Accidental Triplets - A Secret Babies for the Billionaire Romance

by Layla Valentine

  Soon, my orgasm ebbed. Rhys's pace slowed, and eventually came to a complete stop. We stayed in that position for a time, our chests rising and falling, my head resting on his shoulder.

  “Hell of a first day,” he said lightly.

  I couldn't help but laugh.

  I spent the rest of the evening at Rhys's place. He ordered takeout for us and we spent the night sitting on the balcony looking out over the city, sipping wine and nibbling on some fantastic Chinese food.

  “Good to see your amazing taste extends even to takeout,” I said, dipping a bite of eggroll into a puddle of duck sauce and popping it into my mouth.

  “I only accept the best,” he said, flashing me a smile before taking a sip of his wine.

  His eyes lingered on me for a moment. It didn't take a master of subtlety to realize what he was saying. Another thrill ran through my body at the compliment.

  However, the wine had taken hold of us by this point, and I couldn't help but wonder just what things were going to be like in the morning, in the cold light of day. I tried to enjoy myself, but worry lingered in the back of my mind.

  Our rapport grew easier as the night went on and the bottle of wine emptied. He entertained me with stories from his years in the fashion industry, telling me funny little anecdotes about some of the big names that he'd worked with over the years.

  When the subject of Nina Wauters came up, however, he grew distant. It was clear by his reaction that there was something going on between the two of them, and he quickly changed the subject.

  I couldn't help but feel a little pang of jealousy. Were the two of them involved in some way? I mean, they had been working side by side for the last few months. Maybe one night late in the workshop, they’d had a night not too dissimilar to this, where wine was poured, secrets were shared, and things grew intense and passionate.

  After all, someone like Nina—a beautiful, glamorous former model—did seem to be a little more of a natural pairing for Rhys than some nobody like me. The feeling of jealousy began to intensify, and soon, I was staring off into space contemplating the whole thing.

  “You there?”

  Rhys's deep voice brought me back into reality.

  “Sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “I think the day just caught up with me.”

  “I think I'm right there with you,” said Rhys as he finished his wine and stood up. “Shall we turn in for the night?”

  “You…want me to stay over?”

  “Why wouldn't I?”

  The idea of being cuddled up close to Rhys did have its appeal, though part of me knew I should be careful not to get too attached.

  “Staying over sounds nice. Thanks.”

  “Yet another thing we agree on.”

  He extended his hand to me and I took it. As we walked into the bedroom, the idea of a little more fun occurred to me. But as soon as we crossed the threshold, fatigue hit me like a freight train. The last traces of energy left my body, and I barely had the juice to stumble the few feet to the bed before collapsing into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 11

  Cassidy

  It seemed like I'd only been out for a few minutes when I opened my eyes. I was disoriented at first, not knowing why I'd woken up in a strange bed. Focusing my eyes on the blurry readout of the nightstand clock, I saw that it was a little after seven—I'd been out for nearly nine hours.

  “Morning,” came the familiar voice from off to the side.

  I rolled over to see Rhys standing in front of his three-panel dressing mirror, his hands busy at work with a tie.

  “Morning,” I said, my voice thick with sleep.

  “There's coffee in the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge. We've got a busy day ahead, and we don't have much time to spare.”

  His voice was crisp and professional; the easygoing Rhys from last night was gone, replaced by the cool-headed boss.

  My eyes lingered on him as he finished tying his tie. He was dressed in another one of his sharp suits, looking good as ever. Part of me wanted to pull him back into bed for a quick romp, but I could tell that he was all business this morning. And I knew that I should be the same way.

  I hopped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. As I showered, images from the night before flooded into my mind. I thought back to the lovemaking, remembering just how good Rhys felt inside of me, just how intense the orgasm was…

  Then, I glanced down and saw that my hand was creeping along my stomach on its way down. I shook my head, knowing that I didn't have time for anything like that.

  Soon I was showered, dressed, and ready to go. I stepped into the kitchen and saw Rhys seated at the bar, a cup of coffee in front of him a newspaper opened up in front of his face.

  “We're running a little behind,” he said. “If you'd like some coffee, pour it into one of the thermoses in the shelf above the pot. And grab something carry-able from the fridge.”

  “Got it,” I said, responding as though I were a dutiful employee and not an erstwhile lover.

  I poured a half a pot of the coffee into a large, stainless steel thermos, the smell of the gourmet brew drifting up to my nostrils and waking me up. After grabbing a fruit pot from the fridge, I strolled over to Rhys.

  “Ready when you are.”

  He flicked the paper in half and tossed it onto the counter. His eyes met mine right then, and I felt that same undeniable electricity from yesterday, that pull towards him that made me want to press my lips onto his and strip him down to nothing. Rhys didn't say a word, the intensity in his eyes making it clear he felt the same way. The moments passed like minutes as we stared at each other.

  It was obvious just what both of us wanted.

  “Okay, then,” he said abruptly. “Let's get a move on.”

  He shot out of his chair with uncharacteristic speed, snatching up his bag on the way up. Rhys pressed the elevator button and as the door slid open, he gestured for me to enter first.

