Her Big Fat Fake Billionaire Boyfriend (Billionaire Series Book 1)

by Victorine E. Lieske

  “Well . . . penthouse actually.”

  “That makes more sense.” She studied the road ahead. “Do you really have a cat?”

  “Yes. Thor is real.”

  She laughed. “Good. Because if I had gotten the cat wrong, and you made up the whole story about the sad little skinny cat eating tuna from a can, I would have been mad at you. I’m already in love with Thor.”

  “Then you must come up and meet him.” Wait, what? Had he invited her up to his penthouse? He hadn’t meant to say it, and he glanced at her in apprehension. Would she take it the wrong way?

  “I’d love to.”

  He blew out a breath in relief. “He’ll be happy for any company. I bet he’s mad I left him for a few days.”

  “Did you have anyone go feed him?” Her eyes grew wide.

  “I have an assistant who feeds him and makes sure his water fountain is clean.”

  She grinned. “Good, because I was worried you’d come home to a dead cat.”

  “Ouch. You think I’d let my cat starve?”

  She giggled and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’m glad you’re not that thoughtless.”

  He sat back in his chair. “What about you. No pets?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve been moving around too much to keep a pet.”

  “How do you make jewelry when you’re living out of a tent?”

  “I don’t need much. My supplies fit in two plastic tubs. The only tricky thing is I need a torch, but I just plug in my converter to my car and it powers it.”

  “I see. Are you going to leave Richmond?” He hoped the question wasn’t weird. He didn’t mean it to sound stalkerish, but she sat silent for a moment and he wondered if he was prying too much.

  “I don’t know,” she finally said.

  He let her drive in silence for a bit before he decided to ask another prying question. “Were you moving around so Mason wouldn’t find you?”

  She tapped the steering wheel. “Maybe,” she admitted. She gave him a little smile. “I didn’t want to talk to him, and I knew he was trying to get ahold of me. But I couldn’t face it.”

  “Face him?”

  “I didn’t want to face the fact that I had married someone I barely knew, for stupid reasons, and then found out he was a liar and a cheat.”

  Camden could see the pain of it etched on her face, and knew he should change the subject, but something inside him made him persist. “You didn’t want to face the pain.”

  “Yes. I was in love with him. And to find out I didn’t mean anything to him was . . . well, it kind of messed with my head.”

  And yet, she was going back to him. At least in a sense. Pretending to be his wife for the family reunion. He folded his arms across his chest. “I hope you realize he’s a self-centered jerk, and it has nothing to do with you.”

  Her face softened and she gave Camden a small smile. “It took me about a year, but I finally came to the conclusion that it wasn’t my fault. You’re right; it had nothing to do with me. Still doesn’t. He wants to please his mother so she gives him his inheritance. That’s all it is. I was stupid enough to fall for his fake charm.”

  Camden wanted to reach over and brush her cheek with his fingers, and to tell her she wasn’t stupid, but he held his comments in. She didn’t feel that way about him, and he needed to accept it. Anyway, after next week’s reunion, she’d probably move somewhere else and he wouldn’t see her again.

  “How did we get to talking about me? We were talking about you and your cat.” She gave him a funny look. “What else does your life consist of, besides taking care of Thor and working?”

  He chuckled, not minding that she was turning the conversation back on him. “I visit my mom every Sunday. My sister and her husband usually come over as well, so I get to see my niece. It’s nice, having a family get-together once a week.”

  “Do they live in Richmond?”

  “My mom lives in Petersburg, and my sister’s in Blackstone, so we have to make the effort to get together. At least we’re not spread out over several states.”

  Kenzie nodded. “Yes, my sister’s in Maine, and my parents live in Florida, and I’ve been moving around so much I barely see them.”

  “Sounds like they want you to come for the holidays, though. That’s good, right?”

  She made a face that he couldn’t quite interpret. “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Okay, I agree, your mother made me want to sock her in the face a few times. But your father seemed nice.”

