As a young girl, she worked as a waitress and bartender in an upscale Manhattan restaurant. Apparently she used to listen when her wealthy customers discussed their portfolios. She invested her tips in gold, oil, technology, or whatever was on the stock menu. She continued to invest her entire life and never touched the money again. My grandfather didn’t even know she had those stocks. My dad was so mad. He’d worked hard as an insurance salesman, my mother as a hairdresser, but the thing that really pissed him off was that Grannie made him get a second job to pay for my tuition at Granite Falls School, especially because it wasn’t his idea to send me here.”

  “She sounds like quite a character. It’s nice you two were so close,” Kaya murmured on a smile.

  “We were very close. She lived with us and took care of me while my parents worked, so I was closer to her than I was to them. She died shortly after I graduated from Harvard. She went to sleep one night and just never woke up. It was as if she thought her job of nurturing me into manhood was done. I still miss her. Some star,” he said on a sigh. “I don’t even go to church anymore. If she could see me now—”

  “She would say what a wonderful man you’ve become, personally and professionally. She would be proud of you, Bryce. Like I am.” She stroked her hands up and down his arms and around his back.

  Kaya’s vote of confidence sent a warm flush through Bryce. She was so openly sweet and trusting as he used to be before Victoria scarred him. Now he trusted no one. He didn’t even trust himself. “My experience with Victoria taught me to be cautious. That’s why I had to deal with Jack before he became another nightmare,” he said, deciding she should know about him, just in case he ever tried to contact her.

  Ignorance really wasn’t bliss.

  She stared at him in gaping confusion. “What do you mean you dealt with Jack?”

  “I flew down to Florida the night of the funeral and paid him off to sever all ties with you. I ordered him to buy a one-way ticket to any place out of the country. I wasn’t about to take any chances.”

  “Did you beat him up, Bryce?” she asked. “Is that why you had those bruises on your knuckles the next day?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “He deserved the beating I gave him after the way he treated you. He was lucky to escape with his life. I told him if he ever set foot in New Hampshire, I’d break every bone in his gangly body.”

  “You didn’t have to beat him up, though.”

  Yes I did. Jack had said some horrible things about Kaya. Lies he’d believed until last night. What was he to do? He knew Kaya had spent time in juvenile detention, and because the records were sealed, he couldn’t confirm nor repudiate Jack’s lies.

  She’s a whore, man. She sold it on the streets. She was locked up for prostitution.

  Jack’s lies weren’t the worst of it. When Bryce had knocked on the door of Kaya’s apartment, he was greeted by a half-naked Jack, and a woman wearing a robe he was sure belonged to Kaya. The jerk was screwing another woman in Kaya’s apartment, in her bed, while she was out of town. That bit of information he would never tell Kaya. It would devastate her.

  If the limo driver hadn’t pulled him off of Jack, Bryce knew he would have killed him.

  “Why’d you beat him up, Bryce?”

  “He said some things about you.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “He said you’d been a teenage prostitute.”

  She went stiff and sudden anger lit her eyes. “What the…Why would he say something like that?”

  Bryce cleared his throat. “Why do you think, Kaya? He was angry, jealous. He couldn’t have you so he tried to make me not want you.”

  “Oh, my God,” she blurted. “You married me in spite of his lies that you didn’t know were lies until last night.”

  “Yes.”

  She chewed her bottom lip pensively. “Is that why you demanded the blood tests before we were married?”

  “Yes, but that was for your safety, too. I’ve always used protection with other women, but I needed to know that I was okay.” Kaya could have simply told him that she’d never been with a man. She was probably trying to save him face. He’d also thought that it was shame or fear that had caused her to reject him on their wedding night. It was the reason he never made any more sexual advances. He didn’t want to scare her, but give her time to heal and trust him.

  “That’s what you thought I was going to tell you just before we made love?”

  “Yes again.”

  “And you didn’t care.”

  “Nope. I didn’t care. God knows I’m no saint when it comes to women. I was in no position to judge you.”

  She looked at him with dreamy eyes. “You’re a good man, Bryce Fontaine. Genuine. A lot of other men would have run the other way.”

  “I’m glad I’m not a lot of other men. You’re a rare breed, Kaya, and I’m happy you agreed to marry me.” He drew her closer and planted a soft peck on her lips.

  “Why did you go to Florida in the first place?” she asked.

  “To warn Jack to stay away from you and the children. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for another Victoria to happen. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself, deal with the guilt if anything ever happened to you or the kids.”

