Mr. Handsome: A Billionaire Romance (19 page)

By the time Vanessa and I got our nails done, we decided to have a drink at a local happy hour. I really liked Nessa, she was fun and witty, and told it like it was.

I got home just in time to shower and get ready for my date with Jeffrey. Seven o’clock came around and Jeffrey hadn’t shown up. He was only a few minutes late, twenty minutes past, and I figured something happened with Carl his driver. I sent Jeffrey a text, but there was no reply. I got a bit worried and called his cell, but he didn’t answer, so I left a message.

“Hey…I hope everything is okay. I’m worried, so let me know you’re alive.” With that I hung up and wondered if he really wasn’t hurt and did I really want to face the possibility that he stood me up. Once eight thirty came around, I changed into my fuzzy pajamas and simply crawled into bed feeling really low.

* * *

I woke to the sound of my phone ringing loudly and I floundered to answer it. I had it underneath my pillow for some reason. Great, I possibly had a brain tumor by that point.

“Christina…” Jeffrey’s voice brought me to awareness, he sounded remorseful and as if he was about to give a million and one excuses. I simply hung up on him and refused to cry myself to sleep. Instead, I stayed awake for a long time before exhaustion took over.

The next morning when my phone alarm went off, I woke with the all too familiar morning headache and it was back with a vengeance. I groaned and went to take a couple of Motrin before getting ready for work.

When I went downstairs to walk to my car, I saw the all too familiar black Audi SUV parked behind Ol’ Betty. Jeffrey got out with a single rose in hand and I felt tears threaten at the back of my eyes. I started shaking my head before Jeffrey even made it all the way over to me.

“Please, please, please hear me out, Christina,” Jeffrey begged and I shook my head again.

“No, I can’t do it, Jeffrey. I’m not strong enough for this and you know it. I don’t think we’ll work out…” I said quietly and Jeffrey closed the short gap between us with one stride before he pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips against mine, feverishly. My body recognized his instantly and I melted against him. Jeffrey broke the kiss so he could whisper against my lips.

“I’m so sorry…”

I looked down and took a deep breath before stepping away from him.

“I am too, Jeffrey,” I said before getting into my car and driving away.

I left my heart with a rose on the sidewalk that morning and the feeling was unbearable. Work lifted my spirits a little bit. The guys picked up on my mood, I thought, and they were particularly funny. Austin gave me work to focus on and I appreciated any and all distraction from how shitty I felt inside.

“Hey, how about we all go for lunch at that great pizza place down the street, Giro’s?” Tristan suggested as we all sat at the collaboration table outside of Austin’s office. Austin was sitting with us, too, and Trent had just rejoined our table.

“Aw, man that sounds so good right now. Christina, have you ever tried Giro’s?” Trent asked.

I shook my head, my expression was curious and Caiden made a big deal of my needing to try the pizza there.

“It’s a lifetime goal, you have to try it,” Bryce commented and Trent pounded his fist lightly on the table.

“It’s settled then, team lunch at Giro’s, let’s go.”

Everyone got up to leave and I fell to the back of the group as the guys talked. Trent hung back with me and touched my chin briefly. I realized I had been staring at the floor. I looked up at him with a small smile.

“Sorry, in my head a lot today,” I said sheepishly and Trent tilted his head at me curiously.  I felt as if he could see right through me.

“It’s that other guy isn’t it?” I sighed and then nodded. Trent shook his head and I saw his jaw clench.

“If it were me lucky enough to date you, which I hope you haven’t passed on my offer by the way, I’d treat you right. No other women, you’d be my princess.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“No offense or anything…but are you just saying that?” I asked. He probably told all the girls that just to get them into bed or something.

Trent looked at me in all seriousness and shook his head no.

“Not at all, Christina. If I like you enough to want to date you and you express interest in return, you’d be my number one focus,” he said sincerely.

I wondered then if it would be so bad to date Trent. I smiled at him tentatively and he seem satisfied. We had fallen behind the group as we walked the busy sidewalks of the city and caught up with them just before they walked into the restaurant.

“There you guys are, we were worried we would have to plaster your faces on the side of milk cartons,” Bryce quipped. Both Trent and I snorted at the same time. We looked at each other and started cracking up. It’s highly unlikely that either of us would end up with our faces on a milk carton.

Lunch was better after Trent cheered me up a little. I was able to really laugh and joke around with the guys. The pizza at Giro’s was amazing and the guys were kind of surprised that they liked hanging out with me. I wasn’t “afraid to eat like a normal person” according to Caiden, and they invited me for drinks after work. I glanced at Trent and wondered if he was going, he looked at me, seeming to read my mind, and nodded. I smiled and told the guys that I’d love to join.

