Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance Boxed Set (10 Book Bundle) (84 page)

“Now, come
,” he demanded.

I spread my legs wide, clenched my inner muscles
, and a blast of pleasure shot through me. My pussy rhythmically convulsed around my fingers and I kept stroking, stroking, stroking until I was shivering and weak and too worn out to move.

Now, that should keep me from getting too worked up today.

I hoped.

After taking care of all the essentials, which, for some crazy reason, included a full shave down below, I got out of the shower and started the long process of getting ready for my date. I smoothed on some scented lotion and plucked, lotion-ed, creamed
, and makeup-ed myself into the vision of a modern day curvy goddess, or as close as I could come. He’d told me to wear something comfortable, so I opted for a cute skirt that fit my curves perfectly, a flirty top that showed just enough cleavage to fall shy of being slutty, and a pair of cute shoes.

Fifteen minutes before our official date time, I was ready to go…

And nervous. Really nervous.

After checking the mirror for the bazillionth time, I started pacing back and forth in front of my door and checking my phone. No call. No message. He had ten more minutes. Five minutes. Three minutes.

My phone rang and I jumped, jerking my arm. I almost lost grip of the stupid thing.

I checked it.

Sasha.

I hit the screen. “Hello?”

“Ohmygod. How bad was I?” she said, still sounding a little rough.

“It’s okay.”

“I felt like death all day yesterday. Did I make a complete ass of myself? Did I puke on anyone?”

“No. And no. You were fine.”
I meandered into the bathroom for another mirror check. Hair, good. Teeth, good. Lipstick, good.

“I’ve never been so fucked up.”

Actually, she had been. But in the interest of keeping the peace, I said, “True. Speaking of that, I’m a little worried--”

“
I promise, I’m cutting down. That was the last time I drink that much. Never again. I swear. Did I yell at you about ruining my chances with that guy, WhatsHisName?”

“
Yes, kind of.” I hurried out of the bathroom, my sights set on my apartment door. Where was he? Had he changed his mind?

My heart dropped a little as I pulled open the door and peered out into the hall.

“I’m sorry. I was mad. I remember that. And you promised me tacos.”

“Tacos always work.”
I shut the door and headed for the window to check the parking lot for any unfamiliar cars.

She giggled. “Good th
ing you didn’t actually buy food. You know, since I…got sick.”

“Yeah, good thing.”

“What are you doing today?” she asked.

“Um, I have plans.”
Maybe.

“Plans? With who?”

I shouldered the wall, next to the window. “The guy from the bar.”

“Mr. Wal-Mart Pants’ friend?”

“Yes.”

“Really?
Like a date?” she practically shrieked.

“Yes
, really.” I pushed away from the wall and wandered into the kitchen.

“Ohmygod! I’m so happy for you!” she said, her voice edging up another octave with every word. “From what I remember, he was hot! Wait.
I thought you were going to sign him with Premier.”

“I am.”
Tipping my head to pinch my phone between my ear and shoulder, I dug into my ice bin, grabbed a cube and popped it into my mouth.

“Um…?”

“I know. It’s complicated,” I explained as I crunched. “I had to agree to go on a date with him to get him to sign the contract.”

“Okay.” She
still sounded happy, but her voice was back in its normal range. “Interesting.”

A knock sounded on the door, and once again I jumped. “I gotta go.”

“Is he there?”

“I think so
,” I said as I hurried toward the door.

“Cool. Call me when you get home.”

“I will.”

“Have fun.”

“I will.”

“Oh, and if you can get WhatsHisName’s
phone number for me, I might forgive you for messing up my night.”

I laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. Bye.”

I clicked off, set my phone to silent mode, and shoved it in my purse. Then, after one final mirror check, I sucked in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and opened the door.

It wasn’t him.
It wasn’t Tevin.

I must have looked confused, because
the man at my door grinned. “Miss Daryl Laroche?”

“That’s my name, yes.”

“I’ve come to pick you up.”

He’s come to pick me up?
What the hell?

“And take me where?” I asked.

