TORN: A Billionaire Romance Series (Contemporary Romance Novel)

by Love,Michelle

  Chapter 4

  ZANE

  I don’t know what made me ask her that!

  There’s something so different about her. There’s something so different about me!

  I keep glancing at her as we eat our lobster dinners. An excitement is simmering just below the surface and I have no real idea why that is. Elizabeth is a beautiful woman in appearance and she seems to have an inner beauty to her as well.

  I know that I don’t know the woman yet. Not really. But there’s a transparency about her that has me thinking I do know her somehow.

  In milliseconds I’ve gone from wanting to get her into my bed so I can get a good dose of her and get her out of my system to asking her to move in with me and teach me how to have a relationship.

  I’m playing it be ear here and not sure how things are going to end up. I do want her in my bed, I’m not about to stop trying to get that going!

  She’s not a woman who’s had men hurt her, so she’s not some damaged, frail thing who I need to be easy with for fear of running her off. She’s not a complete innocent who I have to be careful with. She’s a grown woman who is more than capable of protecting her feelings as well as her body. In my opinion, she’s fair game!

  “That lobster bib looks sexy on you,” I whisper as I lean over and wipe a rogue drop of butter off her chin.

  She giggles and nods. “Yours is pretty sexy too. We look like a couple of very sophisticated toddlers.”

  The chandelier’s light hits the diamonds in her dangling earring and I touch it, rubbing my thumb over it. “These look amazing on your cute little ears.”

  “My ears are tiny. I’ll probably never wear them again. I seldom wear earrings so attention doesn’t get drawn to my little ears,” she says as she bats my hand away.

  “I hope you do wear them again. Those are real diamonds, you know.”

  Her mouth falls open and she shakes her head. “No! Zane, why would you buy real diamonds for a woman you don’t even know?” Her hand flies to her neck and she runs it over the diamond necklace I gave her. “These are real too?”

  I nod. “I don’t waste money on fake things. And I have no idea why I bought those for you. I’ve never even sent flowers to anyone before much less bought them jewelry. You’re the first. It came into my head to do it and I did it. I have to admit that was the very first time anything like that has ever popped into my head.”

  “Well, I won’t be keeping them,” she says like it’s a matter of fact. “You can take them back to where you bought them and get your money back. This is thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry. I don’t like to be responsible for such an extravagant amount of money.”

  “I can have them placed in one of the hotel’s safety deposit boxes if you’d feel better about their safety. I’m not taking them back, though. They’re yours to keep. I hope you keep them forever as a reminder of our first date.” Leaning over, I kiss her cheek. “And I’m not taking no for an answer about that.”

  She shakes her head and sighs. “They are gorgeous. I do love them. Maybe I will feel better about them being in the hotel’s box thingy. But when I go back home, I don’t know what I’ll do with them.”

  “Banks have them too. You can transfer them to your bank when you go home.” I find that thinking about her leaving is giving my heart that little pinch it had when she tried to walk out of my office today.

  I’m not sure I’ll ever want her to leave and that feels so odd. How can a person who I didn’t know existed only hours ago mean that damn much to me?

  Finishing her last bite of lobster, she turns to me. “How about some real New York cheesecake for dessert?”

  I laugh and nod. “Okay. You really aren’t like any of the other women I’ve ever known. Your appetite is a thing I never knew I’d like to see in a female but I very much like it. Cheesecake it is.”

  “You only live once, Zane. You should experience all you can. Like a sunrise in a lighthouse, for example.”

  “Is that an invitation to spend the night with you in your new lighthouse, Elizabeth?” I ask then give her a wink.

  “Yes, it is. I have a couple of sleeping bags left over from when me and Gramps had sleepovers in it. You can borrow his,” she says them winks back at me.

  The waiter comes back and I order the cheesecake to go. “To go?” she asks.

  “Yes, to go. I want to feed it to you while we lay on the sofa in the penthouse. I think you should be fed New York cheesecake by a real New Yorker. You know, so you can really experience it.”

