The Perfect Gift: A Christmas Billionaire Sexy Romance (Three Wise Men Book 1) (6 page)

Ryan thought about it. “He likes Smarties.”

Erin laughed. “Then we’ll get some Smarties as well.” The money in her purse was put aside for the week’s shopping, but screw it. She would spend a couple of dollars of it on chocolate and eat beans on toast for a week if it meant making Ryan’s eyes light up like that for once.

She closed her eyes and buried her face in Ryan’s soft neck. Her mother was right—if she met someone with money, she’d never have to scrimp and save again, but she’d never be able to stop herself wondering if that was why she was with him. Whenever they argued, he’d always be able to throw it in her face, and it would turn things sour very quickly.

As much as she hated to admit it, it was probably best that she didn’t go away with him. She’d text him later and say no.

“He said what?”

Caitlin’s voice was loud enough to cut across the cafe, and Erin winced as the other customers glanced over at them with amusement.

It was Thursday, and they were catching up in Caitlin’s Treats to Tempt You chocolate, coffee, and ice cream shop in Mangonui. Erin had gone to school with Caitlin, and she’d missed Cait and her sister Elle a lot after they’d moved from Whangarei eighty or so miles away to Doubtless Bay. It was easier now Erin lived in Kerikeri and it only took forty-five minutes to drive.

“Sorry.” Caitlin pulled an
eek
face. “You shocked me.”

“Imagine how I felt. A night away in a hotel! It’s like something out of a movie.” Erin carved out another scoop of the sumptuous Christmas pudding ice cream Caitlin had dished up. She’d debated long and hard whether to tell Caitlin about Brock. She’d spent all of Wednesday evening with her phone in her hand, trying to text him to tell him she wouldn’t be going at the weekend, but for some reason her fingers had refused to type the message. In the end, she’d decided she’d tell Caitlin about him, and if Cait agreed with her mother that it was a terrible idea, she’d text him there and then.

And if Cait disagreed… Erin had spent most of the night dreaming about what that would mean.

“Seriously,” she said, “what was I supposed to say to that?”

“How about ‘excuse me while I bite your hand off’?” Caitlin laughed and sipped her latte, then stared at her friend. “Wait, don’t tell me you said no?”

“I said maybe. That I’d let him know toward the end of the week.” Erin sighed and sucked the ice cream off the spoon. “I don’t know what to say, to be honest.”

Caitlin drew her brows together as if Erin had said she’d refused a free truck load of chocolate. “I don’t understand. You’re not making sense, woman. He’s gorgeous, right?”

Erin thought about the muscular chest she’d caught a glimpse of. “Mmm. Dreamy as.”

“And he’s as rich as Rockefeller’s richest uncle.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I have no idea.”

Caitlin rolled her eyes. “Jeez. Didn’t you read the article in the Herald?”

“No, I missed it. I meant to look it up but I forgot.”

“Erin, the King family was wealthy to start with, but the three brothers have made an absolute fortune. For God’s sake, they give more to charity each week than I’ll make in my lifetime. They’re billionaires, all three of them.”

Erin didn’t know a person could choke on ice cream. She grabbed a serviette and covered her mouth as she struggled to catch her breath. “What?” she said when she was finally able to speak.

Caitlin raised an eyebrow. “Now tell me you’re going to say no.”

Her jaw dropping, Erin tried to process this new information. Brock was a billionaire? Oh dear God. She’d had no idea. She’d known he ran the Three Wise Men with his brothers, and she’d guessed he wasn’t exactly hard up. But a billionaire… Erin couldn’t even conceive of how much money that was.

Across the table, Caitlin started to giggle at her expression.

“Stop it.” Erin put her face in her hands, thinking of her mother. “Oh… what am I going to do?”

“Seriously? I don’t understand the problem.”

“I can’t go out with him, Cait, he’ll think I’m just after his money.”

“But you didn’t even know he had any until now.”

“Well, I knew he had money, although I didn’t know how much. But he doesn’t know that.”

Caitlin sighed. “Oh give the guy a break. Okay so he doesn’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from—does that mean he doesn’t want to date anymore?”

“Don’t you think it’s weird though? I’d only just met the man and he offered to take me away for the night.”

“But you said you believed him when he told you he meant separate bedrooms.”

“I did. That’s not the point.”

