by Lulu Pratt
Bowing my head, I let the pounding water cascade over my head and shoulders.
Moments later, the glass shower door slides open.
I hold my breath when I see a naked Grace standing there, her make-up from last night smeared from tears.
She steps into the shower and I don’t think twice about making space for her.
We stand under the spray of water in silence for a few moments before she reaches out to turn the knob.
“I don’t know why I’m not angry,” she states pensively.
I remain quiet. She let me speak uninterrupted last night and I would grant her that same privilege.
“I hate that you lied to me. I hate that I believe you. I hate that I don’t want to leave. I hate that I want to be with you. I hate that I love you, too. But for whatever reason, I can’t get angry.”
Her words wash over me and wring out all my fears.
I’m not in this alone.
She loves me too.
“Never lie to me again,” she demands fiercely.
Her eyes rage with fire and the intensity has a chilling effect on me.
“Never,” I promise.
“No more secrets,” she adds.
“None,” I oblige easily.
Her forgiveness is unspoken but it still speaks volumes between us.
When the silence stretches between us, I bow my head towards her hungry for a kiss.
My lips crash against hers and I pour my emotions into every lick and caress. Her pliant mouth yields to the force of the aggressive lip lock.
Hands tangled in her hair, I’m panting after a minute of nonstop contact.
Pulling away, I make a solemn vow.
“You have my word, Grace. I adore you and I will spend the rest of my life protecting you.”
Epilogue
GRACE CHAMBERS
SIX MONTHS LATER
My hand smooths down the front of my gown as I try to capture the butterflies that have occupied my stomach.
The dress is simple. With a sweetheart neckline, the material molds to the curves of my waist and thighs before flaring near my knees to open up into a full train.
With deep breaths, I reach up to finger the lace of my veil.
It’s my wedding day.
I never in a million years thought this day would come, but nothing in my life has gone according to plan since meeting Jameson.
My eyes wander around Jameson’s guest room, my makeshift dressing room.
We decided on a small ceremony in the backyard.
Only about twenty guests and the reverend will be in attendance, with Eric Mendoza acting as Jameson’s best man and Stephania, my maid of honor.
Speaking of Stephania, where the hell is she?
She’s supposed to be getting me a glass of ice water.
My nerves have left my mouth dry and parched.
Before I can wonder any longer, the door creaks open and reveals a very flushed Stephania.
Catching my eye in the full-length mirror, she pastes on a sunny smile and walks over to me with a glass of water.
“Here you are, my dear.”
As I turn and take the glass from her, my eyes roam over her closely.
Her pale skin is tinted red around her cheeks and neck. And she’s breathing heavily.
“Are you okay?” I ask taking a sip. The chilled liquid runs down my throat, cooling me from the inside out. The sensation is a welcome relief.
Stephania begins fussing over my hair.
That’s when I see it. A red mark.
She has a hickey!
From the way she’s acting, I can tell she doesn’t even know.
“Are your lips swollen? Why are you out of breath, Steph?” I ask playing it cool.
“What? No. I’m fine.”
“Maybe you’re having an allergic reaction to some of the flowers,” I say, restraining peals of laughter.
“Maybe,” she offers offhandedly, fingering the material of my veil.
My suspicions won’t rest.
“Did you happen to run into Mendoza while you were out there?” I ask watching for a reaction.
Her face grows even redder before she clears her throat, confirming my speculations.
“I’m not sure.” Liar! “But enough about me, Grace.”
Taking the glass from my hand, she steps back to assess me with pure mirth dancing in her eyes.
“You look absolutely stunning. I can’t believe you’re getting married!” she gushes and I see the moisture gathered in her eyes.
Keeping my own tears in check, I grin at her. “I know, I can’t believe it either!”
I’d been totally floored by Jameson’s proposal last month. Stating he didn’t want a long engagement, we’d planned a small wedding with only our closest friends and family in mind.
Because I loved his property so much, we’d agreed to exchange our vows here.
I’ve never been this happy in my life.
Jameson had effectively overturned every previous notion that I’d held about love.
There were no words to describe the way his love transformed me from the inside out.
I wake up every day knowing that he’ll cater to my every whim while pushing me to be better than I was the day before.
And it goes both ways.
There’s absolutely nothing that I won’t do to make him happy. He’s easy to love and I plan to spend the rest of my days doing just that.
Picking up a bouquet of beautiful flowers, Stephania offers it to me.
“Let’s get you married.”
*
The ceremony is everything I thought it would be.
At the first sight of Jameson standing under the arbor, I burst into tears.
I gather myself together and make it through the nuptials before placing the chrome wedding band on my husband’s ring finger.
My husband.
Oh, my God.
Now, in the back of the limo, my head rests on Jameson’s shoulder as we journey to the airport.
His fingers caress my hand lovingly, lulling me to sleep unknowingly.
