by Mia Caldwell
“How old do you think I am?”
“It’s not that. I mean, I can’t believe she’d turn you down for a reason like that,” Piper explained. “You two are involved, aren’t you? A little May-December romance?”
“No, but I wouldn’t mind it,” Sasha said.
“But she’s kind of ... well ... I mean, she’s kind of lar—”
“Be careful, Piper. Back off Mrs. Best or I’ll kick your scrawny—”
“Time for a break!” Dirk squealed.
Someone in the control booth wised up and cut off Sasha’s and Piper’s microphones. The camera zoomed in on Dirk’s shining face. Jada could still hear Sasha and Piper arguing in the background, but couldn’t make out the words.
“Before we go to commercial,” Dirk added, “I want to send a shout out to CGTV’s new owner, Buckley Holdings. It’s our three-month anniversary, and all of us at CGTV want to say how wonderful it’s been working with the fine people at Buckley. We’re proud to be part of the family, aren’t we, Piper-girl?”
He turned his head, then quickly turned back to the camera, a comical, startled expression on his face. “She’s a little busy right now. But I know she feels the same way I do. So, thanks for everything, Buckley Holdings, from Drunk Knightly, I mean, Dirk Knightly. Oh for gawd’s sake. Go to commercial already.”
They did.
Jada laughed as Ian turned off the television. “Had enough?”
“Definitely.”
“I thought it went pretty well,” Jada said. “My mother and Marina are going to love it. Mom will have cachet with her RV pals for years. Are you going to fine Piper for the spat at the end?”
“Probably not. She and Sasha did about as well as could be expected,” he said.
Jada kissed him on the jaw. “You’re so wise. And kind, too, letting Piper stay on after you bought the network.”
“You know what they say. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
A quiet knock sounded on the door and Ian called come in.
Elly poked her head around the door. “It’s me. Bedtime. I’ve come for Ms. Kitty. Come on, sweet baby,” she called to the cat who had perked up when she heard Elly’s voice.
Ms. Kitty nudged Jada’s hand in farewell before trotting away, tail high.
“Anything I can get you before I turn in?” Elly asked.
“No, thank you,” Jada said.
Goodnights were exchanged, and Elly closed the door behind herself and Ms. Kitty.
Jada took the nearly empty bowl of popcorn and set it on the night stand, then she slipped back under Ian’s arm, tucking her head in beneath his chin. He nuzzled her hair. She enjoyed the gentle swaying of the yacht on calm waters.
“You don’t think Sullivan minds having to run Buckley Holdings, do you?” Jada asked.
“No. He’s been itching to have it all to himself for a long time,” Ian answered.
“Do you miss it?”
“Nope. I think I was finished with that part of my life long before I met you. I just hadn’t realized it yet,” Ian said.
“I love not knowing where we’re headed, what we’re going to do next. Everything is open.”
“I love it, too.”
“So where are headed tomorrow?” Jada asked, enjoying the contradiction.
She heard the smile in his voice. “You pick. Monaco or Corsica?”
“Corsica. Definitely.”
“I’ll tell the captain.”
“Have you ever been to Corsica?”
“I haven’t.”
“I’m glad,” Jada said. “It’ll be new for both of us.”
“Everything is new with you at my side.”
“That’s so sweet,” she said, pulling back and looking at his dear face. “Turn off the lights. I want to rip your clothes off and have my way with you.”
“No way. The lights stay on, I rip your clothes off, and I have my way with you.” A sexy depth underscored his voice and desire gleamed in his eyes.
She shivered. “But I just bought this nightgown. Don’t rip it. It’s delicate.”
In a slick motion, he climbed over her, straddling her hips. He traced the top edge of her frilly lingerie with his fingertip. “So silky. Your skin, not the gown.”
“My gown has buttons,” Jada pointed out, deliciously shivery. “You don’t have to—”
Ian gave her his baddest, lustiest look. “Oh, but I do. I don’t have time to undo all those tiny things. I’m too impatient.”
“Ian, you’re so ...” she couldn’t finish.
Rrrriiiiippp. Tiny pearl buttons shot over the bedding then Ian lowered his head to claim his naked prize.
Jada couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. The man had no respect for expensive lingerie. He licked a hot, wet trail over her trembling skin.
She wondered if he’d dare to rip off her panties, too.
His hands skimmed down her stomach, over her hips, his strong, thick fingers hooking under slender strands of fabric. He wasn’t, was he?
He was.
Rrrriiiiippp.
