Her Big Greek Billionaire: A BWWM Billionaire Romance (International Alphas Book 5) Page 9

  Once they arrived, Tessa couldn’t help but think about every emotion that she had experienced their first night together in the same place. Everything was the same. He still had the Cronus piece hanging in the entryway. This time, however, she knew they wouldn’t be making their way directly to the bedroom and instead, she was able to explore his apartment.

  “You’re probably thirsty and hungry after work. I always am. Let me grab something quick,” Oscar said as he walked into the kitchen. Tessa didn’t respond and instead started exploring the apartment. The living room was wide and open, with lots of windows. It offered a breathtaking view of Athens, one much better than her apartment. He had stocked the place with luxurious leathers and furs, a style a bit different than what Tessa was used to.

  She looked around more. He did have plenty of interesting art pieces hanging on the wall, and his book collection showed a similar taste to Tessa’s. He walked into the living room holding a tray of fruits and cheeses, a bottle of wine, and two glasses. He set them down on a coffee table and poured Tessa a glass before she had the chance to say anything. She walked over to where he was sitting on the couch, plopped down, and pretended to take a sip of wine. She didn’t want to start off by telling him that she couldn’t drink because she was pregnant.

  “My assistant always puts together something for me after work, so don’t give me any credit.” Tessa was impressed by his display and would have given him credit had he not spilled the truth. At least he was being honest about something today. “I know this décor is a bit cheesy too, but my designer takes care of most of my apartment furnishings, so don’t give me credit for that either.” He laughed. Tessa was relieved to hear that a bearskin rug wasn’t his first choice.

  “It’s fine.” She laughed. She pretended to take another sip of wine, wishing she actually could drink to help relieve some of the tension. He took a big gulp of his and stood up to open a window. When he was gone, Tessa poured some of her wine into his cup to make it look like she had drunk some.

  “Sorry, is it a little hot in here? I’m feeling toasty. Maybe I’m just nervous.” He nervously laughed again.

  “I’m okay. Open as many windows as you want. Your view is beautiful.” Tessa stared out the window. He stared at her.

  “It is isn’t it?” he said, not noticing the view. “Tessa, I don’t know where to start. I’m so sorry for everything. For not telling you what I did for a living or that I was still married.”

  Tessa didn’t say anything and shoved her mouth full of cheese and crackers. She had gotten her morning sickness under control and the cravings were starting to kick in for her. “I just…my life. My life might seem glamorous, but sometimes I wish it was all different. Look at me, complaining about my money. That’s not what I mean, though. It’s everything that comes along with it that I wish I could just forget about. Especially the marriage. Tessa, you don’t know how hard I’ve tried to just get it all over with Lydia, but she’s very persistent.

  “If I had my way, I would have been divorced for a year now. I guess I just, I don’t know. I liked meeting you and feeling like I was a normal guy again. You didn’t know who I was, or at least I assumed, and it was amazing. Most people treat me so differently, it’s hard to tell who’s being authentic and who’s just interested in my money. Does that make sense?”

  “Yeah.” Tessa started crying at this point. He was saying everything she wanted to hear.

  “I didn’t tell you about Lydia because I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to know that my life is a mess and that my name is in the news. It’s embarrassing. I wanted you to get to know me, the real me. Not the lies that people write about in the papers.

  “Most of the time, it’s Lydia feeding them information they want to hear to sell an article. I know I’ve given you no reason to believe me, but please, just know that I never wanted to hurt you.” Oscar seemed like he might cry as well. Tessa had never been with a guy who was so in touch with his emotions.

  “Tessa, I can’t stop thinking about you. I’ve never felt this way about another person. Not even Lydia, never! Our marriage wasn’t real. It was just for show, all fake! I promise you that.

  “Please Tessa, I would do anything to get you back in my life. I’m not asking for anything right away, but please, just talk to me again. I love laughing and talking with you. No one has ever made me feel better about myself than you. What we have is real. I know it!” Oscar was desperate by now.

