Battle for Love (Bachelor Billionaire #3) Read online

  Battle for Love

  (Bachelor Billionaire #3)

  By Sharon Cummin

  Copyright © 2014 Sharon Cummin

  All Rights Reserved

  Warning: This story contains explicit sexual content that is not intended for those under the age of 18. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious and the age of 18 and older. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Without thinking, Julie reached out as the bouquet flew right toward her. It was as if Lisa knew exactly where it was heading. The wedding crowd cheered as Julie looked at the flowers in her hand. She noticed a smirk on Lisa's face as she looked up from them. You can get through this, Julie thought to herself.

  Josh did his silly dance and smiled, as he stuck his head under his wife's dress to remove her garter. He turned away from the single guys and threw it back over his head. Julie cringed as Ethan flew through the air and snatched it. It was like a scene from a movie. She felt it all play out in slow motion in front of her. No, please no, she thought to herself. He turned, looked her in the eyes, and plastered a sexy, flirty smirk on his face. She watched the interaction between him and her brother. Gavin shot him the dirtiest look, as Ethan smiled and winked back at him.

  “Have a seat,” he said, as he smiled at Julie.

  She felt her eyes roll as she let her body fall into the chair. It was bad enough that she caught the bouquet, but the last person she wanted to catch the garter was Ethan. If she would have thought he was going to catch it, she would have let the bouquet of flowers fall to the floor. He strut his stuff like a man on a mission before bending down to her ear.

  “I bet you can't wait to feel my fingers on your leg,” he whispered in a deep, raspy voice.

  Trying not to let him bother her, she put on the most serious face she could. He dropped to his knees and looked her in the eyes. Ethan slowly lifted the garter up her leg, making sure to skim his fingers across her skin the entire time. She thought her brother's head was going to explode when Ethan slid the garter the rest of the way up with his teeth. Julie shivered as he slid his fingers all the way back down her leg. She hoped he had not felt her body's reaction to him. As he stood up, he pulled her to her feet and kissed her hand. Turning without a word, he walked across the hall and out the door.

  Shocked and unsure of what had just happened, Julie returned to her seat next to her date. After a few moments of silence, she stood up and walked out the very same door. Ethan was standing outside with his forehead against the brick building.

  “What the hell was that?” she snapped.

  “I have no idea what you're talking about. Don't think I didn't feel you shiver when I slid my fingers down your leg,” he said in a cocky tone.

  “Did you really need to use your teeth? Gavin was about to lose it. Why do you always have to be such an ass?”

  Ethan snapped his head up and turned to her. He was an inch away from her with the most dominating look on his face. Her eyes widened as he spoke.

  “Why are you here with the most boring guy you could find?” he growled.

  “Who I am here with, is none of your business. What the fuck do you care? I'm just a kid, remember. At least I don't sleep with a different person every night,” she yelled, as she poked him in the chest.

  He reached out and grabbed her finger, as he looked directly into her eyes.

  “It's not like you. This person you've been today. You're outgoing, fun, and love to dance. This whole night, you've sat next to him like a bump on a log. We asked you to dance with us, and you looked over at him like you needed permission. Why didn't he get out of that chair? Why didn't he dance with you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated? That's not who you are. The Julie I know, would have gotten up and danced because she wanted to, not because someone allowed her to.”

  “What do you know about me? You're too busy moving from one woman to the next to know anything. I bet you can't even tell me the names of the last five women you slept with, but you think you can stand here and judge me. I don't think so. I don't know who you think you are, but you better look in the mirror before you say anything about the men I date,” she yelled, as she pulled her finger out of his grasp.

  Ethan's face was red with rage, and she was ready for whatever he threw back at her.

  “You're right, I shouldn't judge you,” he said calmly, as he wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I know if you were here with me, I wouldn't have let you sit there. I would have held you in my arms and danced with you. I would have shown you how amazing you are.”

  Julie felt herself stiffen. What the hell was going on? She pulled a long breath into her lungs and released it, hoping to calm her nerves. She knew him too well. He was pulling out his sweet, loving tone with her. There was no way she was going to let him think he had her where he wanted her.

  “You listen to me, Ethan,” she said, as she poked her finger hard into his chest again. “I know you better than you think I do. You can take that sweet, charming tone and stick it up your ass. There is no way I would ever fall for your fake crap. At least with him, I don't have to think about his motives behind every word that comes out of his mouth. I don't have to wonder who he's with when I'm not there. I don't have to fear him for any reason. So you can stop telling me what you would do if you were in his place, because that my friend would never happen.”

  Julie could feel her arms shaking as she pushed off of his chest, turned around, swung the door open, and walked back inside. Calming herself along the way, she continued to breathe in and out repeatedly. Lisa walked up and stopped her on the way back to the table.

