Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance Boxed Set (10 Book Bundle) (85 page)

“Good.” He lifted an index finger to indicate I should wait, pushed out of the car, then hurried around to my side and opened my door.

What a gentleman.

He set a hand on the base of my spine. “This way.” Leading me with gentle pressure, he escorted me up the arching steps slanting toward the house’s front entrance.

My skin tingled where he touched me. I tried, more than once, to ignore the sensation. But with every second that passed, my skin felt warmer, my nerves more sensitive.

As we stepped into the house, I hoped we would not be alone.

Inside
the building, I found myself in a wide open living area with soaring ceilings. To my right a staircase led to the second level above. At the top of the staircase was a mezzanine, a hallway that hung over the far end of the living space. Directly in front of us was a wall of windows. And beyond, blue. Blue lake. Blue sky. And green. Trees and more trees.

“Wow, this place is gorgeous.”

“It belongs to my friend.” With that hand still resting on my back, he steered me toward the French doors. “I thought we would eat outside.”

“With that view, it would be a crime to sit inside.”

Out we went. Onto a back deck that offered million dollar views of a lake and rolling hills covered with towering trees. I noticed, as we approached, the table at one end had been set for two. There were covered plates waiting for us, as well as a bottle of wine and glasses. “This friend of yours, where is he?”

“Out of the country on business.” He held my chair, pushed it in as I sat then circled around to take his seat. A gentle gust of fragrant fresh air caressed my face as I watched him.

“It’s nice of him to let you use his plane. And car. And house.” I inhaled slowly, deeply. “It is gorgeous here. Even the air smells better.”

“It does.” He grabbed the wine and twisted it so the label was turned toward me. “Have you had a Penfolds wine?”

“No.”

“Penfolds is one of my favorite winemakers.”

“I’m sure it’ll be delicious. But should you be drinking if you’re going to be flying us back later?”

“I’ve taken care of that. No worries.” The cork pulled from the bottle with a crisp pop. “We’ll be driving back later. And I’ll only have one glass.”

“Okay.” 

He motioned toward my glass, and I handed it to him. “
You’ve really gone above and beyond for this date.”

“I wanted today to be special,” he said as he handed my glass back.

“It has been.”

“Good.” His eyes sparkled as his gaze met mine, and my heart jerked in my chest. He looked genuinely pleased. And insanely handsome. And I had to find out who he was, because more and more, I was beginning to believe this man was no landscaper. He lifted his glass. “Shall we have a toast?”

“Sure. We ‘shall’.” I lifted mine.

“How about to new beginnings?” he offered.

“I’ll drink to that.” I tapped his glass with mine then sipped. The wine was delicious. Not too dry. Not too sweet. Just right. Crisp but smooth.

He reached across the table and lifted the cover from my plate, revealing small portions of delicious-smelling food, presented gourmet-style. “Please, before it gets cold.”

I waited for him to uncover his own plate before I lifted a fork. I went for a green bean first.

Delicious. So was the meat--some kind beef.

“Tell me,” I said between bites, “how often do you come out here? Isn’t landscaping very hard work?”

“It is. But I try to balance work and play. I believe it’s important not just to live for work.”

“I see. You must have a very large business.”

“It’s large enough.”

For him to fly around the state and play whenever he wished? For him to end up on Marguerite’s radar? Large enough had to be pretty darn large.

He studied me for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re skeptical? What do you suspect me of lying about?”

“Well…now that you mention it.” I took another nibble of meat. Wow, was that good. “I’ve never met a landscaper who lived like this.”

“Ah. Okay, would it make you feel any better if I admitted I not only dabble in real estate—which I already told you--but I’d also inherited a small sum from a relative?”

“Yes.” So he did have money of his own. It wasn’t just his cousin and friend.

“Okay. Then I will admit that much.”

“May I ask another question?” I asked.

“Sure.”

“Since my employer knows you well enough to want you to sign with Premier, why didn’t you tell me about the inheritance from the start?”

“Because I really do own a landscaping company, and I’ve worked hard to make it grow. Call me shallow, but I’d rather be recognized for what I’ve accomplished—“

“Than what you’ve inherited?” I finished for him, understanding where he was coming from.

