Reluctant Billionaire

by Cheryl Phipps

  He merely nodded as they began to undress each other, like last time, the only difference was that they had nowhere else to be and no one to interrupt them. They were completely alone and the only need to hurry was brought on by their desire.

  Christian was attentive and gentle. Mindful of her ankle and wrist, which were both feeling much better. The gentleness had to stop. If this was their last time together, she wanted him to treat her as if it was just that. She had been leaning against the bed and now she sat so he could take off her jeans. Which left her underwear. Thank goodness Caris had packed a decent set. As she unhooked the front clasp, his reaction excited her even more.

  “I don’t remember them looking like that,” he said, as he knelt on the floor between her legs, and began to roll her sensitive nipples with his thumbs.

  Sarah gasped.

  “Does it hurt? Shall I stop?”

  “Don’t you dare.” She arched her back and his hand slipped between her legs, and under the elastic of her panties, while his mouth took up where his thumbs had been.

  A hum began deep in her throat, while Christian made his own encouraging noises. She was wet, hot, and ready in far less time than ever before. She shuddered as she came, with Christian watching her with hooded eyes. Another first. When her gasps had subsided a little, he lifted her up the bed. She protested as he removed her soaking panties. Not because she wasn’t ready for him, but she wanted him to feel as she did.

  “Let me,” she said as she touched him.

  “Help yourself,” he groaned, and lay back on the comforter, so that she could reach him easier.

  Her good hand settled around his hardness, and she leaned over him to run her tongue around the tip. Then she took him into her mouth. Slowly. His hips bucked a little as she squeezed his scrotum and she took him deeper and firmer.

  “Enough,” he croaked. Gently, but firmly he pushed her back. “I need you now, Sarah, but are you sure this will be okay? I know technically it’s fine, but…?”

  “I’ll tell you if it isn’t okay. I’ve had a bit of time lately, so I did a bit of research and it’s supposed to be good for you.”

  He laughed. “Have you now? I wonder why?”

  “Shut up, before I change my mind.”

  He took her at her word, and before long she was soaring, gladly taking him with her. They gasped each other’s name as they orgasmed, riding the aftershocks of what was the best sex ever. For her. He looked pretty happy, too.

  Sarah hadn’t needed sex before. Well, not like she’d needed it tonight, and Christian hadn’t disappointed her. He rolled to one side and pulled her towards him.

  “Wow. I didn’t think we could top Rarotonga, but we did.”

  “It was perfect. I wonder if it’s being pregnant that made it so intense?”

  “There is no right answer to that. I will say that, even though you have a glow about you which is very alluring, you were already beautiful, so who knows?”

  He kissed her deeply and cocooned her, which made her feel cherished. Now was not the right time to tell him that she was going home tomorrow.

  Naked, his hand rested lightly on the slight mound of her stomach. Sarah placed her hand over his, and that was how they fell asleep.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Walking into the Knights mansion was like walking into a castle. The family had gathered together in the sitting room as if they’d been summoned, which they probably had. So much for a gentle easing into the fold. They looked like they were ready to do battle to save their sister from the invader.

  He was clearly the enemy, and maybe he deserved that. How he’d reacted when Sarah came to see him had been appalling, even if at the time he’d felt like he’d had a good reason. Then he’d spirited Sarah away when her family wanted to take care of her.

  He wasn’t going to roll on the floor begging for mercy, and he wouldn’t let them spoil his plans.

  He walked over to Eloise Knight sitting in a high-backed chair, and held out his hand. “Good morning, Mrs. Knight. It’s a pleasure to meet you properly.”

  “I shall reserve judgment on whether it’s mutual or not.”

  “Mom!” Sarah had taken a seat on a couch with her younger sister, who hugged her.

  “I’m saying how I feel. Now that’s out of the way, let’s hear how this is going to work.”

