The Billionaire’s Christmas Vows: A Jet City Billionaire Christmas Romance (6 page)

"How do you know I didn't do my research, Ma?" I paused for emphasis. But, of course, I hadn't. "How do you know I'm not just trying to please you, too?"

"Nice try!"

I pictured Mom shaking her head.

"One more thing. This is a surprise for Kay. I haven't told her about it yet. Just make sure she doesn't hear about it until she hears it from me."

K
ayla

I knocked on Justin's office door and poked my head in without waiting for his reply. "Jus?"

He was just finishing up a call. Was it my imagination, or did he pale and look like I'd caught him in the middle of some clandestine act? I looked around the room, suspiciously, then back to him.

He recovered quickly. "Kay!" His face lit up.

He set the phone down and jumped up to greet me as I struggled to wheel his suitcase in and balanced the box of cookies and his lunch, with his pillow pressed beneath my arm.

I managed to get in the door by the time he reached me.

He took in the suitcase and pillow and frowned as he took the box of cookies from me. "Are you sure you're not throwing me out?" His eyes sparkled like he was teasing. But there was just enough doubt in his voice to be completely sweet and adorable.

Jus still didn't realize how hot and attractive he was. Which made him even hotter.

"And softening the blow with a box of sugar cookies?" I laughed. "Should I be? Throwing you out? I already promised I wouldn't."

I tossed the pillow on his sofa, let go of his suitcase, and threw my arms around him, almost knocking him over with my passion and the element of surprise. The cookie box tipped precariously. He recovered just in time to save it.

I pulled him into an embrace while he balanced the cookies with one hand and caressed my belly with the other. I always missed him. Being in his arms now reminded me just how much I loved him.

"How's my baby?" he said to my bump.

I tipped his chin up. "I thought
I
was your baby."

"It's an all-encompassing term these days." He set the cookies down, put his hands on either side of my baby bump, jostling it while he distracted me again with a deep, sensual kiss.

"Hey!" I said, pulling away. "I know this trick. You're trying to wake her up so you can feel her kick."

"I miss her." He grinned and squeezed me tight to make a point. And get the response he wanted. The baby kicked. Hard.

Jus grinned. "I felt that! There's my girl."

"I think your girl is going to be a rugby player. Which will make your mom happy. Baby girl kicks like your brothers."

Jus shrugged and kissed me again. "It runs in the family."

I smacked my lips and looked upward, trying to place the taste of him. "Your kiss on my lips tastes like an energy drink." I pulled away to study him. "Have you had anything else to eat or drink since you left home?"

He made an exaggerated point of thinking my question over, like it was rocket science or something. "That would be no. Don't need it. One case of energy drinks a day and I'm golden."

I grabbed his arm. "Hold your hand out."

"Looking for a tremble, are you, my suspicious babe?" He held his hand out. It was steadier than mine.

"That's scary," I said. "You've built up an inhuman tolerance for sugar and caffeine."

He laughed again.

"I miss you," I said, as my heart squeezed with want. "Promise me you'll come home at least
once
before Christmas. Otherwise, I'll feel neglected. And I might have to take a lover."

His gaze fell to my bump and he raised one eyebrow.

I laughed. "Some guys find this hot."

"You mean me?" His grin was adorable. He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "I'll be home soon. My need for sex is about to overwhelm my sense of duty. I wish I didn't have a meeting to go to in a few minutes."

"That's all I am to you, now, is it?" I teased. "A roly-poly sex object?"

"And a baby machine. Don't forget that part. A billionaire like me needs an heir."

I punched him playfully.

He looked at the pillow and suitcase. "So what
is
this?"

"Making you comfortable. I figured you'd want an extra change of clothes." I held up the bag with his meaty pastry. "And this is lunch. Or dinner. For whenever you finally remember to eat. Put it in your fridge."

I hugged him, making a point of feeling him up. "You're getting too skinny," I said, imitating Mrs. Claus.

"So, did I interrupt something important?" I kissed him lightly again. "You look guilty."

"You're mistaking surprise and happiness for guilt. Did you really come all the way downtown to bring me my pillow?"

