The Perfect Gift: A Bad Boy Christmas Romance

by Mia Ford

  I put my hands on the table and stood up, looking down at my coffee. I guess I should thank him, but I wasn’t sure what to say. I smiled and turned to walk into the back.

  “That won’t be necessary,” he said, grabbing my wrist. “I have paid a thousand pounds to your club owner for your exclusive company for the evening.”

  I could feel electricity move from his hand through my body, and I was taken back by how overwhelming the feeling was. I liked his hand on my wrist, and I liked his sexy dark features and the way he stared at me. I shook the feeling away, knowing that I absolutely could not have those feelings for a customer. His hand tightened on my wrist, so I yanked it away, pissed that Reg would think it was okay to sell my services off to some stranger.

  “Despite what you might think goes on in a strip club,” I said cutting my eyes at him. “I do not, nor will I ever, sell sexual favors for money.”

  I raised my hands to my hips and looked at him with attitude.

  “No, no, no,” he said, laughing. “Please, sit back down. I have never in my life had to pay for sex, nor would I start now.”

  I looked at him curiously, not understanding what it was that he wanted from me. I didn’t fully believe that he wasn’t expecting any kind of favor, but since he had paid for my company, I figured I should probably sit down. He was an interesting man, obviously rich, but he had a way about him that was sexy and mysterious. I was not excited to be having these feelings for a customer at the club, but they weren’t something I could shake. I watched as he whispered something into his friend’s ear, who was standing close to the table but allowing us privacy. He sipped his coffee and looked back at me.

  “But don’t mistake my words for lack of interest. If I were ever to pay, you would be the girl.” He smiled. “However, I can’t imagine there is a sum high enough in this entire country that would be sufficient for the honor of your, what do we call them, personal services.”

  Heat shot through my chest, and I couldn’t control it. He had paid a stripper the best compliment he probably ever could, but it wasn’t that. It wasn’t the coffee, the pile of euros sitting in my desk drawer, or even his extremely expensive clothes and jewelry that made him attractive. It was the way he moved and the way he talked that did it. His eyes prowled over me as if he looked at a fine piece of art, too beautiful to touch, but too valuable to push away.

  I could tell he came from a good family. His manners were impeccable, even in a place like this. His hair was styled just right, as if someone meticulously placed each strand of hair before setting it, and his skin was soft and smooth looking.

  I sat back down at the table, knowing I should walk away, but feeling like it was just impossible at this point. There was a shimmer of mischief in his partially crooked smile that both scared and aroused me at the same time. I could feel the heat in my stomach as it moved down between my legs, and I crossed them as a warning to myself. There hadn’t been a man yet that could get me that easily, and it definitely wasn’t going to be some rich guy in a strip club while I pranced around in a gold spandex leotard. He scratched his chin and laid his hands in his lap as he fiddled with the button on his very expensive Armani dress shirt. Who was this guy, some kind of prince or something?

  Chapter 4: Milos

  Everything in my carefree soul wanted to reach down and grab her perky tits and wrap my hand around her blonde hair. But now was not the time. I had to let her see my regal side, the side I had been born and bred with, the royal side of me. I needed her to realize that despite the fact that I wanted to fuck her brains out, I was charming and refined, worthy of her attention. If I was going to get this girl to spend at least a year of her life as my wife and queen, I needed her to like me.

  Sure, I could definitely see myself enjoying several hot sensual encounters with this sexy, bronzed babe, but I was still not going to cave to one woman for my deal. Besides, variety was the spice of prince hood, and I was not going to take that for granted. I did know that whatever I needed to do to secure this blonde bombshell by my side, I was going to do it. My inheritance and future depended on it.

