“I’m sure Andy doesn’t have anything private in his life, now that I’m out of the woodwork,” his mother smiled, looking reassured she wasn’t in trouble.
Eloise laughed. “You never know with Andy. If he wants you to know something, then he’ll tell you. If not…” She shrugged her shoulders.
He held up his palms in surrender. “All right you two, no ganging up on me.” He noticed that Caris had left her horse with Sarah and was walking towards them. “Caris, come save me.”
She joined them on the patio, and pulled a face at him. “You probably deserve it.” She leaned over him to see the baby and kissed him on the nose.
Even hot and sweaty, she was gorgeous, and Andy barely managed to control the urge to pull her into his arms. He coughed. “That’s a bit harsh, you don’t know what they were saying.”
“Don’t look all innocent. We know you better than that, Cowboy.”
His mother was watching them intently.
“It’s okay,” said Eloise, “they’ve sparred like this forever. I’m afraid my family has this specific trait which has inadvertently rubbed off on your son. It means nothing.”
His mother frowned. “On the contrary, I think it means a lot. The way they look at each other is telling too, don’t you think?”
Caris perched on the arm of his chair. “This sounds interesting.”
“Sounds like mumbo jumbo,” he muttered. He was outnumbered, and uncomfortable, but Caris next to him was a good reason to stay.
“Ignore him. What do you think about us?” she asked his mom, who gave her a beatific smile.
“I think you have more chance of making a lasting relationship than most.”
Caris jumped up and threw her arms around her. “You have no idea how that makes me feel. I’m so glad Andy found you.”
Eloise and his mother had a shine to their eyes which made him jump off his chair and head for the door. “I’ve got a few things to do.” The following laughter told him that leaving was one of his better decisions.
Chapter Fourteen
With Andy staying above the garage, it had been hard to get a private moment, let alone time to make love. Ben, in particular, had kept an eye on them whenever he was there, which was more often than usual, and Andy was done. He wanted to get back to his apartment. What he needed was for Caris to go with him.
He also had to make a decision about his mother. Would she want her own place, or should she live with him? He was trying to get her to say what her preference would be, but she hadn’t made up her mind.
He went inside the house to find Caris and see what she thought. She was sitting at her desk in her bedroom with a bunch of papers. They were her offer letters, and the one from John Hopkins in Baltimore was on top.
It felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. “Are you leaving me?”
She looked up at him and frowned. “We haven’t committed to anything, so I guess it’s up to you, Andy. But I’m leaving San Francisco.”
“What am I missing? You’re accepting a post and it’s not in San Francisco, which means you’re leaving. Unless what? I marry you?”
“No one’s talking marriage, Cowboy, so you can calm down and get the trapped look off your face.”
He was shocked and if he was truthful, a little relieved. “I don’t feel trapped, exactly. I want to be with you, Caris, but this is all so new, and with Mom? I don’t know what she wants yet. I think she misses her friends.”
She stood and walked over to a small table, picked up a file, and came back to stand in front of him. “I understand all of that, more than you think. But, I have an idea you might like.”
The way she said it, all soft and seductive, muffled his senses and he reached out to trail his finger down her throat. “Oh, yes?”
She took his finger and kissed it. “Stop it, I don’t mean that sort of plan.”
“Shame.” He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear more, not when her perfume washed over him, and her soft hand in his made him think of other parts of her.
“Hold that thought, Cowboy. I was thinking of your mom’s nursing home, and what we could do to help out there.”
He couldn’t believe it. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. Ever since we left, and I saw the look on those faces.”
She too was astounded. “Really? What did you come up with?”
He felt better about his decision, now he knew how she felt. “I’m going to ask Ben if he’d like to come in with me to buy it.”
She shook her head, emphatically. “No.”
“I thought you’d be pleased.” He couldn’t help but be disappointed.
She pressed the file into his hands. “Sorry, yes, I am. With one amendment. You should buy it, but with me. I have my own money in a trust, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it.”
He couldn’t have been more surprised. “In business together? You and me? Don’t you think it could create problems?”
“Andy, my parents did fine together, and you and I have been in business together for years. You have shares in Knight Industries, just like the rest of us.”
“I wasn’t on the board.” Eloise had invited him, but he’d been trying to prove himself by joining the army, and when he came home he didn’t have the time.
“True, but I was only there as a token gesture. I’ve been very slack when it comes to the family business. We all know it.”
“I think everyone appreciates that becoming a doctor is far more important.”
She didn’t look too convinced. “Hopefully. Andy, we can and should do this. We’ve seen it first-hand. We know how awful that place is. There’s so much we could change.”
“The whole management staff for a start.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “If the staff would work for a manager like that, then none of them should stay, and I’ve got an idea about who we could get in there.”
