Romance: One Night With A Billionaire

by McAdams, Amy

  Julia shrugged, "Well, even if he doesn't, at least you know that a drop dead ten out of ten guys fancied you. You should feel good about that."

  As they shared a bottle of wine later that evening, Bella was glad that Julia had finally let the subject of the coffee shop guy drop.

  However, as Bella lay in bed that evening, she had to admit that when she thought of him, she got a nice warm feeling in her stomach.

  She also felt buoyed up by Julia's insistence that he fancied her.

  Bella hugged her pillow to her.

  What if he had fancied her?

  What if she saw him again?

  Finally, she fell asleep with wishful thoughts and dreams filling her mind and for once, Gerard wasn't a part of them.

  ****

  The next day was just like any other at the Lemon Tree and Bella and Julia were too busy for either of them to give Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten another thought, that was until they were busy cleaning up and in he walked again.

  Julia nudged Bella and turning Bella looked up and felt herself go warm.

  This time, Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten was dressed in a black Armani suit and Bella noticed that his eyes were the greenest she had ever seen.

  Walking round the counter to serve him Bella decided that from now on she was definitely going to make an effort in the makeup department.

  Again, he ordered a gingerbread latte and Bella wasn't sure if she'd imagined that his hand had lingered a little longer than necessary on hers as she gave him his change.

  After he left, Julia shrieked.

  "I told you, he definitely fancies you, you need to do something about this and stop being so wet."

  Bella frowned and laughed, "What do you mean do something about it?"

  "You need to ask him out on a date. Trust me, guys dig women asking them out."

  Bella held up her hands and shook her head. "Whoa, hang on, not a chance am I asking him out."

  Julia looked at her pointedly. "Oh yes, you are because I am telling you to and you need to do what your elders say. Surely mama taught you that?" Julia raised her eyebrows at Bella.

  Bella playfully pushed her shoulder. "I know I should do as my elders say but when they are asking me to do something stupid then surely I have a right to ignore what they're saying?"

  She picked up a dishcloth and proceeded to wipe the counter, but Julia wasn't giving in.

  "What I am suggesting isn't silly, it makes sense. The guy has the hots for you and you have for him. Hell, I would have the hots for him if he was a bit older."

  Bella put the dishcloth in the sink and managed to get past Julia before she could block her in further. Walking over to the coat stand, she pulled off her cardigan and put it on.

  "Julia, I have never ever chased a guy and I am not going to start now, trust me."

  Julia sighed and walked round the counter taking a seat at a table. "Come on, sit down."

  Bella walked over and pulled out a chair, sitting down she rolled her eyes at Julia because she knew what was coming.

  One of Julia's ‘little chats.'

  "Let's have a little chat, shall we?" She asked, right on cue, going on with her chat whether Bella wanted her to or not. "When did you last have sex, Bella?"

  Bella shrugged. "I don't know. Well, obviously not for three months and I think three months before that."

  "So six months? Well, that's half a year. Half a year of your life wasted. Now, what did you say when you first arrived here in New York?"

  "That it was busy and so exciting?"

  Julia shook her head. "Not that, what you said to me was, ‘I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you.' That's exactly what you said."

  Bella's eyes widened. "And I did mean it, don't think I didn't, but you said I didn't have to."

  Julia smiled, "Well, I have changed my mind. So, what you can do in order to repay me is to ask Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten on a date."

  "You can't make me do that!" protested Bella.

  "Every time you protest makes worse what I need you to do to repay me. Now it has changed from you asking him out for a date, no you are going to ask him to go for a drink and then when you are tipsy enough to do it, you are going to ask him for a one night stand. You are not going another week without a fuck—never mind another month."

  Bella looked at her friend incredulously. "You don't mean that, surely? Surely you're not serious."

  Julia stood up and grabbed her handbag off the side. "Oh, yes I am."

  "I couldn't…"

  "Trust me, Bella. It will be the greatest ride of your life."

  Chapter 4

  Across town, Owen was sharing a romantic meal at The Ivy with Priscilla.

  Thankfully this evening she had resorted to being the fun girl she had been when they first met and Owen was relieved.

  As they shared a starter of caviar and garlic tiger prawns, Priscilla dropped her bombshell.

  "I think we should stop seeing each other, Owen," she told him calmly, as she popped a prawn into her mouth. "It's just not working. We both want different things."

  Owen looked at her and studied her face to see if it was going to crease up into a smile and she was going to pat his hand and tell him she was only joking.

  Only she didn't, she just looked at him and it wasn't a look that was awaiting some response from him.

  It was a look that was closed as if she had made the decision and that was that.

  Owen wiped his mouth with a serviette, "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

  Priscilla pierced another prawn with her fork, "I know, but I have given it a lot of thought. We haven't been happy recently, Owen - either of us. I think it's safe to say that we both want different things. We have had a good time, but most good things come to an end at some point, don't they?"

  Owen nodded and briefly wondered if Priscilla had been for an overnight personality transplant.

