The Billionaire's Last Fling (Scandal, Inc Book 5)

by Avery James

  Abby surprised herself by moaning as she felt his hand slide between her thighs. Nolan traced his fingers against her skin in a slow, assured motion, heightening her arousal as he moved further towards her core. She breathed a quick gasp of excitement when he ran his finger against the thin cloth of her panties, tensing as excitement pulsed through her body. Then he rubbed with more pressure, increasing her arousal as he kissed his way lower, pressing his lips against her stomach.

  He ran his hands over her hips and hooked his fingers beneath the strap of her panties, pulling them lower as he kissed halfway between her abs and her thigh. As he slid the panties halfway down her thighs, she felt his breath, hot against her skin. She’d couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted someone this much. His deliberate pace seemed like torment, and she reached down to push his hands lower. Nolan took the suggestion, leaning in closer.

  Abby was usually confident in bed. She knew what she was doing. But as she felt Nolan’s breath against her core, she trembled with an excitement she’d never felt before. Her heart was racing, she could feel the goosebumps on her arms, and every inch of her ached for him.

  When she felt the warmth of his lips against her, she arched her back and cried out. She ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him against herself, as he drove her wild. She felt like she’d lost control of her body. Her cries grew louder, her breaths more hurried. If this was what he could do with his tongue… she thought. She tensed up as the pleasure crested inside her, closing her eyes and focusing on the intense pleasure until she couldn’t bear it a second longer. She cried out one more time, in a long rolling moan, until she didn’t have any breath left in her lungs. Sweat broke out across her body. She could feel the blush in her cheeks as she tried to slow her heart.

  Nolan looked up at her with excitement in his eyes as Abby caught her breath. He slid his hand from her hip upward, until he’d cupped her breast. With the lightest pinch of her nipples, he elicited a new moan from her lips. When he kissed her stomach, she felt another flutter. By the time he pressed his lips against her neck and sweetly kissed her skin, she was turned on again, but by the time his lips locked against hers and his tongue met hers, she needed him all over again.

  “I need you now,” she whispered. She wondered how anything could feel better than what she’d just experienced, but as soon as Nolan rocked himself against her and she felt the heat of his arousal, she knew he was only getting started. She felt the cold metal of his belt and wondered how it was possible for him to still have his pants on. She reached down to remedy the situation, and in a few quick motions, she had undone the buckle and unzipped the pants below. She rubbed her hand against the front of his boxers, giving him all the encouragement he needed to pull the pants off and toss them aside. The boxers followed quickly after, and Abby couldn’t help but wrap her hand around the base of his erection. The warmth of his smooth skin turned her on even more, and she wondered how she could wait any longer to have him.

  As Nolan leaned in for another kiss, Abby said, “Condom, now.”

  Nolan reached over to the bedside and grabbed one from the drawer. Abby helped him roll it over his length. She looked into his deep blue eyes as she stroked again. His cheeks were showing some color now, and when she ran a hand over his chest, she could feel the force of his heartbeat.

  Time seemed to slow as Nolan placed his hands on her hips and pulled himself against her, stopping just short before placing a searing kiss on her lips. She rocked her hips to accept him and inhaled sharply as she felt him sink into her core. When he’d pushed himself to full depth, he gave a soft grunt of excitement.

  He lowered his lips again to her breasts and ran his tongue against her nipple until she let out another sigh.

  “Kiss me,” she said. She wanted to feel his tongue against hers, wanted to seal her chest against his while he worked against her. When he kissed her again, she nipped his lower lip before teasing his tongue. She was aware of the way her body fit perfectly against his, of the way he seemed to anticipate each little movement of her body, the way they drove each other closer and closer to the brink of climax. Damn, he was good.

  Abby ran her tongue against his and moaned as Nolan rocked his hips, controlling each and every movement of her body with his thrusts. Little by little, he increased his tempo, bringing Abby further along, eliciting new sighs and moans from her lips. Abby raced her body against his as the tempo grew, and she took him deeper as he drove her closer and closer to orgasm, until finally, she wondered how much longer she could hold on. She could feel the tension building inside her as every muscle strained to hold on to the pleasure for just a few more seconds before giving in.

  His body tightened against hers as she dragged her nails down his back, digging her fingers in as he pushed her over the edge of climax. The way Nolan smiled down at her and kissed her lips after she caught her breath told her their night was just getting started.

  Where they found the stamina, she had no idea, but after her third orgasm of the night, Abby collapsed against him. Somehow he’d gotten better each time. If they did anything more, she feared she’d never be able to give him up.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked. She was leaning against his shoulder with just a sheet wrapped around her. She wasn’t sure the blankets were even on the bed anymore.

  “I’m wondering how long I should wait before making you want me all over again,” he said. He leaned over and kissed her forehead as he ran a hand down her side. A twinge of excitement flickered in her as his hand settled on her waist.

  Abby laughed. “Are you serious?” she asked. She half expected him to be kidding, but she knew he wasn’t. Plus, she loved the way he couldn’t keep his hands off her.

  “Just wait until next time,” he said.

