The Billionaire’s Christmas Vows: A Jet City Billionaire Christmas Romance (3 page)

I kissed him back and pulled up my nightgown, pulled it over my head, and dropped it over the edge of the bed to the floor.

I opened my eyes just a crack and stole a glimpse of him over my shoulder. He was silhouetted in the moonlight coming through the upper window of our master suite. He had a look of wonder and desire on his face. He was delightfully naked and aroused as he slid between my legs and rubbed against me. Just the way I liked him.

Everything was still dreamlike. I fought full wakefulness. I wanted him to make love to me in that space between dream and reality. I backed into him, positioning him at my opening. "Do it, Jus. Do it
now
. I'm so ready for you."

He playfully bit my shoulder and slid in. I shuddered with the first thrust, already on the edge of pleasure. My extra hormones made me bloom for him. I came quickly these days.

We were both needy. Both ready. Both almost breathless with desire. I closed my eyes and let the dreamlike state carry me as I rocked into him behind me. It only took a couple of thrusts to throw me over the edge into wave after wave of climax.

I gasped and called out his name. Everything was so intense with him. I squeezed him as he stiffened behind me and gave a final thrust.

When it was over, he held me tight and cradled me tenderly. My uterus contracted with my climax and became hard and tight. I had to breathe through it, unable to speak.

"I love you, Kay. I missed you."

"I love you, too." I was truly breathless. "You take my breath away." I gasped as the baby kicked. "Baby kick. She gets jealous when her parents have sex."

I moved his hand so he could feel it. In reality, I didn't think she liked having her living quarters cramped and contracted.

I felt Jus smile against my back.

He kissed the back of my head. "She's a little tyrant." He rubbed my baby bump, trying to calm her. "Nice muscles."

"Cyber Monday?" I said, drowsy and sated.

"A huge success."

J
ustin

I slept like the dead and got up early the next morning. I was showering in the glass-encased shower, enjoying the steam and the feel of hot water waking me, when I noticed the bathroom door to the bedroom was open a crack. And Kay's eye was peeking through.

I turned toward the door, grabbed my dick, and gave it a good stroke or two for her benefit.

She laughed as she opened the door and stepped in, carrying the bag I'd left on my nightstand.

"Are you spying on me?" I didn't know why that made me so happy. Maybe because all the time I was growing up, no girl had looked at my scrawny, nerdy self twice. The thought of seeing me naked would have sent any reasonable girl with half-decent eyesight running, not panting with lust. Now this beautiful blond was playing voyeur to get an eyeful.

"Just seeing whether you're being naughty or nice." Her eyes danced.

"I can be
very
naughty." I opened the shower door and reached for her, grabbing her by the wrist, ready to pull her in, nightgown and all. Water ran down my face and dripped off my beard.

She laughed and rattled the bag. "What's this?"

"Yesterday was the first day of advent. That's your first chocolate."

"Copycat! It's late," she said with a flirt in her voice as she wrenched free of my grip.

"Copycat?" I frowned, confused.

"Didn't you get the advent calendar I had delivered to you yesterday?" She took a step back, out of reach.

Water was dripping on the floor. I closed the shower and thought for a minute, before it dawned on me. "I got a lot of packages yesterday. The suppliers have begun their annual onslaught of thank-you gifts. I didn't have time to open any. I had Danielle set them aside. It's probably in with those."

She shook her head, looking incredibly, sexily disappointed. "So much for the element of surprise."

"Great minds think alike," I said. "I'll open it first thing today when I get to the office."

"You better. You have two days of surprises waiting for you." She pulled the single-chocolate box out of the bag and opened it.

I loved watching her as her eyes went wide.

"It's an angel covered in gold flake." She looked at me. "It's beautiful." Her eyes were misty and soft.

"Her mouth was like a jewel as she feasted on twenty-four-karat gold." I nodded toward it and brushed my wet hair back.

"It's too beautiful to eat."

"It's too decadent and tasty not to. If you don't eat it, you'll never know what you're missing."

She got a devilish look in her eyes. "Is this like a chocolate Santa? Do you eat the head or the feet of an angel first?"

"The wings." I grinned. "So it can't fly away."

I watched her reaction closely as she took it out of its box and set the bag and the box on the counter. She closed her eyes and arched her neck as she tasted it, looking rapturous. "Dark chocolate, raspberry, and gold. This is the best thing I've ever tasted."

