Christmas Baby for the Billionaire (South Shore Billionaires 1)

Tori rolled over in bed the next morning and stared at the ceiling. The events of last night were crammed in her brain, one on top of the other, until everything was clouded with Jeremy.

She’d intended to be cautious. Said she only wanted kissing. But she’d been mistaken if she’d thought kissing him gave her any sort of protection. Instead, Jeremy Fisher and his clever mouth had sneaked past all her defenses.

It was a good thing that he had no idea how close she’d been to inviting him to stay in her bed. Just when she’d reached the point where she was ready to ask for more, he’d pulled back, kissed the tip of her nose, and wished her good-night.

She supposed she had to add honorable to his list of qualities, too. Instead of being comforted, the thought set her on edge. It couldn’t be this simple. There was something about him that had to be flawed, something that was going to go wrong. She wished she had some idea what it was so she could prepare herself for it. She definitely didn’t want to be blindsided again.

She got up and went to the bathroom for a refreshing shower, then dressed in tights and a swing-type dress from her “before pregnant” wardrobe that accommodated her growing tummy nicely, at least at this stage. The neckline looked a bit bare, so she found an infinity scarf and wound it around her neck, then put her hair up in a messy bun. She looked in the mirror with a critical eye. Back home this would be dressing up. But here... It was a different atmosphere. Different expectations, too.

Jeremy was in the kitchen, pouring cereal into a bowl. “Good morning. There’s decaf if you want it.”

Her outfit would be completed with her black boots, but inside she was in her stockinged feet and felt a little vulnerable. She tried a smile, wondering how he could act so normal while inside she was still stuck on last night’s kisses and him carrying her to the bedroom.

“I’d like that.”

“I’ll get it. Help yourself to what you want for breakfast. There’s bread for toast, or cereal, and fresh eggs. Or smoothies. I keep stuff on hand for shakes. It’s what I normally eat, though today I felt like cereal.”

He was quite the conversationalist in the morning, she thought, accepting the mug of coffee he handed over, fixed the way she liked—how had he remembered that?

“You look nice today,” he added, touching her arm on his way past her with his cereal bowl. Instead of eating at the dining room table, he perched on a bar stool at a high counter. It was far more comfortable than the huge table and formal setting.

She stuck her head in the refrigerator so he wouldn’t see her blush. “Thanks. And there are berries! Excellent.”

She turned around and saw Jeremy’s eyes flit up to her face. He’d been staring at her backside as she looked in the fridge.

“Sorry,” he said, without sounding too sorry at all. “I got distracted by your butt.”

Her lips twitched. “You really don’t beat around the bush, do you?”

“I try not to.”

“Well, then, stop looking at my butt and tell me what’s on the agenda today.”

She sat next to him on a high stool and arranged berries and melon on a plate. Took a sip of coffee and put the mug down, tried to pretend this was as normal as could be.

“Well, I thought you might like to do some shopping.”

“You don’t have to buy me things, you know. I have clothes.”

“Sure, but how often do you get to shop on Fifth Avenue? Come on, surely there are stores you’d like to go into. Besides, you actually need a few things. Like a coat. Your regular winter one is getting snug already. You’re not going to make it through to March or April and still be able to zip it up.”

He was right about the coat; she’d already realized it. “Well, I can get one back home.”

“And you can get one here. Let me spoil you a little. Besides, I need a new tie.”

“Sure you do.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “So, I probably don’t. But I can’t in all conscience bring you here for a week and not take you shopping. We can walk. And this afternoon I have a surprise for you.”

She paused, a piece of honeydew on her fork. “What kind of a surprise?”

“Nope. Not going to get it out of me that easily.”

“I don’t know, Jeremy. This makes me uncomfortable. I can’t ever possibly pay you back.”

He frowned. “Why would I want you to do that? Look, Tori. I have more money than I know what to do with, frankly, and rarely have anyone to spend it on. This is a treat for me to do this for you, okay? A gift, nothing more.”

“Well, I can’t reciprocate, either.”