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Chapter 26 : Skinny Dipping
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Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 27 : Lauren Finds Out the Truth
*Shelby*My eyes burned from all of the crying I had done the night before. I’d spent the whole day in my room, and I’d barely slept that night, worrying about how many magazines would have the picture of me and Michael on the cover the next day and thinking about my decision to leave.I just hoped that I would be able to make it home before the media caught hold of the story. I wanted to be as far away from Lauren as possible when she got ahold of the picture.I texted Lin, telling her to confirm the flight for the next day and wondered how I'd even get there. Flying commercial meant I couldn't use the private airstrip.Maybe Reggie will be able to help me. Or Brenna. Now more than ever, I wanted to escape this vacation. I’d gone to the bathroom and started the shower, filling the room with steam, when I heard an urgent knocking on my door.My heart sank, knowing Michael would never knock so frantically on my door; the only other person it could be was L
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 28 : Time to Go Home
*Shelby*The wheels of my suitcase got stuck in the gravel at the end of the driveway. I sighed and pulled harder, having no idea how I was going to get to the airport from here. The suitcase was too heavy; it was crammed full of all of the clothes that Michael bought for me.I realized I had not thought my escape plan through. I didn’t want to do the messy goodbyes with anyone in the house, and I figured I would be able to find a taxi eventually, but my first priority was to get as far away from the mansion as possible.However, it seemed I was going to be stuck at the end of the driveway forever.The crunching gravel surprised me, and I turned around; just as a black Cadillac pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, and I was relieved to see Reggie sitting in the driver's seat.“What are you doing, Shelby?” Reggie asked me as he took off his sunglasses. He looked so confused at me standing there; suitcase stuck in the rocks.“Um. I am trying to
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 29 : Can She Handle the Scandal?
*Michael*I rolled over in bed; the glare of the sun from the window had streamed across my face, pulling me from some much-needed sleep.I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened with Shelby on the beach. I wanted to talk to her, to see if she was okay, but I hadn’t seen her since the incident.My mind went over it, reliving every aspect in vivid color….“Michael, there is a man taking pictures of us!” Shelby had squealed.I’d turned my head, and sure enough, a man was standing on the rocky outcrop hanging over the cove.“Shit! Stay behind me, Shelby. I’ll get you out of this,” I’d said as I protectively shifted her body behind mine.She’d buried her face in my neck, and I could feel her nervous heartbeat against my chest. I had been so foolish to pull her into this mess. I knew instinctively that this was Blaine’s doing.I should have accepted the extra security when Bruce suggested it. I’d swam for a group of rocks as fast as I c
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 30 : Running Out of Time
*Shelby*A knock sounded on my door, but I didn’t want to get out of bed. The room that was usually cluttered but tidy, was full of moving boxes, in corners pushed as out of the way as possible. It had always been a tight squeeze with all three of us in one room, but now it just felt claustrophobic. I closed my eyes and wished sleep would come, wished it would give me a break from my thoughts that continued to run back to Michael. I missed him but knew I could never face him after all of the trouble I had caused. I hadn’t talked to him after he ran off after the photographer, so I had no idea how much he had to pay the man not to publish those photos.I’d only guessed that he had eventually spent enough money, because I never saw my face plastered all over the front of a gossip tabloid, blog article, or magazine. I had panicked the entire flight home, but I’d decided not to react to the picture the unknown number had sent me, it wasn’t like I could do an
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 31 : Michael’s Office
*Shelby*“He needs to know, Shelby. He is the one that got you into this mess; he needs to help get you out of it,” Aubrey said, her arms folded across her chest. She had become really protective after she found out I was being blackmailed.“There are two of us in that picture, Aubrey. I was actually the one to get in the water first. I don’t know what got into me; I slipped out of my clothes to go for a swim. Micheal walked up, and I invited him in. Well, more like dared him to get in. We got a little carried away,” I responded, my cheeks warming at the memory.“Are you blushing? What exactly do you mean by carried away?” Lin said, eyeing me with a suspicious grin. I laughed, “Yes. I, uh, didn’t tell you guys this, but we almost had sex that day in the water.” I decided it was finally time I talked to them about it.“Oh, my god, Shelby! How are you just telling us about this?” Lin said excitedly. “I’ve just been trying not to think about it, but the tru
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 32 : Prenup
*Michael*“Bruce, please tell me you have some good news,” I said into my phone. I walked out onto the balcony of my penthouse. I wasn’t sure if I was happy or not to be back in New York. After Blaine’s attempts at blackmail, my security team was on high alert, which meant I had a constant shadow of a bodyguard.My penthouse was one of the few places I could be by myself; however, the security team had a permanent station down in the lobby.“I am afraid it is not good news, sir. We have reason to believe that Blaine is indeed back in New York. What is surprising is that my security team followed him into a neighborhood far from both your penthouse and your offices.”My thoughts immediately went to Shelby. The only logical explanation is that Blaine was attempting to use Shelby to get in contact with me.“Shit,” I muttered.“Do you know where he would be headed, sir?”“I believe he is trying to use a woman to get to me. Her name is Shelby Hatton.
