The Billion Dollar Wedding: The Honeymoon Collection

by Cynthia Dane

  His hit before hers. With an unforgettable roar, Ethan came, making Jasmine’s body tremble in its own orgasm as she subconsciously became determined to take him down with her.

  Because she was definitely falling off the bar.

  It was a slow fall. The kind that was fueled by the heat of the moment, some slip of the heel or lessening grip of the finger. Jasmine gradually fell to the carpet, her knees hitting it before her hands did. The whole time? Ethan was still inside of her, spending himself one incredible second at a time as he kept himself wrapped around her.

  Everything ended with Jasmine huddled on the floor, Ethan on top of her, inside her, heaving breaths of disbelief against her throat. Hair was shoved aside to make room for his lips on her skin.

  He pulled the mask off her face, unveiling Jasmine for the first time in many hours. “I think I got my money’s worth,” he muttered, before craning her head around to kiss her lips.

  ***

  “I still don’t see it,” Jasmine said, staring at the clear night sky. “No matter how many times you point, I don’t think I’m capable of seeing it.”

  “It’s right there.” Ethan dropped his arm, exasperated. “Are you really the woman I’m going to marry? Because I’m not sure I can be with someone who can’t see Orion.”

  Jasmine ignored that, choosing to instead curl up in Ethan’s arms. After their grand fun in the lounge downstairs, they moved up, bypassing the parties dying down elsewhere in favor of having the main balcony to themselves. Maids waited on them, bringing them champagne and enough snacks to make Jasmine not fit into her wedding dress the following week.

  For half an hour they lay around, taking up two lounge chairs as they watched the beautiful mountain star-scape before them. Every once in a while someone passed by in the house behind them, but they ignored that inner world, and concentrated on the small one they built together.

  Ethan didn’t comment on Jasmine’s appearance, other than to say he knew it was her the moment he saw her engagement ring glistening on her hand. Jasmine admitted that she had no idea what was planned until Henry drove her up here. “Henry? Of course he was in on it. What was that stupid story about Amsterdam? Like he would risk me kicking his ass for cheating on Monica.” That was all Ethan had to say about that.

  Instead, he was more interested in asking Jasmine about her last minute wedding preparations, like the wedding dress fitting she survived two days ago. They both used the word “survived” because Bonita was a tornado of Italian swears and Luna spent the whole time crying. Later Jasmine found out her mother was high on some pot brownies she baked in poor Belinda’s kitchen when she wasn’t looking. Then Bonita had a brownie. Then Harold snuck one. Next thing Jasmine knew, she was surrounded by potheads laughing over the patterns in her wedding dress. She had to make her mother promise to not, and she meant do not spike anything at the wedding reception.

  Ethan fed her some crackers. She poured him more champagne, even after he protested and said he couldn’t possibly drink even water that night. Jasmine laughed, happy to drink his champagne for him. She had some catching up to do.

  It was nice, having that privacy up in the mountains. Monica assured them there was an empty guest room with their names on it, plus breakfast in the morning before they headed back home.

  Until they decided to turn in, Jasmine was content to be fed crackers while she buckled down beneath Ethan’s suit jacket and he played with the curls in her hair. After she had enough champagne, she started asking him questions she always wanted to know the answers to, but never bothered to inquire about.

  For example, how had he lost his virginity? “I was seventeen, if you can believe it,” he confessed, one finger wrapped in her hair. “I mean, if you can believe I was that old.”

  “I believe it.” This was Ethan they were talking about. He probably waited until he met the perfect girl to stick it in for the first time. “Go on. I only know it was in your crappy old car.”

  “Yup. I took her out for dinner at Taco Bell, and then we went to the lookout point where everyone does it. Nothing special. Oh, she came, if that counts.”

  “A virgin guy getting a girl off? That definitely counts, Don Juan.” Jasmine could barely stop laughing at the images in her head. “Who was it? Your girlfriend?”

  “Nah. An average girl named Jeannie. Jeannie Pullover, like the sweater.”

