Julia grabbed my tie, pulling me close, and then straightened it. I watched her fingers as they carefully fixed me up. And when they sifted through my hair, untangling the mess we had created, my heart stumbled.
This thing between us was more than I had wanted. More than I had been looking for, and I feared my heart was falling for her.
“There you go, good as new. No one walking in here would ever suspect you just fucked your assistant.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist and drew her in until I felt her hardening nipples against my chest.
“And what if I wanted them to? I was serious about the dinner date.”
She ignored my date request, resting her hands on my chest and looking up with confusion on her brow. “You want people to know we’re fooling around? Don’t you have a billionaire code or something? You know, keep your options open and pretend you aren’t screwing your assistant . . . That sort of thing. That’s how they always show it on TV.”
I chuckled and gave her kiss on the tip of her nose. “Do you believe everything you see on TV?”
“No. Reality shows are super fake. But those TV dramas are usually based on some true-life event.”
I took a step back and said, “So reality shows aren't real, but fiction is? That doesn’t make any sense.”
She shrugged, turned, and headed toward the door. “Laura says the same thing, but I believe there’s some truth to it. Anyway, I think Hamish will be here any minute—”
The door opened, and in walked the man himself.
“Speak of the devil,” she said.
Hamish’s smile grew. “I see Monty has been filling you in on me.”
“Yes, Mr. Diaz has been filling me . . . in.” The corner of her lips curled as she gave me a wink.
Heat traveled up my neck. I was blushing. A woman hadn’t caused me to redden like that since I was a teenager.
“That will be all, Ms. Nutters.” I nodded for her to leave before my cock hardened again.
“Yes, Mr. Diaz. I’ll be at my desk if you need anything.”
Hamish watched her go, and I had the strong urge to yell at him for looking.
What was wrong with me? I had never been this possessive over anyone I had dated.
“Excuse me, Hamish, I’ll be right back.” I threw my thumb over my shoulder toward the bathroom.
Once I was inside, I washed my hands. Then I threw some water on my face to cool down.
As I stared at my face in the mirror, I saw a man on the verge of a breakdown. What was happening to me?
I couldn’t control myself around Julia. I thought about her and our little boy all the time. She needed to know that I was Nathan’s father, but I feared if I told her, I’d lose her.
She was a smart woman, willing to do anything to protect and help her son. I knew working as an assistant for a billionaire wasn’t her dream job. Based on her résumé alone, Julia didn’t seem like the type of person who dreamed of a career in administration. She was only working for me to help our son.
There was a knock at the door.
“You fall in?” Hamish’s deep voice came out almost as loud as the knock.
I reached for the knob and opened the door, finding him standing right on the other side with his arms folded over his chest.
“No, of course not.”
“I’d ask if you were jerking off, but from the satisfied look on Ms. Nutters’ face as she left, I am sure yanking it was the last thing on your mind.”
“I’m wondering if you two aren’t twins separated at birth with how you both so casually, yet immaturely, discuss sex.”
He rubbed his chin as I walked past him and took a seat at my desk.
“Hmm, that’s an interesting theory. My dad was a bit of a womanizer, so it’s possible . . . Is she our age?”
“Actually, she’s thirty. Learned that from HR.”
Hamish moved to the chair on the other side of my desk. “That ruins your theory, as I’m twenty-nine. Speaking of birth, I guess she knows you’re the daddy, and you two were playing catch-up on all the missed sex.”
“Why are you so positive we just had sex?”
He was right, but he didn’t know that. It wasn’t as if he walked in on us. Our clothes weren’t even disheveled.
“Trust me, I can tell when a woman has recently climaxed. It’s my sixth sense. Some people can see ghosts; I can see apparitions of orgasms.”
I smirked. “Do you ever wonder if you didn’t have all that money if anyone would like you?”
“No.” He didn’t even blink. “Stop stalling. You told her you’re the father of her baby. Right?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Not exactly . . .”
“What do you mean, not exactly? It’s a yes or no question, Monty.”
“Then no.”
He stared at me before shaking his head. “Monty, you’re the good guy. Out of all of us—you, Rock, James, and me—I thought you would be the guy who’d immediately do the responsible thing if put in a situation like this. Yet, here you are pretending you only met her two weeks ago.”
I leaned forward and placed my elbows on my desk, throwing my head in my hands. “You’re right. I know you’re right.” I felt like the biggest coward on the planet. “I’m just afraid I’ll lose her if she knows.”
I lifted my head.
“How would you lose her? I think she’d be happy to have the dad to help. Not just any dad, but a billionaire baby daddy. She could quit if she wanted and have nannies. It’s the dream.”
I rolled my eyes. Despite both of us being billionaires, Hamish grew up in a very different world than me. He’d always been a billionaire, as his father was wealthy before him, whereas my family grew up scraping by in life.
“Maybe with the company you keep, but I have a feeling Julia wouldn’t like that. She’s different.”
He scratched his head and scooted forward in the chair. “Really? Now I’m even more interested in her.”
I glared at him, my eyes telling him to back off.
