Billionaire's Virgin Stripper

by Lia Lee

  Chapter Ten

  Cara was still on a high from the euphoria of her first ever solo exhibition just last week. It felt as elating as it had a month ago, when her presentation at the year’s most prestigious art show got her being awarded best in the fair. Now she couldn’t get over the rave reviews she read on many of the online reports where she was featured.

  Her work was described as “edgy and unique.” She just finished reading an article where she was named one of the biggest “emerging artists to watch” that year. Now that was a freaking big deal!

  Logan caught her happy grin as he walked into the bedroom. He’d already read the article, of course; being her biggest cheerleader, he was always on top of news about her work.

  “Congratulations, baby,” he said kissing the top of her head. “People connect so powerfully to the way you look at the world. You pick up on the contemporary and the cultural, and you use paint in a way no one’s ever dared.”

  “And it’s all because of you,” she said with a soft smile as she gazed up at him. “You made me see the world in a new light and I learned a new way of being myself.”

  “Thank you for saying that,” Logan said deeply. Then seemed to grow stern as he added, “But I won’t be so supportive of you keeping up such a grueling schedule. You’re in your second trimester and should be slowing down, not speeding up. The body of work you’ve created to show for the summer at the L.A. gallery should be enough for now.”

  “So what do you suggest I take up in the meantime? Knitting? Maybe try my hand at gardening?”

  “We’ll think of something,” he said lightly, completely ignoring the fact that she was being sarcastic.

  “Logan! You promised you wouldn’t be the same control freak,” she groaned.

  He simply grinned and settled her on his lap. His eyes fell possessively over her body to rest on her now large bump. “I know. We’ll figure it out, like I said. I promise I’ll make sure we find a way to meet half way.”

  “Ever the diplomat,” she said with an expressive roll of her eyes.

  The smile on her lips twitched as she saw Logan’s head descend to capture her lips in a soft, searching kiss. “Hungry?” he asked huskily against her eager lips, which were plucking at his with a delightful neediness that made him harden like a rock for her. But he was on another kind of mission.

  “Um … that depends. What’s on offer?” Her eyes danced mischievously as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “I have something special prepared for you,” he said. “The table’s all set and I can’t wait to know what you think of what I cooked up.”

  Cara groaned again. The very thought of food had her queasy. She still got occasionally ill from the pregnancy and she grumbled as Logan led her down the stairs to the table where a lone covered silver platter set.

  “Logan,” she whined, dragging her heels as he drew her closer to the table. “I mean it, I’m liable to throw up at the mere smell of food.”

  “Still, you should eat,” he said, indicating the dish. “I put a lot of effort in it, mind you. At least try some.”

  “Oh, dear,” sighed Cara with dramatic long-suffering. How could she possibly say no to that, or those bedroom green eyes?

  While she still grumbled under her breath, he merely smirked and then reached for the cover. At the last moment he paused, turned to her, and said, gallantly, “Open it.”

  “Seriously, how amazing can it be?” she groaned, wondering at all the flourish. Mumbling she flipped open the cover to reveal the contents. In a moment she’d frozen still as a statue. Oh, my God.

  Set in a box resting on the unassuming white plate, was a dazzling diamond ring. And it was massive.

  “Logan … Is that? … Am I dreaming?” she breathed, looking up at Logan in amazement.

  He smiled as he picked up the ring and slid it on her finger. “No, darling, this is very real. Real as my love for you.”

  He kissed her ringed hand and Cara giggled like an insane person.

  Logan held her gaze and her giggles gave way to emotion, her face crumbling as she barely made out, “Thank you so much.” Her cheeks were warm with shyness and she kept fanning at her eyes to hold back the tears.

  Logan’s indulgent smile made her insides melt and she couldn’t look away from his smoldering gaze. “Cara. Will you marry me?”

  Cara could only nod, overwhelmed by how unexpected this was. Logan happily drew her close and she fell into his waiting embrace, her arms tight around his neck.

  She felt her cheeks warm with delight as she pulled back and gazed at him. “How did you think up something so romantic?”

  “I did a bit of research,” Logan allowed, with that devilishly cocky smile. “And well, this idea came up the best.”

  “I completely agree,” she choked with a tremulous smile.

  This moment made her the happiest she’d been so far. For the past few weeks it had been one good thing after another. Such as when they found out that Jude was put behind bars for narcotics possession.

  Cara had been shocked by the news because she’d never even known Jude took drugs.

  “There were a lot of things he was into that you never knew about,” Logan admitted to her afterwards. “His so-called job working at an import company? Was actually a drug cartel. Thanks to that dossier I got on him, I found out a lot about what lay behind his mask. Jude was linked to all sorts of shady dealings—gun running, extortion, drugs, and a lucrative sex trafficking ring. The one thing that stopped me from finding him and cutting off his balls was the fact that, he never got you into that shit.”

  Cara was shaking her head dazedly. “Sure, he might have kept me from that world, but then he also put me in another personal hell of his making. Now I’m beginning to realize that his errant mood swings and violent tendencies most definitely had to do with substance abuse as much as his sadistic nature.”

