by Leslie North
Immediately.
He paused, breaking the kiss to search out a response in her gaze. His cock pulsed hard and seeking, trapped beneath the belt of his pants.
Her chest heaved, her lips kiss bitten. “Why did you stop?”
That was all the answer he needed. He grunted, jerking her by the hips, her legs splaying open. Jules hooked her ankles behind his neck, which was the final push.
They were doing this. Right here. Right now.
Mitch didn’t break the kiss as he jerked his shoulders out of his suit coat. It crumpled to the ground a moment later, and Mitch ran his hands over the dip in her waist, seeking the flimsy ties of her dress.
“Oh, Mitch,” she breathed at his ear. He tugged at the knot once, then again. It came undone, and the front of her dress spilled open, revealing the gorgeous landscape beneath. He finally pulled himself away from her lips, but the view was worth it. He pushed the ends of her dress further open. Creamy curves greeted him in matching black panties and bra. Lush thighs. Breasts that nearly spilled out of the cups of her bra. He cupped one in his hand, meeting her gaze.
“Should we…you know…here?” She swallowed, gaze darting all over his face. “In your office?”
A knock interrupted them, and she jolted, grabbing for the ties of her dress. Mitch swore under his breath, raking a hand through his hair before scooping up his coat. He had just slipped it on, Jules standing nearby smoothing down the front of her dress, when Rose poked her head in.
“Still no babies,” Mitch joked. He could hear the strain in his voice. The strain of being interrupted while Jules’s legs were wrapped around him. “Feel free to come in.”
“Another delivery needs your signature,” Rose said, pointing at him. “And the front desk needs you to come look at their toy painting contributions, because apparently someone got a little slap-happy with the emerald green.”
Mitch clenched his jaw. He glanced at Jules, finding the same contained heat in her gaze. A wave of understanding shivered between them.
They’d finish this later.
11
As soon as Jules arrived at Mitch’s penthouse that evening with Noelle in her arms, the buzz of the service elevator rang through the apartment.
Mitch poked his head into the foyer, where she was just setting down the diaper bag.
“Don’t move,” he said, holding up a finger as he breezed toward the kitchen. Jules froze, not like he’d be seriously watching her to see if she moved a muscle. A moment later footsteps scuffed through the penthouse, and a feminine voice trailed behind Mitch’s booming greeting.
“Here she is,” Mitch said, gesturing toward her and the baby. A smiling employee stepped into the foyer after him—the same ruddy blonde who had watched Noelle yesterday with the hotel’s babysitting services.
“Oh.” Jules offered a smile. “I just came from the babysitting services.”
“Angie’s going to stay up here while we go out,” Mitch said, waving her forward. When she stepped close enough, he pressed a kiss to Noelle’s forehead. Jules found Mitch’s gaze, and the heat there made her breath evaporate. For a moment, it felt like he was going to kiss her too. Or maybe she was just hungry for another one of his kisses.
“Where are we going?” she forced out past the confusion.
“Out.” Mitch’s smile turned mischievous. “I’ll take the baby, and you go get ready.”
“But what—”
“There’s a package waiting for you on the bed,” he said, easing Noelle into the crook of his elbow. He sent her a wink, and Jules drifted forward, feeling like she was floating on air.
The nanny was here. Her pretend husband and baby daddy had the baby safely in his arms. And now they had a mysterious night “out” together.
She felt like a pauper turned princess in one of those corny Christmas movies. Like Mitch had swept her away in his chariot and now they were about to meet the Queen of England or something. She hummed to herself as she indulged in the fantasy, just for a little bit. Even though the rational side of her was barking loud and clear—don’t get used to this. The rich men never last. You’re just a plaything to him.
A large white box sat on her neatly made bed. Excitement prickled through her arms, and she ran a finger over the corner. A stamp in the middle read Elle’Gance in a swirly font. She pulled off the top, finding a neat nest of tissue paper inside.
Her heart started racing, but she didn’t know why. She’d never gotten a gift like this before. The excitement was almost too much to bear. What could it possibly be? And how could he possibly know anything about what she liked?
She pushed her hands inside the tissue paper, fingertips meeting something satiny below. She tugged the fabric out of the box, gasping as an elegant evening gown presented itself. Mossy green and delicate, and probably the most expensive thing she’d ever touched.
A simple tag was pinned to the strap of the dress, emblazoned with the store’s name and nothing else. Of course there was no price tag, though she was dying to know what something like this cost. She turned it over in her hands a few times, admiring the scooping neckline, the slight ruching below the waist. Mitch knocked softly on the door.
“What do you think?”
“I think I’m not worthy.” She laughed, holding it up again.
“More than worthy. Trust me—I know these things.” He cocked a grin. “Put it on and let’s go. I want to take us out to dinner. To celebrate our hard work and all that success from today.”
She nodded, her throat clamping shut for some reason. Mitch excused himself, and she slipped out of her work clothes. The dress settled with a soft shush over her shoulders. Somehow, he’d known her size. Maybe from sight alone. Or maybe one of his minions had come to spy on her clothes here in the guest bedroom?
