I wore a pair of silver strappy sandals with a five inch heels. I still had to look up at Alex when we were side by side. But truth be told, I hadn’t worn them for height, I’d worn them for effect. They made my legs look like they go on forever and my they also emphasized my calves. I had struggled in yoga for my body…sometimes it’s nice to put it out there a little bit and let people appreciate it, even Alex. I sat there looking out the window again for several seconds before I felt the warmth of his palm over the top of my hand on the seat. I shivered.
“Don’t be afraid of me, Samantha. You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to. I just want you to know how badly I want you. Iache for you, Sam.” His voice went low and deep when he said “ache” and I felt a throb of my own between my legs. The fire in my core was ignited and I wasn’t sure I wanted to extinguish it. Maybe this would start a new chapter in my life. I’d get my business up and running…and I’d get him. How can I lose with no strings attached?
The part about sleeping with a man for money was what kept coming back to bite me. It disgusted me as a matter of fact. Will accepting the money still be wrong if I want him as badly as he wants me? I could taste the bile in the back of my throat. Yeah, it would be wrong.
The limousine pulled up in front of a tall hotel that screamed “five-star luxury” even from the outside. It faced a beautiful, lush park on one side and the canals on the other. Alex got out of the car first and waited to help me out. As soon as I emerged, flashbulbs started going off in our faces. I was slightly disoriented, but Alex handled it like a pro. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side.
Once the photographers had gotten their shots, I took hold of his arm. Immediately the smell of his masculine cologne filled my nostrils and once more all I could think about was the deep ache between my legs. I let go of him and stepped back. For that, I got a puzzled and not very happy look from my “boss.”
***
We were seated for dinner at a table with eight others. There were two empty seats and he seemed to be looking for someone. After a bit I heard him mention to one of the other men that Luca had sent his apologies for not being able to make it. I’m pretty sure he was making it up and he had no more idea where Luca was than anyone else, but he pulled it off well.
While Alex visited with each one of the patrons that stopped by the table, I listened to the soft music and the clink of silver and glassware and agonized over what I should do. No matter where he was or who he was talking to this evening, I felt his presence. I knew that he was always keeping an eye on me and it was both comforting and unsettling. It made me feel safe and cared about, but there was something in his look that told me he more than “cared.” He looked at me like a man in love with a woman that was just about to break his heart. No one noticed but me. It was the way his eyes flicked away when I glanced at him. Tender Alex again.Dammit.
I followed him around, pretending to take notes. I knew that part of my job tonight was bullshit. He’d just wanted me here. Alex was amazing at what he did and he never forgot the name of a potential client. We’d been circulating for over an hour after dinner when I noticed the long bar at the end of the ballroom. This was my escape plan.
“Excuse me Mr. Barone...” There was a small break in his conversation with one of the Count’s business associates. I know this man is one Alex and Luca have been courting to come over to their company for his shipping needs, so I also knew that it might take a while. “I’m going to grab a drink. Can I get you anything? Champagne?” He smiled at me and once again, I wanted to take him right here and now. His smile was something rare and special and when directed it at me, it was too much. Doesn’t my stupid body know not to like this man?
“No, but thank you. I won’t be long here.. then perhaps… a dance?”
I gulped still dazzled by his wide smile. “Of course.” I smiled back at him and nodded at the gentleman he was talking to before heading for the bar. When I got there, I sat sideways on one of the stools and asked the bartender for champagne.
A few seconds later, he sat the flute down in front of me. I didn’t take it and go immediately back towards Alex. Sometimes I’m just so overwhelmed by his presence that I can’t think. Instead, I sat sipping it at the bar and looking out towards the dance floor at all of the handsome men and beautiful women, dressed in their finest clothes and enjoying the evening. I didn’t even see the man who was suddenly at my elbow until he said, “Hello there.”
