Page 12 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

I grip the back of the railing and hunch my shoulders, so my tits aren't pushed forward.

"I do have advice. #1. Know that reporters are sharks.

Never trust them! Never! #2. You have to control their story.

Always have one ready to feed them because if you don't, they will make shit up, and you won't like it.

The last thing you want is a feeding frenzy which is what it sounds like I stirred up when I blew them a kiss, but I didn't know about the rumor.

You'll have to clean up my mess." I cut my eyes at him, and he laughs.

"#3. Make Maximus a hero in their eyes. The world needs more real-life heroes. It won't be hard because he truly is."

"How do you propose I do that?"

"Give them a Tony Stark." I grin at him, then crinkle my nose. "They will eat it up!"

"Tony Stark? Ironman?" His surprise is evident.

I laugh. "Tony's a playboy who plays by his own rules and isn't bossed around by public opinion or them.

He's his own man. He does what he thinks is right, and it usually is.

He's also wealthy, and he makes a difference in the world for good.

The Hero." I look at him to see if he gets it.

His perfect lips are puckered while he thinks about this.

They are as kissable as Aurei's. I look back at the door.

"If you give them a hero, they will love and revere Maximus.

#4. Manage his image, but don't manage his life.

Don't offer advice or pass judgment on his choices.

They need to be his. Good or bad. It's his life to live.

Who he fucks and who he has by his side isn't the story.

" I look back at him, and we smile at each other.

"But...." I wink at him and whisper. "Tony Stark truly loves Pepper. "

"I see where you went with that." He grins. "Anything else?"

"Lastly, #5. Shift their focus. Give them a nugget of news.

" My eyes twinkle. "Introduce yourself as his publicist before the celebration.

Flirt with them. Tease them. Make them love you too.

" I stare back at the door. "Then take charge of the narrative.

Remind them the story is about their invitation and the mystery of the announcement.

Not me. That's a dead-end story. Let them know that's what you expect, and if it's not what you get, there will be hell to pay in access to you and therefore access to Maximus in the future.

" I look him in the eye again. "That's about all I can think of right now. "

He smirks and blows his breath through his nose, then shakes his head. He looks over his shoulder at the sky and stands to leave. "Since your pool is closed, I'm going to head back up to the house before the rain starts again and the thunder wakes Maximus."

I walk him to the steps, and he holds his hand out for me to shake. For some reason, I think of TD trying to touch me with a handshake after I told him Rule #1 was not touching. I smirk at it, then take it. His smile tells me he knows I just trusted him.

"It's been a pleasure to touch you, Seary, the Stripper."

"Siri Wright," I chuckle. "Quintus Liotine, it was nice to meet you."

He holds my hand, and his thumb strokes it. "I better go."

His skin is warm and feels good against mine. "Yep, neither of us want to explain this meeting to the bear inside the cave."

He drops his head and laughs. When he looks back up, he says.

"It's a damn shame I didn't fuck you first." He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses it tenderly, then he lifts my chin with it and steps up to stare into my eyes.

"It's a damn shame!" Then he takes a step back and says, "I can hear you calling me Daddy.

" He winks a killer wink. Then he bounds down the stairs and out into the yard.

My fingers play with my choker as I watch his fine ass strut away. Damn! He's a Daddy Dom. When he's halfway across the yard, he stops and turns a beautiful smile on me. I see the striking family resemblance now. "Don't mention I was here."

"Don't worry. I won't!"

He takes a few more steps, then turns again. "Maximus chose wisely."

I smile at him, and he turns away. He takes a few more steps, and I call to him. "Hey, Quintus." He turns to look at me, laughing at our farewell, and a gust of wind blows his beautiful black curls. "You're gonna kill it!"

He puts his hand to his forehead and gives me a salute, then walks around the corner to the garage. I hear a rumble, then the garage door rising, and I watch his badass speed away on a Harley. I chuckle, "A biker! I love it!"

I sink into one of the chairs on the porch and think about our complicated situation and the fact that it just got even more so with the news that Zita is handing over the reins to Aurei.

What will his new job as CEO of the Liotine Oil Industry entail?

We will just have to take our relationship step by step.

I'm glad he hired Quintus, though. He is fully capable of dealing with the media sharks, and I know they will love him too, hungering and hanging on his every charming word.

He is a fucking badass hottie! And even though I told Quintus I wasn't the story, I know I will always be the story lurking beneath the story.

The press will always be watching for me to fuck up, but I'm a badass hottie, too, and I know how the game is played. I chuckle. I got this.

I take a deep breath, put my arms up in the air, and stretch.

Then a big yawn takes over. I see My Fucking Golden God laying in the bed snuggling with his Titty Bare.

Naptime. Gathering his pants from the porch railing, I go back inside.

I slip quietly into the bedroom and gently close the door.

Listening, I hear Aurei's soft snores are still coming from the bed.

I tiptoe back to the dressing room, take a hanger off the rack for his jeans, then take them to the bathroom and hang them up to dry.

I return to the dressing bench and fold all our clothes, then take his shirt off and stack it neatly on top.

I stop at one of the mirrors to give my body my habitual visual exam, checking for any little thing a dancer would consider a flaw.

I smile when I see my collar. I know that I will never be unfaithful to Aurei.

He's my hero on so many levels. I leave the sitting room and walk to the bed confident and complete again in our Us.

When I look down on Aurei's angelic self, I realize that I've not examined him up close and extremely personal. I want to know every freckle, mole, and birthmark you have, Mr. Moore. I want to know your body as well as I know my own. Let's see what perfect perfection you are.

Picking up his massive arms, I slowly remove Titty Bare from his grasp. When she slides free, I drop her over the edge of the bed and crawl back on my all fours to start my treasure hunt. He is snoring with a rhythm that says he is out cold.

I low crawl down to his feet to start there.

I sit Indian style and pick up one foot first, then the other, and examine them.

His toes are proportional, evenly spaced, and curved down from big to small geometrically.

His ankles are sharp and well-defined. Strong bone structure.

His feet are ... I giggle at the simple word that comes to mind .

.. normal. HA! They are not normal. They are perfectly proportioned!

Come to think of it. I lean over and look at his entire body with an artist/architect's eye.

His body reflects the golden ratio! And his golden ratio pleases me aesthetically!

I snicker, having to bite my bottom lip to keep quiet.

He IS a Golden God! I look up at the door and smile. He is a Golden Bear!

I set his perfect foot down and scoot my ass to sit at his thighs.

His legs are beautiful, bulging beasts, with golden hair that curls and glistens.

I keep scooting up on the bed to his torso.

Ah! His golden torso! His dick lays limp against his hip, and his scrotum is relaxed.

I've seen it up close and already very personal, and there is nothing less than perfection here.

I'm tempted to lick him lengthwise, but he is sleeping so soundly I truly hate to wake him.

There will be plenty of time for licks later.

What's that? I lean down and look closely at his skin.

I notice a small scar on his hip flexor muscle on his right side.

It's less than an inch long. One. I count.

I get on my all fours again and continue my close examination.

Making sure I don't miss anything this small, I lean over him and put my nose inches off his skin again.

I almost face plant onto his flat stomach, and snickering hard, I lose it while I recover my balance.

Hey, there's a couple more. Curious now, I begin to look for these small scars that look more like nicks from a knife than an accidental injury.

None are large enough to be noticeable without a close-up inspection, and none look anything more than a single slice from a sharp blade.

By the time I examine his right arm for them, I'm convinced they are battle scars.

There are multiples on his right upper arm.

I crawl around to his left side to search for them there.

I find a larger one on the left side of his waist, but that's the only one on that side.