Restless Billionaire Page 7

  “I would like to take this to my father. If he agrees then you have yourself a deal.” Macy tapped the pages together and put them back into the file, and Evan stood.

  “I hope he says yes. I’d like to get things underway so you don’t have to work so hard.”

  She saw the sincerity, and she wanted to believe in him with all her heart. Perhaps, it might take more than a few hours, even if seeing him again only made the need to have him around stronger.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Another day and another contract. This was nothing new to Evan, but this contract was more important than any he had signed before. For the first time in his life he would own something that was his. Not just his, but that was even more perfect. He, Macy, her sister, and her father owned the business. A few more people than he would prefer, but bearing in mind who they were, he was okay with that. As long as one of the others was Macy, he was happy.

  Ben would be in his ear telling him there were too many negatives, but Ben wasn’t him, and he wasn’t here. This was his thing and he would do it his way.

  Macy had called him to the cabin this morning, and now he sat with her and her father at the outside table. The view was spectacular as usual. It was a sight he would never get used to.

  “Do you want to have a lawyer present?” he asked them. “I was going to bring Mr. Pearson’s man, but I wasn’t sure what you had organized. He could be here in five minutes.”

  Macy groaned. “You must think I’m an idiot. I hadn’t thought about it. All I was thinking about was if this was the right decision. It turns out it’s the only one, so please call him.”

  Evan did as he was asked, mindful that both Macy and her father were not looking the best. Macy could only ever look beautiful, but her pale face was startling and Evan felt guilty for being the cause of it.

  The lawyer arrived quickly, having been primed for this eventuality. In a no-nonsense way, he read through the contract for everyone’s benefit.

  “Do you have any questions, Charlie?” Evan asked.

  “No. You’ll be joining the family, and bringing some money so we don’t have to sell anything else.”

  Macy’s head jerked up. “You knew we had to sell things?”

  “I may be away with the fairies from time to time, but I hear things, and I can read.”

  Evan squeezed Charlie’s arm. “That’s all behind you now. Once we’re signed up, you and Macy can make a list of all the things you think we need and we’ll add it to the wish list for the marina.”

  “No time like the present,” he said pragmatically, and signed the papers. Macy did the same, and finally it was Evan’s turn.

  The lawyer notarized everything, and then left them to it.

  “Do you have anyone in mind who might want to work here?” Evan asked.

  Macy took a moment to get herself together, and he admired the set of her chin. She was strong and that was a good thing.

  “I’ll have to think about it. I’m sure there’s someone who needs a job. I hear Sean is looking for a new position.”

  Evan almost choked on his coffee, until he saw she was joking. He loved that about her—the way she bounced back so quickly from her troubles.

  “I do have a good friend of mine I’d like to bring in. He has his own cruise boat and he’s looking for another venture.”

  “Now wait one minute,” she said. “We don’t need anyone else.”

  Evan held up his hand. “He’ll pay for his berth and get a cut of the take. He won’t own any of the marina.”

  She blushed. “Oh. We could do with a bigger cruise ship. There’s a lot of demand for them.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” He smiled, happy that they did have some similar thoughts. “Should we go celebrate?”

  Macy nodded. “I guess we should.”

  Charlie pulled out his phone. “I think I’ll invite a few friends around. You two go into town.”

  “But Dad, it should be all of us together.”

  “We’ve always been together, sweetheart. Tonight, I want to chill out with friends and celebrate my retirement. Don’t look like that. We both know I’ve been as useless as a pick without a handle since your mom passed away. We may as well make it official. You two need to celebrate the start of a wonderful adventure. It’s what you’ve wanted.”

  “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”

  “Why ever not? Time won’t wait for you, so go as soon as it’s possible. Both of you. You don’t know when it’s going to be too late.”

  Macy looked like she was about to cry.

  “Come on, let’s leave your dad to his fun,” Evan said.

  She reluctantly found her bag and they walked down the hill in silence.

  The bar was busy, as usual, and they had to push their way into the back to find room at a table. Soon they were surrounded by well-wishers who insisted on buying Evan drinks.

  Evan was restless, and Macy was on edge. The celebration was around Pearson’s and neither of them wanted to enlighten the crowd.

  “We should go to your apartment,” Macy said.

  Evan was stunned for a moment. Perhaps she’d had too much to drink again, but her eyes were clear. Still, better to be safe. “I think I should take you home. “

  “Really? On this auspicious evening, that’s what you’d like to do?” Her hand was on his thigh.

  “You know what I’d like to do.”

  “Tell me.”

  Evan leaned in closer. “I want to take off your clothes, very slowly. Make love to you, even slower. Have you stay the night with me. Make love to you all night.”

  She twirled her beer. “I can’t.”

  “I know. You’ve had a bit to drink.”

  “I can’t stay the night. My father will wonder where I am. And, for the record, I’ve had very little to drink tonight.”

  He was struggling to understand what she was saying. He didn’t want to be too hopeful. Damn it. He was more than hopeful. She was hotter than July and now so was he.

