Love Me Billionaire Boxset

by L A Pepper

  “You do?” He nodded and I couldn’t help but fall into his arms and press my face into his neck. He made me feel safe. “I want to earn your trust, Jordan. I want to be honest with you from now on. I hated it. I hated lying to you so much. I tried to keep from falling in love with you. You know I did. I tried to keep you at a distance and I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay away from you because…because I love you so much.” His heartbeat was strong and sure and warm, but he didn’t say anything. “Please, Jordan. Please let me. Give me another chance.”

  He nuzzled my hair with his nose. “Stay with me tonight,” he whispered into my ear. I couldn’t speak. I nodded. Anything he wanted. Anything.

  We didn’t speak in the car. He focused on driving and I let the city lights wash over me as we sped past them, letting the fear and anxiety of the night melt out of me. Halfway home, he slid his hand over the console and took mine, holding it. Just holding it. With no words needed, because maybe we just needed silence, just needed to be there, in each other’s company, each processing what had happened and all that it meant.

  When we got to his apartment, we still hadn’t spoken, connected by our hands only until the elevator door slid shut behind us.

  He pulled me into him and wrapped his arms around me. “I want to start over.”

  He felt so right. I pressed myself up against his hard chest, ran my hands over his broad shoulders and around his neck. I let my fingers play in his hair, and then I looked into his deep blue eyes, shadowed with sadness and pain. “I want that too, Jordan. I want to start all over with you, without any lies. I want to tell you everything about myself and let you know who I really am. I want you.”

  “It has to be without lies. This has to be honest between us. No more secrets. When I realized you were spying on me? It tore me apart. I thought what we had was real. It nearly killed me when I realized it was all a lie.”

  “Oh, Jordan. That was the whole problem. My problem. Because I was supposed to be lying and I couldn’t. I won’t lie anymore. I can’t. I couldn’t lie to you and I couldn’t hold myself back. So I spoiled my investigation because I was so freaking in love with you!”

  “Wow. You risked your whole career for me?” He grinned, and nudged me into a smile.

  “I can’t believe they still want to hire me as a translator.”

  “A translator? I thought you were a private detective.”

  “That was just the job I could get, because I got pregnant before I finished my degree. I speak English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and Farsi.”

  “You what now? I can barely speak French and I have cousins in actual France. And, Farsi? You are a lot more than just a hot piece of ass, that’s for sure. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. It was something I held in reserve. Spy stuff.” I wrinkled my nose. “I’m so glad I don’t have to do that anymore. No more trying to be the hot girl and trapping creepy guys. That was so horrible, Jordan.”

  “You liked pretending to be my girlfriend, better, right? You made a federal issue of your love for me. I feel kind of flattered.”

  “I wasn’t pretending.” I slapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t make fun of me.”

  “Okay.” He swooped in and kissed me. The kiss was so sweet. It was a new beginning. One without any secrets. It was gentle and soft. He pulled away.

  “All I’ve wanted for a month was you, and all life seemed to be conspiring against us.”

  “Conspiracy.” Jordan laughed and tightened his arms around my waist, pressing my body against his. And I liked it. “That’s funny. There was actual conspiracy tonight.”

  “A lot of conspiracy. Tons. Your family is rough, Jordan. Like. Really rough.”

  “Tell me about it. I told you. Why do you think I didn’t want to come back here?”

  “I get it now. Wise decision.”

  We looked at each other and just started laughing. And laughing. We couldn’t stop. We fell against the wall, leaning up against each other, barely able to catch our breaths until finally the hysterics died down.

  He was petting my back, and I was breathing his scent in, my nose pressed to his collarbone.

  “It’s been such a long day,” I said into his skin.

  “Would you like to come to bed with me and forget all about it?”

  I breathed in a huge breath of air and then let it out slowly. “I really, really would. And I’d like to forget all about work, yours and mine.”

  “And families, yours and mine,” he added.

  “Just for tonight.” I had to laugh. “I already told my grandma I’d be working all night. She was disappointed I wasn’t going to be with you.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone. Come on.” He took my hand and led me to his bedroom, the bedsheets still rumpled from our activities earlier that night. I couldn’t believe that it had been this same night. I felt like I’d lived a couple of lifetimes in this one day.

  His hands fell to my shoulders. “Hey, now, stop it. You’re getting tense again. We’re going to forget everything right now. And we’re going to lay down, and just be.”

  “Just be? That’s it? Nothing more?”

  “Just you and me. Honest.” He smirked. “Naked. Touching. Just be.”

  “That actually sounds really, really great.” I caught his eyes and pulled off my sweat jacket. It made a soft thump on the floor.

