Bared to the Billionaire: The Complete Series

by Sylvia Pierce

  Arianne grunted out a small laugh. “Tell that to my sister. She’s never going to speak to me again.”

  “She just needs time.” Jared could only imagine how much pain Natasha was in. She’d been kidnapped, held hostage, forced to witness Davidson’s brutality up close and personal, and she just learned that her sister was a professional thief. Natasha might be resilient, but even the strongest person would have a hard time coping.

  “What am I supposed to do?” she asked.

  “Take her to Nantucket,” Jared said. “The trip is already booked. You two should get out of New York. Spend a few days together away from all of this. Talk. Just… just be with her, Arianne. She might not like you at the moment, but she loves you. She needs you.”

  Arianne nodded. “But what about—”

  “I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.” Jared leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I promise, love.”

  Arianne smiled—it was small, but it was real, making her whole face glow. After everything they’d been through, that one little smile wrecked him in the best possible way.

  “You’d better be, Jared Blackwell.” Arianne pressed her lips to Jared’s, threading her fingers into his hair. She leaned into his embrace, filling him with her lilac scent, and a single thought ran through Jared’s head, over and over.

  This woman is my home.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Two Months Later

  As the daughter of a professional thief, Ari had experienced her share of endings. Broken promises. Broken families. Deaths.

  Every last one of her old endings had been abrupt and devastating, leaving her to pick up the pieces and move on as best she could.

  But now, as she bubble-wrapped the last coffee mug and set it into the box with the others, Ari was experiencing a new kind of ending. One that set the butterflies inside her to flight, whispering in her ear about new beginnings. Possibilities. Promises.

  Everything was changing so fast.

  Tasha had moved in with her friend in Brooklyn last weekend—the girls had grown close over the summer, and Tasha was ready to spread her wings a bit—and thanks to a luxury realtor friend of Evan’s, Ari was able to sell her father’s penthouse in record time.

  Next week, she’d be moving out, too—off to a cute little one-bedroom she’d found in Woodside, Queens, not far from the 7-train. On a good commuting day, she’d be able to dash into one of the neighborhood’s famed Irish bakeries en route, pick up a scone and some coffee to go, and make it to Manhattan in less than half an hour.

  Her new boss was pretty flexible with her schedule, but Ari didn’t want to take advantage. She was beyond grateful that he’d even considered her proposal and given her a real job, despite her lack of legitimate experience. As of last month, she was officially a marketing assistant for a brand new division at FierceConnect, geared toward attracting and supporting women gamers, developers, and content creators.

  Mostly, Ari was tasked with getting coffees, scheduling meetings, making copies and travel arrangements—nothing too complicated. But Ari loved it. It was her first real, paying, on-the-books gig, and she showed up every day with an easy smile, eager to learn more.

  Of course Jared had tried to give her a higher position, but Ari wanted to start small, to work her way up through the ranks without any special favors from the boss.

  It was her first job, after all, and she still had a lot to learn. But she loved being there, having lunch with her new friends, sneaking away for an occasional “appointment” in the boss’s office. She even welcomed the stresses that came with working for such a high-profile company. To her, every challenge was another reminder that she was finally taking charge of her life, doing things her own way.

  Her personal life had its own set of challenges, and Ari was facing those head-on as well. After returning from their time in Nantucket, she and Tasha had decided to get counseling. Considering their rocky childhoods and everything else they’d been through, they had a lot to work through, both individually and as sisters. After all of the secrets Ari had kept from Tasha, and everything that had happened as a result, Ari knew it would take time to earn her sister’s forgiveness, to earn back her trust. She was ready to work for it, though. Together, they’d get through it, just like they always had. One day at a time.

  That’s what it all came down to now: one day at a time. Sometimes, even one moment at a time.

  Ari was grateful for every one of those moments, no matter how many more she got. If she’d learned one thing this summer, it was that life came with no guarantees, and an awful lot of surprise twists.

  With a satisfied sigh, Ari taped up the box marked MUGS and pushed it against the kitchen wall with the others, officially done for the day. She checked her phone, thrilled to find a text from her man. He’d been at his penthouse all day, supervising the delivery and installation of a new painting he’d purchased, complete with custom, gallery-style lighting.

  JARED: Question: Why aren’t you in my bed right now?

  ARI: Hello to you too. :-) I take it the installation went okay?

  JARED: Come over and see for yourself. Better yet, come over and… come.

  ARI: Mmm. Is there a guarantee on that offer?

  JARED: Do you really need to ask? Don’t make me start without you.

  ARI: I just finished the kitchen. Let me shower & I’ll hop in a cab.

  JARED: Friends don’t let friends shower alone, love. Especially hot, sexy friends like you. I need to see you. NOW.

  ARI: I’m sweaty and dirty and no. Just no.

  JARED: The sweatier and dirtier the better. I’ve already sent a car for you. He’ll be downstairs in 5 minutes.

  ARI: You’re impossible!

  JARED: You love me anyway.

  ARI: Yeah. I kinda do.

  Jared greeted Ari in his penthouse foyer wearing nothing but a mischievous smile. The moment the elevator doors closed behind her, she was in his arms, pretending to fend off a barrage of kisses.

