Beauty and the Billionaire (A Once Upon a Billionaire Novel)

by Cidney West

  “I’ll see you soon.” She turned away, just before a small smile made her pink lips curve up, and she jogged off before he could try and convince her otherwise.

  Well, he might not have won that battle, he thought, smiling. But he didn’t entirely lose it, either.

  Mira took off before she lost all interest in cleaning the bathrooms. Not that she had an “interest” in cleaning anyone’s bathrooms, including her own, but as soon as Hunter had entered the kitchen that morning, she couldn’t focus on anything else.

  And then he’d given her that swoon-worthy kiss in the alcove and…let’s just say now she really had no interest in cleaning a toilet.

  She picked up the pace, hoping that the sooner she got finished with her tasks that day, the sooner she and Hunter could do more of…that. And aside from her desire to run back to him, she also felt relieved. She couldn’t sleep after he’d taken her back to her room the night before, and she worried that he’d want to forget it all ever happened. So when he’d swung her into the alcove, she couldn’t help humoring him just a little.

  Mira got into a rhythm with her cleaning, and before she knew it, it was time for lunch. And Hunter. He suggested they eat out on the lawn and then insisted on helping her polish more silverware. That night, he brought her to a smaller, more intimate dining area in his private quarters for dinner. She’d wondered if he ate in that ginormous dining hall alone all the time, but apparently not.

  Before she could sit down, though, Hunter picked up her seat, carting it around the table. “What are you doing?” Mira said.

  He paused, his biceps flexing as he held the chair off the floor. “Moving your seat next to mine.”

  “Why?” Mira glanced at her place setting, neatly arranged right in front of the Louis-style chair.

  “Because that’s how we sit downstairs.”

  “Yeah, because that table is built for twenty people, not two. This table is perfect.” She admired the round cherry table large enough for about four people.

  “It will be more perfect when I move you next to me.” He started shuffling that direction again.

  Mira narrowed her eyes. “Hunter, put the seat back where it was.” She knew why he wanted her closer and he would just have to sit on the other side while they ate.

  “No.”

  She folded her arms. “I will sit next to you after dinner.” She wouldn’t get to eat if Hunter was too close.

  “I want you to sit next to me now.”

  Mira stifled a smile at the way his eyebrows knitted together. He was still getting used to not always getting his way. She marched over and tugged on his arm until he finally acquiesced and put her seat back where it started, muttering under his breath. It clearly drove him nuts throughout dinner, but he behaved anyway. She liked talking without every word echoing. And it was nice to sit across from each other and still be able to see Hunter clearly.

  They kept up a similar pattern for several days, Mira relishing every second with Hunter and anxious to see him again when they were apart. Not that Hunter left her side very often, and when he did it was under duress. But Mira figured a little separation sometimes wouldn’t hurt him.

  After a while, Hunter broke with tradition one night after dinner and brought her out to the backyard instead of suggesting a movie or coffee and dessert in the library. A blanket was spread out on the lawn and Hunter motioned for her to take a seat. “What’s this about?” she asked, sitting down as commanded. The autumn nights had progressively grown colder, so she wasn’t sure how long she’d want to stay outside. But Hunter had thought about that, shaking out a second blanket and draping it over her legs.

  Hunter pointed up, dropping beside her. “It’s a clear night and we don’t have much light pollution up here.”

  Mira tilted her head back, then followed Hunter’s lead and laid back on the blanket. As her eyes adjusted, a panorama of stars came into view. “It’s beautiful. Do you stargaze a lot? I noticed you have some astronomy books in the library.”

  Hunter slid his fingers through hers. “It became a hobby, I guess, after the…after the accident.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve wandered the grounds a lot at night since then.”

  “In your robe?” Mira smirked when he side-eyed her.

