Page 46 of Hello Billionaire

I swallowed, his touch short-circuiting my brain. “I won’t.”

He stepped back as if composing himself and shook his head. “You’re incredible, Farrah.”

And those words shot straight to my heart, giving me a feeling both terrifying and exciting.

Butterflies.

18

Farrah

I was on such a high that the second he left the room, I did a happy dance, falling back onto the king-sized bed with a smile on my face.

I’d worked myself crazy trying to make this place everything Gage hoped it would be, and even though the rooms weren’t all completed, I felt a sense of satisfaction. A sense of purpose. Like this was all possible, because I’d made it possible.

I’d done it.

I’d left a cheating husband. Provided for three children. Found us a home that we enjoyed immensely. And now?

I needed to celebrate, like Gage said, and I knew just the way.

I kicked off my heels and walked to the bathroom, turning on the bathtub spigot. I slid my fingertips under the stream, feeling the water change temperature. When it heated, I plugged the tub and watched the water pool in the bottom for a moment before going to the minibar stand.

For aesthetic purposes, I’d gotten an expensive bottle of champagne and put it in the ice canister. It wasn’t cold, but that didn’t matter.

I unwrapped the gold foil over the cork and then pushed with my thumbs until a loud pop sounded and vapor fizzed from the top. Taking one of the champagne flutes, I poured myself a tall glass and took a sip, the sweet, bubbly liquid sliding over my tongue.

Damn, did it feel good to know I’d be taking a bath in a nice bathroom that didn’t have any children’s toys or dirty underwear littering the floor, drinking a glass of wine, completely undisturbed without the risk of anyone walking in on me or asking me a favor.

Walking back to the bathroom, I used one hand to unzip the side of my black pencil skirt, then I shimmied out of it. I set my glass down on the vanity countertop, then took off my silk shirt, the beige camisole I wore underneath, and the heavy-duty bra I’d had since Andrew was a baby. Then I hooked a thumb through my cotton thong and pulled it down too, doing a spin.

God, it was incredible just to have a moment naked.

Until I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. My breasts and stomach kept moving even after I stopped spinning, jiggling to a halt. The mirror lighting was meant to cast a flattering glow, but the mom bod wasn’t the most attractive thing in the world. At least by traditional beauty standards.

Caleb’s voice echoed in my mind the night I told him I was leaving.Good luck finding a guy who wants a fat single mom with three kids.

I hoped like hell the kids hadn’t heard him say that.

He hadn’t said anything untrue. I was fat. I knew it, and I wasn’t ashamed of it—most of the time. My body brought life into the world, it housed my brain, my heart. It hugged my children and carried me throughout the day and was a sign oflife. I never talked badly about myself in front of my kids, because there was nothing to feel bad about. Not for me and not for them.

But looking at myself in the mirror, silvery stretchmarks running up the loose skin of my stomach, dimpled thighs pressing together, arms the furthest thing from toned... it was hard not to feel self-conscious. Especially because Caleb cheated on me with thin women. And even though I couldn’t find anything online about Gage’s love life, I assumed he had model types throwing themselves at him daily.

So, I would stick to my fantasies. And I had plenty to go off of, the way Gage’s finger had seared my skin with a simple brush under my chin.

I could only imagine what those capable hands would do to me in the bedroom, the way he would handle me. I wanted to see his blue eyes heat the way they had in the club, just for a moment. And I wanted his straight white teeth to graze my nipples. His breath to land hot on my chest. His tongue to...

I crossed my legs, stunned at how easily the thought of Gage Griffen aroused me.

I shouldnotbe feeling this way about my boss. But it was only a fantasy. So I retrieved my small bullet vibrator from my purse. (Hey, when you’re a mom, you have to take time when you can.) Withdrawing it from the velvet pouch, I took in the sleek pink design and then washed it in the sink with soap and water.

Seeing that the tub was almost full, I took my toy and glass of champagne and stepped in.

The hot water stung my toes and ankles, and I slowly eased myself into the water until I was fully sitting down.

This tub had to be the best design decision I’d ever made. It was wide and deep, allowing me to sink all the way to my neck, fully submerged without my stomach or chest peeking out like it did in the bathtub at home.

I rested my champagne on the bath tray and pressed the button on my vibrator. The whirring sound seemed to echo off all the marble tile, but bringing it under the water muted the noise.

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