Sharing the Billionaire (Billionaire Ace #1) (3 page)

“That’s it? There’s no games? No competitions?”

“There will be certain games throughout the show, but those will be explained as they happen. Right now you are just competing for Mr. Pearson’s affection. But, there are some rules.”

“Of course there are,” I muttered.

“What was that?” the closest lawyer to me said. I was surprised he heard anything with his nose buried in his paperwork.

“Nothing,” I said. “Nothing at all.”

Tina continued without missing a beat. “First of all you are not to initiate any contact with Mr. Pearson. Only touch him if he touches you first. He is very particular about who touches him and why. Second of all you are not to ask him about his personal life unless he initiates the conversation. By initiate I mean he has to bring up his past first. If he is asking you about your personal life then you can answer but you do not turn the conversation around to him.”

“Got it,” I said. Was this even going to be any fun? So far I had to sit on my hands and keep my mouth shut. I felt like I was in fifth grade at the Sadie Hawkins Dance again. Only this time instead of being too shy to talk I was forbidden to talk, but the outcome was the same: the person I desired most was right in front of my face like a dangling carrot.

“Third you must never use the word love when talking to Mr. Pearson, even if you win the show.”

“What does happen if I win the show?” I asked.

“You will go on several dates with Mr. Pearson and then return to the island at a later date for a reunion show.”

“So this isn’t a show where he asks my hand in marriage or anything like that?”

“Oh heaven’s no darling. This is all for the TV cameras. You win Mr. Pearson’s affection for the cameras.”

I tried to sink even lower in my seat. This was turning out to be a disaster. I had had the hots for Ace Pearson for a long time, but it appeared it was all for show. He’d probably shake my hand and say “good job slugger” after the cameras stopped rolling. At least I’d have the exposure to a national audience.

“Also if you win the show you will be paid two hundred and fifty grand.”

I nearly jumped into her lap when those words hit my ears. “Excuse me? Did you say two hundred and fifty thousand?”

“That is correct.”

Wow, I could afford to quit Staples and go on whatever auditions I wanted. Plus I’d have the exposure to land a few better gigs. Screw Ace Pearson’s love, I was going to be rich and be a star! Then again, Ace Pearson was a great prize. I’d had a crush on the man since I first saw him mosey down the red carpet in a blindingly expensive Armani suit. I think I was only 14 when that happened, but he’d been the object of many fantasies from that point forward.

“Does runner up get anything?”

“Twenty five grand,” she said.

I could still do a lot with that much money, this was going to be a pretty good experience after all.

“Now let’s get to the nitty gritty. We have confidentiality agreements for you to sign.”

“What are these?” I asked as they began to prepare a large stack of documents.

“Basically if you learn anything about Mr. Pearson off camera you are not allowed to share it with anyone, ever. That includes interviews, movies, television shows, late night talk shows, books, magazine articles, blogs, made for TV movies and personal conversations.”

This guy really was private. I thought maybe he just hated the media and that’s why you never heard about him, but he was going to great lengths to hide his private persona from his public one.

“Also if Mr. Pearson does initiate contact you are not allowed to describe the experience to anyone, ever. That includes interviews, movies, television shows, late night talk shows, books, magazine articles, blogs, made for TV movies and personal conversations.”

“You never said anything about spoken word tours!” I giggled at my joke, until I remembered who I was talking to.

“There’s a clause in here that includes anything not listed.”

“Of course.”

“Will you sign?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I?.” What choice did I have? Besides if the cost of fame and riches was not describing Ace Pearson’s mouth while he kissed me then sign me up.

“Just so you know we will be playing you up as the all-American girl on this show. Your wardrobe will reflect that look as well. What you are wearing right now doesn’t reflect it at all. We are going to be stopping at a boutique up the street here and changing you into something a little more country.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Seriously,” she replied as if I asked a genuine question.

“Also we’re going to put your hair into pigtails. That chin length thing you have going is way too Hollywood.”

Thing? Did she just describe my hair style as a thing?

“So what’s the other girl’s angle?” I asked, feeling I already knew the answer.