  “I see. I bet she was a brunette.”

  “Red head. The hottest one I still have yet to see.”

  Jasmine rolled her eyes.

  “Last I heard she was a vet in Rochester. Unmarried.”

  “I should’ve flown her out for you bachelor party!”

  “I often wonder if she knows she took a billionaire’s virginity.”

  “Was she a virgin?”

  “Hell no. That’s one of the reasons I asked her out. Not because I thought she was easy, but because I wanted someone who had an idea of what they were doing. I was going to fuck it up enough as it was.”

  “I’m surprised you had that much foresight. Most guys aim and fire. We’re lucky if they even wrap it up first.”

  “I was a perfect gentleman, I assure you.” Ethan tugged on Jasmine’s hair. “I wrapped it up and managed to wait one whole minute before popping off. I’ve come a long way since then. Practice helps.” He tugged harder. “Now it’s your turn. I want all the nasty details.”

  “Nasty? Does getting fingered under the bleachers at eighteen count?”

  “That’s it?”

  “I jerked him off too.” Jasmine shuddered. “Back then, that was the grossest. I still maintain that boy had something off about that dick.”

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  Ethan waggled his eyebrows. “When did you get boinked? You sure as hell weren’t a cock virgin when we met. Same with this fancy mouth of yours.” He poked her cheek.

  Jasmine laughed. He has definitely drunk a lot today. Only half-drunk Ethan could make those kinds of jokes. “I didn’t do anything like that until college. As for the one thing…” She pursed her lips, to make him think of her going down on him again. “My second boyfriend was really into oral. Really into it. Taught me all the preliminary stuff I needed to know.”

  “You didn’t think it was gross?”

  “Not by then, no. He also had a great cock. Absolutely gorgeous. Ugh.”

  “Stop it. You’re making me jealous.”

  “You’re not capable of feeling jealous.”

  He leaned in close. “You want to bet?”

  They wrapped up their tryst before eleven, when most of the Château guests were either gone or retired to their rooms, some with girls in tow. Jasmine didn’t feel like dealing with them wandering the halls, so she showed Ethan the servants’ walkway, which he whistled to behold.

  Why go straight to their guest room when they could meander through a passageway nobody else got to know about? Nobody that mattered at the moment.

  “…I dunno, somehow I think Machu Picchu is too passé.” Ken Andrews leaned back on Grace’s bed, half undressed while his mistress reclined on a chaise lounge with only a sheer blue robe to cover her body. “I would have to give ample warning before taking her there for her birthday. She’ll want to buy a whole new wardrobe before we set foot in Mexico.”

  “Why don’t you surprise her?” Grace propped her head up on her hand, elbow digging into the lounge. “Put her on a plane and let her find out when she gets there!”

  “Woman, do you remember what happened the last time I tried to surprise her with something? I almost ended up divorced!”

  “These people are weird,” Jasmine mumbled. “I would love for you to take me to Machu Picchu.” She followed Ethan down the passageway.

  “…Maybe if you weren’t such a bastard I would be able to make some fucking money!” Judith, complete with mere underwear and disheveled hair, shouted into her phone. “Yeah, hang on, I’ve got another call.” She coughed. “Hey, you! Pay up! I’m bleeding
over here!”

  They kept walking. Jasmine wouldn’t repeat what she saw Holly doing with three fine gentlemen and one of the other girls Monica had hired for the party. It was definitely illegal in some countries.

  How did they know they had walked too far? They peered through a peephole and saw Monica with her feet up on a couch, Henry massaging her poor swollen things and assuring her that story about Amsterdam was all lies to egg Ethan on. He then tried to change the subject by talking about baby names. His mother was pressuring him to name the baby Augustine, after his grandfather. Apparently, Henry still didn’t know he was having a daughter. Augusta it was!

  Monica yawned, his cue to shut up and keep massaging.

  By the time Ethan and Jasmine finally backtracked to their guest room, he was antsy to feel her up again. Why not?

