by T. N. King
Halting again, she stared around. It was gorgeous. She kept trying to look around but he kept pulling her forward and in past another kitchen, a Jacuzzi, plus a gym room, then to a door. “This is your bedroom.” He opened the door.
The room looked huge inside as big even as her entire brand new apartment. Velvet blankets on a canopy princess bed. Her mouth popped open.
Morgan chuckled and placed his fingers under her chin, closing her mouth. “Then here is the best part.” He walked over to a double set of doors and pulled them open.
Stepping forward in a bit of a daze, she peeked in. Again, her jaw went slack.
A closet, but not just a closet. It was like a huge fitting room; with rows and rows of dresses, outfits, shoe, hats, clutches and a make-up table. It was an entire room almost the same size as the bedroom. “It’s like they put a Macey’s inside a hotel suite!”
Morgan grinned at her. “Yeah, I suppose.”
She swung her gaze back over to him. “Is this where you…” Her voice hushed and she regretted the start of the question as soon as it left her mouth.
“Where I what?”
Shaking her head, she refused to finish.
He stepped closer. “Where I take my women?” he finished for her.
Her gaze rose up to his.
“No. This is provided for Hunt’s executives. This is the female’s suite.”
She let out a breath. “It isn’t any of my business, really.”
Morgan grabbed her hands and ducked to catch her gaze. “It is now. Let me say first, that with you in my life, there will be no other women, woman, or female besides you.”
Her eyes rose to meet his. “Why?”
Looking puzzled, Morgan shook his head. “Why what?”
“Am I enough? Why do you even want me?” There, she said it. It is out there now. The burning question she’d had since she met him.
Stepping into her body, he wrapped his arms around her. “Because I realized something.”
“W-what?”
“There is only one Ellie White in the world and she will be mine.” His voice had gone low and seemed to carry a vow.
Ellie felt stunned. He really thought she was this rare person? Why? These answers he gave, just added more questions in her mind.
He sighed and stepped back. “Now, it has been a long day and despite the short flight, you probably will feel jet lag. So, if you wish take a bath or shower and climb into your canopy bed.”
Ellie smiled up at him. “It is a princess bed.” She giggled.
He raised his brows and looked over at it. “Well, it is appropriate for you to sleep in then.” He lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a sweet kiss.
Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck and gave into his kiss.
Morgan never put his tongue in her mouth though. He raised his head and stepped back. “Temptation Ellie.” His eyes looked dark again.
Nodding her head, she sighed.
“In the morning, a woman will be here. She is the fashion consultant. She will help you get ready for the ball. She’s the best in her business.”
Ellie blinked. “A what? You mean you hired someone to make me over?” Her chest tightened. Did he think she wasn’t good enough to be seen with, just like she secretly believed?
His eyes widened as he realized what she might think. “No, no sweetness. Not a makeover. Just to help you with choosing the shoes, doing your hair, you know…” He again, stepped close and grabbed her arms. “I like you the way you are and in fact, I forbade her on very much makeup. Your skin glows all by itself.”
Ellie felt bad for getting the wrong idea…again. And she now felt stupid again. “Okay.”
He stepped away, then he turned back to her. “Do you have your phone?”
She raised her small purse. “Right here.”
He nodded looking pleased. “Keep it with you. If you need anything no matter the time, you call my number.”
“Okay, Morgan. Good night.”
He nodded once and left through the door.
Ellie looked around. “OH. MY. GOD.” She stared at it all. Yes, a bath! She looked around and saw another set of doors. Opening them, she stepped in. “What the fu…”
The room had a huge shower, marble tiling, two sinks, and a counter longer than the one at the diner. Then she stepped across the marble floor to stare at it. A garden tub, but it was the size of a small swimming pool. “Oh, hell yeah!” She immediately started to tug her clothes off and stepped toward while mesmerized. It’s like in those movies, where everyone just took swim in one tub.
