The Billionaire's Hired Girlfriend

Jayden listened to Alex’s rhythmic breathing as she slept. Oddly enough, he found it comforting, and soon he, too, fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, it was to the smell of strong, black coffee and freshly baked bread. Chef Leon must have just finished baking that wonderful French bread he so enjoyed. He breathed in deeply as though he were inhaling fresh air into his lungs, enjoying the delightful aroma.

  He stretched his body. Damn, his neck felt stiff. Apparently, the sofa didn’t make such a comfortable bed after all.

  He sat up and started to massage his aching muscles. He turned his neck left and right as he groaned. Then he turned his neck too far to the right and it cracked, making a loud noise.

  “Shit!” he muttered at the sharp pain erupting throughout his body. He stopped short when he saw Alex watching him, a pretty smile on her lips.

  “Good morning, Mr. McCartney. Good sleep last night?” she asked sarcastically.

  Jay saw the mischievousness in her glowing eyes and relaxed back. Though his body was still sore, he’d be damned if he’d show her his weakness. So he leaned back on the sofa, his arms crossed behind his head. “Yeah, wonderful sleep,” he said, staring up at the chandelier, watching the color spectra of rainbows forming as light hit the crystals.

  Alex laughed, shaking her head. “Really? Well, from what I saw just moments before, you don’t look as though you had a good sleep at all, Jay.”

  Jayden narrowed his eyes at her. His lips formed a thin line as he said, “Well, that may be—”

  “You know what?”

  “What?” he asked, eyeing her.

  “I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. I’m smaller.”

  “Don’t be silly.” He scoffed, liking the glow of light playing on her person.

  “I’m not being silly. I used to sleep on the floor with just a thin mattress when I fruit-picked at the farm,” she said, watching the muscle of his arms. She suddenly wondered what it felt like under her touch. Would it be hard and smooth as she suspected it would be?

  “What was it like? Fruit picking?” he asked, sitting up.

  “Hard work,” she commented. Now she could see his seminude chest where it was exposed beneath his white nightshirt. Smooth, hard, muscular.

  “You’ve been working hard all your life, haven’t you?”

  Alex shrugged her shoulders, casting her eyes down to look at her small hands instead. Gosh, what was she doing? Wanting to touch a gay man? Jay’d think she was a loon.

  “Nothing to it,” she said. “It was rather fun at times. The fresh air, the warm sun, the sweet smells of ripe strawberries.”

  “Sounds heavenly,” he commented, watching her, wondering if her hair would be as soft under his fingers as he imagined it to be.

  “Kind of.” She chuckled. “So, like, I was just wondering—”

  “Hmm?”

  “Do I get to go on a tour about New York or anything? I mean come on. This is my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Can I please go sightseeing?” She managed to flutter her eyes a few times at him so he’d know she was begging him to show her around.

  Jayden chuckled once he saw her bright eyes full of enthusiasm. “That’s true.”

  “Can we go to Central Park? And the Central Park Zoo? They are in one place, right? And the Empire State Building? And can we go shopping? Not that I’m going to shop, just window-shopping, you know. I mean I don’t even have the money to shop. Gosh, everything must be frightfully expensive here.”

  Jayden laughed.

  “What?” She frowned, folding her arms across her chest. “What’s so funny? Okay. All right. Fine. Just because you’ve lived here all your life and no doubt everything seems exceedingly lame to you here now doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it.”

  Jay managed to stop and shook his head. “No, of course not. New York is never lame. Although, I must admit I don’t like it much here.”

  “So you don’t like living here?” Alex was astounded. Everyone wanted to live in New York City, especially on the Upper East Side where all the rich and famous live.

  Jayden shook his head.

  “Why not?”

  “Not my kind of scene. I want peace and quiet. I want a place where I can relax and think and not have to get involved with certain types of people.”

  She was curious so she couldn’t help asking, “Then why are you here?”