  Then she stood, took his hand, and led him to his apartment. When they got inside he fussed with drinks neither of them wanted, thinking she might like time to explain her change of heart.

  “Evan, are you taking my clothes off, as promised, or should I start?”

  Her eyes twinkled with mischief, and something else. Her hands ran down the front of her blouse and she flicked open a button. He couldn’t move.

  Another button popped open and a white lace bra was visible. Another button, and another. The whole blouse gaped and she shrugged it from her shoulders. Her stomach was flat and taut. She took deep breaths, highlighting the fact that she was turned on, as if he couldn’t tell by the way her dark nipples had hardened behind the thin material.

  He shifted his jeans, adjusting his crotch. Hard? That was an understatement. It was almost painful. Her hand slid down between her breasts and flicked the button at the top of her jeans. She opened it then slid the zip down.

  “I believe you’re overdressed, Evan.”

  “What? Oh. I am.” He loved the way she said his name. Like a caress, it spurred him on and she didn’t need to ask twice. He undid the top button of his shirt and pulled it over his head, throwing it to the floor. He kicked off his shoes and had his socks and jeans off in a flash.

  She laughed. “What happened to slow?”

  “You happened. Looking like that. I lied. This first time won’t be slow.”

  She was giggling as he stalked her across the room. They were both still in their underwear. She had the white cotton kind —the stuff of college boys’ dreams all around the world.

  “Fast or slow, I don’t mind. Although I must warn you, it’s been a long time since I’ve slept with a man. Fast might be my preferred option.”

  “I’m happy about that, and if it’s possible, even more desperate to have you.”

  He took her hand and led her to the bedroom. The king-sized bed barely moved when she sat on it. She was about to move backward
s when Evan caught her heel.

  “Wait there.”

  “What for?”

  He smiled and knelt between her knees. She pulled his head to her and when their lips touched, the fire which had been smoldering leapt into life, threatening to burn them both.

  When he heard her moan, he moved his mouth to her neck. She leaned back on her arms, her breasts more than a temptation as he kissed them through the lacy fabric. Her rock-hard nipples beckoned, and he bit each one with enough force to make her squirm against him.

  “Evan,” she murmured, without a hint of a question, so he carried on. Down her taut stomach. Down to the waistband of the sexy white cotton. Down a little further. His mouth found the heat of her and he nibbled her through the cloth. When she pressed against him he slid the fabric to one side and plundered her with his tongue.

  It took no time at all before she bucked against him, calling his name and clawing at the coverlet. He took time to watch her, to see her in the throes of her orgasm. He had never felt so close to or so in need of a woman in all his life.

  When her shaking subsided a little he removed her underwear, then his, and pulled her up the bed so that they lay facing each other.

  “You are so beautiful Macy. I could look at you for hours.”

  “I think you want to do more than look,” she said as her hand found him hard between their bodies.

  “So much more, but only if you want me to.”

  “Are you kidding me? I’d have to kill you if you if you didn’t finish what you started.”

  He laughed, but it was short-lived when she kissed him long and hard.

  He quickly found a condom. He was ready for her, had been ready for weeks. There was no way he didn’t want this, but his need was hypersensitive and he hoped he would do their lovemaking justice, and not behave like a schoolboy in his first encounter.

  He needn’t have worried. They were both insatiable. For several hours, they gave and took from each other. Macy might wear sensible cotton underwear, but she made love with abandon.

  He sighed with pleasure when he eventually tucked her into the crook of his arm, and they slept until dark gave way to sunrise.

  Macy woke with a jolt, and he pulled her back to him. He’d been awake and watching her for some time. She truly was captivating, and he’d be happy to stare at her forever.

  “Stay a while longer.”

  She pulled out of his embrace and kissed his nose. “I have to check on Dad.”

  “Will you come back?”

  “Every night,” she said, as she dressed.

  “That won’t do.”

  “Evan, I told you how it is with my father.”

  “Marry me.”

  She paused, and frowned. “Don’t talk crazy.”

  “I’m serious. Marry me. I love you, Macy.”

  “It should be too soon to talk about love, let alone marriage.”

  “If it’s how I feel, how we feel, how can it be too soon?”

  She stopped dressing, and came to kiss him. Long and passionately. Then she looked at him closely.

  “I think I might love you too, Mr. Knight. Let’s give ourselves a bit more time, though. See how well we work together.”

  “Then you’ll marry me?”

  She regarded him as she pulled on her jeans and blouse. “If you don’t get too bossy, I could be persuaded.”

  He jumped out of bed, but he was naked, and she was already running down the stairs. At the bottom, she turned and blew him a kiss before sashaying around the corner.

  He had surprised himself with his declaration, but once the words were out he knew they were true. His world had turned upside down. He was no longer restless. That had slipped from him because he’d found a place to be himself. He’d found someone who could see who he was.

  Somehow, marrying Macy made more sense than all his deals and all his money put together.

  Somehow, he was in love, and excited by the prospect of being with one woman for the rest of his life.

  It was ironic. Surely, being in one place with that one woman should make him more restless, not less?