  He had never seen her so calm and collected.

  Usually, she was all uptight and wired, shrieking at him that she just wanted to be happy.

  For all intents and purposes, Owen was used to her being slightly neurotic.

  "I know that, but this all seems a bit sudden," he finally managed.

  Priscilla shook her head. "No, it's not, Owen. The other night was proof that it was over when you refused to commit and then had the audacity to bundle me off in the car like I was a discarded piece of rubbish."

  "I hardly think a ride home in a limousine was casting you away like rubbish."

  Priscilla leaned over the table so close that Owen could feel her breath on his face. "It isn't all about the money, Owen, and the sooner you get to grips with that, the happier your life will be."

  With that, she stood up and picked up her handbag off the floor, slinging it over her shoulder. "Goodbye Owen and good luck."

  And with that she flounced out of the restaurant, her hips sashaying from side to side.

  Owen sat stunned for a moment.

  He had ever been dumped – men like Owen Parker didn't get dumped.

  He had never just been abandoned mid-meal and even before the main course had arrived.

  Quickly, he summoned the waiter and told him to cancel the food but that he would pay them in full for their trouble.

  The sooner he got himself out of this embarrassing situation, the better.

  Calling for his driver, Owen visited the gentleman's room before making his way outside.

  That evening as he sat on the balcony and looked across the New York City skyline, he couldn't work out how he felt about that evening's proceedings.

  He hadn't called Priscilla to ask for a more in depth explanation and he had a feeling he would never hear from her again.

  But round and round in his mind her words resounded about there being more to life than money.

  He knew that and he was offended that after three years of being his girlfriend, she really believed he was that shallow.

  The idea actually appalled him because, despite his wealth a
nd hardheaded business mind, he didn't like to think that he was cold hearted.

  As he sipped on his whiskey, his mind suddenly jumped from Priscilla to the girl in the coffee shop and momentarily he was appalled that he'd only just split up with his girlfriend and already he was thinking about someone else.

  Then his heart skipped a beat…

  Chapter 5

  Over the other side of the city, Bella was still trying to worm her way out of Julia's suggestion.

  "I can't do it, Julia. Really, I can't."

  Julia was on her treadmill and was brooking no argument, "You are and if he comes into the coffee shop tomorrow, then you are doing it."

  "But…"

  "Nope. That is the only way you can repay me," Julia smiled.

  "And…"

  "Nope," Julia flung her hand up as a stop sign.

  There was no use arguing - Julia was not one that could be argued with. In true New Yorker style, she loved a good argument and Bella had struggled to ever win an argument in her life.

  All Bella could do was pray that he wouldn't never come into the coffee shop ever again.

  She recoiled at the idea of asking a man out on a date.

  She had only ever slept with Gerard and once upon a time she had never ever considered sleeping with anyone else.

  Then she thought about Gerard and Sophie being together.

  They were probably making hot sweaty love right now.

  Bella felt a shift inside at the thought of her ex with her stepsister.

  If Gerard could just dump her and sleep with someone else then why shouldn't she be getting a bit of bedroom action?

  Images of Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten entered her mind and she felt a thrill inside, also she suddenly had the desire to prove to Julia that she could do something as exciting as this, it was time for her to try and dump the conservative side of her nature.

  Owen awoke and shifted in his bed - he felt out of sorts again and it was all down to Priscilla and he was pissed off because he had awoken with a rock hard cock thinking about her.

  Turning over, Owen wanted to stop the ardor that was pulsing through his veins.

  He had a heavy schedule ahead of him and to let his personal life start infiltrating his mind on such an important day was, to him, like torture.

  Swiftly he pulled back his black silk sheets and got out of bed.

  The other thing that was confusing him was his feelings and thoughts about the shy girl in the coffee shop.

  He had started to look forward to seeing her and that again was not in keeping with how he usually felt.

  In fact, going to the coffee shop for some time out had started to feel like a ritual he needed to uphold.

  As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he started to wonder if he knew who he was at all.

  So much had changed and shifted over the past couple of months and as he studied the lines that had seemed to appear on his face over night, he wondered if he really knew what life was about at all.

  Owen had always been the type of guy to believe in destiny and all of his business decisions were made on his gut instinct and he hadn’t faired too badly up to now.

  Maybe he needed to do the same with his love life.

  Maybe Priscilla ending their relationship was allowing another door to open.

  With a hard cock and those thoughts in his mind, he started his day and again images of the shy girl appeared in his mind.

  As Bella rode in Julia’s car to the coffee shop the next day, she was really hoping that Julia had forgotten all about the Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten situation.

  However, rather than forgetting, it seemed it was the only thing Julia could think about.

  In fact she was raving so much over Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten that Bella almost suggested that she went on a date with him instead.

  “I’m telling you, this will change your life. It will be like a rite of passage, off with the old and on with the new when you finally get to sleep with this guy. I still can’t believe you have only ever slept with Gerard.”

  Julia indicated and parked the car up.

