Page 60 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

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Siri

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As he swings the door wide, I see luxury on a level that shouts billionaire.

The foyer floor and stairs leading up to the second level are Italian marble, and the banister that curves so graciously down is Italian hand-carved wood.

I'm reminded immediately of two places: the Swinger's house and the Bear Cave in Rome.

Aurei squeezes me as he carries me over the threshold, and I look up into the face of My Golden God. His eyes pierce that place deep inside me, and the wildness swirls with happiness. My heart and breath join it when he says to me. "Mrs. Moore, this is our home."

I tear my eyes away from his face to look around when he starts walking through the house.

Everywhere is class, elegance, and luxury with an interesting mix of old and new.

The house is well lit with natural sunlight illuminating from skylights and windows strategically placed around the ceiling.

When he reaches the rear of the house, the glass doors automatically slide inside the wall, and he strolls with me out onto a huge patio with a pool, a small kitchen with a complete bar, and a back yard manicured to perfection with a carpet of green grass sloping down the hillside.

But the view! The view of Red Rock Canyon as the sun sets is truly magnificent! "Wow!"

Aurei chuckles that soft inner sound I can only hear when he's holding me. "Magnificent, isn't it?"

"Truly," I agree. "It looks like a ball of fire dropping.

" I feel his eyes on my face, but I can't tear my eyes away from the sinking sun.

I feel him kiss the top of my head; then he watches it too.

When the last rays of light have left the sky, he turns away and takes a step toward the patio.

Instantly LED lights illuminate the grounds, and when we walk by the pool, it is a deep shade of emerald green.

"The pool is the color of your eyes." I muse out loud.

He stops and looks at it. "Hmm. Never thought about it, but I guess you're right. It is."

"Can we take a dip?"

"I'm hungry." His eyes twinkle. He lifts me and throws my body weight against his chest, making me bounce in his arms, repositioning me.

I put my hand on his shoulder, and my eyes notice a rooftop nestled in the trees that line the rear of the property.

I open my mouth to mention it when he says.

"First, we will eat, then I will give you your wedding gift. "

"Wedding gift? You mean it wasn't the house?"

He laughs as he strolls through the automatic glass doors back inside. "No'p'e." He curls his lips inside his mouth and pops them out to make a popping sound. I take a breath, but before I can respond, he says. "Shush. No questions. You know I'm not going to tell you."

I pooch my lips out and study his handsome face trying to hold my tongue. "But it's so hard." I finally admit.

He laughs out loud and leans down to give me a peck. The highlights in his blonde hair shine, and as I close my eyes, I realize motion sensor lights are illuminating the interior as we enter each room.

"How long have you owned this house?"

"A few years. I started renovations on it then and just completed them."

"So, is it safe to assume that since you've been working on the apartment in Rome, the farmhouse in Alabama, and this house here in Vegas that you have a remodeling project wherever you live? And if that's the case, then do you have a remodeling fetish, or is this some sort of therapy for you?"

He smiles and looks around, "Hmm. Both. Would you like a quick tour?"

"Absofuckinglutely! What kind of question is that?"

He sets me down, bends over, and offers his back. "Bareback. It'll be quicker."

I jump on, wrap my legs around him, and put my face next to his ear.

I kiss his neck as he stands and starts up the stairs.

"We'll start at the top." He takes two at a time and goes up to the third floor.

He steps through the double doors into an open bay area.

The only furnishings are a couple of couches and overstuffed chairs.

One whole wall is lined with books, the other has a theater screen-sized TV, and the back wall consists of curtains.

"This is the media room." He quickly swings around to head back down, and I ask.

"Windows behind the curtains?"

"No. They are for sound proofing only."

"Is there a balcony?"

"Not on this floor." He goes back down and stops on the second floor. When we enter the foyer, he says. "Not as swank as the Bear Cave, but it works." He walks around the living area, the bedroom, the dressing room, and the bath.

