TORN: A Billionaire Romance Series (Contemporary Romance Novel)

by Love,Michelle

  Closing the bathroom door, I slip out of my clothes and place them neatly on the counter near the sink. Everything is so pretty and organized I can’t see tossing them to the floor like I do at home.

  Climbing into the tub, I settle back and immediately feel tons of tension leave my body. My feet already feel better. Being a waitress has them aching almost constantly.

  Thinking about my job, I reach over and pick up my phone I left on the edge of the large tub. I need to call and make sure Tanya can take my shift tomorrow.

  With a swipe, I call her and find her giggling when she answers her phone, “Hey you.”

  “Guess what I’m doing.”

  “I hear a loud noise in the background. It reminds me of something. Oh, Lord, Liz, you’re not using a vibrator and calling me while you’re, you know?”

  “God no! Freak!” I shriek at her. “I’m in one of those Jacuzzi tubs. Guess where.”

  “Um, I have no idea, so you just tell me,” she says as I hear a man talking in the background.

  “I’m in a suite at The Plaza Hotel, Tanya.”

  “Why. How. No way!” she says then erupts into giggles. “Stop tickling me, Bob!”

  “Oh, I see you’re over at his place,” I say as I really don’t like her on again, off again boy-toy, Bob.

  “I am and since you’re in that fancy hotel I guess things went well with that man about the lighthouse you have your heart set on.”

  “Well, no. He wouldn’t budge on that topic. But he did set me up for the night in this hotel and he did set me up to take his private jet back home and he also gave me this card that’ll get me food and drinks in the hotel.”

  “Sold out, did you?” she asks and I can hear the smirk on her lips.

  “No!”

  “Sounds like he threw money at you and you dove to pick it up and turned your back on the real reason you’re there, Liz.”

  Well, now I’m really pissed at myself because even Tanya can see that I’ve been bought and she’s pretty dense!

  “I’ll be back later tomorrow is the reason I’m calling you. Do you think you can take my shift and I’ll make it up to you next week? I’ll even do a double for you or whatever you want. I just need you to do that for me tomorrow, please.”

  I hear more giggles come out of her then Bob says, “She’ll do it but you have to work for her for three days next weekend because I’m taking her to Vegas so we can get married.”

  “Congratulations?” I ask as I don’t really think she should marry the just turned twenty-one-year-old guy who has no job and lives with his mother.

  “Thank you, Liz!” she squeals. “You should see the ring he gave me.”

  Bob butts in, “It’s a three-karat.”

  “My goodness! How did you ever afford that?” I ask as I think the kid must’ve robbed a bank to be able to buy something like that.

  “It’s a cubic zirconia, Liz. Come on, get real,” Tanya says with a laugh. “But it’s gorgeous. It looks real.”

  “I’m sure it does,” I say and shake my head. I’m afraid that’s what her life will be with this dude, a series of empty promises.

  I’m glad my parents didn’t raise me to need a man, any man, in my life to make it complete. I’m glad my head is on straight and I know I can be by myself forever if that’s the way life goes for me.

  I don’t need or even want a Mr. Right Now. I’m holding out for The Man. The man who ignites me with a simple smile, touch, kiss. The man who can make me feel special with only one word.

  I’ve had a few go-nowhere boyfriends and the time that was wasted on those relationships I’d love to have back. So with the knowledge that I will no longer waste my time with men who don’t tempt me with their touch, I feel whole with just myself. No man need apply!

  “Okay, so it’s settled,” I say. “You work tomorrow for me and I’ll work all next weekend for you so you can go make a huge mistake. I mean, get married.”

  The way they both laugh has my stomach tightening. “One day you too will find love, Miss Non-Believer,” Bob says then the call is ended as he must’ve taken the phone away from Tanya and she’s giggling again.

  Well, I’m not looking for love, so screw you, Bob and Tanya!

  Chapter 2

  ZANE

  “On the card please write this, please join me for dinner and drinks this evening and then write my phone number down,” I tell the florist.