  She laughs and the sound is delightful. Light, airy, amazing! “That does sound like something.”

  “Good.” Pulling off my lobster bib, I place it on the table then gesture for her to turn around so I can take hers off.

  Remarkably, she does as I’ve asked and I untie it and stand to pull it off so as not to get any of the traces of butter on her dress. Taking her by the shoulders, I turn her back to me and find her smiling at me. “Thank you.”

  Taking her hand, I help her up. “Time to go upstairs, honey.”

  “We need to stop by the suite you set me up in. I need to get my things,” she says as she takes my arm. “Or maybe I should just stay the night in that room. I think that might be for the best.”

  “No, it wouldn’t. I want you to stay in my penthouse from now on.”

  With a nod, she says, “We really do have to hammer out a time limit, Zane. I don’t want things to get weird between us.”

  “I’ll think about it. Is there anything pressing that you need from your place back in Chesapeake City? Any reason you need to go back there anytime soon?”

  “I have to go back next weekend to work for the girl who’s taken over my shift tomorrow. She’s getting married in Vegas to her no account boyfriend then. I promised I’d work for her.”

  “You know I mean for you to quit that job, right?” I ask her as I take the cheesecake which has been boxed up for us and give the waiter a nod as we leave the restaurant.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she says as she shakes her head. “I can’t up and quit. I don’t see how I can do what you’re asking of me.”

  What the hell?

  Chapter 5

  ELIZABETH

  I don’t know what I’ve been thinking. This man’s presence turns my brain into mashed potatoes.

  “You’re acting as if a job as a waitress is some big thing you can’t possible up and quit. That’s insane, Elizabeth. Of course, you can quit it. They can get along fine without you. I, on the other hand, need you around.”

  Getting into the elevator, I turn to look at Zane and I know it’s his good looks that has me making stupid decisions. But the lighthouse is a big part of that too. I suppose I could look at this thing he’s asking me to do, as a job that’s paying for the lighthouse.

  “You did say that you’d be renovating the lighthouse too, right?” I ask as I watch him closely.

  “The entire property as well,” he says with a nod. “Perhaps you could see this as your job. Playing a role. Like an actress.”

  “I could do that.” But the fact is I’m not one and my feelings are very real. Distinguishing between real and fake is not a thing I’ve been trained to do. “Perhaps acting lessons can be thrown into our little deal then.”

  Moving his body close to mine until he has my back to the wall, he whispers, “I think you act like you and I have a real thing already. No need for lessons.”

  My heart is pounding, a thing he points out as he runs one hand right over it as he looks into my eyes. “It’s to reel these types of things in. I need to learn how to do the things actors do while maintaining reality. The reality is, this isn’t real. I don’t love you, you don’t love me and I have to find a way to keep my heart protected.”

  His hand moves from just over my heart, up to cup the back of my neck. “I promise not to hurt you.” His lips touch mine and I nearly fall apart.

  I both love and hate how his kiss does this to me. I
’m putty in the man’s hands with one kiss. One sinfully sweet kiss!

  The elevator stops. His mouth leaves mine. I’m breathing like a woman who has just run a marathon as he takes my hand and leads me out the door. “Come, Elizabeth. Your desert is waiting.”

  With floating steps, I stay at his side. Then I realize we’re on his floor, not the one where my things are. “You forgot to stop at my room.”

  “I’ll have your things brought to the penthouse.” He stops in front of his door and produces a key and hands it to me. “Here, this is yours now.”

  Taking it, I feel as if something has shifted. It’s starting to feel more real. Not as dreamlike as it has felt.

  I am going to live for an undetermined amount of time with this gorgeous man as his pretend wife in this magnificent place. I use the key to unlock the door and just as we get inside, he sweeps me up into his arms and closes the door behind us while somehow placing the box of dessert on the small table beside the door.

