Start Again Series: A Billionaire Romance Box Set

by J. Saman

  “Looks good,” I say quietly so I don’t startle him. “But you do realize it was on the floor so I could pack it up, right?” I can’t help but grin.

  He spins around with a broad smile on his face. “Yeah, but you need a television. I’ll pack it up when you’re closer to moving.” He crosses his arms over his chest. The thick muscles in his forearms and biceps roll with the motion. “And it looks better than good. It looks fucking professional.”

  I laugh, shaking my head. He’s right;he did do a professional job. I don’t even see any wires or anything.

  “Did you finish in your bedroom?” he asks, and I nod. “We have these boxes to get through and then I can take you out for a proper meal.”

  I pause, wondering if this is the time to say something…well, not useless, but unhelpful maybe? “We don’t really know each other.”

  He glances up at me, his hand stilling on the top of a box of old textbooks.

  “Not really, no.” Luke abandons his task, moving toward me with determination. “I know some basics. Good basics. I know you’re a doctor who saves children’s lives. I know you’re beautiful and smart with a quick tongue and a dry sense of humor. I know what you like to drink and eat for breakfast. I know where you went to school and where you’re originally from.” He places his hands on my shoulders, giving me a good squeeze. “The rest I’ll have to learn as we go, but those things I listed?” He looks up at the ceiling as he thinks about this. “Those nine or ten things are a solid start, Ivy. Don’t try to avoid this just because you’re leaving and we don’t know each other.” He tilts his head with an impish grin. “And I was a complete gentleman and didn’t even mention all of the naughty things that I remember with perfect clarity that you enjoy.”

  I can’t help but grin at that. Yeah, I remember that too, Luke, but I’m not going there.

  “I don’t think I even know ten things about you, though.”

  He leans into me, keeping his eyes focused on mine. “You know I grew up in Oklahoma. That I went to Caltech but had some trouble with the Feds over a hacking ring I was involved with. You know I work in cybersecurity with Ryan, and that I drink coffee.” He laughs to himself. “Okay, maybe you’re right. That’s really not a lot.”

  “See what I mean.”

  “I do, baby, but we’re both really attracted to each other, and I don’t think a list of all of the things we know about each other is going to change that. Sometimes you just get a feeling about someone and that feeling is worth more than all of the little things put together.

  “So you’re a Gestaltist then?” I tease, and he furrows his eyebrows like I’m speaking in a foreign language.

  “I have no idea what that means.” He points to his chest. “Computer nerd.”

  “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

  “Sure, however you want to categorize it, but you really can’t put attraction or liking someone, or even love, into a theory or neat little package. It’s boring that way.” He winks at me.

  “And boring is bad,” I deadpan.

  “You’re not boring, Ivy. And that’s not what I meant. I’m just not a big fan of overanalyzing something to the point of shutting it down. Enjoy the buildup and the newness—and the fun.” He bounces his eyebrows playfully.

  “Are you always this pragmatic?”

  Luke laughs, pulling me in for a hug. “Never. Pragmatism is also boring. Seriously, if we keep this up, we’ll be eating dinner at five-thirty—just in time for the early-bird special—asleep by eight o’clock without having had sex, and lamenting over how expensive everything has become.” I smack his chest, eliciting a rumble of laughter to escape him. “I just want to spend time with you and I think you want the same with me.”

  I pull back to look at him—really look at him. How many nights did I sit up lamenting him?

  Too many to count. He struck a chord with me that night, which lingered throughout the years. What he’s saying isn’t wrong. I am overthinking something that probably doesn’t require this much thought.

  It’s not like this is leading anywhere beyond this brief interlude.

  “I hate eating dinner at five-thirty.”

  He smiles, touching his forehead to mine. “I was actually thinking the no sex and in bed by eight was the worst part about that.”

  “Then I guess we shouldn’t be like that.”