  “What are you doing to our boy?” Lisa asked, as she laughed.

  “That player is about to be played. He can pull that sweet and sexy shit on someone else. I have known him far too long to ever let my guard down around him. He's all about the chase. Once he gets a woman, he has no use for them anymore. He just messes with me to irritate my brother. He needs to learn a lesson.”

  “You're so amazing. I am so glad you don't put up with that. You are definitely going to find your prince charming one day,” Lisa said, as she hugged her.

  As Julie walked back to her date, she thought about what Lisa said. Julie didn't believe in her prince charming. They always turned out to be a toad, she thought as she giggled. How could they all tell that the man she brought to the wedding was not the man for her? It was strange how they all knew her so well,
but none of them truly saw her fears and struggles when she needed them to. She would never allow a man to play her, never again.

  Chapter 2

  Ethan sat as his desk Monday morning trying to get his work done. His mind kept going back to the wedding. He had been too shocked by Julie's words to respond before she ran from him. They had known each other for fifteen years. He messed with and teased her all the time. Her brother hated that he joked and flirted with her so much. That was part of the fun. Something had been different between them at the wedding. It wasn't just about joking around anymore. Julie looked beautiful with her silky, brown hair, big, brown eyes, and a long dress that clung perfectly to her curves. When Ethan saw a man walk in next to her, he felt a surge of jealousy run through his veins. She had never brought a guy with her to a family function before. Julie introduced him to all of the family and friends as her boyfriend. He was a doctor at the hospital she worked out of. Ethan knew that there was no reason for him to feel protective of Julie, but he could not help but want to tear the guy limb from limb.

  Ethan danced with Lisa and talked to his friends, trying to get his mind off of Julie. Nothing was working. He kept seeing her with that guy, and it was driving him crazy. When it was time catch the garter, he knew it was his. There was no way anyone else was putting their hands on her. He felt her shiver and heard her gasp when he slid his hand across her leg. There was no mistaking what his touch did to her. He knew she was going to go right back to her date, so he helped her to her feet, kissed her hand, and went outside. There was no way he wanted to be in the same room with them. He couldn't do it. It drove him nuts to think of that guy touching her at all. He stood against the building with his head against the wall, trying to gain his composure so he could go back inside. When Julie walked outside and gave him a piece of her mind, he didn't know how to respond. She was definitely a strong woman. He could not believe the way she felt about him. Sure, he knew he moved from woman to woman. It wasn't really as bad as she made it sound. There were reasons he acted the way he did. Did she really need to make him sound so horrible, he wondered? Was he really that bad?

  It was afternoon, and he still had not accomplished anything at the office. Normally, he worked well into the night, but there was no reason to stay if he couldn't concentrate. He pulled out his phone and text John and Heath to see if they wanted to meet at the bar for a drink. John was his older brother and Heath was a friend of theirs. Neither of them was attached to anyone and would probably be down for going out. Their friends Gavin and Josh were both married with babies on the way. He knew they were wrapped around their wives' fingers and would not be allowed out of the house.

  Ethan sat thinking as he waited for them to respond. Gavin and Josh were two perfect reasons he would never let a woman tie him down. They had each lost their own identity. Their lives had to be lived for their women and children. Ethan only had to live for himself. He worked and played hard. If he was not gone on business, then he was working hard to make as much money as possible. It was very important to him to have everything he could. There would never be a time he would ever go without. As for a family, he would never want one. His brother was and would always be his only family. There was no space in his life for anyone else. Ethan thought back to one of the two days in his life he would never forget. He could see it as if it were happening at that moment. His father telling his mother how his leaving was her own fault as he walked out and shut the door. It was the last time Ethan had ever seen him. No woman would ever hold him back, and he would never have a reason to leave.

  Ethan's phone vibrated and pulled him from his memories. He shook his head as he turned it on.

  “I'll meet you in an hour. I have to go home and change first.” John sent.

  “I'm on my way. I'll see you in fifteen.” Heath sent.

  Ethan turned off his laptop and packed it into his bag. He stood up and stretched his arms out. It was going to be a good night, he thought. His suit jacket was off and his sleeves were rolled up within seconds. Grabbing his bag, he shut off his office lights and headed for the door. He sat in the back of the car as his driver weaved in and out of traffic. There were more cars than he was used to on the roads, but he usually left work much later. His driver dropped him off at the bar and let him know that he wouldn't be far.

  Heath was already there and had chosen a booth in the back. Ethan grabbed some drinks from the bar on his way through the crowd. He smiled as he looked around at the sexy, available women around them. Yes, it was going to be a good night. When he got to the table, Heath shook his head.

  “What?” Ethan asked.

  “You are something else. Already looking around for who will share your bed tonight? You're such a player,” Heath said.

