A Billionaire's Game (Ellsworth Brothers #2) (3 page)

Applause erupted as the bride and groom entered the room.
The bride was breathtaking, sheathed in a strapless underdress made of silk and
organza with a beaded tulle slip over the dress that had beaded leaves
scattered the length of the gown. It covered her décolletage and had sleeves
that came to just below her elbows. It was delicate and stunning.

Her friend Thea had always been self-conscious about her
weight and size, but Jill thought Thea was perfect. This dress proved it, as
did her handsome husband.

Her dark blonde hair was pulled back from her face
exposing her gorgeous neckline, and the veil attached to the back of her head
seemed to just float there. It, too, had beading at the top to accentuate her
hair and then flowed gently down to the floor, barely visible because it had
been made of the lightest, barely-there tulle Jill had ever seen.

Her friend looked like she was royalty. And the glow on
her face added to the effect. It was stunning. She was stunning.

Her delicate bouquet was made up of roses in the lightest
shades of purple and cream and accented by deep auburn-colored calla lilies,
tiny white lilies of the valley, deep red berries and luscious greenery. It
matched her friend’s personality perfectly.

The groom, Landen, leaned down to whisper something to his
bride. Thea looked up at him, stood on tiptoes and kissed him gently on the
lips. Time stood still as they drank in each other. No one in the room moved or
spoke. The only sound was the click and whirring of cameras. When they broke apart,
the applause and cheers began again, this time even louder.

Smiling, the happy couple took their seats at the head
table. Jill sat to the bride’s left and Drake to his brother’s right. Jill
leaned in to her friend and hugged her gently. “You look stunning,” she
whispered and then turned attention to the food being placed in front of her.

The first course was a fresh spinach salad with a balsamic
ginger dressing, followed by a choice of ahi tuna and scallion poke served in a
cucumber cup; foie gras on brioche with tomato jam; or crab cakes with
remoulade. The entrée choices included shrimp scampi, Norwegian salmon with
dill, and prime rib with asparagus.

Each course had perfect pairings of wine or other
beverages. A champagne fountain flowed freely throughout.

Thea turned to Jill and commented that she was so glad
Drake was there and in reasonable shape. “I’m positive that that is due
 
to your attention.” Jill admitted that,
yes, she’d had something to do with his on-time, presentable presence and then
pressed her lips together in frustration.

“Jill, I know I’ve said this before, but you must be
careful around Drake. I know he’s involved with some shady characters, although
Landen doesn’t know exactly who they are. He spends his money foolishly. You
know the Ellsworths have enough funds to buy a few small countries, but each of
the brothers has his own account and when it’s gone, it’s gone. You wouldn’t
think spending billions of dollars is even possible for one person, but it is.
Drake has asked both his dad and Landen for money a few times. He always pays
it back, but it makes you wonder what he’s doing not only to lose that kind of
cash, but what he’s doing to get it back, plus more. I know you’re a strong
woman who won’t take crap from anyone, but Drake is a special case. He lives on
the edge every day and apologizes to no one, not even his mom!”

“Yes, yes. I hear you, Thea. I get it. I guess I didn’t
know it was that extreme, but I pretty much have his number and can probably
outsmart him any day of the week, because most of the time he appears to be
drunk.”

“That’s another topic entirely,” Thea pronounced. Jill
agreed and shook her head. She picked up the delicate crystal glass in front of
her and took a large gulp of water.

“Caroline looked beautiful in her dress,” commented Jill.

“I know. It was really fun going with her to shop for it,”
said Thea, smiling.

“I’m sort of surprised to see Mr. Ellsworth here, given
all the drama Landen had with him and the board of directors at Ellsworth
Construction.”

“Yeah. He and Landen have declared a truce, but really the
relationship is quite strained. I hope some day they can both work through
their differences and reconcile. It makes life very stressful for Landen.”

“Did I hear my name?” Landen asked leaning over, his head
between the two women. Thea beamed.

“Why yes, I was talking about you, oh handsome husband of
mine. I wonder how long it will take to get used to calling you that,” she
mused.

“You better be a quick learner,” Landen replied then
added, “but you, my darling, will always be my bride.” Landen kissed the side
of Thea’s head carefully to avoid her veil, then stood and went to greet his
mother.

