Alpha Billionaire Series
A Fake Fiancée for Christmas Chapter 11

BAILEY

When we first arrive, I've never been so nervous. Even though everything between us is fake, I can't let Jace or his family down. I'm scared I'm going to somehow screw up, but Jace sets me at ease and his family is so warm and welcoming. I can't help but love them instantly. After a few hours, it becomes effortless. They're such a fun group- loud, yet kind and accepting. They embrace me as their own within hours of knowing me and that touches my heart on a deep level.

To my surprise, the afternoon flies by and its dinner time before I realize it. We sit down at a long dining room table decorated with festive centerpieces and red, gold and green place settings. Altogether, there are almost 15 people here and my nerves kick up a bit again as I lay the fancy cloth napkin over my lap. Jace must sense it because he lays a hand over my knee and squeezes.

His touch launches a thousand butterfly wings in my belly, and I look over. He gives me a reassuring smile and I pull in a deep, steadying breath. As nice as his family is, I can't help my surge of anxiety. I know things are going to get more intense when they start asking questions. And I have a feeling that's about to happen.

Even though I offer to help, Kendall and Lori, Jace's mom, insist that I sit down and that they have it handled. The dining room is beautiful just like the rest of the house. In fact, I don't think I've ever been in such a spectacular place. It's so big that I'm scared I'll get lost. It's definitely a real possibility.

Dinner consists of crisp salad, buttery breadsticks and homemade lasagna. It's so good and I can't remember the last time I had a homemade meal like this. And to be surrounded by a family, people who love each other, makes it all that much more special. As we eat, I can feel curious gazes and it doesn't take long before the questions begin coming our way.

"So, tell us all about how you two met," Lori says.

"Yes, I want all the gritty details," Marty adds. "Especially how you knew she was the one."

A chunk of bread lodges in my throat and I glance over at Jace as I reach for my water and take a sip.

"We met at a gala," he says smoothly.

We did?"A benefit gala," I add, and give him a smile.

"Right." His dark blue eyes sparkle with an "oops" look. "Anyway," he continues, "I saw her from across the room and everything just kind of stopped. I knew I had to meet her." "Sounds like a movie," Kendall says, her voice a little dreamy.

I look over at his sister who knows that none of this actually happened, yet she's completely drawn into the story. I have a feeling she may be as big of a romantic as I am.

"A romantic comedy maybe," I add with a little smirk. "The moment he came over, I got all tongue-tied because I was so nervous."

"You were nervous?" he asks, gaze holding mine, a smirk dancing on his lips.

I nod. "I'd never seen anyone so handsome." I glance around the table at his family. "What can I say? The man oozes charm and he know how to wear a suit better than anyone else." It was the truth.

"Yes, he does," Marty says proudly.

"So, what did he say to you?" his Aunt Muriel asks.

Oh, crap."He, ah, gave me some smooth line." I try to be vague, hoping they won't press me. I should've known better.

"What did he say?" Kendall asks.

Oh, Lord. Whose side is she on, anyway, I wonder. I think back to our first conversation. "He said my eyes reminded him of the ocean and that I just happened to be his exact type."

It's the truth. That's exactly what he said when he was supposed to be describing his perfect woman.

That dimple appears in his left cheek, and I swoon a little.

"Very nice, Jace," Don, his father, comments with a grin.

"It's true," Jace admits. "I saw something I liked, and I went after it. No shame in that. And I think it all worked out pretty well. Don't you?" he asks me.

Not trusting my voice, I nod. He wraps his long fingers around my hand, lifts it up and kisses my knuckles. Someone nearby makes a little "aww" sound and Marty claps. Meanwhile, my stomach falls out of my ass and lands somewhere under the dining room table. The feel of his warm lips brushing against my skin sends a storm of tingles through my body.

"Oh, honey, you can't even begin to understand how long I've waited for this day," Marty gushes. "Thank you, Bailey. Thank you for being everything my grandson needed."

Oh, God.Guilt washes through me, but I force a smile. I don't want to think too hard right now about how I'm tricking his sweet, old grandma.

