“What can I say?” he grunted, not at all embarrassed. “Those hooches all had fake tits and lipo to impress Hugh Hefner,” he shrugged. “Getting into Playboy was their life’s dream.”
Again, I was stunned. Never in a million years has it crossed my mind to model for a men’s magazine. Never in my life have I considered plastic surgery, my Double Ds are natural, my ass big and bouncy because that’s the way I was born.
And reading my mind, Gray shot me another knowing smile.
“Yeah, I like it natural,” he ground out. “Feels better that way, the fake shit is disgusting.”
I blushed. Oh my god, we were having this conversation in front of his mom! But Rhonda wasn’t fazed at all, merely clucking approvingly.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s always been this way. But I have to run honey, it’s been so nice meeting you, even if the circumstances were uh, unexpected. Another business meeting,” she murmured with a kind smile. “But I want to get to know my new daughter-in-law better. Gray, come over for dinner tonight? I’ll get chef to prepare your favorite, and we’ll bring up some champagne from the basement to celebrate.”
I half-expected Grayson to refuse, to say we were busy or whatnot. After all, this was a fake marriage, there was no reason to go over to his mom’s house.
But instead, Mr. Channing nodded.
“Sure. Seven o’clock okay?”
The elderly lady smiled happily.
“That’s perfect,” she cooed. “Now honey,” she turned to me, taking my hand. “We’ll have some quality time to get to know one another. I’m so looking forward to it.”
And with that, the elegant lady was off.
“Bye,” Grayson grunted. “See you tonight.”
I paused after the door shut, taking a deep breath.
“That was your mother?” I asked in a low voice.
“Sure is,” the alpha growled, looking me up and down. “Why? Something surprise you?”
A million things surprised me. Grayson’s mom was elegant and refined, clearly someone who was upper crust. But even more, Rhonda Channing was a perfect nice lady. At least she appeared to be nice, after our inauspicious start. Again, I was in over my head, and wasn’t sure which way to turn.
But the reality of the situation got to me. There was no sense in airing my fears, no sense in trying to figure out if Rhonda Channing really liked me or not. Because it didn’t matter. Ultimately, it didn’t matter because this was just a fake marriage, it’d be over in a month. So I bit my tongue, choosing not to get into it.
“Your mom’s really nice,” I said blandly, clearing my throat. “Real nice.”
The big man snorted then.
“Glad to hear,” he said dryly. “Because it’s just a cover. Mom can drive a hard bargain and more than a couple businessman have had their balls hung and dried by Rhonda”
I could believe it. After all, her son was alpha billionaire Grayson Channing, Rhonda had to have nerves of steel and a will that could bend iron.
But again, what I thought was all pointless. As merely a gun for hire, my opinion meant nothing. So I turned to Gray, pasting a smile on my face.
“Well, have fun at dinner,” I said with as much cheer as I could manage. “I’m sure there’ll be lots of witty conversation, your mom is a firecracker.”
The big man frowned at me then.
“You’re coming, Kitty. You’re invited tonight, you heard Rhonda.”
I laughed lightly, turning to pick up my bag once more.
“Oh no, I figured that was for show. Your mom doesn’t really need to get to know me, it’s just nice words. Seriously Grayson, it’s not necessary, this is one month for cash, remember? Family dinners not included,” I tossed off lightly.
But the billionaire frowned again, expression ominous.
“Stop this shit,” he ground out. “You’re coming.”
But I shrugged him off, turning to leave, my hand already on the door handle.
“No, it’s fine Grayson,” I said, tossing a smile over my shoulder. “This is a fake marriage, remember? I’m a fake fiancée, just a girl you’re paying so that you can get whatever it is you need from your dad’s will. I’m a nobody, there’s no need for me to be there tonight.”
One foot was already out the door when suddenly I was whisked off my feet and swung like a sack of potatoes over the alpha’s shoulder.
“What?” came my squeal, small fists beating against his back. “What in the world, let me down, let me down!”
