Can't Buy My Love: Billionaire and Virgin Romance Collection

by Jamie Knight

“It’s not just about sex, you know,” I said, wanting to make that clear. “But, the freedom to have sex is there for those open to that sort of thing.”

  “Are you open to that sort of thing?” she asked, her face inches away from mine.

  “Well, maybe with the right person,” I told her.

  We danced for a couple of more songs, talking and laughing about anything and everything. Even though this was not something that I was used to, being out on this date with Amelia was really fun. I looked down at Amelia and her beaming face told me that she was having fun, too. Something was gleaming from her neck. I looked closer and noticed a silver necklace with a dainty sapphire pendant hanging from the chain.

  “Nice necklace,” I told her, running my finger across it absentmindedly. Goosebumps bloomed on her soft skin and she shivered.

  “Thanks,” she said, fingering the necklace absently. “I made it. It’s kind of what I do.”

  “Really?” I asked, thoroughly impressed. I was no craftsman, but her necklace looked very well put together. It looked like the kind of fine jewelry I’d seen on fashion models, and I told her as much. I was truly impressed by her talent.

  “Thank you,” she said, putting her head down and smiling sweetly. “I started making jewelry when I was a little girl just as a hobby, just beads and string, a way of passing time. But when I got older, I got into it more seriously and learned how to set gemstones and do the fancy stuff. Then people started admiring my work and asking me where they could buy it. So, I started making pieces for people when they asked. I love when I make pieces that people love and wear all of the time, so I try to make my pieces so that you can mix and match them with a wide variety of styles.”

  She rambled on for a while about jewelry and her dream to have a jewelry empire starting first with getting a real world presence off of the internet. But, she said that her online store has been getting a lot of activity lately and she wanted to expand that. She went into detail about how she makes certain pieces of jewelry and I was fascinated by her words. I had no real idea what she was talking about when she mentioned different techniques or materials that she used, but I was more mesmerized by her pouty lips as she spoke and how cheerfully her voice lilted when she spoke about her dreams. Her eyes seemed to dance around the room as she created word pictures for me to hang onto.

  “I’ve been sitting here for the last fifteen minutes talking about me,” said Amelia bashfully. “Tell me more about you and your dreams.”

  I stared at her blankly.

  “My dreams?” I parroted. While I was busy listening to her rattle off facts about her dreams and jewelry, it hadn’t even dawned on me that she would ask me questions about my dreams.

  “I really don’t have any,” I admitted, somewhat embarrassed by my own admission.

  “Oh,” she said, shifting her weight away from me and staring off into the distance. I could tell that the energy at shifted, like air had been left out of a balloon. I had never felt more like a disappointment in all of my life, even more than when my dad berated me for not being a good worker. I’d been brushing off his disappointment all my life.

  But I cared about what Amelia thought of me, for some reason. I wanted her to admire me as much as I admired her.

  It was at that moment that I became bothered by my own lack of ambition. Why hadn’t I came up with any real goals or dreams to push toward? Was it fear of something, lack of confidence? I really wasn’t sure. I had spent so much time living in the moment and being spontaneous that I hadn’t really considered the fact that I needed a concrete plan. I liked my life the way that it was, fast and loose, but now after hearing Amelia share her dreams and desires, I couldn’t help but look at my life and choices as shallow and frivolous.

  I had to change that.

  At that moment, I knew a seed had been planted in my mind, and I knew that it was high time that I made some real changes in my life.

  Chapter Ten - Amelia

  I was having such an incredible time that it hadn’t dawned on me that during the time that we had been at the restaurant the sun had sleepily slipped over the horizon, leaving darkness in its wake. But, it was so easy being around Reid.

  He was handsome, charming, and funny – all the things that a girl like me would need in a guy to have a good time. Even though I knew that it was really happening, there was a part of me that was having a hard time believing that any of it was real. My life hadn’t really been chock-full of a bunch of miracles. But, this felt very otherworldly. I almost was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for me to be snapped back to reality to realize that this isn’t happening, that I’m stuck in some sort of euphoric dream.

  “So, can I ask you something?” he asks.

  “Sure.”

  “What made you decide to call me? I kind of got the impression at the diner that you, uh…weren’t too thrilled with my proposal.”

  I laugh nervously. “I quit my job,” I blurted out. I wasn’t quite sure why I told him that, but I was already sharing so much, I figured why not throw out the last little bit of information.

  “Why did you do that?” he asked, his voice soft

  “It’s a long story,” I said, waving my hand word him and putting my head down. “But, basically I was sick of being mistreated by my parents and so I quit. They ended up kicking me out right after that. That’s how I ended up on Candy’s couch.”

  “I see,” he said, rubbing his chin like he was mulling over my words. “So, how are you taking care of yourself, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Well, that’s the thing,” I said, rubbing my neck. “This auction is funding everything in my life right now. It’s paying my way and it’s my plan to fund my dream store. There’s this little brick storefront on 11th street. I’ve had my eye on it for a while. I just haven’t had the money to rent it. Until now, that is. I just see it as the perfect location for my first jewelry store. It’s well-lit and in a central location. I’m just hoping that I’ll be able to make it all happen.”

