Romance: Loving The BillionBear: BBW Bear Shifter Romance Standalone (Spicy Shifters Book 3) Read online

  Loving The BillionBear

  Ashley Hunter

  

  Copyright 2016 by Ashley Hunter

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced

  in any way whatsoever, without written permission

  from the author, except in case of brief

  quotations embodied in critical reviews

  and articles.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any

  character, person, living or dead, events, place or

  organizations is purely coincidental. The author does not

  have any control over and does not assume any responsibility

  for third party websites or their content.

  First edition, 2016

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  Great, Turn The Page!

  Chapter One

  It wasn’t really that different of a day. The weather outside was cool and crisp, and Amelia could sense the first hints of fall in the air. It made her smile – autumn meant boots and sweaters, hoodies, and comfy blankets. It was her favorite time of the year.

  She stepped out the door of the small town veterinarian office where she worked. No, it wasn’t a glamorous job, but it let her work with animals, which she loved, and it let her stay in her hometown. Everywhere she looked in town, she had sweet memories of her parents, who died in a vehicle collision when she was just 18. How could she ever leave? It would be like leaving the last connection to her family behind. Even after she graduated from college, it just wasn’t something she even considered.

  Strolling home, she had a smile on her face. She was two hours early and she would get to surprise Lucas. She wondered if he remembered that today marked their two-year anniversary together. She wanted to do something special. That’s why her boss let her leave early.

  As soon as she walked in the door, something was…off. It just didn’t feel right. She stood in the threshold trying to figure out what was wrong. That’s when she heard a woman laugh.

  She didn’t even say anything when she opened the door to the bedroom and saw Lucas lying in bed with a strange -- and very sexy-- woman. She just stood there, too dumbstruck to even gasp. But then Lucas saw her.

  “Oh, god. Oh shit. Amelia. What are you doing here?” He jumped out of bed, apparently trying to distance himself from the woman he was just naked with. He grabbed his boxers, haphazardly thrown on the floor and for a minute, Amelia wondered why. It was clear everyone in the room had seen him naked after all.

  “I…I got off early for our anniversary,” she stammered, the tears starting to form in her eyes.

  “Listen. It’s not what it looks like, ok?” He started walking toward her.

  That’s the point when Amelia finally found her anger and her voice.

  “Not what it looks like? Because it looks like you just had sex with her.” She tried to stay calm. Didn’t they always say crying was a sign of weakness? But, she felt the tears sliding down her cheeks.

  “Well, yeah, but. Well, Amelia, it’s really your fault.”

  “My fault? How is it my fault?” She was really trying not to scream at him now. And, to add insult to injury, his…female friend…had to open her mouth. At some point, she had gotten out of bed and zipped herself into very tiny jeans before walking to stand beside Lucas.

  “Well, honey, he told me he needed a sexy woman. I mean come on, look at yourself! Couldn’t you lose a few pounds to keep your man?”

  Amelia’s hand moved.

  She never slapped anyone before. She didn’t realize how much it would hurt. The bombshell huffed and stormed out, holding a hand to her face protectively.

  “Deal with her if you want to be with me, Lucas.” She demanded as she brushed by Amelia.

  The tears were flowing now and Amelia inwardly cursed herself for crying. She should be stronger than this.

  “How long?” She breathed through clenched teeth, brushing her blond hair out of her face.

  “What?”

  “How long have you been cheating on me?”

  “Amelia…I”

  “No, tell me Lucas.”

  “A couple of months, I guess.”

  She wanted to scream. Curse at him. Throw things. Anything. Instead, she marched across the room, pulled her big suitcase from the closet and started flinging clothes in it without folding them up.

  “Amelia wait.”

  “What? What could you possibly say?” She didn’t stop emptying drawers to respond.

  “I just. I told you. No, you know what? I didn’t do anything wrong. I wasn’t attracted to you, Amelia. Jeez. Look at me and then look at you. It’s a no brainer.”

  Amelia glanced up at the man she had loved for almost two years. He was still shirtless and was certainly good looking. He did have a nice physique and a handsome face. He was not, however, all that.

  “What are you trying to tell me Lucas?”

  “I think we should break up.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s kind of a given.” She had moved on from packing her now overstuffed suitcase to throwing things in a weekender bag she had found in the back of her closet.

  “No, I am breaking up with you Amelia. I should have done it a long time ago.”

  It seemed absolutely ludicrous. She was packing her things. She had been cheated on. But, he was the one breaking up with her. The words stung. And once again, she wanted to scream at him. But it would do no good whatsoever. She should have seen this coming. She should have known that things would go bad. The passing comment about what she chose to eat. The times she caught him ogling other women who were veritable stick figures. She should have known.

