BetweenTwoBillionairesCompleteStripped (11 page)

“
Oh?
What do you want to go for?” He stares across the table at me
in interest.

“
I
think I just want a general degree. Probably business related. I
don't want to back myself into a corner by getting something too
specific. Besides, there's nothing I'm really passionate about. Since
I started high school, I've changed my mind at least half a dozen
times about what I want to do for a living, so I finally decided I
should probably go for a degree that would give me the most
opportunities,” I tell him, a bit embarrassed. I know that
makes me sound indecisive, which I'm really not about most things.

“
That's
probably smart.” He twists the cap off his bottle and takes a
sip before leaning back.

“
Well.”
I wring my hands around the bottle nervously. “I should
probably get going.”

“
Why
is that?” He smirks.

“
Because
I have work.” To be honest, I almost forgot about it. I've been
so preoccupied thinking of other things.

“
Call
in.”

“
I
can't.” My eyes shoot up to meet his. I know he's trying to be
sweet, but I just told him I'm saving up for college. He should be a
little more considerate.

“
Why
not?”

“
I
told you why already.” I sulk a bit. Not everyone can be rich
like him. Some of us actually have to work to get by.

Perhaps he senses my
discontent, because the smirk melts from his face. “Well, I'll
be sad to see you go, but we'll see each other again, yes?”

He sounds so
insecure that I can't help but grin. “Yes. You'll see me again,
if that's what you want?” Oh no, now I'm doing it too.

“
That
is what I want.” His expression brightens as he stands to lead
me to the door.

Just walking next to
him makes me heart beat faster. In the course of one night, he's done
something to me. I can only hope that all of his sweet sentiments are
sincere, otherwise, I'm in for a world of hurt.

CHAPTER TWO

The day is spent in
a dreamlike state. What happened last night just doesn't seem real
now that I'm not around Tristan anymore. It's like I imagined him.
But I didn't imagine him. There's a delicious soreness between my
legs that says he's been there.

I still can't
believe I had sex with him. He knew exactly what to say and do to
manipulate me right out of my clothes. It's a scary thought, and I
wonder if he's done it to other girls before. He has the charm, the
looks, the words. It's a recipe for disaster to any woman who crosses
his path.

I try not to worry
about any ill intentions he might have had. I try not to think about
the fact that he could have just used me. Even though he said all
those sweet things to me, I know it's a very real possibility. Guys
like him are just too good to be true. There's no way I would get so
lucky.

The workday drags
on, but it eventually ends, and I come home to find Ethel in my room.
I turn on my bedroom lights, and she's just laying there on my bed as
if she accidentally mistook my room for hers. I'm so surprised to see
her there that I actually yelp.

She looks up at me,
furrowing her eyebrows. “Where were you last night?”

I take off my name
tag and set it down on my computer desk. “I think that's
something Mom should be more concerned about than you.”

“
I'm just
curious.” She pulls herself into a sitting position. “You
haven't stayed out overnight in forever. Find a co-worker to have a
girls night out with?”

A grin spreads my
lips as I think about what I was actually doing. Laying beneath
Tristan Locke while his gorgeous naked body writhed on top of me. The
memory of it makes me blush. “No.”

“
That look on
your face is weird.” Her expression goes deadpan.

Never in a million
years would she guess I had sex, so I decide to come out with it.
She's not the best person to talk to about these things, but she is
my sister. Don't sister's share this kind of stuff?

“
You know that
guy I met at the party we crashed?” I sit down in my computer
chair, swiveling it around to face her.

“
Yeah?”
She seems blatantly oblivious to where this is going.

“
Well, he came
into the coffee shop and asked me out on a date. I was with him last
night.” I beam, trying desperately not to squeal.

“
No.”
Her eyes widen and her hand moves to cover her mouth. “Sarah,
you didn't?”

“
Mhm.” I
nod proudly, though I don't know why I should be proud of something
like that. It was kind of trashy, now that I think about it, giving
myself to some guy I just met.

“
Did you two?”

“
Mhm.” I
nod again, pressing my lips together.

“
Oh, you
hussy.” She reaches over to smack my arm, grinning like a loon.
“What was it like?”

“
You know what
it's like.” Now that the confession is over with, I can feel
myself shrinking back into my shell. It feels so odd discussing this
with her.

“
Pfft. My
first time was ages ago. Give me details. How did this dude manage to
get you out of your granny panties?”

I groan, and her
smile gets even wider. That's all she needed to know I was still
wearing those horrible giant underwear of complete non-sexiness.

“
Did he like
them?” she teases. “The way they cover your belly
button.”

“
They don't
cover my belly button.” I scowl. Just almost cover it.

“
I'm just
fucking with you. Give me details, girl. I gotta know how it made you
feel.” She quickly drops the teasing act.

“
Well, it
wasn't how I thought it would be.” I stare out into the
distance, wondering how Tristan had managed to make me abandon all of
my morals in a single night.

“
That's an
understatement.” Ethel rolls her eyes. “What happened to
waiting until you're married?”

“
Oh God,
Ethel. The guy is so ridiculously charming. He probably could have
made the virgin Mary spread her legs.”

