A Billion Reasons Why_Billionaire romance

by Kenna Shaw Reed

  “What are you more worried about – not having kissed him or not wanting to kiss him?”

  “I want him.” Ellin crumbled to the ground, “I can’t explain it,” she threw her brush away. “I’m not like that – I promise I haven’t even dated anyone in the city.”

  Birrani shrugged, “It’s your life. You don’t need me to get all protective and spear every guy you date.”

  “You don’t understand – the more I know him, for every layer he shows me, I want to peel away another, I want him to show me another layer. I didn’t think he would be interested in a girl like me – but now it is too fast.”

  Her brother picked up another brush and tried to clean the dust from the bristles.

  “Sis, I’d never say this about another man, and probably won’t ever again.” She looked up at him, her dark brown eyes glistening with her tears as he continued, “It’s too far to drive to Alice and back in one day. Stay over night, even two nights if the drive wears you out. Come back when you are ready.”

  “But …” shocked he would even suggest such a thing.

  “Like I said, It’s a long drive. He isn’t used to our roads so far better you stay overnight than risk hurrying back.”

  Birrani got a blank canvas from her car and joined her, mixing some of the earth into the paints to give his work greater texture. Ellin enjoyed the peace and quiet as they worked by the light of the fire and moon until the wood finally died down to glowing embers.

  “I’m scared,” she said as they went to turn in. The words festered in her head needed to be said aloud to stop them from taking over her life.

  “I’m scared too. If he hurts you, he hurts all of us. I will make him pay.”

  “I’ve never felt like this before. We haven’t even dated and I’m already in love with him.”

  “Elli, you might not have dated, but think about it. Normally, you grow up with a guy and know his family, where he comes from, his skin and kinship. By the time you marry, there are no secrets – only new truths to discover. This guy – you don’t know any of his past. But, you’ve lived almost together and worked together as closely as two people can.”

  “What if he doesn’t feel the same?”

  “Are you blind? He is besotted.”

  “So what you’re telling me,” she hugged her brother goodnight, “Is to relax, enjoy whatever the date is and take one moment at a time.”

  “Yep.”

  “So, what did you do next?” Ellin laughed so hard, Ryan thought she would cry.

  “What choice did I have? I promised the client they would be up and running by the Monday, I called my boss and got a heap of the best programmers working round the clock. We held the system together for the first week until a patch got developed.”

  In truth, he was both the boss and the lead programmer. The client was his first large client, an international financial institution. By saving the project, Softli’s reputation became legendary both with clients who knew they could rely on him to deliver, but also among programmers. All the hot young engineers and developers wanted to work with and learn from him.

  “I hate the company you work for, but you seem okay,” it hurt to hear her admit how she felt about his company.

  “The people are good, but why do you hate the company?”

  “First, there is the wanker who owns it – he walks away with a billion dollars or something, now what. His workers are left to pick up the pieces, the company will be focused on money and, seriously, how much money is enough? Couldn’t he have pocketed half and given half away?”

  “Why go for half,” he tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, “Why not insist he give all of it away.”

  “Right,” she didn’t pick up the sarcasm, “He’s young and has built one company – where’s the hunger to do it again if he has all the money in the world.”

  “What if he can’t.”

  “Then he should take the money and his time and make a difference, like you are.”

  He couldn’t stop the smile when she tentatively touched his knee. Stroking the back of her hand until she left it there, he finally believed she could possibly, one day feel the same.

  They had been driving over an hour, and the initial awkwardness gave way to banter about their careers, her university study and their families. By focusing on the road, he remained aware of her sitting next to him, without being awestruck by her beauty. Weeks of living and working together hadn’t stopped the kick to his chest whenever she walked into the room. Even now, if he felt her looking at him, he lost his chain of thought, mouth became dry and words died in his throat.

  “I can’t believe you kicked your dad out of his garage.” Luckily she either didn’t see or remember any of the interviews where he gave the same story.

  “He didn’t mind, it meant mum got the loungeroom back from all my computers.”

  “What about friends coming over?”

  He thought, not wanting to appear a loser or loner, but she deserved to hear some of the truth about him, “I never really had friends or a girlfriend.”

  “Yet you seem so nice,” he almost lost control of the car when she squeezed his knee and raised it higher – hopefully she wouldn’t notice how out of control his body already was.

  “You know what they say about nice guys, they never finish first, or get the girl.”

  “We’ll have to do something about that,” he stole a glance only to see her blushing.

  Quickly, he tried to change the subject before she closed down, “I guess I’ve been all work and no play since high school.”

  “What is it you do?”

  “I design systems and do a bit of the programming,” at least that’s what he used to do, when Softli was still a small operation and he could fit all his staff in his father’s garage. “Basically, what we are doing, but on a bigger scale.”

  “You never said why you threw it all in to come bush.” It seemed to be the question her family needed to keep asking, never satisfied with his answer. How could he tell them he lost his purpose in life and needed them more than he needed money and far more than they needed him.

