Around the World in 80 Men Series Boxed Set 1-10

by Brandi Ratliff

  “Tanner! How are you?”

  “I'm great, beautiful. I get my cast off on Sunday, a bit early, so I'm happy. But, I'm even happier that you called. Where are you now?” Morgan could hear the excitement in his voice and she felt her own heart begin to race.

  “That's wonderful! I guess it wasn't so bad then?” Morgan laughed and was relieved that his cast was coming off. She still felt like it was partially her fault he had broken his ankle in the first place. “I'm in Texas right now, waiting on a flight to Bra....” Her phone was beeping for her attention. Finlay.

  “Tanner, can you hold for one second, I have another call?” She figured she would just tell Finlay that she'd call him back in few minutes. Tanner said he'd wait and Morgan switched over to his call. “Fin?”

  “Aye, lass. It's nice tae hear yer voice,” Finlay spoke.

  “You too, Fin. Can I call you back in a few minutes, I have another call?”

  At first, Finlay was upset that she had another caller, assuming it was probably another client. He immediately thought of Sean. Then he thought of the Aussie lad. He shook the thoughts and decided he was happy because whoever she was talking to, he had been the one she called first.

  He ignored her question, hoping to postpone her getting back to the other person. “Where are ye, love?”

  Morgan sighed into the phone. Of course Finlay wasn't going to make things easy. She quickly explained that she was in Texas, waiting on a flight to Brazil. Then she explained that it was going to be a quick trip and she was only accompanying her client until Monday.

  “So yer coming here, aye?” Finlay spoke in more of a know-for-a-fact kind of way more than a question.

  What? No. I can't go there. Shit, I haven't even thought of it. No, I am not going to Scotland. What if he left me again? “No, Fin, I'm not coming there.”

  Finlay asked her why and she simply told him that what they have is different than the relationship she has with her other clients and she felt that they needed a break after what they had been through the week prior. Finlay wasn't thrilled with her answer, but he understood. They said a quick goodbye with a promise of calling later and Morgan switched back over to Tanner.

  “Sorry about that,” Morgan apologized for keeping him waiting.

  “Not a problem.” She heard the smile in his voice and it gave her a smile of her own.

  “Anyway. I'm headed to Brazil for a four day weekend. The guy only....well, it's a short stay. I'll have the rest of the week off. I think I might just sight see around Rio when I'm done,” Morgan explained the situation to him as well.

  “Well, you can come here...” Tanner suggested.

  Morgan didn't understand what came over her, but her next words surprised herself more than they had Tanner. “I'd love that! Okay, I'll come and see you!” She thought of the gift she had for him and decided it would be perfect. But there was more than just giving him a little tiki head, and she wasn't quite sure why she had been so quick to agree, when she had just turned Finlay down.

  She thought of taking her words back, to give herself time to think about why she had agreed so quickly, but Tanner didn't allow her the chance to take it back. “Great! I'll get your ticket and call you with the details.” Morgan nodded slowly into the phone, then answered.

  “Uh..sounds great. I guess I'll talk to you over the weekend sometime.” Tanner agreed, and the call was ended with one confused girl and one happy man.

  Morgan held the phone against her chin as she thought about what had just happened. Fin. The handsome Scot made her blood warm with just a simple thought of the man, and Morgan wondered who this new woman was that just showed herself without warning. She knew that she wanted to see Finlay, but something had more than just warned her, it had taken over. Maturity. The very thing he said that I would gain in time.

  Maturity. Morgan decided that it sucked, and it would have been so much easier to run back to him and tell him how much she had missed him. But she couldn't, and it was a turning point in her life that was subtle, but unmistakable. The fact that Finlay had left her when he didn't have to, then only wanted her back when she told him that she wouldn't wait, would never have been enough to make her turn her back on a man that she cared about in the past. I'm worth more than that, Fin.

  Morgan had no idea where her relationship with Finlay would lead, if anywhere, but she was ready to mentally tackle her next problem; Tanner.

  The stud from down under had been her friend from the moment they met, but she knew herself well enough to admit that if Angela had suggested a visit, Morgan's body wouldn't react the way it had when she heard Tanner's voice. What is wrong with me? I miss all of them! Her heart still ached for having to leave Kole, and her mind wouldn't stop going right back to Tanner.

  *****

  “Don't be lost, don't be lost..” Morgan chanted her wish as she watched the same luggage pass in front of her for the third time. “Aha!” Her bright pink bags finally made an appearance and she leaned forward with her arm out as they came around to the front.

  “Oohh nice ass, Docinho de côco. He's gonna like you!” Morgan spun around to face the owner of the ass comment.

  A very handsome man with a small frame was openly running his eyes along every inch of Morgan's body. “Uh, I take it you were talking to my ass?” Morgan had to laugh when the man in front of her started to fan himself from the very sight of her. His clothing was soaked from the run into the airport,but his tight curly black hair was perfectly dry and must have been well protected from the rain.

