Baby by Christmas : BWWM Billionaire Romance

By Tiana Dorsey

When 27-year-old Senior Project Manager Keisha Jones was dumped right before Christmas, she knew it was time for a change.  She'd dated a string of losers, and she was done.  Inspired by testimonials, she signed up with a match-making agency, and within a few months, she was matched with handsome, 30-year-old billionaire Dean Stark, President and Founder of Stark Aerospace and Defense. He's more than deep pockets and shrewd business sense, and Keisha finds herself falling in love with the first man who's ever really understood her.  There's only one problem.

With a famous ex and a few skeletons that come tumbling out of his closet right after they spend the night together, Keisha isn't sure that she can handle Dean's baggage.  She dumps him, doing her best to avoid him for more than a month while she heals her broken heart.

She's angry and hurt, but a mysterious illness and a trip to the hospital leaves her reeling and feeling lost.  When he shows up to be by her side after she's all but cursed the very ground he walks on, she's forced to consider whether she ran away because he wasn't The One, or because being vulnerable is scary.

Standalone Romance Stories With No Cliffhanger!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tiana Dorsey
• Release date: Feb 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386731283

Book preview

Baby by Christmas

BOOK 1

Chapter 1

Christmas, 2016

Keisha stared at the ringing phone, letting it go to voicemail for the third time in a row.  She knew what it was about, but she wasn’t in the mood to talk to her sister Kelisse.  She wanted to sit in the dark, alone in her condo, staring at the single, wrapped present beneath the tree that twinkled merrily in the dark room.

She took a sip of the red wine she’d saved for the occasion, already three glasses in and starting to feel the buzz.  Curtis was a fool; he was missing out on a good thing.  And for what?  Because Keisha was tired of supporting his dreams and suggested he get a day job while he waited to make it big.  Because he cared more about his image than their year-long relationship?

She cringed, closing her eyes against the flood of too fresh memories.  He hadn’t taken it well.  She knew he wouldn’t, but she’d pushed the issue anyway.  Curtis was living in his own place, but his work promoting up and coming talent wasn’t bringing in enough money.  It started off with Keisha floating him a couple hundred here and there and somehow turned into her paying most of his bills on top of her own.  When she’d mentioned moving in together, he’d shook his head, licked his lips in that slow, sensual way that set her body on fire, and said the same bull line he’d been feeding her from almost day one.

"Come on, Keisha.  You know I gotta look available.  Not ‘cuz I don’t love you, but ‘cuz of the business.  People don’t want to book with a man who’s settled down with one lady, living the dull life in a little two-bedroom condo.  I’m not just selling them my services; I’m selling them the dream.  Their dream.  Fresh talent doesn’t dream of the boring, almost married life.  They dream of a girl on each arm, fast cars, and parties all night every night, you know what I’m sayin’?"

That’s ridiculous, Keisha had shot back this time.  And what are you even doing working on Christmas Eve.  It’s family time.  Don’t these guys have family to hang out with?

You know it ain’t like that, he said, looking over his shoulder at the crowd grinding on the dance floor and nodding his head at someone in the crowd.  I just gotta work the crowd for a little bit and I’ll be home.

At dawn, Keisha grumbled, scowling at him.

He reached across the space between them, the red velvet booth in the VIP balcony, and smoothed the back of his hand across her cheek.  The loud music pulsed in her eardrums and made her wish she’d never gotten dolled up to go out.  When he’d said Christmas party, she thought he’d meant something else.  She scoffed, laughing at herself for being such a fool.  She knew better.

She’d known better for a few months now, and she was over it.

You know I love you, Boo.  I’ll be home as soon as I can.

He pulled his hand away before she could push him away, his eyes locked on someone near the bar.  Keisha followed his line of sight, then her head snapped back to glare at him so fast the room spun.

What the hell? she said, standing up.  Are you serious right now?

Curtis jumped up, putting a hand on her arm and trying to pull her close.

It’s nothing, Baby.

That girl is blowing kisses at you, she seethed.  "And you’re smiling back at her.  I’m sitting right here.  Right here, Curtis.  How is that nothing?"

I come home to you, don’t I? he said, still using that slick voice with her, but this time, it came out sounding more shady than smooth.

I’m done, Curtis, she said, yanking her arm away from him.