  “Yes, Mr. White. So this is an order for two dozen scarlet roses delivered in a Waterford Crystal vase to a Miss Elizabeth Cook in room 1212 of The Plaza Hotel, correct?”

  “Yes, see that she gets them soon,” I say then end the call.

  I have no idea why I feel so giddy. I don’t get giddy. Ever!

  But I’m feeling it today, after meeting her. It’s been only a couple of hours since she left my office and I still see her lingering around my office as if she’s really here. It’s insane!

  I hope like hell she lets me have a nice long taste of her so I can get her out of my system. I can’t possibly keep thinking about her and how soft her skin must feel and how her breasts would feel mashed beneath my chest.

  I’ll never get any work done!

  Even now, I’ve had two phone calls about some kind of business thing and I have no idea what either call was about. Looking at my notepad in the top drawer of my desk, I see where I’ve only doodled as I listened to what the people on the other end of the line had to say.

  No, I can’t keep on like this. I’ll go broke!

  My phone beeps with a text and I look to find a picture of a dress my personal assistant has sent to me. It’s a chiffon knee-length dress in a deep burgundy color. And behind it, still hanging on the rack, I see the dress I want to see Elizabeth in.

  So I tap in, -Get the one behind you. The short, black dress and find some heels to match it. Make them a name brand, nothing cheap. And let the sales person help you with finding a nice necklace and earrings to go with it.-

  It’s been forever since I bought any woman anything. I was twenty-five when I last loved a woman enough to buy her things. When that relationship crumbled due to my neglect, I vowed not to dabble in love anymore.

  I don’t have the time for it!

  Being a life-long bachelor who occasionally finds time to have mind blowing sex with random women is perfect for me. No reason to try to complicate my life with the needs of a woman.

  I simply do not have that kind of time!

  An idea pops into my head and I pick up the phone again and call The Plaza. My personal concierge, Tristan answers, “Mr. White, how nice to hear from you. What can I do for you today, sir?”

  “I have a woman staying in 1212. I’d like to have a stylist sent to her room. Give her a haircut and style, even a color if the stylist sees fit. Spare no expense. And have her makeup done too. A mani and pedi, of course. Paint her nails a dark shade of red. I want her lips to match her nails. Do you think you can get all of that done in the matter of a couple of hours, Tristan?”

  “For you, of course. I’ll get right on it. A small team of three should suffice.”

  Ending the call, I get up and go look out the window of my office. The cars look like ants from up this high. My brain is a mess and I hate feeling like this. I just keep thinking about the adorable woman who came into my office and set me on fire.

  This doesn’t happen to me!

  My intercom buzzes at me so I go back and press the button. “Yes, Lane.”

  “You have an irate female on line one, Mr. White.”

  “Great,” I say and push the button to answer the woman I think must be Meagan Saunders.”

  “Hello, Zane here,” I say with a stern tone to hopefully take charge of this conversation from the get-go.

  “Zane, what makes you think you can send a team of makeover specialists to make me into what the fuck ever you think I need to look like?”

  “Oh, it’s you, Elizabeth,” I say with relief. “I thought you might like the royal tre
atment. It’s only for one day. And I’m not trying to make you into anything. I simply wanted to treat you. That’s all. Let them do their magic on you. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  “This is too much, Zane. Way too much,” she says with a little whine to her sweet voice.

  “Let me do this for you, Elizabeth. Please.” I look out the window and lean my head against the cool glass. I have no idea why she’s consuming my thoughts but she is and I need to immerse myself in this feeling so it’ll go the hell away.

  “My hair, makeup, and nails, Zane?” she asks. “Why?”

  “Why not. I want to do this for you. And more is coming so stop protesting right now. Let them do to you what they think is best and go with it. Enjoy it. It’s only for one day, anyway. Tomorrow you’ll be going back to your life in that little town and this will all seem like a distant dream. So let it play out, won’t you? Let me treat you like a princess for a day.”

