Riley’s Billionaire (20 page)

Why am I not surprised? After all, he sent his butler to propose to me.

Riley watched as Jack left the terrace and walked beyond her sight inside the house. With a sinking feeling, she took a deep breath and faced her grandmother. Only...Amelia was smiling.

‘Dear, Jack has asked me to make some changes to my will. I hope you’ll be pleased.’

For the next several minutes, Riley sat dumbfounded as the attorney spoke, unable to make sense of what was happening. Finally, she looked into Amelia’s shimmering eyes for affirmation she’d heard what she thought she had.

Amelia nodded. ‘I don’t need a blood test, my dear, to know you’re my granddaughter. Now that we’ve found you — rather, now that Jack has found you — I’m ready to retire. I’m deeding everything over to you and your brother and sister. Jack seems certain we shall find them as well.’

Riley shook her head slowly. ‘But...what about Patrick?’

‘Oh, Patrick has more money than he’ll spend in his lifetime.’

‘And Jack?’ Riley was sure Jack couldn’t be pleased with this deal.

‘Jack has you.’ Amelia lifted her hands expressively, like an actress saying
oh, well.
‘And if the two of you part, Jack can buy his own vineyards and then some.’

Riley still didn’t understand. ‘Why? What prompted this?’

‘Your husband, dear.’

Colin grinned. ‘You’re a wealthy young woman, Mrs Beauchamp.’

All Riley could do was mumble. ‘I have a vineyard.’

Amelia smiled. ‘And a family, should you want one.’

Then the tears flowed from both women. Riley rose, sobbing, and ran to her grandmother, hugging her wildly. ‘Oh, I don’t know what to say. Want a family? You are everything I’ve ever dreamed of.’

Amelia embraced her and stroked her hair. ‘Well, not everything, I hope.’

Riley lifted her head and looked into her grandmother’s eyes. ‘Meaning?’

‘There’s a man upstairs who would like to be a part of your family. He’s already a part of mine.’

The impact of her grandmother’s words snapped Riley’s mind to attention. Jack wasn’t divorcing her — he was making certain she would be taken care of for the rest of her life. He’d given her everything that was his in Cadigal Valley, entrusted her with...everything but his heart.

She made her excuses then fled toward the stairs, taking them two at a time, almost stumbling before she reached the second floor. The distance between the stairwell and their bedroom loomed, and she wanted to take it at a dead run. Instead, she forced herself to breathe slowly, measuring each step until she reached the bedroom door. She lifted her hand to knock, thought better of it. Turning the knob, she entered and closed the door behind her.

Jack was sitting on the balcony, sipping a cup of coffee. Riley recognised the two steaming mugs that were on the bistro table. They were the ones that he’d purchased in Sydney that read
Sharing The Passion.

Was passion what he wanted? Or had he given her just enough rope to hang herself by making her wealthy beyond imagination?

She sat across from him and touched the rim of the second cup. ‘Is this one mine?’

He smiled sadly. ‘It’s all yours if you want it.’

Damn the man. He wasn’t leaving this up to her. She refused to be responsible for his happiness. She knew how much Cadigal Valley meant to him. Had he lost his mind? Was this his way of walking out on her?

No. Amelia had said he wanted to be a part of her family.

‘You could’ve talked to me first.’ She nervously took a sip of coffee.

‘Like you talked to me before going to Queensland?’

She nodded. ‘I deserved that. But is this what we’ve become? Two strangers who don’t share what’s important to us?’

‘Guess it depends upon what we think is important.’

Riley sat her cup down with a loud bang, surprised she didn’t shatter it or the glass top table. ‘Don’t do this to me. This is not okay, for you to just sit there like Cadigal Valley doesn’t matter to you.’

He sat his cup down as well. ‘Let’s just say I’ve discovered other things that matter more.’

She held her breath. ‘Such as?’

Jack rose and in one fluid motion jerked Riley from her chair and into his arms. ‘Like my wife, dammit’ He kissed her mercilessly. Then he thrust her from him. ‘I swore I wouldn’t pressure you to do anything else. But, Riley, if you insist on looking like that...’

‘Like what?’

‘So...I don’t know. Kissable. Sweet. Sexy as hell.’

‘You think I’m sexy?”

‘Yes, dammit. And vulnerable — you have no idea how protective I feel toward you. And when you’re not with me, I’m miserable.’