  She snorted. “I will totally go spend Thanksgiving with them if you come and promise to sock her if she starts in on me.”

  “Are you inviting me to your family’s Thanksgiving dinner?” He gave her a playful grin. Of course, she really wasn’t. He knew it was a joke, but the thought that maybe they would see each other again after next week was appealing nonetheless.

  “Totally.” She said it with a straight face. “Did you see how my mother acted after she figured out you were loaded? You could be my saving grace.” She then gave him a teasing grin.

  “Well, then, we should announce an engagement during the meal. That would make your mother extremely happy.”

  Kenzie burst out with a laugh. “That would be hilarious.”

  Her laughing at his suggestion, even though it was a joke, kind of hurt. Would it be so odd for them to get together? He pushed aside the thought. “Too bad Thanksgiving is so far away,” he said, poking her in the ribs.

  “There’s always the Fourth of July.”

  “Yes, that’s a romantic holiday. The one where we blow things up.”

  Kenzie flicked her blinker on and changed lanes to pass a truck. “When I was a kid, my sister and I would put firecrackers in toys, and then try to see who could do the most damage.”

  “What? You and sweet little Tessa? I can’t imagine it.”

  “Well, I might have been the instigator of that activity.” She laughed. “We blew the arm off her Barbie, then Tessa cried for three days.”

  “I can see Tessa playing with Barbie dolls. You? Not so much.”

  “You’re right. I detested Barbie dolls. I did have the biggest box of crayons, though, and thought I was awesome.”

  “Now that I could see.” Camden chuckled, then leaned over and rummaged through his duffle bag. He pulled out a pack of gum. “Want some?”

  “Juicy Fruit? Heck yeah. That’s my favorite.”

  Her fingers brushed his as she took the piece. He stared down at his hand, tingling from the contact. She was unlike anyone he’d ever known. And next week, he’d have to watch her pretend to be with another man.

  Chapter 17

  Kenzie pulled into Camden’s parking garage, found a stall, and cut the engine. “Are you sure you want me to come up? You probably want to eat dinner or something.”

  He tossed her a smile. “Good idea. Come on up and I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “You cook?” She lifted an eyebrow at him.

  “I’m no Chef Ramsay, but I can make a decent meal.” He got out of her car and slung his duffle bag over his shoulder.

  She had to admit, a home-cooked meal sounded great. She popped the trunk and got out. “Alright, if you’re sure I’m not a bother.”

  “Of course not.” He lifted his suitcase from the trunk. “The company will be nice.”

  They entered the elevator and Camden slid a key into a slot under the buttons. The elevator began to rise and Kenzie leaned against the wall. “Feels good to stretch my legs.”

  Camden’s gaze flickered down. Gah. She hadn’t meant to call attention to her legs. Now she felt self-conscious. He smiled, but didn’t say anything.

  When the doors opened, Kenzie’s mouth fell open. They stepped off the elevator into his living room, if you could call it that. The space was open, with windows overlooking the city along the far wall. A fireplace sat in the middle of the room, with access on both sides. A long couch sat opposite the fireplace, a waterfall feature behind
it. Everything looked modern and expensive. She cocked her head at him. “You’d think a billionaire could afford a little nicer place.”

  He chuckled and motioned to the couch. “Have a seat. I’m going to put these in the bedroom.” He headed to a room off to the left. Instead of sitting on the couch, she walked the room and examined the art hanging on the walls. Camden had good taste. The painting above the fireplace was of a lush, green forest. The paint was thick and the impressionistic style was moving. She looked at the signature. Anthony Shephard.

  When he came back, she pointed at the painting. “I love this.”

  “Thanks. I fell in love with it when I saw it. The artist painted it with his fingers.”

  “Ah, I wondered if that was the case. It’s beautifully done.”

  A grey cat darted into the room, then froze and stared at her. “Aw, come here Thor.” She crouched down and held out her hand. The cat sat down and licked his paw.

