Page 153 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

Seduction

Fall 2018

James & Penny’s Story – Book 5

Seduction - Chapter 1

Tuesday

James would be home any minute. I’d spent all day cooking a homemade meal for my husband. Yes, I could have just asked our housekeeper, Ellen, to prepare something. Her cooking was better than mine. But it was the thought that counted. I even set the dining room table, which we rarely ever used. We tended to eat at the kitchen island together most nights. But tonight was a special occasion. I lit the last candle and stepped back. It was perfect.

The last few weeks James had been busy getting ready for his first day back teaching. He’d gotten a job at a university in the city. Today was his first day and I just wanted to show him how happy I was for him. For taking this big step. For doing what he loved again.

“He’s going to be excited, isn’t he?” I said and put my hand on my stomach. I had a very tiny baby bump. And ever since I’d started showing I’d been talking to him. No, I didn’t know if it was a boy. But James’ brother, Rob, talked about it being a boy so much that I believed him. Rob could be very persuasive. Besides, I loved the idea of having a little James running around.

My phone buzzed and I hurried back into the kitchen. I picked it up off the kitchen counter to see Ian’s text: “We just parked. He’s on his way up. Have a fun night!”

I texted our driver back: “Thank you so much, Ian.” I put my phone back down on the counter. Oh, I hoped James would like this surprise. I’d somehow managed to squeeze myself into theoutfit I’d worn the first day I’d met him. A pair of leggings and a tank top. I’m pretty sure the leggings were about to rip though and I was suddenly overthinking all of it. I wasn’t a 19-year-old college student anymore. My pregnant belly made the outfit look anything but sexy. Yes, it was a super small bump right now. I only just started showing. But every time I looked down I felt like I looked bigger. And now that I was thinking about it…this outfit had never looked sexy. I looked down at my red rain boots. What had Melissa constantly called them back in school? I was pretty sure the wordhideoushad been tossed around quite a few times.

But before I could kick them off, I heard the front door opening. I couldn’t help but smile. James was home. I ran into the foyer.

My smile grew when I saw that he’d pulled on a sweater over his button-up shirt. One of the sweaters he used to wear when he’d been my professor. I didn’t even know he still had those. It felt like we were completely in sync. Me wearing my leggings and rain boots and him wearing that sweater.

I wasn’t sure if he’d worn it all day or if this was just a treat for me. But I didn’t care either way. God, he was so freaking handsome. It was like I was transported back in time to the coffee shop when we first met. And for just a second I stared at him. Losing my words again like I had when we first met.

“Hey, baby,” he said, his eyes trailing down my body. “You look amazing.”

His words snapped me out of my trance. I wasn’t just some random student he’d just bumped into on the first day of classes. I washis. Forever and always. “Happy first day…” my stomach churned and I put my hand over my mouth.Shit.I ran to thedownstairs bathroom, dropped to my knees in front of the toilet, and threw up everything in my stomach. Which fortunately wasn’t very much.

I closed my eyes tight.Damn it.That was not the way I’d wanted to start tonight. I heard James walk into the bathroom. I hated when he saw me like this. I always told him to just leave me alone when I had morning sickness, but he swore he didn’t mind. How could he not mind? I unceremoniously spit once more into the toilet bowl. It was disgusting.

“They shouldn’t call it morning sickness if it’s not just in the morning,” I said and leaned my back against the vanity.

He sat down next to me on the bathroom floor, pulling me close so I could rest my head on his shoulder.

“I was trying to plan the perfect night and now I smell like vomit.”

“No. You don’t.” He kissed the side of my forehead.

It was a lie. But I didn’t even care. I was just glad he was here beside me. I was happy he was teaching again, but I’d missed him today. “It’s supposed to be over by now. Why won’t it stop?”

James kissed the side of my forehead again, rubbing his hand up and down my arm. “I’m sure it’ll be over soon.”

“I hate being pregnant.”

He laughed. “Yesterday you were just saying how much you loved being pregnant. You said you wanted a million babies.”

“I thought my morning sickness was over yesterday.”

He grabbed my hand, running his thumb along my palm. He always knew just how to calm me down. But now when he did this, it also somehow made my stomach settle. Like his hands were magical.

I looked up at him. “What I was trying to say earlier was happy first day of classes. How did it go?” I kept going when he didn’t respond immediately. “I really hope it went well. I missed you so much today. And I really like your sweater.”

He smiled. “You have a lot of pent-up energy, don’t you?”

“I’m used to hanging out with you all day.” We’d been home together for months. He’d been recovering from his surgeries and we’d agreed to stay home together, enjoying the start of my pregnancy. The time had flown by way too fast. “And even though Ellen was here for most of the day, she doesn’t want me to help with anything. She swatted my hand when I tried to fold laundry.” Not that it mattered. I was supposed to be writing, not hanging out with Ellen. But it was easier to write when my laptop was in the family room and my feet were propped up on James’ lap. His face was always good motivation.

“It’s only two classes this semester. And only two days a week. I’ll be home with you all day tomorrow.”