“Grace, wake up. I have something to show you, sweetheart.”
I feel the limo coming to a stop and look out of the window to see a large plantation-style home set on several acres of land.
Definitely not the airport.
“Where are we?” I ask, pressing my nose against the tinted glass of the limousine.
“Come see,” Jameson says offering his hand to assist me out of the car.
My feet are planted on a horseshoe driveway, I turn in a complete circle surveying the property.
It’s breathtaking.
And peaceful. I feel an immediate sense of calm when I inhale the rural air.
Jameson looks nervous before speaking.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s gorgeous,” I say without hesitation. “But whose house is this?”
“Ours.”
My jaw hits the pavement beneath us and I turn to Jameson so quickly, I almost lose my footing.
Catching me, Jameson’s eyes bore into me, mirroring the love I know is visible in my own eyes.
“You’re kidding.”
“I want a fresh start with you. Here we will build our lives together. Raise our children and love each other until our last breaths. What do you say?”
“I say yes! Oh my fucking God!”
Enveloped in his strong embrace, unconditional love sweeps over me as I’m comforted by the thought that I will always be his and he will always be mine.
His Prize:
A Second Chance
Billionaire Romance
She’s not getting away this time.
My billion-dollar company ran a competition that swept the nation.
First prize?
One week at my Caribbean mansion.
I can’t believe my eyes when the winner steps off the plane.
Olivia King.
The girl who wouldn’t go to prom
with me.
I never expected her to win my prize.
But now that she’s here, I’m going to give it to her over and over.
*** A steamy STANDALONE contemporary romance novella with a smoking hot hero. No cliffhanger, no cheating and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.***
CHAPTER ONE
OLIVIA KING
I can’t wait to bury my toes in warm white sand.
Peering out the window, I watch as the clouds buoy the private jet in its journey across the sky.
Sighing, I tear my eyes away from the peaceful view and marvel at my luck.
The last two weeks flash through my mind as I take in the opulence of the plane that is transporting me from little old Tennessee to Turks and Caicos.
Spacious leather seating, wood-grain trimmings and a gracious stewardess to cater to my every need.
Everything is at my fingertips all because I randomly entered a contest on a social media app that Winnie couldn’t stop raving about.
After downloading the Discover Travel app, I entered the contest by answering a simple question: How has traveling changed your life?
Sticking to the truth, I instead shared how the absence of travel had shaped my life. All the flights I never booked. All the adventures I’d never had. As well as how much I wanted to change that.
Now, it’s happening.
I could kiss Winnie on the forehead for her pesky insistence.
As if she can sense that I’m thinking about her, my phone vibrates as a new message comes through. Thanks to the complimentary WiFi on the flight, I’m still able to utilize my phone’s cloud messaging feature.
Don’t forget about my shout out!
When I land, I’m set to meet the creator of the app, Bash Something-or-other. What kind of name is that? Cameras will be present to capture him giving me my prize of one-million dollars, as well as the keys to the private house I’ll be staying in for the duration of my one-week stay on the southernmost island of Turks and Caicos.
I have dinner tonight with the creator of the app as part of the contest, then the rest of the week is mine to fill with whatever I want to do.
The meet and greet is set to stream live on the app as well as Good Morning America. The thought of so many eyes on me is nerve-racking but at least I’ll be fashionable while I’m sweating bullets.
With Winnie’s help, I went shopping earlier this week and nearly maxed out the one credit card I had.
Grinning, I tap out a reply to my best friend.
Couldn’t forget it for the world. I’m so freaking excited!!
I followed the exclamatory text with a string of emojis to further convey my excitement.
I’m excited for you, sweetie.
I type out another message.
I wish you were here with me.
The original plan was for Winnie to act as my plus one for the duration of the trip. However, her boss overturned his approval for her vacation request at the last minute when a big project came up.
So I’m flying solo. Literally.
I’ll make it up to you, doll. Just relax and soak it in. You deserve this break more than anyone I know. Enjoy every second.
My heart squeezes at her sweet words.
Thanks, hon. See ya in a week! Kisses
Seconds later, my phone buzzes in my lap. I laugh looking down at the screen.
And don’t forget to tell me all about your island fling. I want to hear every detail.
Snickering, I return my gaze back to the window and get lost in my thoughts.
For some reason, Winnie is convinced that I’m going to find a handsome stranger and engage in all sorts of lewd acts during my short stay. She claims I can use the “release” and an island fling is the perfect way to get my feet wet again after such a dry spell.
I haven’t dated anyone seriously in years.
Not since my ex, Jordan, who failed to mention he’d been planning his wedding the whole time we were involved. One morning, I’d logged into my Facebook account during a break at the nursing home and nearly lost my breakfast.
Posted for all our friends to see were photos of Jordan from the previous night, dressed in a tux and looking lovingly at a woman who was not me as he exchanged his wedding vows.