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 33 : Just Missed Her
*Michael*My driver pulled up to the front of the Express Air Building, and I immediately jumped out to scan the crowd for Shelby.I lived only a few blocks away from the office, and I left as soon as I’d gotten word that she had been to my office. If I was lucky, maybe I would catch her before she left. I stood in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and scanned the surrounding street; just across the street, I caught a glimpse of bright red hair. My heart skipped at the chance that It might be her. My designer dress shoes slapped the pavement hard as I tried to make up the distance between us. I did my best to avoid a collision with the other pedestrians as I ran, but I knew I was doing a poor job of it, hearing the mutters of frustration in my wake. Despite knowing I was being rude, I pushed myself harder as the gap between Shelby and me started to lessen. I was halfway down the block from her when I saw her tiny arm shoot up, hailing a taxi. I had
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 34 : Micheal’s Penthouse
*Shelby*The dark sky seemed even darker through the tinted windows of the black car that Michael had sent to pick me up. He sounded urgent on the phone; when I’d told him that we needed to talk, he’d told me we had a lot to discuss, but he didn’t want to talk over the phone. Eventually, I agreed to have his driver pick me up and take me to his penthouse.Secretly I was glad that he suggested meeting in person. I didn’t want to go over everything and why I’d left without saying goodbye, with my two roommates listening to every word of our conversation.Lin acted as though my life was more interesting than all of the reality TV shows she binge-watched every weekend. The car was just as luxurious as I should have expected after seeing all of the amenities that the Astor family was used to, but I still was surprised at how supple the leather seats were as I slid across them for my long ride across New York.It was nice to spend the drive relaxed and not on
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Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 150 : The New Associate
*Shelby**Five Months later*I sat staring out the small window in my office. It was nowhere near as impressive a view as Michael's top-floor CEO office, but I liked the fact that it was mine. I’d been an attorney at Stockton and Associates for five months now, and just last month, I was promoted from my tiny cubicle in the corner to my very own office.I’d framed photographs of Michael and me at our wedding, at a castle in Ireland on our honeymoon, and of us in Greece from our most recent vacation. I couldn't help but imagine another picture frame of a beautiful little baby, swaddled up tight in a hospital bassinet sitting next to the rest. Michael and I had taken a more active approach to try to have a baby. I took my temperature every morning to track my fertility window, and our bathroom was littered with boxes and boxes of ovulation tests. It seemed like the majority of my free time I now spent thinking of our future family. I even had an entire nursery planne
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 149 : The Test
*Shelby***One Year Later**“To you, my amazingly talented, intelligent, and beautiful wife,” Michael said, holding a glass of wine in the air over our cozy two-person table.I clinked my glass on his and took a small sip of the wine as I looked out over the dark blue sky littered with thousands of tiny bits of starlight. The lights of the city shone brightly below, illuminating the blue dome roofs over the buildings. The waves crashed against the cliff faces below, sending bits of seawater into the air, making everything smell like salt.We’d been in Greece for the last few days and were currently eating dinner in a quaint little restaurant toward the top of the city, with an amazing view. For the past month, we’d been touring Italy and Greece on our yacht. I’d recently graduated from NYU with my law degree, and Michael planned the trip as a way to celebrate. I’d been interning at a law firm called Stockton and Associates, and I was surprised by their o
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 148 : The Wedding Day
*Shelby*I woke up and stretched across the king-size bed. It felt so strange to be in such a large bed all by myself. I lay there, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings of the hotel room. Then the realization hit me; it was my wedding day. The day I was going to become Mrs. Shelby Astor.I sat bolt upright, and let my feet hit the floor. In one swift motion, I was up and taking leaps across the room with a little squeal. I swung open the door and rushed into the main room of the hotel suite.“Aubs! Lin! Get up! I’m getting married today!” I squealed.Within a few seconds, Aubrey was up, rubbing her eyes as she opened the door to her private room. All we heard from Lin’s room was a sleepy moan, which made me laugh loudly.“I know that some brides get cold feet on their wedding day, but something tells me we don’t have to worry about that with you,” Aubrey said, yawning a little.“I can’t believe it’s actually here, Aubs. I mean, after all that we’ve gone t
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 147 : Wedding Plans