“
Woo! Listen
to that. You even came home with a vulgar mouth. I have got to meet
this guy,” she hoots, beyond amused.

I shy back, putting
my hand over my lips. That was really crude, wasn't it? What has
gotten into me?

“
He has a
brother,” I blurt out, doing a delayed eyebrow waggle
afterward.

“
Oh girl, tell
me more. Tell me he's hot.” I've never seen Ethel look so happy
to talk to me before, so it's hard not to feed into it. For once,
she's actually interested in what I'm telling her. I guess sex is the
key to connecting with her. It seems a bit bizarre, but I'm happy
we're not fighting for once.

“
He's every
bit as hot as Tristan,” I admit, thinking of Shawn. “Tall,
dark, and handsome.”

“
And rich.”
We certainly can't forget that part.

“
And rich.”
I nod.

“
And single?”
She's hopeful.

“
I don't
know.” I shake my head. “I mean, I didn't see a ring on
his finger or anything.”

“
You looked,
you skank.” She slaps my shoulder again. “You can't have
them both.”

“
I don't want
them both. Just Tristan.”

“
Well, you
should find out if the other one is single and then hook a sister
up.” I can't tell if she's serious or not, but if I had to take
a guess, she probably is.

“
I'll see what
I can do.” I grin, wondering if it would even be possible to
get them together. I suppose it doesn't hurt to try.

***

The week progresses.
Tristan texts me every now and then, continuing to show interest,
though he hasn't asked me out on any other dates. I'm carefully
optimistic. It's great that he's keeping in touch, but I figured he
would have asked me out again by now. Maybe he just filed my number
away in the list of girls he's slept with and is keeping me engaged
so that he can call whenever he needs to get laid. It's a
disappointing thought, and a bit sickening.

By Wednesday, I'm
beginning to think his words were all part of a plan to get me into
bed. It worked like a charm. Maybe I'll always be naive and stupid.
Too hopeful for my own good. I wanted to be accepted by the kids in
public school, so I sacrificed my chance at a scholarship for it. I
wanted to fall in love with Tristan's perfect image, so I sacrificed
my virginity for it. At the end of the day, none of these people
really have my back. All I can rely on is myself. I really need to
stop putting myself into such vulnerable life-changing positions for
the sake of acceptance. This is what it gets me. Broken dreams and a
broken heart.

I'm working a late
shift at the coffee shop on Thursday when a familiar face walks
through the door. My breath catches for a split second, and then my
heart floods with disappointment. It's not that I didn't recognize it
was Shawn instead of Tristan. There's no mistaking the two. It was
more a reminder that I fucked Shawn's brother, and now Tristan is
barely being conversational with me.

“
What
can I get you?” I ask as I step up to the register, greeting
Shawn as I would any other customer. He looks different in a full
suit and tie. Taller somehow, and even more attractive.

“
A
minute of your time would be nice.” He stares down at me, his
dark eyes void of emotion.

“
I'm
working right now, and it's been a busy night.” I'm curious
what he wants to talk to me about, but now isn't the best time.

“
What
time do you get off of work?”

“
Not
until eleven.” I'm closing down the store tonight. It actually
closes at ten, but it takes an extra hour to sweep and mop, restock,
and do paperwork.

He chews on his
bottom lip, staring past me as if lost in thought. “I'll meet
you here when you get off.”

I open my mouth to
speak, but he simply turns and walks off without another word. So
weird.

Jennifer, my
co-worker, steps up beside me. “He was in here earlier looking
for you.”

“
Was
he?” I'm a bit shocked by the news.

“
How
do you manage to keep snagging these hot businessmen?” She
smirks at me, her green eyes fixed on the door.

“
He's
the brother of the guy who came in the other day,” I inform
her.

“
They
don't look like brothers.”

“
No.
They don't.” I shake my head, looking at the door as well,
wondering why Shawn wants to talk with me.

“
I
think he's cuter than the other one.” She turns to continue her
job duties.

“
They're
both attractive.” I think of Tristan, trying to compare them.
While it's easy to physically compare them, there's no comparison
emotionally. I have feelings for Tristan. Shawn is just his brother.

“
Well,
I want that one,” Jennifer jokes as she makes a coffee for one
of the drive-through customers.

“
Too
late. My sister already has dibs on him.” I grin stupidly,
deciding to try to enjoy myself instead of worrying about things I
can't even guess.

***

My happiness fades
with the nighttime rush. It's amazing how many people drink coffee at
night. And all throughout the day, for that matter. Oh well, at least
it means job security for me.

I'm exhausted by the
time I finally lock up the store. My mind is a bit frazzled from work
and worrying about what Shawn wants to discuss, and I honestly wish
it could wait for the morning. I don't have Shawn's number though, so
there's no way I can call and rain check, and I don't want to call
Tristan to ask for it because that might seem weird. All I can do is
deal with the impending discussion.

Closing time finally
comes. I find myself staring out the window as I sweep and mop the
floor. Every wall that doesn't face inward toward the other buildings
in the shopping center is a window, so I have a pretty good view.
About fifteen minutes before eleven, a flashy black sports car pulls
up in front of the store. It has tinted windows, but there's no
question about who is inside.