The Billionaire's Baby (2 page)

“Could it be my boss has a date?” Carol shivered. “I think hell may have frozen over.”

“Very funny. I met a very lovely British girl today who got lost two blocks from her hotel,” Favian explained.

“Hey, if she gets you out of your monk lifestyle, I like her already,” Carol said and pointed to his office door. “Please get her out of there. Chaos follows in her wake.”

Favian saluted and grinned. “Yes, boss.”

He walked into his office whistling. Hillary was perched on his desk, her short skirt riding up her thighs. Favian stopped whistling and frowned. Hillary, for all her intentions, just rubbed him the wrong way. She had some wickedness hidden behind the sweet smile and the clueless attitude she showed to others.

“Off my desk, Hillary,” he said walking around the wide mahogany desk and taking a seat in his soft leather chair.

“Oh, you don’t like it,
papi
?” Hillary pouted.

“I’m not your father and you’re making a mockery of my parents, my culture and my language,” Favian snapped.

She waved his words casually away. “Stop being a fuddy-duddy, Favian. I brought the swatches for the color scheme of the charity dinner.”

He didn’t look up from the file in front of him. “Pick whatever you want, but I’ll need to be added for a plus one.”

“Oh, is Remy coming after all?” Hillary asked.

“No, but I’ll be bringing someone, hopefully, if it works out,” Favian said. He signed off on an expense chart for the research and development department.

“I didn’t know you’d started dating,” Hillary said.

The tone in her voice turned frosty and Favian looked up and gave her a cool stare. “I didn’t know I had to run it by you.”

“I didn’t say that. I’m just looking out for you, brother dear. Dating women beneath your stature reflects on all of us,” she said.

Favian put his pen down. “I need to clear up a few things about that statement. Who says she is beneath my status? My father built this company from nothing while we lived in a two-bedroom walkup in the Bronx. May I remind you that my father found your mother working in the perfume depart at Macy’s. Hence, you don’t come from money. I give you an allowance like a child because I feel some loyalty to my father’s second wife. Don’t presume, Hillary, it does not become you.”

Tears welled in her eyes—one of her typical moves. “I don’t understand why you’re so cruel to me. All I want to do is be a good sister…”

Favian waved his hand to stop her before she got on one of her tangents. He scribbled a check out quickly. “Fine, whatever, here’s a check. I know your allowance has to be gone by now even though it’s only the tenth. Here’s five thousand dollars. Go buy something.”

She looked at the check he handed her. “Only five grand? That is barely enough for a new purse.”

“Not another penny. Make it work,” Favian snapped. “Leave before I take it back.”

She picked up her light coat she’d thrown over the back of his chair. “Fine. I’ll see you at home.”

“No, you won’t. You have an apartment. Stay out of my brownstone,” Favian warned.

Remy opened the office door just as she was leaving. Hillary lifted her nose in the air and sailed by him without a word.

Remy chuckled as he sat down across from Favian. “I don’t think your step sister likes me very much.”

“You say that every time you see her, but it’s not that. She doesn’t like you, she loathes you,” Favian said.

“Oh, my heart is breaking,” Remy drawled sarcastically.

Favian grinned at his best friend. Remy Sanchez had been his partner in crime since they were five years old. While Favian went off to the Marines, Remy went to college on a scholarship to MIT. But the distance never stopped their friendship. While Favian was in Iraq and stationed in Afghanistan, Remy would e-mail him and tell him about home. When Favian lost his mother and then his father, it was his best friend who stood next to him and cried for the people who were like parents to him. Favian trusted him with his life.

“So what’s up?” Remy asked.

“I just signed off on the R&D department working on the new prosthetics for wounded soldiers. I want you to head it up, make sure they’re keeping on budget, and get this working one hundred percent for the wounded warrior project.”

“I’m on it. What deadline are you looking for a big reveal?” Remy asked.

“They said they’ve made some extensive progress, so I want eighteen months on the nose,” Favian replied.

“You got it,” Remy said. Silence reigned for a few minutes before Remy asked, “Okay, what else is up?”

“I met this amazing woman outside the Manhattan store.” Favian grinned. “She’s from the UK and her voice is like…well, trust me, you hear her voice and you want to see her dressed like a school girl and asked to be spanked.”

“Well, hell, I want to date her,” Remy said.

“Sorry, but I’ve already got that privilege,” Favian said. “But if you’re nice I may let you hear her voice and you can then wish you were in my place.”

“Make her say ‘rocket launcher’ for me, like the chick from the old Avengers show, and you don’t have to buy me a birthday gift,” Remy said with a grin. “What will you do about Hillary?”

“What about her?” Favian asked.

“
Hermano, usted es el único que no ve que ella siente algo por ti
,” Remy said in Spanish. Favian frowned at the words. Remy was basically saying that Hillary had the hots for him and he was the only one who could not see it.

“
Dios mio
! Hillary doesn’t even enter into the equation,” Favian snapped. “She is my sister, nothing more.”

“Not by blood, and I’m telling you, Favian, the girl is a snake in designer clothes.” Remy leaned forward. “Just be careful, man. If you’re thinking about starting a relationship with this woman, watch out for your so-called sister.”

Favian nodded. “Okay, I will.”

Remy leaned back. “So what’s her name, this girl with the great voice?”

“Adira Potts.” Favian felt his heart lighten at the thought of her. “She has skin like smooth chocolate and her lips are sexy and full. She was wearing this dark ruby lipstick and I looked down at her thinking if I kiss her now, she may kick me in the nuts, but it would be so worth it.”

Remy shook his head. “Man, she has to be amazing if you’re willing take a kick in the jewels.”

