Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part Four (BWWM Romance Serial) (9 page)

Three months later

JADA HANDED IAN THE BOWL of popcorn and flopped down next
to him in the king-sized bed. She snuggled beside his big, warm body and Ms.
Kitty delicately snuggled in next to Jada on her other side.

“Turn it on. We’re going to miss the beginning,” she said,
grabbing a handful of popcorn.

He turned on the TV and flipped to CGTV. Piper Sandy’s
tight, half-immobile face filled the screen.

Ian flinched. “Someone needs to tell that woman to back off
the botox. She’s going to mummify herself alive.”

“I don’t think she cares,” Jada said. “Turn it up. I can’t
hear.”

“Always telling me what to do,” he mumbled.

She bumped shoulders with him and grinned. “Shh.”

Piper’s shark-smile gleamed out of the screen. “First up
tonight, an interview with supermodel Sasha. We’re going to get the scoop on
all the latest news, from her coming out party to her shocking decision to
retire from modeling. What’s next for Sasha? Let’s welcome her and find out.”

The scene panned wide and showed the typical talk show set,
complete with small couches and chairs. Sasha lounged on the couch like she was
at home. Piper perched in one of the chairs, her sidekick Dirk preening away in
the other.

“Sasha darling, tell us it isn’t so,” Piper said. “You
aren’t seriously going to retire from modeling I hope. At your age? You still
have what ... a good six months left before you’re too old to get bookings? Why
throw all that away?”

Jada laughed. “She’s just so ... Piper.”

“She’d better be careful. A minute in and she’s already
treading the line,” Ian said.

Back on the set, Sasha was totally unfazed by Piper’s barb.
“It’s true. I’m chucking it all. I’m retiring from modeling forever.”

Dirk gasped. “Forever? But why? Why would anyone give up a
glamorous career like yours?”

“It’s not as glamorous as you might think, Dink,” Sasha
answered. “Ha! Think Dink. That rhymed.”

“It’s Dirk,” he said, flipping back the thick shock of
frosted hair that swooped down over his forehead.

“Is modeling hard work?” Piper asked, hardly bothering to
hide her ridicule behind faux concern. “Is that what you’re telling us, Sasha?
Having to stand and look beautiful while someone takes your picture is probably
horribly tiring. And those runway shows. You have to walk down those runways
what ... three four times a day sometimes? You models have it tough.” She
smirked straight into the camera.

“No, that’s not what I meant. But I can see how someone who
never had the least hope of being a model themselves might misunderstand how it
works,” Sasha said.

“Me-ow!” Dirk said.

Piper and Sasha ignored him, only having eyes for one
another, eyes like two heavyweight boxers squaring off in the ring.

“Yikes, I can almost feel the tension in there.” Jada
grabbed up a handful of popcorn.

“I hope they remember what they’re about,” Ian said.

“So what’s next, Sasha?” Piper asked. “Perhaps you’ve found
yourself a sugar mama. Wait, I know. You’re getting your own line of bikinis
that someone else designs, produces and sells for you so you don’t have to tax
yourself overly much?”

“Ooh!,” Dirk cried. “The bathing suits could be made out of
sashes. Get it? Sashes by Sasha. I loooove it!”

“Great idea, Dork,” Sasha said with her brightest makeup-ad
smile. “I’ll keep it in mind. But actually, I’ve been accepted to culinary
school. I’m becoming a chef.”

“That’s Dirk,” he muttered, his enthusiasm dowsed.

Ian put his arm around Jada’s shoulder and squeezed. “It was
a real stroke of genius, Jada, getting Agatha to leave Sasha alone. Threatening
to sic your DA friend on Sasha for fraud unless Agatha stepped back and let her
daughter make her own decisions about her life—genius. It worked exactly like
you said it would.”

“I simply counted on Agatha being a mother first and a
publicist second,” Jada said.

“I don’t know if I would have been as sure as you about the
outcome,” he teased.

“Oh, they’re getting to the good stuff,” Jada said. “Look.”

The few muscles in Piper’s face that still worked, twitched.
“There you have it. From supermodel to chef. Bizarre. Moving on. I hear you’ve
brought us some pictures, Sasha. This is a big surprise for all you fans out
there. So exciting!”