  “Thor. How rude.” Camden’s eyes held a smile.

  “That’s a cat for you.”

  “Do you want something to drink? I have Coke, juice, and water.”

  Her memory flashed back to when she was nervous he’d put something in the water, and she laughed. “I’ll have some water.”

  “What’s funny about water?”

  “Nothing.” He shot her a weird look, so she changed the subject. “Can I see your kitchen?”

  “Sure.” He led her into the other room, which was almost as massive as the living room. The island held barstool seating on one side, a sink and a stovetop on the other. The slate grey cabinets looked amazing with the modern-style silver pull handles. The fridge looked like a cabinet until he opened it and pulled out a water bottle. He set it on the counter near where she stood. “Does stir fry sound good?”

  “Actually, that sounds great.” She picked up the water and twisted off the cap as she walked around the island. “I’ll help cook.”

  He pulled some fresh green beans out and set them on the counter. He continued with other ingredients, and Kenzie started snapping off the ends of the beans. “How long have you lived here?”

  “Two years.”

  “It’s beautiful.” She wasn’t into money, but his apartment was clean and there was something about it that she couldn’t put her finger on. She felt at home, which was odd because she had never been there before.

  “Thanks.” He pulled out a cutting board and a knife and began slicing vegetables.

  “Do you have any hobbies?” She was curious what he did with his free time.

  “Does working count?” He shot her a cheesy grin.

  “No. If all you do is work and come home to your cat, you’re pathetic.”

  His mouth opened in mock offense. “I’m so not pathetic. I’m actually involved in a model aeronautics club.” He froze. “Okay, maybe that in itself makes me pathetic.”

  She laughed and touched his arm, trying to lend support, but when the touch sent her heart into overdrive, she pulled her hand away. “Does that mean you get together with other guys and fly model airplanes around?”

  He made a face. “When you say it that way, it sounds even more pathetic.”

  “No, that’s cool. You’ll have to show me your model airplane collection.”

  “Are you sure?” His lips twitched.

  “Why? Do you have a million of them?”

  “No. But I can get kind of into it, and I don’t want to bore you.”

  She whacked him on the shoulder. “You won’t bore me. And if you do, I’ll let you know you’re putting me to sleep.”

  “Alright. After dinner I’ll take you to my collection.”

  She stopped snapping the beans. “Take me? You don’t have them here?”

  “No. They’re in a storage facility.” A sheepish grin formed on his face. “Okay, so maybe I have a few too many. But the facility is right by a huge open field so I can fly them right there. A lot of the guys use that storage facility for that reason.”

  “I see.” She wasn’t sure what she’d agreed to, but figured she’d find out. She finished with the beans and slid the pile over to Camden so he could cut them up.

  “What about you? Do you have any hobbies?”

  “I love making pottery, but haven’t done it for years. Hard to take a kiln with you when you’re living out of a tent.” She was trying to make a joke, but it didn’t sound like it in the end.

  “You used to make pottery? Like on a potter’s wheel?”

  “Yeah. I learned how to do it in high school and got the bug. After I graduated, I found a shop that lets you throw your own pottery, then they bake it for you.” She loved that place. She’d spend hours making bowls and cups, getting the thickness just right on the sides. There was something about the clay and the water that spoke to her.

  He pulled out a wok from the bottom cupboard. “That sounds cool.”

  She laughed. “Well, I don’t know about cool, but it was therapeutic in a way.”

  “Do you still have any of those pieces you made?”

  She shook her head. Her mother threw them out after she moved out of the house. That still stung, but she didn’t want to talk about it. “No.”

  “That’s too bad. Maybe you can get back into it. Have you checked to see if there’s a pottery place here in Richmond?”

  “I haven’t looked. It’s been a while since I’ve done it.” She’d enjoy getting back into it, though.

  Camden turned on the burner and a gas flame erupted. He put the wok on the flame and poured a little oil in the bottom. “What else do you do with your free time?”

