Page 259 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

Damen couldn’t help grinning. He had been thrown a lot of surprise parties in the past, all of them more sophisticated and expensive than this. But none of it had left him grinning like a fool the moment he saw what his wife was wearing.

Once, he had told her he wished he could see her dressed exactly like a cougar.

She had done exactly that today, literally.

“Stop laughing,” Mairi protested even as she ran to her husband.

He laughed harder, seeing her fake tail flopping behind his wife’s cute little butt. He nodded everyone’s dismissal as he caught her in his arms.

As he started for the stairs, she reminded him, “But you told me you wanted to see me like this.”

“Yes,” he agreed, his shoulders rocking with silent laughter. “I did.”

She leaned back so she could peek at his face. “Then why are you laughing?”

“Because,” he admitted as he brought her to the nursery, which was connected to their room, “I didn’t mean it literally.”

Mairi paled. A moment later, she whispered, “I. AM. SUCH. AN. IDIOT.”

Damen stilled.

He had to.

He was laughing so hard he might be in danger of losing his hold on his wife if he took another step.

She began beating on his chest, which didn’t have much of an effect since her costume also involved padded claws. This, of course, made her husband laugh again.

“You should have made it clear,” she hissed. Mairi glared at him, but the laughter on her husband’s beautiful face was so irresistible she soon found herself laughing as well.

“Yes, I should,” Damen managed to say despite him having a hard time controlling his mirth. Kissing her nose, he murmured, “Now that you’ve done this, I think your version of how cougars dress is much better. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.” And he meant it.

“Hmph.”

Entering their daughter’s room, they both became quiet. Nala was fast asleep in her crib, her face even more cherubic now that her cheeks had filled up with baby fat.

“She’s so cute, isn’t she?” Mairi whispered.

“Yes.” He sounded so grim it almost made her smile.

“You make it sound bad,” she teased.

“It is. It means I’ll be beating a lot of boys who’d no doubt try to take her away from us.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to happen for so many more years, Damen.”

“I still hate the idea,” he grunted.

When the door opened behind them and Jane entered the room, Mairi waved weakly at the nanny in greeting. She found her current position embarrassing, but she knew better now than to think of wriggling away. It would only make Damen do something more embarrassing.

“We’ll be leaving now,” Damen told the nanny. “Good night.”

Jane was grinning widely. “Good night, Mr. and Mrs. L.”

When they were inside their bedroom, Damen slowly let his wife down. “Now,” he said with a wicked smile. “To undress my little cougar.”

“Shut up.” She covered her face, mortified anew. “I can’t believe I didn’t get you.” Lowering her hands, she told him, “I don’t even know how the other kind of cougar dresses like.”

“Trust me,” he said feelingly, “your version is unbelievably cuter. But...before I take this off you, can you do that thing for me?”

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