“Stop!”
We stop at a light and the cab driver can’t take her eyes off of Elizabeth as she shakes her head. I do hope she keeps her mouth shut, Elizabeth can be very harsh at times.
“Zane, I’m serious. I have to think about things. You have to let me get a job. I have to pay my way.”
Then the cab driver turns on me as she asks Elizabeth, “He won’t let you get a job?”
Elizabeth nods and I shake my head and say, “She has a job. I haven’t come up with a title for it yet but she works for The Sandstone Company. I suppose she hasn’t realized that yet.”
“That’s not official. Like everything else in our relationship!” Elizabeth says as she throws her hands up in the air. “Zane! Everything we do is that way. You tell me I can work with you yet there’s no job title, no talk of how much I’ll get paid or when. No talk about what benefits come with working at your company. Nothing!”
“Well, we can talk about that tonight. After a nice dinner, you and I can hash that out, baby.”
“Baby?” the cabbie asks as her eyes catch mine in the rearview mirror. “You’re her boss and you call her that?”
A smirk forms on Elizabeth’s face. “If you knew the whole story, you’d shit!”
The driver’s dark brown eyes go wide as she says, “Oh girl! Fill me in!”
“I’m a waitress from Rhode Island. I came to talk to this guy here about a lighthouse he bought and planned on tearing down.”
I interrupt, “And I fell in love with this woman right on the spot.”
“Aww,” she says and I nudge Elizabeth.
“See, sweet,” I say.
“Yeah, yeah,” she mutters. “Anyway, he put me up at The Plaza Hotel for that night and made a date with me after having my hair, nails, and makeup all done. He even sent an expensive dress, shoes, underwear, and some diamond jewelry for me to wear to the date.”
“Shut up!” our cabbie cries then looks back at me as we’re stopped at another light. “Are you one of those really, really rich guys?”
I nod and she smiles as Elizabeth goes on, “You see, he has this high-powered lady judge who’s hot for him. Like, she wanted to marry him but she’s too aggressive for him. She followed him into the bar I happened to be sitting in, drinking a few too many free drinks. He introduced me to her as his wife.”
“What?” the cabbie shrieks. “Who does that?”
“Mr. Ass-backward here does that,” Elizabeth says. “And just like everything else that’s happened between us, things have progressed in that fashion. He moved me into his penthouse and eventually, he and I became intimate. Then he told me he wanted me around all the time and that I should go to work with him. And that’s how things have moved. With big, enormous steps and little discussion about any of them.”
“Non-communicative,” the cabbie says as she looks at me.
“I am not!” I argue. “I’m extremely communicative. This woman makes me do things I don’t normally do, that’s all.”
“Do you love her?” she asks me.
“More and more with each passing day,” I answer.
“Aww,” she says, again. “Lady, he’s great. You’re going to need to get over this little problem letting him love you, take care of you, cherish you. Just let him do it or someone else will.”
“I don’t want anyone else,” I say. “And she’ll come around. I think it’s about to be her time of the month.”
Both women’s eyes go huge as the cabbie shouts, “Oh no you didn’t!”
My arm is smacked as Elizabeth shouts, “Jackass!”
“Well, damn it! You just started acting like this. What else should I think?”
“She seems overwhelmed,” the cabbie-guru says. “Give her time and make some real decisions. Let her know what her job is. Women who’ve been independent need to know where they stand in every situation.”
“She’s right,” Elizabeth says then she takes my face in between her hands. “Tonight we can sit down and figure everything out so I can stop having all these internal feelings and thoughts and wonders.”
“Fine, baby,” I tell her then kiss her, earning us another aww from the cab driver.
“Here, you go,” the driver says as a doorman opens my door. “The Plaza. You two have a wonderful day.”
For all of her unsolicited help, I give her a hundred-dollar tip and she gives me a huge, “Thank you, sir!”
“Thank you,” I say and take Elizabeth’s hand, leading her into the hotel.
