Mr. Black's Proposal (Part Two: A Billionaire Erotic Romance) (2 page)

“It’s fine, Steph,” Andy said. He raised his hand to push a strand of hair aside and gave me an exaggerated wink from behind his palm.

I blew air through my teeth. How could my brother be misreading this situation so badly?

Lucas put his hand on mine, pinning my wrist to the counter. His thumb stroked the inside of my palm, sending fireworks up my arm. I hated this, hated that he could get me aroused with a single touch. I snapped my mouth shut and stared at him with a look that I hoped showed pure hatred.

“I am so excited to work professionally with you on this project,” Lucas said.

“Professionally?” I repeated.

“Perfectly professionally.”

I eyeballed him. Was he being serious?

“Shall we go? My car’s waiting.”

He was being serious. Or, at least, as serious as Lucas Black ever got.

“Have fun, Steph!” Andy said, clapping me on the shoulder. My eyelashes fluttered as I looked up to the ceiling. I wasn’t much for prayers, but if God was listening, I hoped he would intervene.

Lord, save me from Lucas Black.

Chapter Two

Lucas

I led Stephanie to the car, one hand on her back. She swatted me away when my hand drifted down to her ass.

I didn’t know what had come over her. The night we’d spent together in Paris had been amazing. She was all softness and curves, the perfect size. When she’d drifted off to sleep in my arms, I stayed awake for a while to watch her dream. That beautiful blonde hair draped over the pillow, those red-blonde eyelashes fluttering softly on her cheeks. Cream thighs, perfectly plump hips, and full pink lips that begged for more kisses.

Now those full pink lips were pursed in a scowl at me.

“Will you stop trying to touch my ass?” she said, as she climbed into the car and batted my hand away one more time.

“Maybe if your ass wasn’t so sexy,” I said, eyeing the smooth curve of her skirt as she slid into the seat.

“You said you would be professional.”

Right. I had said that, hadn’t I? Well, I would have said anything to spend more time with her. Even if she was playing hard to get.

“Why are you being so standoffish?” I asked, revving the engine before pulling away from the curb.

“Standoffish
?”

“You didn’t protest nearly this much when my tongue was between your thighs.”

The color of her face was as close to beet red as I’d ever seen. I sped through a yellow light. I didn’t want to stop, in part because she looked like she might jump out of the car at any second.

“Lucas, you can’t—we can’t—”

“I can. We did.”

“Lucas—”

“Why did you run away from me in Paris?”

“I didn’t run away. I had a business to attend to.”

“That’s an excuse.”

“And spending the night with you was a mistake.”

“A mistake?”

My pulse jumped a beat. I’d never been called a mistake before.

“A mistake I don’t plan on repeating,” she said. She crossed her leg away from me, and whatever reply I had been formulating in my mind disappeared with the sight of her creamy thigh peeking out from under her black skirt. She saw me looking and gave a huff as she pulled the fabric down to cover herself.

“And I don’t appreciate you showing up with a lie about redecorating so you can pull me away from work and try to play grabass with me.”

“I’m not lying,” I said. It hurt me a bit that she thought I was.

“Really? You decided to change the decor of your apartment the day before you left for Paris?” She rolled her eyes.

“No. I decided to change it the day you came and told me it looked like a bachelor pad.”

Her eyes went a little wider. I liked the way her lips parted, showing a glint of white teeth. It took all my effort to keep driving into the garage without letting my hand run over her thigh. I didn’t know if she was really just playing hard to get or if she really thought that sleeping with me had been a mistake. Either way, I’d have to win her back.

“What did you change?”

I turned off the ignition and smiled at her.

“I can’t wait to show you.”

As we walked through the door, I saw my apartment through her eyes. The arching white ceiling, the minimalist decor. Some people described it as harsh. I could see how she had thought of it as a bachelor pad. But hopefully the additions I’d made would show her that I had a bit more taste.

Alex had left the bottle of Cabernet on the table in the foyer like I’d asked him. I went and poured two glasses of wine for us quickly. As I held out the glass to her, she squinted at it.

“Wine?”

“Not just wine,” I said. “It’s the Chateau D’Oise Cabernet from 1992.”

“It’s before noon.”

“It’s the best vintage they have.”

“It’s before noon,” she repeated.

“We’re both still on Paris time,” I insisted. She took the glass of Cab reluctantly. Once she had her first sip, though, she murmured in approval.

“You have new statues,” she said. She looked at the two Grecian angels in the entryway. I beamed. I’d had them brought over from a vintage store downtown. The white marble went nicely with the rest of the apartment, I thought, and it gave it a bit more personality.

She walked around the statue, her eyebrows raised at the female angel.

“Nude statues.”

“New nude statues,” I said. “They’re from Greece.”

“Okay,” she said, giving me a crooked smile. “What else?”

“I put up some of my photography in the main living room where the party will be.”

“Your photographs?” She seemed really interested.

“You bet! Come check it out.”

I led her through to the main living room. When she looked up at the walls, her jaw dropped.

“Do you like it?” I asked hopefully.

She closed her mouth, then opened it. Then closed it again, then opened it.

“Steph?”

“It’s… they’re all… um…”

She waved her hands at the photographs. I looked up at the large prints.

“What?” I asked.

“They’re all
naked.”

