Australian Affairs: Taken: Taken Over by the Billionaire / An Unlikely Bride for the Billionaire / Hired by the Brooding Billionaire

‘Okay. Well, for starters there’s its name. “Fab Fashions” implies it caters for the young where in fact most of the stock in Fab Fashions is targeted towards the more mature woman. Either change the name or change the stock. I would suggest change the name; there are enough clothes around for teenagers.

‘Then you should change your buyers. Get people in who aren’t just buying to price. Someone who knows what’s in fashion and what is comfortable to wear. The more mature lady wants comfort as well as style. Also, it might be a good idea to stock more of the most common sizes instead of just buying across the board. Most women over forty are not size eight! And of course you should have an online store too. To fall behind the times is stupid.’

Ben was surprised and impressed. All her suggestions made sense. They might even work. ‘You really know your stuff, don’t you?’

‘I told you…fashion is a genuine passion with me. On top of that, I hate to think of all those people losing their jobs. If every owner shut their stores during a down-turn in the economy, the country would go to the wall. Surely it’s not always about profit, is it, Ben? I mean…everyone has to take the bad times with the good, especially big companies like yours.’

‘It’s not always quite as simple as that, Jess.’

She bristled. ‘I knew you’d say that.’

‘I didn’t say I wasn’t prepared to do what you suggested. What say we have a think over the weekend and see if we can find a fab new name which would lend itself to a successful marketing campaign?’

Jess’s frown was instant. ‘But we don’t have any spare time this weekend. You have to go to a stag party tonight and the wedding’s tomorrow. I suppose we could talk on the drive home.’

‘We could,’ he said. ‘But when I’m excited about something, I like to get straight to it,’ he added with considerable irony and another tweak to his conscience. ‘How about I give Andy a ring and organise for you to stay at the winery over the weekend instead of some motel in Mudgee? They have a small cottage on the property away from the main house which is very comfy. We could stay there together.’

‘Together!’

‘There’s two bedrooms, Jess. Of course, there won’t be much time for talking tonight, since I’ll be at Andy’s bachelor party. But the wedding’s not till four the next afternoon. That should give us plenty of time to talk. And, speaking of the wedding, I’m sure I could wangle you an invitation.’ If she didn’t have a suitable dress, he would take her into Mudgee and buy her one.

Wariness warred with temptation in her eyes. ‘Won’t Andy think it odd, you asking him to invite a virtual stranger to his wedding?’

‘But you’re not a stranger, Jess. I already know more about you than most of my past girlfriends. On top of that, we’re now business colleagues. I’ll tell Andy you’re a marketing consultant I’ve hired to help me with Fab Fashions and who kindly offered to drive me up here after I had that unfortunate car accident. There’s no need to mention anything about you working for a hire car company, is there?’

Jess shook her head. Did he honestly think she didn’t know what he was doing? She wasn’t a fool. But there was simply no saying no to him.

‘You do like to take over, Ben, don’t you?’

His smile was both charming and sexy at the same time. ‘What can I say? People tell me I’m bossy and controlling.’

Jess laughed. He was a clever devil. But totally irresistible.

‘I’m sure Andy’s folks will still think it odd, you asking for us to stay together in that cottage.’

‘In that case, I’ll say we’re dating.’

‘But we’re not!’

‘We will be, come Sunday. I have every intention of asking you out once we get back to the coast.’

‘I might say no.’

‘Will you?’

‘No.’

He grinned at her. ‘Great. No problems, then. I’ll tell Andy you’re my new girlfriend.’

Jess sighed. ‘You are incorrigible.’

‘I’m smitten, that’s what I am.’

She just stared at him. She was the one who was smitten. He just wanted to get into her pants.

‘I think you should know in advance, Ben, that I don’t sleep with a guy on a first date.’ Or she hadn’t, till he’d come along.

There was that hint of a smile again. ‘Who said anything about sleeping?’

‘Very funny. You know what I mean.’

‘Yes, of course I do. Let me assure you, Jess, that I would always be respectful of your wishes.’

Mmm…meaning he was very confident that he could seduce her in no time flat. Which he could, of course. But she had to make some kind of stand. Her pride demanded it.

‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Just so you understand my feelings in advance. I don’t want to have to fight you off at the end of the night.’