  “I’m filthy. Stop!” Ari squealed, loving every minute of his attention. “What about the new piece? Don’t you want to show me?”

  “I’d rather show you something else.” He grabbed her hand and led her through the penthouse to the master bath. “Time to clean you up, dirty girl.”

  The walk-in-shower was a room in and of itself—dark gray tile and Italian marble, etched glass doors, two large shower heads streaming an infinite supply of hot water, and a bench along one wall in case you needed a rest.

  When it came to showering with Jared, sometimes Ari did need a rest.

  Wordlessly, Ari stripped off her dirty clothes.

  They stepped into the shower together, steam filling Ari’s lungs, the feel of the hot water on her skin instantly relaxing her. Jared slipped his hands behind her neck and kissed her, and all the stress of the day’s packing vanished, swirling right down the drain.

  Ari was in absolute heaven.

  “If I could start and end every day like this…” she said, her fingers trailing lightly over Jared’s beautifully sculpted abs.

  Jared slid has hands down to cup her ass. “Let me speak to the owner, see if we can work out some sort of deal. I have to warn you, though. It’s probably going to cost you. A lot.”

  “Is that so, Mr. Blackwell?” Ari wrapped her hand around his perfect cock. He was hard and hot, groaning at her touch as she began to stroke him, gently at first, then increasing the pressure.

  Jared leaned his head back and moaned, exposing the corded muscles of his neck and shoulders. Ari pressed a trail of hot, wet kisses across his chest, then down his abs, following the line of soft black hair that led to his beautiful cock. She sat down on the shower bench, settling herself between his legs.

  “I bet we can work something out,” she teased, urging him closer. As hot water streamed over their bodies, rivulets running down between her breasts and thighs, Ari parted her lips and took him deep into her mouth.

  God, she’d never tire of
the taste of him, the perfect fit of her lips around his smooth cock, the way he instantly fell under her spell as she stroked and sucked.

  It was the same for her, too. Whenever Jared took control, whenever he touched her, kissed her, she was his. Completely. And she had been, from that very first kiss at the auction, giving herself over to him beneath a painting of a ship tossed about on a stormy sea.

  “Bloody hell, woman. You’re not playing fair.” Jared threaded his hands into her hair and guided himself deeper into her mouth, pumping harder and faster. She took him in—all of him—losing herself in his pleasure as he hit the back of her throat, the ache between her thighs growing unbearable. She slid forward on the bench and trailed a hand down her belly, her fingers dipping between her thighs, stroking her clit.

  The sight of her touching herself made Jared’s cock thicken, and the slide of his hot, wet flesh against her tongue turned her on to no end. She stroked herself faster, harder.

  Sex with Jared had always been so hot, so effortless, even when they were strangers. There had never been any shame or self-consciousness between them, whether they were exploring each other’s bodies and boundaries or exploring their own. But now that they knew each other so well—now that she loved him, deeply and madly—the sex had taken on a new intensity, a feeling that Ari could scarcely put into words.

  She didn’t have to.

  She moaned against his flesh, sucking him harder, and when she looked up and met his eyes, she knew he was a goner.

  “Arianne!” He growled like an animal and gripped the back of her head, exploding in a hot torrent, his body shuddering with the pleasure of his release. She swallowed every drop of him, her fingers coated in her juices as the wave of her own pleasure built between her thighs. Jared slid out of her mouth, and she closed her eyes, circling the tight bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs, bringing herself closer to the edge…

  “No,” Jared said. “Not yet.” He grabbed her wrist to stop her, and when she opened her eyes, he was on his knees. He dug his fingers into the flesh around her hips and slid her forward on the bench, then he dipped his head low, urging her to spread her legs wide. “I’ve been dying for a taste of this gorgeous pussy all day.”

  As the steam billowed between them, Jared kissed her inner thigh, dragging his tongue along the sensitive skin, slowly making his way to her center. Her pussy ached for him, wet and needy as he traced her outer lips with his tongue, licking and sucking as his hands gripped her thighs, every kiss making her writhe in ecstasy.

  She shoved her hands into his hair and pulled him closer, but Jared was intent on teasing her, pulling away before she fell over the edge, diving back in before she lost her mind completely. He was an expert at this game, one she both hated and loved, building up the pressure inside her like a pot of water just short of boiling over.

  But Jared knew her body well; he sensed when she was about to lose control completely, and rewarded her for her patience by thrusting his tongue deep into her pussy, stroking her clit with his thumb until he brought her all the way there.

  “Oh God!” She cried out his name as her body clenched around his tongue, her legs trembling, her heart banging in her chest as the waves of pleasure slammed into her, again and again and again.

  After a moment, Jared pulled away slowly, rising up off of his knees, bringing her with him.

  Ari didn’t have the strength to stand up on her own, but she didn’t need it. Jared lifted her effortlessly, pressing her against the shower wall as she wrapped her legs around him. He was hard again, ready for her, kissing her passionately as she slid down over his cock, his flesh filling her once again.