Had I misunderstood our agreement? Had I actually agreed to go on a date with one of Tevin’s friends? I gave the man an up and down look. He was okay. A little old for me. The silver hair at his temples suggested he was maybe in his forties. He was dressed in a suit and tie. I was dressed casually. Comfortably.

“I’m to take you to meet Mr. Page.”

“
Mr.
Page?” I echoed. This was a guy who had told me he mowed lawns and dabbled in real estate. I hadn’t had a chance yet to call Marguerite and ask her what the real story was. Obviously, there was more to
Mr. Page
than what he’d told me. “Why couldn’t he come himself?” I asked as I remained inside my apartment.

“He was delayed and thought it would be wiser to send me to pick you up than
to be further delayed.”

“I see.” Unsure about what was really going on, I fiddled with my purse and peered out the front window.

There was a limo sitting out there. A limo.

And I was wearing
a jean skirt.

Tevin had said to wear something comfortable. That was exactly what I’d done.
I glanced down at my denim-covered legs. Did I have time to change?

“We should be going,” the driver said, looking a little less amused now. He checked his watch.

“All right.” With some reluctance, I followed him outside. I got in the back and he took his place behind the wheel. I’d never realized how big a limo could feel if one was sitting in it alone. I hit the button, opening up the window that closed off the driver’s cockpit from the passenger area. “Where are we going?”

“The airport,” the driver stated as if that was no big deal.

Chapter 3

“Airport?” I squeaked.
Was this for real?

“Yes, Miss.”
The limo driver’s gaze met mine in the rearview mirror.

“I…I had no idea.”

“I think it was meant to be a surprise,” the driver said as he smoothly turned the vehicle onto the road. “I shouldn’t tell you more.”

Was it a surprise?

Or was it Tevin’s way of making me pay for cancelling yesterday’s date?

“When
‘Mr. Page’ said I should wear something comfortable, I figured we would be going to a cozy little restaurant for some lunch or something,” I rambled to no one in particular. “The airport? Where could he possibly be taking me? I’ve never flown on a plane before.”

“
No need to worry. Mr. Page is an excellent pilot,” the driver said.

“Pilot? Pilot!” I inhaled. Exhaled. “He
told me he mows grass for a living.”

“I think you’ll find Mr.
Page is a man of many talents.”

“I’m beginning to think you’re right.” I moved closer so I wouldn’t have to shout at the driver across the entire empty length of the car. Really, the huge limo was completely unnecessary. A simple sedan would have been just fine. “How long have you known Mr.
Page?”

“A few years.”

“I see.” Tevin Page didn’t look like the kind of guy who rode around in a limo on a regular basis, and yet this driver seemed to know him rather well. And was claiming to have worked for him for at least a couple of years.

What the hell was going on?

Now was my chance. To find out the real story about Tevin Page. Outside of the lame story he’d given me when we met, everything about him suggested he had money. Lots of money. And that he’d had that money for a long time.

The way he’d danced.

Those shoes he’d been wearing.

The limo.

The pilot’s license.

Exactly who was Tevin Page? Was that even his real name?

I dialed Sasha’s number. She answered on the second ring. “What’s up, hon?”

“I’m in a limo
,” I told her as I poked the button, closing the window between me and the driver.

“Cool.”

“A limo,” I repeated. “Tevin told me he’s a landscaper. He also said Marguerite has been after him to join Premier. Did his friend Andy tell you anything about him?”

“
Um…I’m a little hazy about that night. I think he said Tevin owns a landscaping company? That’s not the same as a guy who mows a few lawns. If you ask me. Maybe it’s a big landscaping company.”

“
It’s gotta be big. He has a pilot’s license.”

“So?
That doesn’t mean much,” Sasha said. “My dad took flying lessons when I was a kid. Anyone can get a pilot’s license.”

“He was wearing
Dolce & Gabbana.”

“Okay
, so he’s a landscaper with good taste. Have you talked to Marguerite yet?”

“Not yet. She doesn’t answer her phone on Sundays. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“Where’s he taking you?”

“I don’t know. He’s not with me. I was picked up by his
driver
. His personal driver. Evidently, he owns the car.”