“Rebecca?” he took a wild guess.
“Yes, Rebecca. How did you know?’
He grinned. “She contacted me to find out about Mom. Several times.”
“She never said a thing, when I rang her to find out about your mom’s friends. I got her number when I signed the release papers.”
Caris continued to amaze him.
“I guess it proves what a caring person she is. She won’t be qualified, but we can sort something out, and I know a great doctor, who can make sure we get the best. Only, what about your residency?”
“That’s the beauty of it. I rang an old professor of mine and he has a contact at Florida Hospital. The specialize in internal medicine and have a great culture for patient care. They’ll take me on his recommendation and my exam results. I’ll need to go see them as soon as possible, but I’m excited with what I’ve heard about the place.”
He could see it. In her face, and the way her body vibrated with enthusiasm. It was an amazing aphrodisiac. “Let’s do it then.”
“Buy it?”
“That too,” he said as his hands began to roam once more. “You know, I’ve been contemplating branching out, and I’ve got great staff who could manage things here, including Ben who would be happy to keep an eye on things, which is ironic.”
“Mmmm,” she agreed, as the papers dropped to the floor and she began to unbutton his shirt.
“Plus, we can finally live together. Maybe with my mom for a change?” He wasn’t convinced he could do that, but he was willing to give it a shot, as long as this sexy woman was with him. Besides, if Caris was moving, then there was no way she was going without him.
“Sure.” She was tugging on his belt, her tongue slipped between her teeth in concentration.
He stepped away and she frowned. “Door,” he said as he locked it. Then he was back, kissing her deeply.
She sighed in his ear when his hand slipped between her thighs. There was happiness, then there was this. Loving Caris was easy. Life would simply have to follow suit.
Thank You
Thanks so much f
or reading Resident Billionaire the fifth book in the Billionaire Knights series. If you enjoyed it you can find the rest of the series on my website or via the links at the back of this book, where you can also find excerpts of the first and third books in the series.
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About the Author
Cheryl Phipps is a USA Today Bestselling Author.
‘Never forget to laugh at yourself.’
As a young mother with three small children, Cheryl Phipps escaped the daily chaos of motherhood through her beloved romance novels. She loved being whisked away from nappies and wiping noses to exotic locations filled with suave heroes and feisty heroines, and wonderful small towns with heart-warming tales of strong family ties and life-affirming true love.
Her bookshelves still hold those favorite authors – Marie Force, Nora Roberts, Marian Keyes and Cathy Kelly – plus new-found favourites, Bella Andre and Roxanne St Claire, who write stories that echo Cheryl’s own values: family always comes first and life’s struggles and challenges are always surmountable through love.
Cheryl’s three children have now grown up and have families of their own, leaving her arguably free to pursue her dreams of writing novels. She has published 17 so far with another 2 due out soon. She lives in a quiet suburb of New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, with her wonderful husband, who she married the moment she left school (yes, they were high school sweethearts). She enjoys taking walks with her husband, dinner out with friends, travel, and, of course, weaving sensual stories that celebrate the joy of love, family and resilience.
www.cherylphipps.com
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Restless Billionaire
Macy took a bite of the lobster and it was perfect. Nothing less should be expected at Bruno's, because the Chilean chef had exacting standards which he led by. She licked her lips in anticipation of the next mouthful.
"You have a little sauce right there." Evan pointed to her chest.
Sure enough, as careful as she'd been, there it was. Her shirt was no longer so white. She shrugged. “Happens all the time here. Actually, there's bibs on the side of the table. I don't know how I forgot about them."
"Bibs?"
"Yes.” She reached over the table and pulled two of the firm paper bibs and handed him one. “To cover your clothes."
His eyes were like saucers. "Like a baby?"
Macy laughed at his shock. "Too fancy for a bib?"
"I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t," he said wryly.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," she told him, as she fastened the paper bib around her neck and tucked it down her front.
Evan shook his head in amusement. Crack! He broke open a claw and juice sprayed across the table.
"Oops, sorry. Lucky you had the bib."
"Unlucky you didn't," she smirked.
He looked down at his spotted linen shirt that had earlier also been the one color. A dazzling blue that matched his dreamy eyes.
"I should have listened to the expert."
Macy liked that he wasn't outraged at spoiling his shirt. She liked that he could see the humor in such a thing. She liked an awful lot about Evan Knight.
It turned out to be a fun and enjoyable night, and at Bruno's insistence they even forced down a small bowl of gelato despite being full.
While Evan paid, Macy went to thank Bruno, and say hi to his wife and the kitchen staff, who made a fuss and told her to come back soon. Her heart was as full as her stomach by the time she found her way back to Evan.