  Jay shrugged his powerful shoulders. He wasn’t going to tell her he wanted a place like Queenstown and that up until recently he had only stayed in New York because of Sarah.

  “Because of work?” she supplied.

  Jayden changed the topic swiftly. “So you slept well?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “And you’re not tired?”

  Alex cocked her head to one side in serious thought. “Nope. Not at all tired. I feel better now. So, um, no more parties, right?”

  Jay laughed.

  Alex blushed a shade of pink. The richness of his laughter causes her heart to burst with joy. She wondered if that were normal.

  “Good,” he said. “We’ll go sightseeing today.”

  “What? I mean, really?” she asked excitedly, hoping he meant what he said.

  Jay cocked his head to one side as he studied her. Her long hair was in a wild mess, her eyes bright, and her lips red and kissable—enough to tempt a monk. Jayden wasn’t a monk, so…

  “Really?” she said. She was giving him the puppy dog look.

  Jay swallowed and quickly looked away. Shit! This was not good. He had just realized he was attracted to his hired girlfriend.

  “Where should we go first? Oh, I know. I want to go to Central Park. Would that be okay? I mean, I’m not bothering you? I could always go by myself, you know. I’ve got a map. I got it all worked out. We are in the Upper East Side of New York City, right? So…”

  Jayden realized Alex chattered nonstop when she was excited. And he found he liked that. Slowly, he relaxed and studied her as she ticked off with her fingers all the things she could do at Central Park. He loved her unguarded emotions, which clearly show on her face as she talked so animatedly.

  Suddenly, there was a series of knocks at the door. Alex stopped and glanced in that direction.

  “Jayden? Are you up yet?”

  Jay bolted up and fired his gaze at the door. “Shit!”

  “What?” Alex asked, her eyes wide in confusion.

  Jayden didn’t have time to answer. He leaped off the sofa and raced to Alex with the blanket in tow. He hopped in between the sheets, arranged the duvet about them both, and pulled the surprised Alex into his arms. As he was doing so, one of his hands was busy messing up his own hair and then he did the same to Alex.

  Alex just looked at him as though he has just gone mad.

  Jayden stared at her. It seemed as though he couldn’t help himself after all. He cupped her chin and slammed his lips against hers—tasting her soft, sweet mouth. As he deepened the kiss, his fingers dug deep into her thick hair. He pulled her closer, wanting more of her.

  Alex was shocked to the core. She went still as her heart did somersaults. Not to mention her body was soaring into the sky like an eagle. Jay was warm and hard against her. And he was kissing her. Her! Plain Alexandra Stewart from New Zealand!

  The door opened. “Jayden!”

  Jay didn’t want to stop the kiss. But he reluctantly released the dazed Alex and turned to look at his grandmother who, no doubt, was demanding his attention with her stiff voice.

  “Beth?”

  “My God! I can’t believe this,” Beth muttered, her lips thin. She glanced at the disheveled Alex, hummed disapprovingly, and then turned back to Jay. “Please hurry, Jayden. We have an appointment at Vera Wang for Kelly’s final fitting at ten this morning and then lunch with Britney at twelve.” Then she sailed out of the room.

  Once the door was properly closed, Jayden relaxed with a sigh.

  Alex bit her lip. Her heart shattered as she realized Jayden didn’t mean to kiss her. He
only did it as a stage show for Beth.

  Jayden turned to look at her. He wanted to kiss her again. She was so soft, warm, and sweet. He realized she hadn’t stopped blushing either. He stroked her tangled-up hair. Yes, it was soft all right.

  Alex loved the way he touched and stroked her hair. But she knew she must stop him because otherwise she’d like it too much, and it’d hurt her in the end when they parted. She caught his hand, stilling his gentle strokes. “You don’t have to act anymore. Beth is gone.”

  Jayden frowned and wondered what was wrong. Alex slowly got out of the bed and went to the bathroom, her shoulders slumped.

  “Shit!” Jay said, throwing his head on the soft pillow.

  * * * * *