Simon took one last long look at Ashley, who was pouting in a way that, had this been any other situation, would have sent him from flaccid to hard in five seconds flat. She played with herself, watching him watch her as she pushed up her breast and drew her tongue across a hardened nipple. Simon groaned again.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, picking her up and depositing her on the couch. “You know how much I was looking forward to this.” As he spoke he pulled off the condom and yanked on his pants. He threw the condom in the trash and went in search of his blue shirt. “Make yourself at home, okay? Order room service or something, it’s on me.”
Ashley sighed, resigning herself to the situation. “Come here,” she said, reaching up to him. “Your hair’s a mess.”
Simon did up the last of the blue shirt’s buttons as she straightened his hair. “Don’t worry,” he said, “the makeup team will sort me out before I go on.” He left the top button of his shirt undone and Ashley had to admit his assistant had good taste. The dark blue of the shirt highlighted the blue of his eyes and his thick, black lashes. “I’m sorry,” he said again and kissed her one last time.
“Go on,” she replied, smacking his ass lightly. “Don’t make Oprah wait.”
“Room service!” Simon reminded her as he left. Ashley nodded, waving to him.
“Seriously, Jack?” Simon turned on his assistant as soon as the door was closed. “I told you I was busy this afternoon.”
“I know, I know,” replied Jack, Simon’s skinny, harried-looking personal assistant. He adjusted the Bluetooth piece in his ear. “If it had been anyone other than Oprah I wouldn’t have let them change last minute like this. But…”
“It’s Oprah,” Simon nodded. “You’re right, you’re right.”
“You might want to think hard about your grandmother in the elevator, though,” Jack said as they waited for it to arrive. “I don’t think doing an interview with Oprah with a gigantic hard on will be very good for your brand image.”
Simon looked down. His erection was still very much in evidence, despite having been tucked into his waistband. “And you’re right again,” he said. “God, I hate my life right now.”
“Tell me about your grandmother’s house,” Jack prompted as they stepped into the elevator. “Did she have any cats?”
Simon laughed. “Two. And it smelled like vegetables.” He could feel his hard on fading already.
***
The interview with Oprah went swimmingly – Simon was as charming as ever. They discussed his new book, which was aimed at busy families to help them use more fresh vegetables and fewer processed foods in their diet. As it turned out, discussing his grandmother with Jack in the elevator had been useful not only because of his erection but also because it reminded him of the influence his grandmother had had on his career.
Despite his celebrity clientele, his new cookbook had been born because he’d wanted to go back to his culinary beginnings and help other families with limited time and limited budgets eat healthy and delicious meals. Even after all these years, he hadn’t forgotten his late night dinners with his exhausted mother or how happy and proud of him she’d been every time he’d made something new. Oprah, of course, had been thrilled by this story and proclaimed the book a triumph. They’d hugged and thanked each other and, three hours after he’d left Ashley in his hotel room, Simon was finally on his way back – his arms full of resumes that he needed to review before dinner.
“Don’t forget to look over those applications,” Jack reminded him for the fifth time as Simon stepped out of the elevator. “We need to get staff signed on by next Wednesday if we want the new restaurant to open on time.”
“I know, Jack, I know. You already told me.”
“I’ll be back later tonight to pick them up.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll take a look at them as soon as I sit down. I promise.”
Jack harrumphed disbelievingly but said nothing else as the elevator doors closed between him and his employer.
Running a hand through his thick black hair, Simon unlocked his hotel room door. They were in Boston for another few days and he had several more interviews to do before they left for Miami. There, they would be filming several special themed episodes for his cooking show. Simon had always wanted to devote a few episodes to Cuban-inspired cuisine and Miami was as close as he was going to get to the Caribbean island. Not to mention, he was looking forward to doing his runs on the beach while they were there. Not much could beat alone time with a beach full of beautiful bikini-clad girls as the backdrop.
“What the—” Simon shut the door behind him, gaping at Ashley. She was still lounging on his couch, although now back in her dress. “What are you doing here?”
Ashley muted the show she was watching on HBO and smiled at him. “You’re in luck, Simon. My afternoon appointment canceled on me last minute so I’m free for a little while yet. Mind you,” Ashley frowned, “that’s the third time Janice has canceled on a training session. I’m starting to think she’s not taking her physical fitness regime as seriously as she should.” Ashley was a personal trainer at an upscale local gym. Like Simon, she worked making the rich and famous feel happy and, like Simon, she had become relatively rich and famous in the process.
“Maybe she’s found someone else?” Simon offered, throwing the stack of resumes Jack wanted him to read on the table.
Ashley raised her eyebrows. “Is that any way to talk to someone who’s been waiting for you for over three hours? And here I was thinking you might be a little more appreciative.”