  “I thought I covered all that,” hedging, not wanting to be caught out in a lie.

  “Seriously, you’ve never been west of the Blue Mountains, but you wake up one day and travel for two days to find us?” He never wanted to lose her trust or the look of adoration. Trapped in a car together, he had no where to hide but needed to take this opportunity for her to him as a person before his secrets came out and she hated him for his money.

  “I finished a major project, had heaps of leave and when I saw the interview, I asked for a sabbatical.”

  “Just like that.”

  “What can I say, you inspired me to put my life on hold, travel half way around the country to meet you. Although if I knew you asked so many questions, I might have changed my mind,” trying to lighten the mood.

  Never had he focused so hard on the road. He took a risk in inviting her on this trip. With little experience with women, it wouldn’t take much for her to scare him back to Sydney and the safety of his empty house. Only, if he went back home, he wanted this wonderful woman by his side, filling his bed and his life.

  “I’m glad,” when she squeezed his knee, he took another risk and cupped her hand with his, to be rewarded with her head moving to rest on his shoulder. “What movie are we seeing?”

  “I hadn’t planned that far ahead.”

  The dusty road turned to bitumen and suddenly the township of Alice Springs appeared.

  “I hope you don’t mind. I checked us into the Waylander, your brother said it was too long a drive to return in one day,” he slowed and turned into the driveway anxious for her reaction. What if she thought this was a set up! Now, he didn’t know whether to hope the two bedrooms he booked were available, or whether to pray for a mistake.

  “Sounds perfect. Let’s check the room out,” he hoped he was reading her face right. Her hand never left hi
s as they waited for the manager to sign them in.

  She shivered in front of him next to the desk, “Are you okay?” Surely, she wasn’t cold in the summer heat, perhaps this whole trip was presumptuous.

  “A little nervous,” she turned her body pressed against him, “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Done what?” his green eyes locked to her brown, trying to read her thoughts.

  “This,” his body tightened as her softest lips touched his, and their fingers melded together tightly. Instinctively, his lips knew what to do, caressing hers, his tongue finding a home inside her, and his knees struggling to hold them both.

  “Are you sure?” He couldn’t bare this to be a mistake she regretted tomorrow, or even the start of something that couldn’t last. At the same time, the thought of letting go of even her hand was unconscionable.

  “What I want, is for you to take me to our room and kiss me again,” then she threw him a cheeky smile over her shoulder as she followed the manager, “If you want to, of course.”

  The manager discretely left as soon as he had shown them to their room on the top floor, over looking the main street.

  Alone in the double room, a large bedroom to their right and a smaller room ahead, her awkwardness returned. Staying together in a room seemed a step too far in their relationship that barely began.

  One kiss, in the foyer. She had wanted it since he first graced her front porch. Denied her impulse when their heads were bowed together over his computer. The briefest of kisses didn’t mean the world, unless he felt it too.

  Ellin pulled his fingers to her lips, wanting him to take control. Needing him to prove to her that he wanted her as much as she did him. She had gone out of her comfort zone with the hand on his knee and the first kiss. If he needed to know if she felt the same, well … now he needed to …

  “The only thing natural about this, is you and me,” he caught her against the wall, so close yet their lips were still so far away. She felt his heart pound in time with her own.

  “What’s not natural?” she whispered, wanting him more with each moment. Pressed against the wall, she had no where to run, or move. All he had to do was lean in and she would be whatever he wanted her to be and loving it.

  “Your grandmother knew how I felt about you before I even told her. Your brother gave me permission to take you away over night – how is that natural or normal?”

  Their fingers played a dance before he started stroking her side. Teasingly avoiding her breasts. She wanted his fingers to keep going until they got to the hem of her dress and then lift it up. Ellin wanted him to take the decision out of her hands.

  Instead his fingers drove her mad by continuing to trace around her curves.

  “She’s a wise old woman, but I don’t want to think of her right now,” her voice husky with desire, unrecognizable even to her.

  “So here we are,” his wet lips pressed against the nap of her neck. “Alone, with no interruptions.”

  “Whatever will we do with all this time,” she teased as he took advantage of greater access the soft spot behind her ears.

  “We don’t know each other very well,” now his hands felt underneath her skirt, running up the outside of her legs, “I’d like to change that.”

  “How well do you want to know me?” as her hands now started their own exploring, finding the tight shirts hadn’t lied about his strong abs.

  “It might take some time, after all, you are a very complicated woman,” he led her into the main bedroom, “I wouldn’t want to think I had learnt everything if there was still much to discover.”

  For the longest moment, she stood at the edge of the bed, willing him to kiss her. Her body started trembling with anticipation and desire. Her hands crept up under his shirt, taking the time to feel every ripple of his chest.

  “I can’t believe we are finally doing this,” she whispered, edging closer until their legs almost touched.

  “Are you sure you want to,” he said, silenced by her kiss.

