Do Marry Your Billionaire Boss (Jewel Family Romance Book 1) Read online

  She turned to Joshua. He was looking down at her. Jade bit at her lip and said, “I guess you understand the nature of this meeting?”

  Joshua chuckled. He released her hand and wrapped his arms around her lower back. With her heels on she was a little closer to his height but she’d still have to wrap her arms around his neck for leverage and go on tiptoes. She was looking forward to it.

  “I believe so. You’re ready to lose a bet?”

  She couldn’t hide her smile. “I guess I’m okay with that, but don’t plan on me losing in the future.”

  His face sobered. “Do we have a future, Jade?”

  She gulped but nodded. “I sure hope so.”

  “Me too.”

  A few beats passed. Jade didn’t know what their future would look like but after this week she knew she wouldn’t survive long without him.

  “It’s time then,” he said.

  “For?”

  “You to kiss me.” He smirked but it was so appealing on his handsome face.

  “Okay big guy. You asked for it.”

  His hands tightened on her back. “I’m begging for it, love,” his voice was so deep and husky it made her stomach heat up.

  “Well I hate to make you beg, but …” She winked at him.

  “Please, Jade,” his low voice rumbled through her they were so close. “Please kiss me so I can kiss you back.”

  Jade’s entire body was hot. How would him kissing her back feel? Any different than her kissing him? There was one way to find out.

  She slid her arms around his neck, pulled his head down closer as she arched onto tiptoes. Tentatively at first she kissed his delicious-looking lips and found they tasted better than they looked. She sampled them a few times and then she pressed in close and kissed him with all the longing she had stored inside of her. The kiss took on a life of its own as he worked with her lips’ movements to produce sensations so beautiful she wasn’t sure she’d ever experience something so wonderful again. There was also the crazy feeling that she’d kissed him before. Maybe they’d met in heaven and this was simply meant to be.

  She finally pulled back gasping for air. “That was …”

  “Incredible,” he finished for her.

  She nodded but then tilted her head and said sassily, “Your turn now. No way can you top that.”

  He grinned and said, “I’m up to that challenge.”

  “Oh, I hope so.”

  Joshua slowly, tantalizingly ran his hands up her back and then along her neck. She shivered from the sensation. He framed her face with his hands, running the pad of one thumb across her lips with a feather light touch. Jade was now panting for air, desire rushing through her.

  Joshua bent down low and pressed his lips to hers. She felt decidedly lightheaded and could only focus on his lips lighting up her world. Her mouth parted and his warm breath seemed to fill her up. When he gently deepened the kiss, every nerve lit up and her body felt like it was on fire.

  The kiss ended and he rested his forehead against hers. “Did I win?”

  Jade gave an unsteady laugh, clinging to him. “You definitely won.”

  He smiled but said, “Jade. I don’t care about winning the bet, or winning the kissing challenge. I care about winning your heart. Could you …”

  The sound of loud male voices interrupted whatever he was going to say. Jade looked around in disappointment and frustration at the interruption. Joshua cuddled her in to his side and turned as if to shelter her but she’d already seen who it was. Curtis, and one of his cronies, Gabe. She’d seen Curtis and some of the other men on the ship a few times but had been able to turn a different direction and avoid any confrontation.

  Curtis’s eyes widened as they stopped a few feet away. “Joshua, Jade.” His voice was a little strained, but he smiled smoothly. “Good to see you both.”

  Joshua nodded. “You too.” He focused on Gabe. “How’s your day been, Gabe?”

  “Great, sir. Thank you.” His eyes were flitting nervously between Joshua and Jade. What had Curtis told him? “Will we see you before we fly home tomorrow?”

  “For sure. I’ll ride with you to the airport.”

  “Sounds great.”

  They both raised hands, muttered goodbye, and then awkwardly walked away.

  Jade was still in Joshua’s arms but she suddenly felt alone. Glancing up at him, she felt raw and exposed from their kisses and found she couldn’t hide from the real issue between them any longer. “What did your investigator find out?”