‘I appreciate you being straight with me, Jess. I admire honesty.’

Oh, dear. She hoped she didn’t look too guilty. Because of course she was probably going to sleep with him. How could she possibly say no? He was the sexiest man she’d ever met.

‘Soon as I finish this coffee, I’ll ring Andy,’ Ben said, looking very pleased with himself.

He made the call out of earshot, walking around the garden as he talked. Jess wondered what he was telling his friend. She hated to think it was one of those ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say no more’ conversations where Ben and his best friend were becoming co-conspirators in her supposed seduction. She would hate that. Still, Andy had already to know that Ben hadn’t been out here in Australia for long. So how could she possibly be a proper girlfriend? She was just someone he’d met and fancied, but who would be quickly forgotten once he flew back to America.

Now that she was thinking straight, Jess also doubted Ben would really do anything about Fab Fashions. His interest in her ideas was just a ploy to keep her sweet. It also crossed Jess’s mind as she watched Ben chatting away to his friend that she wouldn’t be the first girl he’d installed in that cottage for the weekend. He was the sort of guy who would always have a willing girl on his arm. And in his bed. Jess would just be one in a long line of conquests.

She didn’t like that thought, or the other thoughts she’d been having since he’d left her at the table.

Feeling decidedly disgruntled, Jess stood up, thanked the lady who ran the café and marched back to her four-wheel drive.

CHAPTER EIGHT

AFTER BEN FINISHED his call to Andy, he went back to the table on the veranda, only to find it empty. He glanced around and saw that she was out by the SUV, standing with her arms crossed and her face not at all happy. Ben wondered what had gone wrong during the last ten minutes. And there he’d been, thinking all his plans for the weekend were on track. Andy had accepted his entire story about Jess and agreed to put them both in the cottage. He’d also said there would be no problem with her coming to the wedding tomorrow.

Her body language worsened as he walked towards her, her manicured but unvarnished fingertips digging into the sleeves of her floral jacket.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked straight away.

Her mouth tightened. ‘I don’t like lies, that’s what’s wrong! I’m not your girlfriend, Ben. Not really. Not yet, anyway. Why, you haven’t even kissed me yet!’

Jess could not believe she’d just said that. It sounded dreadful, like she was asking him to kiss her.

‘Well, that can be easily fixed,’ he returned, his eyes dropping to her mouth as he reached out and took firm possession of her shoulders.

Oh, Lord, she thought as panic set in.

He didn’t rush anything; her arms dropped to her sides long before he actually kissed her. He gathered her against him very slowly, his eyes holding hers captive as easily as he was holding her body. The descent of his head was just as slow, Jess’s heart pounding against her ribs by the time his lips made contact with hers. Even then, he didn’t kiss her properly, just brushed his mouth over hers. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally, her tingling lips gasped apart, desperate for more.

But he denied her desire. And, in doing so, deepened it. She moaned when his head lifted, her eyes glazed as they stared up at him.

‘Will that do for now to raise your status to girlfriend?’ he said, shocking her with his cool manner. She was on fire inside. Yet he seemed totally unmoved.

‘Like I said, lovely Jess,’ he went on, ‘I’m smitten with you. Seriously smitten. I’m already planning on extending my stay here in Australia to spend more time with you. And, since you don’t like lies, let me say right here and now that I doubt very much if I can fix Fab Fashions, even with your very excellent ideas.’

He was a wicked devil, she decided shakily, using honesty now to seduce her.

‘But I’m willing to give it a try,’ he added, ‘if it makes you happy.’

What to say to that? She could hardly admit that Fab Fashions wasn’t high on her personal agenda right at this moment. All she could think about was being with this man.

At the same time, she didn’t want Ben thinking he could play her for a fool.

Pulling herself together, Jess did her best to imitate his controlled demeanour.

‘It would be nice to try to turn things around,’ she said. ‘So, yes, it would make me very happy.’

‘Good. And, whilst I’m in the mood for confession,’ he went on, ‘my reason for organising for us to stay together at the cottage was something far more…intimate.’

Ben was watching her eyes closely and decided she wasn’t upset by his admission. Just the opposite, in fact. There was a glittering of dark excitement in their gorgeous depths. She was trying to act cool with him but her eyes gave her away. Besides, he’d felt her tremble in his arms just now. And that frustrated moan of hers had been very telling. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He hadn’t dared deepen that kiss for fear of losing it himself. Jess really did have a powerful effect on him. Much more than Amber ever had.