But the big man was really, truly angry this time.
“Shut the fuck up,” he snarled. “You’re coming even if I have to tie you to the dining chair myself.”
He plunked me down on the couch once more, curves bouncing and jouncing.
“What is it?” I protested, breathless. “Why does it matter? Why does it matter if I come or not? Just say I came down with the stomach flu!”
But Gray reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a checkbook, scribbling madly. And before I knew it, the big man slid a piece of paper towards me, blue eyes cold as ice.
I took the paper in my hands, fingers trembling.
“Two hundred thousand dollars,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Made out to Kitty Jones.”
Gray’s jaw was tight, that expression menacing.
“I’m paying you extra to act the part of a fiancée,” he snarled. “Specifically, I’m paying for a head-over-heels, madly-in-love type of fiancée. None of this “I’m nobody,” shit,” he raged. “So you’re coming tonight, and you’re gonna be all over me like you can’t wait to get married.”
I paused, hands trembling, big brown eyes searching his.
“Are you sure?” I murmured quietly. “Absolutely sure?”
The alpha literally let out a roar of rage then.
“Of course I’m sure, damn you!” he thundered, that huge body filled with repressed rage. But the thing is I wasn’t afraid. Instinctively I knew Gray would never hurt me physically. I was completely safe in his presence.
So nodding, I murmured.
“Okay, I’ll do it. Just text me the address and I’ll be there.”
The billionaire looked at me with murder in his eyes.
“My car will come by at 6:45 sharp,” he bit out. “Be ready little girl.”
And this time, I looked up at him, brown eyes wide and sincere, lips trembling.
“I’ll be ready, Gray, you can count on me.”
And taking a deep breath, I collected my bag before getting up once more and heading towards the door. Pausing slightly, I turned and smiled my first real smile at the billionaire.
“I’ll be ready Gray,” I said quietly. “I promise.”
“You better,” was his growled reply, those blue eyes seizing my soul. “You better.”
And the words rang in my head as I took the elevator downwards. Because I’d promised I’d be ready, but was I? Was I ready for the time of my life with this domineering, arrogant billionaire? Was I ready to play the part of fake wife for a month, giving this man my all? Or was I in over my head?
I should have been scared, I should have been terrified, cowering in my apartment. But actually, the thought of fear never crossed my mind. Because instead, there was opportunity. Opportunity opened before me, filled with colors, possibility, and a world that I’d never experienced. I should have felt overwhelmed and in over my head, but instead, I was excited, filled with trembling anticipation, my senses on high, insides quivering. Because Gray would never hurt me … or so I prayed.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kitty
“Honey, come in,” said Rhonda, answering the door. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
Gray frowned momentarily on the doorstep.
“Where’s Arlo?” he asked. “Why are you answering the door yourself?”
Rhonda smiled, although she was far too polite to roll her eyes.
“Even the staff get vacations sometimes, Gray,” she replied dryly. “Not everyone works arou
nd the clock like you do. Now come in,” she said. “Kitty so lovely to see you again!”
I smiled hesitantly, stepping into the foyer of the house. And immediately, I gasped, eyes round, because this was no regular house. Rhonda lived in a mansion in the Nevada desert, and her house showed it. Not just her house, but also the lawns around it, shimmering and green. As the car had driven through the gates, I’d stared, wide-eyed through the windows.
“All that grass,” I murmured wonderingly. “That’s a lot of grass!”
Gray snorted next to me in the back seat.
“Grass in the Nevada desert is fucking expensive,” he ground out. “It takes an arm and leg to maintain, but Rhonda’s got the cash,” he shrugged.
“I can’t imagine how much it costs,” I breathed, shaking my head again, marveling at the wide expanse of green. “And we’re in a drought too.”
“Rhonda’s got hook-ups at the water commission, she’s probably getting some mad discount,” Gray rumbled again. “But it’s about appearances. We’re hotel kings honey, we can’t go around looking poor.”