He held up his hands. “Obviously not in that way, but if she has a sister, I wouldn’t mind—”
“Rock is dating her sister Laura, the chef at The Blue Chip.”
“Right, I met her. She’s beautiful and talented. Damn, you Diaz brothers get the good ones. She doesn’t have another sister, does she?” He crossed his fingers. This man was so juvenile sometimes.
“Yes. But she’s fresh out of college. Rock told me she just graduated. A little young, but you might just be immature enough for her. I’ve met her, and now I’m wondering if she might be too mature for you, despite being younger.”
“Okay, so here’s what you do.” Hamish waved his hands around as if about to impart great wisdom. “You get Rock to make Laura throw a dinner party, inviting all the Nutters sisters. Then I show up, impressing the hell out of the youngest while also talking up your maturity and telling Julia how great of a father you’d be, and everyone is happy by night's end.”
Not only was he immature, he was apparently a simpleton too.
“This isn’t a fairy tale. That won’t work.”
He leaned back and clasped his fingers together like an evil villain in a movie. “Oh, it will. Trust me.”
“I will try to convince her to go on a date with me. I’m sure I can bring it up then. Maybe after a glass of wine, she might be more willing to accept me as Nathan’s father.”
And less likely to wonder why I said nothing right away.
Hamish groaned, “Fine, but I like my idea better.”
Chapter 18
Julia
“I’VE LIVED IN THIS area all my life, and I never knew this restaurant existed,” I said, glancing around the small, wood-paneled private dining room.
Monty shrugged, his charcoal suit accentuating his dark honeyed skin. It was another perfectly tailored suit that hugged all the parts of his body I loved to admire.
“Hamish told me about it. It was a bit of a drive, but I thought
it would be perfect for our first date.” He reached over the white-clothed table and placed his hand over mine. His thumb rubbed my wrist, sending shivers up my arm.
“I’ve never had rose petal panna cotta and lavender shortbread before—and my sister is a chef. I must let Laura know about it.”
I wasn’t thinking of my sister while lifting a forkful of the decadent pastry to my lips. My mind was focused on one thing and one thing only: Monty’s cock.
When he mentioned the date earlier on Tuesday, I was surprised and brushed it off. I wasn’t one of those women who assumed because a guy was fucking you that he wanted more. I liked the freedom of fooling around with men and being able to walk away if I felt like it.
But there was something about Monty that made me curious. I wanted to learn more about him. And, as barbaric as it sounded, I got a little thrill when he went all caveman on Hamish, acting as if I were his.
I could only assume it was the new-mother hormones raging inside me. The doctor told me I’d be even more hormonal in the weeks following the birth than I was while pregnant. That had to be it.
All week he kept asking about the date, and finally, on Friday, I relented. He was so happy when I said yes. It was like watching a little boy unwrap a toy he begged Santa for on Christmas.
“There’s a first time for everything.” He smiled. His eyes dipped to my lips as I slid the sweet treat into my mouth.
I moaned. Damn, that was amazing. Definitely going to taunt Laura. I couldn’t wait to tell her that I had the best dessert, and she didn’t make it. My sister could be competitive with her food.
“Yes, there is,” I added with excitement.
I wanted to tell him tonight that I was willing to do even more ass play. Monty wanted to fuck me in the ass, and I had been wondering all week, fantasizing about what it felt like. Tonight would be the perfect time to let him know that we should try it.
We could move our relationship forward. I knew we had only known each other two weeks, but for me, that was a long time with a guy. If we kept this up much longer, I might have to propose to him. I’d get down on my knees and ask him to wear my cock ring.
“Speaking of first times . . . I wanted to talk to you about our first time together.”
I took another bite of the dessert. It was too good to ignore. Once I swallowed, I asked, “You mean when we met or . . .” I pushed my finger through my other hand, giving the universal symbol of fucking.
He pushed my hands down. “Yes, that.”
He tried to act embarrassed, but I saw the corner of his lips curl.
“What’s to discuss? It was amazing. I’m hoping we can recreate the moment. Perhaps at your place. Maybe me on top and your ass in the air this time.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
He tilted his head. “How would that work . . .? You know what? Never mind. I won’t be distracted by your unique theories of the world again.”
I checked the door and frowned. “There’s no lock. Maybe I could give you a quick blow job under the table before the waiter comes back.”
He glanced around to the door, and by the time he turned back, I was already slipping under the table.
“Julia, no. What are you doing?” His voice went up an octave as I slid my hand up his thigh.
He lifted the tablecloth and shook his head. “Get up here. I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you, and it deteriorates into sex.”
“Yeah. So? I don’t see the problem here.” I slid my hand farther up his pants until I was slipping my fingers over the zipper.
He grabbed my hand firmly. “I took you out tonight because I like you. I enjoy spending time with you. You make me laugh, and the way you view the world is refreshing. And, yes, you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”
I bit my lip. “Thank you.”
“But that’s not the only reason I want to be with you. You have a baby. That’s important.”
I froze. Thoughts of when we first met popped into my head. He acted strangely then. Saying how he loved babies. Everyone who knew him explained he was just stressed, but maybe they were wrong about Monty. I had a strange feeling when I met him, like I had met him before. But I knew that wasn’t true.