“Yes, exactly.  I can take you to our headquarters sometime, and show you around if you like…on our second date?” His grin was one hundred percent wicked. In a good way.

I couldn’t help it, my face flushed. First, because of the way he was looking at me, but also because he’d admitted to caring about what I thought. And telling me he wanted another date.

Me.
Was it possible that he was genuinely interested in me? Was I wrong, assuming he’d insisted on the silly proposal because he was playing some kind of game with me?

I set my hand on my cheek, hoping to hide the fact that I was blushing. “Are you asking me out on another date already?”

“I am.”

“But you barely know anything about me yet. And you haven’t kept your end of the bargain. You do remember our agreement?”

“Well,” his grin was sheepish now. Charming. A little boyish. “I was sort of hoping you’d forget about that part after today.”

I shook my head giving him an oh-no-I-didn’t look.

“Okay. I guess I underestimated you.”

“Many men have made that mistake.”

“Interesting.” He tipped his head. “How many?”

My warm cheeks became even hotter. “Enough,” I lied. In truth, I’d had very little experience with men.

“You’re so guarded. Secretive. Do you ever give a complete answer to a question?”

“Only when it’s absolutely necessary,” I admitted. “Now, back to the subject at hand. I went on this date, so you owe me one Premier event.” I illustrated by raising my right index finger. “It’s one for one.”

“Fine. When is the next ‘event’ again?”

“This coming Friday.”

“What time?”

“Six. It’s a mixer-slash-speed dating session.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good.”

I had him! Thank God! I wouldn’t be fired. Assuming I would get at least a three month contract out of this deal, Tevin’s contract alone would be worth tens of thousands of dollars to Premier. All I had to was seal the deal. I wasn’t going to do anything until I had that contract in my hands.

No matter, what it took.

Chapter 4

“I brought these. You’ll need to fill them all out before Friday.” Trying desperately to hide my excitement, I pulled a folded manila envelope out of my bag and handed it to the man seated opposite me.

Tevin Page, Premier’s soon-to-be-signed client, arched a brow.

“It’s an application,” I explained.

Still giving me a funny look, he flipped up the flap and pulled out the small stack of documents. Skimming it, he grumbled, “This is some application. I think I filled out less paperwork to buy my house.”

In work mode now, I boasted, “We screen our members very carefully, both male and female.”

“I see that.”

“Of course, that means you’ll only be meeting the very best of the best on Friday.”

His eyes narrowed. “Hmmm. Fine. But you will be with me Saturday night. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock.”

Sure. Six o’clock. If he hadn’t met someone he liked better by then—something I was counting on.

He extended a hand. “Do we have a deal?”

“We do.” I placed my hand in his and gave it a shake while trying to ignore the tingles of sexual awareness sweeping through my body.

Wow.

I had experienced chemistry a time or two before with a man. But nothing like this. Nothing so powerful. I couldn’t help jerking my hand a little as I pulled it back. Then, I tried to hide my embarrassment by fiddling with my napkin. “That meal was delicious.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He pushed his large frame out of his chair and circled me. “Shall we take a walk? We don’t have to get on the road for a couple of hours.”

“Sure.” I tried not to respond to his nearness as I stood, but it was impossible. He was so big and so sexy and…I just couldn’t help staring at him.

Girl, you need to stop this now. You’re going to get hurt. Remember, this man belongs to someone else.

I gave myself a mental shakedown and tried to firm up my resolve. This man belonged to some other woman. Someone who was like him. Educated. Attractive. Intelligent. Cultured. Beautiful. As the image of one of our better girls popped into my head, my stomach turned.

“The steps here lead down to the beach,” he said as he placed a hand on the small of my back, just as he had at the club.

“The beach,” I echoed as I shoved the image of that woman out of my head.

He led me to a wooden platform. Below the deck angled a set of wooden stairs that descended at least twenty feet down a steep, rocky slope. The railing, I quickly learned, was sturdy. I used it to balance as I slowly clomped down. Tevin followed, his footsteps sounding lightly, tap, tap, tap, behind me.

At the bottom stretched a wide wooden deck. And beyond the deck was an empty beach and water. Miles and miles of blue water.

I inhaled. Ah, the smell of water and sunshine and sand.

“Would you like to take off your shoes?” Tevin motioned to a set of chairs circling a metal fire pit on the deck.