Done?

Finished.  I’m over this.  I give you everything and all you do is feed me empty promises.  I’m tired of being last in line.  I deserve better than that.

She could see the panic in his eyes, and she realized that he wasn’t thinking about her leaving, but about his bills being due in just a week’s time.  She got paid on the first and the fifteenth and always wrote him a check the night before to cover his bills.  He was thinking about that, and not about her pain, or the fact that she was about to walk away.  She was sure of it.  And that made her even more furious.

I guess you’ll have to find another Sugar Mama, she spat out as she gathered her purse up and tucked it under her arm.

Keisha, don’t be like this, he said, still looking panicked, though he was trying to hide it.

Be like what?  Finally, sure that I deserve something more than this crap I’ve been dealing with for months?

I thought you supported my dreams, he said, eyes flashing with anger, his cool façade falling away now that he realized his meal ticket really was about to walk away. 

"I stood beside your dreams.  I never said I would pay for your dreams.  If you wanna hustle, then hustle.  But a man, a real man, doesn’t let a woman pay his way.  It’s been months since you had enough to pay your rent, but you sure don’t seem to have a problem paying for that ridiculous car."

Image is everything, he said as she walked away.

She turned, smiling over her shoulder at him.

"I wonder what your ‘talent’ would think if they knew the real you?  I know I wouldn’t trust you with my money, and I’m definitely not trusting you with my future.  Goodbye, Curtis."

And without another word, she had walked out of the club with her head held high, her steps quick, but relaxed and even.  She wasn’t going to run crying out of the club, and she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of turning around to see if he was still watching her.  He was the past, and her mother had taught her to never waste time staring at the past.

The phone rang again, but this time the ringtone was different.

Speak of the diva, she said, answering the phone even though she didn’t want to talk to her mother, either.

But Portia Jones wasn’t going to call twice before she showed up at Keisha’s front door, and Keisha wasn’t about to let her mother see her alone and crying on Christmas day.

Are you alright? Portia said without saying hello when Keisha answered. 

I’m fine, Mama.

What happened?

He’s not right for me, Keisha said, hoping that would be enough.

How many men aren’t going to be right for you before you’ve gone through them all and you’re left alone?

Keisha’s mouth dropped open.  Portia was known to be blunt, but Keisha hadn’t been expecting that.

He was a loser, Mom.

Most men are.

No, they’re not.  And you taught me never to settle.  So, I’m not settling.  Curtis is never going to get anywhere.

Maybe if you supported him—

You mean pay his bills?  ‘Cause I’ve been doing that, and I’m done.

There was silence on the other end, then she heard her mother take a deep breath and she knew she’d gotten through to her.  Portia might be pushy, but she knew when she’d been had.

He let you pay his bills? she asked, her voice soft.

Keisha fought the urge to laugh, even though her eyes were still wet from the tears.  Her mother was mad, and if Curtis had been standing there in that moment, he would have melted beneath Portia’s fiery glare. 

He did.  First, it was a little help, but the past three months, I’ve paid all the bills.

And what about the bills for January? 

I guess he’s going to have to find himself another meal ticket.

Good for you, Baby, Portia said, sighing again.  I just wish you could find you a nice man.  They’re out there.

I know.  I’m trying.  I really am.  But the guys I meet just aren’t quality I guess.

Then, why waste your time?

They run a good game in the beginning.  It’s hard to weed out the losers.  Don’t worry, I’ll find the right guy someday, and I promise, you’ll love him.

I ain’t getting any younger, Keisha.

Ah, there it is.  That’s the real problem.  You’re not worried about me.  You’re worried about grandbabies.  Isn’t Kelisse’s brood enough?  She’s got six.

But she’s not my firstborn.  I’ve been waiting my whole life to watch my first baby have her first baby, but you’re not even married yet.

You don’t have to get married to have a baby, she said sarcastically.

Exactly.

Mom, that’s not what I—

I’m not asking you to have a one-night stand or anything.  Just maybe, stop being so picky.  If you can find a man with a job who keeps his bills paid and keeps his ish together, then don’t be so hard on the little things.  I want to see you happy, and you’ve wanted to be a mom since you were four.

People change, she said,

Reviews for Baby by Christmas

[sherry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book so much I couldn’t put it down till the very end