  “After you,” he said.

  “Why, thank you, Mr. Cole,” I said.

  I couldn't help but flash him a sensual little smile as I stepped in, letting him know, in no uncertain terms, just what was on this good little employee's mind.

  The next week flew by in a mad rush. We hit the ground running with the designs for the cruelty-free line, with Rhys giving me only a few days to have some mock-ups ready to show him.

  And that was all I'd seen of him since our night together. As much as I didn't want to dwell on the matter, I couldn't help it. I worried that he was avoiding me, that he'd thought our evening was a mistake that he not only didn't want to repeat, but regretted. The feeling that I'd done something horribly wrong by getting involved with my boss gnawed at me.

  “Oh, that looks awesome,” spoke Maria from over my shoulder, as I sat hunched over my design desk in my tiny office on the fifth floor.

  I jolted in place, surprised to hear her.

  “Whoa!” I called out, spinning around in my chair.

  Maria laughed and raised her palms.

  “Sorry, should've knocked or something.”

  I shook my head in disbelief at how goddamn jumpy I was being.

  “No, you're fine,” I said. “I was just off on another planet.”

  “I get it,” said Maria. “In that creative flow.”

  “Well, no…” I said.

  Maria and I had hit it off over the last week, with her quickly becoming a close work pal after bonding over gossip and more than a few glasses of happy-hour wine.

  She picked up right away on what my “no” meant, and slid into one of the chairs across from my desk.

  “Oh, I know you've got more than designs on the brain,” she said. “Spill it.”

  I looked around furtively, my eyes lingering on the bustle of workers in the large workroom outside my office.

  “I, um, kind of had a little thing with someone here at work.”

  “Damn, girl,” said Maria. “You work fast. It took me at least a month b
efore I started screwing around with coworkers. Who is it?”

  As much as I wanted to get it off my chest, there was no way I was going to divulge that it was the owner of the entire damn company.

  “Someone in the…upper offices,” I said.

  “Oh, nice,” said Maria, crossing her legs and sitting back. “They're the ones with the actual money in this place, anyway. So, what's the issue?”

  “I don't know. I mean, we hooked up last week and now he's being all distant. I know it was stupid to get involved with him, but I couldn't help it. There was just that spark, you know? That little something you're always looking for with a guy? And I guess I just assumed that he'd felt it too.”

  “That's a rough time,” said Maria. “Have you talked to him or anything?”

  “No,” I said. “I don't want to seem like a clinger, or one of those girls who's like, ‘what're we doing here?' after a single hook-up.”

  “Just talk to him again!” she said, saying it as though it were the most obvious, simple thing in the world. “Worst he can do is say it was just a fling.”

  “That would be the worst,” I said sadly.

  Before either of us could say another word, my phone rang on my desk. I scooped it up and saw that, as if he knew I was talking about him, it was Rhys. It was the first time he'd called me since our night together, and my heart raced at the thought of talking to him.

  “Oh, shit,” I said. “It's Mr. Cole.”

  Maria's eyes went wide.

  “Say no more,” she said, hopping out of her chair and heading out of the office. “Drinks tonight? It's Friday.”

  “You got it,” I said.

  She shut the door and I was alone. Taking a deep breath and trying to steady my nerves, I answered the phone.

  “Hi, Mr. Cole.”

  “Cassidy,” came the crisp response. “I've been taking a look at the mock-ups you sent over earlier today.”

  “Oh?” I asked, anticipation tingling in my stomach at the idea of hearing what he thought.

  “And…they're good. Very good. The jumpsuit was especially eye-catching. I think we might really have something here.”

  I did a little happy dance in my seat, overjoyed at the news.

  “Awesome!” I said, my voice now suddenly very chipper.

  “It's Friday, so go ahead and get a start on your weekend. We'll begin on the actual construction of the pieces Monday, so be ready to work.”

  “I always am,” I said.

  “That, I know,” he replied.

  Suddenly, a flash of confidence took hold of me.

  “Um,” I said, standing up and pacing around the office. “The other night was really nice. And I know that, um, you're the boss and I'm the employee, but I'd love to go out for drinks or something this weekend if you're free. Nothing serious or anything, just some wine or something like before. What do you think?”

  I closed my eyes and waited for the response. But nothing came. Only silence was on the other end of the line.

  “Um, Rhys?”

  Just before I could worry that he was too shocked to speak, a series of low beeps sounded from the other end. I took the phone from my face and saw the call had ended, and that he'd hung up right after he spoke. He didn't even say goodbye, let alone listen to me asking him out.

  “Ah, shit,” I said, tossing the phone onto my desk.

  And I couldn't help but feel that this was the universe's way of telling me something. I realized that our night together, however wonderful it was, might have been just that—one night.

  Serves me right, I thought miserably, plopping back down at my desk and wondering if I'd made a huge mistake.

  Chapter 12

  Rhys

  I hated to have to be so curt with Cassidy, but I knew it was the only way. I'd made an error in getting involved with her, and it was necessary to reestablish professional boundaries.