  “Bryce, what happened to Pilar and your baby wasn’t your fault. That woman blind-sided you. You couldn’t have foreseen what she was capable of.”

  His mouth twisted wryly. “I could have put a restraining order
on her. I could have paid her off. I could have charged her while she was pointing the gun at me. I could have picked something up and thrown it at her. Every time I think of that night, all these scenarios go through my mind. Bottom line is, I failed to protect my wife and baby. If it weren’t for my arrogance, my neglect, Pilar and my child would be alive today.”

  “You can spend the rest of your life ‘could having’ yourself to death and it wouldn’t change anything.” She cradled his face between her palms. “A wise little boy told me that his daddy used to say that it’s a waste of time to regret things we should have done. We must learn to pick up the pieces and move on.”

  He wondered if Kaya had moved on from her past. He was still in the dark about her relationship with Lauren and their father, and the “it” they never spoke about. He still didn’t know why Kaya had spent time in juvenile detention or why she’d been in foster care. Where was her mother? Had he done the right thing in burning the report the detective had sent him, or should he have dug deeper into his wife’s past to really get to know her? Seemed he was doomed to repeat his impulsive behavior. Were they mistakes or blessings?

  “Pilar believed Victoria’s lies,” he said, surprised that he’d even spoken the words. “She told me she forgave me. It hurts that she questioned my fidelity, my commitment to her and our vows. Perhaps if we’d taken the time to know each other before jumping into a marriage less than a month after we met, she would have had more faith in me, in us.”

  Her lids slid down over her eyes.

  “Oh, that was insensitive of me seeing you and I were also married weeks after we met.”

  She glanced up at him and spoke with a quiet, but desperate firmness in her voice. “I know why we got married, Bryce. It was different for you and Pilar. You were in love. Don’t be sorry about it.” She paused. “Sometimes even people we’ve known for a long time surprise us. I’ve known Jack since we were kids, and yet when he dumped me so unceremoniously, and now after the lies he told you about me, I realize that I really didn’t know him at all.” She linked her fingers with his again. “But you, I’ve known you for less than two months, yet I feel… I feel—”

  “What do you feel, Kaya, dear?” Would she tell him that she loved him in the light of day when he was fully awake and gazing deeply into her chocolate-brown eyes? Bryce had no idea how he would respond if she did.

  He held his breath waiting, but then the moment was lost when his cell vibrated on the floor beside the mattress. With a groan halfway between relief and regret, he reached out and snatched it up. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Bryce. I trust you’re sober.”

  “Hi, Michelle,” he said on a chuckle. “I’m sober. Very sober.” He winked at Kaya. “I guess you’re ready to get rid of our kids?”

  “I’d love to keep them for the rest of the day, but I have to leave for Manchester soon. I have a book signing in a couple hours at the Youth Center.”

  “Oh yes, I totally forgot. Congratulations on the release of your second book. Make sure you bring me back a signed copy.”

  “I will, Bryce.” She cleared her throat. “Um, I’m taking Precious with me and Jason wants to go along. We’re flying down, so we wouldn’t be gone all day, just a few hours. Jason will be back home in time for dinner. Is it okay?”

  “Hold on. I’ll put you on speaker phone.” He pressed the speaker button, and frowned at Kaya’s attempt to stop him by flailing her hands in the air and mouthing the word “No”.

  “You guys are up and about already?”

  “We’re up, but not about. We’re still in bed.”

  He chuckled when Kaya covered her face with her hands and groaned.

  There was a long pause, then, “Oh,” from Michelle.

  He could hear the shock and surprise in her voice. Had Kaya told her and Libby last night that they hadn’t consummated their marriage? Well, that was the purpose of the brides club—for the wives to confide in each other. He wondered if they’d given his virgin bride any ideas. “We’re newlyweds, Michelle. These things happen,” he said in a velvety tone.

  “You’re preaching to the choir, Bryce,” she responded with a chuckle.

  “Is it okay if Jason goes to Manchester with Michelle and Precious?” Bryce asked Kaya. “Michelle has a book signing. They’re flying down, so he’ll be back in time for dinner.”

  Kaya dropped her hands and glared at him. “It’s okay, Michelle. Just remind him that since he’s taking today off, he has to work on his science project all day tomorrow.”

  “I’ll tell him.”

  “I’ll have Bryce bring over a fresh change of clothes for him when he picks up the girls.”

  “Great. You two go back to doing whatever it was you were doing. Kaya, we will talk later,” she added rather dramatically and hung up.