I wasn’t completely over Jeffrey; I wasn’t over him at all. But I was at least living my life without him. Well, for a day so far, who knew how the weekend and next few weeks would pan out. I already missed his carefree attitude and constant joking around.

His need for me was also something I missed like crazy. I was just starting to see just how much he really had feelings for me. Of course, now that I cut things off with him, it all made freaking sense. I sighed
, maybe I should call him…

“There you go thinking again, where’s that cute little dimpled smile of yours?” Trent nudged me and I smiled almost reluctantly. “There she is,” Trent said, a smile echoed on his face.

Work went on from there, it wasn’t too bad, the guys kept me laughing and after work Trent walked me to my car and I thought for a moment that he was going to kiss me goodbye. He was standing very close to me and he leaned forward to place his hand on the roof of my car.

“So, I’ll see you tonight then?” Trent asked hopefully. I nodded and smiled tentatively.

“You will, I wouldn’t miss hanging out with those guys…and you,” I said.

I caused Trent’s smile to grow and he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to my lips. I was surprised, I didn’t think he would actually do it.

Trent pulled back and smiled at me before he waved and then headed to his car or wherever he went after work. I was about to turn around and get into my car when Jeffrey came, literally, out of nowhere.

“Was that good for you?” He looked furious and all the breath left me as he backed me up against my car. There were people walking back and forth on the sidewalk, of course, but no one found this to be alarming in the slightest.

“Answer me, do you like him?” Jeffrey was just as beautiful as the last time I saw him. His undercut was styled into arranged disarray and he wore another business suit. It was pinstriped grey that day.

“I do like him, he’s normal,” I said after I regained my ability to speak.

Jeffrey’s eyebrows furrowed.

“You want normal? Or do you want me?” Jeffrey gripped my upper arms in his hands firmly. His green hazel gaze was locked on mine as if I was his lifeline.

“I want you Jeffrey, but…” Jeffrey shook his head and I fell silent as to why he was doing that.

“No, buts. You want me and I want you. So we’re together. There’s nothing going on with Roxanna and I. I was wrong for not telling you that I couldn’t make it last night…she—she showed up at my house with her crap and I made the mistake of opening the door,” Jeffrey was obviously still beating himself up over the fact that he messed up with me again, over something Roxanna did.

“Please, I’m trying like hell to get it through her thick skull that I don’t want her, that I’m taken. You are too, Christina, I swear—God I was going to beat the crap out of that guy for touching you.”

Jeffrey pressed his lips against mine and my entire body reacted.

It was almost as if my body recognized its mate. Jeffrey’s lips moved urgently against mine, I melded against him and deepened the kiss, our tongues met and my fingers pushed into his hair. It was like I was starved for him.

“Shit, Christina, we need to get off the street,” Jeffrey said after breaking the kiss so we could both catch our breath. The rest of the world quickly came back into focus and I stepped away from him a fraction. Jeffrey chuckled and then he took my keys from me.

“We’ll take my car,” Jeffrey said, his tone of voice was promising and full of heated intent. A shiver traveled down my spine and I followed him a short way up the sidewalk, directly in front of the building the Six Fountain offices were located.

I realized that I must have missed it the entire time I walked with Trent to my car. Jeffrey held the door open for me and I climbed in, he got in after me and shut the door, then slid the partition up so that we could have some privacy.

“I need to be inside of you, Christina…now,” Jeffrey said bluntly as his eyes traveled the length of my body. I was wearing a skirt that day so having sex in the car would have been easy. My body was flushed and I did need him, probably equally as bad as he needed me.

“Okay,” I said simply and Jeffrey lifted my skirt before he pulled me to straddle his hips. He unzipped his fly and pulled his already rigid cock out. I kissed him while I guided him inside of me, I was already wet for him. Jeffrey filled me up and once he was fully sheathed inside of my quivering sex, I began to ride him, slow while I kept him buried deep at first, and then I quickened my pace while his hands gripped my ass tightly and guided me up and down on his cock.

I tried to keep my voice down, but I couldn’t help the soft moans and whimpers that escaped my throat every time he filled me up. Soon, Jeffrey was guiding my hips with his hands, slamming me down onto him hard and fast. My thighs tightened on either side of his hips and my sex quivered with my impending orgasm.

“Yes, baby, come for me…” Jeffrey whispered and I shot off into a mind numbing orgasm. Jeffrey held me against his chest while he thrust into me hard and fast before his own orgasm emptied into me in hot spurts. We were both breathing hard, as if we had been separated for months rather than a couple of nights.

“I don’t want this to happen ever again, let’s not have anything separate us, okay?” Jeffrey asked me and I nodded my head. I couldn’t agree with him more.