She walked over to me. "You have to try this." She put it between her lips, leaving some sticking out for me, and opened the shower door so I could have a taste.

I pulled her into my arms, pressing her against my wet body as I kissed her and stole half her chocolate. Before she could protest, I pulled her into the shower.

"I'm still dressed!" She was laughing in the steam as the shower soaked her white nightgown.

I pulled her nightgown off and dropped it outside the shower, giving her a triumphant look. Then I sat her on the bench of the shower and made love to her.

"Naughty enough for you?" I said when we were finished.

"Nothing but coal in your stocking this year. You're going to have to be
very
good the rest of the year to make up for it." She laughed. "You're simply insatiable."

She kissed me, grabbed the towel I'd slung over the shower door, and slid out of the shower, leaving me alone and towel-less. "And I have to pee."

"You always have to pee. Hey, come back with my towel!"

"No time. Your baby is dancing on my bladder."

"My baby now?" I arched a brow.

She laughed. "Tap dancing, no less."

Laughing, she disappeared into the room with the toilet and closed the door.

I
wanted
to give Kay everything. I loved her that much. She wasn't complaining, but I knew she'd been disappointed by Thanksgiving and how much I worked over the holiday weekend. I was touched that she'd sent me an advent calendar. And embarrassed that I'd been a douchebag and not made time to open it. She was magnanimous and forgiving about that, too.

I remembered Kay in college, and how she'd loved the holidays. She'd planned the decorations for her sorority and almost singlehandedly ran the Christmas party, including the secret elves program. She'd been almost giddy with the fun of it. Which was why I'd put her in charge of the employees' Santa Sample Sale. She was already in charge of the majority of our charitable donations and organizations. But I wanted her to have an active hand in managing the sample sale. If she was up to it.

I hoped it made her happy. This was the first holiday season we'd spent together and I was already blowing them with my workaholic tendencies. For me, the holidays were like tax season to an accountant. Fourteen-hour days or more and little sleep. I'd known this going in. But I'd dragged Kay in unaware.

There was nothing I could do about it. In retail, this was make-it-or-break-it time. I had to work hard to keep Flash going.

That left Kay to deal with holiday stress. Our parents were the primary source of it. Each set vying for an extra minute with us.

I wanted to give Kay something special for Christmas. You would think being a billionaire would have made that easy. Ironically, it made it more difficult. It was too easy to buy something expensive and pass it off as thoughtful. Kay would see right through something an empty gesture.

Yes, I worked hard for what we had. But now that I could afford almost anything, it made things somehow less meaningful.

I was determined to do something memorable. To make up for being an absentee husband for a few months. During some of those hours when I was drinking too many energy drinks and too much coffee, and showering at the gym, I'd been struck with an idea—family peace. It may not have been as profound as world peace. But it was a good start.

If I could take the stress off Kay by setting a precedent of how we'd deal with family and holidays, I would be banking holiday capital for the rest of our lives. If I could start a tradition that was uniquely ours that we could carry on throughout the years, wouldn't that be worth doing? Some time that we'd set apart for family, but wouldn't consume us. Something we could eventually bring children to. Like next year. Wow. My kid would be nine months old next year.

In that vein, I'd peppered Kay's friends Britt and Sarah, who both worked for me at Flash, with questions about what would thrill Kay most, tradition-wise. I had several restrictions on it. It had to be something here in Seattle. Something that we could do in the afternoon or evening of Christmas Eve that could involve both families. And, eventually, children. Something that said Christmas. Something classic. Something with staying power.

Britt, who knew Kay better than anybody, had come up with the answer. Give that girl a bonus!

"Kayla loves
The Nutcracker
ballet. But I think she only got to go once or twice as a girl. And one of those times was with my family. We got all dressed up in twin velvet dresses. It was so much fun. Kayla said she'd love to do it every year. She just loves all the dancing and the music." Britt raised her eyebrows as she looked at me for verification.

"The ballet?" I wasn't convinced.

Britt rolled her eyes. "Men! You don't get it. It's a Christmas story and a romance. Women love it. Kids love it. Even little boys love it. I mean, the Nutcracker fights the rats!" She continued staring at me.

I was thinking.

