by Opal Carew
How could she sit here calmly talking about how she’d arrange her finances while staring at an e-mail offering her fifty thousand dollars for her to give up her virginity to a total stranger?
“You’ll figure it out.” Elli nudged her arm. “Now answer it before you change your mind.”
“Are you not hearing me?” Dana said frantically. “I’ve already changed my mind.”
“Dana.”
At Elli’s serious tone, Dana met her gaze.
“It’s your decision, but I still think it’s a good idea. I gave my virginity to a dumb jock in high school, and all I got out of it was a pregnancy scare.”
She leaned forward, and Dana stared into Elli’s calming brown eyes.
“All you have to do is sleep with some hot, sexy, billionaire.”
“He might not be hot and sexy.”
“But that’s not what you’re worried about. You’re worried about the fact he’s a stranger. Well, just think of it as a blind date. You’ll meet, you’ll see if he seems nice, and if you’re attracted to him. And you don’t have to worry about him hurting you or anything, because Sammy told me that these guys are cleared, and they’re told if they do anything the woman doesn’t like, they’ll be held accountable. Including being banned from the service.”
Elli squeezed Dana’s arm. “This place is reputable and wants to stay in business. Everything is going to be okay.”
* * *
Having made the decision, Dana felt a calmness come over her. A day after she’d answered the e-mail, she received confirmation, telling her she was to see a lawyer who would have her sign a contract. It was a fairly simple agreement that laid out the understanding. She would meet with the man and then decide if she wanted to go through with it. If she did want to proceed, there was another paper she would sign once she decided.
A date was selected for her to meet with him—two weekends from now—and a limousine would pick her up to take her to the meeting. Probably at a hotel—Elli told her that most of the men didn’t want the women to know their real addresses so there’d be no chance of the women bothering them afterward. This was meant to be a one-time thing, though the one time might occur over a weekend or several dates, depending on what the particular client wanted and what made the woman comfortable.
Dana’s particular “sponsor,” as they called them, wanted her to come for the weekend. The lawyer explained that it would give them time to get to know each other.
After meeting with the lawyer, Dana went to an appointment with a personal shopper. The woman took her measurements and asked her many questions about her color and style preferences for clothing, even having Dana select various wardrobe items from pictures. She had half-expected lingerie, but the woman showed her everything from jeans and casual tops, to evening gowns, shoes … everything. The personal shopper explained that it helped her to understand Dana’s taste. Clearly, Dana’s benefactor wanted her to be comfortable in what she wore on this sinful weekend, which was a good sign.
Finally, the day arrived. Usually she spent the better part of her weekend doing her assignments for the following week, but she’d worked frantically to ensure she had them all done.
She grabbed her overnight bag and walked down the stairs and out the door of her small apartment building. She was told she didn’t need to bring anything, but she had her toiletries, her own pajamas, and a few books. And her laptop. Surely there’d be some time for her to spend by herself to catch up on her e-mail and maybe do some of next week’s readings.
A black limousine pulled up in front of her and the driver got out of the car.
“Ms. Reynolds?”
“Yes, that’s me.” She shivered a little, wondering whether the man who was going to …
She sucked in a deep breath.
Was her sponsor in the car?
But when the driver opened the door for her, she saw it was empty inside.
She tried to relax as the car glided along the road. There were refreshments within easy reach, but she ignored the individual-size bottles of wine, beer, and soda. Instead she grabbed a water bottle and opened it.
So this was it. She’d made the decision and was now in a big, fancy limousine on her way to meet the man who would bed her and take her to womanhood. She shivered at the realization that her deflowering would simply be a business arrangement. Meaning nothing to the man except a diversion. Whereas to her it would be …
What would it be, exactly? When she was younger, she’d thought it would be a momentous occasion. Something a woman never forgot.
As she got older and her friends started losing their V-cards, though, she realized it wasn’t such a big deal. But then why did she feel like she was about to lose something important? She rested back in the seat.
She could get all depressed thinking about giving it up to a stranger, to whom it meant nothing.
Or, she could think of it as her defining moment. A moment where she decided to take advantage of what she had to offer and leverage it to give herself the future she wanted.
But that was all too distant. The man was going to kiss her. Touch her. Make her feel things she’d never felt before.
For that one time, she was going to be the center of his attention.
She closed her eyes. What did he look like? She imagined a big, broad-shouldered man in a suit sitting beside her, leaning in close. He cupped her face and lifted it toward him, his deep blue eyes locking on hers. And his face … oh, God, it was his face.
She had dreamed of him for years. And in those dreams, she was able to explore what she could never contemplate in real life.
His lips took hers and she melted against him. Loving his powerful hold on her as he drew her close to his body. Her heart beating frantically as his lips moved on hers, and his tongue pushed between her lips and claimed her mouth.
Oh, God, she’d always dreamed that he would be the one to take her to womanhood, but that would be unthinkable. It just couldn’t be.
