Valentine’s Billionaire Auction

Chapter 36

36

ROMAN

T he rest of the week felt like a dream. If I wasn’t at work, I was with Kaira. She had a way of turning the mundane into something magical. Cooking together had become our ritual—a dance of teasing, stolen kisses, and laughter as we navigated the kitchen. My cook was fortunately not too upset that Kaira had kind of taken over the kitchen. She loved cooking and I had a feeling she loved cooking for me.

It was nice to come home to a beautiful woman cooking a meal in the kitchen. I never imagined I was the kind of man that would ever want that, and it certainly wasn’t something I required, but it was nice all the same.

I smiled thinking about what could only be considered dessert last night. Last night, we’d finished what we started the last time we were in the pool together. The memory of her wet body sliding against mine nearly had me hard once again.

Every time I left my bed in the morning, I found myself counting the hours until I could return to it, to her. Even at work, where distractions were a given, I couldn’t focus. She crept into my thoughts like a song I couldn’t get out of my head. Except unlike an annoying song, I wanted this in my head.

It was like she was constantly with me. All day while I was at the office or sitting in meetings, I could feel her with me. I would think about something she said or the way she looked at me and I would find myself smiling. I knew people noticed. They probably thought I was drunk or losing my mind.

When the media bombarded me, it no longer bothered me the way it used to. Their questions and flashing cameras were mere static because I had someone waiting for me at home, someone who had become my refuge. I noticed that I felt that way about a lot of things. My mood was generally good. I didn’t wake up pissed and ready to kick ass. I woke up with a smile on my face. Throughout the day, she would often text me. Nothing substantial, just little tidbits about her story or something she heard on the news. I did the same. I would text her about a meeting or something someone said.

I realized there had been an emptiness in me that Kaira had filled, and for the first time in years, I felt whole. I felt a giddiness I hadn’t experienced in a very long time. The thought of seeing Kaira again after a long day at work filled me with a sense of anticipation. I found myself looking forward to our evenings together—the casual intimacy, the easy banter, the way she could make even the most mundane tasks feel special.

It was Friday evening, and I was driving home, but as happy as I was to be with her, there was a quiet voice in the back of my mind I couldn’t ignore. Every time I felt myself really sinking into the not-quite-wedded bliss, there was a little doubt dragging me out of the warm glow and back into the chill of loneliness.

This thing between us had an expiration date. Five more months. That was the deal. What would I do when the contract ended and we went our separate ways? The thought left a sour taste in my mouth. I couldn’t go back to how things were before her.

But could I really ask her to stay? Could I expect her to keep riding this roller coaster with me once her part of the agreement was fulfilled? Things between us were good right now but it was all new and fun and there weren’t really any actual commitments. We lived together and were kind of role playing.

Part of me still very much understood this was make believe. It wasn’t real. If I wanted to make it real, I would have to jump in with both feet. I just wasn’t sure I was ready to do that. I was still a damaged guy that had never been in a serious relationship.

I shook off the negative, dark thoughts. I still had a few months with her. I didn’t need to think about the end. I wanted to enjoy the time we did have. When I walked into the house, things were unnervingly quiet. No laughter, no music, no clatter of dishes from the kitchen.

I expected a member of the staff to greet me at the door, but the entryway was empty. Things felt off. Was the feeling of foreboding I had all day a premonition?

“Kaira?”

No answer.

A flicker of worry tightened in my chest. I checked the library, the kitchen, and the living room. Nothing. My pace quickened as I moved toward the back of the house. My heart stuttered when I saw a figure standing near the solarium door.

“Ruby?” I said, startled.

She turned, her red lips curving into a grin. “Roman, darling!” She swept toward me in a designer gown that sparkled under the hallway lights, her jewelry catching every glimmer. “You’re just in time. I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

I blinked, still trying to process the absurdity of her dressed to the nines. I assumed she must be on her way out with one of her princes or viscounts or whoever she was chasing after this week. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

She waved a hand. “I’m back for a couple of weeks, you know that.”

“Yes, but I haven’t seen you in a week. I wasn’t sure you were still in town.”

“I wasn’t. Come along, come along!” She grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the solarium.

The second we reached the entrance, the room erupted in light. Twinkling Christmas lights were draped from the ceiling and hanging down the glass walls.

