The Last Eligible Billionaire(71)

“More,” she whispers.

More.

I’ve always wanted more too, but my more was always solitude, a good biography, an afternoon to work on calculus problems for fun, sometimes cheesecake, sometimes a game of chess with Uncle Antonio or my father.

Now, I want more Begonia.

And I intend to have her as often as I can until this summer is over.





27





Begonia



There’s nothing quite like waking up buck naked in the morning light with your fake boyfriend-slash-lover’s cousin standing over you. “Did you save some charcuterie for the squirrels and the birds, or did you do something super kinky with it?” Keisha asks.

Hayes grunts, rolls, and throws the picnic blanket over both of our bare bodies. “Go away.”

“Your mother’s looking for you. Something about the dog and a movie script she was supposed to be evaluating.”

I freeze.

“Ignore her,” Hayes tells me. “My mother doesn’t evaluate movie scripts. Not to say your dog didn’t attempt to help her with her perfume, but Marshmallow would not be stealing important paperwork.”

Keisha grins. “Nice tattoo, B.”

I freeze harder.

Hayes twists a look at me and frowns, and it doesn’t take a genius to read his expression. You have a tattoo?

“Go away, Keisha, or I’ll tell Millie what you do with your drummer when you’re on tour,” he says, still looking at me like he’s silently demanding to know where I have a tattoo and why he hasn’t seen it yet.

She gasps. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh my god, are you cheating?” I cringe and close my eyes. “I don’t want to know. No. I don’t. Don’t ruin this.”

“Yes, she’s cheating. And her version of cheating is three am runs to Baskin-Robbins,” Hayes murmurs to me. “She’s diabetic, and Millie worries.”

“Shut up,” Keisha squeals.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, dear cousin,” Hayes says.

“I’m not embarrassed. I don’t want to have a fight with Millie if she hears you talking smack and spilling my secrets. And I can have ice cream. I can. She overreacts to everything because she loves me so much.”

My dog.

My dog.

I jerk my head up, looking around, and I groan.

“Relax, B,” Keisha says. “Marshmallow’s inside. Fran?oise has him. She’s almost as good with him as Hayes.”

Hayes glances at me, the furrowed brow turning into resigned realization. “He took our clothing, didn’t he?” he murmurs.

Keisha cackles. “It’s aaaaall over the downstairs. He took Begonia’s bra in to your father, and your mom has your boxers. My dad got the strip of condoms. It’s too bad Liliane left, or maybe she could’ve gotten your tie and Begonia’s panties. This is like, the best morning ever.”

“How is it I still like her even when she’s evil?” I ask Hayes.

He’s giving her the growly eye. “I have no idea. I’m not suffering from the same affliction.”

She rocks back on her heels, and I realize she’s in plain black leggings, which feels almost too bland for Keisha, though her cropped pink sweater is so fluffy, it seems to be made out of cotton candy. “Robert’s coming with clothes for both of you,” she tells us. “But it was just too fun to catch you sleeping outside naked like randy teenagers.”

“Good. I’ll have him throw you out.” Hayes’s hand shifts under the blanket, gripping my hip while his thumb brushes my hip bone, and I wonder how long Robert will take.

Do I have time to sneak under the covers and enjoy an early breakfast?

“But where would I go?” Keisha asks. “You know Millie’s allergic to South Carolina this time of year, so that house is out. There’s a chance of wildfires out west, so those two houses are out. If I head into the city, I’ll eat cheesecake all day, so that’s out…”

“Antarctica,” Hayes replies.

I shift under the covers, rubbing my pelvis against Hayes’s bare body, and his cock immediately stiffens against me.

“Begonia, have you ever seen a K-drama?” Keisha asks. “We should totes have a girls morning and you can explain to me why penises are worth it.”

“Don’t you have work to do?” Hayes grumbles.

“No one works on a forced sabbatical.” She wrinkles her nose, and Hayes cringes, like he’s sorry he brought it up.

“Why are you on sabbatical?” I ask.

“Do you know the best thing about being a distant Rutherford relative? They seriously cover up some shit. And I like you, B, but I’m not telling.”

“Understandable. If you want to talk, though, I’m around.”

Hayes scowls at her. “You have three seconds to leave before I treat you to a full frontal and chase you back to the house and tell Begonia all of your secrets. You told her mine. I’ll happily spill yours.”

She hesitates, but barely. “Fine. I’m going. Come find me for breakfast, Begonia. I want to know how you got that awesome hair color.”

And when she actually traipses away, I frown at Hayes. “Have you chased her naked before?”