Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Alexis Winter

  “Fine. I’ll find someone else.” He turns to walk out of the room. “I’m sorry this won’t work out.”

  “You know, it’s already Saturday and you leave for your trip on Monday. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to find someone and get packed up. And no time for her to move in with you,” I say, causing him to stop. “But hey, good luck,” I say as I smack his arm.

  I see his shoulders fall from the deep breath leaving his lungs. He spins around, jaw tight and angular. “Fine, but it stays in your room only. I have very nice things and I refuse to have my house ruined by a cat that stains carpets, scratches, and sprays.”

  I snort. “First of all, she’s a ‘she,’ not an ‘it,’ and second, female cats usually don’t spray, especially when they’re spayed. Plus, Cocoa is litter trained and declawed.” I scrunch my nose. “My mean old parents ripped her claws out when I was too young to stop them.” I lift the cage to peek inside. “How can you be a cougar with no claws?” I ask Cocoa.

  He laughs. “A cougar?”

  I bring my attention back to him. “Yeah, you know, a sassy and fabulous older female who’s still sexy enough to bring in males half her age? Cocoa is a cougar. I’ve caught her getting it on with the neighborhood cats,” I joke.

  He scrunches up his face. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

  I smile. “And that’s why this will be fun.” I pick up my coffee and walk to the door with Cocoa.

  We load up in Cameron’s car and I hold Cocoa’s crate on my lap. He slides behind the wheel and pulls out into traffic. He has no idea I’m watching him, and I’m thankful for that because his ego doesn’t need to get any bigger. But something about him is so attractive to me, and it’s not just his obvious good looks. I don’t know if it’s the giant EMOTIONALLY UNAVAILABLE stamp across his forehead or the fact that I know he could shatter any woman’s heart into a million pieces. Put all that together and he’s exactly the kind of emotionally damaged dude I’m usually attracted to, complete with fragile masculinity. However, I know if we were to meet on the street, I’d be turned off the moment he opened his mouth and started talking about his money, fancy car, or royalty status he likes to believe he has.

  That said, I’ve always been attracted to a man who works hard but cleans up nice, and it’s easy to see he’s that type of man. His black suit fits him to a T, and looks like it costs more than my life. It hugs his frame in all the right places, showing off his strong biceps, chest, and narrow waist. His skin is practically glowing. I mentally laugh at that. His skincare products probably cost more than my rent.

  “Can Chocolate stay in the car by herself for a little while?” he asks, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Her name is Cocoa. Why?” I ask, turning to look at him.

  “Well, no offense, but if you’re going to be my fiancée, you need to look the part.”

  “What does that mean?” I ask, feeling my face pinch.

  He lets out a deep breath, almost like he already knows he’s going to offend me. “I’m going to take you shopping.”

  “I don’t have money to shop!”

  He laughs. “It’s all on me. It won’t come out of your money.”

  I turn my head back to the windshield. “Whatever. Consider me your own personal Barbie.”

  I cannot express the craziness of his world. I’m dragged around from store to store. Clothes, shoes, coats, and accessories are basically thrown at me to try on. There are formal dresses that cost more than my first car, and name brands I never thought I’d be allowed to touch, let alone wear. And I’m bombarded with more luxury makeup and skincare products than I thought possible. Everything is picked out for me, paid for, and bagged. When I take my seat back in the car, I’m winded from the quickness of it all.

  Cam smiles. “So, what’d you think?”

  I look at him, speechless. “That’s insane.” I smile. “I am loving these sunglasses, though.” I lower them so I can look at him over the top, then push them back into place.

  “We have one more stop.”

  “God, do I have to go to the salon too?”

  He laughs. “I already have it booked for you tomorrow.”

  “I was joking,” I point out.

  “I wasn’t. Your day is filled with hair, makeup, nails, and a wax.”

  “A wax?” I yell.

  He fights to hold back his grin, but he can’t pull it together. “I promise, it’s not as bad as one would think.”

  “How do you know? You get waxed?”