  Hunter wriggled. “Maybe…”

  Mira laughed, not sorry to have seen that disappear. Especially as he walked around in fitted T-shirts, and sometimes now no shirt at all thanks to her reaction earlier. It gave her plenty of eye candy as he helped her clean. Her laugh coaxed a smile from him as they turned toward each other at the same time.

  Hunter’s brown eyes skimmed over her face and she unintentionally did the same, resting on his lips. He reached across, his thumb grazing her cheek as he pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Mira inched closer as his hand drifted down her back to her waist, igniting goose bumps up and down her spine.

  “I never thought I’d be grateful I let a stranger in the house,” he said.

  “I hardly think we can call each other strangers now.”

  Hunter gave her a crooked smile. “I guess not.”

  Mira drank in his deep brown eyes, took a breath, then raised her hand toward Hunter’s face, carefully placing it on the left side. She thought he flinched as her palm settled on his scars, and she paused for several thumps of her heart as his jaw tensed under her touch. He inhaled, swallowing, as she slid her fingers along his skin. But he didn’t run away or remove her hand.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said softly.

  Mira half smiled, running her fingers through his dark hair. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  Hunter’s almond-shaped eyes never left hers, remaining serious. He drew closer and Mira helped close the gap, her lips sinking into his.

  CHAPTER 20

  When Hunter finally drew away, he felt like a new person somehow. He’d never kissed anyone and meant it the way he did with Mira. And no one had ever touched the left side of his face since the accident.

  At first, he’d fought not to move. He didn’t want Mira to think he was shrinking away from her because that was far from it. But as her hand rested there, and he’d gazed into Mira’s lovely eyes, he’d actually forgotten about the scars. Even if only for a moment.

  The memory of them started to return once the kiss ended, but he was starting to realize how much he cared about Mira. Enough to forget himself, even if only temporarily. And Mira didn’t hurry to get away from him, either. They’d stayed outside until they were too cold, and even then they’d meandered back through the house.

  He had trouble sleeping that night, but for good reasons for the first time in years. He was too wired to sleep once he left Mira in her room and he ended up stalking the halls the way he had so many times in the past. But before it was always because of nightmares and not being able to think about anything else. This time, he was still mentally hung up on something, but that something was Mira.

  As he walked around, he felt like he was seeing his house for the first time in a long time. And it was a disaster. Mira wasn’t kidding. He’d just blocked it out, he supposed. But now with Mira’s fresh take on things, he could see what a state he’d let things fall into. He’d told Mira how he felt like a guardian rather than an owner. Well, he was doing a poor job guarding, too.

  But he could change that. He was beginning to see that he could change a lot of things he’d given up on. Including himself. He’d discovered that vacuuming was kind of therapeutic. He had new respect for the artwork and other possessions he’d inherited seeing them through Mira’s eyes. And he might be gaining new respect for himself, now that he felt useful.

  He finished his rounds at the burned-up end of the house, which he’d somehow found himself in loads of times before. He’d felt as charred inside before too, hanging out where his life had changed forever. But tonight, standing in the same place he had so many times, he thought his life might have changed forever again. Except this time, it wasn’t a fluke tragedy. It was hiring a
woman named Mira Harding to help Penny with housekeeping.

  And he wanted to get her something. Hunter knew he could never impress Mira by showering her with presents, the way he had with other women. On the other hand, he’d never bought other women things simply out of a desire to make them happy. With Mira, he wanted to show his appreciation and how much he cared for her. So, with Mira safely out of earshot in another wing, Hunter consulted with Penny on what to buy.

  Penny waved her hand dismissively at everything he showed her. “It’s all too much for her, Hunter. She’s not gaudy.”

  Hunter growled, folding his arms, and glared at the laptop screen. “Then what? These are all–”

  “Ex–pen–sive.” Penny drew out the word.

  “I was going to say, worthy of Mira.” She would easily outshine any diamond he placed on her, but he wanted something that proved how much he valued her.