“
Interesting. He owns a limo and has a full time driver? Who the hell is this guy?”

“That’s what I want to know. Do me a favor, will you?”
I asked as my gaze meandered through the car’s interior. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, or whether I’d find anything, but I couldn’t help looking anyway. Scooting, I inched toward the console in the rear corner. Maybe I’d find something, some papers he’d left behind.

“Sure.”

“Look up Tevin Page on the internet. See what you can find on him.”

“
Sure. I’ll call you when I get something.”

“Thanks.”

“Call me when you find out where you’re going,” Sasha added.

“Will do.”

“And be careful. Something about this seems fishy. If he’s rich, and he knows you’re going to find out when you talk to Marguerite, why not tell the truth from the start?”

“I wish I knew the answer to that question. Thanks for the help. Bye.” I clicked off and flipped open the console. Empty. I glanced out the window. We were driving
into what appeared to be a small airport. The car made a couple of turns and stopped next to a small plane parked outside of a cinderblock building.

“Enjoy your day, Miss
Laroche.” The driver said when he opened my door.

I gave him a worried look and muttered, “Thanks.” A part of me wanted to climb back in that car and demand
to be taken home. I was just about to do exactly that when I saw Tevin.

Wow
.

Wowwowwow,
did he look great in the bright light of day. Even better than he did in a dark bar. And he’d looked really great then.

“Hi,” he said, eyes sparkly as he hurried up to me.
“Sorry I couldn’t pick you up myself, but I wanted to get the pre-trip inspection done before you arrived so we could get rolling.”

“
Is this your plane?”

“No, it belongs to a friend. I fly it for him sometimes.”

“I see. You know, this is quite an ordeal. You didn’t have to go this far for a first date. The limo. The plane.”

“
Okay, the limo, I admit, might have been a bit much. But I couldn’t resist. Really, it’s no big deal. The car belongs to a family member—my…cousin. And the plane, well, a friend of mine asked me to fly it down here for some maintenance a couple of days ago. Now that the work’s done, I need to return it. The price you pay for delaying our date—you get to come with me. Of course, if you’d rather stay closer to home, I can change our plans and fly it back later.”

“No, that’s okay. I guess. Just tell me I don’t need a passport. I don’t have one.”

“No, we’re not going that far. It’s a short flight west to Ludington. I thought we could grab some lunch while we’re there.”

“Ludington?”

“Is that too far?”

“I…I don’t know. I’ve never been there.”

“It’s a pretty little town. One of my favorites.” He extended a hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

I climbed aboard, hands trembling slightly, heart racing a little. I
sat in the seat next to the pilot’s and fumbled with the seat belt. Tevin smiled, helping me get it buckled correctly before strapping himself in.

Getting more nervous and confused by the second, I glanced over my shoulder. The plane was small. I could see all the way to the rear.
“There’s just the two of us? Only two? Don’t you need a co-pilot?”

He gave me an amused look. “I guess you’ll have to be my co-pilot.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t. I’ve never even been on a plane. I certainly can’t fly one.”

“It’s easier than you think.” He started flipping switches. “We’ll be taking off in just a few minutes. I need to communicate with the tower, let them know we’re ready.” He started jabbering in pilot-ese into his headset. I sat mute, arms hugging my body, trying not to let my teeth chatter too hard. It wasn’t easy. Especially when the engines started up and we began rolling toward the runway.

We stopped at the edge of a long strip of concrete. He turned to me. “Just waiting for clearance to take off. You look a little pale. Are you okay?”

“I’ve never flown.”

“I’ll take it easy on you, then.” He gave my knee a pat. “Just look out the front and enjoy.”

I nodded, swallowed hard
, and tried to look brave.

“Okay,” he said, hand on the strange looking steering thing. “We’re ready to go.” The engines cranked up and we started rolling, rolling, rolling. Faster and faster. I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged myself, praying I would make it back to the ground in one piece. Soon.

I felt when we lifted off the earth. My stomach had that funny swooping sensation, like when my father used to hit the hill in the road too fast and our car went airborne for a moment. But this sensation was a lot more intense. And it didn’t end immediately. As the little plane climbed into the sky, my head spun a little, making me nauseous. My mouth dried.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said.