‘And when you’re with me?’

‘I’m another kind of miserable.’ He stopped. ‘That’s not quite true. You make me happy most of the time, but I can’t go around keeping you under lock and key, worrying over what you might get into. It’s not healthy for either of us.’

She moved toward him. ‘I don’t know if it’s being aware I’m rich or knowing I make you crazy, but suddenly I feel empowered.’ She stroked his chest, enjoying the hitch in his breath when she touched him.

‘Don’t let it go to your head,’ he warned. ‘I may be susceptible to your strange little charms, but I’m also a man. Don’t start anything you can’t finish.’

Riley grinned mischievously. ‘Oh, I intend to finish.’ She unbuttoned his shirt and nipped at his flesh. ‘Then start...’ Harder bite. ‘...finish...’

He grabbed her shoulders and held her away from him. ‘I get the picture.’

Riley smiled. ‘So what do you intend to do while I’m pestering you?’

‘I won’t make love to you again, Riley.’

She felt the colour drain from her face. ‘Jack?’

He shook his head. ‘Not until you marry me.’

Riley nearly fell to the floor. ‘We are married.’

‘No, not the way I’d like.’

She held her breath. ‘What do you have in mind?’ She couldn’t resist teasing him. ‘You know, I’m a very wealthy woman now. What do you say I have my attorney draw up a contract for you to sign?’

He groaned and sank into his chair. ‘Okay, let’s have it.’

‘You come to work for me as...our business manager.’

‘Done.’

‘Not so fast,’ she cautioned. ‘And there’s also a personal contract. You must relinquish all control in the bedroom at least once a month so that I might have my way with you.’

‘That’s it? Only one day per month?’

‘Ah, but you have no idea of the things I plan on doing to you.’ She shrugged. ‘Once you teach me, of course. I mean, you’re more experienced than I am.’

‘I’d better be!’ Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. Flipping her over his knees, he swatted her butt. Twice.

Riley sat up, astonished. ‘Hey!’

‘Once for defying me,’ he said. ‘The second one was for giving me my first gray hair.’

She grinned. ‘There will be consequences if you touch me in anger.’

‘What if I just touch you?’

She squirmed, feeling her body heat. ‘Depends.’

He sat back from her. ‘On second thought, I’ve changed my mind. I’m not that easy. I’m a great catch, a hell of a guy. You’d be lucky to have me. Perhaps it’d be better if you did the pursuing.’

Riley squealed and thumped his shoulders with her fists. ‘Say it.’

‘What?’ His face looked innocent enough, but his eyes sparkled.

‘You’d really do that to me?’ She pouted. ‘You’d force me to say it first?’

His body fairly rumbled with the laugh he emitted. Then he rose, with her in his arms, and carried her into the bedroom, alternately kissing her to shut her up and swatting her bottom playfully when she was able to speak but unable to formulate the words.

They tumbled to the bed, a tangle of arms and legs, clinging to one another, their hands searching, lips craving, bodies wanting more.

Quickly deprived of her clothes, unable to speak for laughing and squealing, Riley floated on a cloud of happiness. He wanted her — her husband obviously wanted her, but the man was driving her insane.

Lost in sensual bliss, only caring that he made love to her, that he was inside her, all over her, caressing her and murmuring soft words in French, Riley tried valiantly once again to speak. But Jack held her tightly, one hand cupping the back of her head, the other hand hovering over her face. He lifted a finger and lay it against her lips.

‘Me first,
chérie .’
The look in his eyes told Riley he knew her, his soul mated with hers, and that she’d experience a lifetime of adoration in Jack’s arms.

‘I love you, Riley, my love, my heart. I love you more than I thought possible.’

She cried and would have responded in kind, but he moved inside her, stealing her breath. Both defenceless and protected. He continued speaking as he filled her with his warmth, until finally she could stand it no more.

He lifted his finger from her lips, and she cried out as she climaxed. ‘I love you, Jack! I love you!’

‘Je t’aime!’
he whispered against her lips. Over and over he said the words she’d longed to hear, leaving her breathless, cherished, and forever his.

Riley nestled against him. Home at last.

‘Well,’ Amelia said when Riley joined her on the terrace. ‘Happy Anniversary.’

Riley nodded. ‘Thank you, Grandmother.’

Amelia looked about? ‘Where are the boys?’