“Oh, I am appreciative, Ashley. I am.” Simon undid the buttons of his shirt, pulling it off. Ashley smiled with pleasure and watched him strip for her.
“Did you order food?” he asked as he undid his belt.
Ashley nodded, sitting up and pulling her dress up over her head, leaving her hair perfectly mussed. “The most expensive thing on the menu,” she told him, looking up at him through her lashes.
Simon licked his lips as he pulled off his pants. “I expected nothing less. You deserve it. I can’t believe you waited.”
She smiled, putting her hands on his hips and eyeing his growing erection. “Trust me, baby, you’re worth it.” She dipped her head and swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock. Simon dug his fingers into her hair, groaning enthusiastically.
This time, Ashley didn’t fool around and soon she had taken his entire length into her beautiful mouth, her tongue lapping at his shaft and head. While she worked, she watched his face contort with pleasure and smiled.
“No, come on,” Simon protested feebly, trying to concentrate as she did something magical with her hand. “Let me make it up to you. It’s my turn.”
Ashley pulled away and clicked her tongue at him. “You’ll do as I say, buddy. I waited so I call the shots. And, right now, I want to blow you.” Ashley was always very blunt about sex and it always turned Simon on to hear her talk like that.
“Okay,” he said meekly. “Lucky me, I guess.”
“You better believe it,” Ashley responded before returning her attention to his erection. The tip of his cock had just reached the back of her throat when there was a knock at the door.
“No,” said Simon.
“You have got to be kidding me,” said Ashley, removing his penis from her mouth and glaring at the door.
“No,” Simon repeated, this time at the loss her mouth.
“Simon, it’s your mom on line three. You gonna pick up or what?” Jack’s voice was apologetic.
Simon put his head in his hands.
“Do not tell me that I just waited for three hours only to have you ditch me for your mom, Simon,” Ashley threatened.
“I’m sorry, Ashley, but I haven’t talked to her in weeks.”
“Simon—”
“I’ve got to.”
Ashley stood, throwing up her hands. “Well, at least the lobster was good,” she said, tugging her dress back on.
“Baby, i
t’ll only take a minute—”
“So will finding someone else to sleep with,” Ashley replied as she pulled on her heels. “Let me know next time you’re actually free,” she said, picking up her purse and leaving in a huff.
“Oh, hello.” Simon could hear Jack’s bemused greeting from the hall.
“Tell my mom I’ll be right there,” he called to his assistant.
“Yeah,” Jack replied, “I’d made that connection already. The miffed-looking blonde clued me in.”
“You’re hilarious, Jack,” Simon muttered as he pulled on his underwear. Today really wasn’t his day.
“Hi mom,” Simon picked up the landline, settling into the couch.
“And don’t forget about those resumes!” Jack called through the door.
“I’m on the phone!” Simon shouted back.
“Right, sorry,” Jack replied and left Simon in peace.
“Who was that?” his mother asked, sounding confused.
“Oh, it was just Jack, mom. You know how he gets. Like a dog with a bone,” Simon told her.
“Oh, Jack, yes. I liked him when you brought him home that one time. He seemed like a hard worker.”
“He is, he is,” Simon agreed. “I don’t know what I’d do without him. But anyway, how are you?”
“I’m doing great, sweetie.” He could hear her smile through the phone and he smiled in return. “That new car you bought me is just a dream to drive. All my friends’ husbands are wildly jealous. Every time I go over to visit one of the girls, all the guys come out and stand around petting it like it’s a cat and comparing statistics about horsepower and mileage. It keeps them out of our hair nearly all evening,” his mother chuckled.
“And what about you? Have you found a nice man yet?”
“Ha!” his mother guffawed and he could picture her slapping her knee with her hand. “I’m about as likely to settle down as you are, Simon. I just don’t have the patience for men anymore.”
“You have the patience for me,” Simon pointed out.
“That’s because you are the loveliest son a mother could ever have asked for, honey. I don’t need anyone else but you.”
“Aw shucks, mom,” Simon smiled despite himself.
“Now enough about my boring life. Tell me the news. That new book is coming out. You must be run off your feet. It seems like everywhere I look you’re doing a guest appearance or an interview or something. Sometimes I wonder if the only time you have to eat is during your cooking show.”
“There are times when it feels like that,” Simon admitted. “But it’ll calm down in a few weeks once the book’s been launched. I’m heading to Miami in a few days. I told you that, right?”
“Yes, and I was very tempted to say I’d meet you there. It’s been ages since I went to Florida. But I figured the last thing you’d want while you were down there on the beach with all those pretty girls was your old mom following you around and heckling you to put on more sunscreen.”
Simon laughed. More likely his mom would go off exploring in some less-than-savoury neighborhood and he’d get so worried he’d send half his staff out to find her. After working as an inner-city emergency room nurse for most of her life she had a much higher tolerance for ‘excitement’, as she put it, than her son did.