Chapter9

Jeffrey

Christina was dozing off against my shoulder while we drove the rest of the way to her apartment. I wanted her to pack a bag of her necessities and then, when we were back at home, I’d ask her to move in with me. I did not like being away from her at all. It made me too unfocused, too short tempered and needy.

I tightened my arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled like some sort of exotic fruit, like passion fruit or mango, and something else. The car pulled to a stop outside of Christina’s building and I gently woke her.

“Hey, we’re here. Get some things before we go back to my place.”

Christina rubbed her eyes while she nodded. I got out with her and went up to her apartment. She packed a suitcase without my even having to ask and I smiled, at least I knew she missed me just as much as I missed her.

“Okay, I’m set for like a month…at this point I should just move in…” she mumbled as she walked past me to the front door. I smiled and caught up with her to take the luggage.

“Why don’t you? I want you to move in, I was thinking about asking you for a while now,” I told her and she held the door open for me as I lugged the heavy bag out into the hall with us. She locked the door and we went down the stairs at the end of the hall to exit the building.

“I would like to live with you…but I’m just scared that we’re moving too fast,” Christina admitted.

I was excited about her telling me she wanted to live with me and then deflated when she brought up the “moving too fast” card.

“I mean people move in together when they are securely in love and know they are going to spend a considerable amount of their lives with someone, if not forever…” Christina pointed out.

I didn’t plan on ever letting Christina go. I’d beat down every curly haired, afro-wearing guy who got near Christina to at least keep it that way. I looked at Christina as if none of what she said phased me, because none of it did.

Every day, I was even surer that Christina was the one for me. I loved her with a fierceness that I’ve never felt for anyone else. I loved her and I was ready to admit that to myself. I just didn’t want to scare her away with the news.

“You don’t get scared at the thought of being with me, one person, for the rest of your life?” Christina looked at me incredulously as we exited her building and walked the little ways to the car.

I shook my head and she tried to hide her pleased smile.

“You’re like…you’re my everything. I’ve never had any woman have the effect that you do on me before.”

Christina smiled fully then and she launched herself into my arms. I caught her and she hugged me tight before holding my face in her hands and kissing me hard on the mouth. I laughed when she let me go and slid into the car just as abruptly as she attacked me.

Carl took her suitcase to put in the trunk and I got into the car behind Christina.

“So can we make up for last night and have dinner tonight at a surprise place?” Christina nodded while she bit her lip, her gaze had gone curious.

“What happened last night anyway?”

What happened last night…I didn’t want to lie to Christina, but I didn’t want to be completely truthful either. Roxanna showed up at my doorstep and launched herself at me. She was kissing me and her hands were places I didn’t even know they could reach so quickly. When I finally yelled at her to stop and back off, she broke down into tears and started shoving the fact that her life had been torture the past few years and that she just needed some affection.

That time that we
actually
bumped into each other at the bagel shop she had told me that she really just needed a friend, someone to talk to. I heard her out and she told me that she had been through some shit in the past few years. She had been engaged to an abusive asshole and when she finally got the courage to leave him, he kidnapped her and raped her in a motel where he left her badly injured.

I felt sorry for Roxanna, I really did and I wished that I could have been the friend she needed. But I wasn’t that guy she hung out with in college anymore. She couldn’t monopolize my time and treat me like I was her guy that always hung around or would always be there.

I had moved on when she left and she really needed a counselor rather than me. But, of course, she was playing up the drama and refusing to go to the appointment I set up for her.

“She had a break down, she’s been through a lot in the past few years and she needs help, but she won’t go to a professional.” I gave Christina the shortened version and she nodded. I thought I saw respect in her eyes as she looked at me. Was it because I wasn’t going to share Roxanna’s private information? Either way, whatever made my mission into Christina’s heart easier I’d take it.

“You’re good for helping her…I don’t like it. But you’re a good man and I wouldn’t expect you to leave her in a puddle of tears outside your house or anything like that,” Christina said. I leaned across the seats and kissed her softly on the lips.

“So guess what…?” Christina looked at me expectantly and I smiled at her until she smiled back at me, slightly confused as to why we were smiling. “I told my mom about you, she really wants to meet you,” I said, a smile still on my face and Christina panicked, almost.

“I haven’t had to worry about meeting parents in so long! I mean…yeah, I’d meet her now, but still…I’m nervous. When does she want to meet me?” Christina asked nervously and I held her hand to try and ground her a little. She calmed down a fraction, but was still nervous.

“Uh…well, I have a different surprise place to take you tonight rather than the one from last night…”

Christina’s eyes widened and she took a deep breath.

“Okay…well, okay…but if I say anything weird or not okay, just knock me out on the spot and drag me out of there.” 

I chuckled at the image of me having to do that in front of my mother. She would get a rolling pin and knock me out for treating a woman that way.