I nodded slowly. Right, appearances. And the sad thing was that I was part of the illusion he was creating. I was the fake fiancée, here to play a role, just like the grass.
Suddenly, a gray cloud descended on my head, making me sad and depressed. But why? Why did I feel this way?
The voice in my brain piped up.
Get with it Kitty, it scolded. What’s with all these questions? So what if you’re part of a masquerade? Your boss just paid you two hundred thousand cash, so do your job.
Right. Gray was my boss, he was the man I took orders from. Inhaling deeply, I braced myself because the voice was right. So what if I was a fake? So what if I was nothing more than an actress? It was all about money, about staying in school and graduating.
But stepping into Rhonda’s house, all my doubts came crashing down again. Because I’m a poor girl and the sumptuous luxury took my breath away, knocking me off my feet. We stood in a double-height marble foyer, a huge chandelier dangling over our heads, wall sconces in perfectly set niches. On one side, there was a giant living room with white couches and floor to ceiling windows, while on the other, was a second giant living room with grey couches and priceless artwork.
Get a hold of yourself, scolded the voice again. So what if the Channings are rich? It doesn’t make them better people.
I gulped. That was true, and summoning my courage, I squared my shoulders.
“Your home is lovely,” I murmured to Rhonda. “Absolutely lovely.”
“Oh thank you!” she remarked. “I’m glad you like it because Gray threw up on that rug right there when he was small,” she said pointing to a small, unnoticeable patch on the side. “It washed out but I like to remind him of it sometimes.”
I giggled, more relaxed already. Rhonda had a way about her of making people comfortable, and I was no exception. The tenseness drained from my shoulders and I smiled for real this time, exhaling my stress.
“Really?” I asked. “I can hardly picture the powerful Grayson Channing doing anything like vomiting.”
“Oh yes!” chortled Rhonda merrily. “Grayson was always coming down with bloody noses, and remember that summer you had really bad acne, son?” she asked. “It was so terrible that we went to the dermatologist every week.”
Suddenly, I saw my fiancé in a whole new light. Because right now, he was Mr. Alpha, the guy who gives orders. People jumped at his beck and call, people quivered in their shoes when he roared. But Rhonda was providing a completely different back story. At one point in his life, the alpha male had been nothing but a gangly teen, awkward with terrible skin and constant bloody noses. Suddenly, things didn’t seem so bad because my fiancé was human after all.
I giggled again, shooting him a warm smile.
“You didn’t tell me that,” I said softly. “You never told me about your bad skin.”
Gray snorted.
“Who would want a past like that to get out?” he growled with a smile on his lips. “It’s embarrassing, but trust Mom to bring it out.”
“Oh you!” said Rhonda airily, waving her hand. “Come on dear, I’ve got plenty of stories about your handsome fiancé. Some things that would make you laugh out loud, some that would make you blush,” she said with a sly grin at her son.
And I laughed again, suddenly looking forward to the dinner. Because I really wanted to learn more about him. On the outside, Gray was impenetrable, an alpha male with everything at his fingertips including a slick, perfect life. But this dinner was going to reveal all the cracks in his armor. And you know what? It was good. It humanized him, it made him more like a man, and less like a god.
I turned to follow Rhonda, but suddenly the billionaire took my hand in his. I looked down, startled, but the big man didn’t let go.
“You’re my fiancée,” he growled into my ear. “A loving, passionate bride-to-be, don’t forget baby girl.”
I stared at our hands, still in shock. But for some reason, my small, white palm in his huge, bronzed fist looked absolutely right, like we’d been holding hands for years and belonged together. And summoning my courage, I looked up at him, meeting those deep blue eyes.
“I know,” I said quietly. “I know,” I repeated, squeezing his hand.
And summoning my courage, I did something that I’d wanted to do for a while. I leaned up on my tippy-toes and pressed a soft kiss against his lips, expressing my delight at being here with him. It was nothing, this was a charade after all, but in my soul I felt it. In my soul, I was telling him what I couldn’t with words.
