Christmas Baby for the Billionaire (South Shore Billionaires 1)

“Come on,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let’s go see the next one.”

They left the house behind and journeyed a short way to a property that was more isolated and right on the ocean. A small cliff separated the property from the sea, and at once Tori was taken with it.

“If the last one was homey, this one is wild,” she said, stepping out of the car. The wind off the water whipped her hair off her face and she turned into it, loving the feel even though it wrapped around her with icy-cold fingers. “It’s incredible here!”

She had

to shout to be heard, but she could see the look of admiration on Jeremy’s face and knew this was a favorite of his, too. She rounded the hood of the car and met him on the crushed walkway to the house. “You love it, don’t you?” she asked, tucking a swath of hair behind her ear.

“I do. And you’ll see why in a minute.”

When they got inside, he swept out an arm. “Now do you see?”

Past the foyer was a center area with a small table in the middle, holding a bouquet of flowers. And to the left was the beginning of a circular staircase that climbed up...and up...and up. Tori went to the middle and looked up. There was a skylight at the top, so that a perfect column of light fell from the roof right to the spot where the table sat, and the column was framed by the dark wood of the railings and the creamy white of the steps’ risers.

“That,” she said definitively, “is a conversation piece. Amazing.”

“Isn’t it? And there’s a sauna downstairs, and an exercise room...”

“No private beach?”

“There is, but it’s not direct access because of the cliffs. I’d show you, but I’m afraid it’s a bit icy and I don’t want you to fall.”

There was a room on the side that was rounded, like a hexagon, windows all around to provide a 270-degree view. A stone fireplace was in one “corner,” with granite along the bottom of the wall, giving it a rustic feel.

“Can you imagine,” she said, unable to keep the awe out of her voice, “sitting here with the fire blazing and a storm outside, with a glass of wine and a book?”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “I can.”

Their eyes met. This house was not for them. They weren’t even a thing. But walking through it together was...intimate in a way she hadn’t expected. She cleared her throat. “Come on, show me the rest, then.”

On top of the porch was a railed deck, with French doors leading from the master bedroom. Tori had never seen such luxury in her life. Even with the furniture moved out, the rooms were commanding in their size and the views were incomparable. Two more huge bedrooms, each with their own bath, finished the upstairs.

“You want to recommend this one, don’t you?” she asked. “You like it a lot.”

He nodded. “I think it suits Branson, but it’s pretty isolated. And did I mention the best part? It has its own lighthouse at the edge of the property. Look.”

He pointed southeast, where the land jutted out into the ocean. It wasn’t huge, but sure enough, a red-and-white lighthouse stood sentinel, looking a little worse for wear. “Is it still active?”

“No,” he replied, sounding disappointed. “But the owner assures me it’s still in working order. Solid as the cliff it’s built on.”

It was undeniably romantic. Who wouldn’t want to have their own lighthouse?

“Can we see it?”

He shook his head. “It’s a different key, and I don’t have access to it.”

“Oh.”

They wandered through some more, and Tori was quite taken with it all. When he told her the price tag, she laughed and said a girl could dream, but then laughed again and asked what she’d ever do with all that space. It needed people to fill it up. It needed not only priceless views but life and laughter.

They headed back toward Liverpool, went past the exit and on to a third house that was on Jeremy’s short list. She didn’t like it nearly as well, though. It was in the same price range as the others, but was a little too avant-garde for her in its design. The house itself looked like a giant block dropped on the sand, and inside it was nearly as austere.

“You don’t like it,” he said as they walked through.

“It has every amenity a person could want,” she remarked, “but I feel off balance. I don’t feel at home here. And I know it sounds weird, but I feel like it could just tip over into the Atlantic.”

He laughed. “Fair enough.”