Dessert is served soon after and even though I'm beyond full, Jace convinces me to share a cannoli with him. It's divine and after finishing my glass of wine, he stands up and offers me his hand.

I reach up and he pulls me onto my feet. "Where are we going?" I ask.

"How about a walk down by the lake?"

"Okay," I say and then thank his mom for dinner. "It was delicious."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she says.

"I hope you have a good appetite, Bailey," Don says, "because all we do is eat and drink around here during the holidays."

"Sounds wonderful," I say.

"We'll see you later," Jace says, leading me over to the closet where we grab our coats, scarves and gloves.

The sun is setting, and the frozen lake looks magical as the final rays of sunlight hit it just right. "I love the way the snow sparkles," I comment.

"It's going to snow a lot more this week. I think they predicted over a foot in the next couple days."

"Good. Snow at Christmas is the best kind." I look out over the land and it's so pretty. "This place is so nice. How often do you get up to visit?"

"It depends. Not as much as I'd like."

"That's too bad. I don't think I'd ever want to leave,"

"Sure, you would," he says. "After two weeks with my family, you'll be running back to the city."

I can't help but laugh. "I think they're wonderful."

"They adore you," he tells me.

"You think?" I pause and turn to look up at him. He has no idea how much that means to me. Even though they aren't really my family, it means the world to me.

"Without a doubt. Which means they're going to harass you constantly, so I apologize ahead of time," he adds in a wry voice.

"You're very lucky," I murmur, wishing I still had a family who would pester me like that.

"I know," he says, voice low, taking a step closer.

A shiver runs through me, and he immediately notices.

"Are you cold?" he asks. His voice is low, rough.

"A little," I admit. His gaze drops to my mouth, and I remember how much I liked kissing him. Oh, damn. But he doesn't make a move. Just stares for a moment longer, as though requesting permission, and even though I know I shouldn't, I close the distance between us and press my lips against his.

The spark between us ignites and what starts out innocently enough turns hot fast. He takes control of the kiss, angling my head back, tongue delving deep. With a soft moan, I offer my mouth, leaning into him, and letting him do whatever he wants. I'm not sure if it's the moon taking over the sky or the sudden flurry of snowflakes dancing around on the breeze, but suddenly I'm caught in some kind of magical spell. All I can do is kiss this man with everything I have.

And nothing has ever felt so right.

The attraction between us is undeniable and the longer we kiss, the more demanding it gets. I want...need... more from him and when he arches me back in his arms and drinks deeply, I feel the spike of desire. It slices straight through me and strikes down in my core like a hot anvil.

I've never needed anyone like this before and it leaves me overwhelmed and a little shaky. He must feel the tremor that moves through my body because he pulls back and eyes me closely.

"You're cold," he says. "C'mon, let's go back inside."

My legs are a little wobbly and he wraps an arm around my shoulders, tucking me under his arm. I've never felt so safe and protected. Once we're back inside the warm house, we say goodnight to his family and my cheeks blush furiously as he leads me up to his bedroom.

"Maybe I should stay in a guest room," I start to say, but he interrupts me with a scowl.

"Don't be ridiculous," he says. "My room is huge and my fiancée sleeps with me. Not down the hall in a separate bed."

"But I'm not your fiancée," I remind him.

"That's not the point," he says and leads me into his bedroom.

Our suitcases are already in here, but my gaze goes straight to the large bed in the center of the room covered with a dark blue comforter. Pillows are stacked up against the headboard and I can't believe I'm going to sleep in the same room, much less the same bed, with Jace tonight. Heart thundering, I walk over to my suitcase, unzip it and thank the heavens above that Rae slipped some sexy underwear in here. Otherwise, I'd be sweating bullets over having to wear my flannel nightgown and plain cotton panties. I reach for the black lace ones and discreetly wrap them up in my nightie. Then I grab my cosmetic case and turn to see Jace bent over his suitcase, digging around in it.

Oh, God.I take a moment to admire his very fine, very firm a*s. My mouth actually starts watering and I need to go cool off in the shower.

"Do you, ah, mind if I take a quick shower?" I ask.

Jace stands up straight and looks over his shoulder. "Go ahead. Take your time."