  Christian did not sit, since neither were Ben or Andy. Sarah gave him a nod. Let the games begin. “Sarah and I have reached an agreement. We will raise this baby between us. It will have our names hyphenated. All costs, including the birth, will be paid by me.”

  “That’s not going to happen.” The eldest brother stood behind his mother, which meant he was very close to Christian. His scowl looked like it had every intention of staying put. “You didn’t want to know about the pregnancy at the start, and we can take care of our own.”

  “No one’s doubting your family’s ability, but this is my child too. If you were in a similar situation, wouldn’t you feel the same way?”

  “I wouldn’t be so careless for this to happen.”

  A red-haired woman, who he’d never seen before came into the room with a tray of coffee and cups, which she placed on the table with some force.

  “It could happen to anyone,” she chastised him.

  Benjamin Knight glared at the woman. “Jenna, this is—”

  “Family business?” she said, with a deceptively quiet voice.

  The look on his face was priceless, and Christian had to smother a grin. It seemed as if the eldest Knight had been somewhat tamed and didn’t know quite what to do about it.

  Sarah broke the stalemate. “I was sick, as you know, prior to the wedding. Doctor Meredith thinks this is likely to be the main reason the pill didn’t work. Sorry if this offends your sensibilities, boys, but it goes to show that condoms aren’t perfect either. Anyway, it’s done now, and I won’t have this child thinking I don’t want it. Or that you all think it’s something less because I’m not married.”

  Her chin wobbled and Caris hugged her again. “We couldn’t treat your baby badly. We will all love it, the way we love you.”

  “It’s not like there isn’t plenty of room for another kid or two.” A younger version of Benjamin Knight said, and the carbon copy of him nodded.

  Andy didn’t comment, but he looked in agreement. Christian believed them. Ben was on his own, but he knew it was what Eloise decided that would matter most.

  “I hope you’ll accept my role in Sarah and the baby’s life, but if you don’t, I will still be there. Regardless.”

  “Is that a threat?” Eloise asked.

  “No. It’s simply how it will be.”

  “Don’t talk to my mother like that,” Ben said, taking a step closer to him.

  Christian stood his ground. “I mean no disrespect, I’m merely laying my cards on the table. What you do with them is your choice. I appreciate I can’t make you like me.”

  “Are you getting married?” Ben demanded.

  “No,” said Sarah, rather too emphatically for Christian’s taste.

  “It’s too soon for us to contemplate marriage. We’ll see how things turn out. Whatever happens with Sarah and me, one thing is certain; I won’t be walking away from my child.” Saying the words, brought a rush of warmth. With each day, he felt it more strongly. It was scary and exhilarating. Especially after last night.

  Sarah was looking at him like she wasn’t sure what he meant. Which was fine. He wasn’t sure either, but he didn’t want to hamstring their relationship before they could see where it was heading. It was still all so new.

  Eloise raised a hand and the room grew silent. “All right. You’ve spoken well. Now I want to hear from my daughter. Sarah, what do you want to say about these plans?”

  “I agree with everything Christian said. We’re getting on well right now, and that makes things easier. I think we should get a document drawn up, outlining our responsibilities and how visitation would work.”

 
; Christian felt a pang of disappointment. “Visitation?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t want to be a visitor in my child’s life.”

  Sarah’s eyes registered her shock. “What are you saying? You want to live here?”

  “No, I don’t. I want you and the baby to live with me. You can have the guest wing indefinitely.”

  “But, this is my home.”

  “You’re going to be a mother. Isn’t it time you moved out and made a life of your own?”

  “Sarah can live where she damn well likes,” said Ben.

  “Exactly.” Christian squared up to him.

  Sarah was suddenly standing between them. “Shhh, Ben. Christian, I am not moving into your house. I want to be near my family while I’m pregnant and having the baby.”

  “I appreciate you’re scared, and that you’d especially want your mother and sister on hand,” Christian glared at Ben. “But it’s not so far that they can’t be called and arrive quickly. Plus, I would get you the best obstetrician in the country.”