  “Today has been a shitty day. I need to get my mind off of things for a few minutes. There's nothing wrong with that. She'll know the deal when we leave here. I never let them think there's a chance for another meeting,” Ethan snapped. “I don't understand why you all look at me like it's so wrong. I'm not leading anyone on.”

  “One of these days, you're going to meet your match. There is going to be that one woman that you just can't get. I am going to be right there to watch it all unfold.”

  “That's a load of crap. You know enough about my past to know that it will never happen. I will never want a woman or a relationship for more than one night. Why would I put up with all of the stuff that Gavin and Josh put up with, when I can have everything I want without it?” Ethan asked.

  Just as Heath was about to say something else, John walked over and sat down. A waitress followed right behind him.

  “Do you gentlemen need any drinks?” she asked, winking at Ethan.

  He pulled her into his lap as he laughed.

  “I can think of a few things I need,” he replied.

  She laughed as she stood back up. They gave her their order, and she blew him a kiss as she walked away.

  “You are such an ass,” John said. “What was that shit at the wedding?”

  “What are you talking about?” Ethan asked.

  “That stuff with Julie. She's a good kid. Why do give her such a hard time? I know you do it to irritate Gavin, but you need to think about her feelings too. She came back in from outside, after the whole garter thing, and she looked so upset. I could tell she had tears in her eyes, as she walked back to her date. You shouldn't mess with her like that. She's a good person.”

  “I didn't do anything to her. She came outside to see me. I wasn't going to say anything to her. She was the one that pointed her finger in my chest and yelled at me about what a piece of shit I am. I never even went back in. That was my cue to leave. You can stop giving me shit right now brother,” Ethan said.

  “Everywhere we go, you give her a hard time. You did it at Gavin's house, at the hospital, and at the weddings. You pick on her every time she sees you. If I didn't know better, I would think you liked her. I know that's not the case and that you are just doing it for Gavin, but you need to stop torturing her. She doesn't deserve that.”

  “You know I don't like her. I enjoy picking on her, and it's just an added bonus that it bugs her big brother. I'm not going to sit here and let you trash me. I came here to have fun, and that is what I plan to do. I'll show you just how much I don't care about her,” Ethan snapped at his big brother.

  He stood up and pushed away from their table with a smirk. There was an attractive girl standing a few feet away. He would show his brother and forget about the things that had been on his mind. Ethan walked up behind the tall, thin hottie and whispered in her ear. She turned her body to face him and flung her arms around his neck. That was who was going to keep him warm that night. He winked over at John as she pulled him in for a kiss. Before long, he held her hand as they made their way to his car. He let the driver know they would be going to his place as the door closed behind them.

  They barely made it into his bachelor pad before their clothes flew off and landed throughout the
room. He carried her to his bedroom and placed her on his bed, as he crawled up over her to drown out his stress from the day.

  Ethan opened his eyes to the bright light shining through the window. He heard a noise and looked to the side. A groan escaped his lips, and he got out of the bed and made his way to the bathroom. After a long, hot shower, he made his way back to his bedroom with a towel around his hips. The blonde from the night before was sitting up in his bed. She reached out and grabbed for his towel, but he pulled back from her.

  “You need to get your clothes on and leave. I'm late for a meeting at work,” he said sternly.

  “Come on, just come back to bed for a few minutes. Let me show how much I appreciate our time together.”

  “I'm late for a meeting. We need to go. My driver will drop me off at work and then take you where you need to go.”

  She let out a sigh and pushed out her bottom lip.

  “Don't give me that shit. Get your ass ready, or you'll be standing outside naked.”

  “You're such an ass,” she snapped.

  “That's not the first time I've heard that one lately. Hurry up.”

  Her long legs reached the floor, and she made her way to the bathroom.

  Ethan laughed as she called him names. At least he was living up to what all of his friends thought of him. Why disappoint them?

  Chapter 3

  Julie sat back on the couch with a cup of coffee and a book. Thursday was her day off, and she wanted to enjoy every moment of it. She loved her job as a pediatrician, but it kept her very busy. Between the hospital and her practice, there was not much time for relaxing. Time to herself was very important to her.

  She was surrounded by hardworking friends and family. Her brother Gavin owned his own software company. His wife Becky worked there with him. He put in very long hours. One of his friends, Josh, was a firefighter and owned multiple restaurants. Heath owned his own construction company. John was a police officer and investor. Ethan was the last of her brother's friends. He owned a software company as well. If he wasn't traveling, then he was at his office until it was time to go to bed and start over again. She wasn't sure if it was a guy thing or just her brother and his friends. They worked every spare moment. Julie never understood if it was the money that pushed them so hard, or if it was passion for what they loved doing.