Billionaire Brothers 2 : Love Has A Name

by S. Ann Cole

  “You seem to have gotten under his skin, Axia. This morning, the man came down to my office and attacked me! Accusing me of lying to him when I told him you weren’t involved with anyone.”

  Despite myself, I laughed. “Yeah. He came to my class this morning, asking me if ‘they fit’. I didn’t even know it was him who sent the damn oversized basket. So I told him Timo enjoyed ripping them with his teeth. That left him thinking Timo’s my guy.”

  Trudy laughed out. “Girl, you’re too cruel. Though I can’t understand why it matters to him if you’re involved or not. It has never stopped him from boning a woman before. In fact, he prefers them involved, to avoid all commitment nags.”

  “Well he ain’t getting this ass, that’s for sure,” I muttered. “Don’t divulge any more information about me, Trudy. Do you hear me?”

  “I know. I know. I’m sorry.”

  “Good. You’re forgiven. Now tell me all about that presentation.”

  Trudy squealed into the receiver. “Oh. My. God, Axia. It’s so surreal…”

  The plague stuck to his word and didn’t quit my class. He’d showed up the next morning. And the morning after that … It also seemed that word had gotten out that the Lovello Nelson was taking my 7am Quicksand class, because, within two days, there were so many newcomers that I had to start rejecting people. Astounding to me, because this class was the least favored and was taken only by the fittest of the fittest, as it was bemoaned to be too rigorous. So seeing the class packed — with mostly women who were overly primped for a workout session — was beginning to annoy me and I really wanted the man gone.

  By the end of class on Friday, I’d lost count of how many times I gagged at the women who flirted with him and the way he shamelessly flirted back. As usual, I sat on my rear and waited for everyone to leave the room. Pretty Boy Nelson gave me a curt nod of acknowledgment and left also. Sighing with relief and mild irritation, I wrapped my lips around the mouth of my water bottle and gulped down its contents as I exited the room.

  “Hey, Axia.”

  Startled by his voice, I choked on the water, and my eyes instantly brimmed with tears as the water snorted up my nostrils somehow. I spun around to see him leaning causally against the wall outside the door, and I realized then that he’d only made me think he’d left so he could catch me unguarded.

  “W-What?” I snapped, still coughing from my water-choke and wiping the tears from my eyes.

  Before he could speak, Tish walked up to us with notepad in hand and shot a look of disdain in Lovello’s direction. “Walk with me,” I told her, knowing this would cause Lovello to fall back. But he didn’t, he just ambled leisurely with us.

  Tish began. “Sweat2Forget has reached out to you again. They’re relentless. Maybe you should think about it.” The look I gave Tish made her flush, and she mumbled her apologies then continued. “Prime Size magazine wants you on their cover for next month’s issue. I don’t know what you think about that; it’s less demanding, so maybe you could give it a shot.”

  “If I do it, Tish, others are going to think I’m accepting proposals. I’m annoyed.”

  Tish sagely commented no further on it and continued. “Actress Lena Marcie is proposing you move to L.A. and be her personal trainer.”

  A scoff escaped. “Ask the bitch if I look impoverished enough to leave my life so I could be her personal trainer.”

  A snort sounded behind me, but I ignored it. Why won’t the damn man leave?

  Tish continued. “ENEN is gifting you one gym equipment of every kind as a show of appreciation for being a loyal customer and for furnishing your gym with only their brand. You have three months to redeem them.”

  “How is it a gift if they’re putting a time limit on it?” I scoffed again.

  A deep voice came from behind me. “If it takes you more than three months to claim a gift, then it’s obvious you don’t want it. Which is both rude and cocky.”

  By this time, we were mounting the steps to the second floor and I’d forgotten he was still behind me, just as I’d forgotten that his brother was the owner of ENEN. “Why are you following me again?”