"They retired the Maurice Sendak sets after last year's season," Britt said. "This year the sets are brand new, designed by children's author Ian Falconer. And they've returned to George Balanchine's 1954 choreography." Britt nodded. "The Maurice Sendak sets lasted thirty years. This could be the start of something big."

Ballet? Not my thing. Not my dad's thing. Or my two brothers'. Mom might like it. Kay's parents? I had no idea. But if Kay would love it, I would do it. I could sit through a few hours of ballet for her sake. To make everything up to her for missing the holiday action and leaving the holiday burdens to her.

Getting tickets, however, especially for Christmas Eve, had been challenging. The show sold out in October. Getting eight seats together? Practically impossible. I put my talented new assistant Danielle on it.

It took some doing. Some finagling. And the negotiation skills of our chief procurement officer in addition to Danielle. We had to call in more than a few favors. Finally, one of Riggins' friends agreed to trade a week at his ski chalet at Whistler over New Year's for one of the board members for the children's hospital eight-seat box at the ballet. I agreed to be a sponsor at Riggins' friend's annual golf tournament for charity. And over a handshake, the deal was done.

Then I'd booked dinner reservations after the show at one of Seattle's top steakhouses, to make it up to Dad and my brothers for the ballet. And now all that was left was to give Kay the exciting news—family problems solved. We'd all spend Christmas Eve together at the brand new
Nutcracker
and have Christmas Eve dinner no one would have to cook.

We'd open presents and spend the night at Kay's parents. Go to mine for breakfast. See them off. And have dinner with Kay's. In the meantime, Danielle had gotten me on the list for season tickets for the ballet for next year so the tradition could continue. Now all that was left was to surprise Kay with it.

I'd also picked out a little something special for Kay to wear to the ballet.

I was happy just thinking how happy Kay would be when I surprised her with the tickets. First, I had to get buy-in from both sets of parents.

T
uesday
, December 2nd

Kayla

I was at the breakfast table, eating a cranberry scone, when Jus joined me. Magda, certain he wasn't eating right at work, had made him a plate of scrambled eggs and sausage. I tried not to look at it. I was at the end of my second trimester and rarely had morning sickness now, but something about eggs didn't sit right with me.

He flashed me a knowing, intimate look that would have made me laugh if Magda hadn't been watching. He was carrying a small, wrapped present. He slid it across the table to me as he sat.

"What's this?" I asked as I took it from him.

Magda poured him a cup of coffee.

"December 2nd, second day of advent." He nodded to it as he took a sip of his coffee, a dark, aromatic African bean Christmas blend I'd gone specifically to the roastery to get. It was a roastery exclusive, and worth the trip.

"Open it," he said, indicating the present.

I pulled the ribbon off. Inside was a box from my favorite jewelry store. I lifted the lid to reveal a gold charm bracelet with a single snowflake bead decorated with crystals. At least, I
thought
they were crystals. With Jus, you never knew. They could have been diamonds. I had a pretty good eye for diamonds, but a good crystal could sometimes fake me out. I sensed a theme.

"It's just crystal," he said, as if reading my mind.

"It's beautiful." I had an idea that by Christmas the bracelet would be filled with holiday-themed beads. I leaned across the table to kiss him. And bumped it, of course, rattling our glasses.

"Your ob appointment's today, isn't it?" he said.

"Sweet of you to remember."

He laughed. "I have it in my calendar. Do you want me to be there?"

I had a moment of panic. He'd been very supportive, not missing an appointment when he was in town. Even going so far as to try to schedule his trips around them when he could. But I wanted to talk to my doctor about my travel plans. I didn't want Jus around for that.

I shook my head. "No, you're busy. And this is just a quick, routine visit. No ultrasounds. Nothing special going on. There's no need for you to waste a couple of hours of prime work time for a five-minute appointment."

He looked relieved.

"I'd rather have you home early for dinner." I was pulling his chain again. I knew he wouldn't be home for dinner, let alone early. But I said it with a straight face so I could enjoy his reaction. Yes, I was an evil woman. One tick against my name on Santa's list.

His face fell. He looked contrite and apologetic. I watched Jus the politician and negotiator come out. "Kay—"

I laughed. "Don't worry. I'm teasing. I'd rather you get done what you need to. I'll text you after the appointment." I paused. "But, seriously, will you be home sometime tonight?"

