Bare Skin: A Billionaire Romance

by Leah Holt

  “What are you talking about?” My trembles turned to rolling waves across my skin, my whole body was shaking and I couldn't stop it.

  “Willow, this is my gift to you. You stole my heart, you stole my world, and you gave me something I had lost long ago. You showed me life can't always be run by needs or words. Life sometimes just happens, and you can't control it. All you can do is embrace it.” As he slowed his words, his hand snapped up and dropped quickly to the ground.

  The firetrucks rolled forward, releasing the backdrop. Driving my fingers to my lips, I almost fell over. Kash tightened his grip as he felt my muscles give way, holding me steady.

  “Are you serious? Are you fucking serious?” I asked, unable to stop staring at the sight.

  “Yes I'm serious. It's yours, Willow, it's all yours.”

  The tears finally shed, flowing like rivers down my cheeks. I couldn't stop them, they were rolling and falling with such intensity that I couldn't even talk.

  In the empty space that once held my dream, was a brand new building.

  Kash had rebuilt the shop, from the ashes he breathed new life into the damned building. It was standing tall, boldly shining under the mid-day sun.

  Fresh bricks had been laid to create the walls, two huge crystal clear windows encased a bright yellow door. There was a large wooden sign set in the top center, and burned into the hard canvas was my name.

  'Forever Willow.'

  “Are you serious?” I had no other words. My mind couldn't grasp what I was actually seeing.

  It was the most beautiful sight in the world. It was my shop, my gallery, my dream. The home for my art, the place for others to come and see it, buy it, take it home.

  His fingers swept the tears from my cheeks, cupping my face in his palms. “I've never been more serious, Lo. I love you, Willow, and for the rest of my life I will give anything to make your dreams come true.”

  Flicking my hands up and down, I fanned my face. “I don't know what to say.”

  I wanted to yell to him that I loved him too, I wanted to grab his scruffy jaw and kiss with him every emotion that had come to life inside me.

  I wanted to fall over, I wanted to feel him wrap his arms around me, I wanted to nuzzle my nose into his ear and tell him that he had me forever, and that love wasn't even strong enough to describe what I felt for him.

  “Do you want to go inside?” he asked, draping his hand over my back.

  “Can we?”

  “It's your place, you can do what you want.”

  My place... My place.

  He gave me back my dream, he gave me back my life.

  Crossing the sidewalk, he handed me a silver key, pressing it into my palm. My hand was shaking, fingers wildly attempting to push the key inside. Finally, slipping it into the lock, I slowly opened the door.

  The main room was filled with paintings, they were set on the walls, placed on easels, everywhere. Taking a closer look, my jaw dropped. “Are these... My paintings?”

  “Yeah, I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you. But I bought a bunch or your art without you knowing. I wanted to have them to fill this place. But I only bought ten of yours, the others you sold were legitimate. The rest of the paintings are ones I made for you. They were inspired by you and I wanted you to have them.”

  That was it, my heart jumped into my throat, my chest squeezed around my ribs. “These are amazing.” Searching the pictures, I noticed a subtle difference between this art and the others he had done around the city.

  These didn't bear the same symbol that I was used to seeing, there was no loop, no small dots. These were signed with his name, his real name.

  Theodore.

  “Kash, I don't know what to say.”

  “You can say what you feel.”

  There was too much to say. My head was a mess of everything he had given me, everything I was so thankful for.

  Kash had brought life to my art, he brought confidence to my nerves, he treated me like I was a precious gift that had been laid at his feet.

  And it all started with a tattoo.

  His hand had transformed my body, but his heart had transformed my soul.

  I finally felt the one emotion I had banished and cursed to hell. The one feeling that everyone needed and I forced away from fear.

  Love.

  Turing to face him, I let his eyes fill my soul. “I love you, thank you for this.”

  And in that moment, I knew.

  I was meant to find Kash, our two worlds had become one.

  He claimed me, he made me, and then he stole my heart.

  I was his forever.

  Epilogue

  Kash

  My eyes glanced at the time. Shit, I have thirty minutes, and I promised Lo I'd stop by.

  A year ago, I would never have imagined that this is where I'd be. New investments were rolling in, my shop was at an all time high, and the woman of my dreams was resting on my arm.

  It would be cliché for me to say my life could never get better, and that it was perfect. Because everyone says that when they're standing tall, but I felt deep down I had the right to say it.

  My life is perfect.