“Might be a good idea.” While Tevin took off his shoes, I sat down and pulled off mine. They remained on the deck while I barefooted it down to the sand.

Ever since I was a kid I’d enjoyed the feel of sand underfoot. It was warm and soft and reminded me of days long gone by. So did the sounds and smells of the lake. The screech of the gull. The soft lap of the water. The distant growl of a motorboat.

“This beach is so private,” I mused as I glanced around. To my right and left walls of trees, shut off the view of the neighbors’ beaches. With the exception of the people out on the boats way out in the water, it felt like we were the only people around for miles.

Standing beside me, and staring out over the water, he said, “That’s one of the things I enjoy most about this property. I feel like I can really relax here, be myself.”

For some reason, that statement struck me as odd—be myself. “You mean you aren’t always yourself?”

“I didn’t mean that, no. I just meant…I don’t know.” Looking a little nervous, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and took a step toward the water. “People can be so judgmental sometimes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, they see what you look like, what you wear, what you drive, and they make judgments based on that, rather than who you are on the inside.”

“I agree,” I said as I waded into the water with him.

“I just want to be known for who I am on the inside,” he said.

The water was chilly but not too cold. As the gentle tide rolled in and out, the sand underneath my feet washed away. I stared down, at the sparkling water as I walked. “I think most people feel that way. At least, they do when it comes to finding someone, a partner, a spouse.”

This was nice, this simple connection, honest conversation. I liked it. A lot.

“I suppose you’re right. I guess everyone is judged, perhaps unfairly.” His hand brushed against mine and a little tremor of awareness swept through my body.

“It’s happened to me, too,” I admitted.

“It has?” He turned to face me fully. “How could any man possibly misjudge you?”

“They all think, because I work for a dating service, that I’m looking for love.”

His brows lifted. “You’re not?”

“Nope.”

“No? Why?”

“Because I don’t get paid to find men for myself.” Not to mention, I’d learned the hard way that men who pay to be members of Premier like a different kind of woman. A woman who was educated, came from a rich family, and wore a size zero. “I need to get paid. Because my bills need to be paid.”

“I understand that, but don’t you ever feel lonely?” he asked as he meandered down the beach.

Falling into step beside him, I said, “I do. Sometimes. I go out with my friend Sasha. I meet new people. Like you.”

“And you immediately tried to enroll me in Premier’s dating service.”

“Yes. You’re an ideal candidate.”

He turned so suddenly I bumped into him. We were chest to chest--kind of. Without my shoes, he had a good six or seven inches on me so my nipples were more in his upper abdomen region. Still, we were close. Too close. Close enough to…to kiss.

I swallowed hard.

I needed to step back, to put some space between us.

Step away.

Back.

Now.

Why the heck couldn’t I move?

He grabbed my arms as if he knew exactly what I was thinking and he didn’t want me to go. “Am I an ideal candidate for Premier? Or do you really want me for yourself? Are afraid to admit it? Please tell me.”

Something big and hard coagulated in my throat. I swallowed hard, trying to push it down so I could speak. But it didn’t budge. I opened my mouth and tried to force the words past the lump, but nothing came out.

He tipped his head to the side, and his edge of his tongue swiped across his lower lip. His gaze locked to mine, and a feeling of panic raced through me.

He was going to kiss me again.

Oh God.

I closed my eyes just as his lips met mine. Instantly, at least a thousand volts of electricity coursed through my body. Waves of heat pulsed through me as cool waves of water lapped at my ankles.

The kiss was soft. It was a quiet seduction, making me crave more. When I felt his tongue trace the seam of my mouth, I parted my lips and it dipped in.

Oh God.

He tasted so good.

Man. Wine. Sweet. Spicy.

His tongue caressed mine, and a little groan vibrated in my chest. In my head, words echoed, like,
I need to stop this…must stop…now!
My hands, having a mind of their own, and not listening to what my head was saying, started wandering up the front of his torso. My fingertips dipped into ridges cutting between bands of thick muscles. Pecks. Abs. Shoulders. Oh, I could tell they were utterly perfect.

As the kiss continued, it became more aggressive. His tongue didn’t gently caress mine anymore, it staked a claim. His hands skimmed up my arms, over my shoulders and cupped my neck. His fingers kneaded my muscles there, working out the tension as more, a different kind, wound through the rest of my body.