  His mouth is on mine, taking me away again, before I know it and my arms are running around his neck. Then I’m laid on the soft cashmere sofa and he lies next to me, never letting our mouths part.

  I shouldn’t be allowing this. I know I shouldn’t. But the way he makes me feel is so hard to say no to. My body is on fire. There’s an ache so deep inside of me, I can feel it in places where I’ve never felt a thing before.

  My body does what it wants to, leaving my brain out of it. I arch up to him as his hand slides up my thigh and over my panties. My dress is moved up by the motion and I can feel the soft fabric of the sofa on my back.

  I’d love to know what it would feel like on my naked skin.

  I wonder what he’d feel like on my naked skin.

  Clawing at his clothes, I want them off him and he pulls his mouth away so he can pull the jacket off and when his fingers move to unbutton his shirt, I stop them with mine.

  “You know we shouldn’t be doing this,” I say as I hold his hands still.

  “But this could make the act so much more real. Intimate knowledge of each other is pretty essential in a marriage. Don’t you think?”

  His logic is dizzying. And my body is screaming at me to shut the hell up and let him do what he wants to it. Looking at him as he hovers over me, I so want to give in and do this with him. But I can’t seem to get past my morals.

  “I’m not saying never, Zane. But I don’t know you yet. I’m sorry.”

  He groans and gets off me. “I need a drink.”

  Lying on the sofa, I try to gather my wits. Looking up at the ceiling that’s even ornate in this luxury penthouse, I almost want to cry. My body is not happy with my brain right now.

  Getting up, I go to find a bathroom as Zane has disappeared. I can’t fault him for his actions. He is a man after all.

  I do like kissing him as much as he seems to like kissing me but we have to slow down. His speed is going to wreck us for sure. Someone has to be the voice of reason in this thing!

  The need to wash away this glamor overcomes me as I go into the bathroom. I find myself pulling off the dress and jewels and getting into the shower. Away I wash the phony face and hair. Away I wash the heat he brought out in me. Away I wash the thoughts about giving in to my libido.

  As I get out, fresh and feeling much more like myself, I dry off and put on the white robe hanging on the back of the door. Running my fingers through my hair to kind of comb it out, I look in the mirror and see me again.

  Taking a deep breath, I head back out to the living room and find Zane sitting on the sofa with a glass of dark liquor in his hand. His eyes are glazed over as he stares at the television that has no sound on.

  When I come into the room, he turns and looks at me. His eyes move up and down my body and he groans then gets up and goes across the room and picks up the box of cheesecake. Turning back, he comes back and places it on the sofa next to him then takes a drink as he pats the sofa for me to sit next to him on the other side.

  “I think that’s a bad idea,” I tell him as I look around. “Where’s this other bedroom?”

  He points down the hall without looking at me. Just as I turn to leave, I hear him say, “I want you, Elizabeth. I want all of you. I’m not a man who does this sort of thing. I don’t buy women presents. I don’t want women around even. But I want you. I want every bit of you. I’ve never wanted anything so bad in my entire life. You walking out of this room right now is like torture to me and I don’t even understand why.”

  It’s torture to me too. I wonder why that is.

  Chapter 6

  ZANE

  I can’t look at her. She’s driving me insane!

  One would think that her taking a shower, washing away the makeup and leaving her hair in a damp mess would have my want for her diminishing somewhat. But it did exactly the opposite of that.

  My cock was already hard for her. When I saw her like that it went five times harder. I didn’t even know that was possible!

  “I can’t have sex without feelings, Zane.”

  “Go to bed then,” I tell her as I pull the glass of forget everything juice to my lips.

  I’ve never been the kind of man who drinks as much as I’ve put into my system this evening. I’m avid about keeping myself healthy. With two parents and several grandparents who died much too young, I’ve been health conscious for as long as I can remember.

  The sound of her leaving the room fills me with disappointment. A part of me thought she’d come to me anyway. I don’t know why I thought that. She’s been very upfront with me about her morals.

  I suppose somewhere deep inside of me I thought our attraction would get her where I want her. She’s one tough chick!