  Amelia caught a glance in the mirror as she turned to grab more clothes. So, she had some curves. Well, a lot of curves. So, she wore a size 12. She was still pretty, right? Well, not at the moment. Her mascara was smudged. Her hair looked a little wild from running her hand through it. But, she was an attractive young woman at only 23, and plenty of men like curves, she told herself. She could do better. Lucas didn’t deserve her, she thought as she began loading things in her car. She didn’t want to say another word to the man who was supposed to love her, but had betrayed her so badly.

  Lucas followed her to the door.

  “You know, I did love you Amelia. Where are you even going to go?”

  She didn’t break the vow of silence until she had the keys in her hand and was walking out of the apartment they shared together, and she knew she was walking out for the last time.

  “I don’t know, but I never want to see you again.”

  With that, she got in her car and drove. The tears flowed hot and wet down her cheeks. Just a couple of hours ago, she was in a loving relationship, on the way home to celebrate their anniversary. Just a couple of hours ago, everything had been right.

  Now, she found herself driving past the city limits sign of the town she had lived in all of her life. It was time for something new. With her bachelor’s degree in business administration, she could easily get a better job in the big city.

  She had thought about it before, but she had just always loved living in the small town that reminded her so much of her parents – the small town where she met Lucas. But it was time for something new, she thought as
she held tightly to the steering wheel, took a deep breath, and drove toward a new life.

  ---

  He stood on the top floor of his high rise – yes, HIS. He may only be 29 years old, but he had worked hard to gain his status and position. The boss. The top dog. The number one. That’s who he was.

  The rain was pattering softly on the big picture windows of his spacious office. As he looked out on a gray world that looked so tiny from his position on top of it, his chiseled jaw clinched ever so slightly.

  It was a good life, he thought. He was a billionaire before he even turned 30. He was incredibly attractive – of course he knew that. And, he had his pick of any woman he wanted. But, no matter how much he tried to convince himself, something just wasn’t quite right. The parade of women – none of them even remotely challenged his intellect. And, he wondered if a single one of them would accept the secret he guarded so carefully.

  It hadn’t been a great day, and to top it off, his secretary had put in her two weeks’ notice last Monday and he still didn’t have a replacement. He really hated to be put out like that. He was used to her. She was good at her job. Now, she was leaving and he would have to deal with someone new. A deep growl of irritation rumbled in his chest before he sighed and walked back to the computer. HR had sent him a few resumes to browse. He might as well make a decision.

  Chapter Two

  She stood outside the massive building and couldn’t help but stare up. It was huge, pushing upward like it was trying to touch the sky. And, it would dwarf any building back home. It was a little intimidating too – she was going to work for a billionaire. And, she hadn’t even met him yet.

  Apparently, he didn’t bother himself with minute little details like job interviews. Instead, she had met with a couple of people from human resources as well as the lady she would be replacing.

  But, she had done her research though. And he was easy to find – one of the youngest billionaires in the country, maybe the world, gets lots of media attention. What had she found out?

  Barend Kensington: 29 years old, billionaire, elusive, and incredibly handsome. She saw a few pictures of him at events and the best way to describe him was Greek god. His dark hair fell softly over his forehead and his deep brown eyes were set off by olive skin. There was something about the way he smiled in pictures though. It came off as an arrogant smirk. And, here was the real kicker. In every event picture she found, he had a different strikingly beautiful woman on his arm.

  “Oh, this should be interesting,” she murmured to herself before she finally walked through the big glass doors. She had a feeling she may not care for her new boss. She hated arrogant men. But, it was a really, really good job.

  And, it wasn’t the type of job she could get on her own. No. The first thing she did when she got to the city was call Carlie. Her old high school best friend had long been living in the city, and she had married a business man who seemed to have endless connections.

  “Oh, Ames, you did the right thing getting out of there. What a jerk!” Carlie said over the phone.

  “I just don’t know what to do. I need a job. Please tell me you know someone who’s hiring.”

  “Actually…oh yes I have a great idea! Greg’s college roommate is looking for a secretary. You up for working for a big businessman? I am sure I can get you an interview!”

  “Yes that would be awesome! Thank you so much, Carlie!”

  “Ok! I will call you after I talk to Greg. But, listen Ames. I have met the guy. There’s much more to him than you’ll see on the surface. Just do me a favor and don’t jump to conclusions.”

  “Of course not. I will just be happy if I can get the job.” Amelia laughed uncertainly.

  “No, I’m serious Amelia. Be nice.” Carlie warned.

  “Ok, ok. I got ya. I will be nice.”

  Amelia began second guessing that promise as she stood in front of an empty desk on the top floor of the high rise. No one was there to greet her. No one was there to train her. It looked like they were throwing her in the water without a life vest. She had no idea what to do, so she stood staring until a massive and ornate glass door next to her new desk opened and he walked out.

  “It’s about time you got here.” A deep and incredibly silky voice resonated through the large space. Amelia tried to respond, but at first nothing came from her mouth. Pictures had NOT done him justice. He was tall – about 6’3” she would imagine.