  Instead of answering, he brought his water bottle to his mouth, staring me dead in the eyes while he drank. I made an intimidating move towards him and he reflexively stepped back, but not breaking eye contact. Shaking my head and turning, I continued up the stairs, signaling for a scowling Tish to continue. “Teflon Energy Drink wants to give you a freezer that advertises their drinks on it, to use in your Juice Bar. And the vet called with a reminder that Timo’s shot is due next week.”

  Mentally, I flushed, knowing that I’d just been caught in a lie. But physically, I was as cool as a cucumber. Two solid coughs sounded behind me, but I dared not look.

  At my office door, I stopped and faced Tish. “Is that all?”

  “Yes, that is all,” she answered, eying me and then Lovello who stood about a foot away from us, no doubt wondering, just as I was, why on earth he was following us.

  “Okay. Refuse all requests except Prime Size. I’ll think about that one and get back to you on it.”

  Tish nodded and walked off, looking Lovello up and down in belligerence as she did.

  While his attention was on Tish’s inexplicable behavior, I wrenched open my office door, hurried in and attempted at slamming it shut. But he was much quicker than me when he pushed his body sideways between the half-closed door and the jamb.

  “What do you want, Nelson?”

  He gazed down at me with wry humor. “Timo’s a dog?”

  Maddened that the lie that had been staving him off for the last few days had been revealed, I said, “Yes. Timo’s a dog. I’m a woman. You’re a man. This is a door and that is desk. So what?”

  “How about the man closes the door and plays strip poker with the woman on the desk while the dog waits at the vet?”

  Dios … “Could you leave my office, please?”

  “You lied to me.”

  “And?”

  “You didn’t strike me as the type of woman who’d tell such petty lies.” He leaned against the door frame, folding his arms across his hunky chest. “I thought you were more straightforward than that.”

  “That guilt tactic won’t work on me, Pretty Boy. I’ve played it too many times.” I gave up trying to push him out of the door and went to the fridge to grab a Gatorade.

  “No one has ever called me that before. I think it’s … endearing. You think I’m pretty?”

  Swallowing a mouthful of Gatorade, I answered, “Yes, I think you are. But guess what? I’m not attracted to pretty boys. I like my men black and strong with perfectly groomed dreads. And you’re far from that, so beat it.”

  Instead of leaving, he chuckled and strode over to my desk, seating himself on the edge. “I could always scorch myself in the tanning booth, and purchase one of those hats with the fake dreads. Would you want me then?”

  A laugh gathered in my throat, but I refused to let it manifest. “No. I like them real. Not artificial.”

  He shook his head. “Why are you such a hard-ass? I’ve never met such an intimidating woman in my life. It’s a good thing we’re of the same kind. I find you … intriguing.”

  “How long will this intrigue last? A guy like you, I’m pretty sure your attention span is no more than that of a goldfish when it comes on to women.”

  He opened his mouth to answer, but I beat him to it. “Lemme guess, it dies after an orgasm?”

  Pretty Boy Nelson gave me a dazzling smile, but said nothing, pleading the fifth.

  “With me, Pretty Boy, your chances of having an orgasm are nil. So what else will it take for you to leave me alone? My Quicksand class is suddenly packed with so many people I feel claustrophobic. All because of you. I don’t like full classes, but I also don’t want to be rude to my members. So please, I want you to quit. I receive all sorts of proposals on a daily basis and I’m pretty sure once word gets out that you have a membership here, there are goin
g to be twice as many. I don’t like attention.”

  “Hmm … seems I’m causing you more irritation than I imagined. This sounds really good.” He rounded my desk and sat down in my chair, stretching his legs out on the desk.

  Putting as much austerity as I could into the glare of my eyes, I pinned them to his, marched over to him and tossed his feet off the desk so that they landed with a thud onto the ground. With minimal effort, I spun the chair with him to face me, placed my hands on either side of the handles and leaned forward so that my face was mere inches away from his as I glared deep into his slate-grays. Ignoring the sparkle of amusement in his eyes, I demanded, “What do you want, plague?”