  Normally, that kind of vulnerability would turn Tessa off, but with him, it was everything that she had ever wanted from a man. She thought about him just as often as he claimed to think about her, and it never got any easier. She stood up, brushed herself off, and kissed Oscar.

  He set his wine glass down and kissed her back, harder than he had ever kissed anyone in his life. She felt instantly relieved, better than she could have ever imagined. Kissing him was the only thing that felt right to her. Everything that she had gone through in the past few weeks made her feel crazy.

  She was constantly battling different thoughts and anxieties, unsure about her future and the future of her unborn baby. All of those thoughts instantly left her mind, and for the first time in almost a month, her mind went silent. She grabbed the back of his head, pushing his lips further onto hers. He grabbed her harder and eventually lifted her up. They kissed in front of the gorgeous sunset over Athens for what felt like hours.

  Tessa wanted to cry of happiness now. He told her everything that she wanted to hear, and she couldn’t ask for a better meeting. Then she remembered how he never responded to her attempt to reach out to him. She felt bad again, and instantly pulled back.

  “Why didn’t you text me back?” she said sassily.

  “What do you mean? I never got your text,” Oscar said, confused. “The last thing I got from you was the night of the charity event when you asked where I was. I went to respond but your number was gone, and all of my texts had been erased. I figured my phone was just messed up. I wanted to text you and call you, but I didn’t have your number anymore and no one would give it to me.”

  “Wait, that night, did you see Lydia? I saw pictures of her coming here.” Tessa was embarrassed to admit to him that she had read about him in the papers, but she needed to know the truth.

  “Yes, she did. That’s why I was late. She came in here, begging for me back, and spilled wine on me, which I’m pretty sure she did on purpose,” Oscar explained.

  “She also texted me that night. Did you give her my number?” Tessa was confused.

  Oscar suddenly realized what had happened. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t know about that. She must have deleted our messages and your number. I’m so sorry, Tessa!” Tessa instantly felt relief. At this moment, she had no reason to be angry with him anymore. She grabbed his face again, pulling him close and kissing his soft lips. She’d never been happier in her life.

  He lifted her up, rubbing his hands all over her body. She forgot for a moment that she was pregnant, the first time since she had found out. She didn’t want to talk anymore either. She was ready for things to go back to how they had been in the beginning, with her just being absolutely infatuated with him. He carried her to the bedroom again, just like he had the first time that they were together.

  He laid her on the bed, kissing her all over, slowly taking her clothes off like he did the first night. Tessa remembered her baby and started to worry. She wanted more than anything to make love to Oscar again. That’s all she wanted since she saw him again in the gallery earlier that day. She wasn’t sure how to have sex safely, however, and like many pregnant mothers, she worried about hurting the baby.

  She sat up and pushed Oscar on the bed, ripping his clothes away in the process. She kissed him from his neck all the way down his torso. She climbed on top of him, taking him inside her. She had waited so long but she couldn’t help but still feel a bit paranoid about the baby in her body. She climbed off and lay next to him. He kissed her all over her ne
ck and chest, paying close attention to her face. She turned away and backed into him, her body aching for him to take her from behind.

  He pulled her close and made his way into her body while holding her from behind. The entire time, he kissed her neck and shoulders, moving slowly and passionately. She hadn’t felt this amazing in a while, but she needed to see him face to face again. He rolled over and climbed on top of her. She momentarily lifted her paranoia about the baby and let him enter deep inside her once again.

  They finished quicker than they had the first night, but Tessa knew this wouldn’t be the only time. He fell next to Tessa, holding her close. They both drifted asleep, touching and holding each other as much as possible.

  Chapter7

  Tessa slowly opened her eyes. When she focused and realized where she was, a sense of comfort came over her entire body. Oscar was laying right across from her, already staring into her eyes.