  “Darlin’, something tells me we’ll never be that boring. Something tells me you’ll throw plates at my head when we fight, and we’ll have hot, wild sex to make up after.” I frown. “Not enough? How’s this then? I like all music except country, I hate gin, and if I could do so without drowning or breaking my neck, I’d love to learn how to surf. You can let down your guard with me, Ivy. I’m not going to fuck this up, you’ll see.”

  More like, we’ll see.

  8

  Ivy

  I startle awake, sitting upright and bringing my thin sheet up to my chest to cover the fact that I’m only in my panties right now. My eyes scan the room, searching for the source of what woke me, but come up empty.

  It was loud, almost like a—knocking on my door. Yeah, there it is again.

  Climbing out of bed, I pull on a pair of leggings, the bra that I threw over the back of the chair last night, and a tank top that is lying on the floor.

  I quickly check the alarm clock on my nightstand, and it tells me that it’s eight-thirty in the morning.

  How on earth did I manage to sleep that late?

  Crikey, no wonder I feel so rested.

  I think that’s the most sleep I’ve gotten in years.

  The knocking is becoming more persistent, and as I approach my door, I hear Luke yell through it. “I know you’re in there darlin’, no sense in avoiding me.”

  I laugh, shaking my head.

  I really shouldn’t be surprised that it’s him.

  After we finished packing up my apartment yesterday, Luke went home—evidently to shower because he came back with damp hair and clean clothes. I, too, had showered in his absence and then he took me out for Greek food.

  Luke called it our first official non-date, and as such, I didn’t let him walk me all the way up to my apartment door. I made him kiss me goodnight on the doorstep of the building, much to his dismay.

  I figured it was safer that way.

  But now he’s back first thing the next morning, and as I swing the door open and take him in, I’m hit with a rush of lust.

  He’s wearing thick dark jeans, black boots, a black sweater with a hot as all sin leather jacket unzipped over it. His hair is in wild disarray, but it’s that sexy way that says, I’ve been running my hands through it, wanna give it a go? His jaw is lined with a thick layer of stubble that he still hasn’t shaved away from yesterday.

  “Can I come in now, or are you still busy eye-fucking me?” He smirks. “I’ll wait if you are, it’s not like I mind.”

  I can’t stop the blush that creeps up my face, but manage to laugh at myself all the same because he’s right. I was completely frozen with the door wide open as I devoured him from head to toe.

  “You can come in now.” I smile as I step back and wave for him to enter.

  I feel like I should be embarrassed for getting busted ogling him, but I’m not.

  He knows what he looks like, so why pretend?

  “What are you doing here, Luke? I don’t recall making plans with you today.” I yawn and stretch out my arms and legs, stiff from a solid eight hours in bed.

  “It’s not raining, and it’s not supposed to until late tonight.”

  I stare at him blankly.

  “I have a helmet for you.”

  “A helmet?” I feel like I should be a little quicker on the uptake here, but I’m not. Too much sleep will do that to a person.

  “You said you’d go for a ride on the bike with me.”

  “I did, but I didn’t think we’d be doing it so soon. Isn’t it cold outside?” It’s been unseasonably cold for May the
past two weeks.

  He shrugs, “Yes, but it’s not terrible, and more importantly, it’s dry. We can’t go into the mountains yet, we’ll have to wait for summer to do that, but we should have no problems going around town and maybe over to the water.”

  I give him a look, and then he’s grinning at me. He knows what he just said.

  “I won’t be here for that, Luke. I leave in June.”

  “Right.” He snaps his fingers in an aw-shucks manner, oozing sarcasm. “Forgot that for a little bit.”

  Luke snakes his arms around my waist, yanking me into his chest and burying his face in my hair. Breathing in deeply, he lets out a contented hum.

  “Damn, you smell so good. You smell like a cookie I’m dying to taste.”

  “That’s a cheesy line.”

  He chuckles against me. “It would be if it weren’t true.” He places a chaste kiss on my mouth. “Oh, before you go get dressed, I got you something.”