  Jared ran his thumb along her bottom lip, his eyes suddenly serious. He held her gaze for a long time, water streaming down his face, dripping from his long lashes, pooling in the places where their bodies touched.

  “I’m madly in love with you,” he whispered.

  She wrapped herself around him even more tightly, her heart full and happy as they found their perfect rhythm together, whispering each other’s names, kissing and touching until the sun went down and the seemingly infinite supply of hot water finally turned cold.

  The silk scarf covering her eyes was tied expertly, letting in very little light around the edges.

  Ari held her hands out in front of her, afraid she might trip.

  “I’ve got you, love.” Jared’s lips brushed the shell of her ear, his breath hot on her neck, hands firm on her upper arms. Beneath her bathrobe, Ari’s flesh erupted in goose bumps. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  “Yes!” A nervous giggle bubbled up from her insides. Jared’s excitement about the new painting was contagious, and the more he prolonged the big reveal, the more she felt like a kid on Christmas. “I’ve been ready all day, Jared. Come on!”

  “You need to be really ready, though. Absolutely, positively—”

  “Jared! If you keep building it up like this, it’ll be a total letdown.”

  Jared laughed, coming around in front of her and kissing her playfully on the nose. “Not possible.”

  “The suspense is killing me. Would you just—”

  Jared silenced her with a kiss, then untied the scarf, letting it drop to the floor. He held her gaze for a long moment, his eyes full of so much love it made her heart hurt in the best possible way.

  God, I love this man.

  A shy smile crept across Jared’s face, and he stepped back, out of her line of vision.

  Ari gasped.

  Mounted on the living room wall before her, illuminated by museum-quality recessed lighting that erased every last shadow, was the painting. Their painting.

  Adrift.

  “It’s for you,” Jared said, taking her hand.

  Ari was in complete shock. “But how did you… that’s impossible. I saw it go at auction. That night when—”

  “Yes, I remember.” Jared shrugged, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s just say I made the buyer an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

  Ari’s eyes widened.

  “Quite legally,” Jared said. “I assure you. I’ve got the bill of sale to prove it, along with the certificate of authenticity from the Smithsonian, who sold it to the family in New York years ago, all on the up-and-up.”

  Relieved, she released Jared’s hand and approached the painting, admiring it up close. “Jared, I… it’s so beautiful. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you love it.”

  “I love it. I love you.”

  “It reminds me of you, love,” he said, his hands on her shoulders. “Beautiful. Dangerous. But when the storm finally breaks and that little sliver of sunshine slices through the clouds… God, you’re just… you’re a force, Arianne.”

  Ari turned to face him, her eyes glassy with tears. She pressed a kiss to his lips, unable to come up with the words to express her gratitude. She pulled back slowly, and held him in her gaze a moment longer, marveling that they’d come through so much, that he was still here, still hers.

  She’d never known a love like his, never felt anything so deep.

  Jared relaxed his hold on her, and she turned back to the painting, giving it a closer look.

  “It’s amazing,” she said, still in shock. “I can’t believe Adrift is here. Just… here, hanging in your living room.”

  “Our living room,” Jared said.

  “I don’t… ours? What?” She turned to face him, and what she saw in his eyes took her breath away.

  Oh my God. He’s going to—

  “Arianne.” Jared grabbed her hands and dropped to his knee before her. “I love you so damn much, it hurts. I can’t stand to be away from you for another night, another minute. I want to make our life here. I want to wake up with you every morning, to shower with you, to cook for you, to get my ass kicked at Brawler while you imitate my accent. I want to fill this place with the art that we love, and after that, I want to fill it with so many babies, we need to buy another penthouse just
to hold their toys. I want to spend the rest of my life making love to you, and making you laugh, and making you utterly and completely mine.”

  Tears spilled from her eyes. He’d rendered her speechless.

  Still holding her hand, Jared slid a ring on her finger, a stunning princess cut solitaire that glittered in the light, throwing rainbows on the wall. “Marry me, Arianne Holbrook. Be my wife. Be my forever.”

  Ari knelt down in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. Her smile was so huge, she had trouble kissing him, but that didn’t stop her from trying. Even through the smile, she kissed his lips, his perfectly stubbled jaw, his neck.

  Jared ran his hand over her head, down her back, kissing away all of her happy tears. He loosened her bathrobe and slid his hand between her thighs, finding her hot and wet and ready for him, as always. A moan escaped her lips; she would never tire of his touch.

  “Is that a yes, Miss Holbrook?” he growled, teasing her with feather-light strokes as his lips burned hot against her collarbone.

  Ari threaded her fingers into his thick, soft hair and let out a delighted squeal, the first of many, many more to come that night, in that living room—their living room. She closed her eyes and melted into his touch, her heart soaring, her skin electrified, her legs trembling as Jared took command of her body in that delicious way that only Jared could.

  “Yes, Mr. Blackwell,” she whispered, giving herself over to him completely. “That is indeed a yes.”

  I hope you enjoyed Jared and Arianne’s story in BARED TO THE BILLIONAIRE! If you love sexy stories as much as I do, I hope you’ll check out my other books, including my BAD BOYS ON HOLIDAY series!

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