An Heir for the Billionaire (3 page)

*****

Katrina buried her face against his neck, as Damon pulled her closer. Her body felt so good against him, it had been a while since he'd been with a woman and he'd forgotten how good it felt to hold someone he cared about so closely.

He'd thought about her more times than he could count over the years. Whenever he'd feel the hint of loneliness she'd appear in his mind. She'd been so sweet and carefree. It didn't matter how crazy his ideas had been or how impossible his dreams were, she'd always supported him. Even when he got accepted to Stanford, she was the one to tell him to go, even though he knew it was the last thing she'd wanted him to do.

A rush of guilt and regret came crashing over him, hitting him like a slug to the stomach. "I'm sorry Kat."

She tensed in his arms and pulled back to look him in the eye. Her brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For leaving you behind."

She smiled, but the smile was weak at best. "It was for the best." She looked down and fingered the lapel of his suit jacket. "We had different paths..."

The song switched up to
U Got It Bad,
by Usher.

"No, I was selfish. I was young and wanted to conquer the world. I didn't realize that I already had what was most important in life. I've never again found a love like what I had with you."

She opened her mouth to comment and then snapped it shut. Damon cursed himself for coming on too strong. He'd been doing a lot of self-reflection over the past little while and despite the sense of accomplishment he got whenever he took over a new company; the truth of the matter was that he'd never been truly happy since he moved out of Bangor and away from her. When he considered his life, he had four years of pure happiness and they were all due to her.

Damon pulled her back into his arms. He lowered his nose to her hair and took in the scent of her shampoo - apple. "Your hair even smells the same."

Katrina laughed and glanced up at him. "I'm not one for change. I can't believe you remember what shampoo I used to use."

"I remember a lot of things, Kat."

She lowered her gaze, a blush colouring her cheeks. "Me too. Every time I go to the park and wind up at the lookout and I remember the night you first told me..." Her voice trailed off and her blush deepened.

"That I loved you," Damon finished off for her.

She nodded.

"I did Kat, but my ambition got in the way." He caught her chin in his hand and tilted her face up so her eyes caught him. "It was real. I don't doubt that for an instant."

A look crossed her face that reminded him so much of the eighteen year old young woman he'd foolishly left that it left him winded. The music ended and neither of them noticed until the couples around them began to break up as the tempo increased.

With great reluctance, Damon released his grip on Katrina and stepped back, however, he kept her hand securely in his. "Can I make a confession?" He asked as he led her from the dance floor.

She looked unsure. He was overloading her, he knew this, but he needed to say what was on his mind and in his heart. He didn't have the luxury of time any longer.

"I'm still trying process your apology," she admitted.

"Come with me." He led her through the ballroom and out into the foyer.

"Where are we going?"

"A place a little quieter and less crowded. I rented a room here yesterday afternoon and did a little exploring last night. I found a beautiful little spot..."

"Ahhh. The gardens. You're right. They're beautiful."

Damon laughed. "Guess you've been doing some exploring here as well. Are you also staying here tonight?"

Katrina paused, her eyes lowering and a faint blush touching her cheeks. "Not exactly."

Damon cocked a brow at her and chuckled. "What do you mean by
not exactly
?"

"Well, I sort of work here."

"Oh?" Coming up to the doors leading to the gardens, he opened it up and stepped back, letting her enter before him.

"Yeah."

"What do you do?"

Chapter 3

Katrina's insides were turning to jelly as the memories continued to compound. Damon's confession only added to the turmoil brewing within her. She had no idea that seeing him would have such a powerful effect on her. If she'd known she may have reconsidered coming tonight.

"Kat?" Damon prompted.

"Not all of us were able to do well for ourselves out of high school and leave this place Damon," she snapped and then cringed at the look of surprise on his face at her reaction.

"Did I say something that implied that working here was a bad thing? If I had it wasn't my intention."

Sighing, Katrina raked a hand through her hair, embarrassed she'd gotten so touchy with him. "No. I'm sorry. I just..." Walking over to the seven foot tall marble fountain in the center of the gardens she sat down on the white marble bench, crossing one shapely leg over the other. The flow of the water trickling down the sculpture and into the base helped soothe her slightly frazzled state.

With a frown creasing his brow Damon walked over to the fountain and sat next to her. "What's wrong? Maybe I can help?"

Giving him a rueful smile, she shook her head. She began to finger the lace at the hem of her skirt trying to distract herself from the slew of mixed emotions flowing through her. "I'm being overly sensitive. I'm sorry. Just seeing you and seeing the others... Well, it makes me feel like I've wasted the last ten years."

Damon covered her small delicate hands with one of his and hooked the index finger of his other hand under her chin tilting her eyes up to meet his. "Why? Why would you think such a thing?"

Her heart rate accelerated and another wave of emotions flooded her as she looked deep into his dark brown eyes. It occurred to her that perhaps the problem was that she never really got the closure that she needed. On some level she'd hoped maybe they'd work it out at a later date. They'd made so many promises to each other all those years ago and none of them came to be.

She fingered the expensive material of his jacket lapel a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I'm a banquet server Damon. I can't pay my bills and haven't even come close to feeling for a man the way I..." She stopped herself from finishing the sentence, feeling foolish. Who held a touch for a high school crush for ten years? No one. Just her.

"There's nothing wrong with being a banquet server Kat. Nothing at all."