  Lovello’s eyes lowered to my lips as he licked his. And I immediately felt that slight tingle in my stomach again. The same tingle I’d felt the other day when he’d stood over me. Nevertheless, I ignored it. It was impossible for me to be attracted to him. Impossible.

  He released a slow, steady breath and whispered, “You. Are. So. Damn. Sexy. Dear Axia, what I want is you.” His tongue glided over his sculptured lips again before he breathed, “Can I kiss you?”

  Pissed that I couldn’t deter this incorrigible man, I gave the chair a hard and angry push back so that it slammed against the wall with him.

  “Ouch!” he exclaimed. “No need to get violent.”

  My fingers twitched, itching for the feel of something hard or leathery. “Trust me, Pretty Boy, you have no idea the pain I want to inflict on you right now.”

  “Have lunch with me, Axia.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Would you just go?”

  He stood up from the chair and came to face me. “Let’s make a deal. If you have lunch with me, I’ll quit your class.”

  To check if he was serious, I looked up into his eyes that now showcased the faint streaks of blue in the overpowering gray. He was. But I didn’t give in. “I’m not that easily fooled, Pretty Boy. I’m the fish that stays at the bottom of the sea and watches all the other gullible fishes swim up, bite the bait and get their stupid gills hooked.”

  Bringing one hand to my shoulder, he allowed his thumb to caress my skin in lazy circles. “I’m a man of my word.”

  The familiar tingle swirled through me again, more intense this time. And I quickly jerked my shoulder, causing his hand to fall away. The realization that he did, indeed, have an effect on me scared me as much as the Revelations predictions. Being attracted to someone was not acceptable right now. I wasn’t ready. And if he continued to pursue me and I continued to feel these damned tingles, it wouldn’t be a beautiful ending. Someone would leave hurt. Mentally, emotionally and, most of all, physically. I needed to get rid of him. “You promise you’ll quit my class if I have lunch with you?”

  “Scout’s honor.”

  “And to stop pursuing me?”

  “Eh, I can only make one promise at a time.”

  The man was so maddening, I felt like screaming. Majority of the time I’m so in control of my emotions and actions that I seldom feel like this. “You can’t just … you make me … whatever, man. Okay, I’ll have lunch with you.”

  A complacent smile lit his face. “Good. Be downstairs at twelve sharp.” He jerked his chin towards my office bathroom door. “Can I use your shower?”

  “No! There are showers on all three floors. Utilize those and get out. I’m tired of seeing your damned face,” I snapped, my hand pointing to the door.

  He grinned. “Hey, I thought you said I was pretty.”

  “Yes, so I did. And I also said I didn’t like pretty boys. Now get out!”

  III

  A bitter scowl took up residence on my face as I showered and got dressed in a baby-blue T-shirt, white shorts and loafers. Peeved as hell that I’d allowed that dissolute bastard to manipulate me into having lunch with him. Showing such weakness was a rare occurrence for me. There was only one person who knew how to undermine me and that person seldom surfaced.

  After pulling my hair back in the usual ponytail, I snatched up my purse and car keys then stomped out of my office and down the stairs, all the while cursing under my breath. Pretty Boy Nelson was already waiting downstairs as he said he would be,twelve sharp, leaning against the wall to the entry door, his back turned to me and his attention rapt on the phone in his hand. Halting at the end of the stairs, I couldn’t help admiring the broadness of his shoulders that were covered in a plain white T-shirt, and his amazing backside that was encased in dark jeans. His hair was damp as if he’d just had a shower, too, and was finger-raked backwards, curling at the nape of his neck.

  As if he sensed my stare, he abruptly turned and revealed a smile that would make any woman’s heart faint. That only made me angrier. “You checking me out, sweetie?”

  I raised my cold, unkind eyes to his warm slate-grays. “One: Don’t you ever again call me ‘sweetie’ from those profligate lips. And two: Get over yourself!”

  That only served to make his smile change to a grin and then a chuckle as he strode to the door, pushed it open and stood aside for me to go through. Rejecting his gallantry, I stood where I was and kept my eyes on his, wishing that my irises had the power to fire bullets.

