“Just try and stop me.”
Chapter 9
An earlier call from Devon Montgomery had Logan reluctantly taking a detour at his friend’s house, where the rest of their friends had apparently gathered for an impromptu dinner. After taking Tilly’s hand, he needed no escort to lead them directly to the dining room, having been a guest at the Montgomery family ranch since he was a kid.
“Finally!” The cheerful greeting came from Hilary, who had immediately risen from her seat to welcome the couple. Introductions peppered with hugs and kisses were exchanged, and as always, he couldn’t help feeling slightly disconcerted at this new picture of domesticity that all of his friends were now a part of.
Devon and Hilary now had two-year-old Jamie, Sean and Isla had their one-year-old Izzy, Nick and Bee had their eight-month-old twins, and even Charlotte looked quite maternal as she chatted with Danny, Nick’s son from a previous relationship.
A nanny had come in with a sleepy-looking Liam, but the toddler’s face immediately brightened as soon as he saw his uncle.
“Logan!”
It was Tilly’s first time to see the billionaire and his nephew together, and they made an incredibly lovely sight, with the little one chortling as Logan had the toddler riding his shoulders before pretending to lose his balance and turning the whole thing into an exciting roller-coaster-like experience.
Just one look at them, and it was so obvious that Logan already loved his nephew like a son. And yet in the contract they signed with Heart’s Match, the billionaire had made it seem like Liam was nothing but a hindrance to him.
Self-denial at its finest, Tilly concluded, and who could blame him really? The breakdown of his parents’ marriage had understandably scarred the billionaire, but hopefully, someday, she’d be able to break enough walls around his heart, even if it was just to let little Liam in.
Dinner was served soon after, with Liam seated in a high chair between the two of them. The conversation flowed easily, with the womenfolk determined to make their newest member feel welcomed and comfortable.
Liam needed to have his nappy changed by the time Devon proposed they move to the balcony for some coffee, and when Tilly excused herself to take Liam back up to the nursery, she could feel the billionaire’s gaze following her as she headed up the stairs.
She was tempted to tease him about missing her too soon, but remembering that they weren’t alone made Tilly change her mind.
What a strange man Logan Hardwall was, Tilly mused while giving Liam a thorough wash. He could have any woman in the world, and yet it was her the billionaire wanted.
Then again, this could just be a temporary thing, and he only wanted her because he thought of her as a novelty for some reason. The time might still come when he’d realize he no longer desired her, and if that ever happened…
Just imagining such a scenario made her heart hurt, but Tilly swiftly reminded herself not to be greedy. As long as Billie was safe and healthy, she could and would bear anything and everything.
Liam, exhausted by the hours of play he enjoyed with the other children, was fast asleep by the time she finished changing him, and Tilly gently lowered him to the crib before turning around to dispose of the toddler’s soiled diaper.
The door to the nursery opened a moment later, with Logan walking inside without her being aware of it.
The lifestyle of the rich and famous, Tilly thought absently while washing her hands, was really something ordinary people couldn’t ever begin to comprehend until they experienced it for themselves. She had heard about wealthy people having multiple guestrooms in their home, but who would’ve imagined that they’d also have guest nurseries, too?
Stepping out of the washroom, Tilly was startled to see Logan standing by the crib and gazing down at the sleeping Liam.
“Hey,” she whispered.
He turned to her, and she was once again struck by how devastatingly handsome he was. Was this man truly her husband?
The billionaire crooked a finger at her, and she nearly smiled. Arrogant to a fault, but since he looked so much sexier because of it, she wasn’t going to complain. She walked towards him, but as soon as she was close enough for him to reach, the billionaire’s fingers curled around her wrist—
Oh!
She was suddenly yanked into his arms, and her startled gasp was lost in the passionate heat of the billionaire’s kiss. Her toes curled hard, and she had to struggle not to cry out loud as he sucked on her lower lip hungrily before kissing all the way down to the side of her neck while his hands roamed her body.
He started kneading her breasts, and her teeth sank into her lower lip in a desperate effort to keep her from making any noise. She could feel her tits swelling and ache, and when he tweaked her nipples, she had to quickly cover her mouth lest her gasps wake his nephew.