The Billionaires’ Prize (The Heiress Merger #2)

2. Kingston/Alex

2

KINGSTON/ALEX

Kingston

Gabriel Rothburn stares me down the way a lion watches a three-horned wildebeest. Wary and curious with a healthy respect, but also ready to yeet me into the next county.

He’s cute in a geek-chic sort of way. Tall and lean. I bet he’s fucking hot in glasses. Or a hoodie. Not that I have any business thinking about that.

Katherine and I were interrupted on the beach, and I’m willing to finish our conversation here if necessary.

Gabe’s blue eyes narrow at my arm draped over her shoulder.

Good. He realizes that I’m serious. I might have jumped the gun last night, but Wildfire and I have a history. Common interests. Chemistry.

I just need time to remind her of those things.

And if I have to shove the handsome tech-tycoon under the Tesla in the process, so be it.

“So. Where are you two going on your date?” I ask, stepping away from Katherine. Touching her only makes me want to touch her that much more. The desire to tug her against my side and keep her there is fierce, all-consuming. I’ve never felt anything so potent in my life.

Her lips part, and she shoots me an ‘ I can’t believe you brought that up’ look.

Okay, so maybe she’s not feeling the same overwhelming desire for me. Something to work on, then.

I give her an unrepentant eyebrow wiggle. He’s a big boy. He can handle a few uncomfortable questions.

“We haven’t discussed it yet,” she says and gobbles a hunk of her muffin. A tiny crumb lands at the corner of her mouth, and I hold my breath as I reach up and flick it away. My gut tightens with need.

I drop my hand because I can’t afford to spook her.

“Really? I’d have that date planned. Booked. Ready.”

I shoot them a teasing grin. It doesn’t hurt that I have a running list on my phone called Kat’s Faves. Favorite foods. Favorite movies. Places she wants to visit. And yeah, I might have a little too much energy for my own good.

“We’ve been a little busy,” Gabe mutters.

“I heard. Running from photographers.”

Which doesn’t explain twenty-four hours and two nights, but I can’t think about that too closely. So rather than press that button, I turn, peering through the blinds at the view.

“Wow.”

My mood sinks.

There’s a strip of unkempt yard, which tumbles out into grassy dunes, beach, glittery ocean, and brilliant blue sky. It’s incredible. And I live on an ocean. But this is oil-painting perfection, and I can see why they positioned the house like this.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Katherine joins me, licking her fingers.

I bite back a groan and force myself to focus on anything but her lemon-flavored lips.

“Amazing,” I agree and heaven help me, I’m being totally honest.

“Come look at the built-ins.” She taps me on the shoulder and then circles the old table. I follow her past a pile of lumber and a handful of buckets. The room is a generous size with amazing light and smells like sawdust and drywall paste.

Kat’s not wrong. The shelves flanking the fireplace are in great shape. A charming detail. I can just picture holidays here. A tall noble fir to the right of a crackling fire. The smell of sugar cookies in the air, carols drifting from room to room. Four stockings gracing the mantle. . .?

Why is Katherine sneaking a last-minute present under the tree in this vision?

“You should keep them, Gabe.” She runs a hand along the wood, and I’m instantly jealous.

Touch me like that. I want to feel those slim fingers caressing every groove and sliding over my skin with reverence and wonder.

Gabe stands on the other side of her, an arm wrapped around his middle, hand clasped at the crook of his elbow, coffee cup hovering beneath his lips. I paid enough attention during my body language lessons to know a defensive gesture when I see one.

The billionaire isn’t as relaxed as he probably wants us to believe.

“You think?” he asks.

“Only Katherine can get this excited over original details.”

“Oh hush,” she shushes me and then turns to him. “We’ll get you a big jar to collect things from your beach walks.”

His dark brows lift.

“What?” She blinks up at him.

“It’s cute that you think I’ll have time for beach walks.”

Spoken like someone who never has enough. Enough money. Enough power.

Kat’s lips twist, and her shoulders sag a fraction. That wasn’t the answer she wanted. He tossed ice water over her enthusiasm. I want to slap him up the back of his perfectly trimmed head, but he reaches out, running a thumb along the edge of the closest shelf.

“I suppose I should make time.” His voice is deeper, somber even. Thoughtful.

Crap on a cracker.

Katherine sways his way, all but melting. “That’s the spirit.”

“Don’t listen to her,” I say, pulling her attention back to me. Which is exactly where I want it. Remember me. The best friend? “She’ll have every one of these shelves filled with plants.”

“Plants?” Gabe asks.

“She’s a plant-a-holic.”

She huffs, throwing a glare over her shoulder. There’s nothing quite as pretty as the fire in Katherine’s eyes. If only she knew how many times I’ve deliberately teased her just to see that pretty blue-green flame.

“That right?” He’s genuinely curious.

“I prefer plant mom,” she chimes in, sounding all prim and proper. That’s so freaking hot. “And this plant mom needs her coffee.”

She heads for the kitchen, and I turn to Gabe. He really is so much cuter in real life than on the cover of those tech magazines.

“So what’s the plan?” I ask. “Please tell me you’re keeping these floors.”

He grunts. “You don’t care about the plans.” There’s no annoyance in his voice, just disbelief.

I give a grunt of my own. “Do you know who my mother is? Design is in my blood.”