“We do have tons to discuss, Zane,” Elizabeth says as we go inside. “And I’ll take you up on that offer of a massage.”
Grabbing her by the waist, I pull her to me once we get inside the private elevator. “My massage?”
She giggles and throws her arms around me. “Of course, your massage.”
Her fingers move up my arm then she fiddles with the top button of my shirt. I take her hand and kiss each fingertip. “We can work things out. I don’t want you to worry at all. And stop thinking for even a second about you being some kind of a gold digger. You’re far from that.”
“I’m a waitress who isn’t even waitressing. You’re paying for everything,” she whimpers.
“You are a college graduate who has yet to do anything with that degree you worked hard for and earned. I’m merely giving you the opportunity to find something you want to do with it. No matter what it is. I just think by you working with me you might just find your true calling.”
“You really are like a knight in shining armor,” she says just before I kiss her.
She’s really like my angel sent from Heaven!
Chapter 6
ELIZABETH
His fingers dig into my naked back with just the right amount of pressure. Then his lips graze over it and I laugh. “And just what is the name of this massage technique?”
“The lips all over your body technique. The Swedish made it up.” His tongue follows the line down the middle of my back and I giggle with how it tickles.
“Zane!”
“What? It’s part of that technique too. I’m about to show you how they do it in Bangkok!”
He flips me over and runs his hands over my breasts. Moving my hands up his arms, I let them rest on his biceps that can make me wet just by looking at them, they’re so amazing.
I had no idea he was taking off his clothes as he moved his hands over my back with his version of a massage. But I see now he managed to do that somehow.
The way he moves his body over mine has me moaning with how wonderful it feels as his flesh grazes mine. His lips press against the hollow behind my left ear then he sucks it gently as he pushes his erection into me.
My nails dig into his muscled back as we both make moans so deep our bodies vibrate. “Oh, God, Zane!”
“I know,” he moans then starts making slow strokes that send me into another world.
One of his hands moves under my ass, pulling me up so he can move deeper into me. “Yes,” I hiss as I feel him hit a new place.
“You like that, do you?” he murmurs near my ear then bites my ear lobe.
I arch up to him as our bodies move like a couple of ribbons flying on the breeze. Up and down we flow together and I can honestly say I’ve never felt anything quite as nice as this feels.
Soothing, relaxing, yet stimulating. “You are a true master of the art of massage, Zane.”
“Glad to hear that. And just so you know, you can never request this kind of massage from anyone else. Not ever.”
“And you can never give this kind of massage to anyone else. Not ever!” I laugh a little then he grinds into me a little harder and my laugh turns into a moan. “Damn it, baby!”
Harder he goes, faster he thrusts until we’re both shrieking with a couple of extremely intense climaxes. As our bodies throb, he pulls back and looks at me. “I love you, Elizabeth. More than I knew was possible.”
Running my hand over his slightly sweating forehead, I say, “Zane, I’m findin
g more and more to love about you all the time. I’d do anything for you.”
His smile makes my heart do some crazy thing, it feels as if it’s bouncing in my chest and I laugh as he bites my neck. “I like that thought, baby!”
Rolling over, he keeps me on top of him and runs his hands over my breasts as he looks up at me. “I’m going to tell her the truth right after I get her to sign the paper for me.”
“What? Do you think this is the right time to do that?”
“I have to. I can’t take this bullshit anymore. Then I’m going to make a visit to Eugene and tell him the truth too. I can’t lie any longer. I want what we have to be real to everyone.”
“How do you think it’ll go?” I ask as I run my hands over his pecs that are nice and slick with our combined sweat.
“I don’t know,” he says as he takes my hands in his and kisses each palm. “But I want this thing we have to no longer be sullied by lies. I love you and I want everyone to know that without having the lie of a phony marriage marrying this beautiful thing.”