  She didn’t anticipate him asking to call her Cindy again. Jasmine went along with it. She had a feeling Cindy would pop in and out of her marital bed for a few years to come – well, she was certainly welcomed, based on what she got out of Jasmine’s future husband!

  ***

  Jasmine and Ethan had their breakfast back out on the balcony, enjoying the sunshine before they headed to their manor in the Hills. The occasional guest was seen scurrying or sauntering out of the Château after waking up from a sex and alcohol crazed stupor, but so far the only person to come up and speak with them was Henry, who had to hurry his way home to attend a family function, sans his wife.

  “Maybe we should go take a walk through the labyrinth before we go,” Ethan said. “See if we get lost.”

  Before Jasmine could cheekily reply, someone passed by in the hall, sunglasses pulled down and feet wobbling in her heels.

  “Oh,” Adrienne said, stopping to stare at the happy couple. “I thought you would have left already.” She conveniently did not mention anything that had happened last night.

  Ethan held a steady gaze as he popped a piece of cantaloupe into his mouth. “Wanted to see what I paid for last night.”

  “Paid… for…” Adrienne’s face paled. She clutched her purse close to her body and hurried down the hall, taking extra care of her thighs.

  Ethan turned to Jasmine. “Worth it.” He speared another piece of cantaloupe on his fork and held it up to her mouth.

  Jasmine bit it off. “Every penny.” Hopefully they could now move on from the thrill that was Ethan’s old love life rearing its ugly head. Just in time for the wedding, too.

  Chapter 17

  “Cole, party of…” Ethan looked over his shoulder. “Twenty-seven.”

  The maître d’ at the French restaurant braced himself for the huge party coming his way. The reservations had been made well in advance, but Jasmine called that morning to add about four more people. She barely had time to enjoy her final night as an unmarried woman thanks to this ridiculous rehearsal brunch they had to throw.

  The rehearsal itself had been fine, thanks in large part to Jenny and her team. The carpenters finished their task with a day to spare, and now the backyard was covered in chairs while a beautiful catwalk circled from the balcony. They would be getting married on it in about twenty-four hours, God rest Jasmine’s harried soul.

  Since most of the wedding party – all right, mostly Adrienne – had appointments that evening, they had to hold the rehearsal in the morning, complete with cats making great escapes without leashes and Belinda running around screeching for them to come back. A photographer from a high society magazine followed them around, determined to catch everyone in “casual” poses… although every time he faced someone, they were suddenly smiling and primping themselves. Selena took the most joy in this. She was convinced she would find her own billionaire husband and wanted to make sure she looked fantastic.

  While Jasmine had anticipated a somewhat rowdy bunch for her rehearsal dinner, she did not anticipate being seated at a large banquet table… in the back of the main dining area. Ethan was not bothered by this. Adrienne made a comment of feeling like she was in a goldfish bowl, but for the most part, everyone acted like this was the biggest nonissue that could have happened that day. Luna and Saul were amused to be in such a fancy restaurant.

  Naturally, there were other diners in the room. Naturally, they were well-to-do and had enough propriety to leave the large wedding party alone, aside from occasionally stopping by to wish Ethan and Jasmine well and to confirm that they would definitely be at the wedding the next day. Naturally, this was all going much too smoothly, and something had to be done about it, so help Mr. and Mrs. Bliss.

  “If I could have everyone’s attention please!” Luna called, standing in front of the banquet table with her hands in the air. She was certainly a sight in this restaurant. While everyone else wore their nicest midday outfits, from pastel cocktail dresses to light linen, Luna Bliss could barely be futzed with clothing at all. Let alone fancy clothes! Earlier that day, Jasmine was relieved her mother wore a nice muumuu without any phallic imagery on it. Now she wished her mother had dropped some of the seashell jewelry… and brushed her hair… and didn’t smell so much like the hemp her underwear was probably made out of. Can you use hemp for underwear? She didn’t actually want to know. “So, for anyone who doesn’t recognize us, we are Jasmine’s parents.” Like anyone didn’t know… and now the whole restaurant knew, because Luna had one of those voices that carried from there to Timbuktu. Saul chose that moment to join his wife, dressed in a loud Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts. Even that was probably too much clothing for him these days. “As such, we would like to perform a ritualistic dance of fertility that is commonly performed in the indigenous tribes of Ecuador on the eve of a wedding.”

