Tempting the Billionaire Read online

  Tempting the Billionaire

  Ginny Sterling

  Contents

  Introduction

  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

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Winning the Billionaire

  Spying on the Billionaire

  An Agent for Clementine

  Match Made in Heaven Series

  About the Author

  Introduction

  Jemma Hastings enjoys the liberating freedom that being online can bring. Discovering a friendship with another student has given her someone to talk to when she feels alone. Both struggled growing up, reaching out to the faceless person on the other side of the world- a person who seemed to understand and care. The first rule in being friends was honoring each other’s privacy. No real names, no photos, and absolutely no details.

  Her childhood internet friend has always been there for her. He used to talk her through her fears, the ups and downs of dating, as well as starting her own business. Time has a way of slipping by… but twenty-four years later – he is no longer anonymous- nor is he a teenager anymore.

  Aaron Ichiyo is the billionaire mastermind behind the software company A. I. When he chooses to hire a marketing firm to launch his latest product – he finds the owner of the company is enchanting. When tragedy strikes, Jemma steps in for support just like the friend he once had. When identities are discovered, can their friendship blossom into true love… even when they are worlds apart?

  For my best friend

  I love you more than you’ll ever know

  Chapter 1

  December 1995

  “Is it here yet?” Jemma hollered excitedly from her bedroom to anyone within reach of her voice. It was almost Christmas, her favorite time of the year. She adored the carols all over the radio, the smells of turkey cooking in the oven and chocolatey hot cocoa made on the stove. There was always something magical in the air that made her feel more alive, more loved. This year would bring about many new changes, including her brand-new Gateway computer- which was supposed to arrive any day now. She was beyond sick of waiting. If Blair called to tell her what she found on the internet again or bragged about how many emails she got on her new computer – she was going to scream.

  Jemma was completely spoiled and she knew it. The computer was the ultimate statement in school. All the cool and rich kids had one at home. She’d begged and pleaded for months before she played the ‘I can use it for my homework’ card with her parents. It was the exact same line she used to get her own telephone line- it would keep her off the house phone… or that having her own car would mean that she wouldn’t have to walk home from high school anymore. Sometimes the lines worked on her parents… and sometimes they didn’t.

  So far, getting a car of her own hadn’t happened- but that was okay. She was still driving on a learner’s permit. She hoped and prayed that she’d get a car soon, maybe something like Blair’s little blue Pontiac T-6000 or Mary’s green Chevette. Either vehicle would be wonderful as long as she didn’t have to drive the Celebrity station wagon complete with wood paneling down the sides anymore. That was so not cool and she’d rather walk.

  But getting a Gateway computer… it was the ‘in’ thing!

  She had taken computer science last semester and was fascinated with the idea of what a computer could do. You could get email, build a program, research things, play games, and talk to people online. Blair had shown her two weeks ago a website about a cartoon they’d watched as little girls and truthfully… Jemma still adored it. She’d been begging and pleading for a computer non-stop since then.

  The cartoon was a space odyssey that spanned generations – it was all about rocket ships, aliens, and traveling to a new planet. Jemma had kept her cool because Blair had thought it was now a ‘dumb television show’. She was ‘too mature for that anymore,’ Blair had announced during a sleepover when Jemma suggested watching a few taped episodes. That’s when she had first realized that they were growing up and frankly… she wasn’t ready. She wanted to hang on to the things that made her happy, instead of shucking them off like a dirty pair of shoes.

  Jemma loved the anime cartoon Tempting the Stars.

  The horrible animation, the cheesy lines, and massive mecha (mechanized airplanes or other machinery) in the cartoon that was so futuristic… was terribly invigorating to her wild imagination. She perused over the comic books and jumped at the chance to buy novel adaptations – all so she could relive those episodes in her mind and discover that thrill again. She drew pencil sketches of the characters and hid them away in her room from sight. Many times, she’d gotten in trouble for daydreaming in class of flying her own mecha or wearing a specialized plug suit like they did in the show. High school was boring, and getting lost in another nebula was easily preferred over doing any homework.

  “Jemma, the delivery truck just pulled up. What in the world have you done to your hair?” her mother screeched in shock. Jemma had hidden away in her bathroom purposefully so that she wouldn’t be interrupted while the bleach set in. Her brown hair now had grossly orange tips that looked like straw. It probably didn’t help things when she used a crimper to texturize her hair too. Ever since the heat had touched the orange tips, they crinkled horribly when you touched them. Blair had bleached her own hair last weekend and it looked so phenomenal on her blond hair, that Jemma tried it on her own chestnut mane.

  “Mom- don’t freak out. Everyone at school is bleaching their tips.”

  “We could have seen Sally for that.”