He makes a swift movement then we’re up and I’m in his arms as he heads toward the bathroom. I run my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek. “So, where is dinner, Romeo?”
“I’ll surprise you,” he says and kisses my cheek. “Now for a shower. Then I’m going to wrap you up in a fluffy robe so you can be pampered for the rest of this afternoon. I’ll dress and go take care of the last little bit of business I will ever have with Meagan Saunders.”
Placing me on the cold tiled floor, I hop over to the bathmat as he starts the shower. “She’s going to be tough, isn’t she?”
“She’s aggressive and more than used to getting her way but I’m much tougher. I’ve just been holding myself back because I thought I needed her help now and then. I’m so over that, though. The only thing I know I need in my life and business now is you.”
I fight the urge to say, aww and find myself kissing him instead. He picks me up and takes me into the shower. The warm water falls over us, making me feel like we’re in a summer rain instead of a shower inside of a fancy hotel penthouse.
When our kiss ends, he looks at me and I can see something in those eyes. They glisten as he turns me in his arms and holds me from behind, nuzzling my neck. “I’m going to pamper you forever, baby. Let yourself get spoiled ass rotten by me. I promise nothing bad will come of it. Only good will. You’ll see. Together, we’ll make things happen. And one day, our family will benefit from our happiness and what we do with it.”
“Our family?” I ask with a giggle as his fingers roam down my sides.
“Our family. I will have a family with you, Elizabeth.”
“Ass-backwards again!”
“Imagine that!”
Turning in his arms, I pull away though he’s reluctant to let me out of his grasp. When I pick up a poof and pour some of his body wash on it he nods and puts his hands behind his head.
Starting at his feet, I rub the soapy ball all over him and when I get up to his very dirty male parts, I make sure to scrub them clean while he makes some great groans. “Getting bathed by you is better than I thought it’d be.”
“You thought about me washing you off?” I ask with a laugh.
“I’ve thought about so many things with you, it’s not funny.”
“Tell me about it, stud,” I say as I continue with his bath.
You bathing me. You cutting my hair with your perky tits in my face as you stand between my legs, completely naked. You cooking me breakfast wearing nothing but an apron. You on your hands and knees, rubbing a stain out of the carpet in my office where we got a little smutch on it from going at it like a couple of animals one rainy afternoon.”
“My, my, my,” I say. “That mind of yours is very naughty.”
“Naughty?” he asks then takes the soapy thing from my hands and runs it over my breasts as he grins. “I prefer to think of those thoughts as loving.”
And with that little sentiment, he takes my heart completely!
Chapter 7
ELIZABETH
After a day of being completely pampered, I’m dressed and waiting for my man’s return. Lois is gone for the day and I’m sipping on a glass of wine and reading on my Kindle. I’ve don’t recall a time I’ve ever been so relaxed.
A knock at the door surprises me a little but I’ve half expected another delivery as no jewelry has arrived yet from Zane. But as I pull the door open I see a very unwelcomed guest standing there.
“We need to talk,” Meagan says as she pushes her way past me to come inside.
“I don’t know what we need to talk about. I’m nothing to you,” I tell her as I close the door. “Zane told me he was going to tell you the truth. Did he do that?”
“About there being no marriage?” she asks as she takes a seat on the sofa. “Yes, he did. And that is why I’m here. We haven’t got much time as he was going to see Eugene right after he left my office.”
“We haven’t got much time for what?” I ask as I sit back down on the chair where I was and pick up my glass of wine. I really wish I’d have chosen something a little stronger since I have to be in this woman’s company.
“Time for you to get what you have to have from this penthouse and get the fuck out of here.” She holds out a ticket then places it on the coffee table in between us. “And your flight leaves in an hour and a half.”
I have to laugh at this insane woman, then I say, “I’m not going anywhere. Perhaps you should leave, Meagan.”
“I have enough dirt on Zane and his company to ruin him, Elizabeth. I have the ability to trump up documents and anything else I have to do to make sure Zane becomes anything but the man he is now. And I will do that if you don’t leave.”