  Joshua closed his eyes for a second and his lips pressed together. He opened his eyes and muttered, “Nothing on anybody but you.”

  Jade gasped, pulled away from his embrace, and backed into the railing. “What?”

  “I’m sorry.” Joshua pushed a hand at his hair. “In addition to the money donated to the charity you champion …” He shook his head. “The internal investigator found a paper in your desk with the name of one of the banks in Grand Cayman and numbers that matched the deposits.”

  Heat flooded her face. “He was looking in my desk? That had to be planted. You have to believe me Joshua.”

  Joshua simply looked sadly at her. “There’s no evidence pointing to anyone else.”

  She let out a shaky breath, suddenly terrified. Joshua not believing her was scarier than the thought of him pressing criminal charges. “So you don’t believe me?”

  He raised his hands. “Jade … it’s not that I don’t … I think you’re amazing, I’m falling in love with you. Of course I want to trust and believe you.”

  “But you don’t.” She was more sad than mad at the moment. The anger would come though. “Being with me, getting to know me, kissing me like that, and you think I’m a thief who could steal from you while tricking you into falling for me?” Her hands were shaking so she clasped them together.

  “I don’t know what to think. I hope somebody’s setting you up.” He shook his head. “We just need more time to get to the bottom of it.”

  “You … hope?” The anger was coming quicker than she’d thought. “Somebody is setting me up and here you claim to be falling in love with me but you can’t trust that I would never do something so underhanded to anyone, least of all you.”

  Joshua just stared at her as if she were a dry ice bomb and he didn’t want to shake her and see her explode. He seemed at a loss for what to say, how to proceed.

  “I have never so much as stolen a candy bar,” Jade reiterated, “If you aren’t going to trust me without some investigator telling you to …” She almost couldn’t say it. She loved Joshua. Yet she couldn’t be with him if he couldn’t believe her on something this important. “We’re through,” she pushed out.

  The pain radiating from Joshua’s eyes almost took her legs out from under her. She couldn’t back down though. She’d given him his time. She’d fallen in love with him. Now it was time for him to trust her, or she was done.

  Whirling, she rushed away from him, running down flights of steps, tripping in her heels but catching herself on the railing. Hurrying through the ship she finally made it to her room and slammed the door behind her.

  Pacing for a few seconds, she ripped off her heels and pushed open the patio door. Would Priest be out there? What would he think of this sob story? She didn’t even know what to think. Maybe it was unfair of her to expect Joshua to simply trust her when he’d lost over a million dollars, but how could any amount of money be more important than what they had together?

  There was a rap at the door. Jade left the balcony door open and walked back to the door. It had to be Joshua. She wasn’t ready to talk to him, yet maybe he was willing to trust her, to take action. If not, she’d tell him off again and plan out the next week with Jesse. The idea left her strangely deflated.

  Pulling the door open, her eyes widened in surprise.

  Gabe pushed his way into the room, shut the door firmly behind him, and turned the deadbolt.

  “Gabe? What are you doing?” Jade w
as confused. Gabe had always been very courteous, and sort of withdrawn. What did he want and why had he pushed his way in her room?

  “You and I are going to have a little talk,” he said in a silky smooth voice.

  Jade backed away, shaking her head.

  Gabe glared at her. “I wondered when Joshua spent no time with us, and I caught glimpses of him at times with a woman, what was going on. Sadly I didn’t realize it was you who’d captured his attention, until tonight.” He took a menacing step forward and thrust out a blank paper at her. “You are going to write a nice note about how sorry you are for stealing his money.” He smiled silkily. “Before you throw yourself overboard.”

  “Never.” Jade’s voice squeaked as her throat constricted. Gabe was the thief. “Why Gabe?”

  He simply smiled. “The distraction over your death will give me plenty of time to transfer at least another million. Then I’ll simply disappear into the Caribbean.”

  Jade backed toward the balcony. Possibly the dumbest spot if he truly would push her overboard, but maybe Priest was out there and could at least call for help or scare Gabe away.