“That’s right,” Sasha said. “I wanted to share some photos
from my friends’ re-commitment wedding ceremony.”

“And tell us who those friends are,” Dirk practically
squealed.

Sasha waved her hands like a game show co-host. “Ian and
Jada Buckley.”

Dirk could hardly contain himself. “Ooh, so thrilling.”

Piper was less demonstrative in her delight. “Yes, so
exciting, I’m sure. I’m wondering though, why a couple who has only been
married three months needs a re-commitment ceremony. Trouble in newlywed
paradise, perhaps?”

Jada snorted. “Nope. We just had to make our marriage legal.
Not that Piper knows that, thankfully.”

Back on television, Sasha said, “Believe me, there hasn’t
been any trouble between Jada and Ian. They’re off on a honeymoon cruise on
Ian’s yacht right now. They’re so happy it’s revolting. You don’t want to be
around it. Touchy-feely all the time. They can’t keep their hands off of each
other. Don’t even try to sit down and have a normal conversation with either of
them because they’re either spaced out flirting with each other or they go
running off to knock ... you know.”

“Day-um,” Dirk said.

“TMI,” Piper interjected.

“Finally,” Ian said. “Piper and I agree on something.”

Jada laughed. “Oh look, they’re putting the pictures up
finally.”

“I understand the ceremony was at Ian’s lakeside estate,
right?” Piper asked.

“Yep,” Sasha answered. “You can see in this picture where
they were. It was next to this sickening, bubbling perfect creek. There’s Ian
and Jada standing on the fancy Japanese bridge. That’s where they said their
vows.”

“Oh, so romantic. Aren’t they a wonderful-looking couple?”
Dirk gushed.

“Kind of simple attire, wasn’t it?” Piper asked.

“Jada wanted a small ceremony, only friends and family.
She’s not into showy stuff, unlike some people.” Sasha looked Piper up and
down, obviously unimpressed.

“You looked beautiful in that dress, Jada, and in that
photo,” Ian said. “And if Piper knows what’s good for her, she’ll say as much.”

“Well Jada looks absolutely stunning, I must say,” Piper
said, sounding as sincere as she ever did, which was a miracle.

“Good,” Ian mumbled.

“That dress suits her perfectly,” Piper added. “So classy.
We’ll have to put her on our best-dressed wedding list, won’t we Dreck?”

Her sidekick eeped. “Dirk. Dirk. Why can’t anyone get it
right today?”

“I agree with you, Piper,” Sasha said. “I’ve never seen a
lovelier bride. I was totally jealous of Ian.”

Piper laughed awkwardly. “Yes, I’m sure you were.”

“I was.”

“I’m sure you were.”

“I
was
.”

They glared at one another until Dirk cried out, “Oh, who’s
in that picture?”

Sasha glanced at the monitor. The pictures slowly changed as
Sasha spoke. “Just family. There’s Jada’s parents and sister. There’s Ian’s
parents. There’s my mother with her new husband, Saturn Talleyrand, good luck
to him. That’s my brother, Trey, with Ian’s lawyer, Sullivan. There’s some of
the estate staff, a few friends of the bride and groom.”

“Who’s that older woman you’re standing next to?” Piper
asked.

Sasha’s smile was wide and genuine. “Oh, that’s Mrs. Best.
She’s my cooking inspiration and mentor.”

“You’re looking at her like she’s ... like she’s your date
or something.” From the sound of her voice, Piper’s brow may have been
furrowed, if her brow had been capable of furrowing.

“I’d date her if she’d let me,” Sasha said. “But she won’t
have me. Says I’m too young.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Piper said.

“How old do you think I am?”

“It’s not that. I mean, I can’t believe she’d turn you down
for a reason like that,” Piper explained. “You two are involved, aren’t you? A
little May-December romance?”

“No, but I wouldn’t mind it,” Sasha said.

“But she’s kind of ... well ... I mean, she’s kind of lar—”

“Be careful, Piper. Back off Mrs. Best or I’ll kick your
scrawny—”

“Time for a break!” Dirk squealed.

Someone in the control booth wised up and cut off Sasha’s
and Piper’s microphones. The camera zoomed in on Dirk’s shining face. Jada
could still hear Sasha and Piper arguing in the background, but couldn’t make
out the words.