I looked around the room. One of my colleagues had helped me pick out the prints to use.

“They’re from one of my favorite fashion shoots,” I said defensively. I realized now that yes, most of them were in a state of semi-nudity. The girls were clothed in gauzy dresses that showed just about everything.

“You like naked women, huh?”

“I like the human body. And yes, women.”

“Why?”

“I find that I’m particularly susceptible to the aesthetic sensibilities of… uh…of…”

“Of boobies?”

She was teasing me now.

“Yes. Boobies. Very aesthetically pleasing.”

She nodded, sipping her Cab. I thought about her boobies. No, I couldn.” the aesthetic sensibilities of… uh…of…” breasts, pert and perfect. I remembered bending my head to her nipples, tasting their sweetness. From the way she avoided my gaze, she remembered that too.

“And you redecorated with
this
for your mom’s birthday party?”

I pursed my lips. I hadn’t really thought about that.

“Well,” I started, “I mostly was thinking about you and how you said that the place needed more personality.”

“So this is your idea of personality.”

“Sure.”

“Naked statues and naked photos.”

“Hey!” I protested. “I didn’t plan it like that. It’s just, you know, I started picking pieces to use. I thought you’d like them.”

“Great theme,” Steph said, her sarcasm cutting through her words. “Maybe I can put nipples on all the cupcakes.”

“Come and see the library,” I said, going to open the door. I tried to remember what prints I’d picked out for the library, but the specific ones weren’t coming to mind. Probably more modeling prints, eesh. I bit my lip before I turned the handle.

“Are there boobs in there, too?” Steph asked, locking her eyes onto my mouth. “You look like there are boobs in there.”

I stopped biting my lip.

“There… may be boobs in there too,” I said.

“Well, let’s take a look,” she said.

As I pushed open the oak door, I realized why Alex had closed it.

Otis jumped through the door and came rushing into the living room, his tongue flapping out of his face.

“Otis!” I cried. “Wait!”

But yellow labs weren’t known for waiting, and Otis was as spastic as they come. Steph’s eyes went wide and she raised her hands, but Otis was already jumping.

He knocked her over completely. Her arm jerked back with the blow, and red wine soaked the front of her shirt as she tumbled back onto the carpet. Otis licked her face happily.

“
Aiiii!
” she screamed, lifting her glass in the air.

“Otis,
DOWN!
” I yelled.

Otis jumped away, wagging his tail.

“Here,” I said, helping her up. “Are you okay?”

“I didn’t get any on the carpet,” she said, putting the now-empty glass on the coffee table and looking down at her shirt woefully.

Her white blouse made it look like she’d gotten shot in the chest. I lamented the waste of one of the better Cabernets I’d ever tasted, but on the bright side, her blouse was a little more see-through. I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and began to blot at her chest.

She slapped my hand away.

“Stop it!” she cried.

“You need to clean this before it stains,” I said, a plan forming already in my mind. Maybe the spilled Cab wasn’t a waste after all. “Here. Come with me.”

I stood outside the bathroom.

“Take off your shirt,” I called through the door.

“Thanks for taking charge of the situation, Captain Obvious,” Steph called back from inside.

“You’re welcome,” I said. I pushed the intercom button on the wall and spoke in a lower voice. “Alex, could you come here?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Steph?” I called.

“Mmm! What?
”

She sounded like she was struggling with the shirt. I took a moment to savor the mental image of her, half-naked in my bathroom, tearing off her clothes.

“Are you shirtless yet?” I asked.

“Yes. Do you have something for me to wear?”

“I will. First give me your blouse. I’ll give it to Alex to clean.”

As if on cue, Alex rounded the corner.

The bathroom door opened two inches, and Steph pushed her wine-stained blouse through the door. Was she topless, then? I craned my neck to see if I could peek a glimpse in the mirror, but no luck. I tossed the blouse to Alex.

“Could you clean that, or replace it, or whatever? Maybe get a couple more from that shop down the street, but with a lower neckline—”

“Lucas!”

“Fine. The same neckline. Just find a suitable replacement.”

“Yes, sir.”

Alex disappeared as fast as he had come. I waited until I heard the click of the door behind him.

“Steph?”

“Do you have something for me to wear?”

She stuck her bare arm out. I touched her hand, trailing my fingers up her bare arm. She yanked it back and poked her head out.

“What are you doing?”

“Admiring the human form.”

“A little less admiring, a little more getting me a new shirt.”

God, she was sexy when she was peeved.

“Of course. I only have one of mine, but it’ll have to do.”

I heard her sigh behind the door. Then it opened another inch.

“Give it to me,” she said.

“Why don’t you come out here and take it?”

“Are you serious?”

“Sure.”

“I’m trying to be professional.”

“And I’m not.”

“Lucas! You’re evil.” There was a strain of desire in her voice that made my cock twitch with anticipation.

“Evil? Come on. There’s a beautiful half-naked woman in my house. You can’t blame me for being tempted. God forgives sinners, and it can’t be that wrong of a sin, can it?”

“Why not?”

I leaned up against the door to whisper in my most seductive, teasing voice.

“Because… it feels so
right
.”

The door clicked shut against my face.

“Steph?”

“Lucas, get me a shirt!” she called through the door.

“Why?”

“Why? Because I’m
topless
, that’s why!”