The possibilities were endless with Mitch. With this type of luxurious lifestyle. Who knew what his motives were? What sort of excess he truly had at his disposal?
Still, the thoughts didn’t settle as strangely as she’d been bred to expect. Even with her mother’s bad experiences whispering in her ear, it was hard to say no to this. What was the harm in a little jaunt? Just dipping her toe in the satiny comfort of a night out on the town?
Jules hurried to dress, her heart racing as she touched up her makeup, curled her hair into soft waves, and slipped her feet into a pair of peep-toe heels. When she came into the living room, freshly spritzed with perfume and feeling every inch an elegant woman, Mitch was making faces at Noelle.
He glanced up at her, a smile on his face. “Come over—oh, damn.”
She fought a shit-eating grin. Yeah, she felt like oh wow on legs. “You like it?”
Mitch blinked a few times, his gaze stuck on her. “Like is an understatement.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. This would be a very fun evening of make-believe. “It’s so lovely. I absolutely adore it.”
Angie beamed at Jules from her spot on the couch. “Seriously beautiful dress. Little Noelle and I will be here when the two of you lovebirds get back.”
Jules replayed those words in her head no fewer than a hundred times as she and Mitch went through the motions of leaving. Finding her purse, slipping on her winter coat, calling for the driver to meet them out front. Once the two of them were alone in the elevator, Mitch’s gaze turned to pure fire.
“I knew this dress would be a test.”
“Oh yeah?” She inched closer to him, and he caught her by the waist. “What sort of test?”
“A test of how long it will stay on you.”
His words scorched through her, and the space between them shrank. When he spoke next, his breath tickled her lips. “I intend to finish what we started today in my office.”
A weak laugh escaped her. “So, this is just a ploy to get into my pants?”
“Only if you want me there.”
She melted a little bit, and he took the opportunity to capture her lips in a kiss. Hot, needy kisses erupted from the first one.
She whimpered as his mouth claimed hers over and over again. By the time the elevator dinged at the first floor, her panties were soaked and she wasn’t sure she could make it through dinner without getting what she needed first.
Mitch awakened something in her that she didn’t quite understand. It wasn’t just the trappings of luxury—though those were nice. Something about his presence, the masculinity that rolled off him in waves, drove her wild. Every kiss spurred the need for ten more. Every touch of his fingers to her skin made her desperate for him to wrap his arms around her.
He made her needy and primal. Eager to submit to her basest desires.
The elevator doors whooshed open, and they breezed out, the epitome of refinement. They didn’t hold hands as they strode through the lobby, though her fingers itched to find the heat of his hand. She fought a grin the whole way as they walked past guests and wove around families oohing and aahing at the enormous Christmas tree. This felt like a secret. Like a game that only they were playing while the rest of the world was none the wiser.
Had her mother played like this with her rich ex-suitors? This didn’t seem so bad. This was just fun.
Until you find out about his secret wife and kids halfway across the world.
Her mother’s voice slammed through her, jostling her out of her great mood. When they stepped out into the frigid air of downtown Manhattan, all her thoughts blew away in the wind. She wrapped her coat around her, sliding into the backseat of the car with Mitch behind her. Once the toasty car was on the road, she snuggled into Mitch’s side.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
She tutted. “You and your surprises.”
“They’re one of life’s great pleasures.” His mysterious smile warmed her, and looking up at him in this moment was something she wanted to remember forever. Maybe it was the sparkle in his eye. The promise of a great evening. Or maybe it was the promise of what might simply exist between them. Where this make-believe mommy-and-daddy time could lead.
She didn’t like thinking about the future with him, because she knew it was a reckless idea. This thing between them—it was just convenience. It was for the holidays. It was because of Noelle.
So why would she think that anything more could exist? Once January second hit, they’d be back to their normal lives. Normal routines. Sans baby, with the Christmas party completed and behind them. That’s all this was. A holiday dalliance. Something to pass the time and excite the senses.
She needed to remember that.
Ten minutes later, the car pulled up to the front doors of a little restaurant named GLOW. Mitch held the door open for her, and a cozy brick and steel-beam space awaited them.
Except the entire place was empty. Every single table bare, not even set or waiting for guests. Mitch’s footsteps scuffed against the dark wood floor. A receptionist greeted them a moment later, leading them toward the back of the restaurant.
“Is this place like, not open yet?” she whispered as they followed her.
“I bought it out for the evening.”
Her eyes widened. Now there was another significant bump to an already-expensive evening. First the dress, then the private rental of an entire restaurant? Her mind spun as the hostess seated them at a small table near a crackling fireplace. On the other side of the room, a musician was just sitting down at a baby grand piano.
“Oh my god,” she hissed as they eased into their chairs. “Did you hire him too?”
His mischievous smile told her everything she needed to know.
And at this point? All she could do was soak it up. It was all so outrageous, so over the top. Maybe this was what dating a billionaire felt like. And if that was the case, she’d have a lot to get used to.