  “No… Mom!” Jasmine stood up from her seat, Ethan looking to her as if to ask if she knew anything about this beforehand. No, no I did not!

  Suffice to say, when this strange and probably not authentic at all interpretive dance took a turn for the blatantly sexual, Jasmine – and security – had to physically intervene.

  “Well, at least this is already the most interesting rehearsal dinner I’ve ever been to,” Selena said, while her brother Juan nodded. “And I went to my cousin Calista’s rehearsal dinner, where the cops showed up to arrest someone’s uncle for outstanding warrants.”

  All eyes in the restaurant were on the Blisses. Saul, Luna, their daughter… it didn’t matter who it was. If their last name was Bliss, they were the subject of everyone’s intrigue… and derision.

  “Kill me,” Jasmine muttered, while Luna went on about sexual oppression and Saul demanded to talk to the manager. Now Ethan had to intervene… mostly to get his future father-in-law to realize that some things could not be done in this restaurant, especially with present company. “I love them, but please kill me.”

  After the brunch, everyone stepped outside to deal with valets. This included Jasmine, who had driven there separately in her Dodge Viper to split the load between personal cars and the limo. Her parents had ridden with her to the restaurant, but right now they were having yet another row with Ethan and the restaurant manager over what was considered appropriate.

  “See you at the house,” Nadia said, hopping in a car with Juan and Selena. “We’ll get you nice and tipsy tonight!”

  They were having a small, intimate party that night at the manor. Sure, there were still things to do for the wedding the next afternoon, but most of it was taken care of, and both Jasmine and Ethan agreed on a small party for those who could make it. Right now? Jasmine didn’t feel like hosting a party at all. She would much rather climb beneath a pile of blankets and pretend she was not one with this world. Or at least until the embarrassment her parents caused blew over.

  Someone sneakily took the Lord’s name in vain behind Jasmine. She turned around. Even though her sunglasses made the world dark enough to look like the Apocalypse was here, she still saw two thirty-something women smoking on the sidewalk. She recognized them from the gallery at the restaurant… and recognized them as two very rich socialites. Like
the older sisters of the two girls who once made fun of her in another restaurant.

  Normally she wouldn’t pay them any mind. Especially on a day like today, when she should be full of fervor on the eve of her wedding. Yet the incident in the restaurant had made Jasmine more masochistic than usual, and her ear happened to catch a downwind smoky conversation from hell.

  “Can you believe that?” asked a strawberry blond who puffed as if it were going out of style. “That woman and everything she stands for is such an embarrassment. You would think she was following some script given to her the moment she started dating Ethan.”

  “You’re a bitter bitch ‘cause he turned you down at that function two years ago. Ever since, you’ve done nothing but complain!” said her friend, a bottled redhead.

  The blond socialite waved smoke away from her face. “Can you blame me? He’s so hot he makes any girl’s panties catch-fire. I also hear he has a nice dick. So sue me.”

  “That’s all you care about… besides the money, of course.” The redhead chuckled. “I’m sure you fiancé would be happy to know that you fantasize about Ethan Cole fucking your twat when he’s ramming you from behind.”

  “Shut up!” If blushing could be audible, then Jasmine would hear it now. “My fiancé knows enough about that. You know that blasphemous article that came out months ago?”

  “Yeah, what about it?”

  “My fiancé is the #1 advisory editor at that paper, you know… not that neither Cole nor Thomas will be going to them for announcements anymore…”

  “No… you’re not saying…”

  The blonde grinned, stomping out her cigarette on the sidewalk. “A little birdie may have told the advisory assistant that their info was all wrong. It wasn’t just a business merger announcement with a side of engagement… it was the same thing. Jasmine Slut Bliss who?”