  He nods once. “They give you wine to help you relax, and there’s numbing cream. I promise, it doesn’t hurt and you might end up liking the effects.”

  I snort. “I knew this experience was going to be painful, but not physically!”

  He lets out a chuckle under his breath before pulling over. I look out my window and find we’re at Tiffany & Co.

  “Jewelry?”

  “If we’re engaged, you’re going to need a ring,” he states as he’s climbing out.

  I quickly get out of the car and rush to his side. “You’re actually buying me an engagement ring?”

  He holds up his index finger. “Borrowing, to be precise. You WILL have to return it. I’m very close friends with the owner.” He opens the door and allows me to walk inside.

  I’m so poor, I’ve never even walked into this store. I’ve only ever seen it in movies. And film doesn’t do it justice. Everything is bright, shiny, and beautiful. I think my mouth is hanging open and I know my eyes have doubled in size as I gaze around me at all the sparkling diamonds.

  Cameron grabs my arm, hooking his hand around my elbow. “Focus. We’re on a mission,” he tells me, pulling me through the store. I stop when a gorgeous princess-cut champagne diamond ring catches my eye. It’s not over the top or the size of a boulder;t it’s understated, elegant, and unique.

  “Look at this one—it’s so gorgeous!” I lean over the counter, admiring the detail in the ring.

  He looks at it briefly before tugging me along. “I just said focus. We don’t have time for window shopping. Let the professionals pick out the right one.”

  The next thing I know, we’re in a private back office. He pulls out a chair for me and I take a seat. He sits down beside me and leans in. “This is our trial run, Samantha. These people see a lot of newly engaged couples. If anyone could sniff out the fact that this isn’t real, it’s them. So let’s see your acting skills, baby.” He grins and shoots me a wink.

  I want to scoff and roll my eyes, but the door opens and my expression, which was one of annoyance, turns to one of blinding happiness. My lips turn upward into a wide smile.

  “Good morning,” a man says, walking into the room. “Good to see you again, Cameron.”

  Cameron stands and shakes his hand. “How have you been, Terrence?”

  “Wonderful,” he replies, looking down at me. “Now, tell me about this beautiful woman.”

  I stand and laugh, suddenly happy that the girls in the other store fixed my face and removed the black streaks of eyeliner.

  “This is my fiancée, Samantha,” Cameron says, placing his hand on my lower back.

  I hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Aren’t you stunning,” he says, bending to press his lips to the top of my hand. He turns to face Cam. “I understand why you’ve kept this one a secret. She’s a doll.”

  I blush from the compliment.

  Cameron laughs. “She is, and she keeps me in line.” He motions for me to take my seat. “Now, Terrence, what do you have for us today?”

  His eyes grow wide as he places his elbows on the desk and leans forward. He studies me for a long moment. “Something about you calls to me, Samantha. You’re a timeless, classic beauty, but you also love over the top. Am I correct?”

  I laugh, glancing between Cameron and Terrence. “Well, I do love elegant and simple, but you know my Cammy here. He won’t let me settle for anything under four carats.” I beam proudly as I look over at
him lovingly. I make sure to lay the sickly-sweet sarcasm on thick.

  His jaw flexes in annoyance, but he forces a smile. “That’s right. Nothing but the best for my bride-to-be.”

  Terrence smiles wide as he glances between the two of us. “I have the perfect ring. You, my dear, are going to love me,” he says to me as he spins around and picks up the phone. “Jeanie, honey, would you mind terribly if I asked you to fetch me the Novo? Mm-hmm, the one in the vault.”

  He hangs up the phone, and when he turns back to us, his face is glowing. “Now, Cameron, you know me…” He smiles.

  “I do,” Cameron agrees.

  “This ring is to die for! But it is pretty pricey. I completely understand wanting to try it out, but I would need a deposit.”

  “No problem,” Cam says, waving his hand through the air.

  The door opens and a woman walks in with her hand flat, holding the ring holder in her palm as if she were a hand model. She walks around us and the desk, and Terrence opens the box. The moment the light hits it, I’m blinded by its glow.