“Hollywood pretty of course,” she said. “She’ll be showing off her incredible body to Mr. Pearson to win his affection while you’ll be using your innocent charm.”

Was this show rigged or something? Did I even have a chance to win?

“That is of course the angle we will be playing with the narrator. You just act natural dear.”

The word dear sounded so forced, like it was painful for her to spit out.

Finally the car stopped in front of the little dress shop. I had long legs, so dresses usually agreed with me but I was fearful of what she would come up with. I looked out the limo window at what was displayed in front and my heart sunk. I was going to look like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz by the time she was through with me.

Chapter 4

We pulled onto the private airstrip an hour later, the jet’s doors already open and waiting for me. I stepped out of the limo, the sun nearly blinding me after being cooped up in the dark with a coven of lawyers.

I felt a little silly in the yellow sundress they’d chosen for me, but I could make it work. My breasts weren’t large enough for it to hang and make me look pregnant, plus my legs looked great in it. I wasn’t thrilled about the sandals they’d chosen for me to wear with it, but I guess this was how I’d been cast.

Ace was waiting by the ladder to the jet, a smile beaming on his face.

“Is the brightness the sun or your smile?” I asked, walking up. Smooth Amy, really smooth.

“A little from A and a little from B,” he said, laughing. “Are you always this charming?”

“Only when I’m meeting my teenage crush,” I blurted out. I quickly slapped my hands over my mouth, my eyes growing wide. Ace raised one eyebrow and smiled slyly at me. I’m sure I turned so many shades of red that I invented new ones.

Wonderful,
I thought.
I’ve already screwed this up.

“I mean you know if you’re into teenagers or something like that,” I said. Why was I still talking? That didn’t even make any sense.

Sometimes my attempts to be funny fell short, and not in a “that’s not funny but I’m laughing because you’re stupid” kind of way. It was more of a “I can’t believe you said that, I’m embarrassed for you” kind of way. Judging by the look on his face he found my joke the latter.

“Please continue onto the jet Ms. Davis,” Tina said, walking up behind me. I slowly climbed the steps, looking back to see Ace having an intense discussion with Tina. He was probably making sure I signed everything, or he was trying to replace me last minute.

I walked into the main cabin of the jet and was nearly blown away. There were several comfortable looking leather seats, a full bar and a giant TV. There was also the very definition of an LA girl sitting in one of the chairs. She had the fakest tits and tan I’d ever seen. Her lips were pretty big, probably collagen injected and her platinum blonde hair was streaked with red. She wasn’t as tall as me, but her legs seemed to go on for miles.

“Oh my god you must be Amy,” she said, hopping up and shuffling over to me in her stripper heels. “It is so great to meet you.”

“You too,” I said, giving her a quick hug and moving back. “You must be Cookie.”

“That’s me,” she said, sticking her hips out in a quick pose.

“So I guess we’ll be competing against one another,” I said, trying to find a seat.

“Yes we will, but let’s not think of it like that.” Her lips were so disgustingly injected it looked like two red caterpillars were crawling over her teeth. I couldn’t decide which was faker: the lips or what she was saying. “I want us to be friends and whoever the best woman is will win.”

“Of course,” I said, nodding my head in agreement.
I trust you as far as I can throw you bitch.

I knew she would stab me in the back at some point or throw me under the bus, but I suppose I could be nice to her until then.

“We’re going to be sisters by the time this is through!” she said.

“Oh really? I’ve always wanted one!” Screw that, being an only child ruled.

“This is going to be so much fun,” she said, fake excitement bubbling over.

We both turned as Ace appeared in the doorway of the cabin.

“Would either of you like a drink?” he asked. His smile was cool and nonchalant, like we were old gambling buddies.

“I’ll take a Cosmo!” she said.

Of course you will,
I thought. Although, my drink selections weren’t much better.

“I’ll have a Cape Cod.”

“What are you on your period or something?” Ace asked, nearly flooring me. I couldn’t believe one of the world’s most famous billionaire’s asked me that question. Judging by his goofy smile he thought he was being funny. Was he an Amy style joker? That was a relief, maybe I was off the hook for the teenager comment.

