Tempting the Billionaire by J.A. Low

1

Audrey

“Idon’t want to go,” I moan, searching through my never ending closest. “I don’t have anything to wear,” I grumble staring at the overflowing cascade of designer outfits. My two best friends Rainn and Nell stare at me as if I have lost my marbles.

“What about this?” Nell pulls out a gorgeous mint green couture cocktail dress.

“I’ve already worn that.” Grabbing my phone, I scroll through my feed until I find the picture I’m looking for, then turn it around and show her. Nell lets out a defeated sigh.

“Why haven’t you archived it yet then?” Nell asks.

“Because I don’t have room. I need my own place,” I huff, slumping down on my king-sized bed.

“There’s a townhouse for sale next door to me,” Rainn tells me. Nell and I look at each other burst out laughing. I love Rainn, she is one of the most genuinely beautiful and positive people you will ever know but her granola loving, zero waste, yoga and health guru ways are vastly different to mine. Nell and I are more comfortable on the Upper East Side. “Hey.” Rainn pouts looking at the two of us.

“I love you Rainn.” I snicker. “But I don’t think I’m trendy enough for your suburb,” I tell her. She shakes her head while rolling her eyes at me.

“Aud, it’s a ten-million-dollar townhouse,” she tells me. And maybe I’m a snob but I love living up in the Upper East Side. Rainn sees my face and grins.

“I know, babe. It’s gorgeous down there. And you’d get so much more for your money. It would be a good investment.” The words tumble out of my mouth which makes Rainn laugh.

“I get it, Aud. You like it up this end of town better,” she adds.

“I do. I really do.”

“Why would Audrey leave this amazing apartment to live on her own?” Nell adds. It’s probably for the best that I’m not living on my own because last time Nell and I lived on our own we practically burnt down our dorm due to us lighting candles and leaving the window open. One large gust of wind and woosh the synthetic curtains went up in flames. Our parents had to donate a basketball court for our mishap; the school didn’t want to take any more chances with us so after that we both had to move back home with our parents.

I’ve known Rainn and Nell my entire life. We started kindergarten together, then moved through all levels of schooling until we all graduated from Columbia a couple of years ago.

We are all influencers (I hate that word). Rainn has the holistic health and fitness area covered. She can be seen in various yoga poses in exotic locations around the world, as well as whipping up the most delicious vegan feast. She also showcases how living a zero-waste, minimalistic life doesn’t mean you can’t live luxuriously. Her family comes from a long line of hippies, where they made their money in eastern medicine for rich people.

Then there’s Nell, she is the complete opposite to Rainn. She is obsessed with horses and comes from a prestigious Argentine polo family. They breed horses for polo up in Bridgehampton a couple hours from us and down in Wellington in Florida. They also have a stud in Argentina too where Nell’s dad is from. She looks like she’s stepped off a Ralph Lauren catalogue, with her all-American cascading blonde hair, blue eyes, and gorgeous olive skin. Nell’s life is pretty much the epitope of East Coast society.

Then there’s me, Audrey Davenport.

My parents are divorced, and it wasn’t good. My dad knocked up his assistant, along with a million other infidelities he has had behind Mom’s back. My father, and brother, Stanford, run a prestigious architecture firm. My oldest brother Rhys, runs his own luxurious boutique hotel company with his best friend Stirling Hartford. I still live at home at the age of twenty-four which I know is bad, but Mom has her own personal chef, housekeepers, and an on-call masseuse. Urgh, even mentally complaining about my life makes me sound like a bitch. Yes, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth and yes, I know it’s time to fly the coop. I just… like making excuses, I guess. Mom needed me over the years dealing with all the shit Dad had put her through, but now she’s in a good spot and she doesn’t need to lean on me as much anymore. But with Rhys in London and Stanford being Team Dad, I’m all she has at the moment.

“When Rhys gets back from London. I think I might start looking,” I confess to my friends. “Then Mom won’t feel so alone, cause Rhys will be back.”

“Really?” Nell seems surprised.

“That’s awesome,” Rainn adds.

“Plus, you know it’s hard to hook up with guys under your mom’s roof.” The girls giggle at my comment.

“How are things with David going? Still in the honeymoon stage?” Rainn asks.

David’s my boyfriend of three months and he’s a male fitness model. We met at an influencer party. Even saying that word makes me want to break out in hives, along with the other terms like socialite or society princess. I thought he was hot because I have eyes. Then he took his top off and yeah, I practically melted when I saw what was underneath his clothes. Superficial for sure, but once I got to know what was under the hot package, I realized he was a cool guy.