She wondered if she should dive in? Shaking her head, she said aloud, “No more bad ideas, Ellie.” She laughed and stepped in. It was the perfect temperature. Ellie laughed loudly and floated around like a little girl swimming for the first time.
Morgan
He forced himself to walk out of her suite and down the hall. He was showing her he had restraint. But he was barely holding it together. Damn, she just got more beautiful by the minute. Then his protective instincts kicked in during the plane ride, then they didn’t let up all the way here.
Now, Morgan remembered that porcelain doll ideal, her image had conjured up the very first minute he saw her face after pulling her from the fire. Like she needed protection. He let out a sigh. What? You are her knight or some shit? He felt stupid over it. But he also knew he couldn’t seem to help it. It was the way she affected him. He walked through his suite and divested himself of his suit, tie, jacket, shoes and just left a thoughtless trail of garments behind him as he headed for the shower.
He wanted this trip to be perfect and he would even protect her from himself, if he had to. That was why he’d left her so abruptly, just now. He didn’t trust himself not to strip her bare and take her in that bed, on the floor, in the huge tub, he knew was in that monstrous bathroom.
He stepped into his hot shower, then gazed down at his rock hard cock. It had remained this way for the last four hours. He’d better take care of it, so he could act right around her. It shouldn’t be too difficult, all he needed to do was grab a hold of it. He did so. Then picture Ellie on her knees with his cock in her mouth as she came when he did. His strokes sped up as he remembered this event, it was the hottest blow job he’d ever had and by a slip of a girl with no experience, he remembered her sweet mouth, and how she’d swallowed him clean. Just sucked him down, like his cock was something she needed and yearned to have. His strokes were more rapid now as he braced his hand on the shower wall. “Ellie…” he grunted as he came all over the shower wall while panting.
Morgan lowered his head and let the warm water wash his cares away and his ejaculation. Dammit. Jacking off, because he’s messed up by leaving her that morning. He’d assumed he was done with her. He’d assumed that she was just any other woman. He’d assumed wrong. Ellie could have been right here in this shower as he fucked her up against the tile, but he’d made a mistake.
He would have that and more though. He never lost a deal. Never.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ellie
A voice woke her. She laid very still. Who is that?
“Miss White?’
There it was again, and no one called her Miss White. At the diner, it was sweetie, sugar, darling and Ellie. Never Miss White. Ellie opened her eyes.
A tall woman stood over her, and she smiled. “Coffee?” She pushed a tray up to the side of the bed. Then gracefully, she stepped back seeming to wait for a response.
Ellie shook her head in confusion and sat up. “W-what? Are you room service?”
The woman laughed. It was like a musical sound. “No, my dear. I am Miss Petra.”
Ellie rubbed her eyes and yawned. “I am sorry. I’m just—?”
“Lovely!” the woman supplied.
Ellie blinked her eyes. “Sorry. What?”
The woman stepped forward and lifted the silver coffee pot then gracefully poured a cup. “You are simply lovely and I can now see why Mr. Hunt said no
or little make up. Why that would ruin your complexion!” She glanced up. “Cream, sugar?”
It now dawned on Ellie now who this was. “Oh yes, both.”
The woman nodded. “Three lumps?”
“Uh?” Ellie stared at her.
“Sugar?”
“Oh, yes three is fine.”
Miss Petra handed it to her. “Now, my dear. I’ve been told you will be wearing the Desaunt, is this correct? In blue?”
Ellie took a sip of the warm brew. It tasted perfect and it smelled wonderful too. I bet this cup of joe cost a hundred dollars. Her gaze shot up. “A der…what?” She looked up at the woman.
“A Desaunt, blue, with diamonds along the bodice?”
“Oh!” Ellie smiled, as she finally understood. “My dress.”
Miss Petra nodded. “Not just a dress, child.” She laughed. “A dress?” She laughed again, as if Ellie had been joking.