The dancing began soon after. A 32-piece orchestra played
a little bit of everything from waltzes to merengue to the Charleston. After a
bit they began playing some familiar romantic tunes like “It’s A Wonderful
World,” “At Last,” “Love is All You Need,” and Rod Stewart’s “You’re In My
Heart.”

Jill looked longingly at her friend dancing closely with
her new husband and sighed.

“What’s the sigh for, gorgeous?” asked Drake as he pulled
a chair up next to hers.

“Nothing, really. I’m just so happy for Thea. She deserves
this happiness.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Don’t you deserve happiness?” Drake asked, one eyebrow
raised.

“Sure. Yeah. Yes, I do,” replied Jill with a smile. She
turned her head toward Drake, and her long chestnut hair fell off her left
shoulder as the sparkling lights reflected off of it. Drake reached up and
pushed the hair behind her left ear.

“You do deserve happiness just as much as Thea, you know.”

Glancing down, Jill nodded then brought her eyes up and
they locked on Drake’s piercing blue ones. Their stare lasted several seconds
before Jill broke it off and looked back at the dance floor. A hand appeared in
front of her, palm facing up. “Dance with me, Gorgeous,” Drake said in a
whisper. Without a word Jill stood, put her hand in his, and together they
walked onto the dance floor. Drake pulled her in close to his hard body. He was
so solid. Jill rested both hands on his muscled chest and then instinctively
her left hand grazed his pecs and came to rest on his wide shoulder. He was so
damn sexy!

Drake took hold of her right hand, letting it rest gently
in his large one, her fingers curved lightly around his thumb. They began to
move slowly, one of Drake’s legs between hers. The arm around her back slid
lower until it rested just above the curve of her ass. He pulled her in
tightly. Drake bent his head in order to limit the space between the two of
them, and he began to hum quietly in her ear. Jill tilted her head into his in
response. As the music swelled and reached a crescendo, Jill’s arms skimmed up
over his chest and around the back of his neck while both of Drake’s arms wrapped
around her back. Their bodies moved as one. As they swayed back and forth Drake
directed their movements to a darkened corner of the room. Jill lifted her head
in question, and Drake’s mouth was there just waiting to partake of her soft,
warm lips. The kiss started softly at first but quickly became heated and
urgent. Drake traced the contour of her lips with his insistent tongue, and
Jill’s mouth opened immediately. His tongue invaded her mouth, sweeping along
the inside edge of her teeth and then retreated only to invade again, darting
in and out in a sensuous dance. Jill’s tongue touched his and soon the kiss
became greedy. They broke apart panting. Drake brought his forehead down to
rest against hers.

“Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are? You don’t, do
you?”

Jill stammered a bit, flustered. “I…I’m not…I’m okay
looking, but I’m not glamorous or sexy like the women I’m sure you’re used to
being with. I’m just little old me. It’s this dress that makes me look like
someone I’m not. Really, Drake….”

Drake slammed his mouth down on hers, his hands rose up
her back and into the luscious locks of hair until his hands were cradling her
head in his hands. He broke away from her lips. “Don’t you ever doubt how
stunning you are. Do you hear me? I don’t ever, ever want to hear you say you
are just okay. That’s bullshit. I don’t waste my time on women who are just
average. I’m drawn to women like you who are intelligent, sassy, can hold their
own against me, who challenge me and can give as good as they get. It’s just a
bonus that you are drop-dead gorgeous, and you don’t even know it. You ooze sex
appeal from every pore of your body, and you don’t have a fucking clue. You
walk by a group of guys, and I guarantee that every single one is sporting a
hard-on the likes of which they haven’t had in a long, long time. So, are you
hearing me, gorgeous?”

By now they’d stopped moving to the music and Jill looked
up at Drake in shock.

“That is such crap! Is that a speech that you’ve memorized
just to get laid?” Laughing, Jill shook her head and continued, “You almost had
me. Although I am pretty sassy and can take you on any day of the week. I am
not a gushy girly girl. I’m a ‘take no prisoners’ woman and,” to emphasize her
point she poked his chest with her finger, “don’t you forget it.”