  And then he pulls out the most amazing thing ever.

  It’s a jar of Vegemite.

  A gasp flutters past my lips as I grab it, holding it like it’s an apparition that will disappear if I so much as look away.

  “Where did you get this?”

  He laughs at my reaction. I can’t blame him either because I’m treating this like he just handed me the Holy Grail, when in reality, it’s a piece of home—which is worth infinitely more to me.

  “Do you have any idea how hard that stuff is to find? I mean, I went to like three stores before I found it. Ironically, it was at the specialty grocery store near my place.”

  I look up at him with watery eyes, because this is quite possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I realize how that sounds; it’s only Vegemite, after all. But he went out of his way to search for it, and I know firsthand how difficult it is to find.

  “Thank you.” I jump up into his arms, wrapping my legs tightly around his waist. With a startled laugh, he grabs hold of me, and then I kiss him. I don’t even care that I have morning breath.

  He doesn’t seem to care either because he’s kissing me back with equal ardor.

  “Jesus, baby,” he breathes against my mouth after we separate. “If I knew this is how you’d thank me for something so small, I would have bought you the biggest thing I could find that would remind you of home. Like a kangaroo or koala.”

  “They’d be too messy in such a small flat. Vegemite is far more practical.”

  He grins as he sets me down. “Go change and make sure you wear something warm and good for riding.”

  “I guess I can’t say no to you now, can I?”

  “Nope.” He smacks my bum. “Now move that gorgeous ass.”

  I scurry into my room and dig through my clothes as I brush my teeth. I would love a shower, but I don’t want wet hair on the bike, and that will take too long anyway.

  I locate the dark purple leather pants Sophia bought me as a gag gift for my birthday last year, since they are the best thing I have for a motorcycle ride. Layering them over a pair of tights to keep me extra warm, I throw on a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater, and grab my own black leather jacket.

  Securing the elastic around the end of my long braid, I make my way back into the living room toward the man I have no business spending time with. He’s leaning against the counter, typing something into his phone and looking impossibly sexy and tousled. Luke may be able to pull off biker hair, but I can’t, hence the braid.

  “I’m ready.”

  His eyes feast on my tall black leather boots up to my jacket and then back again.

  “It’s a good thing you’ll be behind me on that bike because, damn, that outfit is all kinds of distracting.”

  “Then, let’s go ride your bike.”

  I grab my keys, phone, ID, and some cash, tucking them into my pockets because I don’t want to carry a purse. We step outside, and sure enough, it is dry, but it’s also overcast and chilly.

  “Tell me the helmet you have for me has a face guard.” The last thing I want is frozen windburn on my cheeks.

  “Of course. I wouldn’t do that to you, and if you’re too cold, we can bag it. I just thought it would be fun.”

  “No, I’d like to give it a go.”

  Luke leads me to a sleek black BMW motorcycle with yellow accents. Correction, this looks more like a racer, and no doubt flies like one. “You have a racer?” I don’t know why this surprises me. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but for some reason, I thought you would be more of an old-school Harley man.”

  He laughs, turning to me. “Say that again.”

  “What?” I furrow my eyebrows.

  “Racer.”

  I roll my eyes, but appease him all the same. “Racer.”

  “I love that. I wasn’t lying yesterday when I said your accent may be one of my favorite things about you. I seriously might marry you over it.”

  “Enough with that. This is only a second non-date, Luke, and as I recall, we both decided this is fun and nothing that will ever lead to more, so stop with all that marrying rubbish.”

  He nods in agreement. “We did, and clearly, my mentioning marrying you freaks you out, so I’ll refrain. But you better start showing me an ugly or crazy side, because as of right now, you’re far too perfect.”

  I grin, looking down and trying to ignore the latest swarm of butterflies I’m feeling.

  “Stop being a flirt and let’s go.”

  He hands me a black helmet that has a visor. I put it on and he helps me strap it into place under my chin.