  “You don’t have to worry about him anymore. He’s going to be locked away for a long, long time,” Logan assured her as he held her shivering body close in his strong arms. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but his arrest was mostly due to a tip-off the police got and it was Connor who used his influence as a prosecutor to make sure Jude was properly brought to book.”

  Cara didn’t want to dig deeper and find out if it was Logan who gave the cops the said tip-off. She was just so happy they were over all the negative things that had troubled their lives.

  Though she couldn’t deny, she still felt a twinge of guilt when her mind strayed briefly to Meg.

  Since Cara pleaded with Logan not to fire his longtime assistant, he’d instead had Meg transferred to a different arm of his conglomerate. Logan insisted that he could no longer trust Meg with anything to do with his family or personal interests.

  At least she wouldn’t be out of a job, thought Cara while hoping Meg would somehow find closure for herself. Logan had told her that Meg had confessed to stumbling upon Logan and Cara having sex and she’d been devastated with heartbreak. Cara would never have imagined that the stoic blonde was in love with Logan and had tried to cause a rift between Cara and him.

  But that was all history now. Cara had a baby on the way, and soon after, an Irish wedding to look forward to …

  ***

  One year later …

  Their breathtaking nuptials took place in Logan’s stately country house on a twenty acre lawn and completed with a marvelous artificial lake. The mansion was a stupendous getaway with twelve en-suite bedrooms, a vast wine cellar, and even an indoor pool.

  Cara fell in love the moment she stepped inside. It was just as lavish as Logan’s other properties around the world. They’d decided to wait a few months after their beautiful baby daughter Oona was born to tie the knot, and now Cara was happy she could fit perfectly into her slimlined white wedding dress.

  Getting married to Logan in his homeland felt like a fairy tale. Cara was won over, not just by the beautiful place, but its people as well. They were just wonder
ful, so much fun to be around and truly friendly—just nice folks with zero pretenses.

  It was a joy getting a taste of country living, to visit the pubs and fairs. They even got a visit from Egan and his brother Finn, and all three men went partridge hunting in the woods on Logan’s estate. Meanwhile, Cara got acquainted with Egan’s gorgeous wife Penelope and they shared and sampled tons of recipes while the men did their wildlife hunting thing.

  Cara had just as much fun spending time with Logan in the city of Dublin where he’d grown up. After a week they had to leave on their honeymoon, though Logan declared he’d make a Dubliner of her yet.

  Cara laughed and said she’d always be happy to come back with him again and again. She adored anything to do with sharing Logan’s life, his dreams, and everything that made him who he was.

  One thing the past year had taught Cara was that in life nothing mattered more than love. The way it brought people together, mended broken spirits … created family where once there were only strangers …

  To think when she had first walked into Logan’s world, and chosen to carry a baby for a man she’d never known or met before, they’d been so different, like night and day and yet, love came in naturally, transcending every boundary.

  Cara had always thought herself odd, too quirky, and just someone with too many faults … and yet, love showed her that yes, even someone like her could find their soul mate if only they looked. Meeting Logan, finding love … made a better person of her, right from the moment she decided to be fearless enough to let it into her heart.

  And she told him just as much, as they kissed lingeringly the morning after their honeymoon night. They were walking along the picturesque beach at their exotic honeymoon location in the Far East.

  He drew her closer. “You make the familiar feel new again. How is that? Whenever I’m with you it feels like I’ve come home. What made you finally trust me and take a chance on us?”

  Cara grew sober as she stared into his eyes. “Growing up, I never really had anyone to lean on. You were the first person to ever believe in me, tell me I was strong enough and I was beautiful and brave enough. That I’m worth loving.”

  Logan raised her fingers to his lips and humbly kissed her hand. “Cara, I’ll say those words to you for the rest of our lives, I promise. You’re so brave, and beautiful—and worth all the love I can give and so much more. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” She smiled brightly up at him, and then turned in surprise when a couple ran up past them. The girl was laughing gaily as her partner chased after her.

  “That looks fun,” Cara said mischievously. “You could try and catch me too.”

  She backed away from him and Logan groaned. “No way. Those two are just crazy. I’m not chasing you down the beach, Cara,” he growled.

  She merely bit on her lip and readied to make a run for it. “You have to come catch me, okay?”

  Logan kept saying he wouldn’t do it, but Cara secretly smiled. She started to run, looking over her shoulder at him and seeing his grimace. “For fuck’s sake, Cara.”

  And then he was running after her. They were sprinting, laughing, and then splashing together in the water’s edge like teenagers. Cara gave a joyous laugh, loving her big softie. He could be tough but she loved that he was always truly kind, deep inside. She saw that tenderness in him each time he cradled their daughter in his huge hands. In the way he rocked her to sleep while the tired Cara rested and watched father and baby with an indulgent smile on her lips.

  No one would have ever thought Cara and Logan would make a great match, least of all her, when she thought of how she must have driven him crazy when she first started staying at the mansion with all her fidgeting about and meddlesome conduct.

  In a way they’d come to accept each other, flaws and all, and that was the most beautiful gift that love could ever give.

  THE END

  CLICK HERE

  to subscribe to my newsletter & get EXCLUSIVE updates on all offers, secret previews, and new releases!