Page 51 of Billionaire Grump

I push the thought out of my head. We’ll get on with our lives, that’s what happens. She’ll forget she ever met me except for the quarter mil she’ll have sitting in her bank account, a reward for having to put up with me for two solid days.

That’s when an idea comes to me. A plan. To buy myself a little more time.

Two days won’t be nearly enough.

“I’m Astrid, a friend of Leah’s from high school,” the woman is telling Ivy. “And trust me, I know who you are. It was Leah who introduced me to your music. That was right after I went through this horrible break-up and all I can say is it really helped me get through some shitty times. I’m such a fan. I follow you on all your social media platforms.”

Here we go again.

I’ll put up with this for exactly as long as it takes to send a message to Esther. I hardly recognize this compulsion but fuck it. I’m going with it tonight.

I need two first class tickets to Tahiti

Three dots immediately hover.

Tahiti? Isn’t that in the South Pacific?

Yes

One room or two?

It’s a fair question, unfortunately. Will she even agree to it?

One. Leaving a week from Thursday. For two weeks. To whatever the best resort on the island is. Actually I think I’ll take the Gulfstream. Let Marco know

Of course I’m aware that I’ve never taken a vacation in my goddamn life, that my work schedule is as full as always over the coming weeks, and that Ivy might not be able to take off for that long. I don’t care about any of these details. When you have as much money as I do, you tend to be able to make things work if you really fucking want them to. And I’m determined to spend some time alone with the unicorn that just landed in the middle of my life. She said she wants Tahiti, so she gets Tahiti.

I can almost predict the next question. Esther knows better than anyone that I basically live in my office and have since she was still my father’s assistant.

Two whole weeks?

Yes. Try to get one of those little huts, if you can find one that’s rated five stars

Huts?

The ones that are perched over the water and you can dive off the deck directly into the ocean

Oh ok. I’ll see if I can find one

Thanks Esther

I wouldn’t usually add that last text, I realize. Something about the way Ivy is grateful is rubbing off on me. It doesn’t feel entirely terrible to actually be aware of appreciating things now and then.

“I’m so glad Ethan wanted to swap seats,” the woman is still gushing to Ivy.

“Ethan? Oh. Yes, I saw his name on the place card.”

“He said since you’re obviously taken, he’s going to try his luck with some socialite he’s got his eye on. Of course Margot almost had a conniption when she saw that we’d swapped, but I’d much rather sit at this table. I mean, getting to sit next to Ivy Laine, are you kidding? I can’t wait to tell my book club about this. Margot’s been evil-eyeing us in this direction ever since I sat here, though. It’s hardly that big of a deal. Do you have plans to release any new music any time soon?”

I loop my arm around Ivy’s shoulders, pulling her closer, bored by the woman who’s monopolizing her attention.

She’s mine.

I let my thumb rest against the delicate skin of Ivy’s neck and she turns to me. I like to think it’s not a demand but more of a request.

The woman sitting next to Ivy reads the room—or my scowl—and turns to the man who’s sitting on her left.

Ivy gives me a look, and that gentle scolding sends another rush of blood to my already painfully thick cock. But my girl remembers the assignment. She touches my hair, leaning her mouth close to my ear. The light scent of her tropical shampoo makes me want to do something downright depraved. Like take her away with me and keep her all to myself until I can get my fill. Taste her and eat her sweet pussy until she’s coming on my tongue. Feast on those ripe little nipples that are poking against her thin dress.