  He kept advancing. The creepy leer in his eyes made fear dance through her. Slapping the paper down on the small desk, she noticed he had surgical gloves on. That little detail made her stomach hop into her throat. No fingerprints. Everyone would believe it was suicide. Her pulse raced.

  “Write the note,” he growled.

  She wrote with a trembling hand, clutching the pen. Could she fight him off? Could she get around him to the exterior door or run to the balcony and somehow swing around to Priest’s balcony. Priest. Was he out there?

  As soon as the note was finished Jade straightened, and jabbed the pen into Gabe’s arm. He howled in pain and grasped at his arm.

  Jade dashed around him, running for the door. She didn’t want to be anywhere near that balcony, even if Priest was there. She’d heard if you got thrown off a ship the engines would suck you under and you had no chance.

  Gabe grabbed her arm and wrenched her to a stop. Dragging her toward the balcony, he said grimly. “It’ll all be over soon.”

  “Priest!” Jade screamed at the top of her lungs, praying with everything in her that he was out there.

  Joshua went back to his room and immediately to the balcony. Would Jade talk to her priest about what had transpired between them? Did Joshua even want to hear it? He would lose her if he didn’t trust her. Joshua had to trust her. She wasn’t Amber. She wouldn’t betray him. He flipped open his laptop and composed an email to Jade, Curtis, and the others in the department. He explained that he trusted Jade and knew she’d never steal from him. If she so desired, her job was not only reinstated she would be his recommendation for CEO when Curtis retired next year as he planned on doing. He hit send and felt good about his decision. He trusted Jade. He loved her. Now she’d know he’d chosen her, no matter what proof they had with the embezzlement.

  He started toward his door so he could tell her all, and if she saw fit to forgive him for lying about Jesse and Priest, he’d kiss her until the ship docked in the morning. He saw a light at the end of this miserable tunnel without Jade. When suddenly he heard a man yelp in pain. He paused and retraced his steps to the balcony.

  A few seconds later he heard Jade yell, “Priest!”

  “Jade!” he yelled back, concern overcoming him.

  “Priest! Help me!”

  Without thinking, he grabbed the divider between the balconies, hauled himself up to his railing, and swung around toward hers. His grip was slipping on the barrier. He glanced down at the unforgiving waters below. Terror pricked at his spine. He yanked himself forward and fell on top of one of her balcony chairs.

  Scrambling to his feet, he rushed into her room.

  A man was tugging at the door then fumbling to turn the deadbolt. Jade looked okay, stunned but okay.

  “Joshua?” Her mouth hung open and her eyes widened.

  Joshua wanted to comfort her, to hold her, but he had to catch the loser who’d tried to hurt her. Running across the room as the man turned the deadbolt and pulled the door open, Joshua grabbed the guy by his arm and dragged him back. He pushed him against the closet door, ready to slam his fist into the guy’s face, and sucked in a breath of surprise.

  “Gabe?”

  Gabe’s face was full of terror. His gaze darted to Jade then back to Joshua. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

  “Tell me exactly what this is,” Joshua demanded, his grip tightening on Gabe’s arm.

  Gabe’s chin and hands were visibly trembling and his dark eyes wouldn’t meet Joshua’s. Why was he wearing surgical gloves? Joshua’s stomach clenched.

  “Please, Joshua, you know I’ve been a good employee.” He swallowed hard and gestured to Jade. “I was trying to get her to confess to taking the money.”

  “Ah,” Jade pushed out in disgust. “He forced me to write a suicide note claiming I took the money, and was going to throw me off the balcony.”

  “She’s lying,” Gabe whimpered.

  “Then why are you wearing gloves?” Joshua demanded.

  Gabe shook his head miserably. “She’s lying.”

  Joshua pushed the man harder into the closet and looked at Jade. She looked so innocent and beautiful, her green eyes full of trust in him. He gave her a shaky smile and said, “I believe Jade. She would never lie to me.”

  Jade’s mouth softened and her eyes brightened.