I looked up into a pair of dark shimmering eyes. The tall man’s blonde hair was trimmed and parted professionally. He eyed me with a toothy grin as he nodded again. “Hello,” I said with a slight smile. I couldn’t remember if I’d already met him or not. He was extremely handsome and it’s doubtful I met him and then forgot him…but I thought I’d feel it out. Couldn’t hurt to have some company of my own.
“I’m Antonio,” he had a strong Italian accent. He held out his hand and smiled with a row of the straightest, whitest teeth I’d ever seen. I started to give him mine, but before I got that far, I noticed a figure towards the end of the bar. Alex was looking at Antonio…and me with a cold steely gaze, as if I were doing something wrong. I frowned, suddenly feeling nervous and guilty, and since I wasn’t actually guilty of anything, that just pissed me off.
Antonio started into his introduction. I saw Alex work his way around the bar as people parted to let him through. His eyes never left me and I felt warmth rise in my body again, this time swirling faster through me. Nearing us, he leaned down to my ear. “Terrace. Now.” He bite the words with such ferocity I felt sorry for myself.
I wanted to tell him to shove it…but I couldn’t make a scene here. This was Italy’s elite and if I chose to spar with Alex here tonight, the entire business community would know about it in the morning. I gave Antonio a soft smile as he his eyes moved between us, realization flooding his face as his eyes met with Alex.
His eyes hard, Alex held their gaze as I slid around and headed towards the stone terrace. It was cold and I wasn’t dressed for the night air. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin. I looked towards the end of the large balcony where another couple stood holding each other. I’m sure that’s not what Alex has in mind. I didn’t have long to wait.
He turned on me with his eyes blazing. “For someone not interested in dating you sure do find the time to flirt a lot. Especially when you’re on the clock. First Kevin and now poor Antonio.”
“I really don’t know who you think you are sometimes. Who I choose to talk to or not is none of your business really. Did you really have to act like a caveman?”
He seemed to let that settle in. I expected him to rage back at me, but he didn’t. The silence hung over us like a shroud as he took the stone staircase down towards the lush gardens. I followed him. When we were at the bottom and alone he looked out over the water channel and said, “I need an answer.”
“You said I had until tomorrow Alex.”
“No, Samantha. I leave tomorrow. I can’t take it any longer. You’re right that I’m acting like a fool over you having an innocent conversation with a man. But that’s because this is driving me crazy. I need you Samantha. I need to know if you’re going to allow me to show you how much.” His eyes met mine and there was more than lust that shone there.
I didn’t even know I’d made my decision until the words came out of my mouth. “Okay.”
“Okay? Yes?” he looked as surprised to hear it as I was. He was grinning from ear to ear. I felt bad for what I was about to say already…but I had to…
“Yes, but only because I am ready to be finished with this assistant job and begin my new business. I’m ready for a new chapter in my life.”
“You hate working for me that much?” A flash of hurt in his eyes.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s really not that.”
“Then what?” he asked. I took a deep breath and stepped further across the lawn.
“Can we walk?” He didn’
t answer but instead he took my hand in his and led me along the stone path through the garden. I collected my thoughts and began.
“When I was living in New York, my parents were working…a lot. My mother wanted to send me to boarding school to keep me out of trouble. My father and grandfather disagreed. So, when I was in grade school my grandfather put himself in charge of my supervision. The problem with that was…I knew exactly how to manipulate my grandfather. He doted on me and in his eyes, I could do no wrong….” I paused, feeling scared. Alex squeezed my hand. “Go on, Sam.”
“I got involved with a man. I was only sixteen at the time and the man was in his twenties. He was handsome and had a “bad boy” vibe going on that I was attracted to at the time. It took me a long time to realize he was running stolen goods for one of New York’s biggest crime families. He was also stealing from them. By the time I realized how bad it was, he told me if I left him he would hurt me. I told him to fuck off….Well, his threats got pretty violent. He even broke my windows. Then, he told me if I left him again, he would do the same to my grandfather.”