  “Definitely a great idea.” He helped me pull my t-shirt over my head and it followed the jacket onto the pile on the floor. Before he could get started on my pants, I went for his shirt and before we could make any plans for the rest, we’d both fallen into bed, sneakers kicked across the room and my bra getting flung a little too hard. We settled, laughing softly into each other’s arms, until it was just smooth skin and soft breaths and gentle caresses.

  “That feels so nice,” I said, barely able to focus.

  “You feel nice.” His voice was soft. Murmuring.

  “Are you falling asleep?” I asked him, before realizing that my eyes were closed. I struggled to open them. His eyes were closed too. I grinned. I liked seeing him with his eyes closed. I’d never seen him falling asleep before. It was intimate. It was real.

  “MMm-no. Want to make love to you.”

  “Yes, you are falling asleep,” I said through my grin. I ran my fingers through his hair. It was as soft as silk.

  “But I want to make love. To start over...because I love you.”

  “How ‘bout we sleep, together. Naked, and honest. And then in the morning, we make love.”

  “You’ll stay here?”

  “Mmhmm. In your arms all night. I love it here.”

  “What a good idea.” He tucked me into his chest, so I could hear his heart and he could hold onto me. And everything felt right with the world.

  “I love you,” I said, before falling asleep.

  “I love you, too,” he murmured. “Always.”

  * * *

  The next morning, that was exactly what happened. I woke up to Jordan nuzzling at my neck, his fingers teasing me to a peak even before I fully opened my eyes and then we made love in a daze of sunlight pouring through the windows and soft cotton sheets, and his delicious skin and the sounds of his moaning and the feel of his mouth on mine. “Jordan,” I whimpered because there were no other words. He was everything.

  And as he entered me and drove me higher, we reaffirmed our love for each other between kisses and moans until we were limp in each other’s arms. When we got up, I discovered that penthouse showers are amazing, and they have room for two which was fun.

  Jordan had the best coffee ever and one of those fancy professional-grade coffee machines. I also discovered that when I stole one of his old t-shirts to wear with my jeans, it nearly drove him crazy seeing me wearing his clothes, which was definitely something good to explore in the future, especially since I loved wearing his shirt and being able to smell him on my skin. I didn’t want to leave him, although I knew I ha
d to go. I didn’t think he wanted me to leave either.

  He looked at me as we sat in the kitchen, drinking his marvelous coffee. “Can I drive you home?”

  My heart swelled three sizes at the hopeful look on his face. He didn’t think I wanted him to drive me home. He was so used to me placing walls between us, asking to drive me home seemed to be a large request.

  I reached for his hand and pulled it into my lap. “How would you feel about coming up to meet my Abuela and you could drive me and Trini back to my apartment.”

  His indrawn breath showed his surprise. “You want them to know we’re together?”

  I brought his hand to my lips and kissed his knuckles. “I want everyone to know we’re together. No secrets. This is real.”

  He nodded and we walked the few blocks to Abuela’s apartment. It wasn’t at all like Jordan’s penthouse. It was in a small, old walk-up apartment building. Abuela had lived there for fifty years, and it showed.

  When we knocked on the door, Abuela invited us in. And Jordan charmed the pants off of her.

  “Mija, I thought you said you were working last night?” Abuela pulled me aside as Trini, delighted by Jordan’s presence, had claimed him to explain to him the latest twists in her favorite TV show.

  “I was working. It was…it was a long night and very complicated, but I guess we’re dating now.”

  “You guess?”

  I sighed and bit my lip. “No. We’re dating. You’re right. I’ve been afraid to let myself have this.”

  “And…”

  I sighed again, and her eyebrows went halfway up her head. “And we worked it out. And I’m letting myself have him. He’s such a good man, Abuela. He loves children. He’s honest.”

  Her eyes went wide. “You’re in love with him. I knew it. I like him already. Bring him around more often. I don’t get enough handsome men visiting me.”

  “Abuela, you can’t have him. He’s taken.” I teased. But it wasn’t long before we packed Trini up and got into Jordan’s car and made the drive out to our apartment.

  Trini was thrilled. Absolutely thrilled that he was there, that I was seeing him. I would have told her not to get her hopes up, but my hopes were up, too. Way up.

  Jordan was it. They’d all been right. He was meant for me. He was my true love. My soulmate. And I was going to let myself have him.

  Epilogue: Jordan

  “Jordan! Come on! The fireworks are about to start.” Trini grabbed my hand and yanked, pulling me away from the last sip of a truly fine glass of wine. We’d just had a lovely dinner at this cafe, but apparently, it was time to move on to the main event of the night. I was looking forward to it.

  Alex stood behind her watching us with a huge smile, beautiful with her hair loose and flowing, wearing a sundress that made my blood heat up. I knew she’d make fun of me in a matter of moments for dragging my feet. I didn’t care. I loved it when she teased me. I winked at her and took that last swallow of wine, keeping her gaze all the while.