  As if reading his thoughts, Penny placed a warm hand on his arm. “No diamond will prove you–” She stopped, glancing away, then started over. “It won’t prove you care. Not really and you know that all too well.”

  Hunter pursed his lips, his parents coming to mind. His absent parents, who denied him nothing materially. Yet when they died, he hadn’t felt much either, other than a lot of guilt for not crying at their funeral. “I know.” He sighed, staring at the wall. “So, what should I get her?”

  Penny’s blue eyes sparkled. “From the look on your face, I think you already know.”

  Penny was right–again. It almost hurt to buy something so small when he could choose anything for Mira. But as he slipped it around her bare neck days later in front of a mirror and her blue-gray eyes widened as the teardrop diamond settled between her collarbones, he knew he’d made the right choice. He thought her fingers trembled as she ventured to touch the stone, the light reflecting and bouncing in front of them.

  “Hunter…” Her voice was almost a whisper.

  “Please say you like it.” His hands rested on her shoulders as he tried to read beyond her surprise. Was she disappointed? Did she think he’d been cheap, buying such a tiny thing?

  “Like it…” She swung around, her fingers still on the stone. “I love it. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever put on.” Mira swallowed. “Are you sure…?”

  He could see her mentally calculating the expense and cupped her face in his hands. “Of course I’m sure. If it weren’t for Penny, you’d have a rock the size of a small country around your neck right now.”

  Mira laughed, the seriousness melting from her. “Thank goodness for Penny, then.” Her eyes twinkled. “I think my neck is too small for that.”

  Hunter’s shoulders sagged in relief, though for future reference, she didn’t seem overly opposed to something bigger. Maybe he could work up to that. But she wasn’t pretending for his sake, either. As he bent down to kiss her, she spun around toward the mirror again, tilting her head to admire the diamond from different angles. He cleared his throat and Mira twisted around to see him. Hunter motioned with his fingers for her to come back.

  Mira grinned, tiptoeing over. “Sorry…” She planted a silky kiss on his lips, the sensation lingering after she drew away. “Thank you, Mr. Masseron,” Mira whispered, her breath on his mouth. He’d had oodles of people call him that before, but it never made his heart pound. “Is that better?”

  “Almost.”

  Mira laughed, kissing the corner of his mouth and locking her arms around him, her cheek resting against his. Hunter held her tightly, inhaling the vanilla scent of her hair. He’d never wanted to memorize every detail of anyone his whole life the way he did with Mira. Never.

  Mira couldn’t sleep for the longest time, grinning to herself for absolutely no reason. Well, there was a reason and it may or may not have involved the diamond around her neck. She kept gazing at it in the moonlight, amazed at how the light changed with each turn. She’d never so much as dared to go look at anything that beautiful, afraid she’d be kicked out for not having enough money.

  The next morning, she almost wondered if she’d dreamt it until she sat up and felt the chain drop around her neck. She smiled to herself, remembering how Hunter’s face tightened, waiting for her to tell him she loved his gift. And she did, admiring it in every mirror and reflective surface in Rosefield as she worked the next day. Mainly, though, her heart swelled each time she saw it because of who gave it to her.

  And Hunter’s face beamed when she met him in the library, and he noticed she still wore it. Then, he proceeded to sit right next to her as she entered new information into the art database, putting his arm around her, grazing her cheek with his lips, stroking her hair…

  “How am I supposed to work with you doing that?” She turned around, meeting Hunter’s challenging brown eyes.

  “Maybe you’re not supposed to.” He smiled wickedly.

  Mira took a breath, hating how his dancing eyes made her weak. She held up her hands, trying to appear as stern as possible. “New rules. No distracting me while I work.”

  Hunter raised his eyebrows. “Maybe it’s time for a break then.”

  “I just started.”

  He rolled closer, blocking the computer with his arm, his face right up to hers. “I’m your boss, remember?”

  So he thought he had a trump card. She still couldn’t cave that easily, no matter how her pulse raced. “Most employers don’t demand their employees take unnecessary breaks.”