  But he merely stared back, amused.

  Knowing that this day would never end if I didn’t give him at least a teeny bit of satisfaction, I faked a no-teeth smile and went through the door.

  Unaware of the other’s intentions, in the parking lot we each pressed the unlock buttons on our car keys, and when both vehicles made discordant sounds, our eyes instantly flew to each other’s in question. Lovello raised a brow at me then jerked his head towards his car.

  “Oh hell, no,” I said, heading in the direction of my jeep. “We’re taking my jeep and I’m driving.”

  “Nuh uh,” he replied, shaking his head to emphasize. “I asked you to lunch. Therefore, I’m driving in my car.”

  Obstinacy in full effect, I folded my arms. “I don’t like to be driven.”

  “Neither do I,” he said, mimicking me by folding his brawny arms across his chest. “So, I guess we need to compromise. And by compromise, Axia, I mean: you are gonna close that jeep door, walk your cute little butt over here and get in the passenger side of my vehicle.”

  The dick seemed naturally impervious to my bullying tactics, because he didn’t even blink when I took solid steps up to him and said, “Just who the hell do you think you are?”

  He gave a lopsided smile. “Only a plague that you want desperately to get rid of. Just remember, God never ceased plaguing Pharaoh until he did as he was told.”

  Nostrils flaring, I whirled around and went back to my jeep, slammed the door and started out of the parking lot. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You manipulative asshole!”

  “Fine,” he called after me. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning in class. I’m yet to burn off all those calories I ate at my birthday feast yesterday.”

  “Gilipollas!”

  He chuckled. “Is that Spanish for ‘I love you’?”

  God, I hated him. If he only knew the somatic injuries I wanted to cause him. Just a few days of his presence and already he was driving me berserk. I’d never before been this out of control nor have I ever been this reactive. Yet he knew precisely how to become an itch under my skin. The more I fought, the more I realized that the reason I was reactive to all he said and did was because I was begrudgingly attracted to him. And I didn’t relish that thought, not one bit. If I wanted to get rid of him, my best choice would be to let him have his way today. Should I continue to fight, I’d have to deal with him tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. And I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to hold control of my inexplicable attraction to him.

  On a sigh, I stopped at the exit of the parking lot to turn around, but at that very second Lovello pulled up his car next to me and wordlessly leaned over from the driver’s seat and pushed open the passenger door. The cocky bastard knew I would’ve stopped e
ventually, didn’t he?

  Bearing a complacent smile, sprinkled with a dash of arrogance, he slipped on his aviators when I got in and floored the gas so hard that my body was forced back into the chocolate-brown leather seat of his Bugatti Veyron.

  Once we were in traffic, Lovello’s attempts to strike up a conversation were futile, as I remained completely unresponsive.

  “The more you sulk, the longer this day will be, you know,” he said, his eyes on the road as he sexily maneuvered the vehicle. “You’ve got work to do and I, well, I can do whatever I want.”

  “I can do whatever the hell I want, too,” I retorted. “It’s my gym.”

  “Ah, but you see, you have classes to instruct. So you can’t really dally around on time now, can you?”

  He was saved by the ring of his cellphone from the venom words that I was about to spit at him.

  “Nelson,” he answered. “No, I’m busy. Cancel it … No … Do I need to explain myself to anyone, Carla? … Good.” He dropped the phone in his lap and looked over at me. His aviators hid his eyes but his cockiness was still there in the car. “See?”

  I opened my mouth and a scoff flew out. “And you think I can’t cancel a class, too?”

  “Let me see you try.”

  “Of course I ca — oh, wait a minute! This is just another one of your tricks and I’m not falling for it. I’m not canceling my class so you can purposely prolong this lunch. Save those brain games for your clueless bimbos, Pretty Boy.”

  Lovello chuckled, the sound of his masculine voice filling the car and resonating deep inside me. “Seems I’m gonna have to step my game up with you, Axia. You’re a lot smarter than I thought.”