Jill tried to pull out of his grasp, but he was too
strong.

“You are so full of shit! You just proved my point. Any
other woman would be blushing and acting coy, but not you. You throw it back in
my face, and that turns me the fuck on.” To prove his point, Drake pulled her
body into his with a quick, hard yank and their mouths met again.

In her mind Jill was protesting. Unfortunately, her body
was responding and responding in a very big way. Her body temperature
skyrocketed, and her heart rate increased so quickly that she thought she might
just pass out. With effort she was able to draw her mouth from his, panting for
air. Drake was breathless as well. His chest was rising and falling as if he’d
just been running full speed. There was an instant where time seemed to stand
still until Jill reached out, grabbed his head and pulled it back to her mouth.
She was hungry for him. Her tongue teased his and circled hers in response. His
kisses moved from her mouth, across her cheek to her earlobe and down her neck.
He was ravenous. Jill moaned in his ear. “Oh God, Drake, what are we…what are
we…” and the thought was interrupted when his lips traveled back to assault her
mouth. Without ending the kiss, Drake guided her backwards behind a staircase and
out of sight of prying eyes.

His hands roamed all over her back until they found the
zipper of her dress. Deftly his hands pulled the clasp down until the bodice
was loose. He pushed the dress down. It slid easily down her torso, and Jill
soon felt the cool air on her naked breasts.

“Touch me,” was all she said looking into Drake’s face,
and Drake responded immediately, his fingers cupping the fullness. The mounds
were soft and full. He kneaded the flesh in both hands and then ran his thumbs
over the hardening nipples.

Jill ran her hands up his chiseled chest and pushed his
tux jacket off of his wide shoulders. It fell onto the floor in a heap. She
slid her fingers down his torso, her fingernails scratching the linen shirt.
Fumbling she found the button at his waist. She tried twisting it open, but it
wouldn’t budge. In frustration she yanked it, and the button popped off and
dropped out of her hand. Quickly she pulled the zipper of his fly down, and her
hand ran down the length of his already hard shaft. She rubbed him up and down,
feeling the outline against her palm. He was long—longer than other men
she’d been with—and hard. His dick was hard. Drake gasped as Jill’s
fingers sought and found the opening in his boxers. Her warm palm was flat
against his cock.

Drake pushed her gown further down her body until it too
lay on the floor, a pool of lavender chiffon. The only thing that now separated
him from her luscious pussy was the small triangle of silk between her thighs.
The material was no match for his need. It ripped easily. At that moment they
both heard footsteps approaching their location, so Drake pulled Jill into his
body so she was shielded from unwanted gazes. Drake was an adventurous lover,
but he didn’t share. With anyone. Ever.

They heard stifled giggles as the group passed behind
them. Jill buried her face in his chest and tried to keep from laughing.

“Are they gone?” she whispered. In response Drake grabbed
her ass and lifted her to his waist.

“Help me out, babe.”

Jill didn’t need any further prompting. She reached
between their torsos and guided his dick into her wet center. At the touch,
Jill gasped and she bit his shoulder. He was big. The intrusion was not
unwelcome, but surprising. She had to relax her muscles so she could accommodate
his length and width.

Drake took over and began pumping quickly. “You are so
tight,” he said in a raspy whisper. “Holy shit, you feel good.”

Jill responded by putting her mouth to his ear. “Fuck me,
Drake Ellsworth. Fuck me now, and fuck me hard.” With her teeth she bit his
earlobe. Drake drew in a sharp breath.

“Are you getting there? I’m so close baby I need you to be
there with me.”

Off in the distance they heard, “Has anyone seen Drake or
Jill?” It was that damned wedding coordinator. Jill giggled. “No. I haven’t
seen either of them for awhile now,” said an unidentified voice.

“Hmmm…. Well if you see them can you please tell them they
are needed in the upstairs lounge? Thanks.”

At that moment Jill clung to Drake as her pussy spasmed
around his cock. Drake groaned softly and pulled her in tighter as he came.

“Shit,” she cried. “Did you use a condom?” She slid down
the length of his body, her feet in the center of the pool of chiffon that was
her gown. Fluid dripped down the inside of her thighs.