  His mouth twitched. “I’m not most employers. Unless you make a habit of kissing the people you work for.”

  “Admittedly, you’re the first.”

  He took her chin between his fingers, drawing her in. “Good…”

  Mira admitted defeat as he kissed her, rationalizing she’d kept him at bay long enough. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before they heard throat clearing nearby. Mira jumped back, distancing herself from Hunter as Jimmy came into the room. She flushed, turning her attention back to the computer. Hunter didn’t look fazed, shrugging at Jimmy to get on with what he wanted.

  “Sorry,” Jimmy said, glancing at Mira, “but I thought you’d want to see these.” He came over, a set of books practically shaking the desk as he let them drop. “They just arrived.”

  A smile spread on Hunter’s face as he stood to examine the delivery. He slapped Jimmy on the back, motioning for Mira to look. “I was hoping these would come soon.”

  “What are they?” Mira’s brow furrowed as she peered over at the top cover.

  “They’re art gallery and auction catalogs.”

  She glanced at him quizzically. “What for?”

  “Well, you asked if I’d added anything to the art collection and since I haven’t, I thought it might be time to start.” He smiled. “I’m hoping for your opinions on what I should get.”

  Mira blinked. “Really?”

  “Of course. Who else would I ask?”

  Mira stroked the cover, her stomach doing backflips. She loved the necklace and helping document his art collection, but this felt very personal. Especially coming from Hunter. He didn’t seem to want the opinions of most people.

  “Will you help me filter through these?” Hunter’s eyes were hopeful.

  Mira couldn’t stop the smile that came. “I’d love to.”

  CHAPTER 21

  On his own, Hunter would never have had the interest–or patience–to flip through page after page of artworks without Mira tucked in next to him on a couch in his private quarters. He loved watching her eyes brighten, and jaw drop, as she perused, scrutinizing the selections.

  There was a lot to go through, so Hunter had taken to putting on a movie while Mira browsed and pointed out things he might like, though he was more interested in her than the art. She usually rested against him, and the whole scenario felt like the most natural thing in the world. He only wished he’d found her sooner. And that he could do more for her than help her clean.

  He woke up one crisp, late fall morning with the most fantastic idea
. He’d been trying to think of things he could do for Mira besides lavish her with gifts, and he thought he’d hit on something she’d love. As soon as he got up, he called for Jimmy, dictating what he needed him to do.

  “You want the ballroom cleaned?” Jimmy tapped the pencil against his notebook. “All of it?”

  Hunter stood in front of the bathroom mirror. He rubbed style cream between his palms, running it through his hair. “Well…enough of it. I’d like it if we don’t have spiders landing on us is all.”

  He couldn’t remember the last time they’d used the ballroom. It was sort of a legacy of the past, a place he roamed as a child, but it wasn’t used very often. That, however, was about to change.

  Jimmy nodded, his eyes distant.

  “And make sure Penny gets on the dress situation immediately.” Hunter fixed the front of his dark hair, spending more time in front of the mirror lately than he’d done in ages. “I realize that may take a while.” Though he wanted to go ahead with his plan that night, he preferred waiting until everything was just right.

  “What about you?”

  Hunter ran his hands under the faucet, checking the mirror to make sure everything was in place before he headed to meet Mira. “What about me?”

  Jimmy swept his pencil up and down, aiming at Hunter. “Are you planning to dress like this while Mira’s in a gown?”

  Hunter glanced down at his T-shirt and jeans, pretty pleased with how Mira gazed at him dressed like that. But Jimmy had a point. “I didn’t think about that.” He was focused solely on the ballroom and Mira.

  Jimmy’s mouth curved up to one side. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks.” Hunter felt light on his feet, knowing Mira was just a few hallways down, probably waiting for him.

  “It’s what we’re here for.” Jimmy gave a slight bow. “Besides, Mira’s a special girl.”