"Thanks," I murmur and practically run into the attached bathroom. I drop my stuff on the counter and stare at my reflection. My skin is flushed, my color high, and all I can think about is how much I love kissing Jace.

I throw my hair up in a messy bun, turn the water on and slip out of my clothes. And it occurs to me that I'm seriously crushing on the man in the other room. The very handsome and charming billionaire that I'm about to share a bed with tonight.

I'm not sure if it's the wine I drank at dinner or the fact that I completely love how kind and welcoming his family has been to me, but suddenly I'm questioning what would be so bad if I kissed him again.

In fact, I'm lusting over Jace. Hardcore.

Steam rises as the hot water pounds down on my body, filling my head with even hotter thoughts. One more kiss, I think. It can't hurt, right?

After washing up, I slip on my nightgown and then brush my teeth. We had a long day today, so Jace is probably ready to go straight to sleep. Me, however? My thoughts are overheating. Sleep is the last thing on my mind and when I walk back into the bedroom, I stop up short when I see Jace standing at the window, looking out, wearing only his jeans. His shirt lays over the back of a nearby chair and when he turns, I get my first look at how amazing his rock-hard chest looks.

And those abs. Holy cow! Six pack galore. My uterus contracts and our gaze's lock.

"It's snowing," he murmurs, indigo eyes skimming over my nightgown and all the down to my thick socks. "Cute socks."

"They keep me warm," I murmur, walking closer, unable to stop admiring his naked torso. I swear he puffs his chest out. Show off.

"Really?"

"Maybe you could, too," I say boldly. "Keep me warm." His gaze darkens and suddenly I've closed the space between us. I don't know what possesses me to be so brazen, but I reach out and lay a hand on his smooth, hard chest, right over his heart. "If you want to." Jace's mouth crashes against mine and I go up on my toes, kissing him back with abandon. Whatever is happening between us, it's wild and freeing, and I slide my tongue along the seam of his lips, teasing. Seducing.

At some point while I was in the shower, I decided to throw caution to the wind and let myself enjoy these next two weeks with Jace. Fully and with no holding back. There's no denying the attraction between us, so I'm going to indulge.

I mean, it is the holidays, right? It's the time of the year when everyone eats too much, drinks too much and, in my case, maybe even sleeps with a billionaire.

Then when it's over and we're back in the city, I can completely focus on saving Head Over Heels. I'm not going to allow my heart to get involved. This will be a strictly physical relationship, a holiday fling.

I've never allowed myself to do anything like this before so it's a little scary, but I push the fear aside and enjoy the feel of Jace's warm body against mine. God, he must work out every day to have such a flawless physique like he does. Me? Not so much. I'm lucky that I have a fast metabolism because my idea of exercise is getting up to grab the remote control.

Caught in Jace's embrace, we kiss for a long, passionate minute. Then he lifts his head, grasps my face in his big hands, and his gaze searches mine. "I want to do more than keep you warm, Bailey."

"What do you want to do?" I purr, tracing my fingers lightly over his hard pecs.

"I want to strip you naked, lay you down in my bed and explore every inch of you," he tells me.

"What's stopping you?"

Desire flares and he sweeps me up into his arms and walks me over to the large bed. "You're sure?" he asks. "Because once we start this, I am not going to be able to stop."

A little thrill shoots through me. "I'm sure."

"Nothing changes between us?"

I shake my head. "Nothing. I can't afford to get my heart broken."

Jace considers my words for a moment then sets me down on the edge of his bed. I'm standing and he's still taller than me. Or at least the same height. His hands slide up the outside of my legs and disappear beneath my nightgown. For a moment, his big, warm hands explore, moving over my thighs, stomach and a*s. Then he grabs the nightie's hem and lifts it up over my head, tossing it.

Standing before him on full display in nothing except my black lace panties is intimidating and when I lift my arms to cover myself, he stops me.

"Don't," he whispers. He curves his hands over my bare breasts, lightly massaging and squeezing. "You're perfect."