  I watched as she sat there, letting the hot coffee wash across her pouty lips before taking a sip. There was something innocent hiding under that sex kitten gaze, and either she truly didn’t sell her body, or she was really good at acting, which was good since I needed her to go from the pole to the throne. In fact, her indignation was turning me on in a way I hadn’t felt before, and though I appreciated her modesty by keeping her sexuality protected, I sure as hell hoped she was stern on that deal. I might not be looking to buy that pussy, but I was definitely looking to buy her charm, wit, and ability to walk through a room like a queen.

  This girl, I was going to have to work at, though, and that was okay because without her, my plan will never work. I was going to have to seduce this girl with my charm and candor, not my crown, and though the crown was usually the easiest way, I could tell this girl didn’t give two shits about royal status. No, I was going to have to bring out the big guns for this one.

  “What is your name?” I asked, pouring more coffee. “If you don’t mind telling me that is. I find it hard to believe your mother named you The Golden Goddess, though it does have quite a ring to it.”

  “No,” she said chuckling, finally smiling and relaxing her shoulders. “My name is Adriana, but I don’t usually tell people that, for safety reasons.”

  “Of course,” I replied. “Well, I promise you are safe with me.”

  “What is your name?” she asked, and stared strongly at me, making it known she wasn’t down for games.

  “Milos,” I replied, leaving it at that for now. Silesia was a small country, and the likelihood of her ever hearing my name was miniscule, but I didn’t want to take the chance. She wasn’t the typical no brain bimbo I was used to seducing.

  “Milos,” she repeated. “I like that. So, tell me about yourself, Milos.”

  I paused for a moment, glancing up at Brat who was hiding a smirk. I was pretty sure at that point, he knew exactly what I was up to. I wanted to be genuine with her, not completely lie, but I wanted to be vague at the same time. This kind of girl was not going to be impressed by stories of my twenty-five cars and lavish lifestyle. This girl was the type of person that needed to feel connected to a man if she was to trust them. My normal story about vacationing in the islands with six houses and the perfect views was not the one that would release the tension from those sexy freckled shoulders of hers. She was simpler than that, which oddly made the whole conversation a little bit more complicated for me. I wasn’t used to being simple, and I loved the fact that my life was filled with excess and bounty. But no, I needed to talk about myself as a child, even if it was more personal than what I told any other woman.

  “Okay,” I replied, loosening up a bit. “I live in a small country not far from here. I grew up in an affluent family in a large manor in the country. I was a curious child and pretty much got my hands into everything.”

  “It seems that hasn’t changed much,” she replied, smirking.

  I laughed. “It drove my mother crazy. Still does, actually. When I was a kid, I had this favorite blanket, and I would take that thing everywhere. When it was bath time, they had to pry it from my fingers, practically. When I got older, my mother pulled it out of storage and held it up. It wasn’t a blanket at all. It was some tapestry she said I found on one of the adventures that took me to the west wing, where they kept old important family heirlooms. Apparently, it had been in my family for two hundred years, but my mother didn’t have the heart to take it from me. All that time, I was dragging around an irreplaceable heirloom and had no idea.”

  I laughed at the memory, both to show I was human, and because it really was one of my favorite stories of myself. Adriana tried to hold back, but she burst out laughing as well, shaking her head and relaxing her body into the red velvet seats. Her smile was intoxicating, and I couldn’t help but stare. I even glanced over to catch Brat
smirking and gazing at her. If she could get a smile from Brat, I knew she could enchant an entire Kingdom, including my hard ass mother who barely ever smiled.

  “There were several times, my nanny found me hiding out in the stables, lost in the maze of holding areas and horse manure. That might be why I wasn’t allowed to bring my blanket to the dinner table.”

  “Oh gosh,” Adriana said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes and giggling uncontrollably. “Your poor mother. She definitely had her hands full.”

  “Yeah,” I said, calming my laugh. “I was constantly curious. Today, it’s a different curiosity. I no longer dig through old boxes or get myself lost in the horse stables. Instead, I am curious about people, about where their minds are, and what their lives are like outside of the situation at hand. That’s what I was thinking while I was watching you dance. Who is this amazing girl when she wasn’t controlling all the men in the room with her seductive gaze?”