  Bryce set his cell phone on the floor and leaned over Kaya. “You heard the woman. We should get back to whatever it is we were doing.”

  “We were talking,” she said pointedly.

  “Not anymore.” He pulled her gently to him.

  “You have to pick up the girls and take Jason a change of clothes,” she said, pushing against his arms.

  “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” He captured her mouth with his and tried to nudge her legs apart with one of his knees.

  “I’m sore, Bryce,” she whispered against his lips.

  His heart jolted. He raised his head and stared down at her. “Oh, sweetheart, I forgot last night was your first time.” He squinted his eyes. “You know if you’d told me you were a virgin, I would have been a lot more gentle and patient. Because I didn’t know, I may have torn you.”

  “You probably did, and I did try to tell you.” She graced him with an accusatory slant of the eye.

  “With something that colossal, you should have tried harder.”

  “Well, maybe if I’d known you were so colossal, I would have shouted it at the top of my lungs.”

  “My sexy wife has a sense of humor,” he declared as hearty chuckles erupted from his throat. He kissed her on the forehead and rolled off of her. “You need a day or two to heal before we make love again and I know just what will help the process along. Stay right there.”

  Kaya’s eyes were glued to Bryce’s gorgeous body as he eased his way over to the edge of the mattress. They’d made love last night bathed in the light of the moon and the flames from the fireplace, but the only part of his anatomy she’d had glimpses of were his wide chest and powerful shoulders, and strong upper arms as he’d been bent over her, plunging into her over and over again.

  Kaya felt a surging ache between her legs at the memory. If she weren’t so sore, she knew he’d be inside her at the moment, taking her to love’s passionate pinnacle and then pushing her over the edge where she’d crash and burn in the melting flames.

  She smiled at the thought that she was a woman now—Bryce Fontaine’s woman, his wife in every sense of the word.

  She—little insignificant Kaya Brehna from Palm Beach, Florida—was married to one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world. And that amazing man had not only shared his body with her, but a part of his heart and soul as well. He’d opened up to her and told her about his deepest darkest hurts and fears. He’d cried out his pain in her arms.

  She’d given him something of herself she could never give to any other man, and he’d shared something of himself she was sure he’d chosen not to share with any other woman since Pilar.

  That knowledge filled Kaya with insurmountable affection for her husband.

  Somewhere, she’d heard that women have sex because they were in love and that men have sex because they were looking for love. Kaya wasn’t sure about the latter part of that statement, and whether or not Bryce was looking for love, but she knew she’d given herself to him because she was in love with him.

  As Bryce pushed off the mattress and stood to his feet, Kaya’s eyes were drawn to the corded muscles of his shoulders and back. She gasped at the long an
gry welts along his smooth brown skin. In her passion, she’d marked him, but he seemed to wear his passion wounds with pride. She bit her lips as her gaze continued down his narrow waist that tapered off into the tight sinews of his dimpled buttocks, and the sturdy pillars of his thighs and long hairy legs supporting his humongous frame. Her heart fluttered as she recalled her heels digging into him, spurring him toward the flaming precipice of passion, roaring all the way like a champion thoroughbred stallion. She’d satisfied him. Her smile deepened at the simple awareness.

  For a few moments, he stood with his back to her, giving her time to admire him before he walked slowly from the room, down the corridor toward the His and Hers bathroom and dressing suites.

  When she heard water running into what she was certain was the smaller, woman’s size Jacuzzi, Kaya covered her face with her hands and groaned. Was he disappointed that she couldn’t make love to him again for a few days? She was. She didn’t want to wait that long to be with him again, but the ache in her body warned her that it was best. She wondered if this was what it was like for all virgins, or was it because her husband was so huge?

  She’d never really given sex that much thought. She’d never had a serious boyfriend until Jack, and even though he’d tried to make love with her, she’d never even been slightly tempted. And thank God, after the jerk he’d turned out to be. How could he tell Bryce such nauseating lies about her? What the heck was wrong with him?

  Kaya dropped her hands to her chest and raised her eyelids when a shadow fell across her. Her gaze collided with Bryce’s. All thoughts of Jack vanished from her mind, and her heart began to hammer in her chest at the sparks of eroticism she read in the dark recesses of Bryce’s eyes.

  He stood at the foot of the mattress, straight as a sturdy oak tree. As Kaya took in the background of the Corinthian-columned balcony, the blue skies, and the evergreen pine tree line, one thing became clear to her: Bryce Fontaine didn’t blend in. He stood out. He had presence like no other man she’d ever known.