  Abby froze for a moment. She wondered if he meant the next time that night or if he was talking about another time completely. She’d told herself that this was going to be one last one night stand. Nolan was incredible, but he wasn’t exactly boyfriend material. Guys like him never were. “You don’t have to say that,” she said.

  “I don’t have to do anything,” he replied. “However, there are still a few positions I’d like to show you.”

  “What makes you think you’d be the one showing me?” she asked. “I’ll have you know, that little thing I did that last time with my legs, I was only going halfway.”

  “You’re bluffing,” he said.

  “And then there’s that thing I did with my tongue,” she said. She felt Nolan’s hand sliding across her hip and between her legs. She let out a breath of excitement as he began to rub gently.

  “Yeah?” he asked. She could feel his excitement growing again, and she wondered just how much better this night could get. “How about you show me, and if I impress you well enough, you agree to see me again.”

  “And if I impress you?” she asked.

  “You already have,” he replied. Abby laughed and shook her head before turning to meet his lips. She’d told herself that this was going to be a one time thing, that they’d use each other and move on. So what would happen if she wanted more?

  ***

  Abby didn’t remember falling asleep, but as she opened her eyes, there was no denying she’d drifted off. The first hints of morning light were spreading through the sky outside the window, and she could see the hotel room in the half-light. Abby wanted more than anything to close her eyes and drift back to sleep in the arms of this beautiful man, but she knew she needed to get up. If she hurried, she could make it back to her place in time to shower and get ready for work. It was a Saturday morning, but Abby couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a full weekend off, and she wasn’t about to start today.

  She slid out of bed, careful not to wake Nolan, and, as quietly as she could, she got dressed again. Her back and her thighs ached, and her head throbbed. She’d really let loose the night before. Her last fling was an unqualified success.

  Now all she had t
o do was leave and start the process of becoming an actual adult who cared about relationships and retirement funds and everything that had bored her for so long. Within a few minutes, she’d gotten everything together and was ready to slip out the door.

  Then Nolan stirred. “Hey,” he said. He was still groggy and probably half asleep. His eyes were still closed.

  “I have to go,” she said. “I had fun.”

  “Me too. We should do this again before I leave,” he mumbled as he turned over.

  “Yeah?” Abby asked, but Nolan didn’t reply. He’d fallen back asleep. She didn’t know why, but she thought there was something sweet about that. Maybe she should see him again. After all, he was leaving town, and the sex had been incredible. Maybe her one last time could be extended to two last times. It wasn’t like a guy like Nolan was going to get clingy or want anything more. If anything, he’d probably appreciate her way of seeing things.

  After another minute of mental gymnastics, Abby decided to leave her number. If he called, he called. If he didn’t, he didn’t. Either way, by Monday morning, he’d be a memory. Maybe another night together would make the memory that much sweeter. She walked over to the desk and jotted down her number on a piece of paper with a quick note. “If you’re ever in trouble, call –A.” Then she walked over to the bed, kissed Nolan on the cheek, and left the room.

  Chapter 4

  “I’m getting old,” Nolan muttered to himself as he stumbled out of bed. It was half past nine, and sunlight poured in between the half-opened curtains. His head ached like someone had dragged the inside of his skull against half a mile of concrete. His muscles ached, too. Even his ribs felt a little sore. The night before hadn’t been particularly wild by his standards, and yet he felt like he’d been run over. As he walked by a mirror, he saw the scratches where Abby had raked her fingers down his back. He grinned as he thought back over it. His night with her had been worth it.

  Abby was a revelation. She knew what she wanted. She got it, and then she left. Usually he was the one making up an excuse to leave at an ungodly hour, but instead, she was the one who left him wanting more. He wasn’t used to that lingering desire for more. Upon waking, he’d been surprised to find the other half of the bed empty. He’d all but forgotten Abby’s departure earlier that morning. It felt like a dream, probably because he’d only been half awake when she left. When he went to put his arm around her, all he found was the comforter.

  Nolan stood stark naked in the middle of his suite and tried to remember what he was doing. A few years earlier, he’d have cured his hangover by starting all over again, but he was a new man. He was past that. He was a man with a plan, one that didn’t include falling for an American girl who talked fast, kissed slow, and smelled like lavender after the rain. Something else occurred to him as he pulled the curtains open and let the room flood with light. He was half an hour late for a meeting.

  At a pace that could best be described as glacial, he searched the room for his phone. Eventually, he found it in the pile of clothes he’d tossed at the foot of the bed the night before. Be down in ten, he texted before heading off to shower.

  As he showered, he thought of the warmth of Abby’s lips, the fullness of her breasts, the way her body had felt so perfect against his. As he thought of that last bit, he reached for the knob and turned the water to cold. As he toweled off, he wondered if she was thinking about him, too. He found himself hoping she would spend her day thinking about him. Was that so bad?

  He opened the slider to the balcony to let some fresh air in. He still felt half asleep, and he fumbled with the euro-style espresso maker until he heard it buzz to life. He shoved a pod into it and waited. That was when he noticed the note Abby had left on the desk. If you’re ever in trouble, call. -A, followed by a phone number. He smiled as he read the note over. So she did want to see him again. The little note sufficiently stoked his ego.