  I wait with my breath held for her response. I hope she’ll just go along with this. I need her to go along with this. If she can lose herself for the night, then I might have the chance to get intimate with her and get her out of my system and get back to my normal thought process.

  “Fine,” she says. “But I just want you to know, I feel foolish. I feel as if I’ve sold out to you.”

  “You haven’t,” I say with a chuckle. “We both know you’ll be doing all you can to save that old lighthouse.”

  The fact is, I’m kind of enjoying the fight.

  It’s been a long time since anyone bucked against me. And with that thought, my pants are getting tight in the crotch. The scene of Elizabeth on top of me, bucking around has me growing.

  “I will be doing all I can, Zane. I’m not going to make this easy for you just because you’re going overboard here.”

  “Good. See you later then.”

  “What does that mean?” she asks.

  I end the call because she should soon get the flowers and the clothes and the jewelry and she’ll know what I mean by that then. I love leaving her with an air of mystery. Toying with her is very pleasing to me for some reason.

  Sitting at my desk, I close my eyes and lean my head back and envision toying with her all night long. She has to let me. It would be a grievous error on her part if she denies us both the pleasure I’m sure I can bring her.

  I wonder if she’s a screamer. I bet she is. I bet I can make her scream my name over and over tonight. She has to want me too. I know she does. But she seems like a woman who doesn’t give in on the first date.

  I’ll just have to use a jackhammer style approach to get to the good stuff a lot more quickly than she’s used to giving it out. I need her out of my system and I need her out fast.

  Chapter 3

  ELIZABETH

  Sitting in the living area of the large suite, my feet in a bath of some exotic salts, my hands in bowls of some kind of liquid, on either side of me, a woman cuts my hair. “I think no color is necessary as your natural color has many streaks of gold in it already.”

  I agree with her and give a nod as there is a mud mask on my face, I think might crack if I speak. She smiles and snips away at the ends of my wet hair. A knock at the door has the concierge, Tristan, going to answer it and I see a man holding my suitcase and a back bag with a hanger coming out of the top of it.

  “Hey, Tristan,” the man says as he comes inside and goes straight to the bedroom. Coming back, I see he has a little black dress in one hand and a pair of strappy black heels in the other. “I’m Jeremy, Mr. White’s personal assistant, Miss Cook.”

  I nod as I obviously still can’t speak.

  He wiggles the dress in front of me. “Mr. White personally picked out this dress for you. I have to tell you he doesn’t do this sort of thing. Like never!”

  I nod again and wonder if this is really all about getting me to chill about the lighthouse. It’s over the top if it is.

  The stylist finishes with my hair cut and motions for everyone to go to the next stage of making me as close to beautiful as they can get me. “Wash her face and let’s move on to step two,” she says.

  One of the young men who has been working on massaging my calves as my feet soaked takes out one foot at a time and dries it off. Then the other guy who was taking care of making sure the mud on my face was working as it should, takes my hand and off he leads me to the bathroom to take this off my face, I suppose.

  The mud falls off my face in clumps as he takes a brown washcloth and gently washes it away over the bathroom sink. I see my face in the mirror and see no difference at all. What a waste of money!

  Back he leads me to the little chair they brought in with small tables attached to each side and I see the lady who cut my hair has her gadgets all ready to dry it and style it. Plus, the makeup guy has out his large case of makeup and I see a deep red nail polish on one of the tables too.

  “Red, huh?” I ask as I sit down.

  The guy holding my hand answers, “Mr. White said to use that color. He was specific about it.”

  The other guy pulls out a lip gloss the same shade and holds it up to the bottle of nail polish. “Your lips are to match this,” he says.

  Now I’m feeling kind of prickly as he’s treating me like his personal doll. Another knock comes to the door and Tristan answers it. A man with a gorgeous vase full of the reddest roses I’ve ever seen comes in and gives me a smile. “Miss Cook, I have a note for you.” He places the vase down on the table and comes to me with a white envelope. “Here you go.”