"And lunch. Don't forget lunch." I kissed him lightly again and let him go, reluctantly. "Actually, I have a meeting with the merch buyers in a few minutes to discuss the sample sale. You're not the only one with a busy schedule."

"So
you
squeezed
me
in." His look was penetrating and sexy.

"Yeah. I guess I did."

"And you brought me a whole box of cookies? Are these supposed to last the entire season?"

I shook my head. "Hands off! Those are for the merch department. There's one for you in the bag with your lunch."

His admin poked her head in his office. "Justin? There's a representative from the port here to meet with you."

"That's okay," I said to Jus. "I have to run anyway or I'll be late, too."

I kissed him once more and we were both off to our respective meetings. Walking through the building, I thought how fun it would be eventually to work here, too. The charity work and the pregnancy were keeping me busy. For now. But I had big ideas for Flash, too.

The Flashionista offices were a dream come true to anyone who loved retail, photography, or fashion. They shot their daily online catalogue onsite. And even though they had already blown past Christmas and were shooting January spots, Christmas props were still strewn everywhere. There were racks and racks of clothes, neatly organized for the fashion shoots, makeup artists, hair stylists, artist, models, and flashing lights.

Every desk in the merch department was decorated for the owner's holiday of choice—Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, or just plain winter. There was clearly a competition going on. The transportation, legal, and supplier management departments were definitely losing, as far as decorating went.

I grabbed the holiday wish box on my way in to the conference room. Britt and Sarah were already waiting for me.

"Look at you, baby mama!" Britt jumped to her feet to hug me.

Sarah squealed, too.

They'd been sitting at a conference table, drinking coffee. Britt hugged me so enthusiastically, I almost lost my cookies. The holiday cookies I was holding. Those cookies had a death wish. Suicide by tumbling and crumbling seemed to be their main agenda.

"Can I feel it? Can I feel it? Can I feel it?" Britt put her hands on my baby bump, mimicking the people who came up to me thinking they had a right to a feel.

There was something about a pregnant belly that made people ignore personal space and social niceties and boundaries. And feel that your body was public property.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. She knew how much I hated it when complete strangers came up and put their hands on my body like we were intimates.

"She's not moving." Britt bounced my belly. "And a little round belly that shook when she laughed like a bowl full of—"

The baby stretched and moved. I winced. "Now you did it! You woke her up." But I said it jovially. "You and Jus, you're terrible."

I grabbed Britt's hand and put it on the spot a tiny baby foot was moving across my stomach.

Sarah took the cookies and wish box from me and set them on the table.

"FYI, this is way better than a bowl full of jelly," Britt said.

She finally let me go so I could hug Sarah.

"Where's Marla?" I asked, looking around for the head of the merchandise department.

"She's in another meeting," Britt said. "One of the thousands regarding the port strike. She'll be late. She said to start without her."

We all took a seat. Britt grabbed a cookie while I opened the wish box. It was packed.

"Oh boy," I said as I opened it and began handing them out for us to sort and catalogue. "Maybe we should have made this digital."

"We still can from here on out," Britt said.

Sarah put her mouth to one side. "Wow! The requests have suddenly started pouring it since Thanksgiving. We pretty much had all the items people wanted up through the last time we looked before break. Getting all this"—she pointed to the pile of requests—"is going to be a problem. And a time suck. Since this port closure, everyone is trying to keep their head above water dealing with our suppliers."

Britt frowned. "And it's still three weeks until Christmas."

"We'll think of something," I said. "I'll talk to Jus about hiring a temp to sort through everything and match the samples with the wishes."

"That would be awesome!" Sarah said.

We dug in and began reading through the pile of wants. We had just finished cataloguing the employee wants and were discussing what items would be left to give to the families at the hospital with Marla walked in. She looked harried and tired.

"Sorry I'm late." She took a seat and grabbed a cookie. "What did I miss?"

"We were just about to discuss how we're going to deliver the presents to the children's hospital," I said. "I was thinking we'd hire a delivery service to truck them over. And someone to play Santa Claus and hand them out on Christmas Eve afternoon. The kids will like that."

