A New Life: The Millionaire Fantasy Book 1 Read online

  “I do not doubt that when the time is right, you’re going to be ready. Now, as you know, my parents are going to be coming in two weeks, and for me, that’s a problem.” I clear my throat, looking at my glass that’s empty.

  “You can have mine if you want.” She tells me

  “Do you want to finish it?” I ask her.

  “I do, but if you’re looking for another drink.” She smiles at me.

  “If I want another drink, I will have Brian bring over another one. Finish yours. You can’t always offer of something that you’re not a hundred percent sure of letting go of.” I point out to her.

  She bites down on her lip, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the drinks or because of how truly sexy she is when she does it, but I can’t stop looking at her lips, and I feel silly when she catches me and gives me a full smile.

  Neither one of us talks about it.

  “Your parents, why aren’t you happy about them coming?” She asks me, letting me off the hook instead of backing me into a corner.

  “My mother is always pushing me about finding someone, breathing down my neck about it, as I had told you earlier. Only she never quits. I know that she’s worried about Tony. She’s worried about me, but she doesn’t have to be.” I shake my head.

  I watch her as she drinks from that straw, and I have to admit that I like how delicate she is about taking the straw between her lips.

  “Well, the only thing that I can suggest is to have an arranged marriage.” Jessica giggles as she finishes the rest of her drink before I call Brian over once more.

  “Jessica.” I shake my head at her, but the smile on my face widens.

  “What? I mean, if you want her off your back, your handsome enough, you can find a woman that sparks your interest and quickly. I’m not saying that right away, you get married, maybe an engagement ring just enough for your mother to get off your back.” She laughs again, and I can’t help but laugh with her this time.

  Her laughter is contagious, and we’re still laughing when Brian comes over to set us up with fresh drinks once again, taking the dirty glasses from us and returning to the bar.

  As much as we’re laughing, I can see the plan working. I can see it working, just enough for my mother to stop hounding me and worrying about me.

  I didn’t think that Jessica had it in her to come up with such a plan, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard finding someone beautiful and someone that I have a good vibe with as I continue to look at her. I can’t stop looking at her.

  “What?” She lets her eyes fall away from mine and focuses on the glass that’s in front of her as I let a moan escape my throat.

  Chapter 11

  Trying To Convince me

  Jessica’s POV:

  The way he’s looking at me makes my body tingle the same way it had when we were in the hallway. The way he continues to look at me, I can feel the heat coming to my face.

  “What would you say if I told you that I would pay you more money, not only for watching Tony because you have more experience than what I thought you would, but to be my ‘fake’ fiancée?” He asks me as I’m taking a sip of my drink, almost spitting it out when the suggestion comes out of his mouth.

  I bite down on my lip to keep the laughter from bubbling up, not sure if it’s because of the drink or because it’s just absurd that he would choose me of all the women that he could choose from.

  “Jared.” I shake my head.

  “What? You can’t tell me that you don’t find me attractive, so that can’t be it.” He sits up in his chair the first time since we’ve been on the patio that he’s sounded excited.

  I don’t dare answer him, I think it’s best I stay quiet so that I don’t have to choose.

  “Come on, tell me I’m wrong.” He challenges me, leaning towards me a little, and he does make me laugh this time.

  I cover my mouth quickly and see the laughter dancing in his own eyes.

  “I find you attractive.” I roll my eyes at him when I take my hand away from my mouth.

  “You and Tony have a good bond already, and it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. You and I, we have a good relationship already. Most of the nannies barely remembered my name because they either were too busy with Tony because he was a handful or because I didn’t care too much to converse with them. No woman has ever made me feel like I could open up to them, not until tonight, Jessica.” He confesses to me!

  It’s just crazy, all if it is crazy, and maybe if I hadn’t suggested it to him, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.

  “Jared, I don’t know if I would be able to pull it off,” I tell him honestly.

  “Why not?” He sits back in his chair.

  “What do you mean, why not?” I ask him.

  “Why don’t you think that we’d be able to pull it off.” He nods his head.

  “I don’t know how to lie Jared, that was just a funny suggestion I didn’t think that you were going to take it seriously. I was playing around, coming up with something at the top of my head.” I explain to him.

  “Still. Look at how good we get along with each other Jessica, anyone can see that you love Tony already, and he’s happy with you. That’s not hard to pull off.” He just won’t stop, getting more and more excited as he continues to talk about it.

  The more he talks about it, the more I wonder if it could truly work.

  “It’s only for a few weeks, and then we can go back to the way things are right now.” He tells me which confuses me slightly.

  “What do you mean things can go back to the way they are right now? What has to change?” I ask him.

  “No one is going to believe that we’re engaged if we’re not sleeping in the same room. My mother would catch on. If we’re not sleeping in the same bed, if we don’t show as if we’re in love with each other…” He lets his voice trail off, and the heat is rising in me again.

  “Yeah, it’s not going to work. You need to find someone else.” I rush on, my tone changing. I get up from the chair.