Still, as my blood burned hotter and my muscles tensed, I kept telling myself I needed to stop. I needed to make it clear I wasn’t going to let him play these games anymore.

Somehow finding the strength to resist, I pushed against his chest with both hands. Our mouths parted. But he didn’t step back.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. He didn’t look confused or upset. In fact, he looked…amused.

“Why are you playing me?” I snapped as I struggled to understand what the hell was going on.

“I’m not playing you.”

“Then why do you look so smug?” I poked his chest. It was too freaking hard.

His eyes widened, but that crooked smile remained in place. “I look smug?”

“Yes.”

“No. Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“I’m not playing you. I swear. I…” He visibly swallowed. And in that instant, I caught a look of vulnerability that made me doubt what I’d thought mere seconds before. “I enjoyed that kiss. I thought you were enjoying it too.”

I couldn’t tell him I had. Even though I did. I stared straight ahead, at the sparkling water. For some reason, I licked my lower lip. It still tasted like him. A little aftershock swept through me. I did a one-eighty and started back to the house. “I agreed to go on a date with you, but I never said I’d sleep with you.”

“I’m not expecting you to do that,” he said, falling into step beside me.

“I just thought I should make it clear.”

He grabbed my arm, halting. “Did I give you that impression? That I’d brought you out here to get a piece of ass?” he said, his voice low and full of emotion.

Now I felt crappy for admitting I thought he was a playboy. But what else was I supposed to think? He’d flown me out here, to a private house, instead of taking me out to a restaurant. I wasn’t the kind of girl the Tevin Pages of the world married. I was the kind they fucked. Bringing me here sure made that convenient. “Well, no. Okay, maybe.”

“Okay. Now that we’ve finally gotten the truth out in the open.” His hand slid back down my arm until it reached my hand. His fingers wove between mine. “It was a kiss. A nice kiss. A kiss I wasn’t expecting. There doesn’t have to be anything else. If you don’t want.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Then tell me, what is the point?” Turning to face me once again, he drilled me with a sharp gaze that said he was tired of talking in circles.

To be honest, I couldn’t blame him for being a little annoyed and confused. I’d sent him mixed signals. Even though I had stopped the kiss eventually, I had kissed him back.

“The point is…” I took a deep breath, let it out. “I haven’t signed a new contract in months. My boss was ready to fire me. You came along, and I know your contract is going to save my ass. I’m trying to keep you happy while getting you to sign. This is a big deal to me. Marguerite likes you. You told me that.”

“She likes my checkbook,” he said with a sneer. “That’s the only thing your boss likes about me.”

“And the girls. I can think of at least five women who are going to absolutely
love
you.”

“Are you trying to convince me that Premier is the best thing for me, or are you trying to convince yourself?”

“You.”

He arched a brow again.

“Okay, me too.” Totally confused now, I jerked my gaze away and blinked my eyes at least ten times. Dammit, my eyes were burning. Why? What the hell were we arguing about? Why was I getting emotional?

Using an index finger, he lifted my chin and held it up until my gaze met his. He opened his mouth, as if to say something then snapped it shut. Again, he opened his mouth. And again, he closed it. Finally, he dropped his hand and shook his head. “I told you I would sign the contract if you went on a date with me. I’ll keep my word.”

My exhalation was audible.

He chuckled. “Glad you’re so relieved by that news.” His lips curled into a twisted semi-smile. “I don’t know what it is about you. Either you’re able to drill your way through a man’s defenses naturally or you’re the best salesperson on the planet.”

“If I were the best salesperson, would I be so desperate for a sale?”

This time he didn’t chuckle; he laughed. And his whole face lit up. The combination of sound and sight took my breath away. “Touché.” He lifted an index finger. “But that still doesn’t get you off the hook. I will expect one date for every Premier event I attend.”

“Fair enough,” I said, secretly thinking he probably would give up after the first event. What man, when given the pick of dozens of perfect potential wives, would bother with me?

No man.

“Are you ready to head home?” he asked. “It’s going to take a while to get back.”

“Sure.”

“Okay. But there’s just one more thing I wanted to do today.”

“What’s that?”

He reached for me, pulled me into his arms. “This.”