The Billionaire's Box Set

by Hazel Taylor

  I must have fallen asleep. “Cam, Cam, I need you to roll over.” She kissed the top of my head as I came to, rolling to the side, taking her with me so she now lay atop me.

  “Better?”

  10

  Lily

  That lopsided grin he wore was so sweet and boyish it helped me forget what I had just done. I didn’t want to sleep with a player. Snuggling in, I kissed his chest. If I was going to do it, I might as well do it right. “Much better.”

  His fingers ran a trail up and down my spine that made me shiver. I felt blissfully happy. I would just toss this to the wind as a stupid choice and move on from here. There would be no more of this between us. I just needed to get this wife thing done for him and then I could get back to my life.

  “Wow.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “I know, I was amazing, wasn’t I?” Leaning on his chest with my elbow, I was greeted by that same grin.

  His lips met mine, inciting a riot of tingles through my body at the prospect of another go, then he released them. “WE were, Lily.” In a blink, he had me pinned on the bed again as he ran kisses across my neck and shoulders. “I’m hungry.”

  And just like that, he stood and strode to the back patio completely free of clothing to grab the Chinese food we hadn’t finished. He then proceeded to feed me and himself the leftovers. It was delightfully wicked, and I loved it.

  “So, tell me, there had to be someone special in your life at some point?”

  “There was, but it was a long time ago.”

  “What happened? Come on, I shared. Now you have to. Besides, it will help with our lie.”

  Groaning, he fed me some more food, clearly to quiet my questions.

  “Her name was Heather, and I met her in college. She was perfection to me, beautiful, smart, funny, friendly, everything I wanted. We started dating and before long fell in love. I was ready to propose marriage. I went out and picked a ring, even though my parents said I was crazy, it was too soon, we had only been together for about two months. I called her on the phone and told her I was going to pick her up on Friday night for dinner, to get dressed up because it would be somewhere special.”

  Tossing the food on the nightstand, he got up and dressed, then lay back down and pulled me onto his lap to face him. He was hurting; I could see it in his face. It was so long ago but somehow, he’d never gotten over it. I kept quiet while he caressed my hair, looking into my eyes as he spoke.

  "I picked her up at 7 pm. When I rang the doorbell, she opened the door on another man’s arm. She had been seeing another guy and I didn't know. I had thought we were exclusive. She was so surprised to see me. She had forgotten about our special dinner but apologized, offering to go out tomorrow night instead. I nodded my head to fight back the emotions and took off in my car. I ended up tossing the ring in the river and telling my parents I had changed my mind. I never told anyone, not even Donnie.”

  "I'm sorry, Cameron. She didn't deserve you." I honestly didn't know what to say. He had been so young, so in love and so stupid, just as I had been, and his heart had been trampled just like mine. The only difference was he kept women at a distance by being a player, while I kept men at a distance by being rude.

  “It’s okay, cara mia, it was a lifetime ago. Life goes on.”

  Leaning in, I wanted to taste, to feel, so I slid my lips across his slowly, inviting and waiting for a response. When I got one, it was the feel of his manhood pressing against me as his hands moved over my skin smoothly.

  Hours later, while we dressed for dinner, he said he wanted to take me out to his favorite restaurant so we could talk more.

  “You know, we aren’t so different, you and me,” I said as I pulled on my shoes. “I keep people at a distance with my attitude, and you do the same. We just have different ways of doing it for protection from being hurt again.”

  His outfit, a Hawaiian surfer shorts and a black open button-down shirt, matched his casual and aloof nature. I’d opted for a flowing shirtdress of teal.

  He chuckled as he checked his hair in the mirror. “You mean you’re obnoxious and create a wall to keep them out, while I welcome them in and hurry them back out again when I am done sampling their delights.”

  “Exactly.”

  11

  Cameron

  "Well, this is going to be a perfect marriage then." I played the perfect gentleman, opening doors for her and helping her out of the vehicle.

  I think I might have surprised her when I took her to a seaside bungalow that served simple sandwiches and French fries. Not that she seemed to mind; she looked around in delight as she sat down with some prawns, a fish sandwich and coleslaw.

  “Why is this your favorite place?” she asked as I settled myself across from her.

  “Do you like it?”

  “Yes, it’s so cute. The food is delicious, and I love that it is casual.”

  “Well, I have always loved the beach,” I said, glancing out at the view. “I always wanted to be a surfer. Coming from a family of wealth, that was frowned upon.”

  Her eyebrows went up. “You surf?”

  "That I do. After college, I moved out here and spent my free time surfing and eating here. I’ve tried everything on the menu."

  “We even have a sandwich named after him.” Sage, a 20-something waitress that flirted way too much with me, walked up and refilled our glasses.

  “Really?”

  “Cam, the Wave Runner.” She opened the menu to point to it before she wandered away.

  Lily took a bite of her sandwich. “Wow, then why a plastic surgeon?”

  I sat back looking at the woman before me, strong, beautiful, a firecracker. “I don’t know, really,” I confessed. “I always had this knack for picking people apart and figuring out what I would change about them. When I was nine I sat across from my Aunt Bea at a Christmas dinner. After studying her for a while, I decided she would look better with a smaller nose and a fuller bottom lip. Her eyes were set too far apart and I knew from prior inspection that she had too much going on in the backside and flabby arms.”