  “What has made you change so quickly, Jessica?” He asks firmly, a tone that says I shouldn’t walk away without answering him.

  That he deserves an answer before I just leave the night that has turned out so well until this very moment.

  “I can’t lay in the same bed as you,” I whisper to him, not turning around to face him.

  “Why?” He doesn’t seem to hear the shame in my voice, either that or he doesn’t care.

  “I’ve never slept with a man, let alone been in a man’s bed,” I tell him, feeling my body stiffen as I continue to walk away from him.

  I pray that he doesn’t follow me. I don’t hear his footsteps, and he doesn’t call to me. I can’t believe that I told him something so personal about my being. Yes, I have told him about my mother about my father that I don’t know about my troubles growing up, but not about me as now, in the future, a woman.

  I don’t know how he would expect me to sleep in the same bed as him when he can’t stop looking at me as if he wants to tear my clothes off when he can’t stop making my body feel like it just wants to fling itself into his arms and allow him to take what he wants.

  When he looks at me like that the thoughts of being rational to go out the window and as much as he doesn’t know that if he was to look at me the way he has been tonight while we are in the same bed together there’s no way that I could stop myself from craving him more than I already do with our clothing on.

  I can only imagine what it would be like laying in the same bed, just inches away from each other until his parents leave.

  I fear that I wouldn’t be able to control myself, and then I’m not sure that I would be ready for it. I’m not my mother, wanting to take any man that shows her interest.

  I won’t be like my mother!

  Chapter 12

  Stunned

  Jared’s POV:

  What she had said made me freeze to my chair, I didn’t know what to say to her. Just he
aring the way she had spoken as if she was never going to let a man touch her, the stubbornness as she walked away, I knew that she was upset and the last thing I wanted to do was fight with the new nanny that I’m afraid I’m already falling for.

  It goes deeper than that I know. I don’t know how I thought I could pull it off without thinking about her. Only thinking of myself and how I could get my mother to stop nagging me.

  Brian looks at me, and I shake my head, I’m done with drinking for the night, and he comes over to grab the glasses.

  “Have a good evening, sir,” Brian tells me, giving me a small smile.

  “I thought I was going to,” I tell him, slowly getting up from the chair and heading into the house.

  Going up the stairs, I think about going to her room and apologizing for making her answer me. Had I known that it was a part of herself that she didn’t’ want to tell me, something so personal that she didn’t want to talk about it? I should’ve just left it alone.

  Knowing that she was uncomfortable about sharing that last detail with me, I was so sure that we were covering the ground with each other and quickly. We’ve talked about things in our past that were so deep, and yet she didn’t want to tell me about her personal life right now how it’s going to right now.

  I didn’t know that she hadn’t been with another man. I didn’t know that she was still a virgin and now I understand at least to the point that maybe she doesn’t think that she’s beautiful, maybe she thinks that she’s a plain Jane and I can help her overcome that. I can show her that she’s beautiful.

  She wouldn’t believe it if I told her that she was beautiful. Every woman hears that from every man, but if she wasn’t attracted to me, she would have no problem telling me.

  Of course, she’s attracted to me, she’s already stated that. The way she has looked at me this evening, willing to hold my gaze until she couldn’t anymore.

  Knowing how emotional she is, I just never should’ve pushed her that far. I was shocked, of course, I would think that she had been with men, who wouldn’t think that she wasn’t experienced? That’s what I get for assuming, right? I mean, I shouldn’t assume that every woman has been touched that comes into my life.

  I stop at the door and look at hers, I hear for any sounds, but I hear nothing and figure she’s probably sleeping.

  I open my door and close it quietly behind me, sitting on the bed, I feel even worse for the way I had talked to her.

  Not guilty, just horrible, and I don’t know how long I sit there for, but my body is stiff when I get into bed and try to sleep.

  Not like I can, seeing her back to me, I should’ve read her body language that whatever she was going to say she didn’t want to say. I should’ve paid attention and told her it was okay, but I was in the moment, and it was tense.

  I seriously thought I had a way out with the issue about my mother.

  “Stupid,” I mutter to myself, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

  It doesn’t calm me as it should. I see her face there; she’s smiling, enjoying her drink, the way she laughed, the way she reached out and put her hand on top of mine without even thinking about it. The way she bit down on her lip.

  Such small gestures would turn on any man, and I feel my heart racing. I can feel the hardness in my boxers and how tight they’ve become because of it.

  “Damn it,” I growl at myself, rolling over onto my side and feeling the heat of the night, not only the heat of the night but the heat of desire knowing that she’s just on the other side of the door that I’m staring at.

  I wouldn’t dare to try and open it, not now. I know it’s locked. Just knowing the secret part of her that she probably hasn’t told anyone and here I was demanding of her.

  I know that there’s a connection, I know that it can grow but my stupidity I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring.

  The only thing I can hope for is that she accepts my apology, and I never apologize to anyone, that’s not my style.