  If all went to plan, he’d be leaving town for New York the next morning. But his night was wide open, and a little trouble sounded like a good start. First, he had to get through his meeting. He got dressed, downed the shot of espresso, and headed for the door. He bumped past the cleaning lady in the hall on his way to the elevator and wondered what she’d make of the state of his suite.

  There was something about luxury hotels. Every one of them seemed exactly the same. Whether he was in Washington or Warsaw, whether they were decorated in modern sheet glass and metal or classical columns and arches, they all had the same lack of substance. There were no imperfections, no character. Nothing that made them real.

  That was one of the things he’d enjoyed most about the night before. Abby had brought him to a place he’d never have been otherwise, somewhere that meant something to her. He’d trade a thousand nights in a five star hotel for another hour walking random streets with her. The part of him that wanted that was the same part that longed for the days when he’d show up in a country with no plan and no accommodations. Those were usually the times he enjoyed himself most, getting lost in the path less traveled, ending up in Portuguese fishing villages for weeks at a time or exploring the Adriatic coast with friends, places where he’d been able to slip away from the press, places where his fame hadn’t mattered one bit. The night before, he’d been able to slip away, if just for a little while.

  As he rode down in the elevator, he thought about his tumultuous relationship with fame. At first, he’d rebelled against it, but then he saw it for the opportunity it was and harnessed it for his own gain. He owed public interest in his exploits for everything he’d built, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed the role he had to play. The opposite couldn’t have been more true. He hated his bad-boy persona, hated the way it colored every interaction he had. It was like everyone thought they knew everything about him already.

  Maybe that was why he’d been so drawn to Abby. Sure, at first it was her looks that had drawn him in, but she didn’t seem to know or care who he was. In fact, if she had known, he doubted she would have talked to him at all. After all, if her job was keeping scandals out of the press, how could she even give the time of day to someone who’d built an international brand off of his own transgressions? She’d find out sooner or later, but he’d cross that bridge if he were ever lucky enough to reach it. Then he’d have to charm his way to the other side.

  The lobby of the Dorset was, like the rest of the hotel, vaguely reminiscent of a British country estate. The details were all there, but the sum simply didn’t add up to a whole. The space was a bit too bright and open, too clean, too new, and in a way, the expanse of expensive couches, clustered around two fireplaces, reminded him more of a posh airport lounge than anything else.

  It was on one of those couches that he saw Erin Upshaw, waiting with her arms crossed and a barely disguised scowl on her lips. Half an hour had elapsed since he’d told her he’d be down in ten minutes. She had wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, and long legs. If she hadn’t dedicated herself to journalism, she could have had a career in modeling. In truth, she was the kind of woman he would usually go for. The fact that she already seemed pissed off could only be a bonus, and yet, as he crossed the wide lobby and introduced himself, the only woman Nolan was thinking about was Abby.

  “Mr. Ross, I was starting to think you’d bailed on me again,” Erin said as she stood up to shake his hand.

  “Please, call me Nolan,” he insisted. “I’m sorry about that, something came up last minute.”

  There was something in her deep blue eyes that said she wasn’t just interested in business. “When you asked me out for drinks, I wasn’t sure whether the request was personal or professional. Either way, when Nolan Ross asks to meet, you say yes,” she said.

  It was worth noting that Erin wasn’t just good looking, she was smart, too: top of her class at Columbia, left a promising career in broadcast journalism to chase down more substantive stories and had stuck with it when things didn’t go as planned, slowly building her audience over the past three years to t
he point where she could bring on two more full time reporters. If he wanted, he could have her undressed and in bed within the hour. So why could he only think of Abby?

  “I’ll be blunt, I want to buy your website, and I want you to come work for me. I’m going to overpay you, because I don’t want to waste time, and I’m going to give you a long leash because I believe in leaving the work to those who can do it. There will have to be a few changes, though.”

  “My team is non-negotiable,” she said.

  “You can bring your two employees. I have another three lined up to start. You know D.C. Insiders?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “The two of them and another young gun from the Post, but this will be your team. I just need to make sure you can write to the market.”

  “Write to the market?” she asked. “I know my audience.”

  “And there’s a much larger one out there who could benefit from your work,” he said. “You’re a good reporter, you just have to give people a little more of what they want.”

  “So heiresses? Celeb gossip?” Erin said. He could hear the disdain in her voice.

  “They need a story,” he said, “something they can latch onto. Spreadsheets and fiscal reporting doesn’t do that, even if both are important.”

  “So why are you going around buying up political websites?” she asked.

  “It seems like a logical extension of our brand,” Nolan said. This wasn’t exactly true. His company’s brand had started with pop culture content and celebrity gossip first in the UK, then in America. It had spread over the past few years into anything that could be churned out by a team of underpaid college grads looking for their big break in online media. A few of them had already established their careers, and of course, Nolan had built a platform and readership valued at a few billion dollars. His own fame and reputation only strengthened the brand. Nolan’s mind was starting to wander back to Abby again, to the note she’d left on the desk in his room.