“Not yet,” I said, giving him a weak smile.

“Good information to have,” he said, looking down at his task.

I felt my face flush with embarrassment as he made our drinks, how humiliating. I looked over at Cookie and she was smiling smugly.

“We are about to roll Mr. Pearson!” a producer, appearing from some control room at the front of the jet, said.

“Got it,” he said. His facial expressions changed, his smile reminded me of the one from last night and his eyes lit up. “Well ladies I hope you’re ready for an intense couple of weeks. By the end of it one of you will be two hundred and fifty thousand dollars richer and you’ll have the affection of none other than Jack “Ace” Pearson.”

He sat down at a leather captain’s chair that was between us and handed our drinks over.

“I can’t wait Mr. Pearson!” Cookie blurted out.

“Please ladies, call me Ace.”

“Anything for you Ace!” Cookie said before busting into laughter that would have made Fran Drescher cringe.

“How about you Amy?” he asked, turning to me. “Anything for Ace?”

“If it pleases my master then yes,” I said, cracking a smile after I finished.

“Master? Now be careful, I could definitely get used to that.” He leaned over, laughing close to my face. “You’re very cute. I love your accent.”

“What accent?” I asked. I had tried very hard to hide my Oklahoma roots since I had moved to LA.

“Oh come now dear. I can hear it. Can’t you Cookie?”

“Very much so!” she said, pouncing on me like an Ed Hardy Tiger. “You sound like one of the people on True Blood!”

“They’re from Louisiana, that’s not even close to Oklahoma!”

“Oh well, it all sounds the same to me!” Cookie said, continuing her laugh. I would’ve been angrier, but I figured it really did all sound the same to her floozy brain. The middle part of the county was just flyover states to these Hollywood types. The world didn’t exist between the West and East coast.

“Whatever it sounds like, I think it’s adorable.” Ace was really laying on the charm. I began to feel myself getting hot down below. My white cotton panties rubbed against my vagina as I shifted in my chair, sending a wonderful sensation through my body. He was turning me on just looking at me. Everything about him: his emerald eyes, the rugged five o’clock shadow and the musky cologne he wore made me horny. I wanted to knock Cookie cold and then jump on Ace, riding him all the way to the island. What am I saying? That would be completely out of character for me and against every principle I had developed in the last three years. But, Ace had been one of the objects of my desire for at least the last seven years.

“Thank you so much Ace,” I said, giving him a shy smile and submissive look. If they wanted me to play the innocent country girl angle then I was going to give them aw-shucks until the cows came home. “That means a lot coming from a big city man like you.”

“Please,” he said, waving his hand. “I’m a Texan at heart. So Cookie, that’s an interesting name.”

“I love it! It’s so unique and fun!” She said, bouncing in her seat. She was starting to remind me of a bobble-head doll.

“Well it is certainly unique,” Ace said. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m an actress!”

“Oh so is our friend Amy. Have you ever seen any of her work? The Chino’s Diner commercial?”

“The one with the orgasm?” Cookie’s eyes perked up. “I loved it. It was just so hot!”

I was blushing again; nobody had ever told me the commercial was hot. “It was a cheesy fake orgasm.”

“It turned me on,” Cookie said, leaning forward and letting her cleavage hang in the open.

Is she coming onto me?
I was beginning to get uncomfortable.

“I’m glad you liked it,” I said, trying to look away. I still wasn’t entirely comfortable talking about sex and it had been three years since the prom incident.

“I believe I’ve seen some of your work Cookie,” Ace said, thankfully turning the conversation away from me.

“Have you? I’ve been in a lot.”

“I know I’ve seen you in a lot of commercials. Weren’t you also in an episode of Real Sex Tales on Cinemax?”

Now it was Cookie’s turn to blush, although it was hard to see through her bronze skin. “I’m embarrassed you’ve seen that. I did it when I was much younger and dumber. But yes, that was me pretending to have sex on your TV.”

“It was pretty hot,” Ace said, leaning closer to her. He reached out and put his thumb and forefinger on her chin before letting her go.