  “Just me,” she sighed, still smiling. “Just a girl from Liverpool who broke free from the chains that bound me. I don’t mind this life, but it’s not forever. Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice sitting here chatting, but I want to be back on the road, exploring, learning, and meeting people from all walks of life. I guess you could say we are alike in that way. I’m curious about what lies around the next corner.”

  “How do you do it?” I asked, looking at the glimmer in her eye. “Just walking from place to place with the things on your back, not knowing where to sleep or having your next meal ready for you. That sounds stressful.”

  She laughed. “I’m not a vagabond. I would say more like a nomad than anything else. I travel with a safety net, my savings. Sometimes, I’ll sleep in a hostel, sometimes a nice hotel, if I really need the rest, and sometimes, I’ll pitch a tent in the country and sleep under the stars. It’s freedom in the purest form you can find these days. No nine to five jobs, no boss to shove you around, just you and your choices.”

  “That actually sounds pretty amazing,” I said leaning back, thinking about my parents and their constant nagging.

  “I don’t know,” she said, lifting an eyebrow. “You don’t seem tough enough to deal with it.”

  “Ah, you underestimate me, Adriana,” I said. “Though you may be right. I do like my coffee served on a tray and a soft pillow under my head at night.”

  I could see her start to relax. As she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, I took a moment to skim my eyes over her gorgeous body. She was fit but had curves in every spot I loved. Her big hips and firm ass were just what I liked when I was grabbing onto a woman in bed. I looked back up and met her gaze, realizing she had caught me combing over her voluptuous thighs. She didn’t say anything, but I saw a bit of pink rise up her cheeks. The fact that it didn’t bother her, and in fact, seemed to excite her, sent a tingling sensation into the pit of my stomach. I could feel my pants getting a little tighter, and I ran my hand across my hardening cock under the table. Be patient, Milos. Be patient.

  “So, Miss Adriana, where do you stay? In Prague?” I already knew the answer, having flashed money in front of the owners face and causing him to spill everything he knew about this girl. But I wanted to hear it from her.

  “Oh,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Reg has an apartment upstairs for all of us. It’s not free, by any means, but it’s cheaper than the flats out in town, if you can handle the constant chatter of a bunch of strippers.”

  “Sounds miserable,” I said, realizing that might not be the best thing to blurt out, but it had already escaped my lips.

  “It can be,” she said, laughing. “But sometimes it would nice to be alone.”

  “Well, I have a proposal. I would like to offer you a nicer place to relax for the night. My family owns a hotel in Prague. It’s very upscale. You would have the run of the suite. There is a jacuzzi, sauna, and I promise the softest beds in the entire city. You deserve to rest comfortably, instead of being shoved into a tiny apartment with all these other girls.”

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking wary.

  I could see the interest in her eyes, especially after mentioning the soft beds. Though I had other thoughts on what to do in that bed, she didn’t need to know I was included in the deal. I poured her some more coffee and sat back, glancing up at the stage, but finding no interest in the tiny girl grinding against the pole. The girl I was interested was sitting across the table, mulling over the idea of a relaxing night in a hotel with a stranger.

  I knew I couldn’t offer to pay her. That would make her say no in a heartbeat, but I had a feeling our honest conversation was trying to sway her mind. She tapped her finger against her mug and looked around the room, as if the answer to the question would be shining brightly in the red lights and neon signs. Brat leaned down and whispered in my ear.

  “It is getting late,” he said as he tapped his watch and glanced up at the girl. “We should be heading over to the hotel soon.”

  I nodded my head and stuck my finger up, signaling I understood but to give me just a few more moments. The club was open until the wee hours of the morning, but I had exhausted my interest in watching other women dance around. My eyes landed back on Adriana as she looked up and gazed back at me. My interest was now that blonde hair and those sensual eyes.