"I hope so." He looked sheepish.

After Jus left for work, I wandered to our bedroom to shower for my doctor's appointment. I had a ton of work to do to get the sample sale ready and plan the parties. I needed to meet with Britt and the other merchandise buyers to see what samples they had to contribute to the sale.

Flash ran a sample sale for the employees about once a month to every six weeks throughout the year. Once a year they held a public sale. And once a year they held one specifically for the employees and supporters of the local children's hospital. The employee sales were always held in a big conference room on the ground floor of the Flash office building and looked a lot like a garage sale. Stuff strewn everywhere. Employees grabbing for the best finds.

Things were ridiculously cheap at the sales, pennies on the dollar. All the items were donated by the manufacturers who didn't want their samples back after Flash had either used them to determine which items to feature or had photographed them for the catalogue. Often it was more expensive to send the samples back than for the manufacturer to donate them.

All the proceeds from the sales went to the children's hospital as a charitable donation. Members of the children's hospital charitable organization manned the sales, acting as clerks and helping set up and tear down.

Since the big charity sample sale in September, I'd been in close contact with the merch buyers. They were under strict instructions to hold back the best deals for December sale. And lock them in a top-secret storage unit at the office. I'd nicknamed it Santa's closet.

I'd also instituted a holiday wish box where employees could drop in suggestions for items they were wishing would show up at the sale. Employees were some of Flash's best customers. They watched the website with keen eyes for bargains. The suggestions came streaming in. The merch buyers were supposed to be holding samples that matched wishes for the December sale. I had actually set up a simple inventory management system to keep track of what we had.

I wanted it to be the best sale ever, a real Christmas wish come true for hardworking people who didn't always have a lot of extra money to spend. Jus and Riggins paid their employees the most they could, but they had to stay competitive. Many employees certainly had no time during the holidays to shop, other than online.

In just the few short years Flash had been in business, the Santa Sample Sale had become a tradition. A sort of Santa's Secret Shop for grownups where employees could pick up last-minute gifts and surprises for their friends and family. Jus said it was great fun for the employees. Riding high from the success of the September sample sale charity event I'd run, I planned to make this holiday sale the best one yet.

It would be almost like Flash was playing Santa to its employees. What a happy thought. Christmas morning with its socks full of surprises was one of my favorite parts of the holiday. And this would be a little bit like it.

I was filled with happy thoughts as I stripped down for the shower. So much so that I wasn't paying attention to either my body or my clothes as I turned the water on and waited for our tankless water heater to get a nice head of steam going. It wasn't until I stepped into the shower that I noticed a tiny trail of pink swirling in the water at my feet.

My heart stopped for a minute. I was spotting.

J
ustin

First thing when I got to the office, I opened the calendar from Kay. It was from the coffee company that had a branch in our office complex. I opened the red tin for December 1st. A small package of chocolate-covered espresso beans and a coupon for a fifteen-minute relaxation message from a travelling masseuse. Just what I needed.

I held off opening today’s tin. Something to look forward to later, kind of like Christmas.

I'd just settled in to look over the morning reports when there was a knock on my door.

Paul Conner, my chief procurement officer, poked his head in. "Gotta minute?" He was frowning.

Not a good sign.

I waved him in.

He closed the door behind him. "We have a problem. I just heard from my brother-in-law on the port commission. The longshoreman rejected their contract. They voted to strike. We have a matter of hours before every port on the West Coast shuts down. It will be all over the news before noon."

"Shit." I thumped back in my chair and tried to breathe.

Paul nodded. "The longshoremen may have just stopped Christmas from coming. At least for us."

I cursed beneath my breath and shook my head. "We're not cancelling Christmas."

Without the port, how the hell were we going to get all our goods from overseas? Rumors of a possible strike had been flying all fall as the negotiations dragged on. Everyone had been hoping it wouldn't come to this. Damn.

I grabbed my phone and sent out a high-priority text to Riggins, our top execs and senior managers, and, most importantly, the head of transportation.

Then I turned my attention to Paul. "How are we set for boxes and bags? We made contingency plans, right?"

"We're set," Paul said. "We have enough packing supplies to box, bag, and mail everything we have on hand and meet all our forecasts. Packaging materials won't be what delay orders. Content is another story."

