Sugar Sweet

by Christine d'Abo

  “Thanks. It’s a bit cool by the water.” Fucking freezing was more accurate. Keep your mouth shut.

  “Mr. Taylor is waiting for you. I’ll show you the way.”

  Yeah, she really wasn’t going to get used to this at all.

  They fell into step, giving Marissa an opportunity to look the other woman over. She was beautiful, polished in a way that came with experience and money. “You work for Mr. Taylor?”

  “I’m his assistant.” And apparently not much of a conversationalist, because she didn’t elaborate. Nor did she seem to have any patience for Marissa. Maybe Marissa wasn’t the only one who wasn’t sure about this arrangement.

  By the time they’d reached the ramp to the yacht, Marissa was certain she was well on her way to developing hypothermia. Despite freezing, her hands had somehow managed to grow damp. She didn’t dare dry them on her dress for fear of marking the satin. Great, the first thing she’d do would be to shake his hand and he’d be grossed out.

  Caroline stopped short of the ramp. “Mr. Taylor is waiting for you. Dinner and drinks will be served and you will return in two hours. The car will wait to bring you back home.”

  Marissa couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something off in Caroline’s tone. “You don’t like me, do you?”

  “I don’t particularly care about you one way or the other.” Caroline’s mouth was drawn into a thin line, but Marissa could practically hear the wheels in her mind spinning.

  That was a load of shit if she’d ever heard it. “Okay. You don’t like the idea of what he’s doing? Being my…whatever.” While she could think sugar daddy in her head, saying the words to anyone other than Naomi felt wrong. Probably an indication that this might not be the right thing for her.

  The distant look on Caroline’s face flickered briefly. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but tonight’s plans have changed a bit.”

  “What’s changed? I’m not okay with something changing.” Her heart raced and for a moment Marissa thought her feet would automatically carry her back to the limo.

  “Your date is going to be with the other, Mr. Taylor.” Caroline looked past her and up, which immediately drew Marissa’s attention. Standing at the top of the ramp was a face she was absolutely familiar with and he was not a fifty-something year old man.

  The man standing there, waiting for her to join him was Vince Taylor, co-host of the television show, Bull Rush. Marissa had watched Bull Rush for years now, making notes on the sales pitches of the men and women who were hoping to pry venture capital dollars from the hosts’ hands. Vince was notoriously brutal in his estimations, and rarely gave out money. But the participants who won him over ended up being the most successful in the show’s alumni.

  And here she was, about to go on a date with him.

  Shit.

  Caroline cleared her throat. “Tonight does come with some simple rules. You can keep your phone on you, but no pictures are to be taken. If anything should turn up in the tabloids resulting from this outing, any…arrangements you might come to will be null and void. Do you understand?” Caroline might look like a princess on the outside, but beneath the surface was a pit bull protecting her master.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Caroline nodded, giving her one final long look, before turning away. “Don’t keep Mr. Taylor waiting. He doesn’t like that.”

  That brief moment of dismissal was enough to fuel Marissa’s desire to do this. Ignoring her self doubts, fears, and Caroline’s attitude, she straightened her shoulders and carefully made her way up the ramp. A third of the way, she found enough courage to look up at the man standing ahead of her.

  The pounding in her chest came back with a vengeance the closer she got to him.

  Vince Taylor.

  The images of him on television and in the magazines didn’t do him justice. Even from this distance he appeared much larger than the six feet, three inches she knew him to be. His black curls were just long enough to be caught by the breeze and moved in waves around his head. As she reached the top of the ramp, his blue eyes locked onto her and passed a glance down her body. Vince had always appeared clean shaven on Bull Rush. Tonight, stubble covered his strong jaw and cheeks, a stark contrast to the polished look his tux gave him. Shit, the fabric fit him perfectly in a way she’d never seen on a man. His jacket lay just so across his broad shoulders, the sleeves falling perfectly down at his wrists. She wanted to look lower, to see if there was any hint that the rumors about his endowment were true.

  Oh, you sooo need to get laid, girl.

  It wasn’t hard to picture falling into bed with him. He was exactly the type of man she’d fantasized about in the past. Though being faced with someone who could melt panties simply with his presence was, quite frankly, intimidating as hell.

  Marissa finally reached the top of the ramp. Her clutch the only barrier between them, she didn’t have a clue what do to next.

  When all else fails, be polite. “Hello.” She smiled and prayed she didn’t come across as a doof.

  “Miss Roy.”

  Okay, let’s do this. She held out her hand, hoping her clutch had absorbed some of the moisture from her palm. “Hello Mr. Taylor. It’s very nice to meet you. Though I have to say I’m a bit…surprised that I’m meeting you and not Geoff. Was this a ruse?”

  He hesitated, his eyebrow rising slightly before he reached out. Rather than reciprocating her handshake, he lifted the back of her hand and leaned forward to place a soft kiss to her skin.

  Jesus.

  The shiver that raced through her was no doubt noticeable to him. Thankfully, he ignored it. “Welcome aboard. Perhaps we should get a drink, and then I can explain about this evening.”