To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. Shattered was more like it.
Of all the shitty things in my life, I had considered Jordan to be my bright spot. But apparently, I’d only been a distraction from his true love.
The whole ordeal devastated me for months. I’d been so humiliated that I shut down, emotionally and physically.
I’d ended up quitting my job and sleeping on Winnie’s couch for a month. Her tough love had brought me back to life and given me the boost I needed to get back on my feet.
She told me that I was welcome to stay with her as long as I needed, but I had to at least try. She wouldn’t stand by and watch me deteriorate into nothingness.
She was the only person rooting for me and I couldn’t let her down.
So I’d gone out and landed my current job as a live-in caregiver for my eighty-year-old patient, Arnold.
His son, Gavin, hired me because his aging father has dementia and requires around-the-clock care.
The only catch is that I had to move in to the home and make myself available twenty-four seven.
Since I wasn’t dating and led a pretty boring life anyway, I jumped at the opportunity not realizing the physical and mental toll that the long hours and demanding work would take on my body.
I can’t remember the last day I’ve had free time to do more than grab a quick coffee with Winnie, let alone escape my hometown for a week-long vacation.
I’m counting on this trip to revive me in more ways than one. This is the first time I’ve ever left the country and I can’t wait for the adventure ahead.
It seems the universe is finally working in my favor.
A ding sounds and the stewardess appears near my seat seconds later, wearing an easy smile.
“We’ll be landing soon, dear. Is there anything I can get you before our descent?”
“No, thanks,” I answer with a smile of my own.
As we descend, I check my face in my compact and make sure I’m camera ready.
As ready as I’ll ever be.
Moments later, we’re on the ground and I expel a shaky breath.
This is it.
Gathering my purse, I stand and make my way to the door near the front of the plane.
My steps nearly falter when I see the man waiting for me to join him on the tarmac.
Sebastian Downs.
CHAPTER TWO
SEBASTIAN DOWNS
The airplane stairs open and I shove my hands in my pockets, waiting for the winner to be revealed.
A petite figure appears and the cameramen move quickly to capture her every move.
Patiently, I wait as the woman grabs the side rail. I admire her subtle curves in the white dress that stops above her knees.
She’s a tiny little thing but her body is pure perfection.
As she nears, it dawns on me that she looks familiar. Like I’ve seen her face before.
My brain begins working overtime to place her face and when it happens, I’m nearly floored.
Olivia fucking King!
My high school crush and the girl who turned me down for prom a decade ago.
Carefully, I watch her face for any signs of recognition but she only smiles while tossing furtive glances at the cameras surrounding us.
Holy shit.
She looks good.
Exhausted, but good.
Still a dainty little thing, her hair is darker than I remember and her eyes don’t hold the same light they once did, but not much else has changed.
The next few moments pass me by in a blur.
We are cued by people on the sidelines to shake hands and smile for camera two. Then a distant voice instructs me to present her with the prize money and pose with the obnoxious,
oversized check.
Olivia goes through the motions, smiling but not making eye contact and I know without a doubt that she recognizes who the fuck I am.
When I present her with the keys to my private compound for the week, our fingers brush and a shock jolts my entire body.
What the hell?
Following her lead, I maintain my cool for the cameras and smile charmingly as she accepts the grand prize and proclaims her love for someone named Winnie.
It all passes me in a haze of activity as I’m transported back to Prairie View High School ten years earlier.
The halls were crowded as I made my way through the mass of people to get to my next class.
Only one thing was on my mind at the moment and that was asking my longtime crush, Olivia King, to the senior prom.
I’d liked her since I had laid eyes on her earlier this school year, and I’d harbored this crush secretly, all the way to prom season.
But today was the day.
I was going to bite the bullet and just go for it.
I’d never wanted to go to prom before. It wasn’t really my scene.
As a self-proclaimed tech nerd, my circle was pretty small and I stuck with them for the most part.
But something about Olivia had called to me and made me eager to learn more about her.
From our limited interactions in art class, I knew that she was sweet and soft spoken. She always slid me an easy smile and engaged in small talk as we worked on our projects in the studio.
I was a terrible artist but it was the elective I looked forward to most.
I arrived in the art studio and dropped my backpack near the door before pulling on my smock. I collected the tools I’d need to complete my project and went to sit down to wait for Olivia’s arrival.
She didn’t keep me waiting long and walked in wearing a pretty yellow sundress and sandals. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up and secured by a white ribbon.
She was perfection.
Her usual easy smile was missing and replaced with a serious, contemplative expression.
But she still greeted me sweetly after putting on her smock.
“Hi, Sebastian.”
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach.
“Hi, Olivia. How’s it going?”
She tilted her and appeared to think about her answer before settling on, “I’m really happy it’s Friday. I don’t think I could take another day here.”