Well, up until this part, Ellie thought this lady was different. Not treating her like she was poor trash. Being sweet, serving her coffee, but apparently snobbery can be delivered in different forms. “Well, if you find me this hilarious. I suppose you brought clown make up with you to insure I fit the part!”
Miss Petra’s laughter halted instantly as she blinked her big brown eyes at her. “Oh, my dear!” She rushed over to the bed. “I did not mean…” she huffed nervously. “It is a designer gown. It is worth—well…” She halted and tilted her head at her. “I-I misunderstood. I do apologize.”
Ellie stared at her feeling utterly perplexed. “What did it cost?” Her voice fell low.
Miss Petra looked very troubled and her air of confidence had evaporated. “I-I am not sure of the exact—?”
“What. Did. It. Cost?” Ellie asked forcefully this time.
“Uh—umm…”
“Two-hundred thousand,” a voice came from the door.
They both looked over to see Morgan.
He stepped in and nodded at Miss Petra. “You can go set up in the wardrobe room, Gena.”
Miss Petra nodded then turned to Ellie. “Again, I am sorry. Please know that it would be an honor to dress someone as lovely and unique as you.” She turned and left the room.
Morgan came further into the room.
“Two-hundred thousand DOLLARS?” Ellie yelled the last word.
He looked uncomfortable as he sat on the bed. “Yes, thereabouts.”
“WHAT?” Shocked, she spluttered, “T-that w-would buy my whole block where I used to live!” She shook her head as if cotton had entered her brain. “For a dress?”
Looking upset now, Morgan took her hand. “When I thought of a gown, I did start at the reasonable ones, then my assistant sent me the image of this dress. I immediately could see you in it. I just said yes, that is it.” He shrugged.
“You bought me a designer dress, decked out in diamonds. Y-you…” Yes, this is what he in fact, did. The diner she worked at would not even sell for that much. But look at what he did for that diner. She knew he was filthy rich. She knew this. But to wear a dress with a price tag that could feed all the poor in a small country, just blew her mind.
“Ellie?” he asked softly.
She let out a long breath. “How can I wear a dress that costs as much as a house?”
“I already bought it, Ellie. You know you will look like a dream in it. You know that.”
She raised her coffee cup and her hand shook as she took a sip. “I am dumb. I know it. I mean you even said those were diamonds. Of course, the dress cost as much as my whole family ever made in their lifetimes.”
Morgan hung his head. “I am sorry. I just did not think about it—well, until you saw it and I told you those were not rhinestones. I mean I forget how other people live. I have always been privileged and I never thought twice about it.”
Ellie started to cry. “Until you met poor white trash like me. Like that stupid knock off polka dot thirty dollar dress I wore to your hotel!” She cried hard now. “Like I thought I-I would look good until all those people in the lobby stared at me and that lady looking at me like I was beneath her—”
Morgan stood up. “Who insulted you?” He looked white and his eyes were blazing. He then seemed to lose that anger as he sighed and looked as if he were fighting for control of his anger. He knelt down on the floor and took her hand. “When I saw you at my door in that dress? I nearly came all over myself. You were the cutest, sexiest thing I think I have EVER seen.” He gazed into her eyes. He wiped her tears away with his fingers. “You are not trash. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Her crying slowed as she froze at his words. She blinked her eyes and swiped her tears away. “W-what?”
He nodded. “You are better than all these people, better than these women I have been with. They were cold, false, and full of themselves. You are a ray of sunshine, everything sweet and real.” He leaned close. “Too good for a playboy like me.”
Ellie sniffled and thought about what he said. It was too hard to believe that he thought this way about her. “Well, I suppose if you feel that it is the dress for me that strongly?”
He smiled at her and kissed her hand. “I do and how about we have it for one of the auctions?” He looked up as if trying to remember something. “There is one charity there that feeds the hungry? That dress could start the bid at 200k then get perhaps 500? Then it would go to the homeless.”
Ellie grinned at him. “That would be perfect!”
Patting her hand he said, “Now, it is almost two and I need to take care of a few things for my job.”