  He threw on some track pants and made coffee. Then he sat on the small deck, watching the sunrise change into day as it showcased the hill in the distance, where a cotton underwear–wearing woman, full of life and fun, was waiting to be persuaded.

  Something, he just happened to be very good at.

  Thank You

  Thanks so much for reading Restless Billionaire, the first book in my Billionaire Knights Series. If you enjoyed Evan’s story, and you haven’t read the others, you can find the links on the Also By page.

  I’ve also added excerpts from the second and third books in the series—Ruthless Billionaire and Reluctant Billionaire.

  As a way of saying thank you to all my readers, I am giving away a free short story to everyone who signs up to my mailing list. I promise not to spam you, and to only keep you informed of new releases or specials:

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  Ruthless Billionaire

  As he walked from bright sunlight into the darker interior, he tripped over something and fell flat on his face.

  "Oww! Watch where you're going, buddy."

  Ben rolled to his side and found one of the workers cross-legged on the temporary floor, with a handful of decorations and a glint in her deep green eyes.

  "Buddy?"

  She shrugged. "I don't know your name."

  "Ben."

  "Well, Ben. I’m hardly invisible, and you nearly squashed me."

  "Sorry, I had no idea that anyone was there."

  “Fine.”

  It clearly wasn’t fine, as she snubbed him and went back to making decorations. She leaned to the side to fetch scissors and some kind of raffia from a table. Her shirt lifted to flash a portion of a very trim stomach, and her jeans hugged her backside. With her hair tied in a ponytail, she was both cute and sexy. She stretched once more, and he was leaning more to the sexy part, about then.

  "You're staring, Ben."

  "Yeah, I guess I am.” He got to his feet as a compelling idea burst into his brain. “Are you a nice person?"

  "Pardon?" she screwed up her button nose.

  "Do you eat with a knife and fork, and are you pleasant to be around?"

  Her eyes widened. "Are you having some sort of breakdown? Should I call someone?"

  Ben grinned. He liked her spirit, and he could have phrased it better. Especially to a stranger. "I really do need your help."

  "Look, I've got my hands full and I'm new to this, so let me get on with my work and find someone else to annoy."

  "Jenna! For goodness' sake."

  She turned to face a woman who was all shades of pink, and yelled back. "What now?"

  The embarrassed woman pointed at him. "That's the boss, Benjamin Knight. The owner of this place."

  "Oh."

  Ben watched her study him. “Actually, my mother is the owner.”

  The cursory look she'd given before made way for a more interested one. Here it comes, he thought. Once a woman knew he had money, the dynamics changed and suddenly he became more appealing, which did little for his ego.

  "Well, sir. I respectfully suggest you let me get on with this, otherwise your wedding might not be ready for tomorrow, and my sister may be inclined to kill me."

  Renee gasped, while Ben couldn’t help laughing at Jenna's attempt at civility, while maintaining her unimpressed stance. She was right back in the cute category.

  "It's okay," he waved at Renee. "I'll leave her to it in a minute. I just need her advice on something, if that's all right?"

  "Ah. Sure, Mr. Knight."

  Renee, who appeared to be charge of everything
except Jenna, went back to the job of checking the rest of the paraphernalia that Sarah had demanded for her wedding.

  Ben was more determined to get Jenna to say yes to him.

  "Now that we've established I'm not a weirdo, will you help me?"

  Embarrassed that she'd been so short with him, Jenna had done the only thing she could, and that was to carry on in the same vein. After all, just because he was rich didn't mean that he could insinuate himself on her, especially since he was getting married tomorrow.

  "I’m not sure anything of the kind has been established, but what do you have in mind?"

  What could he want that wouldn't be out of line for a rich dude? A quick fondle behind the tent? Help to rob a bank? No, it wasn’t likely he needed money.

  His blue eyes twinkled, and with surprise she realized that Ben was rather handsome. Hot actually. Very. Pity he was spoken for. Even if he wasn’t, he was way out of her league.

  "I need a date."

  Jenna ripped the paper bouquet right down the middle. "Now look what you made me do."

  "I only asked . . ."

  "I heard you. Don't be ridiculous. I can’t date you."

  "Actually, it wouldn't even be a date, and I'm desperate."

  Jenna folded her arms. "Charming. On so many levels."

  He gave her a wry grin. "Sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

  Ben had a great smile. Jenna dug her fingernails into her palm. There was no way she was going down that track again. Good-looking did not equate to good anything else. Nor did having more money than a person knew what to do with it

  "Don't you think it's incredibly tacky to be hitting on me when you’re about to get married tomorrow?" she glared at him.

  "What? Oh, you didn’t know. This is my sister's wedding. I promise I’m not hitting on you, but I really do need a date."

  This was marginally better, but not enough to make a difference. "As flattered as I am, no thanks." She stood up to collect more paper flowers.

  "Hear me out. Please."

  He was so earnest, Jenna stopped trying to wrestle a new bunch out of the box. "Make it quick then. As you can see, I’ve got a lot to do."