  Turning off the engine, she turned and gave Bella a big smile before throwing her arms around her in a tight hug.

  “I will be so pleased with you once you have done this. It’s so exciting.”

  Chapter 6

  Last night it had been fine to just go along with everything that Julia had suggested but in the cold light of day, Bella cold feel her stomach knotting with apprehension and for the first time since she arrived, she was actually dreading work that day.

  All day as she served customers, she said her prayers to God, praying that Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten had fallen out with The Lemon Tree and had found himself some other coffee house to frequent.

  The dread of him showing up stayed with her all morning and into the mid-afternoon.

  As the clock turned to 3.30pm, Bella felt herself exhale, her whole body finally relaxing and the knots of tension untying.

  “Looks like he isn’t going to show,” Julia said as she covered up their unsold cakes with a plastic lid. “So you can finally relax, your shoulders have been hunched so high into your neck you must need a massage by now.”

  Bella laughed, “That obvious, huh?”

  Julia nodded, “Most definitely but don’t think you are going to be let off the hook.”

  Julia made her way to the back of the shop. “If he comes in tomorrow, you’re asking him out and then you’re going to hopefully let him give you the best sex of your life.”

  As she turned round, Julia’s voice trailed away as her eyes met those of Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten who stood at the counter with a bemused look on his face.

  Bella however was so red she looked like a tomato that was ready to explode. Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten raised his eyebrows.

  “Sounds like someone is going to be a very lucky guy.”

  A flush came over Bella and she felt like she was going to faint on the spot.

  She could almost feel her legs buckling just at this guy’s very presence.

  Her mouth had dried up and her heart felt like it was trying to escape her chest.

  “I was referring to you, actually,” Julia said, finally finding her voice. “Do you have a name? Because we have just been calling you Mr. Ten-out-of-Ten.”

  “My name is Owen and yours?”

  “I’m Julia and she’s Bella.”

  Owen looked at Bella and smiled, “Go on then, ask me out on a date.”

  Chapter 7

  Bella could almost see stars in front of her eyes.

  This had to be the most embarrassing moment of her life, even worse than when she fell down a load of steps on a school trip to Philadelphia.

  However, despite her shyness, she knew she had made a promise to Julia and Bella always kept her promises and she could hardly back out because Owen had backed her into a corner too.

  “Okay, I was wondering if you would like to go out some time?”

  Owen folded his arms and rocked back on his heels. “I’d love to go out some time. Where are you thinking of taking me?”

  Despite her embarrassment, Bella couldn’t help but smile. “We could try the new bar down town, the one that has a resident jazz band?”

  Owen nodded. “I've been wanting to go there for a while.”

  Now it was Bella’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “Really?”

  Owen nodded. “Yes, really.”

  Bella smiled at him, “Great so when do you want to go?”

  Owen looked straight at her, his eyes were so intense Bella felt her stomach flutter.

  “I’m free tonight if you are?”

  Bella paused and before she could decline, Julia stepped in.

  “Tonight is fine. Bella doesn’t do anything on Thursdays; it’s the only night of the week, in fact, that she is free,” Julia seamlessly lied.

  Owen looked suitably impressed at Bella’s make believe heavy social schedule. “Well, I need to grab the chance while I can then. Shall we meet at the bar, s
ay about eight?”

  Bella nodded in a way that she hoped looked casual and not desperate. “That would be great, see you then.”

  Owen nodded, “In the meantime, can I have my usual?”

  Bella looked at him blankly… and Owen pointed to the coffee machine behind her.

  “My drink. Can I have my usual?”

  Nervously, Bella laughed, “Um… of course.”

  Julia looked on and had a feeling that she was witnessing the start of something special.

  Chapter 8

  As he walked back to the office, Owen couldn’t stop smiling to himself and he felt like he had the proverbial spring back in his step.

  The coffee shop girl was cute in a wholesome kind of way and was very different from the women he usually dated, but maybe that was a good thing.

  Maybe it was time that he had a change from the pneumatic blondes and the bolshie brunettes.

  Walking past the main reception, Glenda called out to him, “Owen, can I have a word, please?”

  Owen walked over, “Yes Glenda?”

  Glenda blushed like she always did whenever she had to speak to Owen directly face to face.

  He was so gorgeous - he literally made her feel weak and today she was even more flustered than usual.

  “Priscilla is upstairs waiting for you in your office. I asked her to wait in reception, but she refused. I couldn’t stop her.”

  Owen patted Glenda’s arm reassuringly oblivious to the fact that such a simple action sent a shiver of excitement through his receptionist’s body.

  “Glenda, it's okay. It’s not your fault. Thanks for the warning.”

  He flashed a smile before walking away, but the smile disappeared as he entered the elevator and a frown appeared in its place.

  He really wasn’t in the mood for Priscilla - he was in no mood for her at all.

  ****

  “I made a mistake,” Priscilla said as she casually looked at her manicured nails that were painted a bright pink to match her fuchsia lipstick that adorned her collaged pumped lips.