“What is the point?”

“I don’t know.” Erin couldn’t seem to vocalize her angst. “Mum said—”

“Argh!” Caitlin stuck her fingers in her ears. “No. Talk. About. Mothers. Please don’t tell me you’re making a decision based on Karen’s advice.”

“She put doubts in my mind. And since then I’ve found it difficult to believe he’s genuine.”

Caitlin’s expression softened. “Just because Jack was a bastard doesn’t mean all men are the same. Not everyone is out for themselves. Sometimes people genuinely want to help.”

It was almost exactly what Erin had said to her mother but, wanting reassurance, she just said, “Really?”

“He came all the way from Auckland to give your son a birthday present and to meet you because he liked the sound of you on the phone. That doesn’t sound selfish to me.”

“I suppose. So you don’t think he’ll expect anything from me in return for treating me to a night away? He’s not going to expect me to go back to his room?”

An impish light filled Caitlin’s eyes. “Would it be a problem if he did?”

“Cait!”

“Well. How long has it been since you’ve had sex?”

“Uh… Let’s just say it’s been a while.”

For the past three years, life had consisted of high chairs, Disney movies, toddler groups, and doctor’s visits. Erin couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn a skirt, let alone anything that had any shape to it. She wore her hair permanently in a ponytail and never painted her fingernails. She’d been a mum for so long, she’d forgotten how to be a woman.

“I’m not sure I even remember how to do it,” she said.

Caitlin grinned. “I bet he has a few techniques up his sleeve to help you remember. Don’t you think a one-night stand would be fun?”

“Oh my God, I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know… Stretch marks? Baby tummy?”

“You’re not fifteen, Erin. He won’t expect you to have a fifteen-year-old’s body.”

“Yeah but…” Desperation mingled with a growing excitement. She couldn’t possibly have a one-night stand with Brock King. Could she? Of course she couldn’t.

Panic overrode the excitement. “I couldn’t, Cait. It’s been so long. And he’d expect all sorts of things.”

“Like what?” Caitlin said with amusement.

“I don’t know. Fancy stuff.”

“Clowns outfits and trapeze work?”

“Don’t make fun of me. You know what I mean. Special techniques and… stuff.”

Caitlin laughed. “Sweetie, you’re gorgeous, you’re sexy beneath all the angst, and you’re willing. That’s all a guy needs, believe me.”

“What’s all a guy needs?” The male voice made them both jump. Erin hadn’t seen him walk up. It was Caitlin’s fiancé, the sexy chef who ran the restaurant a few doors down from the chocolate shop.

“Hey, Fox.” Erin smiled as he bent to kiss her on the cheek.

“Hey.” He pulled up a chair, turned it around and straddled it.

“Go away,” Caitlin said. “We’re having a private conversation.”

“What’s all a guy needs?” he asked, ignoring her. He raised his eyebrows at Erin. “Are you dating?”

Erin blushed. “No. Yes. Maybe.”

Fox grinned. “Who is he?”

“He’s a gorgeous billionaire,” Caitlin said. “By the way we’re breaking up so I can date his brother.”

“Yeah, right.” Fox caught her long blonde braid and pulled her toward him for a kiss.

“Ow.” She glared at him, then gave in and kissed him back. Afterward, she tried to push him away, but he refused to let her go, and the kiss turned into a long smooch.

“Oh, get a room you two.” Erin rolled her eyes and stuck her spoon back in her ice cream.

Fox let her go and laughed. “So, a billionaire?”

“He wants to take her away for a dirty weekend,” Caitlin said.

Erin closed her eyes. “Cait…”

“I hope you said yes.” Fox stuck Cait’s spoon in Erin’s ice cream and stole a spoonful.

“She’s thinking of saying no,” Cait advised.

Fox raised an eyebrow. “I hope you took her temperature because she’s clearly coming down with something.”

“That’s what I said. She’d be bonkers not to go.”

Erin sighed. “He’s a great guy, a doctor who I’ve spoken to lots of time on the forums. He came all the way from Auckland for Ryan’s birthday, and he’s offered to pay for one night in a hotel for me for my birthday on Saturday. I’m just worried about what he’d expect in return. He told me he’ll book two rooms but… well. Do you think it’s possible for a man to be truly altruistic?”