  I always skate around it.

  I can’t skate around it this time. I haven’t felt this way since…

  “Tabitha,” I whisper the one word the one name that used to get me going with just a small smile, a rolling of the eyes, and I wanted her.

  It’s the same way that she makes me feel, but if I can’t even get her to go along with a ‘fake’ proposal, then I know that there’s no future with us.

  How can I get her to see that I’m interested in her, and not because she’s a virgin I’ve been giving her all these signs before I found out.

  Tonight is going to be a long night. I know that I’m not going to get any sleep, so there’s no use in trying.

  Getting out of bed and going downstairs to the office, I start my computer and look at the stock market. I place the money where it needs to be for my clients, which I had neglected today to spend time with her and my son.

  I get more than enough work done, caught up on my clients, and the way they trust me to move their money around without advisement. That’s what you can do as long as you do your job well. As long as your clients have the money they want, and they stay happy, you can move the money around to where you see fit.

  That’s what I’m good at.

  Money.

  Chapter 13

  The Morning

  Jessica’s POV:

  I haven’t seen him since last night, since I blurted out that I have no experience with men. I thought he would at least come knocking on my door when I heard him coming up the stairs, even just to check on me to make sure that I was alright, some sort of an apology.

  “Good morning, I don’t think that we’ve been introduced yet. I’m Helen, the maid.” A short, older woman was in the kitchen when I went down.

  I smell the coffee brewing, I see the breakfast being made and my stomach growls, my mouth is watering as I sit down at the small table in the kitchen.

  I’m not even sure that I’m supposed to be here, and I don’t care if he likes it or not, but I’m here.

  “My name is Jessica.” I smile at her, giving her, my hand and we shake each other’s hand slowly before she turns away when the coffee pot goes off.

  “I thought that the cook was supposed to do that.” I nod at the stove and the coffee when she takes two cups out.

  “In the morning, I like doing my own thing. I like to make my breakfast, but if you would like some, there is plenty of eggs and bacon the stuff. Enough to feed an army.” Helen tells me, setting a cup of coffee in front of me and one for her as she shuts the stove off and leaves the food on the burners to stay hot.

  “I’m sorry, how rude of me.” I feel my face growing red, and I close my eyes.

  “Dear, that’s not rude. Stick around for a while, and you’re going to see rude around here.” She rolls her eyes and laughs as she goes to the fridge to get the creamer.

  She sets it on the table, and she goes back to the cupboards to get out two plates. Filling mine and hers bringing them to the table.

  “I’m not going to be able to eat all of that.” I laugh at her as she hands me a fork.

  “You’re going to need to fatten up around here. The food is good. Besides, if you can’t eat it all, you can put it on another plate for when Tony gets up.” She winks at me, and I laugh at her again, my worries feel like they've gone for the moment.

  “I was hoping that I would meet you yesterday,” Helen tells me.

  “I didn’t get to bump into you.” I didn’t want her thinking that I had been a snob yesterday.

  “I was busy as well, I had rooms to clean and make sure that we have the checklist for all the food that we’re going to need for when Mr. and Mrs. Collins show up,” Helen tells me through her bites of breakfast.

  I don’t think that I’ve ever seen someone eat so fast, I slowly pick at mine and then eat a little faster as my stomach demands it.

  “Around here, everyone is in a hurry.” Helen states finished with her food and rinsing her plate. I take care of
my plate and do the same. Rinsing it and putting it in the dishwasher beside hers.

  “You don’t have to do any of that.” She shakes her head at me.

  “I want to, it’s not a big deal.” I shrug my shoulder.

  “Well, don’t let Mr. Collins see you doing it.” She warns me, looking over my shoulder, and I should’ve taken the hint before I let the words slip out of my mouth.

  “I don’t care what Mr. Collins does or doesn’t like. If I’m comfortable and it’s second nature to take care of my mess, then that’s what I’m going to do.” I tell her in a harsh tone.

  When I look at her, I can see that she’s not even looking at me, she’s looking over my shoulder as do I and I see Jared standing there in the doorway with a tired grin on his face.

  “Helen, thank you for making our nanny feel at home.” His grin turns into a smile, and I don’t care how charming he thinks he is I’m not caving in to what he wants.

  “I have work that I need to do, finish the rest of your coffee.” Helen gives me a small smile, and I give her an apologetic look for the way I had spoken to her.

  “Don’t you lose this one. I like her already.” Helen tells him loud enough for me to hear when she passes Jared.

  I feel a smug smile come across my face before turning around to face him again. Not that I want him to see how happy I am, but Helen’s statement made my morning already, almost making me forget how I was feeling last night.

  “Jessica.” He says my name with such urgency.

  Damn him for making my body want to tingle all over, damn him for having such a seductive voice to begin with!

  “Yes?” I ask him.

  “May I speak to you about last night?” He asks me, clearing his throat.

  Just before I can say anything, we hear little feet running down the stairs.