“Before we go to commercial,” Dirk added, “I want to send a
shout out to CGTV’s new owner, Buckley Holdings. It’s our three-month
anniversary, and all of us at CGTV want to say how wonderful it’s been working
with the fine people at Buckley. We’re proud to be part of the family, aren’t
we, Piper-girl?”

He turned his head, then quickly turned back to the camera,
a comical, startled expression on his face. “She’s a little busy right now. But
I know she feels the same way I do. So, thanks for everything, Buckley
Holdings, from Drunk Knightly, I mean,
Dirk
Knightly. Oh for gawd’s
sake. Go to commercial already.”

They did.

Jada laughed as Ian turned off the television. “Had enough?”

“Definitely.”

“I thought it went pretty well,” Jada said. “My mother and
Marina are going to love it. Mom will have cachet with her RV pals for years.
Are you going to fine Piper for the spat at the end?”

“Probably not. She and Sasha did about as well as could be
expected,” he said.

Jada kissed him on the jaw. “You’re so wise. And kind, too,
letting Piper stay on after you bought the network.”

“You know what they say. Keep your friends close and your
enemies closer.”

A quiet knock sounded on the door and Ian called come in.

Elly poked her head around the door. “It’s me. Bedtime. I’ve
come for Ms. Kitty. Come on, sweet baby,” she called to the cat who had perked
up when she heard Elly’s voice.

Ms. Kitty nudged Jada’s hand in farewell before trotting
away, tail high.

“Anything I can get you before I turn in?” Elly asked.

“No, thank you,” Jada said.

Goodnights were exchanged, and Elly closed the door behind
herself and Ms. Kitty.

Jada took the nearly empty bowl of popcorn and set it on the
night stand, then she slipped back under Ian’s arm, tucking her head in beneath
his chin. He nuzzled her hair. She enjoyed the gentle swaying of the yacht on calm
waters.

“You don’t think Sullivan minds having to run Buckley
Holdings, do you?” Jada asked.

“No. He’s been itching to have it all to himself for a long
time,” Ian answered.

“Do you miss it?”

“Nope. I think I was finished with that part of my life long
before I met you. I just hadn’t realized it yet,” Ian said.

“I love not knowing where we’re headed, what we’re going to
do next. Everything is open.”

“I love it, too.”

“So where are headed tomorrow?” Jada asked, enjoying the
contradiction.

She heard the smile in his voice. “You pick. Monaco or
Corsica?”

“Corsica. Definitely.”

“I’ll tell the captain.”

“Have you ever been to Corsica?”

“I haven’t.”

“I’m glad,” Jada said. “It’ll be new for both of us.”

“Everything is new with you at my side.”

“That’s so sweet,” she said, pulling back and looking at his
dear face. “Turn off the lights. I want to rip your clothes off and have my way
with you.”

 “No way. The lights stay on, I rip your clothes off, and I
have
my
way with
you
.” A sexy depth underscored his voice and
desire gleamed in his eyes.

She shivered. “But I just bought this nightgown. Don’t rip
it. It’s delicate.”

In a slick motion, he climbed over her, straddling her hips.
He traced the top edge of her frilly lingerie with his fingertip. “So silky.
Your skin, not the gown.”

“My gown has buttons,” Jada pointed out, deliciously
shivery. “You don’t have to—”

Ian gave her his baddest, lustiest look. “Oh, but I do. I
don’t have time to undo all those tiny things. I’m too impatient.”

“Ian, you’re so ...” she couldn’t finish.

Rrrriiiiippp. Tiny pearl buttons shot over the bedding then
Ian lowered his head to claim his naked prize.

Jada couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. The man had no
respect for expensive lingerie. He licked a hot, wet trail over her trembling skin.

She wondered if he’d dare to rip off her panties, too.

His hands skimmed down her stomach, over her hips, his
strong, thick fingers hooking under slender strands of fabric. He wasn’t, was
he?

He was.

Rrrriiiiippp.

Great. She was going to have to buy new lingerie. Then his
tongue followed the path his fingers had traveled, all the way down to ...
happily ever after.

Oh hell ... yeah.