  There’s no doubt in my mind she wants me just as bad as I want her but she has some serious self-control I didn’t realize I was lacking. Funny what all this woman is showing me about myself.

  Placing the glass that’s half empty on the side table, I decide my words sounded mean and I get up, grabbing the cheesecake and head to the guestroom. I have no idea if she’ll even let me in but I have to try.

  With a light knock on the door, I hear her quiet answer, “Come in, Zane.”

  With a shy smile, I enter the bedroom I’ve only come into a handful of times and find her in the bed with the blanket pulled up to cover herself and I realize, with the robe thrown over the chair, that she’s totally naked as I’ve forgotten to get her things brought here.

  “I’ll call to have your things brought right away, Elizabeth. That was rude of me.” Picking up the phone on the table next to the bed, I make the call that gets her things coming to her.

  “Thank you,” she says. Her eyes are on the box in my hand. “You brought the cake.”

  Gesturing to the bed, I ask, “May I sit down and help you eat this? I promise to behave myself.”

  Her smile lets me know she’s going to allow me to share the cheesecake with her and I take a seat on the bed, facing her. Opening the box, I take in the smell then hold the box under her nose. “Mmm, smells delicious,” she says.

  The waiter put a tiny fork inside the box so I take a small chunk and put it to her lips. She takes the bite and her eyes go wide as she chews it up.

  “Pretty damn good, isn’t it?” I ask.

  She nods and reaches out for the little fork. I hand it to her and she stabs the moist creamy goodness and holds it out for me to take a bite. I do and look at her as I eat it.

  She has no idea of what she’s doing to me. Not an inkling!

  But my aggressive behavior is very hypocritical. I have to reign it in. I’m being so much like Meagan Saunders, it’s not even funny.

  I’m not quite ready to throw the words, I want to marry you, for real out to Elizabeth at this moment but nearly all the rest I’ve been doing. So I have to exercise some self-control or I’ll surely have her hating me.

  “I’m sorry,” I say as I give her another bite. “I’ve been an ass.”

  Her laugh is light th
en she says, “Just a little bit.”

  She gives me a bite and I take her hand before she can pull it away. “No, a big one.” I take the bite as her smile fades. Then I ask, “Do you really want to do this, Elizabeth? I’ve just realized that you really want that lighthouse. You want it so damn bad you’d nearly sell your soul for the thing.”

  “Well, I’m not selling my soul or anything else for that matter.” Her brow furrows as she looks into my eyes. “The fact is I feel some pull to you. I’m not sure why that is but it’s there and it’s strong. I don’t want to go home and act like nothing’s happened. Something has happened. I don’t know what it is, though.”

  “If I told you that you could have that lighthouse without pretending to be my wife, what would you say?”

  “Would you do that?” she asks. “Would you just let me have it and leave me alone?”

  “If that’s what you wanted, I might just do that. But I really don’t want to leave you alone. But if you want me to, I will.”

  My heart is screeching at me not to give her this chance to walk away from me. My mind, however, knows it’s the right thing to do. Her smile gives me no indication of what her answer will be.

  Then she shakes her head. “No, I don’t want you to just give it to me. I made a deal with you and you do seem to need a viable reason for that woman to leave you alone. I’ll keep up my end of the deal.”

  “Good. And I’ll make it my top priority to be more of a gentleman with you. But just so you know, you can give me the thumbs up anytime you want and I’ll show you just how great I can make you feel.”

  A blush covers her cheeks and she looks down. “I know you can make me feel more than I’ve ever felt. I can see that already.” Then she looks at me and I see more depth behind those green eyes than I’ve ever seen in any eyes I’ve ever looked into before. “But to be in love with you is a thing I think will make it even better.”

  “I’ve never been in love,” I tell her. “I’m not going to lie to you about it either. I’m not sure I know how to love.” I give her a wink. “But I know how to make you scream in ecstasy, that’s for sure.”