  “Can you please call security, love?” he asked.

  She nodded and grabbed the phone on the desk. Joshua noticed her hands shaking but she explained that a man had attacked her in her room and answered their questions.

  “Please,” Gabe begged, trying to squirm free. “I wouldn’t have hurt her. I just needed that money.”

  Joshua glared at him. “Needed it for what?”

  “My sister’s dying. I needed it for her treatments.”

  Joshua studied him but heard a harrumph behind him. He turned and Jade was off the phone and had her toned arms folded across her chest. “You told me you’d get another million during the ‘distraction over my death’ then you could disappear into the Caribbean.”

  Gabe shrunk against the wall and wouldn’t meet Joshua’s gaze. Joshua really wanted to hit him, but he wouldn’t let himself stoop to that level.

  The door pounded and a call of “Security!” came through.

  “Can you get that, love?” Joshua asked, not wanting to release this scum.

  “Sure.” There was something in her eyes that concerned Joshua. The fear was wearing off, and she was processing that her priest was actually Joshua.

  The security burst into the room. Joshua released Gabe and straightened, knowing he cut an imposing figure. “I’m Joshua Jewel. This man attacked Jade Jardine in her room and has also been embezzling from my company. Please detain him and I will be there momentarily to explain the situation fully and work things out with the authorities from the U.S.”

  “Yes, sir.” They didn’t question him, simply took Gabe’s arm and wrenched him out the door. Gabe trudged away with shoulders rounded, not even protesting.

  Joshua took a deep breath, and turned to face Jade. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He should’ve asked that immediately. If Gabe had hurt her Joshua would chase those men down, and pummel Gabe.

  “I’m fine,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.

  “Okay.” Joshua didn’t know what to say now. What to do? She definitely wasn’t fine. He’d sent that email but would she believe that he did trust her after all of this? He hadn’t told her he believed her when he should’ve. “I’m sorry, Jade.”

  Maybe she’d fall into his arms for rescuing her from Gabe and then they could work the rest out. The grim look on her face told him he wasn’t going to be that lucky.

  “You’re Priest?” She glanced at the open balcony door then back at him, cutting off the long, heartfelt apology he needed to make.

  The timing w
as horrible. He’d done everything wrong. How was she going to react? “Yes,” he admitted.

  She blinked up at him and then shook her head. “You lied to me. It’s hard enough to believe you wouldn’t accept the truth about me not being the thief, but to outright lie to me? To pretend you had some suite up high on the ship, then listen to everything I said about you and Jesse?” Her eyes glinted, hard and cold as the stone she was named after. She was obviously livid but controlling herself. “I can’t believe the man I thought I loved could do that.”

  Joshua swallowed hard. He needed to tell her about Jesse too. This was imploding fast. How was he ever going to make this right? He was losing her. No. He’d already lost her. He wanted to slam his fist into something, preferably Gabe’s face, but this was all on him.

  He stood straight and said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know if I could trust you at first, and I’ve made so many mistakes trying to figure it out. I love you, Jade, and I want to make this right with you, earn your forgiveness and your trust.” He was groveling but he didn’t care. He’d do anything for her.

  Jade held up a hand. “Don’t. Just leave.” Her voice cracked. She cleared it and said quietly, “Please leave.”

  Joshua didn’t have a choice. He’d messed this all up. He’d thought she was lying when in reality he was the only one lying. He wished he could beg and plead his case but one look at her and he knew she wasn’t going to listen, or care, to any excuses he might make.

  With one last glance at her, he turned and walked from her room. The door closing behind him was worse than any funeral bell ringing. He and Jade were done.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jade didn’t even call Teal that night. She fell onto her bed and sobbed. She and Joshua were done. Nothing had ever hurt like this. How was she going to live without him? She had no choice, because she would never trust him now. It made her sick that he would pretend to be Priest and chat with her every night, about himself and Jesse. What a jerk. Yet somehow she couldn’t make herself think he was a jerk. She loved him. That hurt as much as anything.