  He holds out his hand, showing me the ring between his fingers. “This was inspired by the famous Tiffany diamond. This yellow center diamond is set inside four tapered prongs with a micro-pavé-set diamond band.”

  The band itself is platinum with white diamonds along the top, andt the prongs holding in the yellow diamond are gold. It’s massive with its two-carat sizing.

  “How much does a ring like this cost?” I ask, taking the ring and sliding it down my finger.

  “This particular ring is $1.2 million. The price can go up as we make adjustments.”

  “One million dollars?” I yell, my mouth dropping open. “For a ring?” My body wants to shoot up from my chair, but every muscle is frozen in place. Christ! I can’t even pay my damn power bill on time; how am I supposed to be responsible for something this expensive? I have to convince myself that it’s fine. I’ve never actually lost anything worth this kind of cash—I’ve got this! Then again, I’ve never touched something this expensive.

  He nods. “That will be a fifty-thousand-dollar deposit, Cam,” Terrence tells him before looking at me. “Is that the one?” he asks.

  I turn and look at Cam, holding the ring up to my face. “What do you think, honey? Is this the one?” I ask, eyes widening as a smile tugs at my lips.

  I can see how hard he’s working to remain calm, but he smiles. “The question is, do you think it’s the one?” he says through gritted teeth.

  I look from him, to the ring, to Terrence, and back. Nodding, I reply, “It is!” I leap into his arms and press my lips against his. He’s surprised, but he kisses me back after a moment of being frozen. His hand lands on my hip, pulling me closer, and I swear I feel him harden beneath me before he breaks the kiss and gently pushes me away.

  His face flushes as he laughs. “Looks like you did it again, Terrence.”

  Terrence laughs and claps his hands. “Of course I did!” he laughs out. “Now, will that be cash or ?”

  Chapter 6

  Cameron

  “I swear to God, if you lose that ring…” I grumble as I escort her out of the building and into the car.

  She giggles. “Oh, chill out, Daddy Warbucks. I’ve never lost anything expensive in my life,” she says, brushing off my anger as her gaze remains fixed on the ring.

  “To be fair, I think we have very different definitions of the word expensive.” I close her door and climb behind the wheel.

  As I pull my seatbelt around me, she turns the crate in her lap so she can look inside at the cat. “What do you think, Cocoa? Did Mommy do well, or did she do well?” she asks the cat, holding up her hand to show off her ring.

  “You are absolutely crazy, you know that?” I tell her, pushing the button and starting the car.

  She doesn’t reply—just rolls her eyes.

  After a twenty-minute drive, I’m pulling up to my house to find the moving truck already parked out front.

  “Wow, that was fast. Had I known you were planning on buying me a whole new wardrobe, I wouldn’t have packed so much.” She offers up a smile.

  I shake my head. “Well, I couldn’t drag you to events and out-of-town trips dressed head to toe in Gap, now could I?”

  She laughs. “You’re giving me credit. Most of my stuff is from Old Navy.” She sticks out her tongue.

  I want to smile at her playfulness, but I hold it back, wanting to appear more serious. This isn’t social; this is business. Besides, I’m not sure how much she is actually joking or if it’s the kind of laughter that comes from stabbing someone with an ice pick.

  We both climb from the car and I lead her toward the front steps. I open the door and pause to let her walk through, but after several moments of waiting, I finally turn to look for her. How could I have lost her already?

  I turn to find her next to the moving truck. She has the cat crate in one hand and a box in the other.

  I scoff and walk up to her, taking the box and placing it back on the truck. “You do not move boxes. That’s what these men were hired to do.”

  She shrugs. “I just figured since they’re my things, I should help out.”

  I take her now-free arm and wrap mine around it as I lead her into the house. “People won’t believe our relationship if you insist on being treated like an ordinary person. Understand?”

  Her brows furrow together. “You mean I actually have to act like a spoiled, better-than-everyone-else princess?”

  I laugh at her description. “Now you’re getting it.”