  “Sorry.” Oscar laughed. “I don’t mean to be creepy or anything.”

  Waking up to Oscar already staring at her was the least creepy thing Tessa ever experienced. She leaned in and gave him a long kiss. Nothing felt better than waking up next to him. This was only the second time they had woken up in the same bed as each other, but Tessa knew that this is where and how she always wanted to wake up. She loved feeling him hold her close throughout the night, their hearts beating next to each other’s. Nothing felt better than feeling his warmth wrap her up in the blankets when she woke up from a dream.

  Tessa often had trouble sleeping, no matter what situation she was in, constantly waking from realistic feeling nightmares that left her more exhausted than when she had originally fallen asleep. She hated feeling lost and scared when she woke up, but when Oscar was next to her, she didn’t feel that pain so deeply. It was always there. It always would be. It was a storm inside her body that seemed to never stop, but a companionship like Oscar’s at least helped to make it quiet.

  No one had ever stared at Tessa while she slept. Most of the guys she had been with in the past would keep their backs turned on her all night, always making her sleep alone after they had hooked up, but not Oscar. He made sure that every time he moved throughout the middle of the night, he would whisper to Tessa how beautiful she was, how soft her skin was, or some other sweet nothing that made her feel more comfortable with every breath she took.

  Tessa didn’t always like to feel comfortable. It scared her. The idea of being satisfied with something made her anxious, always wanting to be on the exploration for something more, something more real. The comfort she felt with Oscar was different, however. She felt that with him, having him by her side, she was capable of things she would never have been without him.

  She leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso. He pulled her in close, kissing the top of her head. How did he manage to smell so good in the morning? Tessa was a bit warm whenever she woke up, but she didn’t mind his hot skin pressing into hers. She could spend all day every day wrapped inside his warm arms. If she could, she would never leave. She’d have people deliver food to her and Oscar and spend the rest of the day just kissing on and off.

  “How did you sleep?” Oscar asked, stroking Tessa’s back softly.

  “Amazing. This is like, the comfiest bed I’ve ever slept in.”

  “It’s so much comfier with you in it,” Oscar said, stroking her hair back. Tessa loved more than anything when someone played with her hair. “I want to get up and make you breakfast but I’m just so comfortable.”

  “Mm, just a little bit longer.” Tessa didn’t want to let him go.

  “What are you thinking? Some bacon, maybe eggs and toast…” Oscar trailed off listing breakfast foods.

  Tessa thought about the last time someone offered to make her eggs. It was when her mother visited, right before she found out she was pregnant. The thought of eggs triggered her morning sickness. She was close to starting her second trimester and had her morning sickness mostly under control, but the thought of eggs was hard for her to handle.

  “I have to um, use the bathroom,” Tessa said, choking back the cheese she had stuffed her face with the night before. She ran to the bathroom and started the shower so that Oscar wouldn’t hear her throw up. She had forgotten that she hadn’t broken the news to Oscar yet. How could she lay next to this man with his baby inside of her and not tell him?

  The thought had distracted her the night before while they were making love, but she tried to not let it ruin everything. Things just felt so good and so perfect with Oscar. Since she had known him, she spent more time fantasizing about what things could be like between them rather than being together. Now that she had him, she was terrified at the thought of losing him all over again.

  She decided to slip in the shower since it was already running. She needed some alone time to mentally prepare what she was going to say to Oscar. At first, maybe she could ease it in by talking about kids or showing him a cute baby video to get his fever started. What if he recoiled at the thought of children? What if he responded by saying that children disgusted him, and he never wanted to have one?

  Tessa let the water get hot on her skin, trying to numb these thoughts. She couldn’t help but think of all the terrible scenarios that could happen. She also had to let him know that she was keeping this baby. At first, Tessa certainly thought of what all her options were, however, she was sure that this was her baby and she was going to have it. She could already feel its presence inside of her even though she was still finishing up her first trimester.