  Lily gasped. “Oh, my goodness, she was your aunt, for crying out loud.”

  "I know, it wasn't my best moment.” I laughed. “What was even worse was when I proceeded to tell her and everyone at the table as we ate our dessert."

  Her eyes got huge as she stared at me, spoon midway to her lips. “Goodness, I can only imagine what your thoughts are about me.”

  In truth, although at first I’d started to pick her apart, after further inspection, I’d decided I liked her just the way she was. It was startling for me to admit, but other than Heather she was the only woman I didn’t pick apart. Which was odd, since I even did that to my mother. I decided to go for honesty. “I wouldn't change a thing about you, Lily."

  “Really?” She seemed to try to appear skeptical, but I thought I detected something pleased in her voice.

  “Not a thing.” I wouldn’t say more; I wasn’t ready to examine that.

  She was silent for a long time as she finished her food. “Okay, I don’t usually eat dessert, but I feel like I want some. I won’t eat it all, so do you want to share?”

  “Only if it’s ice cream.”

  12

  Lily

  "Okay." A man who thought I was perfect the way I was, despite being a plastic surgeon. A man who was a player had his heartbroken and loved to surf. A man that loved ice cream and a fish shack on the side of the beach, Cameron was a riddle to solve. I decided to order the biggest sundae they had, complete with every topping they could add.

  “Tell me something,” I said as we started in on it. “Do you have any dreams?”

  For every spoon he ate, he offered me one. It was starting to feel like we were on a date back in my high school days.

  He smiled. "I have one, but almost no one knows about it. Come on, let's go for a walk on the beach and I’ll tell you."

  As we attempted to walk off the food we’d just eaten by w
alking barefoot in the sand, he held my hand, occasionally bringing it to his lips. I waited patiently, watching the waves crash against the shore. It was so strange. I felt like we were love-struck teenagers. In spite of my doubts, I loved it.

  Finally, he started talking, staring out over the water. "A few years back, I started messing around with natural products, herbs, oils, etc. For years I have wanted to perfect a cream that would put an end to women worrying needlessly about their wrinkles. A way for them to opt out of surgery, save some money and still feel youthful and beautiful."

  He sat down in the sand, pulling me down beside him and wrapping his arm around my shoulder. It felt natural to rest my head on his chest.

  "About eight months ago, I perfected it. I used my mother and aunt as test subjects as well as a few other people and they loved it, claiming it's a miracle. Well, anyway, this time next year I plan to launch a line of anti-aging products worldwide."

  “That is amazing,” I exclaimed, lifting my head to look at him. “I knew there was more to you than just being a playboy and plastic surgeon. That is so wonderful!" I was shocked. There was so much beneath the surface of this handsome man I had misjudged.

  “You think so?”

  "I do. You are doing something great for women, enhancing who they are without changing them."

  “Thank you.” He looked genuinely pleased at my enthusiasm. “I appreciate that coming from you.”

  After our walk, we returned home. He suggested watching a movie, but I quickly shot that idea down. “I’m tired,” I said, yawning to prove it. “Besides, I need to rest for tomorrow.”

  He looked disappointed but nodded. I wasn’t about to make sleeping with him a habit that would end up breaking either of our hearts.

  Instead, I tasted his lips one last time before heading off to bed.

  The morning came fast. After I’d showered and dressed, I was greeted by Monique, a perky 20-something who was very pregnant. As we chatted, she told me she and her husband had another child, Kylie, who was 2. When she offered to make me breakfast, I felt bad, and she must have sensed it.

  “Don’t feel bad because I am pregnant,” she chuckled. “This is a break from my daughter. Besides, Cameron insists I take a nap in the afternoon from 1-2 pm. He is an amazing boss." How thoughtful that was.

  The day flew by. Cam had business to attend to but called me to tell me where we were going so I could dress accordingly. I felt confident in my pale blue business suit that had just the right touch of flair with the pearl necklace—until I met them.

  Perfection was not even the word to use. Even the surgeons had obviously had work done; not even a hair was out of place. Their wives were young and stunningly beautiful.

  “Well, Cam, she is beautiful, although I think I see a few areas I could improve,” Steven said absently before laughing suddenly when he realized what he’d said. “Excuse me, darling. Occupational hazard.”

  He and his wife seemed like I was bothering them by being in their presence by the way they ticked on their phones continually. Under normal circumstances, I would have delighted in bringing them down a notch or two.

  “She is perfect as she is. No one will ever touch her.” Cam’s voice seemed harsh and dismissive, surprising me. He took my hand in his and kissed it softly as our waiter appeared.

  It was hard for me to believe that Cameron was partners with these men. At first glance, it seemed a good fit, but after a few minutes it felt off, wrong. Each seemed to have this air about them as if almost everyone else was beneath them. Oh, they put on a good show, but I could tell they didn’t care all that much for me.

  “We will have to go shopping together, Lily.” Michelle filed her nails, only vaguely aware of her salad or the waiters hovering over her, waiting to serve. “I know all the best shops and Cam has a lot to spend so you will have a blast burning through it.”