  I fidgeted with my hands in my lap. I was more worried about it than I cared to admit.

  “I know the place that you’re talking about,” said Reid, nodding slowly. “It would make a great spot for a jewelry store, actually. My mother has a lot of friends that live that way who waste loads of money on things like jewelry.”

  I gasped a little, half jokingly.

  “Are you saying that my jewelry would be a waste of money?” I asked playfully.

  “Not at all,” he said, shaking his head profusely. “Actually, your pieces are stunning. That’s why I thought that your necklace was professionally made. You’re that good. But there’s still something unique about it that makes it special.”

  Excitement rushed through me, starting from the soles of my feet and shooting to the top of my head. I felt like I was on Cloud Nine. There hadn’t been very many people in my life who had given me such wonderful compliments. And here they were coming from virtually a complete stranger who had only seen one of my pieces. I beamed with pride. But, my heart sank a little at the thought that all of this seemed too good to be true.

  “I keep waiting to wake up or for someone to come around the corner and tell me that it’s all a joke,” I admitted. “The auction still doesn’t feel real. I’ve never experienced anything like this. These types of things don’t happen to me. I keep having this sinking feeling that I’m going to wake up and realize that the auction never happened, this it was all a part of some great dream that I’m having. It just doesn’t seem possible for me to be on a date with a hot billionaire and, not only that, for this date to be the reason why I’ll be able to open up my shop. It’s like I’m being rewarded for funding my dreams. It’s all so surreal.”

  Reid looked at me and smiled sweetly, taking my hands into his.

  “I wish that I could say that I could relate to your experience, but I simply can’t,” he said. “My life has been pretty sweet, I have to admit. Eve
rything has always been easy to me. Things have always been handed to me without me having to do much for them. In fact, while others are hard at work, I’m out having fun and enjoying myself.”

  “Are you having fun now?” I asked, curious.

  His smile got even brighter and he squeezed my hands.

  “I am. Very much so.”

  I laughed.

  “Now, I know that I must be dreaming or something,” I said, jokingly. “A billionaire is out on a date with me and says that he actually is enjoying himself. Having fun with me? A boring nobody? Impossible.”

  I threw my head back and laughed heartily at my own joke.

  Reid’s smile melted away from his face and he got really serious.

  “You aren’t a boring nobody,” he said, adamantly. “You’re a fascinating woman, one that I’m glad to be able to spend time with. And not only are you fascinating, but you are beautiful.”

  “Oh, stop it,” I said, pulling my hands away from his. “You’re being nice. You don’t have to say those things.”

  “I know I don’t,” said Reid, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. “I know one way to convince you, though, that this is real.”

  “Oh yeah?” I asked with a laugh. “What way is that? Are you going to pinch me or something? Go ahead and prove it.”

  Before I realized what was happening, he leaned over and kissed me. At first, I was frozen with shock, feeling his soft but firm lips pressed against mine. Then, I kissed him back, losing myself in the moment. I could feel my clit starting to jump and my pussy was instantly soaked. I couldn’t believe how turned on I was by a simple kiss.

  I had never felt like this before. And it made me want him more than I ever thought was possible. I started thinking about how he would react if I asked him back to my place. Would he say yes? I hoped that he would.

  But, those thoughts stopped quickly when I remembered that I didn’t even have a place to take him back to. I remembered that I was living with Candy. I couldn’t very well invite him back to her couch. That would be tacky and rude to both Reid and to Candy.

  Even though I wanted him so badly, another part of me was also afraid to give in to him. What if things didn’t turn out as good as I hoped that they would? Where would that leave us? And it wasn’t like I could exactly take back my first time after giving it up to him.

  I was still deep in thought and trying to put it all together when Reid’s words burst through my thoughts.

  “It’s getting pretty late,” he said, looking at his watch and then looking around. “We should probably get going.”

  It was then that I looked around and noticed that most of the restaurant had cleared out. Our waiter was walking back and forth aimlessly, throwing looks in our direction every few minutes and sighing exasperatedly. I knew that feeling, and I felt a stab of guilt.

  “What time is it?” I asked.

  “It’s 9:47 pm,” he said. That meant that we had been sitting in the restaurant for at least four hours. I didn’t even realize that so much time had gone by. I guess it’s true what they say about time flying when you are having fun. I definitely had been having fun and wasn’t quite ready for the night to end.

  “Shall we?” asked Reid, extending a hand toward me.

  “Sure,” I said, halfheartedly taking his hand and getting up from the table. Reid took out four crisp hundreds and put them on the table. Our waiter looked like he sighed with relief.

  I really didn’t want the night to end. But, when Reid walked out to his car, I reluctantly followed him so that he could take me home.

  Chapter Eleven - Amelia

  “So, did you enjoy yourself?” asked Reid once the car turned out of the parking lot of the restaurant.

  “That’s an understatement,” I said, chuckling under my breath. “I can’t remember the last time that I had such an incredible time.”

  “Can you try to remember?” he asked, softly.