Marla shook her head. "No. That won't work. Justin
always
delivers the presents after the employee party on Christmas Eve. He loves it. He wouldn't miss it for the world. It's tradition. The children expect him. And it's fabulous PR for Flash. The media eats it up. He reads the kids 'The Night Before Christmas' and brings them cookies and milk." She turned to me. "I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned it to you."

K
ayla

Of course he delivered the presents! Why was I not surprised by this latest roadblock? Once again my special gift to Jus was going to make me look like a great big Christmas-spirit-killing bitch.

And as for tradition—how traditional could Jus handing out the presents be? Flashionista was only, like, four years old to begin with. I mean, Jus had just turned twenty-two last summer. It wasn't like there had been a lot of time to establish timeworn traditions.

Marla's adamant attitude irritated me, too. It was so superior and knowing.

Because it was the Christmas season, it was my duty to spread good cheer. Which meant I had to be the bigger person.

"No, I didn't know! But that's just like Jus." I beamed, genuinely proud of him and his generous spirit. "He's
always
thinking of others. And working hard. Especially with this port strike."

I leaned toward Marla, making her my confidante. "This is just between those of us here. I've already planned something special for Jus on Christmas Eve. I'm sorry I didn't know about Jus delivering gifts to the children at the hospital. I really am.

"But my plans are made now. And can't be undone. If I'd known earlier about the children's hospital…

"But that's beside the point now. I hope you'll help me out." He and me and baby-to-be were a family. And soon we'd be a real, legal family.

I was beginning to feel a lot like the Velveteen Rabbit, wanting to be a real wife. Wasn't that a Christmas story, too? My mom used to read it to me at Christmas when I was little.

Marla lifted an eyebrow, but she looked suddenly sentimental and apologetic. "Yes, how could you know?" she said more kindly. "He's been so consumed with running things, it probably slipped his mind."

I nodded. "He's barely even been home since Thanksgiving. How about Riggins?" I said, trying to find a solution. "Riggins is totally charming. Everyone loves him. He might like a turn—"

Marla laughed. "You obviously don't know Riggins well enough. The hospital has always been Justin's thing. I think children actually scare Riggins."

"He doesn't like them?" I was surprised.

Marla shrugged. "He's not comfortable around them. Let's leave it at that."

Sarah and Britt had gone surprisingly quiet while they watched the show between Marla and me. I almost asked them if they'd like popcorn with their show. Britt had only hired on to Flash last summer and Sarah had only been with Flash slightly longer. Neither had a dog in this fight.

"I love the children at the hospital, too." I took a deep breath. "We all want the best for them and their families. We still have time. We'll work
something
out. I still think hiring a topnotch Santa might be the thing."

After my meeting, I stopped by Justin's office to say goodbye. He was deep in concentration, doing something on his computer.

"I'm heading out," I said.

"Do I get a goodbye kiss?" He came to me and pulled me into his arms.

"Jus?" I bit my lip. "About Christmas—"

"Yes?"

"What do you want for Christmas this year?" It had occurred to me that I really hadn't asked him. I wasn't really having second thoughts or backing down. But I didn't want to ram my will through and deprive him of something that gave him joy. Like delivering presents to the children. If there was something Jus wanted more…

"You." His answer was quick and his grin positively lecherous.

"I'm serious." I sighed. "This is our first year together. I want it to be special."

"So do I." He got that look on his face that made me think he was up to something.

Oh, crap. He probably had a beautiful surprise gift for me and was going to give it to me in some romantic way.

"So if we change up the way things have been done in the past, that would be okay with you?" Maybe I wasn't exactly fighting fair here. But I was desperate.

His face lit up. "What do you mean?"

"Like start new traditions," I said. "Our own traditions."

"Absolutely! I'm all for new traditions. Especially if they make you happy."

He was so enthusiastic. I didn't want to spoil it by going into details just now. "You haven't answered my question."

He thought for a minute while I stared at him, wondering how I'd been so lucky to be thrown into a fake marriage with him.

He cupped my face gently. "I want something only you can give me. Your love. Your loyalty. Your friendship."

My heart beat with joy. I was on the right track. I was going to give him exactly what he wanted.