  Jemma frowned and refrained from rolling her eyes at her mother. That always went badly and got her grounded each and every time. She couldn’t afford to get grounded now if the computer was coming today. Actually, thinking back, when she’d asked Sally to do it during her last haircut… her mother’s hair dresser had ignored her completely then also. Sally did the same thing when Jemma had asked her to dye it purple too. Apparently the only color she was getting anytime soon was from Halloween hairspray cans or her green mascara.

  “I don’t think Sally likes me.”

  “Of course, she does, sweetie.”

  “Nope. She likes you because you pay the bills – she ignores me.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because every time I ask her to do something with my hair, she ignores me like I’m not even there,” Jemma muttered in an annoyed voice. Was it so wrong to want to be more than a mousey-brown haired girl from Bloomington, Indiana? Nothing cool ever happened here in her opinion.

  “Honey, quit trying to have her make you into a punk-rocker and maybe we’ll listen to your requests.”

  “Mooooom,” Jemma whined, stomping her Keds sneakers on the carpeted floor. “I am not trying to be a punk-rocker at all. I want to have fun and do wild things. I am trying to express myself and become who I am meant to be. Individuality, remember?”

  “Sweetie let’s not talk about this right now,” her mother said cajolingly, patting Jemma on the shoulder as she moved to open the front door. “I will have Sally cut off those fried dead ends next week. If you want highlights, then I will have her do them for you.” This time Jemma did roll her eyes as she turned around and crossed her arms against her chest. Highlights meant two hours’ wo
rth of torture. Sally was quite vicious with a plastic cap and hook, something Jemma learned a few years ago and could have sworn the woman was diving for brains each time she stabbed it through.

  “No, no highlights,” Jemma signed heavily in memory.

  Being in high school was tough enough without having someone undermine you when you were just trying to fit in. But before she could say anything else on the matter, her orange tips were completely forgotten when she saw the massive black and white box sitting on the kitchen table. It was huge and had a cow pattern stamped all over the cardboard. Thrilled, she went to yanking open the top of the box when her father grabbed her gently by the shoulder, stopping her.

  “Muffin, let’s get this set up in your room.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered appreciatively.

  Her dad seemed to understand what she was going through and how tough things could be at times. He would slip her money for her to buy a carnation for herself on days there was a pep rally. Jemma didn’t have a boyfriend – and the girls who did, all got carnations. Her father would make sure and order pizza if her friends slept over instead of having meatloaf or spaghetti. Sometimes, he would drop a package of gum in her lunch bag so she an olive branch to extend to the other kids in school to keep from getting picked on. Oh yes, her father understood completely what she couldn’t say aloud.

  It was rough to be fifteen – but things were definitely looking up!

  Patiently, she waited as the precious computer was unpackaged and her father went through the instructions before turning it on. It sat on her laminated wood desk in the corner of her room. She’d rearranged her room just for this situation. The desk was right beside her phone jack in the wall – her outlet to freedom. Her green phone covered in puffed stickers would just have to go for now in order to make the line available for internet. Picking up a disc that sat in a paper sleeve, she smiled.

  This was her ticket to freedom: an AOL disc.

  Excitedly, she watched the screen light up and listened to the clicks as the computer started up for the first time. This was something she would never ever forget. Her mother was leaning on the doorway watching them. Jemma and her father worked together to set up their first home computer. Grinning, she took a seat at the computer and glanced over at him for reassurance. At his nod, she put the disc in the drive and watched it get sucked in as if by magic. A screen popped up with a little yellow figure that instructed her to create a screen name.

  “Don’t use your real name, muffin,” her father warned. “There are some lunatics online and I have heard horror stories from some of the guys at work. Keep it anonymous and don’t ever tell anyone who you are or where you live – got it?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “I mean it too, Jemma. If you do, that computer will be gone so fast it will make your head spin, little girl. I want you safe and I don’t intend to let you invite trouble into our home. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal clear. No real names- I promise, Daddy.”

  Creating a log in, she selected a combination of cartoon character that she wanted to look like, her middle name initial and the year. JemC1995 was available and her email was created. Scribbling it down, she listened to the tones as the computer dialed up for the first time and giggled nervously as the computer roared YOU’VE GOT MAIL in an artificial voice.

  “Sorry,” she smiled and turned down the knob on the monitor that had speakers perched on either side of the small display screen. “Thank you again, Daddy.”

  “Love you, muffin.”

  “Love you too. Thank you, Mom – and can we have Sally leave my hair alone for a bit? I promise I won’t bleach it anymore without telling you,” Jemma hedged, wanting to get started looking around on the internet.