  But I didn't dare say it out loud. We all know what happens when you jinx your own life...

  Something bad happens, and the world you grew to cherish and adore, comes crashing down in a torrent of flames. Everything around would turn black and crumble as if it was never there to begin with.

  I hated the thought, and I didn't ever want to do anything to wake me from my endless dream. This was meant to last forever.

  Grabbing my keys, I flew out of the condo Willow and I had moved into a few months back. It was a spacious two bedroom, set in a brand new high rise on the far end of the city.

  I stumbled upon the building by chance, another flicker in the new life we had created together that seemed to just fall into place.

  Late one evening, I was leaving a meeting with a small entrepreneur. The guy I met with loved to ramble on and on about his father in law, and his big time construction business. While we walked to our respective vehicles, he pointed to the giant building set behind the restaurant.

  It was almost complete at the time, all the bones and skin were there, but the internal details were still under construction.

  After a little creative talking, a handshake, and a phone call; Willow and I had first dibs on the place when it was finished. And James, the entrepreneur, had my help for basically no charge.

  The elevator doors opened into the lobby, my feet scrambling to hit the marble tiles before they could even squeeze through the doors.

  I didn't want to be late to my meeting, but I also couldn't just abandon my promise to Willow.

  She came first, she always came first.

  That's what I promised myself when she walked into my world. Nothing was more important to me than keeping her happy, and always keeping my word.

  The walk took a few minutes longer with our new place, but my body was in overdrive. My quick walk was more of a light jog, and in my blazer; the sweat had started to trickle in light streams down my temples.

  Wiping them away with the back of my arm, the giant sign of her gallery came into view. My hand shot out inches before my arm was even at a distance to grab it.

  The cool metal felt like a relief as I yanked the door open, and the central air was even more welcoming as it washed over my face.

  “Looks like it's a hot one today, you're sweating like a pig.” Willow's giggle snatched my heart, like it had so many times this past year.

  That sound never got old, it was always soothing and melodic to my ears. I could listen to her laugh, to her voice, to her inviting moans, on repeat over and over. And I never wanted her to stop.

  She fed my soul, she brought me back from the depths of my own carnage. Willow would forever hold my heart, and I was never letting her go.

  “No, Love, that's not the heat...” Wiping my forehead, a playful grin filled my face. “That's just
what you do to me, you naughty girl.”

  “Is that right?” She wiped her hands on a small rag, smearing it in deep blue paint. “So all that manly wetness is from me?” Dropping the rag to the floor, she wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “Would I lie to you?”

  “About that...” Her finger came down to tap her chin. “Yes.”

  A heavy chuckle hit my chest, my head falling back as I laughed. “Alright, you caught me. Yes, it's hot as hell out today. It also didn't help that I had to sprint here to see your new painting that you just finished.”

  “Shit, that's right, I forgot about your meeting today.” Her hand crept up my neck, fingers teasing the ends of my hair.

  Prickles shot across my skin, my muscles clenching to her touch. “It's no problem, you're more important than my meeting.”

  A delicate smile lifted over her lips, her cheeks flushing in the prettiest shade of pink. “Kash, I love you.”

  “I know you do, that's why I keep you around.” Her hand came down and smacked my chest, lips pursing to the side. “I'm kidding, I love you too.” Nestling my face into her neck, I gave her quick kisses all over her skin.

  Willow let out a high-pitched squeal as I made my way down her neck and onto her collarbone. Her body wiggled like a fish out of water, laughing and pushing my shoulders back.

  “Okay, okay, settle down,” she said between gulps of air.

  “What? Am I hitting your sweet spot?” Driving my face back down, I kept kissing the area that made her body buzz with excitement.

  “Yes, you are, and we don't have time for this. You have your meeting soon, and I want to show you something.”

  Pulling back, my lips pouted, brows dipping up to the hairline. “Fine. But I think we can squeeze in a quickie. Hm? Maybe? You know I can't help myself around you, you drive me crazy.”

  Coiling her fingers into mine, her hand disappeared into my palm. “Come here, I want to show you what I just finished.” Her smile brightened, as her hair floated like silk over her shoulder.

  Willow walked forward towards the easel in the center of the room. Her hand felt clammy and was trembling against mine. Her fingers twitched under my touch, tapping anxious music across my knuckles.

  Is she nervous?

  The tick in her fingers was giving away her nerves, even though she was gleaming with a bright gorgeous smile. Her teeth were bared, lips curving up in a high arch. But that twitch was giving me a different sensation.