A soft sigh escapes from between my lips and when his mouth latches onto a nipple, I drop my head back and offer myself to him. No holding back. Jace spends a few minutes licking and sucking and I wrap my arms around his neck, never wanting it to end. When he finally pulls back, I swallow hard, pressing my thighs together. I'm so wet, it's embarrassing. But when my gaze dips, it's clear he's just as turned on because there's no missing the extraordinary c**k trying to escape his pants.

I reach down and undo the button. He yanks the zipper down and kicks the jeans off. Standing there in only a pair of black boxer briefs, I take a moment to soak in his perfection. "How often do you work out? Geez."

He chuckles, kisses me hard and we fall back on the bed. For a long moment, I'm lost in his kisses. I've never lost myself in anyone before and it's exhilarating. It feels like he's claiming me and there's nothing gentle about the way his mouth and body are moving against mine. He's not being rough; he's being dominant.

And I love it.

Jace starts kissing a trail down my neck, pausing to worship my breasts again then he continues lower, circling his tongue around my navel. He slides my socks off, first one then the other, very slowly. I swallow hard when his long fingers hook the edge of my panties and begin to slide them down.

Oh, God. Here we go.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he whispers. He begins dropping kisses along my inner thigh and when I try to squeeze my legs together, he nudges a shoulder in between to stop me. "Don't you dare. Spread your legs, sweetheart. Let me taste you."

Digging my fingers into the bedspread, I let my legs fall open and watch as Jace's head dips. The moment he licks up my crease, I let out a little moan and arch up. All of my inhibitions slip away and as his lips, tongue and teeth work me into a frenzy, I bite down, trying hard not to cry out.

But it's so hard. Whatever he's doing down there has my hips bucking and pressure begins to build. I'd be thrashing if he wasn't holding my hips. Then he sucks my clit into his mouth and sucks. My release hits me hard and pleasure rolls through my body. Jace slides back up and captures my mouth in a long, very thorough kiss. I can taste my own salty sweetness and it's a little strange. "Gimme a sec," he rumbles, and rolls off me.

Dizzy with pleasure, I watch him dig in his suitcase for a moment then return with a condom.

"Do you always travel with condoms?" I ask teasingly.

"I'm always prepared," he answers, dropping his drawers, and tearing the packet open.

My gaze dips.

Oh. My. God.

The man is impressive and for a moment I worry I might not be able to take him. He's very well-endowed and I swallow hard. He must see the anxious look on my face because after rolling the protection on, he lowers himself between my legs and whispers, "Don't be nervous."

"I don't have a ton of experience," I say awkwardly. "I've only been with two men and neither of them looked like, um, you."

He smirks. "You can handle me. We'll take it slow, okay?"

I let out a shaky sigh and nod. When he rubs his tip up and down my folds, I push closer. Even though I'm nervous, I want him. Badly.

"You're soaked, sweetheart." He dips a finger then another inside me, working me up all over again. When a second o****m slams into me, I cry out, arching up off the mattress. I've never had a man give me two o*****s in the same night, much less five minutes apart.

I have a feeling number three isn't far behind.

"Shhh," he whispers and nips my lower lip. "We don't want to give my family a show."

He's right, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stay quiet.

My lower body is still spasming when Jace starts to push inside me. He takes it slow and easy, gliding in and then retreating, allowing for my body to adjust. It's clear he knows exactly what he's doing because he makes it easy and sensual. He also starts massaging my clit and I'm on the verge of another o****m when he finally pushes all the way inside.

We both groan and a shudder rack through my body. He begins to thrust, his rhythm steady and increasing, and I do my best to keep up with him and meet his pumping hips. Gasping for breath, I can feel my release coming, hard and fast. Right before a scream can tear out of my throat, I bite down on his shoulder and cling tightly as the most intense o****m yet pounds through me.

Jace grunts when my teeth sink into his shoulder, but he keeps thrusting harder, faster, until his release hits him and his entire body tenses then releases. He buries his face in my hair and releases a muffled groan.

I lay there, floating high, my body tingling all over, and he rolls off me, dropping down on the pillow beside me. We're both panting hard, trying to catch our breath, when I hear him curse.

Glancing over with passion-glazed eyes, I see him fumbling with what looks like a broken condom.

Oh, no, no, no.