  “Ready?” Luke asks as he straddles the bike with grace and ease before reaching out a hand to help me onto the back. I, on the other hand, am the antithesis of graceful. Straddling this massive thing is not as easy as Luke made it appear.

  There are a microphone and earpiece inside the helmet, so I can hear him, which is a handy little feature.

  “Ready.” My voice sounds muffled against the microphone inside the helmet. Although it fits snugly, it isn’t uncomfortable. The engine rumbles to life with a deafening roar. As we set off, I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my body tightly up against his back.

  There is nothing to prevent me from catapulting off the back of this bike, and that is a sobering thought. As a child, my father would take me into open, flat land and we’d ride for a bit, but never too fast.

  And that was back in Australia.

  This is Seattle, and Seattle is neither flat nor open.

  There are cars and hills and pedestrians, and continuous starting and stopping. So it’s nearly impossible to get a feel for the bike or the rhythm of motion. Maybe it’s just been too long since I’ve been on one of these things, but I’m bloody terrified, holding onto Luke as if my life depends on it. Oh wait, it does.

  “You okay back there?” His voice crackles into my ear, reverberating into my pulsating skull. “You’re gripping the hell out of me.”

  “Yes.” I think that might be all I can manage.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you, darlin’. Try to relax and enjoy the city. I bet you haven’t explored it much.”

  “No, I haven’t.” How weird is that? I mean, I’ve been living here for nine years, and though I’ve scouted around some, it hasn’t been much.

  The seat is vibrating into me, and the engine is a raucous angry cacophony, but Luke is warm and strong and I do my best to take his advice and enjoy the ride and the view. He takes me all over the city, past the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the university, and the Marina, where several large catamarans and yachts are docked.

  The city is beautiful, and the more we cruise through it, the more I fall in love with it all over again.

  I’m struck with a pang of nostalgia, knowing that I’m leaving so soon and may, in fact, never live here again.

  “That’s my place.” Luke points to a large brick building that looks like it was once a warehouse. Street level is filled with various shops, and the second floor is all open windows wi
th nothing obstructing them from the inside, so that’s a little confusing for me.

  “That place?” I point where he just was.

  “Yup. That’s home. I’ll explain when we stop. We should be at Myrtle Edwards in a few minutes.”

  After backtracking through the city a bit, he pulls the bike into a spot on the street and helps me off. My body still feels like it’s moving, which is an unsettling sensation, but as we begin to walk into the park and toward the beach, it subsides.

  I can only imagine what my hair looks like, and I’m afraid to ask, but he doesn’t comment, and I try to forget about it.

  Luke guides me over to a small beach area scattered with dark rocks and driftwood.

  “Over in that direction,” he points, “is Mount Rainier, but you can’t see it today. Too cloudy.”

  “You like living here, don’t you?” I ask as I settle myself down into the cold sand. The wind isn’t whipping around all that much, making the frigid temperatures more bearable.

  “I do.” He sinks down next to me, his forearms resting atop his bent knees. “After I left California, I came up here. Seemed like as good of a place as any, and though I was already working with Ryan and he was in Philly, we didn’t need to be in the same location to do our thing. He only moved here about a year and a half ago.”

  I look out over the water, absorbing his words for a moment. “Tell me about your building.”

  Luke intertwines our fingers, and we sit like that for a quiet moment before he speaks.

  “I managed to save up some money after working on a few projects with Ryan, and I bought the building. It was abandoned and not in the best repair. I didn’t have a lot of money left after that, so I did the majority of the work myself.” I look over at him, and he’s grinning out at the water like this makes him proud. “I was able to fix the first floor enough to rent out the spaces, and that provided me with enough revenue to fix up my apartment, which spans the entire second floor of the building.”

  “That must be a considerable space.”

  He chuckles lightly. “It is. Probably too large for just me, but . . .,” he trails off like maybe there’s more to it, but he’s not going to tell me.