  His lips were soft, tentative. No hint of past lovers to cloud her mind. As she explored him, he slowly opened up to her touch. Her hands continued their dance around his body, as he continued his hands up and down her legs that were aching to feel his skin.

  Without thinking, she fell to the bed, pulling him on top of her, finally feeling his hardness against her groin. Oh, his kisses had more urgency as his tongue drove deeper and deeper into her.

  She stopped only to reach for her dress, pulling it over her head to reveal the red lace bra and panties, specially chosen for this day. His eyes glazed over as he inhaled.

  “You are beautiful, so stunning.”

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” she removed his shirt, finally seeing what her hands had already discovered. “For a tech genius, you sure look after yourself.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” he quickly removed his own remaining clothes, lying between her legs, fondling the lace cups holding her breasts. Her nipples were already hardened with desire as she massaged him.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more than I want you right now,” he pulled the lace aside to lightly run his tongue across her.

  “Oh, Ryan,” a puzzled look crossed his face before she led him to her, pushing her panties aside and thrusting him to where he belonged, inside her, surrounding her, completely possessing every part of her.

  He almost lost it when she called out his fake name. How could he make love to a woman who didn’t even know who she was making love to?

  How could he love a woman who didn’t know the real him?

  As he felt her tighten around him, surrounding him in her juices, he pushed aside the doubts, for another time. Now was about them coming together. Never had he felt this way about a woman, wanting to crush her beneath him, yet protect her at the same time. Loving the soft silk of her skin, wanting nothing more than to run her long black hair through his fingers.

  As he raised her hips to meet every thrust, he struggled to contain himself. Withdrawing slightly, he moved his lips from hers back to her breasts as his fingers found her throbbing bud below. Working his magic, loving the taste and feel of her until she exploded in waves of ecstasy. Only then, did he let himself go with this precious woman, his love.

  “So, what movie did we see?” Ellin asked as she scooped chocolate ice-cream out of the tub and fed it to Ryan, kissing the errant dollop from his chin.

  “Movie?”

  “You said you were taking me to town for a movie – which one did we see?”

  “The night is still young. I promised you dinner and movie – I intend to deliver.”

  “Ahhh, the two things I admire most in you is your trustworthiness and honesty,” Ellin leaned over to remove the sheet from his naked body, “Although there are a few more attributes I’m growing quite fond of.”

  “Later, you beautiful wench – we have food to eat and I’m looking forward to holding your hand all the way through a movie.”

  “Old-fashioned courting?” Ellin laughed, “Haven’t we moved past that?”

  “You led the indoor show, let me at least take you on a real date,” he tried to protest as she showed him again, which attributes had taken her fancy.

  Luckily, he had seen the movie before on a flight to Singapore when he was promoting the venture capital deal. Which was all the better since her words taunted him. Honest and trustworthy! Right now, he was anything but either of those attributes.

  How to tell her. He had to tell her.

  She would hate him.

  She already hated him – only she didn’t know his face went with the name, Mason Winters.

  Over dinner, she grilled him on Softli – and despite how much he talked about the good the company did – sponsorship of the Chinese Students Association festival, sponsoring a fundraising event for a local soup kitchen which featured individual woman who were looking for a second chance at jobs and careers. “There were almost a dozen women who ended up ba
ck in their old careers because of the publicity – they got a second chance at life because of the sponsorship Softli gave the fundraiser.”

  She dismissed both out of hand, “Sure, hand around a couple of dollars and it will get you good press. You don’t truly believe that Winters guy cared about anyone other than lining his own pockets.”

  “He’s not like that.”

  “How would you know,” Ellin snorted, “You said yourself, you are a lowly engineer. He is too busy flying around the world, spending more money in one day than most families live on in a year.”

  “Why do you hate him so much?” He had to know what he was up against. Surely, this woman with the deepest compassion and purest heart couldn’t really hate a man she didn’t know.

  “He worked for a couple of years, probably exploited the ideas of his friends to build a company. Then, instead of taking it and doing something positive with it, he sells out, walks away with a billion dollars.”

  “What do you think he is doing right now?”

  “Probably sleeping with some model, or six, on a deserted island that he bought with pocket change he found caught between the seats on his private jet.”

  “I don’t get that sense of him at all.”

  “Well,” she kissed him, eyes all wide and trusting, “That’s why I love you – you see the best in people, and bring out the best in me.”

  There, the words he felt for her, she said first. Tainted in the conversation centered on his lies. Only she didn’t know they were lies. To Ellin, she fell in love with a tech-head on leave from an evil company.

  How could she love him if she knew the truth?

  “What a lying, cheating bastard,” Ellin snarled at the front page of the newspaper as they ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The grainy photograph captured a couple getting into a car with government plates. “I hope his wife has a good lawyer to serve his balls on a paper plate.”

  “Ouch, what did he do to cross you?”

  Men don’t understand, she thought. They can’t see the hypocrisy in a politician running a ‘family values’ campaign only to be caught out with his mistress.