I could see a murderous look in Alex’s eyes and I knew that given half the chance, my ex-boyfriend Mario would be a dead man. Alex would be a few years too late though, Mario was already dead. “I stayed with him for another two years. He was abusive off and on. My grandfather didn’t understand why I wouldn’t leave him. I couldn’t tell him that I was protecting him or he would have tried to kill Mario himself.
Long story short, he ended up in the Hudson River. The families got to him first. I thought it was over…until the family came looking for me. They thought I had money and the drugs Mario took from them. I didn’t have them. I had no idea where they went…but they weren’t going to believe that. I finally told my grandfather the whole story. He and my father arranged for me to come here. I was only here for a week when... my grandfather died.” I had tears in my eyes when I finished. Alex pulled me into his arms and I let him. He left a trail of kisses along my hair and jawline.
“I’m so sorry, baby. No one will ever hurt you like that again, I promise.” His voice rumbled through me and I wanted so badly for him to comfort me.
“Kiss me,” I told him, caressing his back.
He smiled against my cheek. “Last time I did, you claimed that I took what you hadn’t given. So no, this time you kiss me.”
I stepped up onto my toes and pressed my lips into his. He let the kiss be soft and slow for a few seconds before he wrapped his big hand around the back of my neck and deepened it. We shared a passionate kiss underneath a blossoming tree in the fragrant garden. I was feeling a desire surge through my veins like nothing I’d ever known before. I want him. I want this.
ALEXANDER
I was like an adolescent about to go to the prom with the head cheerleader. I didn’t sleep a wink all night, thinking about taking Sam to the Capri Islands. It’s going to be just the two of us with none of the complications we normally have getting in the way. I didn’t sleep, but I did close my eyes and imagine how soft she was going to be when I put my hands all over her. I imagined how sweet she was going to taste and how good it would feel to have her hands all over my body. I had to stop there. When I started imagining how good it was going to feel to be inside of her, my body responded in ways that I wanted to save…for her.
I picked her up early. She was wearing a light tan summer dress with brown piping around the neckline and waist. Once again, it fit her sexy curves like a glove. Her sandals were brown and laced up over her hard, sexy calves. She had her hair braided across the front of her pretty face and down one side…and I wanted to take her right then and there in the limo. Once again I proved that I had the patience of a saint.
The ride in the little private airplane was quick and it was refreshing to watch and listen to the way she would “ooh” and “ahh” over everything she saw on the ground. I know that she’s flown before so it was twice as refreshing to see how unspoiled she was. That thought led me to think about what she told me the night before. I seriously wanted to kill someone every time I thought about that scum hurting her. I look at her and see nothing but pure, unspoiled beauty…who could ever harm that?
When we finally arrived at the beach house, she “oohed and ahhed” once more at the trees and gardens that led up to the front of the big wooden beach house. Her mouth fell open when I led her inside. The solid, white plaster walls rose up from a polished white tile floor. The fans were huge and made of cane. They were hunk from the dark wood of the exposed beams in the ceiling and stirred the salty air that floated in across the crisp white sands that led out to the ocean.
“Oh my God! I love the furniture! Who decorated it for you?”
I smiled. “I decorated it myself,” I told her.
“You did not!”
I laughed. “Yes, I did. My mother was a decorator. I learned a thing or two from her. I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. I want to see the rest.”
I took her on the tour then. The furniture in each room was Spanish and made of dark wood or wicker. The drapes that covered the window were white with tiny little Spanish roses embroidered into them. The dining room table was dark wood and could seat a party of twelve. Expansive windows framed the house all the way around and let in the sunlight at all hours of the day. There was a moon roof over the large California King bed in the bedroom and at night when the conditions were right, you could see the stars. The kitchen was gourmet with white granite counters. There was a Jacuzzi tub in the master bath and the pièce de ré·sis·tance…to me anyways is the large deck that looks out over the aqua ocean.