  His olive skin lent him the perfect complexion. His features looked like they had been chiseled from fine marble. And, although he was wearing a tailored three-piece suit that no doubt cost Amelia’s whole one-year salary at the veterinarian’s office, she was certain chiseled muscles hid beneath the fine fabric.

  “Well, are you going to just stand there or are you actually going to do your job?” He demanded an answer. He definitely had the kind of demeanor that commanded a whole room, and when he spoke, he expected people to act.

  She managed to squeak an “ok” before she scurried behind her desk and put her purse down. He followed her to the desk and indicated she should sit down before leaning over her shoulder and clicking the nearby computer mouse.

  Oh god, he smelled absolutely delicious too. Whatever cologne he was wearing had a hint of musk and a hint of wildness about it. Hot, attractive, and already incredibly rude – oh this was going to be interesting for sure. She tried to push the confusion of thoughts and feelings from her mind and focus on what he was showing her – his schedule for the day.

  And…did he just growl?

  Most assuredly not, she reminded herself. But, there was a deep rumbling in his chest as he leaned over her, showing her how to do the job.

  ---

  He managed to maintain his calm, cool, and commanding demeanor when he stepped out of his office, but it took a great deal of work. The second he saw her, he was so distracted that he almost forgot what to say – and that made him angry. He didn’t like losing control. She was stunning. No, breathtaking. No, there were no words for it.

  The woman who stood in the reception area very much looking like a deer caught in the headlights, was like nothing he had seen before. She had blond hair that had been done up smartly in a French twist, her big green eyes gave her an innocent look. She had fair skin and delicate features. But, that’s not what really got his attention. It was her curves and the way her business suit hugged them. They were…delicious. This gorgeous, curvy woman was unlike anything he had ever seen before and it was certainly appealing to his animal side.

  While his voice said one thing, commanding her to get to work, his mind was somewhere else completely.

  He imagined ripping that suit jacket off and hiking her skirt up. In his mind’s eye, she was sitting on her desk, tossing her head back while he licked, kissed, and even nipped that porcelain skin.

  He wanted her. He wanted her the second he saw her.

  He leaned over her shoulder to show her how to use the computer system and access his schedule. The close proximity and his heightened sense of smell meant he could detect everything about her.

  She had used coconut shampoo. Her light perfume reminded him of berries in the forest during the autumn. And, then there was her natural scent – feminine, sexy, and so attractive he could barely keep from kissing her savagely.

  Her voice broke his spell when she said “Ok, sir, I think I understand what you need me to do.” She had gotten over her apparent terror and was now all business. She seemed almost standoffish. Definitely not a response he was used to getting from women. Usually they fall all over themselves to get in his pants.

  This one was different.

  This blond, curvy goddess acted like he was just the boss and she was just the employee. He didn’t know how he felt about this.

  ---

  “No, I am not going to get fired. Calm down.” She typed quickly into her cell phone and then sent the text to Carlie. She knew she shouldn’t be texting at work, but this turn of events wasn’t something
she could keep to herself. Carlie responded almost immediately.

  “Barend is…interesting I know. I warned u! Don’t be rude!”

  “Me rude? I’m not the rude one! He is”

  “Ames, I mean it. He’s not what he seems. U behave.”

  “I am! I can’t lose this job or I will have to go back home.”

  Amelia tossed her phone back in her purse. “Not what he seems.” Carlie said that twice. What the hell did that mean? Because what he seemed to be was:

  Arrogant

  Rude

  Condescending

  Bossy

  Incredibly Attractive

  Sexy

  Drool-Worthy

  Ok, her list of derogatory words didn’t go the path she wanted. “Shake it off Amelia,” she scolded herself. He was a jerk and she had no intention of letting his smoldering good looks get to her. But, she couldn’t completely ignore the tingling she felt deep down, low in her belly when he walked by her desk.

  And, it didn’t take Amelia long to notice a few other things about her new boss. He rarely ever talked to his employees. He preferred that Amelia leave written memos or email him rather than actually talk to him. There were times, too, when he would just lock himself in his office and no one would see him for hours.

  What was going on with this guy? What was the mystery he was hiding? Why was he so rude? And, why did sometimes she get the impression he was like some kind of a callous, wild animal instead of being a decent human being?

  Amelia knew she needed to keep her job, so she tried her best to brush off the strange vibes she got about her new boss and focus instead on the work. But, she couldn’t help from wondering. She was too curious of a person to leave it alone. She would find out what he was hiding, she told herself confidently.

  She also tossed her pen down. Writing all these memos was B-S. She was his personal secretary and that meant he was going to have to talk to her. She wasn’t going to try to convey everything on a written scrap of paper. Nope. Not her. So, she gathered up everything she needed to go over with him, pulled herself up to stand as tall and straight as she could, and then marched in his office.