  “Oh, if I wasn't so damn gay, I'd keep ya for myself! Turn it around again and let me take another peek.” He twirled his finger around in front him while he put his other hand on his hip.

  Morgan giggled and found herself drawn to the flamboyant man who had made her feel more than comfortable. She put her hands out to her sides and spun in two full circles. “You approve?” She stopped and struck a pose with her face to the side and one hand on her hip.

  “Oh, I more than approve. Let's get you out of here before I forget where we are.” He grabbed her bags from the belt and nodded for her to take the lead.

  Chapter Two

  “Oh, baby, G is going to love that sweet ass of yours. Mmm...mmm...mmm, mmm, mmm!” Giovani's valet shut the passenger side door after he watched Morgan climb into the seat. Morgan giggled at the second joke about her ass.

  “It's not that great,” Morgan pinched her eyebrows at him after he climbed into the driver's side of the SUV.

  “Morgan, I know an ass when I see it. That's an ass.” He put the car into drive and they pulled out of the airport's parking lot. Morgan wished she had arrived a few hours earlier because it was pitch dark and she couldn't see anything around her.

  “Oh, shit. He's going to be sleeping, isn't he?” Morgan caught the time on the dashboard. 12:17 AM.

  “G? No boo, G never sleeps. I'll bet you anything that he's going to tap that ass tonight. Mhmm, he's gonna be alllll up on that.” The valet circled his hand widely in Morgan's direction and she giggled again. “By the way, sweet cheeks, I'm Angel, you're Morgan; awkward intro? Over.” He clapped his hands together and gave the blonde a big wink. He definitely had a way of making her extremely at ease. She found herself giggling at everything he said and it got her mind off of the Finlay/Tanner drama.

  “So, what does G do?” she asked. No, I like Gio better. She wondered how special one had to be to address themselves with one letter. I'm M. It's your pleasure to meet me. She shook the thought, but couldn't help wondering if G was going to be a total tool. Guess I'll find out.

  “Oil boo-boo. He's got fields all over the motha' fuckin' place. He just got back from Alaska two days ago, actually. You know that shit was cold! His family has all these investments and blah, blah, business stuff,” he explained, acting as if he were shooing away the boring business side of Gio's job with his hand flying haphazardly though the air. “All I know is he leaves for one week to s
ometimes three months. But he's home for a few days,” he looked over to Morgan who nodded. “Obviously. Right,” Angel caught his error. Of course she knew he was home for a few days.

  “ Anywhoooo. That's where you come in honey tits. See, when he's home, he likes to have a girl. Whether it be a girl from town, or..well, paid company, like yourself, he just likes the sure thing,” the man continued to explain.

  Morgan was actually relieved. Just a guy who wanted fun and didn't have the time for anything serious. Perfect.

  “So how is he? What kind of guy is he, I mean?” Morgan wanted to know more about her client.

  “Hmm,” Angel drew a finger to his chin as if he were deep in thought. “Well, I've worked for G for a few years, and one thing I know, I'll never do anything else. I loooove working for him. He's a take charge kind of guy. Knows what he wants in life and goes for it. He wants a new car, he gets it. He wants a new home, he gets it. He wants a fine ass girl in his bed,” he looked over to Morgan.

  “He gets it,” Morgan finished.

  “But he's not a jerk if that's what you're asking.

  “Good,” she smiled at Angel. She was going to like this Luigi.

  “Okay though, this is how it's probably going to go down. He's going to arrive around the same time as us. Bitch had some work to do.” Morgan giggled again at Angel calling his boss a bitch.

  “He's going to call down for a late dinner. I'll bring it up. As soon as dinner is over, it's going down, you wait and see,” he continued.

  Morgan didn't have to ask what was going down. She nodded again and waited for him to finish. Angel went on to talk more about Giovani and what she was in for with him. When Angel went on about how he was even a 'take charge' kind of man in the bedroom, her thoughts immediately went to Cade, the first man Julianne had given her to practice with.

  Remember your first lesson. Make him want me. I'll be changing that. Cade had a 'what can you do for me?' attitude and Morgan had turned it all around. She'd do the same with Gio if if came down to it. Yes, Gio. We're going to find out what you'll do for me. Morgan turned to look out the window and Angel said they were on the homestretch to G's home.

  After a driveway longer than Finlay's, they pulled up in front of the home. The home that you could have easily fit three of Fin's houses into. “Holy shit.”

  “I don't know what kind of clients you usually have green-eyes, but I'm goin' to tell you, G isn't a thousandaire. Nor a millionaire,” Morgan's eyes went wide as she realized where he was going with his statement. Giovani was a billionaire.