“Well, to be honest, mom, you just scared off a very pretty girl,” Simon admitted.
“What? Right now? No!” she replied in disbelief.
“Yep. And a blonde to boot.”
“I can’t believe you left a blonde to talk to your mother. You’re young and handsome, Simon. Enjoy it while you can. One day, you’ll be old and wrinkly like me. God, what sort of son have I raised?”
Simon laughed. “A loyal one,” he said.
“Oh, honey,” his mother replied, her voice serious again. “You don’t need to miss out on having some well-deserved fun just to prove you’re a loyal son. I already know you’re the best son there is. I would never hold it against you.”
“I know. But it’s been weeks since we’ve had the chance to talk.”
“Well, I hope the girl wasn’t too upset. I would be. Getting passed over for someone’s mother, good grief!”
Simon laughed again. “She’ll get over it,” he promised.
“You better make it up to her next time.”
“I will. And I’ll tell her you said so.”
“Good. I don’t want her thinking I’m some domineering old bat!”
“Eh, you’re retired now. People can think whatever they want about you.”
“True,” his mother replied. “Very true.”
“Also, I was thinking that in a week or two I could fly you out for a few days? I’ll be in Phoenix after Miami. I’ll still be busy, but I can ask Jack to see if he could get me a day off. We could go to the Grand Canyon or something.”
“That sounds divine, Simon. I’d love to visit Arizona. Will it be a private jet this time?”
Simon chuckled. “No, mom, I’m not that rich.”
His mother sighed. “I just want to see Evie and Grace’s husband’s faces when I tell them you’re flying me God-knows-where on your private jet,” she joked. “They’d die of jealousy.”
“Okay, Mom. I’ll ask Jack if we can work that into the budget somehow.”
“Great. See? What did I say? Absolutely the best son on the planet. Now tell me all about Oprah. Is she really that friendly? I made a bet on it with Evie.”
Settling further into the couch, Simon recounted his interview. As silly as it sounded, he never regretted choosing his mother over casual sex, no matter how painful it was at the moment. She always managed to make his hectic life seem normal.
Chapter 2
Miami was everything Simon wanted it to be: full of delicious food, sunshine, and beautiful girls. If only he didn’t have to spend most of his time admiring all three of those things from a distance.
“Oh God, Jack, please. Just one drink? My treat. Hell, I’ll buy you the whole goddamn bar if you say yes.” Their first day of filming was coming to a close and Simon was feeling unusually antsy. He wasn’t sure if it was his upcoming vacation or his thwarted hook up with Ashley, but he really needed to let off some steam. “We haven’t had a night off in…in…God, I don’t even remember the last time. New York, maybe? How sad is that? We are young and beautiful, Jack! Why are we wasting this?”
“Because you still haven’t chosen a sous-chef for the Boston branch and we need to go over your notes for tomorrow’s interview with the local morning show.”
“Okay, how about a compromise?” Simon asked as he undid the green-and-white striped apron he always wore during his show. “We take the resumes to a bar, have dinner, go over the options, choose one, and then get plastered.”
“Did you not hear the part about your interview with a morning show tomorrow?”
“Right,” Simon pouted, snapping his fingers.
“That’s too bad.” One of the aides had overheard their conversation and leaned over, resting her forearms on the film set counter so that they bracketed her cleavage perfectly. Her filmy blue scoop-necked shirt slipped a little, revealing one smooth, honey-colored shoulder. She cocked her head, watching the two men watch her, and smiled. “Some of the other girls and I were really hoping to show you guys around town tonight. So you could get to know some of the local…color.” She bit her bottom lip, wrapping a dark curl of hair around one slender finger.
Simon looked at Jack. His assistant rolled his eyes. Simon pouted again. Jack looked over at the dark-haired beauty in front of them, then back at his boss, then down at the resumes in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he said to the aide, “but we really need to get some work done tonight.”
Simon groaned. “How about tomorrow, uhh–” he paused, unsure of the woman’s name.
“Keziah,” she replied, standing up straight again. “And tomorrow would be fine for us… if you can get away from your keeper,” she raised one eyebrow in challenge. Rubbing salt in the wound
, Keziah gave Simon a once over and shrugged, as if unimpressed by what she saw. Without another word, she turned and left them. Both men watched her ass sway in its tight, acid-wash jeans as she sashayed away.
“I know, I know,” said Jack, holding up a hand to keep Simon from saying whatever it was he was planning on saying. Simon raised his eyebrows but kept silent. “Tomorrow night, man. I promise. I know you missed out in Boston with Tiffany --”
“Ashley,” Simon corrected him.
“With Ashley,” Jack continued, “and I’ll do my best to get you some free time tomorrow night. No surprise reschedulings and no morning interviews the next day.”
Big Bad Billionaires [Volume 1] Page 72