‘Not tonight, unfortunately,’ he said with true regret, ‘Since I’ll be otherwise occupied. But I thought by tomorrow night, after the wedding, I’d be in with a chance.’

‘Did you now?’ Jess threw at him, desperate to find some composure, not to mention her pride.

His beautiful blue eyes glittered with amusement, not to mention supreme confidence. ‘Let’s just say I was hopeful.’

‘You’ll need to improve your kissing technique.’

‘Really? And there I was, thinking you’d enjoyed being teased.’

Jess shook her head in defeat. He was just too clever for her. And way too knowing. ‘You are incorrigible.’

‘And you’re irresistible.’

Jess said nothing to that, but her mind kept ticking over. Oh yes, he was a wicked devil all right, with all the right words and all the right moves. She wondered how many women he’d had in his life.

Lots, she supposed.

And she would be just one more.

Not the happiest of thoughts.

‘I think we should get going now,’ she said abruptly. It was almost ten; it had taken them longer to get to Denman than she’d estimated.

‘Good idea,’ he said.

They climbed in and belted up, both of them reaching for their sunglasses at the same time, Jess careful not to look over at him lest she give away even more of her vulnerability to this man. She hated Ben thinking he was onto a sure thing tomorrow night. Though, of course he was. No point in denying it to herself. But that didn’t mean she had to act like some gushing nincompoop who was overwhelmed by his attentions.

‘I thought we’d stop at Cassilis for lunch,’ she said matter-of-factly as she started the engine. ‘Sandy Hollow is the next town but it’s too close. After that, it’s straight to your friend’s place.’

‘Sounds like a good plan.’

‘We should easily arrive by mid-afternoon, depending on how long you want to stop for lunch.’

‘I guess that would depend on how quickly we get served.’

* * *

Very quickly, as it turned out. They settled on a pub lunch, eaten out in the very pleasant beer garden. Jess ordered just the one glass of white wine with her steak and salad, since she was driving, whilst Ben decided on a schooner of beer with his. But they ate slowly and talked a lot. And, whilst the conversation was very superficial, all the while Jess was aware of a dangerous excitement growing deep inside her. Every time she looked at Ben a sexual image jumped into her head. When he forked some food into his mouth, she found herself staring at that mouth and thinking of how it would feel kissing, not her mouth so much, but other more intimate parts of her body. His hands brought similar sexy images. They were rather elegant hands. Well-manicured with long fingers and rounded tips. Jess imagined them doing darkly delicious things to her.

Her bottom tightened with shock at her thoughts, for Jess was not that sort of girl. Or so she’d imagined up till now. Her boyfriends so far had been rather lacking in imagination when it came to foreplay, which was perhaps why she hadn’t come every time. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed herself. She liked male bodies, especially well-built ones. Sex with Colin had been somewhat better, perhaps because he liked her being on top. Which she liked too. Perhaps because of that controlling nature of hers, or because she always came that way.

Jess glanced over at Ben and wondered again how many women he’d had in his life. Which sent Amber into her mind.

Jess wished Ben had already broken up with her. She wanted to tell him to ring her and do it, right now! But she didn’t have the courage—or the gall—to say so. It would be a waste of time, anyway. For what would it matter in the end? The cold, hard truth was that eventually he would leave her and go back to America anyway. He didn’t want marriage. She was just a girl he’d met out here whom he fancied and whom he meant to have.

A part of Jess was flattered by his determined passion for her. But she didn’t deceive herself into thinking this would ever be a serious romance. They were just ships passing in the night. She decided—perhaps in protection of her fluttering female heart—that she would think of him as an experience. An adventure. Possibly even an education. For Jess knew, as surely as she knew the house wine she was drinking was rubbish, that sex with Ben would be unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

Falling for a man like Ben, however, would be a stupid thing to do. Very stupid.

‘You’ve gone quiet on me,’ Ben said.