  I held the phone in my hand, our conversation having just ended. As soon as I sat back in my chair, images from our evening together played in my mind like a movie on fast-forward. I thought of her lovely body, the way she looked wrapped around me, the expression on her face as I entered her for that first time…it was almost too much to bear, here at the office.

  Get ahold of yourself, I thought, standing up from my seat and pacing in front of the large window looking out onto the city.

  But as much as I tried to tell myself that it was nothing more than a fling, I knew deep down that it was something much more than that. Even beyond how amazing the sex was, there was something undeniable between the two us, something deeper. It was that spark, that connection that I'd been seeking. And it was effortless.

  A knock sounded on my office door and snapped me from my reverie.

  “Mr. Cole?” spoke Travis. “It's me.”

  “Come in,” I said, heading over to my espresso machine and preparing a pair of shots for us.

  Travis opened the door just wide enough to slip his slim body into the office. A conspiratorial expression played on his face, meaning he was up to something.

  “Something tells me that you've got more than business matters on the brain,” I said as the espresso machine hissed to life.

  “And you'd be right about that,” he said, just as the machine let out a beep, letting me know that the drinks were ready. I placed the two small, white cups onto saucers and handed one to Travis.

  “Thank you,” he said, taking a sip. “So, about Nina.”

  My stomach tightened. I'd been trying to put the matter of her and the little scheme that Travis had cooked up out of my mind as best I could.

  “Yes?”

  “Well, my people got in touch with her people and let her know what we had in mind.”

  “And?”

  “She's in.”

  “Just like that? No convincing or anything?”

  “Nope. She was more than happy to get on board. Believe it or not, she's got a little more of a taste for publicity than you.”

  “Figures.”

  “And…”

  I gestured for him to get to the point.

  “She wants to meet tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yep. Some friend of hers is having a soft opening at his new restaurant, and she decided that tonight would be just the occasion to make your, ah, relationship public information. I'm sorry for dropping this on you like this, but I only found out a half hour ago.”

  I nodded slightly, letting Travis know that it was the situation, not him, that I was upset with.

  “Knowing Nina, letting me know about all this with as little notice as possible is some kind of game on her part—her seeing just how much I'm at her beck and call.”

  “Do you…want me to tell her no?”

  I tossed back the rest of my espresso and considered the matter.

  “No,” I said. “Tell her we're on.”

  “Excellent,” said Travis.

  A moment of silence passed before he spoke again.

  “Forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn here, but it sounds like you're not entirely enthused about the matter.”

  He was right about that, but not for the reasons he was thinking. Cassidy kept appearing in my mind as we spoke; the idea of throwing away the potential we had didn’t sit all that well with me.

  “It's fine,” I said. “You know that something like this isn't my usual style, but I understand your reasoning for wanting me to go through with it.”

  I laughed a bit.

  “You know what this reminds me of? Some kind of arranged marriage.”

  “Oh my God,” said Travis. “It totally does.”

  “Two people getting together, not out of love, but out of strategy. Except, instead of merging and developing some kind of medieval estate, it's a fashion empire,” I mused.

  “Luckily, this is just a temporary thing,” said Travis. “Give it a few months and you guys can ‘break up’ and get even more publicity.”

  “The only thing the public se
ems to like more than celebrities getting together is them breaking apart.”

  “They're a ravenous lot, that general public,” said Travis, finishing his drink. “Anyway, I'll let her PA know that you're on for tonight. I'll set up the limo and everything else—all you need to do is be your usual stylish self. Should be picking you up around six tonight.”

  “Thanks, Travis,” I said.

  He nodded and was off. I took my place back in front of the window and mentally prepared for the evening ahead.

  The limo pulled up in front of Nina's ostentatious townhouse and I stepped out. The front doors opened before I had a chance to ascend the tall flight of stairs, and out stepped Nina, dressed in a skintight ruby-red dress that left very little to the imagination. Her hair was done up in wild curls and her breasts looked like they were one accidental movement away from a serious wardrobe malfunction.

  “There you are, darling!” she said, throwing out her arms, wrapping them around me, and planting a kiss on my lips.

  She leaned in close to my ear and whispered.

  “We're putting on a show, you know. And one never knows who's watching.”

  I got the hint.

  “You're looking lovely,” I said, stepping back from her and taking in her outfit.

  And she did. I'd be lying if I said that Nina wasn't a total knockout, but the memory of that spark between Cassidy and me only made the fact that it wasn't there with Nina and I ever more apparent.

  “And you're looking as dapper as ever, my dear,” she said, really laying it on thick.

  I led her to the limo, searching out of the corner of my eye for any paparazzi. Once back in the car, I let out a sigh of relief.

  “You know, Rhys, you're going to have to toughen up a bit. If giving me a kiss and walking me to the limo is taking it out of you, that doesn't bode well for the next few months.”

  “I'll get used to it,” I said. “This whole being under the ever-watchful eye of social media thing is new to me.”

  “You'll do more than get used to it,” she said with a wry smile. “I bet you'll start to love it before too long. Watch the mysterious Rhys Cole get hooked into the rush of being the most talked-about topic on ChirpChat.”