He had walked out of her life forever, so even if it hadn’t been forbidden, it was clear he didn’t want anything to do with her anyway.
She was tired of being abandoned by others. She was in charge of her own life now. Not like when she’d been younger. When her mother and others had still had the power to make her feel helpless and alone.
* * *
Ten Years Earlier
Dana was sixteen years old and her mother had done it again. Gotten married. But not like a normal divorced mother who would introduce her intended to her daughter to let her get used to the idea, then have a wedding, and then move her daughter and herself into their new home.
No, her mother met the guy on vacation, married him in some exotic location, then proceeded on an around-the-world cruise with him, sending her daughter a letter apologizing for the delay in returning. Then she had her lawyers arrange to have the house sold, and to have Dana and her stuff picked up and dumped on the steps of her new stepfather’s house.
An impressive home, she realized as she stared at the huge entryway and the tall columns rising up from the marble floor. Mom had money from her previous divorces, and so Dana was used to living in nice homes, but this place … this mansion … was huge and the height of elegance.
But also cold. And cavernous.
The butler took her bags and led her to her room. Or rather, “her quarters,” as he called them. She stood in the doorway, stunned at the opulence of the place. It wasn’t just a bedroom. It had a living room and a dining room attached. And even a small kitchen stocked with snacks.
“Dinner will be served at eight,” the butler informed her. “Please don’t be late.” Then he turned and strode away.
Once she’d settled in, she left her quarters and strolled around, wanting to familiarize herself with the place. It was so big and daunting. There were a few servants around, but they just ignored her.
She managed to find the dining room and was surprised to find only one place set. She shouldn’t reall
y be surprised. She knew Mom was still away, but a small part of her had hoped that her mother had actually returned to surprise her. That she wouldn’t really just leave her here all alone in this new, strange place.
But, no. That night Dana ate alone, then returned to her room and cried herself to sleep. The next morning, she ate breakfast alone, and the butler guided her to the front door where a limo waited to take her to school.
A week went by with her going to school and returning to the big, lonely house. She might as well have been living there all alone. She cried herself to sleep most nights, wishing she had someone to talk to. Her friends at school didn’t understand. She was living in a huge house, with a pool and tennis courts. What more could she possibly want?
It was Friday night and she wondered, if she asked for the chauffeur to drive her to the movies with her friends, would he do it? She tried to get the nerve up to ask, but finally decided the stress wasn’t worth it.
As she opened her book bag and pulled out the weekend’s homework, a knock sounded at her door. She dropped the books on her desk and walked toward the door.
The butler never knocked, leaving her to her own devices. Had someone come to visit her?
She pulled open the door, then stared in awe at the handsome man standing in the doorway.
* * *
Present Day
“We’re here, Miss.”
The driver stopped the car and got out, then opened her door and helped her from the car. They stood in front of a tall, elegant-looking building. It didn’t look like a hotel. More like a luxury apartment building. The driver rolled her overnight bag to the front door and the doorman opened the door for her. The driver led her across the impressive lobby—with its marble floors, tall pillars, and huge floral arrangements—to an elevator.
“This is a private elevator.” He slid a card into a slot and the door opened. “It will take you to the penthouse.” Then he handed her the card and walked away.
The door closed and her stomach fluttered as the elevator started moving upward.
When the door opened, she stepped into a huge apartment with windows overlooking the city. She stepped from the elevator onto the gleaming, dark hardwood floor of the foyer, expecting her benefactor to be waiting for her. But there was no one in sight.
She glanced around at the elegantly furnished penthouse, with light walls and leather couches and chairs. The wood furniture had clean lines and large pieces of abstract art hung on the walls. The whole look was balanced by the softness of the plush carpets and cushions.
She walked across the floor and stared out at the city below. The sun was setting and the windows of the other buildings were bathed in orange light.
“Like the view?” a male voice asked from behind her.
A prickle started along the back of her neck, then moved down her spine.
It wasn’t the voice of a stranger.
It was him.
She turned slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. “Mason?” Astounded, she stared at the man she hadn’t seen in eight years.
“Hello, Dana.”
The shock of seeing him had thrown her totally off balance, but now she remembered the situation.
“Oh my God, you’re the one? But … you can’t…” she sputtered.
He raised his eyebrow in that way she remembered. “Can’t what? Be the one who takes your virginity?”
Her eyes widened. “That’s right. We just … I mean…” She stared at him—the man who had left when she was eighteen. The man who’d made her feel special and cared for in a time when she had felt like nothing.
The man who haunted her hottest and most forbidden dreams.
She sucked in a breath and tried again. “You’re my stepbrother, for God’s sake.”
* * *
The second Mason laid eyes on her, his breath caught. Dana had been stunning even at sixteen, but now … Good God, she just oozed alluring-yet-innocent sexuality.
“Ex-stepbrother. Which doesn’t really count.”