Samantha stood on it now and the look on her face was pure joy. It was a look I was proud to have been a part of, and a look I wanted to continue to put there for a very long time. I took a chance that she wouldn’t push me away and I stepped up behind her and wrapped my hands around her waist. She actually leaned back into me and my heart began to race, just like that. We stood there enjoying the fresh ocean air and the feel of each other’s bodies for a long time.
“Are you hungry?”
“For what?” she asked with a grin.
“Oh, one of those?” I asked turning her around. “You’re only hungry if the food being offered is something you’re interested in, right?”
“Absolutely. I did have breakfast already, so what do you have to offer that could possibly top my oatmeal and blueberries.”
“That’s going to be hard, but have a seat and I’ll go see what I can do.” She looked skeptical, but she sat in the wicker lounge chair with the deep, comfortable padding and turned her pretty face up to the sun…Patience, Alex. Not much longer now. I couldn’t help but press a quick kiss to her throat before going in.
I’d had the staff that takes care of the house when I’m not here stock the things I needed. I opened the refrigerator and found a tray of beautifully dipped, chocolate covered strawberries. A platter of fresh cut fruit, orange juice, chilled champagne and last but certainly not least… homemade cinnamon rolls in a pan on the counter. I gathered it all up, made us both a mimosa and pushed it outside on the breakfast cart. When I pulled off the cover her eyes went wide again. “Does it look okay?” I asked her.
“It looks amazing…almost too pretty to eat.”
I let my eyes travel up and down her body as I poured the champagne over her juice and said, “Nothing is too pretty to eat.” She blushed and it heated my body.
We sat down and I tried to concentrate on the meal and not the woman across the table. It was practically impossible as I watched her beautiful lips take in the fresh fruit and I thought about licking the sweet juice off of them. I was staring at her when she suddenly turned towards me. “So, I told you my horror story last night, it’s your turn to tell me about you.” I tucked away the thoughts of rubbing chocolate covered strawberries all over her body…for now…
“What would you like to know?”
“Where did you grow up?”
“I grew up in Naples. My father was the captain of a tour boat and my mother was a stay at home mom.”
“Any siblings?”
“I have a sister. She lives in the States now so I see her when I have to be there on business. She married an attorney and they live in Miami. They’ve got two girls, Antoinette and Cara. They’re six and eight.” She smiled and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking. I took a chance and said, “You can’t see me as an uncle…or a brother, can you?”
With a little laugh into her glass, she took a sip of her mimosa. Putting the glass down she winked at me. “It is a stretch from your usual.”
I chuckled. “And what, pray tell, is my usual?”
“Alex…. you’re so serious all the time. You’re the most intense person I’ve ever met. I just wonder how that works with children.”
“My nieces adore me! Last time I was in town I took them to Disney World and we had a blast.” She took another sip of her drink and I could tell that she was trying to suppress a laugh. “It’s the truth,” I told her holding back my own laugh.
“I believe you. I was just trying to picture you with Mickey Mouse.”
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my wallet. Opening it up, I pulled out two photos and handed them to her. She laughed out loud when she looked at them. “Oh my goodness! Alex, they’re beautiful. And look at you with your Mouse ears on!”
“My nieces have the same opinions of me as you do. They find me too serious. So, last time I was there we went to the amusement park as a way of me proving to them that I’m capable of having fun. What I hadn’t realized was just how much fun it was actually going to be.”
In the pictures I did have on my mouse ears. Cara, the six year old insisted I get a pair with my name etched onto them. “They dared me to wear them all day, which I did. We went on every ride and we ate nothing but junk. By the time I took the home my sister didn’t know whether to give them a sedative or kick my butt for getting them all wound up, or both. It was actually one of the best days I’ve ever had. The girls and I made a pact to make it an annual thing.”
BWWM: OFF LIMITS: An Interracial Alpha Billionaire Romance (Urban African American Contemporary Series) Page 282