Jess perked up immediately. She didn’t want Ben to think she was worried about anything. Which she was, somewhat. But forewarned was forearmed. Now that she’d decided to go down this road, she was determined to do so in a positive state of mind. There were worse things that could happen to a girl than an affair with the handsome son of a billionaire. Not that Ben’s having money mattered to her. Jess had never been overly impressed by wealthy people. They never seemed all that happy, for one thing. But Ben’s privileged background had given him a confidence and polish which was very attractive.

‘I was thinking I should ring Mum soon,’ she said with a quick smile. ‘And reassure her that I’m still alive.’

‘What? Surely she wasn’t worried about you driving? You’re an excellent driver.’

‘No. Mum has every faith in my driving abilities. She was worried that you might be a serial killer.’

The shock on his face was classic.

‘I assured her that you weren’t. You were just a rich businessman with not an ounce of intelligence to save your soul.’

He pretended to look offended. ‘You do have a sharp tongue, don’t you?’

His eyes narrowed as men did when they were challenged. ‘I’m actually quite intelligent.’

‘I’ve yet to see evidence of that fact.’ Lord, but she was actually loving this. She’d never sparred verbally with Colin, or any of her other boyfriends. She’d never flirted like this either. But it was such fun.

‘I’ll have you know that I was dux of my school.’

‘Yes, but that’s just school smart, Ben, which is a lot different from street smart. How can you possibly be street smart when you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth?’ It was a lovely mouth, though. The more she studied it, the more she liked it. His bottom lip was full and sensual, whilst his top lip was thinner and harder. She suspected Ben could be stubborn as well as arrogant. Maybe even a little ruthless. But there was something decidedly sexy about a man being ruthless. You wouldn’t want to marry a ruthless man, but having an affair with him was a different matter entirely.

‘Keep that up and your mother might have something to worry about,’ he quipped, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling with good humour. ‘Women have been strangled for less.’

She smiled, and was still smiling when they left the hotel and set off again. It wasn’t till they were well down the road to Mudgee that she realised she hadn’t rung her mother.

‘Is this the road Andy lives on?’ she asked.

‘Yes, I’m sure it is.’

‘Are we nearly there yet?’

‘I think so. It’s been a while since I’ve been up here but I’ll recognise the place once I see it.’

‘In that case I’d like to stop for a sec and make that phone call to Mum,’ she said, pulling off the road and parking under the shade of a tree.

Her mother answered on the second ring.

‘Jess?’

‘Yes, Mum.’

‘Are you okay? Are you there yet?’

‘Yes, Mum, I’m almost there and I’m fine. Mr De Silva wasn’t a serial killer after all,’ she added, at which Ben shook his head at her. ‘He’s really quite nice,’ she added, and pulled a face at him.

He smiled a crooked smile.

‘That’s a relief. A girl can’t be too careful, you know.’

‘Mr De Silva’s friend lives at a winery along this road. After I drop him off, I’ll head into Mudgee and book into a motel. Look, I’d better go. I’ll give you another call later tonight. Bye for now. Love you.’

‘Why didn’t you tell her you were staying at the winery?’ Ben asked as she gunned the engine and pulled out onto the road. ‘I thought you didn’t like lies.’

‘Don’t be silly, Ben. She’s my mother. All girls lie to their mothers. We do it to protect them from worry.’

He laughed. ‘That’s a good one. But I suppose it would be a bit hard to explain.’

‘Very. Now, how far along this road is Valleyview Winery?’

‘Not too far now. I recognise that place over there. I’m sure it’s just along here on the left. Yes, there it is now.’ And he pointed high up to the left.

Her eyes followed the direction of his finger, landing on an impressive federation-style homestead built on the crest of a hill so that its wraparound verandas could take advantage of the valley views.

‘The driveway is not far now,’ Ben added. ‘Yes, there it is.’

Jess slowed, then turned into the driveway, passing through widely set stone gateposts, one of which doubled as a post box, the other having the name ‘Valleyview Winery’ carved into the stone and painted black so that it stood out. The driveway was relatively straight and nicely tarred, bisecting gently sloping paddocks which held rows and rows of grapevines.

‘So, does this place belong to Andy or his parents?’ she asked, Jess only then realising they hadn’t really talked about Andy, or the upcoming wedding, at all. They’d been totally taken up with each other.

‘His parents. And the house is actually not as old as it looks. His folks built it while we were at boarding school together. His dad was a stock broker in Sydney but made enough money to retire early, so he decided to indulge his hobby and start up a winery.’

