Priceless: Contemporary Billionaire Romance Novel Read Free Page B

“Work work, work, that’s all you ever do.”
    “That’s
because I don’t have a fabulous Sugar Daddy like you do to pay my way.”
    “Carl? 
Oh, he’s history.  Never liked his moustache, anyway.  Working on securing me a
new one.  When are you going to work on that for yourself?”
    “Tomorrow,”
Maribel sighed with hardy sarcasm. “I have the day off.  And it is Valentine’s
Day.  Hey, did you pick up a package for me?  I was hoping it would come
today.”
    “Books?”
    Maribel
perked up. “Yes?”
    “Nada,”
Emma Jean shot her down. 
    Maribel
frowned, exhausted and disappointed.  The only thing Maribel truly looked
forward to all day was curling up in bed with her new used books.
    “Well,
good night, Emma Jean,” Maribel sighed, unlocking her apartment door and
flicking on the lights. ‘Thanks for staying up and worrying about me.”
    “Come
over, tomorrow, sweet pea,” Emma Jean’s voice chased after her.  “The whole
building is going to celebrate like we’re Melrose Place .  Sort of an
official Valentine’s Day bash.  We’re wearing name tags and role playing our
favorite characters.  Eddie from the second floor is going to be bad boy biker,
Jake.  Raul is going to be Matt, the token gay.  And I’m going to be that devious
doctor, Michael Mancini.”
    “That
sounds dangerous.”
    “Damn
straight.  You can be my sweet innocent neighbor, Alison Parker.  I know it’s such a stretch for you.”
    “Is
she the one who Heather Locklear was always trying to sabotage?”
    Emma
Jean winked.  “I knew you were a closet Melrose Place fan.  Party starts
at eight.  There’s going to be free wine, deviled eggs, and several eligible divorcées .  Don’t
sit around all day, reading books.  We’re allowed to be alone and lonely all
year-round, sweetheart—just not on Valentine’s Day.”
    Maribel
heard Emma Jean’s door slam shut.  She sighed with relief.  Finally, after a
long, long, long week, she could slip into the solitude of her own cozy studio
apartment, peel off her work clothes, rest her blistered feet, and ignore the
rest of the world for an entire day.  It was nice that she had friends who had
invited her over, but it was also nice that she could disappear into her own little
blissful haven of peace and not be bothered by anyone or anything.
    Buuuuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz .
    Her
buzzer rang out like a hornet in a tin can.  It felt like a shot through her
heart.  It was Friday night.  Who on earth could be buzzing her door bell at
this time in the evening?   Clearly, they had the wrong apartment.  Suddenly,
she was inflated with unrealistic hope.  She forced herself out of bed and
peered down through her window at the front door.  Maybe it was her package of used
books, and they had been delivered to her after all.  Her heart raced when she
saw the white van parked along the curb with its familiar Express Delivery logo.  She quickly pressed the intercom button and called into its speaker.
    “Yes?”
    “Express
Delivery for a Miss… Maribel Martin?”
    “Martinez?
Yes, please… I’ll meet you downstairs.”
    Maribel
rushed to throw on her fleece jacket, pajamas, and slippers.  She shuttled down
the staircase and ran into the delivery man as he bounded up to meet her.
    “Here
you go,” he said, passing over a silver gift box, wrapped with a silk red ribbon.
    “Oh,”
Maribel said with confusion.  “Are you sure this is for me?”
    The
driver referenced his delivery slip.  “Maribel Martinez, 4892 Paulina St?”
    “Yes…but…?”
    “Then,
it’s definitely for you.  Happy Valentine’s Day.”
    The
delivery man shuttled back down the stairs.
    “Wait!”
Maribel called after him. “Let me at least get you a few dollars for tip.” 
Then, she remembered she was completely out of cash.
    “No
worries,” he replied, jetting down to the foyer.  “It’s already been taken care
of.”
    Maribel
slowly started back up the stairs.  She