Again, I see the luxury that shouts billionaire from the marble floor, the plush rugs, to the hand-carved wood trim on the doors and the wall of windows, to the plush bedding and the leather furnishings.

"You have excellent taste, Aurei. This is exquisite.

The colors and hues blend and bend the light. "

"I'm glad you like it. The balcony is here.

" He walks across the room, and I realize there are glass doors too in the wall of windows.

He pulls one open, and the fresh air hits us as he walks outside.

The balcony runs the length of the suite and spans a width large enough to hold a hot tub.

There are potted trees and plants that offer shade, along with lounge chairs and a minibar.

The floor and walls are tile, and the banister is a simple, clean design of diamond shapes with gemstones.

"The view of Red Rock Canyon is superb in the daytime, and you can see the golf course too over there.

" He points to an area where there are lights to the right.

"But the best part is the stars. Look up, Wild Thang. "

I look up and tell him. "This is more than exquisite!" The stars are like a million tiny lights on a dark blue, almost black, backdrop.

"I bought this house for the views."

"You did good!"

He turns to go back in, and I see the light coming from the area where I saw the rooftop before. "Is there another house on the property?"

"Oh yeah. There's a guesthouse. Maria lives there."

"Maria? Who is Maria?" I ask and pull up to see his face.

He smirks. "She's my house sitter. You'll meet her later. No questions now. Be a quiet kitten."

His tone is light, but his words firm, so I drop it. "Curiosity won't kill this kitten."

He chuckles and heads back down the stairs.

On the bottom floor, he opens a door and points inside.

"This goes to the garage." He continues giving me a tour via opening doors and telling me where they go.

I ask him questions, and he answers them all, going into the details of what the house was like before and how he's changed it.

In the kitchen, he sets me down on the barstool and opens the refrigerator.

He takes a container out and pops the top.

Moving his nose over the length of it, he inhales a deep breath and says.

"Ah! My favorite." Then goes to the cabinets for the dinnerware.

The aroma hits me too, and my stomach growls. "Mmm. Smells yummy! Who's your chef?"

"Maria." He says as he takes a knife and cuts a healthy portion of the homemade enchiladas, then scoops it up and places it on a plate.

Umhmmm. Maria. "If that's mine, that's too much."

"Nonsense." He laughs as he scoops up a huge portion and puts on another plate. "It's our honeymoon, and we're going to need our stamina tonight." He grins at me, and his eyes twinkle. "You're going love your wedding gift."

"Now, who's the naughty tease?"

He chuckles as he puts them in the microwave to heat. "I learned from the best."

I laugh with him, watching him move around the kitchen, set the table, and find a bottle of Sangiovese wine.

He pours us both a glass, and we sit to eat and enjoy our first meal as husband and wife.

He asks about my condo, and I tell him how I designed it to fit my personality and my needs for privacy and workouts.

Occasionally he grins and nods. I can see a mischievous twinkle in his eye, but I don't remark on it.

I just keep talking about my other passion: architecture and design.

I ask him questions about the farmhouse renovations too and discover he is remodeling an old farmhouse from the last century. He is evasive, and I don't push it.

When we are finished, I take the dishes and load them into the dishwasher while he takes a couple of phone calls. He paces around the kitchen, speaking Italian, then I hear, "Ciao." And his arms snake around me from behind. "Ready for your wedding gift?"

I twist to look in his eyes. "Aurei, I feel bad. I didn't have time to get you anything."

He kisses my nose. "I didn't have time either."

I frown and tilt my head.

He chuckles and scoops me up. He explains as he walks through the house again.

"This is something I intended to give you from the moment I first saw you dance and knew I was going to make you mine.

I'm calling it your wedding present just because our first night spent here will be our wedding night. "

"Oh!" I answer, confused. "Now I'm really curious."

He stops at a double-door area on the east side of the house.

He puts me down and opens the door. "This is the East Wing.

" As we leave the original house and enter the new section, I'm surprised by the expanse of it.

"Obviously, not all of this is the wedding gift.

" He tells me as he cinches our hands and walks me through the rooms.