‘Jack will be down shortly. His son needed a nappy change.’ Riley lifted her face to the setting sun, feeling the last flickers of light on her face.

‘It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since your last marriage.’ Amelia laughed. ‘Like you’ve had so many.’

Riley nodded. ‘Just the one husband, though. And he’s plenty for me.’

‘God, I thought he’d never settle down.’ Amelia stirred restlessly. ‘I wish he’d hurry. I haven’t seen my great-grandson all day. Did you find what you needed in Sydney?’

Riley clasped her hands on the table before her. ‘I’m not sure. Jack has several private investigators working on the case, and one of them seems to think he’s found...one of them.’

‘Your sister or your brother?’

‘Tyler. Still no word on Rita.’ Riley patted Amelia’s hands. ‘We’ll locate them both.’

‘Where do they think Tyler is?’

‘Outback, of all things. If it’s him, he’s a tour guide through some of the roughest country in Australia. If it’s truly Tyler, he’s a bit of a nomad, always travelling, never settling in one place for long, so it’s been difficult for them to keep track of him.’

Amelia grunted. ‘I suppose we should be thankful that piece of sh--....that Mr Frost deigned to give us what information he had. He wouldn’t have done so, you realise, if you hadn’t persuaded his daughter to visit him.’

It had been a difficult task. Frost’s daughter wanted nothing to do with him. Riley had pleaded with the woman and was almost to the point of offering her money before she finally caved in. Frost didn’t have much to offer, but what little he knew was enough for investigators to get some verbal leads elsewhere. No paper trail, which would’ve been preferable, and no clue who the mysterious woman was who’d hired him to kill Riley and her siblings. But they’d work with what little they had and hope for the best.

Her baby’s giggle alerted Riley that Jack and Joe had arrived. Baby Joseph, named for his paternal great-grandfather, was “a chip off the old block” as Amelia said. He was curious even at three-months-old, already attempting to crawl, and babbling his own version of repetition whenever anyone spoke to him.

Jack handed him off to Amelia then stood behind his wife. He bent to kiss her and rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘We had to examine our toes. That’s why it took us so long.’

‘Ha.’ Amelia chuckled. ‘Pretty soon he’ll be examining...oh, never mind. You’ll find out when the time comes.’

Riley shook her head. Between Amelia’s somewhat course language at times and Jack’s predilection for indulging the boy whenever he expressed interest in something, the child would be a handful by the time he began walking. And here she was with another one on the way.

She gently rubbed her stomach. She hadn’t told anyone, not even Jack, that she was expecting again.

Riley leaned her head against her husband’s lower stomach, wondering when to spring the news. The past year’s vines had done well. The restaurant had increased business. She and Jack were in a perpetual honeymoon phase, unable to get enough of one another. Having another baby so soon after Joe might mean they’d have less time together until the kids were in school. But Riley felt it was all meant to be. She preferred having the first two close together. Their childhoods would be much different from hers, which comforted her.

She lifted her hands and stroked the backs of Jack’s hands. ‘Want to take a walk with me?’

‘Sure, if you’re up for it.’ He helped her out of her chair. ‘You’ve been pretty busy lately.’

‘Not so much that I can’t enjoy a stroll with my husband.’

He linked her arm through his and patted it. ‘Where?’

‘Up there. Our cabin.’ Riley smiled. She was certain that was where Joe was conceived one starry night after she’d returned from Queensland.

He slowed his steps to a comfortable pace for Riley. She wanted to wait until they reached the cabin to tell him her news, and he didn’t seem in a hurry to see why she wanted him to herself. Jack had been less inclined to work long hours since they’d renewed their vows, and he’d spent more time at home even before Joe was born. Now, he had to be encouraged to take the obligatory business trip or finish a project when he’d much rather have stayed home and played with the baby.

But he never had to be asked to spend more time with his wife.

They rounded the bend toward the climb up the hill. Jack slipped an arm around Riley’s waist and hugged her, almost causing her to stumble. They laughed like children and nudged one another affectionately. How different their lives were from a year ago.

‘Okay, Mrs Beauchamp, what’s on your mind?’ Jack waited for her to sit then sat beside her.

‘What makes you think...’

He laughed. ‘Because I know my wife. You may have suggested we walk, but something tells me you’re about to drop a bombshell on me.’

‘Just a tiny one.’