  Okay, so something was clearly up and she was going to have to make a decision whether or not she was willing to take a chance and get on the boat, or if she should cut her losses and leave before things got weird.

  “Yes please. A drink would be wonderful.” Not only would it help to steel her nerves, but it would give her time to figure out what was going on.

  His smile sent a shiver through her. “I can have the staff make you something sweet, if you’d like. A cocktail?”

  Her nipples tightened, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the heat in his gaze. “I’d prefer a dry wine.”

  Marissa feared that she was already going to get more sugar than she could handle this evening.

  Chapter 3

  She’d never been on a yacht before. Hell, the closest she’d ever been was the ferry over to Toronto Islands, which yeah, so not in the same category. The sound of the engine kicking on and the shimmy of the floor beneath her feet as they pulled away from shore was unnerving. For the next few hours, she was trapped on board with a man who the few details she knew came from his show and the tabloids—neither of which were necessarily reliable as a character witnesses.

  At least she wouldn’t starve.

  The table inside the spacious cabin had been set with white linen and a single candle flickered as the centerpiece. The simple elegance didn’t match the opulence of the rest of the room; leather seats, mahogany paneling, plush carpeting that made walking in her heels challenging. Not that she was about to take them off. Vince was so much taller than her naturally, she needed every inch she could fake to feel on even footing with him.

  “Red, white or champagne?” He wasn’t facing her, but his voice managed to fill the room.

  “White, please.” She wasn’t really much of a wine person, but it seemed wrong to not accept a glass. Hopefully it wasn’t some ultra-rich thing that she’d fall in love with and never be able to afford to get again.

  The distance between them gave Marissa time to catch her breath. There were many things she’d anticipated feeling—nervous, awkward, and creeped out—but she hadn’t anticipated aroused. Okay, yes, she was a nor
mal healthy twenty-four-year-old woman who had no issues with sex. She’d been more than active since her late teens, and sex had been one of the few things she and Andrew had been good at, right up until the end.

  The thought of having sex with Vince was so strange she couldn’t wrap her head around it. Even hidden beneath his clothing, she could tell that he was fit, strong. He probably spent hours working out between trips to…wherever the hell millionaire businessmen went. Andrew wasn’t out of shape, but he hadn’t seen the inside of a gym after high school. There weren’t muscles for her to squeeze or firm arms to wrap around her. The cut of Vince’s tailored dress pants left little to the imagination, especially regarding his ass.

  Tight. Perfect. The sort of ass she would want to bite. Which, okay a bit weird.

  Being naked with Vince would be enlightening in many ways.

  The pop of a cork being pulled drew her attention. With precise motions, two glasses were filled expertly and her host turned back to face her. “Here you go.”

  Marissa walked carefully across the cabin to join him, not wanting to lose her balance. “Thanks.”

  “You’ll get your sea legs quickly. We’re not going far from shore.”

  As he handed her a glass, their fingers brushed, eliciting another full body shiver. She was so screwed if this little bit of contact did this to her. This was supposed to be a business arrangement, not a private date night on The Bachelor. “Do you mind if we sit?”

  He nodded, his face remaining impassive. “Of course. More comfortable location for us to have our talk.”

  Marissa turned and took a step, only to falter at the feel of his hand pressed gently to the small of her back. Deep breath. In and out. Relax. Don’t orgasm. She increased her stride just enough to break the contact. “I have to admit, I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything. I wasn’t expecting to be on a yacht ever in my life, let alone tonight for supper with a man I’ve never met before. But you’re not even that man…so yeah. You mentioned an explanation. I think I’d like to have that now.”

  “You’ll have it.” He pulled out her seat for her, waiting until she was comfortable before moving around to the opposite side. “Given everything that had been communicated to you, the least I could offer was the night out you’d been promised.”

  Marissa stopped herself from reaching up to play with the loose strand of hair that brushed her cheek. “Well, I appreciate that. I have to say I’d been looking forward to this all week.” Not entirely the truth, but close enough to count. She took a deep drink of her wine and sighed. Damn, that was good. She’d have to get the name of it before she left.

  “Geoff Taylor is my father.” Vince’s expression hadn’t changed, but there was something in his eyes, a look of anger that wasn’t there previously. “I found out what he was intending to do and I wanted to put a stop to it.”

  He lifted his wine glass to his lips and took a sip without looking away. It was the same intensity he often leveled at the entrepreneurs on his show. She used to laugh when she saw someone squirm under his gaze, but now that she was being subjected to it, she was ready to contact each and every person and apologize.

  “I can imagine it’s…awkward to find out your dad has reached out to…ah, someone like me.” Marissa managed not to squirm. Go me!

  “I was more concerned for your well-being than his reputation.”

  “Oh.” She swallowed down a too-large sip of wine, her eyes watering as she tried not to cough. “Thanks.”

  “As I said, we have time, so why not enjoy ourselves.” The smile he gave her didn’t reach his eyes, which was a real shame, because he had amazing eyes. “Tell me about yourself.”

  She’d seen that look before; every time she’d look the mirror since Andrew had broken her heart before shattering her life. It was the face of a person who’d given up on others. Who’d been betrayed beyond the point of no return. Not exactly what she expected from a man like Vince. It was hard to imagine what could have happened to him.