“It’s better if you open your eyes.”

“I’m not sure I believe that.”

“Take a look. What could you possibly lose if you try?”

“My breakfast?”

He chuckled. I liked that chuckle. It had a nice deep resonance to it. “Be brave. You don’t know what wonders you might miss if you don’t.”

“If I weren’t brave, I would have gotten right back in the limo and demanded to be taken home.”

“All right, then. I’ll leave you be.” He stopped nagging me. So, of course, I took a little, tiny peek out of one eye. All I saw was blue. And white clouds. My heart jumped, and I fought for air.

“Are you okay?”

“Mini panic attack,” I whispered as I wheezed.

“Breathe slowly. Innnnn. Outtttt. That’s it.”

I slowed my breathing. It took forever before I wasn’t seeing stars twinkling behind my closed eyelids anymore. “I don’t think I’ll try that again.”

“I suppose that’s a good idea.”

“What made you decide flying would be fun?” I asked
once I felt I could talk without throwing up.

“I’ve been flying since I was a small child. My parents did a lot of traveling. So, it was natural that I wanted to learn to fly myself.”

“Natural. Right.”

“I took my first lesson when I was eight.”

“Eight? You mean a kid can fly a plane before he can drive?” I asked as I tugged my seatbelt tighter.

“He can if his parents sign a release.”

“Terrifying thought.”

He laughed again. Why, oh why did I enjoy his laughter so much?

“How much longer are you going to torture me like this?”

“Total flight time is just under an hour.”

“An hour?” I groaned. My stomach did a flip-flop.

“We’re not flying particularly fast. I could speed it up a bit.”

I felt my insides twisting. “No, that’s okay.”

I heard something, plastic crinkling. I slitted open one eye to find my pilot, my
only
pilot had just one hand on the steering thing. He was using the other one to open a package.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Opening this for you.”

“Two hands on the steering wheel, mister.”

Laughing, he handed me the not-quite-open package. “If you can see enough to catch me flying one-handed, you can open this yourself.”

I checked the package’s label. Motion sickness tablets. “Bless you.”

“Now, maybe you’ll be able to enjoy the flight a little.”

I popped one of the tablets into my mouth and swallowed it.
“That, I doubt. Nothing against your piloting skills.”

*
* * *

Less than an hour later, my feet were firmly planted on terra firma. And I had no intention of them leaving it aga
in. After landing the plane, Tevin talked to a guy who appeared to be a technician then led me to a zoomy black car parked next to the metal building that housed the plane.

Once again, I belted myself in, tightly. Wi
thin moments, I learned that Tevin drove a car much like he drove a plane. Fast, fearlessly, and skillfully. At least the vehicle didn’t leave the ground. And it was made for the kind of workout Tevin was giving it. It hugged the curved roads, engine rumbling like a caged animal. More and more I wondered, as I took in the sight of the car--which he claimed also belonged to the same friend who owned the plane--and the man driving it, who I was really on a date with. I’d met a few landscapers in my day. Even the ones who ran landscaping companies didn’t live this large, even if they had friends or cousins with money. No, this guy was definitely hiding something. How I wished I could get Marguerite on the phone. As I rode shotgun beside him, I checked my phone, hoping Sasha had dug up something about Tevin on the internet. She had texted me.

Her message contained one word--
nothing
.

She’d found absolutely nothing on Tevin Page? Not even a Facebook page?

I texted her back, telling her we were in Ludington, I was safe, and I would talk to her later.

Within minutes we were driving up a wooded, curving drive. It wasn’t a road. It was more of a private driveway. And it ended in the middle of a heavily wooded lot, in front of a gorgeous log and stone house.

Tevin cut off the car’s engine. “I hope you don’t mind, I prefer privacy. I thought we’d hang out here, have something to eat. If you’d rather go to a restaurant, we can do that.”

I could tell by the tone of his voice he had no intention of changing his plans. But I was okay with this. At least being out here in the middle of nowhere, my boss wasn’t going to find out I’d gone on a date with a client. “This is fine.”