A look of genuine curiosity brightens his features, and he turns back to the chaos. It’s like he’s seeing the space with fresh eyes, which makes me wonder exactly what the plan was. Did he know?

“Oh, don’t tell me you were going to gut it.”

Katherine gasps, paper coffee cup in hand.

Had she not thought of that when she saw the holes in the walls? These tech guys were all the same. Everything new. Sleek. Lifeless. It’s like they wanted their surroundings to be as streamlined and monochromatic as the computers they used every day. No texture. No character. No color.

He doesn’t deny the plan to gut the space and start over. Which makes zero sense in my mind. Some people would trip over themselves for these original details. But if he wants an ultra modern space like the house three doors down. . .

“Why not just tear it down?” I press, trying to figure out what’s going on in his head. “Start fresh, if that’s the aesthetic you were going for.”

He tosses his empty cup into a bucket and clamps his hands over his hips. Katherine shoots me another look. I don’t know why she’s sending daggers my way, but she obviously wants me to tone it down.

Right. He’s sensitive about this. I might want the girl, but I’m not a total jackass.

“I’m just saying, the place has great bones.” Just like its owner. Not that I’m looking.

I’m totally looking.

Stop looking.

Alex

I rub the strain from the back of my neck as I stalk across the porch and reach for the door handle. It’s locked, so I knock. My phone vibrates in my pocket for probably the fiftieth time today. My absence is catching up with me, and all the things I’ve been pushing off will no longer be denied. Starting with my team.

The lock flips, and Gabe pulls the door open, his mouth set in a tense line. Before I can ask him what’s wrong, I hear voices.

“Hear me out,” Kingston says, words quick, his tone excited. “Pizza oven.”

Husky laughter floats through the house, and I quirk a brow at Gabe. He shrugs, shakes his head, and closes the door behind me, letting out a sigh. “Come on.”

In the kitchen, Kingston’s huddled over a cell phone with Katherine. “See, it’ll work. Mom did it in her Cape Cod house. Alex, you like pizza, right?”

The younger man shoots me an expectant look over his golden shoulder.

I cut a glance at my best friend, a question in my eyes. What the fuck is going on?

“Alex. Pizza? I bet you’re a deep dish guy.”

“Sounds good,” I say. Gabe’s scowl deepens.

“Right? All new lighting, of course. Backlit glass cabinets up top. Under-cabinet lights. You want it to glow in here. Elegant but cozy.”

“Kingston has some design ideas,” Gabe finally says.

“A pizza oven?”

“Why not? This kitchen is huge. You’ve got the space,” Kingston says, hands gesturing toward the wall between the kitchen and living room.

“You assume he knows how to make a pizza,” I insert, crossing the room to grab my coffee.

“That’s what I keep you around for,” Gabe shoots back.

“My point is, let’s find you a designer who will keep it cozy and bring back the charm.”

“It’d help if they actually showed up for the job,” Gabe deadpans.

“True.” Kingston’s fingers fly over the screen of his phone and, a handful of seconds later, gives a satisfied nod. “Here. What’s your number? I’ll shoot over the contact info for my mom’s designer.”

The man is a Tasmanian devil, an absolute whirlwind of energy. Still shirtless, completely at ease in his own skin, and apparently, Gabriel’s beach house. Katherine’s gaze collides with mine and I see the laugh lines around her eyes, the giggle she’s holding back.

She loves this man and is completely comfortable with him, amused by and playful with him. He brings out the real Katherine Montgomery.

I want that. A piece of her. Her laughter and those smiles that make my heart ache because she’s so lovely.

“Come on, man. It’s not like I’m going to put you on blast,” Kingston says.

It’s like those words wake Gabe from a slumber. He rattles off his number, and a second later, his phone buzzes. They wander off, talking about beams and sconces.

Katherine doesn’t hold back her chuckle any longer and crosses the kitchen to stand in front of me. My chest aches at the idea of going back to the city without her and without knowing when I’ll see her again. Mostly, it aches at the idea of going back to the way things were. Paths crossing at events, seeing her whenever Gabe has a board meeting.

She puts her coffee cup down and slides a hand up my chest. “Is this okay?”

Her voice is soft, and the uncertainty there slays me. I press her palm into my chest. “More than okay.”

Damn, I want to pull her into my arms and take up where we left off last night before we all fell asleep in a pile of arms and legs and questing hands. It’s like she can read my mind. Pressing closer, she smoothes her other hand up my chest, along the side of my neck, and through the hair at my nape. I shiver at her touch.

Her gaze drops to my lips, and I’m a goner. Uncaring of who sees, I duck my head, and she stretches up to meet me halfway. The eagerness in her kiss steals my breath. A quick brush of our lips turns firm and demanding. Her mouth yields to mine, opening for me.

She moans as my tongue breaches her, teasing my way inside her mouth, tasting her coffee and the sweet lemon of her breakfast. I used my free hand to pull her even closer, stretching my other arm out to deposit my coffee on the nearest horizontal surface.

It’s not enough. It won’t be enough until I have her naked beneath me again. Panting my name, cunt tight around my dick, rippling and begging for more.

Groaning, I sever the kiss and trail my lips down her jaw to her throat. She tips her head to the side in welcome, baring her most vulnerable spots to me. I nibble my way down her skin and pause long enough to consider leaving my mark over her pulse point.

“Do it,” she whispers, reading my mind. “Mark me.”