  “I have everything I need right here, and my doctor is recommending someone.”

  Christian ran a hand through his hair. The things they’d discussed hadn’t prepared him for this. He’d assumed an awful lot, he could see that now. “What is the alternative? For me?”

  Eloise suddenly smiled at him. “You will come and live here until the baby arrives, then you talk about it some more. Ben, you’re spending most of your time at Jenna’s, so Christian can have the flat over the garage for the foreseeable future.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me, Ben.”

  Ben’s face was all shades of red. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Surely Christian has to be closer than this to work?”

  Christian shrugged. “As the crow flies, it’s probably the same distance to the hospital.”

  “You mean, you’ll do it?” Sarah asked.

  He smiled at her astonishment. “You’re doing all the hard work. It’s the least I can do. As long as your family agrees,” he said, pointedly at Ben.

  “Thank you, Christian. I know it’s not what you want, but we can make this work for a few months.” Eloise began to pour the tea.

  “I sincerely hope we can.” He wanted to believe it, but this was a tall order and it meant living with a hell of a lot of animosity.

  “Do we know whether it’s a boy or a girl?” Matt asked.

  “Not yet,” he said. “We can’t agree on finding out.”

  “Still?”

  “Yeah. It’s Sarah’s call.”

  Sarah smiled, as she touched her stomach, a gesture that was becoming familiar to him. Along with a list of other things that made him smile.

  “Maybe in a few more weeks. We’ll see.” She spoke to the room, but her eyes were on Christian.

  “Will you use the nursery furniture?” Caris was becoming excited which seemed to rub off onto Sarah.

  She grinned. “I’ve been thinking about it.”

  Christian couldn’t help himself. “Don’t you want new furniture?”

  “It’s not necessary when it’s all here.”

  “But, we don’t have to have secondhand stuff, and I’d like to pay for it.”

  Sarah bristled. “They aren’t only secondhand, they’re heirlooms. Every Knight from the last two generations has started out in the crib and moved onto the cot.”

  “You’ll find a lot of tooth marks, junior here was a biter.” Matt nudged his twin, Evan.

  “I had to do something, since you had a habit of hogging the bed.”

  “I hope you’ve grown out of that.” Christian grinned at them. The thought of the two lanky men sharing a bed was hilarious.

  “As much as they argue, they still seem to spend every available moment together.” Eloise added to their outrage.

  “We do not!” they chorused, and the whole room laughed, even Ben, although not quite as heartily. It was an ice breaker, and Christian would take it as a small win.

  “I’d better go home and pack.”

  The laughter died on Sarah’s lips. “You want to move in today?”

  “If it’s not a problem?”

  “It’s not a problem for me,” Jenna’s arm snaked through Ben’s.

  He looked down at her and grinned. “I guess it does makes sense.”

  Christian could see why Ben had a change of heart about moving in with Jenna. She was here to support Sarah, but the feisty redhead wasn’t about to kowtow to Ben or his family. She also had Ben’s number, and right now, that number had come up.

  “It’s not perfect, but at least we’ll see what kind of man you are,” Ben said, as if he were doing Christian a favor.

  “I was under the impression someone had me checked out?”

  “Yeah, that was me,’ said the quiet giant in the corner. Andy’s Texas drawl contrasted with his imposing presence as he hoisted himself from against the wall and crossed the room. “I don’t care about your background and what’s gone before now that we know you’re straight. What matters is what you do from here on.”

  With that, he thrust a hand at Christian, and despite his size, the handshake was not the worst he’d encountered. Clearly, this was one man who didn’t think of him as a threat. Then again, he wasn’t technically a Knight.

  Christian felt no animosity. He’d done his research too. Actually, Lilith had. Eloise Knight was a smart lady. She’d kept the company afloat after her husband died, had raised five children to follow in her footsteps, and the business had not only survived—it had flourished. He couldn’t feel anything but respect her. And Sarah obviously took after her mother. In looks as well as smarts.