  I sat thinking about the last time that I’d been so incredibly happy and excited.

  “I think that it must have been when we went to the amusement park for our high school graduation. I had never been on a ride, let alone a rollercoaster. We ate cheese fries and mini donuts and rode every ride in the park twice. I had never smiled so much in all of my life. Until tonight, that is. I can’t express to you how much of a good time that I had.”

  “Well, I’m glad that you enjoyed yourself,” he said, leaning back into the driver’s seat, looking very comfortable. “And even more than that, I’m glad that I could be a part of the enjoyment.”

  “A part of it?” I blurted out, almost choking. “You’re the whole reason for it! I can never thank you enough. Really.”

  I hoped that I wasn’t gushing too much, but this night had definitely trumped my day at the amusement park, by far.

  “When’s the last time that you had such a good time?” I asked, trying to shift the attention away from myself.

  He sat and thought for a minute.

  “Well, I guess for me it would have to be around the time my parents sent me to Europe for my eighteenth birthday. It was a fantastic trip. We saw all of the sites and visited over twenty countries in a matter of a month. I got to go with my two high school best friends, Trevor and Anthony. And the best part of it all is that it was the first trip that we got to go on without our parents. We, uh,” he laughed nervously, “We stumbled across our first strip club.”

  I started imagining the younger version of him ogling naked women, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. I laughed at the image.

  “Wow, that definitely trumps my visit to the amusement park,” I said, folding my arms across my chest and leaning back so that I could get a better look at him.

  He got a glossy, far away look in his eyes.

  “It’s something, the way that time just flies, doesn’t it?” I asked, realizing that the car had stopped and we were parked in front of Candy’s apartment. I guess we had been talking for the whole ride there that I never even noticed that we had arrived at our destination. Or at least at my destination. I wished that it could be his, but I knew that it couldn’t be.

  We sat and talked for a while about some of everything; from our childhoods to relationships to how we see ourselves when we get older. It was refreshing to find someone that I could just be myself with and Reid was surprisingly down to earth for someone who was so well off.

  But after a while, against my will I yawned a wide mouthed yawn.

  “Wow, it’s late,” said Reid, looking at his watch. “I’m sorry to have kept you out so late. That was not my intention.”

  “It’s okay,” I said, realizing how tired I was. “But, maybe we should call it a night.”

  “Especially since it’s officially tomorrow already,” added Reid. I looked at my phone and saw that he was right.

  It was 1:16 am.

  “Oh, wow!” I exclaimed. “I didn’t even realize that we’d been out that long. It feels like we just left the restaurant a few minutes ago.”

  “I guess it’s true what they say about time flying when you’re having fun,” he said, repeating my words back to me.

  I smiled at him. He smiled back.

  “I should apologize for keeping you out so late,” I said. “I’m sure that you’re really busy and have tons to do in the morning, and here I am rambling away about me and my life.”

  “You only told me things that I wanted to know,” he said. “And besides, as far as outings go, this is tame for me.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. I loved his adventurous spirit.

  And suddenly, I was overtaken by the urge to kiss him. I was shy about being so forward, but I figured that there was no better time like the present. So, gathering every bit of courage that I could muster, I leaned in and kissed him hard on the lips. He kissed me back, slipping his tongue in my mouth.

  That drove me wild. I wanted him right then and there. I was tempted to straddle hi
m right there in the car and fuck his brains out. But, I didn’t think that this was the right time or place for that. Rethinking my plan, I figured that it would be better to just say good night and go inside. So reluctantly, I pulled back.

  “Good night,” I said, my face still inches away from his.

  “Good night,” he said, sounding like he was coming out of a daze.

  I slipped out of the car silently, walked up to Candy’s apartment, and let myself inside. Once inside, I slid down the front door and just sat on the floor for a few moments, my dress mushrooming around me as I made my descent. I took my shoes off so that the clicking of my heels wouldn’t wake Candy up. I stood up carefully and tiptoed toward the bathroom.

  I took a long, hot shower. The steam filled the room, warming every part of me. I got out and took my time combing my hair and putting lotion on. I was waiting for the steam to clear. Once it did, I look myself over in the mirror. Without all of the makeup on and the fancy dress, I looked like myself again. A simple and plain girl with a little extra cushion. I wished that I had taken pictures of me before getting undressed and taking a shower, but it was too late.

  Now, all I had was the memory of the night when I felt like a princess. But, looking in the mirror, my bleak reflection staring back at me, I was reminded that I was the farthest thing from a princess. In fact, I was a very normal woman who was taken out by a guy who probably only took me out and showed me such a good time because he felt bad about getting me in trouble at work. Telling him that I had quit probably made him feel even worse. He probably assumed I was lying to cover up for getting fired. I mentally kicked myself for mentioning it.

  When I had asked Reid if he had had a good time, he told me that he had. But, maybe that was just his gentlemen-like way of being nice and not hurting my feelings. Because how could he really have enjoyed spending time with a woman like me. I wasn’t like some of these other model-esque, worldly women with experience that I was sure that he was used to dealing with. I was a small town girl who was just figuring her way out in the world.