Billionaires Dollar Series

Afterwards, he stretches out beside me and tucks me against his body. I rest my head against his shoulder and focus on calming my breathing. Beneath me, his heart is beating fast.

“You know what they’ll say,” Nick says, his hand sweeping up my back.

“About us. About you and me.”NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

For a moment, I wonder if I can feign ignorance. But then I nod. “Perhaps a few of the gossip columns will. For about a week, until someone decides to get a very public divorce or a celebrity sex tape leaks.”

Nick’s voice rumbles through his chest. “People will keep thinking it long after that. The narrative is as old as time. Seattle’s darling socialite and the most despised investor on this side of the country.”

“I don’t care.”

His arms tighten around me, but there’s skepticism in his silence. I rise up on my elbow and meet his gaze. “I genuinely don’t. What do they know, anyway? About you, about me, about us?”

“Nothing.”

“Exactly. Now, do I have to go get a decorative pillow so you can punch out your fears?”

His face breaks into a wide smile. “I’d destroy the pillow.”

“That’s all right. I have a hundred more.”

“So you don’t mind? Truly? I thought you might, considering your strong reaction to all those critics last time.”

“No, I don’t.” I lean in, rubbing my nose against his. It’s a silly gesture, but it provokes another one of his rare smiles. “Let them talk.”

“Your skin has gotten thicker.”

“I’m less afraid,” I say. “Someone taught me that.”

He leans back and puts an arm behind his head, the one not holding me. “Funny. Someone taught me that, too.”

For a moment, we just smile at each other.

“There’s just one more thing,” I say.

“What are we going to tell Cole? We can’t have you two avoiding each other indefinitely.”

Nick’s smile turns crooked. “Well, about that…”

“Yeah?”

“I think he’ll come around.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “So you two have spoken?”

“Briefly. He made it clear that I should have chosen someone else for my… affections, but having made the choice I did, I’d better fix things. ‘Make my sister happy,’ I believe he said.”

I roll my eyes. “Thank God he told you to do that.”

“Yes, it was very helpful,” Nick says. “I would never have thought of that on my own.”

And then I’m smiling as I kiss him, and he’s kissing me back, the ball of happiness in my chest near bursting.

A few weeks later

“Are you really sure?”

I roll my eyes at the question. It’s not the first time she’s asked today. “Yes, of course I’m sure.”

Blair slips her arm under mine. “Well, if it gets too much…”

“I’m not that weak.” I lean down, pushing her hair back so I can whisper in her ear. “If anything, you’re the one who should be nervous.”

“I should?”

“Nobody will dare ask me about our relationship. You’ll be the one fending off questions.”

Her smile falters, but then her eyes flare with triumph. The hand on my arm digs in. “I won’t let you leave my side, then.”

“Think you can stop me?”

“Oh, I’ve been practicing,” she warns. Yes, that she has indeed. Curious as ever, Blair has joined my sessions with my kickboxing trainer twice a week. At first, I’d agreed just to humor her, but seeing her with braided hair, determination in her eyes, sweat glistening on her skin… yeah. It had been a good idea.

“That you have.”

“Wait,” she says, reaching up to fix the lapels of my jacket. I can’t resist. “Are you stalling?”

“No,” she says, but her lips quirk at the corners. “I’m just making sure we make the best possible entrance.”

Looking down at her dress, at the matching pocket square in my suit jacket… she’s already gone all out. “Come on, coward,” I say, pushing the front door open. “After you.”

We step into Winter Wonderland. Gone is Cole and Skye’s tastefully decorated foyer. A giant Christmas tree is front and center, an assortment of silver baubles evenly spaced. The staircase is fringed with winter-green garlands. In the air, the scent of cinnamon and mulled wine hangs heavily.

“Oh,” Blair breathes. “It’s beautiful.”

It is. The warm Christmas lighting is giving her blonde hair, loose around her face, an almost luminous sheen. “Yes.”

An attendant takes our jackets as a singer begins to softly croon “All I Want for Christmas” from the built-in stereo system. I wonder who Cole’s invited this time. You never know who you’ll encounter at an event where he’s had a hand on the invites.

Blair’s fingers thread through mine. The gesture comes naturally to her now, as does throwing an arm around my shoulders while I’m working, or sitting down on my lap instead of a free chair. The easy, trusting way she touches me never fails to strike me.

“Let’s go say hello,” she says.

We head into the living room. There’s a smaller Christmas tree here in the corner, but this one looks decidedly more homey. None of the baubles match. Definitely the work of Skye and Timmy and not any party decorators.

One after one, the gathered guests begin to notice us. First Blair. Then me. And finally our joined hands.

It’s almost comical, the surprise in their eyes when they piece it together. While most of the people here know Blair quite well, very, very few know me at all.