Gray went completely still for a moment, caught off guard. But then his lips crashed down passionately on mine, seizing them, owning me. My heart raced, body going weak. Oh god, it was so good with this man, so absolutely devastating. What would it be like to have a lifetime with him? He was everything I’d ever wanted, like a dream come true, and I returned his kiss just as passionately, throwing myself into his embrace, my soft form melting against that hard frame.
But then Rhonda interrupted.
“Come on lovebirds!” she trilled, her voice seeming to come from miles away. “Come on, dinner’s served!”
Gray broke away from me then, blue eyes seizing mine, making my heart pump, pussy sizzle. His mouth opened as if to say something, but Rhonda interrupted again.
“Cook made your favorite!” she sang. “Gourmet pigs in a blanket!”
And I giggled then, shooting my man a special look. Because who knew that Grayson Channing’s favorite food was pigs in a blanket, even if they were the fancy kind? I expected alpha males to eat only rare steak and caviar, the best of the best. But evidently, my man had a soft spot, and that was kiddie foods.
“Come on Gray,” I teased. “Let’s go get some piggies.”
The big man shot me a hot look, eyes caressing my face before descending to my breasts, the huge DD’s round and bountiful. He was unable to think, unable to focus while staring at my body, but then the billionaire started.
“Absolutely baby girl, whatever you want,” came that deep voice. And with that, we made our way into the dining room like a real couple, a loving devoted pair.
“Oh it’s so nice to see Gray with a real woman,” cooed his mom, sitting down at the head of a twelve person table. “Don’t be intimidated by the space, sit right here next to me,” she said, patting a chair.
I pulled my hand from Gray’s, shooting him another smile, before dropping into the seat beside Rhonda.
“So what else does your son like to eat?” I teased, chin in hand. “What other secrets does he have?”
Rhonda smiled mysteriously before dissolving into giggles herself.
“You’ll see,” she confided. “You’ll see, there’s a lot to know about my son.”
And the dinner was one of the best I’ve had in years. It wasn’t just the food, although that was out of this world. Rhonda Channing keeps a five-star chef on her staff, and absolutel
y everything was delectable, from the pigs in blanket to the crème brulee.
But what made the dinner really enjoyable was the conversation. Not just because Gray’s mom was easy to talk to, completely unpretentious and kind, but also because Gray himself is a charmer. That deep blue gaze can be forbidding, but it can also worm its way into your heart, making shivers go down your spine, your insides growing mushy and soft.
“Is it true?” I asked softly. “Is that really true?”
“You bet it is!” exclaimed Rhonda, patting her lips delicately with a napkin. “It’s absolutely true. Tell her, Gray.”
The big man shot his mom a look before swinging that penetrating gaze to me.
“It’s true,” he ground out. “I was kicked out of boarding school for helping another student allegedly cheat on an exam.”
I gasped.
“But it doesn’t sound like what you did was cheating,” I protested. “You were helping a disabled student take his test. You were just reading the questions to him, he was blind!”
The big man shrugged.
“It didn’t matter, the administration was out to get me,” he ground out. “They thought I was feeding my buddy the answers, not just reading the questions to him. So I was kicked out,” he shrugged. “No biggie.”
Rhonda, however, wasn’t done.
“Your father and I were never so proud of you for standing up to that headmaster,” she proclaimed. “Dad and I always knew you would do the right thing,” she said. “We thought about bringing granddaddy in to appeal the expulsion, but you didn’t want it.”
Gray shrugged again.
“I know what I did was right. I know I didn’t cheat. And guess what? Who the fuck cares? The school sucked, I got into my first choice college anyways.”
I bit my lip.
“But it must have been hard,” I said softly, my gaze full of compassion. “You were what, sixteen? It must have been really hard to go through the process.”
Gray shrugged those big shoulders again, but those blue eyes were shuttered.
“It wasn’t a big deal,” he ground out. “That place closed its doors five years later because they were such a mess. What goes around, comes around, you know?”
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