  This was our celebration trip. I’d packed the whole family up for a trip to Paris, because my father and brothers had been sentenced to jail and my mother and I were free and I was with Alex. And happy.

  As far as I was concerned, we were a family. I’d given that bachelor’s penthouse to my mother, now that she was a single woman for the first time in her adult life, and bought a sprawling apartment a few blocks up the street with sunsets that were just as spectacular. But mostly, I’d bought it because it was big enough for Alex to move in with me along with Trini. There was even a mother-in-law suite for Abuela who just loved living in such a fancy apartment. She’d said that I was her grandson now, and I couldn’t be happier. I finally had a family that wasn’t full of secrets and suspicion.

  “Are you coming to see the fireworks with us, Abuela?” I asked, interrupting her French lesson with the three older Parisian men, who thought she was enchanting.

  “Fireworks? If you’ve seen one fireworks display you’ve seen them all, mijo.” She waved me away. “In Paris or New York, who cares? I don’t get this in New York.” She poured some of the fine wine into her glass and smiled at her court of older gentlemen. I shook my head in amazement. Like grandmother, like granddaughter. I was so glad they were mine.

  “Jordan! Abuela already said she wasn’t coming. Come on!” Trini was impatient. She was adorable. I was glad she was mine, too.

  “I must go,” I said. “The ladies demand my presence.” Trini pulled me away from the café with a round of au revoirs, and she ran ahead of us down the avenue.

  Alex came to me and tucked her hand into the crook of my arm. I kissed her cheek, because I could never bear to be near her without kissing her. She ducked her head, pleased.

  I’d been to Paris before, of course, but I’d never been in love in Paris; it was a much different place, and lived up to its name as the city of love. Even when you had a nine-year-old girl running ahead of you. The night was falling and all around the city lights were coming on. Everything glittered. Especially the woman at my side. Her smile never failed to swell my heart with love.

  Trini squealed and jumped up and down with the three girls she’d found. Next to them, a chic woman in a tailored dress sat in a folding chair. My mother was enjoying herself, being the grandmother to her group of young semi-grandchildren.

  We had arrived just in time. The first blooms of fireworks went up.

  “This is a fabulous view of the Eiffel tower,” Alex said, leaning her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her softness to me.

  “Trini says the cousins scoped out this spot and saved it for us.”

  “The cousins huh? She knows they’re not really her cousins, right?”

  “Sweetheart, they’re barely my cousins. Third cousins once removed I think.” I kissed her hair and hugged her body closer to mine while the sparkling fireworks went off. She cuddled into me. “I don’t think she cares all that much. My mother decided they were cousins. So now they’re cousins.”

  Alex chuckled and pointed her chin at the four girls and the older woman who was now trying to get the girls to pose for a picture in front of the fireworks. “Your mother is a riot.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. She’s decided that since I’m taking too long to have grandchildren, she’ll take Trini for her granddaughter.”

  She laughed again. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. Trini loves Sonia.”

  “Or we could make it official.”

  A barrage of fireworks went up. I watched her watch them. Then she got a crinkle between her eyebrows. “What?” she said, and turned to me.

  I took the little blue velvet box out of my pocket. “We could make it official. Be a family.” I opened the box to show her the rose cut pink diamond ring. “Marry me?”

  She half-raised her hand to the ring before looking at me.

  “Jordan?” she asked, as if she couldn’t believe it. How could she not believe? Did she not understand that she was my life?

  “The first time I saw you, there was something about you. I saw fireworks.”

  She blinked at me. “You did not.”

  I nodded. “I did. I knew you were it for me. I didn’t understand what that meant, yet, but I knew. Even through everything we went through, I knew. It was always you.”

  She raised her hand to my face and pressed a kiss to my lips. “I love you.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “It most certainly is.” There was that big smile again.

  I took the ring and slid it onto her finger and she grabbed my neck with her hand brought me down for a full-body kiss. “I love you so much, Jordan,” she said.

  “Good, because you’re stuck with me now. You’ll never get rid of me.”

  She sighed against my lips. “That’s exactly everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  About L.A. Pepper

  Like you, LA loves contemporary romance stories and is an avid reader.

  She's had her heart broken by
her true love, yet is still addicted to happily ever after endings!

  When LA is not writing about the next bad boy billionaire, contemporary romance novel, she enjoys a glass of Chianti, raclette with her girlfriends, spin classes, and watching the sunrise every morning!

  She is a self-proclaimed desperate housewife and lives in a cul-de-sac of excitement, drama, and love stories. Many of her outlines are inspired here.

  LA was given her nickname by one of her teenage daughters, and it stuck with friends and family!

  Leanne lives in Canada with her husband, and 4 children!

  She would love to connect with you!

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