“My mother is harmless, I promise, she’s the funniest little woman you’ll ever meet,” I assured Christina and she took another deep breath.

“Okay, will she like me?”

I smiled, she really wanted to make a good impression on my mom.

“She’ll love anyone her son is serious about. Plus, she’ll love that you’re beautiful and soft spoken and kind and funny in your own way and sexy and have a great smile…” I trailed off, staring at Christina dreamily.

She laughed and then shook her head at me.

“I don’t think your mother would find me sexy.”

I laughed and then winked at her.

“You just wait. My mom is great,” I promised her and she tried to force herself to relax.

“You’re important in my life, I’m serious about you. So my mom should meet you, it’s time,” I said decisively.

Christina smiled at me tenderly just as we pulled up to my house. I got her suitcase from the trunk and then followed her inside.

“Home sweet home?” I said with one quirked eyebrow and Christina smiled.

“You’re too much.”

We had a few hours to kill before we had to show up at my mother’s house so I left the suitcase at the bottom of the stairs and then scooped Christina up and ran upstairs with her. We killed two hours in bed, and on the floor, and against the wall, then we took a shower and got ready to go to visit my mom.

She lived on the Upper West Side so it wouldn’t be too much of a drive, but then again I had to account for traffic so Christina and I were probably up for a long drive. Christina dressed up to meet my mom. She wore dark skinny jeans and a sheer white top that buttoned down the middle, underneath she also wore a white tank top.

She wore silver jewelry and diamond studs in her ears. She actually left her hair to fall down her back and around her shoulders in a curly mane. Christina looked too good to let out of the house and she was definitely going to be a distraction for me.

We reached my mother’s brownstone and just seeing the outside of the house brought back fond childhood memories. I held on to Christina’s hand as we walked up the steps and I used my key to let us in. I could smell my mother’s cooking from the front room. She had made fajitas, my favorite dish by her.

“Oh, you’re going to love dinner, too,” I said to Christina as she curiously peered around me to the short hallway that led to the family room, dining room, and kitchen. I led her down the hall and called out for my mom.

“I’m in the kitchen of course, come on in.” My mother’s warm voice called us into the direction of the kitchen. I passed through the family room with Christina and we walked into the open concept kitchen.

My mom was on the shorter side, only five-foot-tall and witty enough to make up for whatever difference in height she lacked compared to others.

She had bright green eyes and dark brown hair. She was still beautiful, even in her late fifties. We shared some features, like the almond shape of our eyes, our high cheekbones and fair skin. My mom had thinner lips than I did, but a huge smile to make up for it.

“You must be my future daughter in law!”

I closed my eyes in embarrassment briefly as my mom gushed over Christina. Thankfully, Christina laughed, as if it was a joke…though it sort of wasn’t. Whenever my mom met someone new that she was interested in, she tornado gushed. She grew super excited and complimented that person to death. Christina seemed to be withstanding it, though, and I had to give her props.

“You can call me Mama Lola, come tell me about yourself, Christina, my son has told me so much about you. He’s in love, you know.”

Christina’s eyes widened and she glanced back at me, with a smirk.

“I didn’t know that yet,” Christina said with good humor in her voice.

My mother kept at it, she pulled Christina close for a moment to whisper something conspiratorially. Christina laughed and I went to sit at the island bar across from them. My mom enlisted Christina’s help in finishing up some fajita veggies. I felt like the odd man out as my mom whispered and snickered with Christina. I was sure they were gossiping about me.

“I’m sitting right here, you know. Can you guys speak up?”

Christina shot me a look over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at me.

“We’re having
girl
talk.” my mom said and they went back to chit chatting and laughing. I rolled my eyes and then pulled my phone out to invite Victor and Vanessa over. I needed someone to be on my team. Victor texted me that they would be right over.

“Mom, I invited Victor and Vanessa over for dinner, did you make enough?” Lola usually made enough food for a village when only one person was coming over.

“Of course, you can invite a third of the city and there would be enough. Get another Tupperware of skirt steak out of the fridge and a few more bell peppers and onions.”

I followed my mother’s directions and helped the girls make the extra fajitas. The doorbell rang and I washed my hands quickly to go get the door. I greeted both Victor and Vanessa and invited them back to the kitchen.

“Mama Lola, your fajitas smell divine!” Victor always charmed my mother and she absolutely loved the attention from her “second son.”  I simply shook my head at the two.

I heard Christina’s soft laugh and I glanced over at her, she was looking at me with a private smile and I slid over to her so that I could press a kiss to her lips.

“Well, that fajita is certainly going to be one of yours now that you kissed all over it.” My mom shooed me away from the kitchen and told Victor to keep me company in the family room while the girls had their time. I noticed Vanessa started to put the salad together as my mother directed her. I went into the family room with Victor and turned on the TV for Thursday night football.