"I give that to you every day," I said. "I love you."

"And I never take it for granted. Just keep on loving me, and I'm good."

F
riday
, December 5th

Kayla

By Friday, I was in a state of sublime happiness. I had convinced Jus we needed to hire a temp to deal with the flood of Christmas wishes coming in. I'd decided on a small town on the Hudson River outside of New York City to get married in. It was perfect. On the Hudson River. Quaint and scenic. A small international airport was nearby.

There was no point trying to fly into New York City on one of the busiest travel days of the year and get to the Office of the City Clerk of New York through traffic. That was madness.

Harry called. He'd found a clergyman from the little town to marry us. One who waved all premarital counseling. Since we were married already, it only made sense. His name was Pastor James Brown. He believed in love enough to perform a ceremony on Christmas Eve, and yet required that essential second license.

I liked him already. He had a certain amount of essential cynicism. For a nominal fee, he would perform the ceremony at the quaint, picturesque wedding chapel I'd found, and booked, on the river. I had it for the entire day. Not that I needed if for more than about an hour, if that.

It looked lovely in the pictures. I hoped it lived up to its online hype as a beautiful venue for intimate winter weddings. However it turned out, it couldn't be any tackier than where Jus had supposedly married me in the first place.

I didn't want a reputation for getting married in blatantly tasteless settings time and again. However, beggars couldn't be choosers, especially at this late date. With all the Christmas travellers and celebrations, I was lucky to find any venue available at all. Then again, I'd been willing to pay a premium price.

I'd found a florist and ordered a bouquet and two boutonnieres to be delivered to the chapel. Jus was colorblind and couldn't see most shades of pink. But he was good with deep red. The red and white Christmas roses I ordered would be perfect.

I was having a cake flown in from a top bakery in New York City. Christmas themed. Single tier. White cake with raspberry filling. Justin's favorite. White fondant icing with delicate, intricate scrollwork, and red gum-paste roses and poinsettias crafted by an artist to look positively real. Also delivered to the chapel. Along with a bottle of the best champagne available. For a bridal toast.

Ordering a cake was probably over the top. We weren't having a reception. But I dreamed of cutting the cake with my groom and feeding Jus that first bite.

When I checked in with Harry, he said we should have our waiver by the end of next week. Jus had a tux that would be perfect to be married in. Now I just needed a dress and shoes…

All these lovely winter wedding thoughts were still bouncing through my mind like happy wishes for Santa when Jus and I boarded Riggins' yacht for the Christmas Ship Parade that evening.

We made our way to the lower deck. Jus tucked me in his arms. We were soon parading around Lake Washington in the middle of a Christmas ship flotilla.

When had "parading around" become an insult? As in "stop parading around!" Which had been a favorite of my mom when I was little.

This parading was merry and jolly, totally in the spirit of the season. Riggins had equipped his yacht with a powerful, clear sound system and mics, and a top-of-the-line karaoke system. He and Jus and a couple of the other guys from Flash loved to sing. Once a month, they sang karaoke at a local pub during the Flash employees' happy hour.

Riggins had also amply stocked the booze for this cruise. After the stress of the past week, everyone needed to let off steam and relax. And speaking of steam, every guest had a steaming hot cocktail of their choice—a hot buttered rum, a hot toddy, maybe an Irish coffee, or a Tom and Jerry.

I loved Tom and Jerrys. They reminded me of my grandpa. But Riggins talked me into an English Bishop, a traditional British hot cocktail made with port, orange, and cloves. Riggins was half British. He insisted I try it, saying it was Scrooge's favorite drink. The reformed Scrooge who woke after the last spirit left.

I was off hard alcohol for the duration. But a few sips of wine were fine.

The lead ship in this parade was a local dinner cruise ship equipped with a sound system and a professional choir who belted out traditional, choir-ish music at every stop and in between. The music was beautiful. And a little sedate if you were in the partying mood.

The boats in the flotilla spanned the range from just a step up from rowboat to the large cruise ship, but from smallest to largest, they were all elaborately decorated.