Plus, he understands when I have to stop and take a photo out the front of an epic building or during a delicious lunch. He understands I have paid jobs where I have to spend all day creating the perfect look for a five-minute shoot. Most people don’t get it and think I’m self-absorbed, and maybe I am. But if I can get my millions of followers to donate to my mom’s foundation, then it’s worth it. I do all this self-promotion to help raise money so we can change people’s lives.

“Going good. He called me this afternoon he and Dior arrived in Bora Bora. And he made me so jealous with the photos he sent through of his villa. That water looks unbelievable.”

Dior is the last member of our squad, she’s a model too. Nell met her on a photoshoot, and they clicked. She mostly models swimsuits. Her timeline is filled with photos of her in barely there outfits while in exotic locations. She introduced David and I as they both work for the same swimwear label. That’s the reason the two of them are in Bora Bora together to shoot the next campaign.

“I saw her photos. Amazing,” Nell adds.

“Why didn’t you go?” Rainn asks.

“David’s working,” I tell her.

“But you were able to go to the Turks and Caicos last month with him,” Rainn questions.

“He didn’t ask this time. So, I assume he wasn’t going to have as much time to hang out like he did in the Turks.” I shrug, turning to my closet and scrolling through my dresses.

“Why?” I ask Rainn. Turning back around to where she’s sitting on the edge of the bed.

“No reason. Just thought he would have. You two have been kind of inseparable.” Rainn grins.

“Maybe the space is a good thing. Things have moved quickly between us. Don’t they say absence makes the heart grow fonder or something like that?” I tell her as I grab a cute pink Dolce & Gabbana dress and hold it up in front of me in the mirror.

“Did you see the photo of Stirling on Page Six with that model on his arm?” Nell asks, changing the subject.

I still at the mention of my brother’s best friend and business partner’s name. We’ve all had a crush on Stirling and his gorgeous brothers Remington and Miles growing up. They were quite a bit older than us but that didn’t stop us from checking them out. Especially during the Davenport Foundation Ball, where they were dressed in their designer tuxedos and looked liked models straight out of our fashion magazines.

“Have you seen him much since Rhys has left?” Rainn asks.

“No. Why would I?” My voice raises an octave too high.

Rainn holds up her hands in the air. “Just checking.” She eyes me suspiciously.

“No. He’s busy. He’s holding the fort down while Rhys is away,” I explain, turning around and looking at them. The girls understand the shit my brother has been going through with his divorce from the gold-digging wife, Madison.

“I wouldn’t mind falling down some stairs to see Miles Hartford again,” Nell rambles off in her own little world. Miles Hartford is the second oldest of the boys and is an ER doctor, which according to Nell makes him even hotter.

“It didn’t work last time,” Rainn adds, which makes us both giggle thinking of when Nell sprained her ankle and made us drive across town so she could be seen at Miles’s emergency room.

“How was I supposed to know he changed shifts with someone that day?” Nell groans.

“The question should be how did you know when his shifts were?” My eyes narrow on her, and Nell gives me a sheepish grin.

“How’s Remi then?” Rainn teases Nell.

Remington Hartford the youngest of the Hartford brothers and the polo scene’s biggest playboy. He also happens to be Nell Garcia’s enormous and hottest thorn in her side. They have known each other for most of their lives as their families have been long time friends, and when Remington decided to pursue polo professionally, the Garcia family took Remi in with them when he was a teenager and brought him up the ranks of the polo world. With his good looks Remington is a hot commodity in the Polo world and also the modeling world with big brand sponsorship deals selling everything from watches to alcohol.

“I’ve always thought he was kind of cute,” Rainn teases Nell. Every time Nell and Remi are in the same room together there is sparks. We think they need to bang and get the sexual tension between them out of the way.

“Ew, he’s like my brother,” Nell grumbles while making gagging sounds.

“I don’t agree with the sport of polo but seeing Remi in a pair of tight white jodhpurs would make me rethink my stand on veganism.” Rainn giggles.

“They’re called breeches actually,” Nell corrects her not too happy about Rainn’s teasing. Rainn groans and falls dramatically against the bed making me laugh.

“Fine. Remi looks hot in his breeches. There I’ve said it, are you happy?” Nell rolls her eyes at us all. “But I still think Miles is the hotter brother,” she adds poking her tongue at us all.

“Come on Audrey, we’re going to be beyond fashionably late for this party,” Nell states, changing the subject from Remington Hartford.