Great. She was going to have to buy new lingerie. Then his tongue followed the path his fingers had traveled, all the way down to ... happily ever after.
Oh hell ... yeah.
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More of Mia’s Books
All of these titles are available to borrow for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription!
Billionaire’s Baby Surprise – All three parts available
Expecting the CEO’s Baby – All four parts available
What Happens in Vegas
The Billionaire's Baby Bargain – Both parts available
The Tycoon's Reluctant Bride
A Date with a Secret Billionaire
All of Mia’s titles can be found on her Amazon author page
Check out this excerpt from The Tycoon’s Reluctant Bride:
MEGAN ALMOST MISSED HER BOARDING call, she’d been so engrossed in her thoughts as she went over the few plans she’d made for her week-long island getaway.
She’d forgotten she was on a first class ticket for the first time, so she was expecting to be called later, not among the first set of passengers to be invited on.
She got up quickly, grabbing her bag, then hurried onto the plane.
A face caught her eye once she entered the first class section, a handsome, chiseled tan face with bright blue eyes focused on her.
She almost stopped in her tracks she was so stunned by the man’s good looks—she thought guys like him only existed in the movies, aided by lighting and other visual effects, tucked into corners of Hollywood.
She suddenly found herself feeling heated and self-conscious, aware of every movement she made, especially with his hypnotizing eyes not leaving her.
He didn’t vanish like a mirage as she got closer, and as she checked her seating assignment, she realized she was sitting right next to him.
Every atom of her being vibrated more.
“What luck,” he said, one corner of his mouth tilting up as she stopped and flashed him a brief smile, indicating the empty window seat next to him.
He got up to accommodate her, and she decided not to address his comment, especially since she had been thinking the same thing.
Instead, she sat and tucked her bag beneath the seat in front of her as he sat back down.
She felt his eyes on her again.
“You sure look the part,” he said in a growling masculine tone once she had settled, a growl that made her middle start to vibrate.
She turned to look at him. “Excuse me?”
He was even more rattling up close and she tried to ignore his beauty, his heady cologne, his intent blue gaze, the lips she had started to scrutinize and wonder what it would be like to touch with hers. She did her best to ignore her pounding heart, her racing blood, the growing tingling between her legs.
“I happen to be looking
for a wife,” he said, his voice deep and casual, “and that’s probably you.”
Megan suddenly stopped buzzing all over and erupted into laughter.
She laughed for so long, that she wondered if she had transitioned to hysterics. Had her grief finally gotten to her? Why did this beautiful man’s statement seem so absurd?
“Is this some kind of joke?” she asked once she recovered. She looked around, as if searching for a hidden camera crew. “What on earth do you think I am?” she asked more seriously, trying to sound calm and firm, but not too caustic; after all, she was stuck with him for the duration of the plane ride.
“Who am I, you should ask,” he said, his manner and tone unchanged, his eyes still on her.
“Okay then, who are you?”
He didn’t answer. He just continued staring at her boldly.
She tried to ignore him, but eventually, the feel of his gorgeous blue eyes boring into her became too much to handle.
“Christ, will you stop staring at me like that?”
“That would be hard. To not stare at you will probably be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
“Oh boy, you’re a Casanova.”
She was a bit annoyed but a lot intrigued—though she didn’t plan to show him that. If she let him know she enjoyed his attention, his boldness, it might never stop, and she planned to take a nap in peace. Then again, maybe she shouldn’t sleep around this guy. Closing her eyes could be a very bad idea.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
Finally! Some normalcy. “Megan. What’s…?”
“What do you do?”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable telling you that.”
“Well, what would you most like to do, since you’re not happy at your current job?”
What the hell? “Who says I’m not happy?”
“Do you have kids?”
She was starting to get ticked now.
“Okay, you’re really pushing it there.”
“You don’t! Great.” His smile widened and she got lost in the beauty of it before realizing he had made another correct assumption.
“Wait, how did you know…?”
“Most parents would be rolling out wallet pics or flipping through their smart phone album right now to show them off.” He shook his head slightly at her. “Don’t you realize, Megan, that you answer me even when you don’t? So you might as well just answer my questions.”
His arrogance was infuriating, no matter how cute he was.
“But you haven’t even answered my one question about what you do!”
“You asked me who I am—I’m a business owner.”
“And? What does that even mean?”
“I own a few businesses.”
Smart-ass. “Well, congrats. I hope you’re happy.”
“For the most part, yes—business is booming. I am, however, missing one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You.”