Except no. She wasn’t dating a billionaire. This was just temporary.
This was just for fun.
But as she looked up into Mitch’s warm blue gaze, she wasn’t so sure of herself.
12
Dinner blurred by with soft classical piano and exquisite plates of gourmet food. Six courses, two bottles of wine, and one amazing evening. By the time they left GLOW, Mitch felt like he himself was glowing.
And Jules sure was. He’d never seen her so loose, so alive. Sure, the wine probably helped that. But they’d burst out into raucous laughter more times than he could even count. They were on a date because he’d made it happen—because he’d brought her here. But he suspected they would be having an equally great time almost anywhere else in the city.
Even if they’d decided to stay in the penthouse and order in.
The ride back to the hotel was spent in a perma-kiss, Mitch’s hands pushing the flowy hem of her skirt higher and higher up her thighs. By the time the car reached the front of the hotel, his hardon was embarrassingly obvious.
“I might need to sit out here for a while,” he said, wetting his bottom lip as his gaze dragged over the width of her hips. He could practically feel those legs wrapped around him again. And he was dying for it. “But I can’t look at you for another second or I’ll have to do something about it.”
Jules giggled, her gaze darting toward the driver. “We should go inside.”
Mitch heaved a sigh, reluctant to let her out of his sight. But it was for the best. “Okay. Yes. Let’s go inside.”
She sent him a private smile and stepped out of the car, letting in a cold blast of air. Mitch ground his jaw, unable to watch anything other than the sway of her ass as she strutted toward the front doors. Once she was inside, he pushed out of the car and hurried after her. She had him feeling like a teenager again. One sexy look would have him covering his crotch in public.
Jules waited for him with a sly smile in the lobby, and he quickly caught up with her. He made sure to keep his distance as they walked toward the penthouse elevator.
But not because he was worried about what her touch might do to him.
Because he couldn’t let spying eyes see. The infrequent staff members who came to his penthouse were one thing. They were sworn to secrecy and paid for their discretion. But the rest of the hotel staff? They loved to gossip about him, and more than a few incriminating things had leaked from his own hotel to the covers of the tabloids in earlier years. So now, he knew better than to flaunt his personal life.
The worst part wasn’t even the tabloids.
It was his father.
Mitch tapped his foot as they awaited the elevator, deciding to stuff his hands inside his coat pockets, lest they wander too close to Jules. Once the doors slid open, he nearly pushed her inside. She giggled as he cornered her against the glass wall. The elevator lurched into motion.
“What would you say,” he began, running his thumb along her jawline, “if we had a little fun in here?”
“Like…get it on in the elevator?” Her voice came out a squeak.
He nodded, and her eyes went wider.
“That would be…I mean….are you sure we can?”
“This is my elevator,” he said, brushing his lips against hers. “My hotel. My penthouse. We can do whatever we want.”
Those words must have been the key to unlock her, because she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hungry kiss. He backed her up against the elevator wall, hands seeking the soft lines of her thighs beneath the dress to hoist her. When he had her cradled between his body and the unyielding wall of the elevator, a sigh escaped him.
“Enjoying this?” she mumbled through a kiss.
He grunted. “Enjoying is an understatement.” He groped behind him, fingers seeking the panel near the elevator doors. He finally ripped himself away to find the STOP button and pressed it. The car ground to a halt.
Jules giggled. “I’ve never been so naughty in an elevator before.”
He smoothed his lips along her jawline, relishing the taste of her, a mixture of sweetness and copper. “Me neither.”
“That surprises me. With this elevator at your disposal and all.”
He grunted, hoisting her again, his hands getting lost in the shimmery depths of her dress. His fingertips found the warm surface of her ass cheek, and he dug in. Desire rippled through him, completely overtook him. He shifted against her. The hard ridge of his cock must have hit the right spot because her eyes fluttered shut and she moaned.
“Yeeesss, Mitch.”
Her voice was a plea he couldn’t ignore. He reached between them to undo his belt, which took longer than normal because of the testosterone assaulting his system. He could barely think straight with her trapped between his legs. This heady combination of lust and satisfaction would entirely undo him.
“You want more of this?” He ground his pelvis against her, and her breath hitched. Her fingernails dug into his suit coat as she arched against him.
“Please.” Jules squeezed her thighs around him. “Give me all of it.”
He fished a condom out of his pocket before pushing his pants down. They crumpled around his ankles.
“Ohhh my god.” Her hands trailed down the front of his chest, undoing the buttons along the way. Her small hands slipped inside the fabric of his shirt, and the contact of her fingertips against his skin sent chills up and down his spine. He couldn’t hide the shiver.
“Mmm.” A sly smile curved her lips, and just the sight of her swollen, kiss-bitten lips nearly sent him over the edge. Jules drove him wild in a way that he could barely explain. She was more than just a gorgeous woman. Mitch had a line of beautiful women waiting to be hoisted against an elevator wall. But Jules felt inexplicably like a partner. If he had stumbled upon Noelle with anyone else, where would that person have ended up?