  “I love nature, as you probably guessed from the beach. I could watch birds for hours, or walk through the woods. Give me a gentle rain on an afternoon and I’m in love.”

  The pan sizzled as he tossed the steak strips in. “I know what you mean. There’s something about being in nature that you can’t get anywhere else.”

  “Exactly.” She’d learned that in spades as she camped across the U.S. It was a time of healing for her, and being out in the elements helped mend her heart.

  “I’m lucky, living here. I have a great outdoor patio. I often eat out there.”

  She glanced toward the dining room area, but didn’t see a place to go outside. “Where?”

  He grinned. “I’ll show you when this is done.”

  She took a step toward the vegetables, but Camden must have thought of the same thing because he went for them as well and they bumped into each other. Instead of backing up, he stood there, staring at her. She should have taken a step back, but instead she looked up into his dark eyes.

  That was a mistake. Her stomach dropped and all thought left her brain. He stood so close, she could feel the warmth of his skin electrifying her. He leaned a little closer. Was he going to kiss her?

  The thought of his lips on hers again made her heart stutter. She broke eye contact and took a step back. “Sorry,” she mumbled as he picked up the cutting board full of vegetables.

  He didn’t respond, just put the veggies in the wok and stirred it together with his wooden spatula. “Do you want to get out the plates? They’re in the cupboard above the toaster.”

  Her heart pounded. What was wrong with her? “Sure.” She tried to calm herself as she pulled out two plates. Why was she acting like a teenager with a crush? They were two adults having dinner together after a long car ride. Nothing more.

  If she didn’t get her head on straight, she’d end up like she had a year and a half ago. In love with someone who cared more about money than about her. Only this time it was worse.

  Camden was a billionaire.

  Chapter 18

  Camden shook soy sauce into the stir fry and it sizzled. “The silverware is in the far drawer. Do you mind getting a couple of forks?”

  Kenzie pulled open the drawer and grabbed the utensils. “Napkins?”

  He pointed his chin to the napkin holder on the table. “You can pull a couple from there.”

 
She put the forks and napkins on the plates while he shut the burner off. He grabbed a trivet, put a lid on his wok, and took it off the stove. “Follow me.”

  He led her around the corner to the door to the roof. He opened it and motioned for her to climb the concrete stairs. He followed her up to the roof of the building. An amazing view of the city stretched out before them. His patio wasn’t spectacular—there were two patio chairs, a table, and a few pots with plants that he’d scattered around the space. But he knew she’d be impressed by the view.

  “This is amazing,” she said, pulling out a chair. “A little dizzying being so high up, though.”

  “You afraid of heights?”

  “A little. It’s not so bad if I stay away from the edge.”

  He placed the trivet on the glass table and put the wok on it. “I’m glad it’s a nice evening.”

  She set the table. A light breeze blew, and he watched her lean over to place the silverware. She looked up at him. “It’s gorgeous.”

  His chair scraped as he sat. He dished up their plates and motioned for her to eat. She picked up her fork. “You have this whole roof to yourself?”

  “Yes.”

  “What a great space. You should do more with it.”

  He’d always planned to. Maybe that would be his summer project. “You’re right.”

  She speared a piece of meat and put it in her mouth; her face showed her surprise. “This is good.”

  He smiled, happy he’d gotten a chance to show off his cooking skills a little. “Thanks.”

  “A man that cooks, has an amazing apartment, and is kind-hearted. How are you not married?”

  He often wondered that himself. Maybe it was because he didn’t take a ton of time off work to date. Or because he seemed to only attract shallow women now that he had money. He stared out at the skyline and shrugged.

  Her face blanched. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”

  “I know.” He looked down at his hands. “You didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Hopefully not all your girlfriends have turned out to be like Lexi.” She cringed. “Nothing I’m saying is coming out right.”

  “Thankfully, Lexi’s one of a kind.” He forced a smile. He didn’t want to think about Lexi anymore.