Read Before Her Billionaires for Free Online Page A

his own grief becoming a sound that pinged off the walls over and over, like a ricochet of agony.
    Yep. Dylan was right.
    H e had to do something.
    With a resigned sigh, he opened the laptop and navigated to the dating site Dylan had shown him. Logged in.
    And discovered sixty-seven messages for him.
    What.
    The.
    Fuck?
    Sixty-seven messages of what ?
    It only took reading three or four messages for Mike to figure it out. Dylan had submitted a profile for him without saying a word, and the messages were from women looking for someone to date.
    A few of the women were drop dead gorgeous. A little too beautiful to be true. Some were from other countries, clearly seeking a green card marriage. A few looked a little too much like his mom to be of interest.
    He read the messages with a strange sort of detachment, as if he were picking out the right cantaloupe at the store, assessing the perfect qualities before committing to one and taking it home, luscious and ripe.
    Not that he thought about women that way. Or men. Or human beings, period . His head hurt, suddenly, and his feet began to twitch. This was precisely why he hated Jill so much.
    Hated her for dying on him.
    T he thought made him sit up in shock. He didn’t hate Jill.
    H e loved Jill. Loved her with an intensity so strong it burned bright even now, a year and a half after he’d last heard her voice, kissed her warm lips, been looked at with so m u ch love in those eyes that he felt complete.
    That’s what he missed. Being loved by her. Being able to love her. H aving it all be so seamless. T he thought of going out into the crazy dating scene and finding another woman made him go half-mad, because if hell is other people, then the devil has a lot of fun with dating profiles and awkward first dates.
    He closed the laptop. Later, when Dylan was home and rested, he’d chew him out. Right now, the entire process exhausted him. Thinking about being with another woman—any woman other than Jill—made his insides twist into a M ö bi u s strip.  
    Bed. He needed to sleep. The oblivion of it was a welcome balm, and as he faded out he was grateful for an empty mind and a resting body.  
    At least the sorrow in his dreams didn’t follow him in real life.
    * * *
    Her heat was so soothing, the spread of silky skin along the length of his oversized body a blanket he could wear forever. She inhaled, then exhaled, a tiny sound of contentment coming from her, so cute it made him chuckle.  
    The sun peeked its rays into the room as it cracked its eyes open and began its morning routine, sunrise beginning. In the strange morning half-light, he watched her hair glisten like honey mixed with cream. His arm was around her and she nestled her cheek into his pec s , the feel of soft, pliant flesh against his own marbled body such a welcome contrast that he needed to feel more.
    The steady march of his palm down her ribs, cupping her breast, made her sigh, a sound of encouragement all he needed. He moved his arm and pulled her onto him, her thigh bending just so and then, with a pleasant twist, he was in her.
    Or, rather, she was on him. Straightening up, her eyes sleepy and unfocused, she placed her hands on his shoulders and sank down completely, the feeling of encasement by her warm core the closest he could ever come to nirvana.
    This unexpected morning delight gave him an unfettered view of her body, the heavy, round breasts with pert nipples, the loose, disheveled hair still tangled from last night’s lovemaking. Her mouth stretched into an O of concentration, her own orgasm closer than his. He watched her, feeling blessed that she would offer him this glimpse of her sexual soul.  
    He began the slow, languid movement of his hips, thrusting up into her to find the sweet spot that would make her tighten, entice her to cry out, strip her of all control until she shuddered wildly. Each thrust up made her thighs clench his hips, and his hand reached up to take one nipple between