  What if Oscar asked her to give it up? What if he just hands her a stack of money to get an abortion? She knew better than that. Oscar wasn’t that cruel. She still couldn’t help but let these nightmarish thoughts swarm inside of her.

  When she was done, she wrapped herself up in one of the softest towels she ever felt. She walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She could hear him clanging around in the kitchen, so she used the alone time in his bedroom to do a quick snoop. Of course, she would never want to invade his privacy or lose his trust, but she was just looking for some clothes she could wear, so why not just check out what else he might have in the top drawer of his dresser?

  No pajamas there! He did have a very large collection of black underwear. If Tessa was any stranger than she already was, she might have kept a pair for herself. Just one more drawer. There had to be some sweats she could throw on in the next drawer, right? He wouldn’t want Tessa to have to put on the same pair of clothes she had worn all day at work the day before, would he? She opened the drawer. Right away she saw some pants and a T-shirt she could slip on. She was sad her journey through his personal belongings was no longer justified, but just as she reached in to grab the shirt, her knuckles hit a wooden ledge underneath the top shelf inside the drawer.

  She rubbed her knuckles and reached back towards the ledge. It was a hidden drawer! Tessa had never been so satisfied. She felt like a real-life detective. It was small and couldn’t hold much, but what was inside made Tessa want to melt right there. There was what appeared to be an old family photograph with the cutest little blonde boy. She assumed by the crystal blue eyes that it was Oscar with his mother and father.

  It was underneath the photograph that really made Tessa want to scream. There was a program from the night of the charity event that she had worked the first night they met, along with a folded-up menu from Duka’s. Why else would he have these things other than to remember his time with Tessa?

  She heard something drop in the kitchen and snapped back to reality. She placed everything back the way she found it and slipped into his clothes. She made her way to the kitchen to see Oscar hard at work over the stove.

  “Looking good! I didn’t know you went to Collegiate School,” Oscar teased. Tessa had grabbed his old high school T-shirt from the all-boys school in New York.

  “Hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want to get back into my old clothes. And these pants are so comfy.”

  �
��I don’t mind at all! You look way better than I ever did in that shirt.” Oscar leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead.

  “What’re you cooking?” she asked. She felt drunk with bliss thinking about how Oscar had kept those keepsakes in his dresser all this time.

  “I figured I’d go with waffles and sausage. Who doesn’t like either of those two?” He smiled at her. He was only wearing a pair of silk pajama pants, his torso glistening in the morning sunlight. Tessa had never seen a better-looking breakfast.

  “Coffee?” he asked. Tessa missed coffee more than anything, but she knew she shouldn’t be drinking caffeine.

  “Actually, I’m—I’m okay for now.” She could feel her nerves getting worse as the seconds progressed.

  “No problem, cutie.” She almost fell to the floor as those words left his mouth. How did he always know how to say the sweetest thing? “You want some waffles?” Tessa couldn’t help but feel bliss as she watched Oscar cook her something delicious. She also couldn’t help but want to scream out that she was pregnant. She figured they’d sit down to breakfast before she completely spilled the beans.

  “Waffles sound great! Let me set the table!” She grabbed a few plates and glasses and headed to the dining room table. It was long and could probably seat at least ten, making Tessa feel a bit lonely at the two settings she was putting out for herself and Oscar.

  “The sausage just needs a couple more minutes. You like syrup?” Oscar set a steaming plate of about 10 waffles down on the table. Who did he think was going to eat all of these? Tessa couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by how much effort he was putting into all of this. She felt guilty for keeping a secret from him. They hadn’t known each other long and she certainly didn’t owe him anything after the secret he had kept from her.

  She still felt like she was going to explode keeping it inside. Here she was, inside this man’s apartment, one of his many apartments probably, that she had spent weeks reading about online. Now she was standing there wearing an extra pair of his pajamas carrying his child while he just carried around a plate of waffles. She couldn’t keep it in anymore.