*Shelby*After a hasty breakfast, Lauren’s words still lingered in my mind. The click of the coffee pot being pulled off of the warmer snapped me back to reality. I set my phone down on the counter and flashed Michael a soft smile. He grabbed a travel mug from the cupboard and poured the remainder of the dark liquid into his cup. While he screwed the lid into place, he leaned over and kissed me quickly on the lips.“I’m so sorry I don’t have time to say much in the way of a goodbye, but thank you for breakfast. I had an emergency meeting with investors pop up last minute,” Michael said, slipping his arms through his sport coat.“That’s okay, I understand. Will I see you for dinner?” I asked.“Yes, you will. I’ll make sure I’m home by five at the latest. What are your plans for the day?” Michael asked.“I’m going to the country club to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow,” I answered.A huge smile took over Michael’s face, “Well, that sounds like a great way to spend
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 146 : Irredeemable
*Shelby*Lauren looked… humbled.Even her clothes were telling. She wore a long, demure skirt and a blouse that didn’t show a hint of cleavage and covered her arms down to her elbows. No big brand names or luxurious accessories. Her hair also needed a wash.I’d never seen her dress so modestly or look so run-down, and I had an inkling of what she was trying to accomplish by coming here. I stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do. I wasn’t sure Michael would want to see her, and part of me didn’t want Michael’s day to start off with a fight. On the other hand, I couldn’t make those decisions for him.“Come in,” I said, stepping aside to let her pass. I closed the door and gestured for her to sit in the adjacent living room, just as I heard Michael’s quick steps running down the stairs. “What smells so good? My mouth is watering! Shelby, honey—” He froze when he saw Lauren sitting on the couch. She gave him a smile and a quick wave.Michael’s eyes focused on me,
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 145 : An Unexpected Visit
*Shelby*Ever since that kiss in the elevator, my body ached for Michael. When he whispered into my ear, a shudder ran down my spine, turning me on.He gave me a taunting look, and his eyes wandered around the park. “Michael…” I said, “what’s going on in your head?”He chuckled and leaned closer to me. “It wouldn’t be the first time we made love out in the open,” he said in a low voice.I almost spit out the coffee I’d just sipped.“But we were alone on the beach! Well, the second time, anyway. This place is full of people.”“There are some dark places…” He smiled mischievously at me. “And you’re not making it easier for me.”His eyes wandered to my chest, where my dress hung really low and gave him a great view of my breasts thanks to the way I was leaning toward him.I felt his leg caressing mine under the table, and I pretended to scowl at him.“You aren’t making it easier either,” I said. He took his phone out of his pocket and grinned, informing me that the
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 144 : The Prenup
*Michael*When Shelby walked into the office, I could tell she was dying to tell me something. Her excitement was written all over her face.“I suppose the hunt for a dress went well?” I said, and she immediately ran around the desk and gave me a kiss. “I’ll take that as a yes,” smiling at the joy on her face.“I found the perfect one,” she said as she sat in the chair across from me. “I just wish I could show you or tell you about it, but you know how that goes.” “You could wear a T-shirt and jeans, and you’d still be the most beautiful bride to walk this earth,” I said dramatically, eliciting a giggle from Shelby. I would never tire of hearing her laugh.“I thought your lawyer would be here already,” she said, looking at her watch.“Aren’t we going home?” I had no idea what she was talking about.“Did you really forget?” Shelby laughed. “Only you could forget that we’re going to sign our prenup today.”The truth was that it had completely slipped my mind. Shelby was
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 143 : Wedding Dress Shopping
*Shelby**One Month Later*“I can’t believe it’s the end of the summer already,” Lin said with a sigh.I pushed open the door to the salon and was instantly enveloped with the smell of cucumbers and ocean salt.“I know. It seems like it went so fast, but I’m so glad we get to spend more time together before you have to go back to Cambridge,” I said.“Damn, this place is so posh,” Lin said rather loudly.I chuckled, “Shush, Lin. Just pretend that we come to places like this all the time.”“Oh, right,” she responded, a small smirk on her lips.We walked up to the front desk where a woman with purple hair greeted us. Once she found our appointments, she took us back to a private room to get our pedicures. The lights were dimmed and soft piano music played from an indistinguishable place in the room. She handed us each a glass of champagne before leaving us to wait for the nail artists.“So what are we having done today?” Lin asked me as we slip
Longing for the Beach Billionaire Daddy Chapter 142 : Good Dad or Bad Dad?
*Shelby*I’d just slid the baking tray, with two salmon filets and vegetables, into the oven when I heard the front door open. It abruptly closed with a shutter that echoed through the house.“Michael?” I called down the hallway.“It’s me, Shelby,” he called back, and my heartbeat slowed at the sound of his voice.“You’re just in time. I just put dinner in the oven, and it should be ready soon,” I said as Michael walked into the kitchen.I looked up to see him wearing a very serious expression on his face. The corners of his mouth were tugged down in concern, and there was a strange expression in his eyes—a mix of sadness and anger.“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I asked, my heartbeat speeding up again. “Is Bruce okay? Lucille?”“Everyone’s fine. I just had a very unpleasant conversation is all,” Michael said, sliding onto one of the barstools.“With who?” I asked, picking up and folding a dish towel with nervous anticipation.“I went