  “Have fun sweetie – and enjoy your Christmas present,” her mother whispered, kissing her on the forehead. The scent of her Emeraude perfume was sweet and something she would always associate with hugging her mother. The Christmas lights in her bedroom window were reflecting on the computer monitor like a flashing distraction, saying ‘look at me’! At her mother’s nod and knowing smile, Jemma turned back to the screen just moments before her mother stepped out and her father left the room.

  It was time to explore the web.

  Chapter 2

  May 1996

  Logging in to the chatroom, Jemma grinned when she saw her new friends were online and talking. Cracking her knuckles, she downed her chocolate milk and sat down quickly at the computer. It was already getting unbearably warm outside and she wanted to get as much time in online as possible before she had to get off to do homework. Classes were ending in a few weeks and she knew she should be studying instead. She adored this chatroom because it was all about Tempting the Stars. Everyone in here seemed to be as obsessed as she was with the animated cartoon.

  What’s up Muddywtr?

  Nothing – what are you up to?

  Duh, same thing as usual.

  Homework?

  Yeah – my teacher has us reading some boring book and I’ve gotta write a paper on it.

  Hey Achoo, you online?

  Yeah.

  Do you know JemC1995?

  Silly, no one does!

  Nice to meet you Jemc1995 – or can I just call you Jem?

  Sure. Nice to meet you too, Achoo. You sneeze a lot, buddy? Allergies are a real bear here! Pollen out the wazoo and covering everything.

  It’s a play on my name.

  Jemma stared at the screen thankful that her name wasn’t goofy like that. What was his real name? Sneezy like the dwarf? It was a dorky screen name but then again, naming yourself after a pink-haired cartoon wasn’t much better. Burping, she popped a piece of Bubbalicious gum into her mouth and began to smack loudly as she typed.

  Mine too.

  You mean you aren’t really Jem?

  Hardly.

  No pink hair?

  Nope- and no musical inclination whatsoever either.

  Same here.

  I thought we were gonna talk about that sweet mecha battle between the Krisk and the Star-travelers? There is no way that stuff is airtight when it transforms like that!

  We are – just saying our hellos, dude! Chill!

  I can’t talk long- I’ve got exams soon.

  Jemma blinked rapidly reading that line. Blowing a large bubble, she stuck her finger right in the center, popping it and pulling it off her face only to start chewing again. Staring at the screen, she scrolled back up through the chat thread and re-read it again. Yep, Achoo was a student also.

  Nice! You are in school too, Achoo?

  I’m graduating this year – I’m kinda nervous about it too.

  HEY! Over here! Mecha battle? Remember??

  Sorry.

  Man, you two take your chit-chat into another window and let’s get back at it. You’re bringing us down with reality, man! Noobs!

  Sorry Muddywtr

  Jemma sighed in frustration. Whoever this guy Muddywtr was in real life, he sure monopolized the chat screen with detailed descriptions of what he thought the battles were like. It wasn’t like she didn’t love talking about the cartoon show, but she liked the people aspect of it… not just the gorgeous mecha she imagined in her mind. A message box popped up in the corner of her screen and blinked. Clicking on it, she saw it was from Achoo.

  I’m nervous because I’m graduating high school and I’ve never been away from home before. My parents want me to go to a university nearby. What grade are you in?

  Emma sat back in surprise, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the computer screen. She’d been told not to give away information but this stranger was openly reaching out. Didn’t he get the same rules from his parents or was it just her own overprotective family? She could relate with his words and understood the anxiety that was unspoken. He was scared to leave home and looking for a friend – someone- to talk to. Wasn’t that the reason she chatted online? She wanted to share with people who understood what she liked- or disli
ked- when she felt that she couldn’t express it to others around her. Nobody seemed to understand, ever. Everything was so simple for adults, but kids had to deal with fitting in, cliques, hormones, and just the terrible mess that was growing up!

  I’m in ninth grade. I have a few more years left and not sure what I’m going to do. Wait- you’ve never been away from home?

  No – is that weird?

  I guess not. I went to visit some relatives for a month one year and it was awesome. I missed home but it was nice to be on my own too. If you give it a chance- you might like it. If you don’t, you know that you can always find us all chatting online.

  That’s true.

  You do get to take your computer to the university – right?

  I think so.

  Dude – that’s important! You should ask!

  BRB

  Emma tapped her nails on the desktop and clicked back on the other screen, rolling her eyes at the ongoing discussion. Now they were slapping each other with fishes online and muttering about their designations for their role-playing characters. They had taken to playing the characters from the show online as part of their chats. Of course, the pushiest people in the chat room were the main characters, so she came up with her own persona. She was a brilliant science officer that helped program the mecha suits, making them even cooler than before. In her mind, they needed her character – badly!