Ellie gasped. “It is two o’clock in the afternoon?” Her voice rose. “Oh, my god! I slept all day?”
He laughed. “You needed it. Now you will be fresh for the ball.” He stood up. “I leave you in the capable hands of Miss Petra. She really is a nice lady.”
Nodding, Ellie let out a breath. “Okay.”
“So, I will call for you to join me in the lobby at six, okay?”
“Yes.”
He leaned down to kiss her forehead.
Ellie suppressed her disappointment at his lack of kissing since this trip started, but she knew what he was doing. If they kissed like before, they would be in bed instantly. Then a voice asked…And so what? You want him, he wants you? She fought it down. And I need to not jump or leap again, she told the voice.
He stood up and walked out of the room.
And did you see that ass? The naughty voice in her head added.
Ellie leaned her head back and laughed.
Morgan
He entered his office at Hunt Towers. He should have just told her in the first place. But who gifted you with something then tells you how much it cost? Her reaction had been a surprise. Well, maybe not. Morgan had hidden it from her, so he did know. He sighed. Honesty. He was an honest person, but in his line of work, it got blurred or there were gray areas.
He’d never been so out of his element. This woman had him turned inside out. But not because she meant to do it. Not on purpose. She was low maintenance in reality. Look how she gave him a second chance. Look at her reaction to what he’d spent on her, when he never gave it a second thought?
“There you are!”
Morgan gazed up. Chance.
“I was wondering when you would show up.” His best friend smiled. “So, ready to go and be bored with the filthy rich?” he asked.
“You mean the charity ball?” Morgan asked and grabbed the file he had come here for.
“Of course that’s…” Chance stepped closer and stared at him. “What is going on with you?”
Morgan looked up. “Nothing, why? Do I look sick?”
Chance laughed. “Hardly. But something is off here.”
Morgan chuckled, trying to play it off. “Oh, really?”
Chance nodded. “I know you are always busy but the last time I saw you. I felt like you were more than distracted.”
Morgan nodded. “Work. Work.”
“No.�
�
Raising his gaze to his friend, he waited for it.
“Like you have some new ‘project.’ ”
Oh, shit. That was the phrase they used when they met some woman they wanted. “No, not like that.”
“She is not like that? You mean?”
Morgan sighed and tucked the file under his arm. “No. She isn’t and I am bringing her to the ball.” He stepped close to Chance. “She is also off limits.” He looked right into Chance’s piercing green eyes.
The man pulled his head back. “Whoa, whoa down, there boy!” He laughed. “You act like you’re…” His voice faded away. “You fell for someone?”
Shaking his head, Morgan laughed. “Fell?” Yes, he had, long and hard, plummeting countless floors down to the earth. But in between, there had been a night of heaven.
“Holy Fuck!” Chance exclaimed. “Look at you! You were thinking of her just now, right?” He shook his head looking totally stunned. “Morgan Hunt…caught.”
Wincing at the expression, of ‘caught’ he shook his head.
“Well, damn. This won’t be the boring ball I thought it would be.” Chance laughed.
“Just do not get too excited when you meet her,” Morgan warned as he leaned in close. “And be nice. Not too nice though.” He walked past him.
“Well, shit! The moon just turned purple and fucking Unicorns must be running down Fifth Avenue!”
Chances’ laughter followed him down the hallway.
After rushing home to his house, he had dressed there then had his driver nearly fly down the toll road and made it into the lobby to await Ellie. He wanted to see her in that dress, walking towards him as he waited to take her arm and show her his world. And show her off too. No, she was so wrong about herself. She couldn’t see herself like others did. Like he did.
“Sir?” his driver called to him.
He glanced over at Frank.
Frank’s eyes sparkled.
Mmm, I never seen my driver look— Morgan followed his gaze and turned around.
Standing on the top of the stairs, was Ellie.
Or a vision from some heaven where only angels existed. Morgan felt like someone just punched him in the chest.