Charmed by the Billionaire (Blue Collar Billionaires #2) - Lemmon, Jessica Page 0,90
your best damn shot. If I blow it, then you can try and get rid of me. But I deserve a chance to love you the way I know I can. The way I already do.”
Tears shimmer on the edges of my lashes and his face goes blurry. “You do?”
He gives me one of those melty Benji smiles—a real smile. A smile the likes of which I haven’t seen since the night he suggested we didn’t stop what we started.
“Duh. I was afraid to say it, and so my body made me say it. I’m torn up. A complete wreck. I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat or sleep or function if you tell me no tonight. But I love you enough to let you tell me no if you have to.” He lets out a laugh that sounds the slightest bit unsure. “I’m really hoping you don’t tell me no.”
“Why would I tell you no when I’ve been in love with you for weeks—years, probably.” I roll my eyes. “You’re my ultimate weakness.”
His lips cover mine, his arms wrapping around me and holding on tight. As I kiss him, I consider all the ways he’s shown me he loves me without saying it. Without either of us realizing what he was doing.
“We wasted too much time,” he whispers against my lips, his fingers diving into my curls. “I’ve been shortsighted. I’ve been selfish. I’ve been—”
I smother his words with another kiss he doesn’t waste any time deepening. I reach for his belt and he tugs at my clothes. Soon I’m no longer wearing my T-shirt. Then my pants are being pulled from my legs. He shucks his jeans next, and once we’re both down to our skivvies, he’s grinning, the happiest I’ve ever seen him.
He tips his head toward the pool. “Get in.”
“You have more tricks up your sleeve?” I ask as he carefully tapes a plastic covering over his fresh tattoo.
He hoists one amazing eyebrow. “Not in my sleeve.”
I dive into the deep end and then rise out of the water into rose petals, dodging the floating candles flickering on the water’s surface.
He dives in next. When he pops up, he pushes his hand through his hair and blinks long eyelashes at me. Water rolls down his cheeks, his smile permanent. He leads the way to the shallower part of the pool and I follow. When I reach him, he catches me and locks my legs around his waist.
“This is what I know for sure,” he tells me as I rest my arms on his shoulders. “I didn’t know what love was until I found you. My true north. My Firecracker. A future without you—every part of you—isn’t one I want to contemplate.”
“Same,” I say, my voice cracking.
“You’re going to have to do better than that.”
Through my own incurable smile, I oblige him. “I love you too.”
He places a gentle kiss on my lips again. “I say we start with the donuts, take a shower, work our way to the bedroom, and then we can talk about when you’re moving in.”
My head snaps back and I blink at him. “Isn’t that fast?”
“Is it? You’ve already raised three kids. You’re an empty nester. What are you waiting for?”
I laugh. He makes a very good point. “I can’t think of a single reason to say no. I mean, you were my first.”
“Your first,” he says, his voice a low possessive growl. “And your last.”
We make out for a while longer in the pool. Until the thick ridge of his erection is nudging my center and we’re both out of breath. We skip the donuts and shower and go straight to the bedroom. After a sweaty round of the best makeup sex ever, we circle back and check the other two items off the list at the same time.
While sitting on the bench in the stone-walled shower enjoying our crème-filled donuts, Benji talks about the way life will look once I move in. And the photos of us we’ll take and hang on the walls.
He promises to make frames for them.
Turn the page for a preview of Once Upon a Billionaire
Once Upon a Billionaire [Preview]
CHAPTER ONE
Vivian
Vivian Vandemark isn’t my real name.
It sounds fancy, though, doesn’t it? That alliteration of both Vs is to die for and reminds me of a classy label on clothing. Vandemark could have been the next Gucci. Maybe in another life.
I changed my name because my actual last name has been tainted by the man