  He shook hands with the men and was pleasantly surprised when both Caris and Eloise gave him a hug. Ben made a rude sound, but it couldn’t take away from the fact that the others were willing to try to accept him.

  Sarah walked him out to the car. “That went better than I’d expected.”

  He snorted. “I’m glad you think so.”

  “Was it so bad?”

  “Let’s say that in the end, it was worth it. I get to be around to make sure you’re both okay.”

  “My family could have done that, in fact, they’ll still be annoyingly caring regardless.” She rolled her eyes.

  “I know, but not being here would have driven me crazy, worrying about you, and not knowing for sure.”

  They were standing so close, her perfume teased his senses. “I have feelings for you, Sarah. I don’t want to give them up.”

  Sarah flushed. “I hope you mean that.”

  “I mean it. Why do you ask?”

  “I wondered if you were here just for the baby.”

  “I said both, and that’s what I meant.”

  She nodded. “Okay. That’s good. I guess I’ll see you later.”

  Christian could feel an awkwardness begin to creep in, and he wrapped her in his arms. She looked up at him, as if she wasn’t sure they should be doing this. He was. His lips found hers and he kissed her deeply. With a sigh, she melted against him, their bodies so close, he could feel the pounding of her heart. Or was it his?

  He could have kissed her forever, but he heard noises. He kissed her one last time. “I better go before I have my evil way with you on the driveway.”

  Sarah laughed. “You wish.”

  “Actually, I do.” He grinned and got in the car. “I’ve got to contact my office and deal with some appointments, then I’ll go home and pack. I’ll be back late this afternoon.”

  “Whenever you come back is fine. I’ve got to get back into work.”

  “Don’t overdo it.”

  She threw her hands up. “Do you think that’s possible with my helicopter family?”

  He laughed, waving as he drove away. Sarah stood in the middle of the driveway, and he watched her until he could no longer see her in the rear vision mirror.

  A mixture of emotions plagued him. He wanted to be near Sarah. He didn’t want to live with her
family. It was a compromise he hadn’t been aware he would have to make until a short while ago. He wasn’t sure who had been more surprised—he or Sarah.

  It bothered him the deal was so one-sided. Christian had never let his guard down like this—except that one time.

  He gripped the steering wheel hard. This was different. It had to be.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Each day Christian spent at the Knights house was a combination of awkwardness, annoyance, and happiness. Sarah provided the later, her family, everything else.

  To be fair, it was only Ben who gave him a hard time. Eloise and Caris still watched him like hawks, but the twins’ interest ebbed and flowed, as did their presence. Andy was an enigma.

  The baby was growing and so was Sarah. A fact she bemoaned, in a satisfied way. She complained of being fat, while wearing clothes that emphasized her pregnancy.

  He loved that the baby was moving a lot. It made it feel more real and justified the reason for living in a house which wasn’t his own, and where he wasn’t a hundred percent welcome, more genuine.

  If he could change anything about living here, it would be the amount of time he was able to spend with Sarah. Just the two of them.

  Thankfully Evan had returned to Heaven Bay where his marina was situated, but that left the rest of them. Matt traveled but still seemed to home more than not. Andy didn’t even live here, but was around at some stage of each day. Caris and Eloise weren’t happy unless they were with Sarah, and since they all worked, it meant mornings and evenings were taken care of.

  It was no coincidence that sex had been off the agenda for most of the last few months, and Christian was not only frustrated, he was fed up with the whole business. Living with others didn’t suit him at all.

  Sarah came out the front door and took each step carefully, ignoring his hand as he raced to help her.

  “I told you, I’m not sick.”

  Christian sighed. “I’m only helping you down the stairs.”

  “I don’t need help.”

  He went to open the door of the car and waited while she got comfortable.