“Surprise!” my friends all yelled in unison.

I froze in place, my gaze landing on Kaira standing in the center of the crowd that was packed into my solarium. There was a proud smile lighting up her face. She wore one of the dresses we had bought on our first shopping trip. The deep emerald fabric hugged her curves in all the right places. My breath caught in my throat as I took her in. I barely noticed the people surrounding her. I only had eyes for her.

She stepped forward, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said softly. “I might have gotten a little carried away.”

Mind? I closed the distance between us. Without a second thought, I cupped her face and kissed her, a sense of gratitude swelling inside me that I hadn’t felt in years.

“You’re incredible,” I murmured against her lips.

Her cheeks flushed as she smiled up at me. “Happy birthday, Roman.”

The solarium had been transformed into a wonderland of soft lights, some gold and silver balloons, and a giant banner wishing me a happy birthday. The solarium was not a small room and it must have taken a fair amount of time to set this up.

“How did you do all of this?” I asked.

She laughed. “I’ve had some time on my hands. Go, greet your friends. There’s a running bet between them.”

“What’s the bet?”

“Half think you’re going to hate this and the other half? Well, they expect you to turn and run.”

“People are about to lose some money,” I said with a wink.

I mingled with friends I didn’t get to see often. I was surprised by how many of them had come at Kaira’s invitation. More than one of them had a lot to say about how charming she was. They were all impressed by how she’d pulled all of this together.

I tried the personalized cocktail she’d invented for me—whiskey-based, smoky with a hint of orange and vanilla. It was delicious, just like everything else about tonight. I couldn’t believe the detail that had gone into planning the party.

The staff served dinner in the dining room. The food was exquisite, each course more impressive than the last. I found myself laughing more than I had in ages. The staff, my friends, even Ruby seemed genuinely happy.

But it was Kaira who held my attention. Whether she was laughing with a guest, dancing in her bare feet, or sneaking a taste of the cake before it was served, she was the gravitational pull of the evening. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She was absolutely radiant, her joy and enthusiasm contagious. I watched as she moved through the room, chatting with my friends, giggling at their jokes, and making everyone feel at home. She was an incredible hostess.

At one point, she caught me staring and winked, a mischievous grin on her face. I had to resist the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her senseless right then and there. Instead, I made my way over to her, capturing her hand and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “You’ve outdone yourself,” I murmured.

Kaira’s eyes sparkled with delight. “I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. I wanted this to be special for you.”

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “It is. More than you know.”

She beamed up at me, and in that moment, I knew I was truly, irrevocably lost to her. This woman had worked her way past every single one of my defenses.

As the night wore on, the guests trickled out one by one, until it was just the two of us left in the solarium. The space was quieter now, the twinkle lights looking much brighter in the empty room.

She walked toward me, her emerald dress catching the light, a small smile playing on her lips.

“Dance with me?” she asked, holding out her hand.

I took it without hesitation, pulling her close as a slow acoustic ballad played softly in the background. We swayed together, her head resting against my chest, her warmth sinking into me.

“This has been the best birthday I can remember,” I said quietly, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you.”

She tilted her head up to look at me. “You deserve it, Roman. You deserve all of this.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I kissed her instead, letting the gratitude I couldn’t put into words pour into the kiss.

When we pulled back, she smiled. “I have one more surprise.”

I arched a brow, intrigued. “More? You’ve already surprised the hell out of me.”

She took my hand, her excitement palpable as she led me toward the far corner of the solarium.

“What is it?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

She grinned as she revealed a silver dome like the kind used to serve our meals. She revealed a small cake with the words Happy Birthday, Roman written in elegant icing. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. Sitting next to the cake was a framed photograph—one I hadn’t seen in years. It was of my parents, taken on one of their anniversaries.

“How did you…” My voice faltered as I stared at the picture.

“Marilyn,” she said softly. “I thought it might mean something to you.”

Emotion swelled in my chest as I reached for the frame, my fingers brushing over the glass. “It does. It means everything.”

“I just wanted to remind you that you’re not alone, Roman. You never have to be.”

I turned to her, my throat tight with gratitude and something else—something deeper. “You’re incredible,” I said again, my voice barely above a whisper.