He had lived in the same house with her when his father had been married to her mother, but only briefly, so it didn’t really count as a familial relationship, but that didn’t change the fact that he had no intention of taking her to bed.
His intent was to shake her up, and ensure that she didn’t try a stunt like this again. Because whether they were actually related or not, he had an intensely strong protective instinct where she was concerned. He always had.
He stepped toward her and she stepped back, then started to walk away. He grasped her arm and pulled her toward him, determined to push her to the limit.
“We haven’t seen each other in a long time. Don’t I deserve a kiss?”
He pulled her against him and into his arms. He had intended it to be just a quick brush of lips, wanting to shake her a little, but the feel of her softness against him threw him off-balance.
She sucked in a soft breath just before his lips captured hers, then the sweetness of her mouth became a temptation he couldn’t resist. His tongue swept between her lips and she whimpered softly. A vibrating need pulsed through him, his groin tightening with a desire he would not allow.
He drew back, blanking his expression as he stared down at her wide eyes. As soon as he released her, she skittered across the carpet to the couch, putting it between the two of them.
“You can’t really mean it. You don’t really intend to…” She frowned, her cheeks a vivid red.
He walked to the big armchair and sat down, then gestured for her to sit on the couch facing him. Warily, she walked around the couch and sat down.
“So tell me, Dana. Why are you selling your body?”
“I’m not selling my body. I’m…” She wrapped her arms around herself, hugging tightly.
He raised an eyebrow. “Really? What do you call it?”
“Okay, yeah. That’s exactly what I’m doing. But just this one time.”
“This first time.”
Once he’d gotten over the shock of seeing Dana on a website offering to sell her virginity, he had wondered how she could claim she was a virgin, since he had assumed she had given that up on her prom night. But he’d never doubted her honesty.
“Look, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a business arrangement. People have sex all the time.” She shrugged. “It’s like a blind date, that’s all. With someone who’s been recommended by a friend.”
“Really?”
“Well, yeah, in that I know the guy will be safe. The service is really careful.”
He thought she was being more than a little naïve.
“You still haven’t told me why you’re doing it.”
“I need the money for school. It’s enough to pay for my tuition until I graduate. It’s really important to me and this is the only way I can afford it.”
He already knew this, but he wanted her to face what she was doing. To justify it out loud so she could realize what a bad idea it was.
“Why? Won’t your mother pay for it?”
Dana shook her head. “No.”
“Why didn’t you work hard? Get a scholarship?”
Fire blazed in her eyes. “I did.”
“So what’s the problem?”
She hesitated. “My grades dropped last year.” But she said nothing more.
He crossed his arms. “I’d ask if it was because of a boy, but since you’re here it means you clearly weren’t screwing around.”
She pursed her lips. “It was my dad. He got very sick last year.” Her eyes glistened with moisture and he wished he hadn’t pushed her.
“Dana, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Is he all right?”
She shook her head and dashed away a tear. “He died. Six months ago.”
Ah, fuck. He stood up and walked to her, then settled down beside her. “I’m sorry. I know you were close.”
He drew her into his arms and held her. She rested her head against his chest as he stroked her hair back.
She’d alw
ays been a smart kid. Good in school. Bringing in the best grades in the class. But the distraction of her father being sick, then losing him. Of course she’d lost her scholarship.
He held her for a few minutes, comforting her. But her softness against him soon gave his body a different idea.
Fuck, if this weren’t Dana, he’d be pulling her into his arms and ravaging that sweet mouth of hers until she was breathless.
* * *
Dana’s heart pounded in her chest. Being held by Mason like this was so comforting. He was the only man, besides her father, she’d ever felt safe with.
He had been twenty-six when she and her mom had come to live with him and his father. Dana had been sixteen, and she’d idolized him. Like his father, he was handsome and confident. And he’d taken an interest in her, trying to get to know her. Wanting to make their little family work.
But she’d developed a huge crush on him. He might have been her stepbrother, but to her he was a handsome, sensitive guy who paid her a lot of attention and actually seemed to care about her. More than any of her stepfathers had.
More than her mom ever had.
He’d always had a lot going on, working at his father’s business, and following up ideas of his own, but when he was home, she’d hang out with him as much as she could. She remembered one time when he’d gone away to a conference for a week and when he’d come home, she’d flung herself into his arms and hugged him, never wanting to let him go.
Then she’d kissed him.
That kiss had surprised them both. It had deepened to one of passion, her heart pumping faster and harder than it ever had. A deep yearning had started inside her and she knew now, looking back, that if he’d been a different man—one willing to take advantage of a young woman—that he could have taken her on the spot.
But he wasn’t that kind of man.
At least he hadn’t been. But now …
She drew away from him. He’d bought her virginity. Pure and simple. And he’d already shown his intent when he’d pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She was shaken by that kiss. There had been nothing brotherly about it.
This yearning for him had been with her since she’d first met him ten years ago. It still blazed inside of her.