  Chapter 5: Adriana

  This was a tough decision. Several of the girls, including Sveta, had gone home with clients before, but I always made it rule never to step foot outside of the club with a customer. What happened after the girls left the club was none of my business, but I was pretty sure from the influx of cash and the way they looked when they got back, they weren’t just grabbing a bite to eat or going for a drive through the city.

  I wasn’t judging them in any way. Everyone had a different story, and most of them needed the extra money, but I just never found myself desperate enough to sell my body for a few Euros. I looked down at my cup of coffee and bit my lip, feeling Milos’s gaze running over me. I was used to men staring at my body. Although normally, it would make me feel a tinge of irritation. I felt nothing but heat knowing Milos was enjoying the sight of me.

  My choices were simple. Either I said “no thank you,” dragged myself up to the apartment, put my headphones in, and tried to get some sleep on the thin spring mattress, or I said “yes” and go to the suite with plush beds, hot showers, and most importantly, privacy. I doubted that Milos had any intention of leaving me alone once there, but in reality, he was sexy as hell. A romp in the hay with his strong, tanned body wouldn’t be the worst thing that had ever come my way. On top of all of that, I was sure there would be an opportunity presented to make even more cash tonight, something that had been weighing heavily on my mind since my mother had tracked me down and called me, crying over the house.

  When my grandmother passed away, she left her flat in Liverpool to my mother and me, so we would have a better place to live than the shitty ass apartment in the slums. My mother, being useless most of the time, didn’t do anything but lay around and get trashed, but I made sure to keep up with the normal maintenance of owning a house. I figured once my mother had shacked up with some dude, I’d end up getting the flat, which I was fine with. When she called me, though, all those dreams seemed to disappear in one phone call.

  My mother, being the complete idiot that she was, realized I wasn’t there to give her money. Granted, it took her like three weeks before she realized I wasn’t just holed up in my room ignoring her. Needing money for more liquor and escapades, my mother took out a mortgage on the flat. How she did that with no viable income, I will seriously never know.

  Either way, getting that panicked call from my mother was already shocking enough because she had the fortitude to hunt me down to this strip club. Adding fuel to the fire, she then told me the flat was in foreclosure, and if she didn’t come up with several thousand pounds in the very near future, she would be out on the street. Part of me wanted to hang up and tell her s
he did it to herself, but the other part of me still had a sentimental feeling for the woman that raised me, knowing she hadn’t had the easiest life. I also wanted to keep the flat so that I could inherit it and not have to shell out a ton of money to buy some crappy apartment when I finally settled down and went to work.

  I told her I would do what I could and I hung up. She called several times since then to inquire how it was going, but I screened her calls, sending her an email instead. I wasn’t going to hand that money, even if I had it, over to my mother. I contacted the bank and was talking directly to them.

  Milos had already dropped nearly a thousand Euros in tips, plus what he paid Reg, so I was pretty sure he wouldn’t hesitate to drop quite a bit more. And if there wasn’t any money involved, hell, I deserved a night of relaxation and possible hot steamy sex. I took a deep breath and looked over at Milos, who was waiting patiently for an answer.

  “Okay,” I said taking a deep breath. “I’ll do it.”

  “Excellent,” he replied. He smiled and took his jacket from his friend. He reached his hand down to me. “Shall we?”

  “I’m going to change if you don’t mind,” I said as I stood. “I’ll be right back.”

  I ran to the back and cashed out with Reg. His eyes grew big as he took his cut. Then I changed into my sexy black dress I had in the closet, and raced back out front. Milos stood under the large archway, smiling over at me. He was so fucking handsome, and part of me hoped he made a move tonight. The hotel was only a few blocks away, so we walked there. We took a special elevator up to the top floor, and I couldn’t help but notice everyone staring at us as we crossed the lobby, probably because he was the owner’s kid. The place was gorgeous and even more luxurious than he had described at the club. When we walked in, he tossed off his shoes and jacket. I rolled my eyes, not surprised a bit that he was staying here, too.