Alpha Billionaire’s Bride, Part One (BWWM Romance Serial) by Mia Caldwell Page A

don’t give a last name.”
    “That’s because it’s just Sasha, the supermodel. One name.
You’d think you’d—”
    Jada let her mind wander while Marina set her straight on
Sasha’s resume and how it qualified her to be known by a lone name. Jada couldn’t
stop looking at Ian Buckley. He truly was a handsome man. Tall and bronzed,
lean and muscular in all the right places. She liked how his hair was buzzed
short on the sides, and she liked the scruff that darkened his square jaw. His
hair was a dark color, too.
    He had a long, distinguished nose, and nice lips, defined
cheekbones. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes in the photo, but she
guessed they were blue, because the color would suit him.
    Ian stood in a loose, limber kind of way, at ease in front
of the horde of photographers, completely in his element with a beautiful
blonde glamazon melting all over his side.
    Marina’s saga finally interrupted Jada’s examination. “...
if I could get just one date with Ian, that’s all I’d need. One date, and he’d
forget all about Sasha.”
    Jada took a last glance at the pair in the photo before
shoving the tablet away. “Marina, billionaires don’t date real women like us.”
    Marina gasped, covered her mouth, her brown eyes
saucer-shaped. She shook her head, then dropped her hand. “I can’t believe you
said that. Take it back.”
    “Nope. Sorry, but you have to face the truth.”
    “I’ll do no such thing. You’re totally wrong. I can’t
believe you don’t think I’m hot enough to get a billionaire.”
    Jada wasn’t falling for it. Marina was beautiful, and knew
it. Jada thought she, herself, wasn’t bad-looking, but that didn’t change the
fact that they weren’t ever going to snag any male of the mega-rich persuasion.
As women of color who weren’t famous, who were just normal, everyday women,
Jada and Marina didn’t have a chance in hell with men like Ian Buckley. Facts
were facts, and no amount of daydreaming or wishing would change it.
    “Quit exaggerating,” Jada said. “You know you’re hot. We all
know it. But come on, when was the last time you saw a man like Buckley with
someone like us?”
    “If you’re insinuating this is a race issue, I’m going to
have to point out that Michael Langdon, who is the sixty-fifth richest man in
the world, married—”
    “I know. He married the daughter of a Sudanese oil magnate.
Hasn’t really worked out the way Langdon wanted, I bet, with the war and all.
Anyway, that was forever ago, and it was hardly a love match.”
    “You don’t know that.”
    “Right. Anyway, we don’t have a rich daddy to buy us an even
richer husband. And I’m okay with that. Maybe it’s time you should be, too.”
    Marina crossed her arms over her chest. “Never. Ian Buckley
may be off the market, but there’s still plenty of single billionaires just
waiting to sweep me off my feet.”
    Jada laughed. “I’ll give it to you, you’re a determined
dreamer.”
    “Damned right. And I tell you, Jada, there’s a billionaire
out there for you, too. I know it.”
    “If you say so.” She took a final swig of her cooled coffee.
“I’ve gotta get to work. See you tomorrow morning at the gym? Six-thirty
sharp?”
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don’t have any choice. Gotta stay in
shape for my man.”
    “What man? Are you dating someone?”
    “For real? Duh. For my billionaire to come. Where’s your
head?”
    “Reality. That’s where my head is, and that’s where it’s
staying.” Jada stood, grabbed her purse and jacket.
    Marina stood, too. “One of these days, sister, I’m going to
make a believer out of you, then you’ll truly see what’s up.”
    “That’s awesome. Good luck with that.” She strolled toward
the door, dropping her empty cup in the trash as she passed.
    Marina called out behind her. “Reality is what we make it.”
    Jada waved her hand in the air, not looking back or
bothering with a comeback. Poor, deluded Marina. The least