They walked out into an end of a summer night, and stood at the rail on the edge of the world, where the breeze was a little fresher, but the air was still heavy with the smell of the ocean.
“Come an look at this.” she pulled him by the hand, around the corner, and pointed down. It was finally getting dark and they could see the lights far below of the marina and the shopping district.
“That’s a beautiful sight,” he said, but he was already looking back at her.
She realised they were still holding hands and she let go to grab the rail. “I’m so glad you talked me into coming out with you tonight, Evan. It’s nice to see a different face around town. Unless it's tourist season, when it's crazy with strangers."
"I'm glad too. But surely it’s still tourist season here?”
“The season used to be longer, and we’ll get the odd person who wants a more intimate experience between now and winter, but there’s so many choices for people along the coast, with towns that have more to offer than Heaven’s Cove. We haven’t exactly moved with the times”
“That must make business tough?”
“Business is just fine.”
“Good. Will you have any time off this weekend?"
She hesitated. One date was all she’d planned for, but she was having such a good time, why not have more while she could? "When do you go home?"
"Sunday afternoon."
"And you had no plans?"
"I was going to sail all weekend, but I could be persuaded to do something else."
His voice conveyed a meaning she couldn't ignore. “It might be quieter on Saturday afternoon. I can ask my dad to take care of things if he's well enough. We could take Maggie out and I can show you some beautiful bays around here."
"That would be good. I hope I’m not being too pushy, but what are you doing tomorrow night?"
"Oh. Since it's Friday, I usually have a beer at the local bar. You can come if you want. It's kind of a tradition for most of the town. A winding down gently into the weekend kind of thing."
"Sounds good, if I wouldn't be intruding?"
"Not at all. Everybody's welcome."
"In that case. I accept."
As he drove carefully down the hill, Macy studied him. He had a kind face. A strong chin. A lovely smile. And, he’d ‘saved’ her from Sean. Could he really be privileged, and also be such a nice guy?
“Want me to show you the town?”
“Sure. Shall I park?”
She laughed. “It won’t take that long. Just drive in a straight line.”
Reluctant Billionaire
Looking ruefully at the melted drink to his left, he finished his own virgin mojito and mulled over what he would do today. Perhaps he should consider an earlier flight home? His sister would be upset with him for not taking the full week. He had promised, and Christian did not break promises if he could possibly help it. He could persevere for a couple of more days. Couldn’t he?
He might go snorkeling in the lagoon which might kill an hour or so. He walked down the path through the canopy of trees to the beach and saw her immediately.
The resort’s paddle board instructor was knee deep in the lagoon, his arms around the blonde’s waist as he helped her stand. Her little blue bikini top barely held her perky breasts and the matching bottoms, which stretched across her butt, could make a man weak at the knees. Of course, he’d noticed her great body earlier, but with her muscles clenching with effort and her butt stuck out for balance, he was practically a drooling mess.
Christian grabbed another board and paddle and carried it to the water, then walked it out a way before jumping on. It would have been better if the water was colder since he could already feel the arousal pushing at his swim shorts.
There were several young women on the resort—some far too young—wanting his attention, but Christian wasn’t interested. He might have been tempted, but ever since the day he’d fi
rst glimpsed her, the gorgeous blonde was barely out of his mind. It was only today that he’d taken the chance of talking to her and breached the barrier that invisible or not, could be felt at a distance.
Christian had not anticipated this attraction for the simple fact that he didn’t date blondes. He’d developed a distrust of them since his first girlfriend had tried to palm off her love child as his and demanded he marry her. The memory had faded, but he didn’t want a repeat performance. He gave any would-be girlfriend two or three dates then moved on. Or had a break. And, he was über-careful of making sure there was no danger of any babies appearing at a later time.
If he couldn’t find something or someone to amuse him, then he may as well be back at work. He loved his job, despite the pressure of being a leading surgeon, and if he was away from it for too long he was like a bear with a toothache.
Although, right at this moment he had other issues. His desire, which had been dormant for several months, was escalating with each arch of the blonde’s back as she used her body to counteract the small waves. She was a natural. Even when she wobbled slightly, it was done gracefully.
He could leave her be. Find another woman to satisfy his need, but he didn’t want any woman. He wanted her. She was a challenge, and his life centered around challenges.
Kneeling, he paddled to where, solo now, she appeared to be relishing the experience. With barely a wobble she moved across the calm lagoon.
He stood as he pulled closer and began to match her strokes. Christian called out to her. “Looks like you’re getting the hang of it.”
As she turned slightly, one foot shot off the board, and in a flailing of arms and legs she hit the water with a resounding splash. She surfaced spluttering and coughing, not quite as graceful as before and with a face covered in hair. She was less perfect than before, but somehow even more appealing.
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