  “Alright, so this is my newest painting. I made it for you, and I wanted to give it to you now before I lose my strength to do it.”

  “Do what?” Arching a brow, I jokingly said, “Are you about to propose to me?”

  Her usual laugh wasn't there, it was timid and forced out. I watched her spine snap straight, ribs tensing with each breath.

  What is going on? Why does she seem so uncomfortable all of a sudden?

  “Go check it out.” Her hand tugged me forward, pushing me around to the front of the canvas.

  Stepping around the thin wooden frame, I let my eyes engulf an amazing image. Willow's talent was incredible, her ability to capture the world around her in paint, it was jaw- dropping.

  Everything she made was full of feeling and emotion. I was always awestruck, falling into her painting and experiencing the picture.

  “Wow, Willow, this is incredible.” Scanning the painting, it blew me away.

  There was a set of massive hands, perfectly drawn out with every detail. The fingers curled up, small lines braising the knuckles. The huge pair of hands were cupping a small set of feet, crossed over each other.

  The tiny feet looked so frail, as if the hands were keeping them safe from the world around them. It was the perfect image of protection, strength, and life.

  “You really like it?”

  “Are you kidding me? The way you highlighted everything in blue, with the bright white and gray shadows, it's unbelievable.”

  “Did you look at the hands?” Her fingers came up and pressed her bottom lip into her teeth.

  Leaning in, I let my eyes look more closely at the thick, strong hands. “Yeah, the hands are great, they look so real.”

  “No, really look at them. Do you notice anything?”

  Squinting my sight, my nose crinkled up intensely. “What am I loo—” My voice lost its sound, falling into loose air. There was a light scar across the middle knuckle, a second scar rode the bridge of the thumb. “Are these my hands?”

  Willow nodded, bringing closed fists under her chin, mumbling yes from the back of her throat.

  Staring at the image, I took in how much she paid attention to my hands. Every detail was there, the vein that ran over the outside of my palm, the tiny hairs that bristled across each finger.

  But what was the meaning? Why did she capture my hands holding such small feet?

  What is the reason for this one?

  Tiny feet... My hands...

  Rolling the thoughts through my head, my heart stopped. All the air in my lungs broke free, rushing out in one heated, long breath.

  “Willow... Are you...” I couldn't ask her. The words wouldn't form across my tongue, they sat there dormant, unable to move.

  Tears filled her eyes, her smile growing slowly across her jaw. “I'm pregnant.”

  My eyes grew to the size of the moon, every muscle in my body burned with a deep seeded fear.

  I'm going to be a father.

  Holy shit, I'm going to be a father.

  But then that fear transformed, the burn turning into an intoxicating excitement. My heart that had stopped, suddenly burst with drumming thuds, the rhythmic pulse fueling my veins with boiling tremors.

  “You're having a baby, we're having a baby. Willow, we're having a baby.” Lunging forward, I scooped her tightly into my arms. “We're having a baby!”

  Willow released a heavy breath, the gush exploding out as if she'd been holding her breath for minutes. “We're having a baby, Kash.”

  Cupping her face in my palms, I drove my lips firmly onto hers. Slipping my fingers over her shoulders, I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her up.

  And we kissed, a long, passionate, love-filled kiss.

  Forever I had thought I wasn't worthy of bringing life into this world, that my faults and past wouldn't allow me that type of love.

  A child needed love, guidance, a role model. And with what happened... How could I ever give that to a baby?

  But now, none of that mattered. My mistakes didn't define me, my mistakes didn't rule my life anymore.

  I was going to be a dad, we were going to bring a new life into the world, together.

  And when the fear had subsided and the excitement took hold, I realized that my life that was already perfect, just got even better.

  Together we would raise this baby, together we would cherish and love this child.

  Because together, we were perfect.

  Willow was my heart, she was my love.

  And this baby, this baby would always have the same.

  Thanks for reading

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  About Leah Holt

  Growing up in a small town with little to offer, Leah Holt's imagination was able to run wild. She loves to write romance with intense alpha guys, the ones we all desire but dare not admit to. Who doesn't love a bad boy riddled with muscles and tattoos?

  Having limited opportunities in life, writing has become an outlet for her to let out all of the dirty, forbidden thoughts inside of her head.

  If you want to chat with her, you can email leahholtauthor@gmail.com , or click the mailing list link below to receive information on her new releases!

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