Riggins had spared no expense for his decorations. Every line of his yacht was trimmed with lights programmed to put on a light show timed to music. As the choir sang, they were rather serenely humming along in patient slow motion. A large wireframe tree with a sparkling star on top was in the middle of the lower deck.

The night was clear. The moon was out. And despite the wakes from the other boats, the lake was nearly as smooth as glass. Dark and bottomless and reflecting the moon in silver shimmers.

Sound carried so well at night across the water, we almost didn't need our speakers. The carols swept across to the shores as we cruised past Coulon Park packed with people waiting to see the ship parade. Past the Clam Lights put on by Ivar's, a fabulous lights display complete with tall wireframe running clams with legs. Past lakefront houses where homeowners gathered on their lawns and docks with mugs of steaming beverages and waved and caroled back to us.

In December in Seattle, you couldn't depend on nice weather. Certainly not on clear weather. But tonight was perfect. Forty-five degrees and calm. Peace on earth, at least weather-wise.

If you haven't experienced Christmas caroling like this, it's hard to understand the fun and sense of kindred spirit with the other boats and the people onshore. Everyone was in a merry mood, laughing and shouting between boats. Waving. Singing.

I was warm and toasty in my red Christmas sweater with the faux-fur collar and matching hat and gloves, wrapped in Justin's arms. And, of course, I had the little baby heat engine inside me to warm me up from the inside out.

I was so incredibly happy Justin had taken the night off. After the port closed, I'd been worried Riggins would cancel the outing. Now I was grateful for him for insisting that the party must go on. The entire top brass of Flash was out on the boat. So who was manning the store? Brave of them to all abandon store for ship.

Jus snuggled into me from behind, singing commandingly and beautifully. I lost myself in his deep, sexy, beautiful voice. He had a way of infusing the music with passion that swept me away.

Next to us, Riggins flashed Jus a look of exasperation as the choir broke into yet
another
slow carol. Clearly, he wanted to party.

Jus leaned down and whispered, "I don't hear you singing."

"You know I don't sing. I hope the baby gets your talent." I took a sip of my Bishop and leaned my head back against his chest.

"You sang to me once."

I smiled up at him. "Only because it was a desperate situation."

We motored around the lake in dark mode, following the lead ship, lights off except for Christmas lights. When our Christmas ship parade tour of the lake was over, Riggins pulled up in front of his lakefront mansion and dropped anchor offshore away from the dock.

He turned to Jus. "Let's give my neighbors a show, people."

"Who are we serenading?" one of the guys said. "There's no one out here, Riggins."

Riggins shook his head. "If we sing, they will come. I promised them we'd carol for them again this year. I don't go back on my word." He laughed. "'Jingle Bells,' everyone. Jack, hit the speakers and the music."

He handed Jus a mic. "Justin and I will lead. On three! One, two, three!"

We broke into a rowdy, jazzy version, accompanied by the karaoke music in the background.

Riggins kept singing and turning up the volume until one by one neighbor after neighbor appeared until he had a crowd. They applauded and raised their glasses to us from shore. Jus and Riggins were high on the thrill of performing, and hammed it up.

"Okay, that's it, people. Show's over!" Riggins finally said. "Merry Christmas! Happy holidays! Thanks for coming. We appreciate your support!" He saluted the crowd. "Hit the lights! Let's get this party started."

The appetizers and booze started flowing. Riggins fired up the karaoke. The sounds of a jazzy Christmas filled the air.

Riggins had hired a caterer and a bartender. And a professional captain to pilot the boat. Leaving Riggins free to imbibe Christmas cocktails to his heart's content, both warm and chilled.

I angled to get him alone so I could speak to him while he was in a warm, happy holiday mood.

Justin's friend and mentor, Lazer Grayson, came over to congratulation him. "That was an even better performance by you and Riggins than last year."

"Yeah. We've been practicing. Long hours at the office," Jus said. "We had to do something to combat fatigue."

"Singing invigorates you, obviously," Lazer said.

"That and half a dozen energy drinks kept me going forty-eight hours straight," Jus said.

I shuddered at the thought.

"How are things going with the port? Any word on when the strike will end…"

This could be a long conversation
, I thought.