Those goosebumps up my neck weren’t because I met him before. It was my body’s way of warning me away from the guy.
I scooted out from under the table and stood.
“What does Nathan have to do with any of this?”
“It has everything to do with this.” He stood and came over to me.
I held up my hands to stop him from touching me. “Look, I don’t need a man to take care of me and my son. I’m doing fine on my own. I have a family who cares about Nathan and me. You seem to have some hero complex or a weird fetish for MILFs.”
“I already told you I don’t have a thing for MILFs. You are the first woman I’ve been with who has had a baby.”
“So, you think because you’re a billionaire you can just swoop in and save Nathan and me?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
But when I did that, his eyes dipped to my breasts. I forgot that with this dress, and most of my clothes now, it pushed up my tits. Everything was tight on me now, especially in the chest area.
I didn’t want to wear my maternity clothes, but my pre-pregnancy clothes didn’t seem to appreciate that I could now enter a Dolly Parton lookalike contest and win.
“Not just save. Be a family.” He grinned and opened his arms wide as if he expected me to jump for joy.
And that was when it hit me. The job, the sex, the date . . . it was all part of his dream come true. When I walked into his office almost two weeks ago with a baby in my arms, asking for a job, he thought his dream was coming true.
“Oh. My. God.” I took a few steps back. “Wow. You have problems. Like real, deep therapy problems.”
I turned and plucked my purse and jacket from the chair, thankful I had refused to let that grabby hostess take it when we first arrived.
“Where are you going?” He stood there, eyes wide, watching as I moved to the door.
“I’m leaving. Nathan doesn’t need a dad. There’s no law written anywhere in the world that says he must have a dad. And if I do let a man close enough to me to meet Nathan and become part of his life, it’s because he’s a good man, not because he has money. And definitely not because he’s a liar, only out to make himself feel better.”
I opened the door and left. I didn’t look back because I was afraid he would follow me. Once I stepped out of the restaurant, I realized I had no way of getting home.
Thankfully, a cab had pulled up, dropping off a couple. I rushed forward and hopped inside. I gave the driver the address as I buckled up.
When the cab pulled away, I looked back, watching as Monty ran out of the restaurant looking for me.
Chapter 19
Monty
“WE HAVE A PROBLEM,” Rock said as I sat in his office tapping my foot on the floor.
There was a fire in the gigantic fireplace near his desk. I kept staring into the flames, hoping to discover some answers to the tough questions in my life.
But nothing came to me.
“What else is new?” I grumbled.
He stood and leaned over his desk. “I would have expected to have this type of conversation with James, not with you, Monty.”
When Julia ran out of our date two days ago, I felt hurt. I had called her, but all I got was her voicemail and unanswered texts.
I hoped to find her at her desk when I showed up for work this morning, but it was empty. The only thing awaiting me was a note on my desk from Rock telling me to come see him.
Julia must have told her sister, who then told Rock. I knew Rock wanted to do more than just yell at me. He probably wanted to punch me, but this was his office, and we weren’t kids anymore.
He did not understand how much I wished he would hit me. I could really have used a fist to my face that was so hard it would knock me out. I screwed everything up with Julia.
There was no way she would ever let me see her or Nathan.
“Tell me what happened with you and Julia?”
I sat back in the chair and stared up at him. “Do you want the whole truth or just what Julia knows?”
That surprised him. His head jerked back. “I have a feeling I will dislike the whole truth more than what I’ve heard from Julia.”
“Probably.” I nodded. “You spoke with her? How is she?”
Maybe it was the bags under my eyes from not being able to sleep the past two days that had Rock gazing at me with pity. Whatever it was, he sat back in his chair and sighed.
“She’s fine. She still works for The Blue Spot. We hired her. I explained if she wasn’t comfortable working as your assistant, I could reassign her somewhere else in the company.”
“Where?”
His brow hitched up. “That’s information you won’t be privy to. There’s a reason she doesn’t want to work for you, remember?”
I rubbed my face. “Right.”
“She told me, with Laura present, that you two have been fooling around.”
“I didn’t force her. I never made her do anything she didn’t want to do.”
Oh, dear God, I sounded like a perv.
“She told me. That wasn’t her complaint. It was your obsession with her being a mom. That’s none of your business. Her son, her life outside of The Blue Spot, is no concern of yours. I didn’t think you were like this, Monty. I have to say, it surprised me to hear what she said about you. How you wanted to save her and for you all to be a family? You’ve only known the woman for a few weeks.”
“Try ten months.”
He blinked a few times while processing what I told him. “Ten months. That’s funny because she thinks, as we all do, that you met her at Nathan’s birthday party. Which, I may add, you made a terrible impression on her because you were acting weird. I explained you weren’t normally like that. But now, with what she said, maybe I was wrong.”
I shook my head. “Yes, I acted strangely at Nathan’s party because Nathan is my son.”
Surprising the Billionaire with a Baby (Blue Ridge Mountain Billionaires Book 2) Page 11