  "That sounds lovely." I, however, had a healthy appetite and wasn't about to waste the gorgeous sandwich before me, so I dug in.

  I wish I could eat like that.” She looked down her nose at my plate, as if it was full of cockroaches. “If I did, I would gain 20 pounds in a blink and then Alan would have me back on the table again to fix me." She was beautiful in that dark, curvy, full-bodied, exotic way, thanks to her husband and a sultry voice that made one think of the bedroom.

  “I would never have plastic surgery,” I said without thinking.

  “Why ever not? I mean, your husband is a plastic surgeon,” Steven chimed in between bites of steak tartare, barely glancing away from his phone.

  "I am perfect as I am,” I told him. “Any man who can’t see that doesn't deserve me. If either of you ladies doesn't believe that about yourself, you're wrong. You’re a gift to your husbands.” Glancing at Cam, I saw a hint of amusement in his eyes as he smiled.

  “Well, isn’t she the feminist?” Steven barked out a laugh. “Wherever did you find her, Cam?”

  “Cam, darling, wherever have you been?” a squeaky voice called from across the room. Glancing up, I saw Alan roll his eyes.

  13

  Cameron

  Much to my dismay, Erin had managed to find me at the most inopportune time. I wanted to wring her neck. I gave her a quick glance, then turned to Lily. "I was off getting married, Erin." Reaching over, I placed my arm around Lily, kissing her lips softly. She smiled happily at me and caressed my chin.

  “I love you too, dear.”

  “Married?”

  "Afraid so Erin, happily too. Why don't you go back to your husband?" Michelle had the claws of a cat, and she loved to expose them.

  “Michelle, I can handle this. Erin, yes, I am married. This is my wife, Lily. I understand you want some more work done; I think Steven might be able to do that for you. Give the office a call next week so they can schedule something.”

  Her pout irritated me as always, but thankfully, the flower beside me kept me grounded so I didn’t snap. “If you will excuse us now, this isn’t office hours.” I then proceeded to ignore her, as did everyone else. After a moment or two, I heard her words as she stormed off.

  “You’ll regret this, Cam.”

  The rest of the meal went off without a hitch, although it was clear my partners didn’t particularly delight in my fake wife. Their wives seemed to enjoy the prospect of a woman in their midst that was very outspoken and loved my choice of rings. Surprisingly, I was getting used to the one I now wore, which I had chosen myself.

  The night ended with her going to bed in her hugely disappointing room. I had trouble sleeping. Something was happening, and I didn’t like it. I had to get a grip on things. I finally decided I would visit a colleague of mine out of town. I didn’t want to leave Lily alone so soon, but we were supposed to be married and it would give me some time away from her.

  I didn't want to get too attached; I wasn't in the market for a girlfriend or anything else. Mostly I didn't want to hurt her, which I most assuredly would. We both had been through a lot in the past and didn’t need this confusing our plans.

  In the morning I left her a note telling her of my plans to visit a friend, that she was to make herself at home and I left my credit card so she could use it for any need she had.

  14

  Lily

  Cam had taken off suddenly, leaving me to fend for myself, except for Monique of course. I swam in the pool, chatted on Skype, baked in the kitchen with Monique, and went shopping. After days had gone by and I’d heard nothing, I began to feel agitated but realized it was for the best.

  Things were moving way too fast for me, and I didn’t want to get close to someone ever again. This time apart would allow us to take a step back, a breath of fresh air before either of us made a mistake we would regret later.

  On the fourth day, he returned late without a word of why he’d never called. I figured I wouldn't mention it. It was none of my business. I was his pretend wife, not his real wife.

  When he came into the living room after cleaning up, it was like
we had never been apart. There was still that same spark, that same intense desire, longing, need.

  “Do you want to watch a movie?”

  “Sure.” My heart skipped a beat. This shouldn’t be happening.

  We watched a movie and talked into the wee hours of the night, and finally, I passed out beside him.

  I woke alone on the couch to find a beautiful breakfast and a note from Cam. I could get too used to this, I reflected ruefully. I was starting to wonder how I was going to get back to my real life.

  After I used Skype to talk to my boss and see how everyone was doing at home, I decided to look around. There were two levels. The first level hosted a great room that overlooked the pool, the master suites, another bedroom which was supposed to be where I slept, a kitchen, laundry, and bathroom. There was also a bowling alley, home theater, bar room, and a jacuzzi and sauna.

  As I continued to the next floor, there were more bedrooms and bathrooms, a second laundry and living room. I approached the end of the hall and turned into one last room, which surprisingly was open. Peeking inside, I saw everything turned upside down, broken glass and bottles scattered everywhere. It was a disaster zone.

  Astonished, I didn’t know what to do. This was obviously where he’d been working on his new product. I doubted he would trash it in such a way without anyone knowing it, so someone else must have done this. I was attempting to pick up the pieces when I heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

  “Oh, my goodness, whatever have you done?” Monique stood in the doorway. “Why?” She reached for her phone.

  “I didn’t do anything, Monique, I just found it this way.” I dropped what was in my hands and headed toward her.