"There has to be a way through this." I jumped out of my chair. "Where's Darren? We need his transportation team. We have to get somebody to the port and get what we can from any of our shipments still waiting to be unloaded. Immediately. I'll go to the pier myself if I have to."

K
ayla

I'd been frantically texting and calling Jus all the way to the doctor's office. No response. It wasn't like Jus to be out of touch. Especially if there was an emergency. Which was clear from how many times I'd texted him in a row with a desperate message to call me.

I was scared as I lay on the examining table in my obstetrician's office with my pregnant belly exposed and covered in ultrasound goo. My heart raced like a rabbit's. I kept hoping to see Jus charge in to the rescue. I just wanted to hold his hand and have him tell me everything was going to be okay.

Dr. Valentine had been studying the ultrasound screen with a serious expression. Her shoulders relaxed. She swung the screen around for me to see. "Everything looks great." She broke into a smile.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Nothing to worry about. See? Your little girl is perfect. And in the perfect position. The placenta is nice and high and firmly attached. There's no sign of placenta previa or miscarriage."

I was mesmerized by the sight of my baby. She turned and looked directly at the camera. Amazing how clear the ultrasound was. She actually looked like a baby. With unique, distinct features and personality. She looked a little bit like Jus and a little like me. I resisted the urge to wave at her. Instead, I grinned, stupidly relieved.

"Have you recently had sex?" Dr. Valentine set the paddle down and wiped my stomach with a towel.

I wasn't usually shy about the question, but I found myself blushing. And feeling guilty. "Yes?" I said, as if I wasn't sure I wanted to admit to the truth.

Dr. Valentine laughed. "What does that mean? You're not sure?"

"No, I'm sure enough. I've had sex. Several times in the last eight hours." Now I was blushing to my toes.

"Well, then, that's probably our culprit." She squeezed my arm reassuringly. "Bleeding during pregnancy is scary and can be a symptom of a serious problem. In some cases, though, like yours this time, it's harmless. Pregnancy hormones caused you to develop more sensitive, and expanded, blood vessels.

"Light bleeding or spotting during this time in your pregnancy, the second and third trimester, can occur because of a combination of those sensitive vessels and interference with the cervix during sex."

"Is this your way of telling me no more sex?" I hated to ask the question. I was already insecure over Jus. And, at the same time, madly desirous of him. If we couldn't have sex…

But I was being selfish. I would do anything for my baby.

Dr. Valentine, who was always reassuring and kind, and often funny, shook her head. "No! Of course not. Having sex is healthy for you and your relationship."

"I feel foolish for rushing here and panicking," I said, still staring at my baby.

Dr. Valentine shook her head. "You shouldn't. Always let me be the judge of whether the cause of your bleeding is serious or not. As they say, better safe than sorry. It's a motto I live by. Would you like another picture of the baby for the family album?"

I nodded.

She handed me another towel so I could wipe up the remaining remnants of the goo and pressed a button to print a picture of the baby for me. "Do you have any travel plans for Christmas?"

"No." I set the towel aside. "I don't think so. Not until after the first of the year. After Jus gets out of the retail hot zone. Then we may take a few days in late January for a winter vacation on the east coast."

Dr. Valentine's forehead creased. "I'm sorry, Kayla. I feel like Scrooge right now. But I'm going to put the breaks on your plans. If you want to travel, go now, before it's too late. I'm putting you on the no-fly list after Christmas."

"What!" I nearly sat straight up. Nearly, only because it wasn't easy to sit straight up, certainly not quickly, with a big baby bump slowing me down and blocking progress. "I thought you said the bleeding isn't serious."

"It's not, in and of itself. I'm more concerned with your own history. You were a preemie, right?"

"Yes," I said slowly.

"And so was your mom."

"Yes."

She nodded, looking wise and sympathetic. "There's a strong genetic component to prematurity and preterm labor. Everything looks good and healthy with your pregnancy now. You measure out right on schedule. But because both your mom, and her mom, went into preterm labor, you have a good chance of doing so, too. We just won't know until it happens. If it happens.

"I was going to talk to you about it during your visit today even before I knew about the bleeding. You have a few more weeks to get any wanderlust out of your system. Come December 26th, you're grounded." She winked at me. "And I won't have you sneaking out of town by bus, train, stagecoach, or sleigh, either."