“She has the warmest dark brown eyes, thick like that decadent chocolate mousse cake Suzie makes when you come to my house,” Favian said, speaking of his housekeeper and cook. “Her eyes are all melty good like that.”

Remy roared with laughter. “Melty good? You’ve gone back to being a teen in a matter of hours.”

Favian shrugged. “It feels good to be excited about dating again, after Kim and her bullshit.”

“I want you to be happy, so if this girl may be it, I say grab hold and don’t let go no matter what,” Remy said seriously and stood up. “So I’m going to head down to R&D and kick them in the pants for a bit and get in their way.”

“You mean you want to go play with their toys and talk tech,” Favian said. “Admit it, the R&D department is like your version of heaven.”

Remy smiled. “So I’m a nerd, sue me.”

“A nerd that can hold himself in a fight, so you’re good,” Favian called as his friend walked out the door.

He looked down at his files and for a moment didn’t even see the words. His focus was on Adira and he had to pull himself out of it, firm his shoulders and get down to work. The hours would fly by between conference calls and business and then at eight he’d pick up Adira and make sure the night was magical.

* * * *

Adira looked into the full-length mirror and ran her hands down the red dress again. She pinned her hair up, leaving a few tendrils loose to frame her face. She wore very little make up, just some eyeliner to accent her eyes and a light coral lipstick to give her lips a shimmery look. The string of pearls that belonged to her mother lay against her bosom and the matching earrings she put in her ears. They were the only things she had left from her mother, the only things that hadn’t been stolen from her. Adira frowned at her mirror image and refused to let past memories infect her night. She was going out to dinner with a sexy man whose gaze made her heart jump in her chest. Adira shrugged into the little red satin bolero jacket that matched her dress.

She picked up her small purse that carried her passport and money just in case she needed to get a cab and headed downstairs to wait for Favian. She didn’t have to wait long; the time on her watch read ten to eight when a sleek black limo pulled up. A driver stepped out and opened the rear door. Favian stepped out and Adira noticed that both men and women rushing along the sidewalk actually stopped to stare. The suit he wore looked like it was worth the amount she paid for the rent on her flat for a year. He looked scrumptious from head to toe and her mouth went dry when he directed his million-dollar smile her way.

“You look simply magnificent,” he said
.
“
Exquisito.
”

“Does that mean exquisite?” Adira asked.

He inclined his head. “Yes, very good. Shall we go? We have reservations for eight thirty. Michael will frown on us if we’re late.”

“Michael as in Michelangelo’s, one of the most exclusive restaurants around the world?” Adira asked as he led her to the limo.

“Yes, he’s an old friend, so I have a table whenever I want,” Favian said casually.

Adira wondered what it was like to just have money to casually throw around as she slipped into the warm leather seats of the limo. Favian got in beside her and the driver closed the door. The driver then got in and drove off and she watched the city and its spectacular lights fly by.

On a few occasions she’d passed the exclusive restaurants in London, but she could never walk by without the people looking down their noses at her. It made her angry to some degree, but she felt sorry for them. They’d never look past their title and wallets to see how true people lived and loved. She hoped Favian wasn’t one of those people. But she doubted he was like that since he was a Marine and served in the military. Someone like that surely couldn’t look down on others for being lower class, something most of them couldn’t help being.

“You’re very quiet.” Favian trailed his finger down her hand that lay against the seat. “Second thoughts or are you scared of me?”

“A little of both, actually,” Adira admitted. “I never thought I’d be in a limousine with a man such as yourself.”

“What kind of man would that be?” he asked.

“The kind that seems to own everything, and I’m just a simple shop girl from England,” Adira replied. She cast a sidelong glance at him. “I’m curious as to why you wanted to take me out.”

“Because I looked into those warm chocolate eyes and I was lost.” Favian picked up her hand and kissed her fingers.

Adira pulled her hand away. “Does that line work?”

Favian turned to her and met her gaze and in a serious tone said, “Adira, I don’t use lines. I don’t have time for them or see the use of trying to con a woman. There’s either a connection or there’s not. I feel one with you. I hope I’m not mistaken.”

His blunt answer stunned her, but it was pleasantly refreshing. She smiled at him. “No, sir, you are not mistaken. I’ve taken a fancy to you as well.”

Favian gave a soft laugh. “I love how you talk so very prim and proper. It makes me wonder.”

“Wonder what?” Adira asked.

“If when I kiss you will your voice get soft and breathless with desire, will it lose some of its snap and crack,” he said huskily.

Adira cleared her throat. What does one say when a man makes you flustered? She said the first thing that came to her. “I hope they have chocolate cake. I’ve been craving a piece.”

“Then chocolate cake it shall be.” Favian gave her a boyish grin. “Just so I can hear you say chocolate again.”

Adira laughed and settled back in the seat. They idly chatted until the limo pulled in front of the restaurant. From there they were ushered to one of the most amazing booths with high back mahogany walls that blocked them from other patrons. The seats were made of soft red suede and she ran her hand over the material appreciatively as they sat down.

“My good friend, I thought you’d forgotten about my cooking!”

Adira looked over to see Chef Michael walking towards them. Many of the restaurant patrons began looking around to see who could bring the famous chef out of his kitchen.

Favian stood and embraced the man. “Michael, how are you?”

“Single, bored, but now I see this beauty beside you, I may change my mind,” Michael teased. “Hello, my beauty, and how can I coerce you from this man and into my kitchen where I will shower you with such culinary delights you will be in awe?”

“If you promise me chocolate truffles, I’ll be yours,” Adira teased.

Michael clasped his hands over his chest. “Be still my heart, she is from the United Kingdom. I must have you.”

“You promised you’d only be mine. I’m devastated,” Favian joked, smiling at Adira and then turned to Michael. “Hands off, this gem is mine, Michael, but I will allow you to feed us.”