  I take it and open it to find a nice card and inside of it is an invitation to join Zane for dinner and drinks. “He’s finally asking me out on a date. I have to say I saw this coming,” I say with a laugh. “Would someone hand me my cell phone so I can tell him I accept his offer.”

  Tristan picks up my phone and brings it to me. “You really are one lucky woman, Miss Cook.”

  I nod and feel like none of these people really get it. This man wants no more from me than for me to drop my pursuit of the lighthouse. I call the number on the card and it rings three times before he answers, “Hey.”

  “Hey, yourself,” I say.

  “You must’ve finally gotten the flowers,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve been waiting for your call.”

  “With all this, you’re having done to me, I’d think you would’ve seen fit to make the date first. You seem to be doing things ass-backward.”

  “And that’s not at all like me. So will you be joining me for dinner then?” he asks as if he doesn’t know what my answer will be.

  “Of course I will. What time should I expect you?”

  I hear him let out a sigh. Surely he couldn’t really believe I’d say no to him after he’s done all of this. “Eight?” he asks. “Will that work for you?”

  “Being that I have nothing on my very busy schedule, I think eight will work for me. Can I expect you to pick me up at my room?”

  “You can,” he says. “See you then. I’ll be the handsome man in a tux.”

  I laugh a little. “I’ll be the gorgeous woman in a tiny black dress some Neanderthal bought me earlier today.”

  His laugh makes my heart pound it’s so deep and sexy and I don’t know what I’m going to do if this man makes a move on me. “See you then, Elizabeth.”

  I hand the phone back to Tristan who’s smiling from ear to ear. He shakes his head as he goes to sit it back down. “Never have I seen him do this. It’s amazing.”

  “It’s only for today,” I say as the manicure guy takes my hand and begins the process of painting my nails.

  The lady begins blow drying my hair and drowns everything else out. My mind moves to a place somewhere in the near future of tonight. I go to a fancy ballroom where only the handsome Zane and I are dancing to a slow song. Our bodies close, his lips near my ear. Little whispers tickle it and I giggle. One of his hands slip down to my ass and he gives it a little squeeze. I make a little yipping sound and grip his shoulder wi
th my red nails.

  I know that’s not how it’ll play out. There is no place in this hotel with so much privacy. People are everywhere!

  But it’s a nice fantasy. I do wonder how tonight will play out. I wonder if he thinks I’m going to have sex with him after he’s done all of this. I know most men would expect that.

  I’m not that woman, though. I don’t have meaningless sex. Not anymore, anyway. That’s not what I’m about.

  No, there will be no sex. No matter how gorgeous and smooth the man is, I will not become another notch on his bedpost.

  I’m sure he can get another woman to climb into his bed. One who doesn’t have any shame. But I can let myself have an enjoyable evening with him. I can eat things I’ve never eaten. Drink expensive wines, I’ll never have the chance to again.

  Tonight can be the one time I get to experience life like the rich do. But I won’t be experiencing Zane White. And he won’t be experiencing me!

  Chapter 4

  ZANE

  With the last of my business for today completed, I leave my office and find I’m the last one here. Locking the door behind me, I turn around and see a very unwelcomed guest.

  Her foot is tapping at a rapid speed, her thin arms are crossed and her light blue eyes are narrowed at me. “You’re a hard man to get to see, Zane. You’re little Nazi of a secretary refused to even let you know I was here, waiting for you. She kept telling me I needed to call to make an appointment with you.”

  “Well, that is the way we handle business, Meagan. I’m very busy. I’m afraid I don’t have time for you this evening,” I walk past her to get onto the elevator and she follows along, much to my disappointment.

  No one else is on the damn thing, leaving us alone. She stands right next to me as if it was crammed full, though. “Zane, why are you being like this? You know that night we shared was special. What are you so afraid of?”

  “I’m not afraid of anything. I told you I was sorry for taking advantage of you that night. What more do you want?” I look at her for only a second as her eyes are still narrowed and her expression is set in an obstinate glare.