Jess suppressed a sigh. She should have known Ben’s best friend would be rich.

‘And what does Andy do?’

‘He’s now the official wine-maker here. He did law like me when he first left school, but decided after we graduated that it wasn’t for him, so he went to France and studied wine-making with the masters. Then he came back and took over. Till then his dad hired a professional wine-maker. Apparently, it’s not an art you can learn from a how-to book.’

‘I dare say.’

As they drew near to the house, three people emerged onto the front veranda. Two men and a woman. Jess presumed it was Andy and his parents. The younger of the two men separated himself from the others and hurried down some side steps which led to a large tarred area at the side of the house where she was about to park.

‘This do?’ she asked Ben as she pulled to halt.

‘Perfect,’ he said, already unclicking his seat belt. In no time he was out and hugging his best friend with a big bear-hug.

Andy wasn’t as tall as Ben, she noted as she climbed out from behind the wheel, but he was nice looking, with dark hair, brown eyes and even features.

‘Long time no see, bro,’ Andy said, finally disengaging from the hug.

Ben shrugged. ‘Been busy in the Big Apple.’

‘You know what they say, mate, about all work and no play. Still, you’re in Australia now, the land down under where the weather is hot and so are the girls. Speaking of hot girls, I presume this is Jess,’ he added, giving her the once-over with appreciative eyes.

‘How intuitive of you,’ Ben mocked. ‘Jess, this smart Alec is Andy.’

‘Hi, there, Jess,’ he said, and came forward to give her a peck on the cheek. ‘Lovely to meet you.’

‘Are you sure it’s all right for me to stay here?’ she said in reply. ‘I wouldn’t like to put your mother to any extra trouble.’

‘No, no, she’s fine with it. The cottage is always ready for guests and Mum’s very easy going. Come inside and have some afternoon tea. And some of Mum’s blueberry muffins—the ones you like, Ben. You know, Jess, I’m not sure what it is about Ben here, but women fuss over him like mad.’

‘Search me,’ she returned with a straight face. ‘It’s not as though he’s handsome or charming or anything like that.’

Andy stared at her for a second, then laughed a big belly laugh. ‘Oh, that’s priceless. You can keep this one, Ben, if you like.’

‘I do like,’ Ben whispered in her ear as he slipped a possessive arm around her waist and steered her towards the house.

But, even as she quivered inside with delicious pleasure at his touch, Jess knew Ben had no intention of keeping her. They would be together whilst he was here. And then he would go back to America and it would all be over.

CHAPTER NINE

ANDY’S PARENTS WERE as lovely as their home. Jess had been half-expecting that they would be snobbish, since they were wealthy and owned a winery. But they were anything but. Whilst obviously well-educated and well-spoken, both of them were very down to earth and welcoming, insisting immediately upon introduction that she call them Glen and Heather.

Afternoon tea had been set up in the main living room which had French doors leading out onto the veranda. Heather explained that it was a little too breezy today to have it out there, a wind having sprung up seemingly out of nowhere.

Jess had just finished her cup of tea and was popping a second delicious mini muffin into her mouth when a nearby phone rang. Not the ring tone of a mobile. The unmistakable sound of a landline.

‘Do excuse me,’ Heather said, moving over to a long sofa table which rested against the wall and on which sat a phone, along with some very nice pieces of pottery.

Jess tried not to listen but it was impossible once she heard Heather make a sound which was halfway between a gasp and a groan.

‘Oh, my dear, that’s most unfortunate,’ she said to whoever she was talking to. ‘So what are you going to do? Yes, yes, I’ll get Andy for you right away.’

Andy’s attention must already have been grabbed because he jumped up immediately and rushed to take the phone from his mother. It didn’t take Einstein to realise he was talking to his fiancée and that something had gone wrong. Heather, thank God, quickly enlightened the rest of them.

‘Catherine’s matron of honour has been rushed to hospital with a threatened miscarriage. Anyway, she’s okay, but she has to stay in bed for at least a week and can’t be at the wedding tomorrow. She’s naturally very upset. Catherine is too. I suppose she’ll just have to move the other bridesmaid up to be opposite you, Ben. It means it will be a very small bridal party, but what else can she do?’