Read Online The Billionaire's Mistaken Mistress - Part 2 (Contemporary BWWM Romance) by Mia Caldwell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mia Caldwell
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could plant hers on his. She resisted, reminding herself to maintain her composure and hold steadfast in her resolve to not get carried away. He may have dropped the word “divorce,” but he was still a married man and things could very well change between him and his currently estranged wife. Aside from that, there had been all that publicity about his wife's affair in the press lately and she had no way of knowing if he'd secretly forgiven her for it. What if he was only wining and dining her just to get revenge on Kimberly? Perhaps his plan was to have his own affair and stay with Kimberly after all. She didn't get that vibe from him at all, but they had been married for over seven years. What if he still loved Kimberly despite her recent betrayal?
Jessie shook those thoughts from her mind. Surely John was not so scheming, and he came across as incredibly sincere. She relaxed and found it surprisingly easy to get along with him despite their cultural and social differences. They had a lot to talk about, and more in common than she imagined. She had envisioned him being from a rich family; privileged and spoiled. The reality, however, was that John was a small-town boy, just as she was a small-town girl. He'd worked hard to earn an extraordinary life for himself, just as she was working hard to secure her future as well.
He was very interested in the business degree Jessie was studying for, and offered her valuable insight she would be sure to employ in the future. He was a wealth of knowledge which came as no surprise to Jessie given his reputation as a savvy businessman. Before she knew it, the two of them were opening a second bottle of wine and enjoying that on top of the champagne they'd begun the evening with. By the time they cracked open a bottle of his favorite whiskey reserve towards the end of their three-course meal, Jessie's head was spinning and John was feeling a bit loopy as well.
“You know,” she said to him. “I always liked this building. I never knew you owned it, but the architecture is beautiful.”
“I've always loved it,” John gushed. “That's one of the reasons I had to buy it. Sorry, that sounded pompous.”
“Not at all. You've got money – get over it,” Jessie joked, causing them both to bellow in half-inebriated laughter.
“Tell you what?” John said. “Let me give you the grand tour of the place. The interior of the hotel is just as nice as this restaurant. Kimberly always hated the place. But let's not talk about her. Finish your drink, and I'll take you on a guided tour.”
Jessie gulped down the remainder of her wine, and together they walked down the marble stairs to the luxury bedroom suites on the floor just below the restaurant. John crooked his elbow so that Jessie could link her arm through it, and for a moment she felt as if she were living a fairytale.
“I love all the detail of the ceilings. The sculpted corners and the setting of the chandelier seems like it should be in a ballroom or something,” John said, stopping to look up.
Jessie raised her head, realizing how buzzed she was in the process, and she tried not to giggle as she took in the alabaster cornices in the large hallway.
“The paintings?” she said. “Are these special in any way?” She had stopped to look at one on the hallway wall.
“Well, they were originally hung on the walls of a suite on a lower floor.” John explained softly. “Apparently they were commissioned by the original owner who loved the work of a local artist. The artist died in poverty, and the paintings aren't worth a lot. But, looking at them, I would say they could easily be in the Guggenheim or the Museum of Modern Art.
Jessie shook those thoughts from her mind. Surely John was not so scheming, and he came across as incredibly sincere. She relaxed and found it surprisingly easy to get along with him despite their cultural and social differences. They had a lot to talk about, and more in common than she imagined. She had envisioned him being from a rich family; privileged and spoiled. The reality, however, was that John was a small-town boy, just as she was a small-town girl. He'd worked hard to earn an extraordinary life for himself, just as she was working hard to secure her future as well.
He was very interested in the business degree Jessie was studying for, and offered her valuable insight she would be sure to employ in the future. He was a wealth of knowledge which came as no surprise to Jessie given his reputation as a savvy businessman. Before she knew it, the two of them were opening a second bottle of wine and enjoying that on top of the champagne they'd begun the evening with. By the time they cracked open a bottle of his favorite whiskey reserve towards the end of their three-course meal, Jessie's head was spinning and John was feeling a bit loopy as well.
“You know,” she said to him. “I always liked this building. I never knew you owned it, but the architecture is beautiful.”
“I've always loved it,” John gushed. “That's one of the reasons I had to buy it. Sorry, that sounded pompous.”
“Not at all. You've got money – get over it,” Jessie joked, causing them both to bellow in half-inebriated laughter.
“Tell you what?” John said. “Let me give you the grand tour of the place. The interior of the hotel is just as nice as this restaurant. Kimberly always hated the place. But let's not talk about her. Finish your drink, and I'll take you on a guided tour.”
Jessie gulped down the remainder of her wine, and together they walked down the marble stairs to the luxury bedroom suites on the floor just below the restaurant. John crooked his elbow so that Jessie could link her arm through it, and for a moment she felt as if she were living a fairytale.
“I love all the detail of the ceilings. The sculpted corners and the setting of the chandelier seems like it should be in a ballroom or something,” John said, stopping to look up.
Jessie raised her head, realizing how buzzed she was in the process, and she tried not to giggle as she took in the alabaster cornices in the large hallway.
“The paintings?” she said. “Are these special in any way?” She had stopped to look at one on the hallway wall.
“Well, they were originally hung on the walls of a suite on a lower floor.” John explained softly. “Apparently they were commissioned by the original owner who loved the work of a local artist. The artist died in poverty, and the paintings aren't worth a lot. But, looking at them, I would say they could easily be in the Guggenheim or the Museum of Modern Art.
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