My Billionaire Fling by Maci Dillon
SOPHIA
“Sophia, what the fuck is going on?” Jarett yells through the phone.
Shit.
What time is it?
I wipe the sleep from my eyes as I roll out of bed. The room is still dark, and Gabe stirs as I try to compose my thoughts.
“Why aren’t you answering your door?”
I intended to call Jarett and Roman once we arrived home from dinner last night, except Gabe made me a slave to his body until the early hours of this morning when we finally passed out.
“I’m not at my apartment.”
I haven’t even mentioned Gabe is back in town yet.
“Where the hell are you? Your so-called engagement video is all over the fucking internet.”
Fuckity fuck.
Oh yeah, about that.
“I guess I have some news to share with you all, but I need to get ready for work. We’ll fill you in on everything tonight at Maximum.”
“We? You’re bringing Gabe to our family catch-up?”
“Seriously, Jarett. You’re bringing Kassidy, yes?”
“That’s different. I love Kassidy. And so do you!”
“And I lo… like Gabe.” Glancing behind me, I know Gabe is pretending to be asleep, and I feel like an ass. Storming to the kitchen to brew some coffee, I whisper, “I love my reputation and my company, Jarett.”
Exasperated, Jarett continues, “I know, Soph. But Saturday, you denied dating the guy, Sunday he declares to the world that you’re getting married, and three days later, there’s a live video with over two million views on the web of him proposing to you in public. And again, we’re the last to know anything. Kassidy says you’ve not even mentioned anything to her, and a week ago, you two were joined at the hip.”
“Okay, I get it. It’s been a crazy few days. Things are happening faster than I’m able to keep up with, and frankly, my main concern is clearing my name in the media. But I do feel terrible that I’ve not kept you all in the loop. I’m sorry.”
I have some serious groveling to do, starting with a call to Kassidy.
“I’ll see you tonight and promise to tell you everything.”
“Seems like tonight will be full of important announcements.”
I place the milk on the counter and stop what I’m doing. “What do you mean?”
“You didn’t get the group message from Roman last night?”
Gah. No. “Sorry, I was a little preoccupied celebrating my engagement,” I add dryly.
“Please, spare me the details. Roman wants to discuss something with us tonight. No idea what but he said he has some happy news to share.”
“Ooh, I wonder what it could be. I’ll see you tonight, J.”
Gabe sneaks up behind me as I’m pouring the coffee. “I guess we should’ve announced it to your family earlier?”
As I turn to face him, I whimper at the sight of the toned naked man who has me trapped in his arms. “Yes, but you can make it up to them tonight. You’re coming to Maximum with me.”
He trails wet kisses up the side of my neck, eliciting a moan. “Wouldn’t dream of missing it.”
Before I end up back in bed with him, I escape his classic morning seduction routine and take my coffee. After I slip out onto the terrace, I tie my robe at the waist.
It’s strange waking up with his ring on my finger. Our nights spent together in New York and Paris were vastly different than they are now. Jarett’s right, it’s only been a matter of days, and we’ve moved from a secret fling to a public engagement.
My body shudders at the thought of what today’s news will entail.
I open my phone, and dial Kassidy’s number.
“Hello, stranger,” she answers after the third ring, raising my guilt level by another bar.
“Don’t you start. My brother is already pissed at me.”
“Nah, he’s hurt that you didn’t involve him. He’ll be fine. Me, though, I don’t accept not having all the details.” I’ve missed Kassidy’s laugh. From the moment I met her, I’m pretty sure I fell in love with her as quickly as Jarett did. When I begged her to stay an extra week to be at my fortieth, I never could’ve imagined she’d remain here for a year.
Surprised doesn’t even begin to cover my reaction when the revelation hit that my sexy younger man fling was the man who offered her a position and was the reason for her staying. Kassidy and Jarett are perfect together, and I couldn’t be happier for them both.
If only Jarett can find it in his heart to show me the same support with Gabe.
“And I don’t mean the details you’ll be willing to share tonight with your brothers present,” she adds, bringing me back to the present.
“Like you openly told me about you and Jarett, you mean?”
“He’s your brother, did you really want the ins and outs of our time together?”
Negative.
“Okay, you win. Of course not. But Gabe is your boss, so…”
“Fine. Keep your lips sealed. I don’t want to imagine him naked when I see him next.”
I laugh hard. “I promise you he’s picture-perfect in all the right places.”
“Enough!” Kassidy groans. “Forget I mentioned it.”
“You know, if you’d told him about the two of you before your birthday, his reaction would’ve been extremely different.”
“Agreed.” I sigh as Gabe relaxes onto the lounger next to me. “Gabe suggested we tell them before the party, but I was stubborn. We weren’t exactly dating, so I didn’t see the point.”
We lived in separate cities and hooked up when he visited. It hardly seemed like I needed to expose my sex life to them.
“Perhaps Gabe suggested this because he knew Jarett.”
“Something I wasn’t aware of until that night either.”
“Yes, I know that, but does Jarett?”
God, what a clusterfuck. Could this world get any smaller?
“You’re right. I’ll clear that up with him.” With a glance over at Gabe, I realize it’s not a conversation we ever got around to having.
“Great, see you tonight. Oh, and happy engagement.”
Chuckling, I thank her and end the call.
Gabe is staring at me when I place the phone beside me and caffeinate.
“Kassidy raised a valid point, you know.”
“And what’s that?”
“You were insistent about meeting Jarett and Roman before my birthday, and you know, telling them about us.”
“If I remember correctly, you refused to acknowledge we were anything more than a casual fuck. Your words, not mine.”
I choose to ignore him, and ask the question I should’ve wanted the answer to in the beginning. “You knew Jarett was my brother and you were in business together. Why didn’t you tell me?”
What was the point of keeping it a secret?
It’s hard to keep my head out of the gutter when he stretches his legs the full length of the lounge, and his nakedness is shielded only be a pair of boxer shorts.
“It wasn’t my place to mention our relationship to Jarett. And as you reminded me, our idea of the relationship was varied. I wanted to have the conversation before the party because of my business relationship with Jarett. I should’ve told you, but I didn’t think it mattered to you if I knew him or not.”
Silently, I accept his answer.
It wouldn’t have made any difference to me if I knew.
But in hindsight, Jarett wouldn’t have felt out of place or on edge about us if it hadn’t come as such a shock to him. Granted, he learned of us at the same time he realized Kassidy’s new boss was also the man on my arm. I understand how he may have felt a little blindsided by it all.
Gabe’s phone blares to life, and I instantly recognize his dreamy voice from last night. “Let me see,” I tell him, moving to crouch down beside him to view our viral engagement ruse.
Wow.
Emotions bubble in my chest as I watch both of us at that moment. I look so happy. Even knowing the proposal wasn’t real, there isn’t a doubt in my mind we appear one hundred and fifty percent in love and committed to each other.
My gaze wanders to Gabe, who’s watching me intently, a warmth in his eyes I’ve only seen a few times. “We look great together, don’t you think?”
To suppress my tears, I fake a cough and lean in to kiss him. But one kiss isn’t enough. I crawl over him until I’m sitting in his lap, my fingers tracing his abs as I devour his lips, and I tease him with my tongue until we’re both moaning and I feel Gabe rising to attention beneath me. Tenderly, he brushes my morning hair behind my ears and cups my head in his hands as he explores my coffee-flavored mouth.
“I love you, Sophia.”
His words whispered into our kiss threaten every defensive wall I’ve ever built around my heart to come crumbling down.
“Gabe,” I whisper roughly.
“Shh, don’t say anything. Just make love to me on the terrace. Right here, right now.”
He doesn’t have to ask me twice.