My mind stops, spins backward, and does a loop as I stare at this woman. “You’re a judge, Meagan. Tell me why you’d put yourself in such a precarious position just to ruin a man. You have to know I can go to the authorities and tell them about you blackmailing us, right?”
A smile creeps across her face. “Darling, I am well-known in this town. My word would be taken over yours quite easily. You see, I want Zane. I will get him. You can leave and that will make sure nothing bad happens to the man or you can stay and I’ll drag you both through the mud until you give up. But I will have him.”
“Meagan, even if I wasn’t a factor. If he’d never have met me, he still wouldn’t get with you. He doesn’t care for you.”
“He will. Given time and I know I have to ease off on the aggressive behavior to get him to like me,” she says then stands up. “So, get going. Scat!”
“Scat? You have got to be shitting me! I’m about to beat your ass is what’s about to happen here.” I get up and she laughs then pulls out a can of pepper spray from her purse and aims it at me.
“Do you think I came unprepared for such a thing, you little twit? Of course, I knew a woman with your background would be a person who would stoop to physical violence. Not only will you get sprayed but I’ll also have your ass thrown in jail for assault and you’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Either way, you’re out of Zane’s life. So, go pack up. You don’t want to miss your flight and have to take the bus back to Hicksville, do you?”
“You’d really do all that to Zane if I don’t do what you’re saying?” I ask as I’m having a very hard time believing her.
“If I can’t have him, no one can,” she says then walks toward the hallway to the bedroom. “Come on, I’ll help you pack.”
Following her, I’m trying to think of anything to say that might threaten her. But I can’t think of anything. “He’ll come looking for me.”
“I doubt that. You see, you’re going to write him a little note. You’re going to tell him you were lying this whole time. You’re going to tell him the things you said weren’t true and you can’t live this lie any longer. And if he does come to you, you are going to tell him those same words to his face. Or I will be forced to start the proces
s of fucking his world completely up.”
I have no idea what I should do but for now, I think I should do as she’s saying. “Fine, you heartless bitch!”
Grabbing the small suitcase, I brought some of my things in, I quickly pack my things up and walk out to the living room. She takes a notepad and pen out of her purse and puts it on the dining room table. “Write the note.”
I jerk the pen out of her hand and hastily write a note that says all the hurtful things she’s told me to say and I pray as I do that he sees through this.
He has to see through this, he has too!
“I suppose I’ll catch a cab,” I say as I toss the pen on the table.
“I have a car waiting for you and I’ll need your phone,” she says as she holds out her hand.
“Why is that?” I ask as I glare at her.
She merely wiggles her fingers and I place the phone in her hand. The screen cracks into pieces as she breaks the phone then walks over to the trash can in the kitchen and deposits it there. “So you won’t be tempted to contact Zane before your ass is out of this town. And when he calls you, it’ll look like you’re sending his calls to voicemail, ignoring him.”
“I don’t know how you can claim to love that man when you’d hurt him so badly,” I say as I walk to the door.
“I never said I love him. I don’t believe in love. I believe in power. He and I can be a powerful couple. You’ll see. I have hopes to be president someday and a man like that can make it easier for me to get there.”
“And now I finally get it. Corrupt to your very core, aren’t you? A true politician. And you think you’re going to get everything you want, don’t you?” I ask as I walk out the door.
She holds her hand out again. “The key, please. I’m going to leave it with the note.”
I hand her the key to his penthouse and give her a smile. “I hope you stick around until he gets home.”
She laughs as she walks back through the living room then goes to the dining table and places the key on top of the note. When she comes back and closes the door behind us, she says, “I’m no fool. If I’m here when he gets back, he’ll know I had something to do with this. It’s funny that you think you’re smarter than I am. It’s very funny.”
The Billionaire’s Lighthouse Series: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance Page 15