  Her feet stop moving when we reach the center of the foyer. Her mouth drops open as she gazes around the room. “You live here? Alone?”

  I nod. “The house is fully stocked on help, so you won’t have to lift a finger. Your laundry will be washed, pressed, and put away. All meals are prepared by my own personal chef and served in the dining room, and the maid will come into your room in the late morning to straighten up and make your bed.”

  Her eyes flash to me, her mouth still hanging open. “All of this…for just you?”

  I nod. “That’s right. I don’t have time to do all the cooking, cleaning, and washing. Follow me and I’ll show you around.” Without waiting for a reply, I head up the stairs.

  I take her to her room first. It’s your typical guest bedroom with a king-size bed, walk-in closet, and full bath with shower and jacuzzi. “There’s also a remote in the top drawer of the bedside table. It controls the TV, the shades, and the lights.” I turn to look at her spinning in circles, taking in every aspect of the room.

  “What TV?” she asks, throwing herself onto the bed.

  I open the drawer and pull out the remote. I push the button and she jumps when the small white cabinet at the foot of the bed opens and the TV slides up into place.

  “Whoa! That’s amazing!”

  I chuckle. “Yes, quite entertaining. Now, should we continue on with the tour?”

  She follows me through the house and I show her my room, the other bathrooms, my office, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and the back patio where there is a pool and a hot tub. By the time we’re finishing up, Gordon, my personal chef, is placing lunch on the table.

  “Are you hungry?” I ask, leading her back through the dining room.

  “Starving!” Without being shy, she plops down at the table and starts devouring the food on her plate.

  I laugh and shake my head. “I see you’re not one of those shy girls who pretend they don’t eat.” I pick up the cloth napkin, shake it out, and place it on my lap.

  She snorts. “No way. Food is not my enemy. We go waaaay back. But it doesn’t surprise me that your only experience with women is the superficial waif-type who starves herself. It would probably do you some good to expand the company you keep.” She picks up a roll and tears off a big bite, shoving it into her mouth while staring me dead in the eye.

  Another quiet laugh escapes and I shake my head. “Good to know.”

&
nbsp; “So, when do we leave on this trip?” she asks around another giant mouthful of food.

  “Tomorrow you’ll be busy getting groomed, then we leave first thing Monday morning.”

  “Groomed?” She cocks an eyebrow at me. I was hoping she’d miss that little comment.

  “Yes. As I mentioned earlier today, I figure a day at the salon will make you feel fresh for the trip. Just a trim, color touch-up, waxing—all the normal stuff,” I say nonchalantly. She doesn’t look convinced, but she addresses the other issue that’s clearly on her mind.

  “Okay, I’ll address that in a minute, but first, about our flight—by ‘first thing’ you mean what, exactly?”

  “We’ll leave here at six for the airport.”

  Her eyes grow wide. “Six?” she asks loudly, almost a yell.

  I nod. “Something wrong?”

  She rolls her eyes. “That’s an ungodly time. I mean, is the sun even up by then?”

  “Not a morning person, huh?”

  “You might want to book a marching band to come through my room to wake me.” She shoves in a forkful of rice. “Oh, and watch out, I throw things.”

  “You throw things?” I feel my eyebrows lift on their own.

  She nods. “Yeah, you know, just things that are close by: the alarm clock, remotes, bottles of water. Anything within reach, that is. I usually won’t get up to find something to throw. But,” she meets my eyes and points her index finger at me, “if I do, I’m up. That’s the trick: getting me up.”

  “Got it. Move everything out of reach before waking you,” I make a mental note.

  She smiles. “I think we’ll get along just fine.” She takes another bite before her eyes grow wide again. “So, about this waxing…is it necessary? I mean, it’s not like we’re going to be sleeping together?” She states it as if it were a question.

  I smirk. “You offering?”

  She scoffs and rolls her blue eyes. “You wish, but seriously, why do I need a wax? And why do you feel you get to tell me how to groom my own damn body?”

  “Well, first of all, it’s in the contract. Second, I have no idea what this trip will entail. What if we’re invited to go swimming or something?”