Fox took another spoonful of ice cream and gave her an amused look. “You’re asking me if it’s possible he’s arranged this out of the goodness of his heart?”

“Yes.” She knew her voice expressed her doubt.

He considered her as he sucked the ice cream off the spoon. His eyes had a hint of steel about them. “You’re asking me, a guy, whether it’s possible that another man might, for once, want to do something nice for you without having an ulterior motive. You don’t have a very high opinion of our gender, do you?”

Caitlin smacked his wrist. “Don’t embarrass her. You never met Jack. He was a dick. Sorry, Erin, I know he’s the father of your child, but he was.”

“I’m not arguing with you,” Erin said wryly.

“Look,” Fox said. “Let’s assume this new guy isn’t a dick, and he’s actually one of the good guys. Let’s assume it was me, and I was in his position, and I met this girl who lived a few hours away that I really liked. I’m a billionaire so money isn’t an issue.”

“I like this fantasy,” Caitlin said.

He grinned but carried on. “I want to get to know this girl better, and it’s her birthday, and her son’s just been in hospital, so I decide to treat her to a night away in a hotel. I book myself in the same place because I live three hours away and I want to take her to dinner and have a drink with her, but I book a separate room because I’m a nice guy and I’d never assume a woman would just go to bed with me.”

Caitlin snorted. This time he didn’t smile but raised his eyebrow at her. She bit her lip and lowered her eyes. Erin hid a smile. Fox Wilde was the only man who’d ever been able to tame the inimitable Caitlin.

“I like her,” he said. “I want to treat her. Get to know her. I might secretly hope that things will develop, and if they do, then we’re in the right sort of place where we can take it further if we both feel like it. But I wouldn’t expect it. And I think it’s a real shame a guy can’t treat a girl without her suspecting he has ulterior motives.”

Erin studied her ice cream bowl. “Sorry,” she said in a small voice. “I didn’t mean to sound insulting.”

He sighed. “Like I said, I’m sure he won’t be disappointed if things develop, but if this is a first date I’m sure he’s not expecting anything. I don’t see why you shouldn’t go and have fun. Go to dinner with the guy. Get to know him. Have a drink. Enjoy yourself. And if you like him…” He shrugged and a smile curved his lips. “See where it leads.”

“Wouldn’t he think I was a slut if I went back to his room?”

That made Fox laugh. He rose from the chair and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “He’d think he was the luckiest man on earth, I’m sure. This is the twenty-first century, Erin. I don’t think you’ll be shunned from society if you’re seen alone without a chaperone.” He winked at his fiancée. “See you later.”

“See ya.” Caitlin watched him go, then turned amused eyes back to her friend. “Did that help?”

“I insulted him,” Erin said. “I didn’t mean to. Sorry.”

“Of course you didn’t. He would have been angry that guys like Jack give men a bad name and make us not trust the good ones. We joke about it, but let’s face it, none of the guys I know would take advantage of a girl.”

Erin thought about the men married to Caitlin’s friends up in Mangonui whom she’d met on a few occasions: Kole, Joss, Stuart, and Owen, all of whom were good, decent guys. “I suppose Fox is right. Hoping is different to expecting.”

“Of course it is. It’s annoying, but he’s usually right. Look, you’d be daft not to go. Forget about Brock being rich.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“I appreciate that. What I mean is, try not to let that influence the way you think about him. If anything, it probably means he’s more generous than your ordinary guy. He wouldn’t think twice about giving a gift that other men might falter at. A night in a hotel will be peanuts to him. What hotel is it, anyway?”

“He didn’t say. I’m guessing it’s not going to be a cheap B&B.”

“Yeah. But my point is that it wouldn’t even enter his head that a gift like that would make you feel uncomfortable. It’ll embarrass him more if you say no.”

“I suppose.” Excitement rose inside her. “Am I really going to do this? Go away for a night with a man?”

“You are. You’d better get your legs waxed.”

“Cait!”

“And your bikini line.”

“Oh my God.”

Caitlin giggled. “I hope you have fun. And look, if you feel too awkward about taking things further, just thank him for a lovely meal and go back to your room. It doesn’t mean you can’t see him again. I’m sure he’ll be expecting you to take it slow. He knows you’re a single mum and that it’s been a while since you went out with anyone. He sounds like a nice guy, Erin. Why don’t you treat him like one?”