  Marissa fingered the rim of her glass, uncertain of where to start. “What would you like to know?”

  “I read your profile and the emails you shared with my father. You said you’re attending college.” His gaze dipped from hers, roaming down to her cleavage for a moment before snapping back up. Interesting. Perhaps he wasn’t as immune as she’d assumed. “You’re older than the typical freshman, which I found curious.”

  “I’m taking a business degree. I’d actually started it five years ago, but stopped when my boyfriend at the time opened a business of his own. He asked if I could help him out and I said yes.”

  “Why go back now?”

  Oh you know, my ex thought I was cheating on him and took all the money from the business before leaving me holding the financial bag. “The timing was right. I needed to start over and finishing my education, doing something for me, felt like the right thing to do.”

  He nodded. “Except you needed money. Your boyfriend can’t help you out?”

  There were two ways she could go about this. First, she could dance around the topic, say what little she needed to, so he’d agree to their arrangement. Or she could lay all her cards on the table and hope for the best.

  She was a terrible liar.

  “I’m going to be honest. Andrew—that’s my ex—well he left me.” She took another sip of wine to fortify herself. “I was happy with my life up until six months ago. I…things didn’t end well between us. I’m on my own and have some unexpected debts that I need to clear. I’m in school full time, I’m working double shifts at my job when I can and I’ve taken out as many loans as the bank will give me. But Andrew is making things difficult and I need to find a creative way to get out of this mess. So, here I am.”

  Vince’s frown scrunched his face in such a way that somehow enhanced his good looks. “What unexpected debts?”

  “Just…some bills I hadn’t accounted for.” As much as she wanted to put everything out in the open, she still wasn’t exactly certain she could trust Vince. And her reasons were hers; they shouldn’t matter when it came right down to it.

  “I see.” Before he could say anything else a waiter came out with two plates of salad.

  She smiled up at the man as he laid her napkin across her lap. “Thank you. I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

  The waiter’s eyes widened before he flicked his gaze to Vince. “Ryan, Miss.” He didn’t give her time to ask anything else and scurried away.

  She watched him go. “Okay…” When she turned her gaze back to Vince, he was frowning. “What?”

  Vince picked up his wine glass and leaned back to stare. “You’re not the type of woman I was expecting.”

  “I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.” She picked up a forkful of salad and shoved it into her mouth to stop from talking. The way her brain was currently spinning, nothing good would come out.

  Clearly, he was a serious man. Marissa couldn’t imagine the sort of life a famous millionaire businessman led. No doubt it wasn’t as exciting as the movies made it out to be. Or maybe he faced as much pressure as the rest of the public. Was it enough to have millions, or was he trying to get to the next level, become a billionaire? Did it keep him up at night? Did he feel lonely? What kind of lover would a man like that be?

  “What thoughts are racing through your head?” His smirk disappeared behind his glass. “The look on your face was fascinating.”

  Her face flushed and she squirmed in her seat. “I was wondering what kind of person you were. I don’t know much about you.”

  “Not a tabloid reader?”

  “Sure, but I’m not an idiot. I know most of that stuff is garbage.”

  “You’d be surprised how many people don’t share your point of view.” He cocked his head to the side. “Ever watch the show?”

  Her face immediately heated. “Ah, I might hav
e caught an episode or two.”

  “Regular watcher, aren’t you?”

  “My DVR was full of them, but Andrew took that went he went.”

  “Bastard.”

  “I know right! Who takes a DVR with someone else’s shows on it?” Yes, she was still bitter, and she probably always would be.

  Ryan silently drifted back into the room and removed their plates. Vince hadn’t touched his salad, nor did he acknowledge the waiter when he removed it. It was strange, but it pissed her off, his lack of recognition of the man who was helping to make this evening a pleasant one. When Ryan came back again, this time with a steak dinner, she made sure to smile up at him again. “Wow, this looks amazing. Please pass on my thanks to the chef.”

  That earned her a small smile. “I will, Miss.”

  “Why do you do that?” Vince didn’t bother to wait until Ryan had left.

  Ah, there was the authoritative figure she remembered seeing on television. “Do what? Be polite?”

  “Leave us.” Vince was clearly speaking to Ryan, but he didn’t look at him. The waiter cast a quick glance at Marissa before rushing away once again.

  “I think he’s scared of you.” Not that she’d admit it, but she was a bit intimidated too. “Not a great way to run a staff.” Or to win over a woman. Not that he was trying to do that. Obviously.

  “You run a large staff yourself?” He cocked his eyebrow before picking up his knife and fork. “You haven’t answered my question.”

  “Why am I polite? Because I believe in treating others with respect. You don’t know them, what their lives are like. Giving them a smile when they need to see one might be the difference between them having a good day and them having a breakdown. It costs me nothing and it might mean the world to them.”

  “Did your mother teach you that?”

  A surprised laugh escaped her. “She didn’t have to. It’s called being a good person.”

  His gaze narrowed. “Are you implying I’m not good?”