She huffed and gave him a forced smile. "Things just seemed so much easier back then. And I guess I didn't realize how much I've resented the life that I've made for myself until the past few days when I did a full autopsy of it."

"You know, I've done a similar autopsy recently."

"Oh."

"Yeah. You wanna know how many women I've had relationships with since high school?"

Katrina couldn't even harbour a guess if she wanted to. He was educated, sexy-as-sin, successful, she guessed too many to count. She shook her head.

"None."

Katrina laughed and gave him a swat on the shoulder. "Oh, come on. A guy like you."

He grinned cocking a brow up at her. "A guy like me?"

"Yeah. Good looking. Too smart for his own good and it's blatantly apparent you've done well for yourself. How could you not?"

Damon shrugged. "When at Stanford, my studies were number one. When I graduated, work and building my company was my focus. I always thought I'd have time later on in life to find someone and have a family."

Katrina rolled her eyes at him, laughing lightly at the gloomy nature of his comment. "Oh come on, you have lots of time for that. Women have a shorter expiration date on having children than men."

He grinned, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "I'm not even going to comment on that statement."

"Such a smart guy." Her mood lifted. "So guess that means no children, huh?"

The amusement in his eyes dimmed and the sadness she thought she'd seen earlier flashed in his eyes, but only for a moment and then amusement reappeared. "None. You?"

She shook her head. "None."

"And do you want kids?"

"I always did. I just have to.... ya know. Find a man. Get married. And all that before I can get to the children part."

"At least the man part anyhow."

Katrina grinned. "Well, a man isn't necessity needed."

Damon laughed. "We do carry an essential ingredient to the baby making formula."

"You know what I mean silly." Leaning into him, Katrina gave him a little nudge to his right side. To her surprise his breath hitched and he flinched, his smile fading.

Her eyes widened in surprise at his reaction. "Oh-my-God, I didn't think I nudged you that hard. I'm sorry Damon!"

His jaw clenched and a smile returned to his lips. "Nah, you just took me by surprise. I'm fine."

Not convinced she reached to pull at his shirt to get a look at his side and he jerked backwards away from her, taking her hands in his. "I'm fine Kat..." he gave her a stern look, a look he used to give her when they were younger when he had no intention of discussing something further. "Really."

He's lying
, a voice in the back of her head told her. Despite the years that had passed, she could still tell when he was lying, but she didn't press the topic. If there was something going on that he wanted to share with her, he would, in his own time.

"Okay."

He gave her hands a light squeeze. "I'm fine," he repeated.

****

Damon's side was hurting like a bitch, and he had to force himself to keep from wincing. It had been healing well, but she'd nailed him right on the incision. He could tell she suspected he was keeping something from her, but the last thing he wanted was to reconnect with her and within the first hour of being with her toss out the "Big C" news. If she was anything like she was when they were younger - and from their brief discussion so far he suspected she was - then she'd become sick with worry. He wanted to enjoy being with her, not suddenly be a target of pity. No, he'd keep that information tightly guarded unless he had to fess up.

He glanced down at her hands in his. They were so petite, his large ones eclipsing them completely. He unconsciously stroked the palms of her hands with his thumbs.

Katrina inhaled sharply, drawing his eyes back to hers. There was a tint of desire in her sapphire blue eyes. His eyes lowered to her lips, painted pink and glossed. The ache in his side was forgotten as his mind became distracted with a different kind of ache.

Her lips beckoned to him. He wondered if she'd kiss him in the way she had years ago, with such passion. He could still remember the way she'd sigh against his mouth as she pressed herself against him.

"So no husband, fiancé, boyfriend?"

She shook her head, running her tongue along her lower lip - enticing him.

"So if I were to do something a little crazy like kiss you..." Releasing one of her hands, he slowly raked a hand through her golden locks, watching the strands fall from his fingertips - strand by strand. She closed her eyes and sighed, her soft sigh sounding like music to his ears and bringing back memories; memories that he'd savoured over the years in the odd instances where he let himself think of something other than work.

Katrina opened her eyes. "I'd say sometimes you need to do something crazy from time to time."

Damon smiled as he lowered his lips to hers. As he drew closer to her the smell of her perfume drifted up to his nose and spurred his arousal. He ghosted his lips across hers and a sweet, soft sigh that sent his dick into a frenzy escaped her. He fought to hold himself back, wanting to savour the feel of her soft lips against his, before deepening the kiss.

Placing her palms against his chest, she leaned into him, parting her lips with a soft moan and inviting him in. Damon accepted the invitation, savouring her sweet response as their tongues touched. Her hands fisted the front of his shirt and she moved closer.

She was such a temptation to him - she always had been and he suspected always would be. With great reluctance Damon ended the kiss before he got carried away. There was no doubt that the attraction was still alive and well between them, despite the years that have passed.

As he pulled back and their eyes locked an idea came to him. It was crazy, but then again maybe crazy was what he needed. He might as well take some chances, he had nothing to lose. It was painfully evident that she wanted a new life, and he needed the assurance that his years of blood, sweat and tears didn't go to waste. The more that he thought about it, the less insane the idea became. All he needed to do was convince Katrina to marry him and have his baby...

Chapter 4

"Damon?" Katrina frowned at Damon's sudden intense and distant expression. It wasn't exactly the type of expression she'd have expected after him kissing her and it made her uneasy.

The distant expression faded and he was back to her, giving her a soft, sexy smile. "I'm sorry. Got distracted for a moment."