  The house looked like something you'd find on an MTV show. But even better. It was by far, the biggest mansion she had ever seen with her own eyes. “You'll have plenty of time to explore, let's get you inside before these bitch ass clouds cry on us again,” Angel was already opening her door before she had even noticed he wasn't still in the driver's seat.

  “Who needs all of this.....house?” Morgan was standing by the side of the SUV while Angel grabbed her bags. He had slapped her hand when she had reached to help him, so she went back to gazing at the light tan, three-story mansion. She couldn't wait to get inside.

  “Answer your phone, bitch. Answer it. Come on, answer your goddamn phone. Answer your fucking phone you worthless piece of...” Morgan looked to Angel, who was digging in his pocket to retrieve his phone. She laughed loudly at his choice of ring tone. It was a man's voice demanding the phone be answered, but sounded even more flamboyant than Angel.

  “Hello? Mhmm. Ohhhh yes,” Angel's eyes scanned Morgan's body at that last part, “she's here. Mhmm. Okay, will do.” Angel hung up the phone.

  “He's going to be a little late. Guess you'll get that tour now.” Angel retrieved her bags again and Morgan followed him up the short distance to the home from the driveway. As they walked toward the house, she was sure she caught a glimpse of a fountain around back. Hmm...

  “So this is the humble abode. Don't break anything,” Angel winked at Morgan again. “I'm going to change out of these wet clothes, feel free to look around.” He began up the wide staircase in the middle-rear of the room, then to the left and down a long hallway, finally disappearing from her sight.

  “I think I will!” Morgan slipped off her shoes and laid them on top of her bag. The cool tile floor felt comforting under her her toes as she made a left and found herself in the kitchen. “Wow.”

  “Wow.” Morgan turned around to see where her echo had come from.

  “Who's that?” she called out, making her way past the kitchen, and deeper into the home.

  “Who's that?” it mocked her again.

  “Ohhh. I see, where are you?” Morgan realized the 'voice' had to be a parrot, and she had to find it.

  “Where are you? Wow. Who's that?”

  Her little echo was getting louder. She continued talking to herself, following the mockery that followed. She ended up going in a big circle until she came around the back side of the kitchen, opposite the side she initially started. “Okay, bird. Show yourself.”

  The next thing Morgan saw was a blur of gold and blue as a huge parrot flew from the loft's banister to the back of one of the bar stools at the kitchen's island.

  “I knew it!” she gasped, bringing her hands over her heart. She bent in closer to the beautiful Macaw, “hi.”

  “Hello,” it responded.

  “Um...how are you?” It was the first thing Morgan could think of.

  “Good. How are you?”

  The young girl jumped back in surprise and awe. “Amazing!”

  “Eu te amo. Eu te amo. Eu te amo.”

  “Awwww, I love you too, little birdy,” Morgan put her hand out for the bird and it climbed onto her wrist with no hesitation.

  “Don't let him flatter you. PoPo says that shit to all the ladies,” Angel was back, standing behind the stool the bird had just occupied. They both laughed and the bird started mumbling more things in Portuguese. Angel translated for PoPo, but Morgan wasn't buying it.

  “Nice tits? He didn't say that!”

  “I swear it!” Angel crossed his heart with his hand and they both laughed until the sound of the front door caught their attention.

  “G's home.”

  Angel left the kitchen to meet his boss and Morgan put her hand down quickly next to the back of the stool. “Okay cutie, get off. PoPo, go on!” She twisted her arm forward, hoping he would climb back to the chair. The bird wasn't ready to leave, and he chose to climb up her arm and perch himself on her shoulder. Morgan turned her head and looked at his profile. “Look, you're a handsome guy and all, but you need to get off...”

  “Morgan! So nice to finally meet you.” Giovani's expensive leather boots clicked with each step across the kitchen. His eyes moved over her as the appreciation of her beauty showed in the form of a very wide smile that displayed the man's perfect white teeth. As Morgan tried to focus on her new handsome client, her eyes moved to Angel who had trailed in behind him. The small man stood five feet behind his boss and pretended to grab an invisible person and proceed to hump him in an exaggerated, yet silent, ecstasy. Morgan had to look down and hide her smile when Angel began to smack the ass of his invisible partner.

  “Nice to meet....you...,” she couldn't hold it in anymore, the giggles took hold and Morgan doubled over in laughter. She looked up through her watery eyes and tried to apologize, but all she could do was snort each time she attempted to speak. PoPo clung to her shoulder and mocked her laughter perfectly. Giovani crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. He never took his eyes off of her when he spoke to the cause of the scene.

  “Angel, if you could please find enough maturity to prepare a meal, I would appreciate it.” The valet quickly put his arms to his sides and apologized, which was followed by one more quick air hump before he walked away.

  “I'm sorry....I'm just exhausted and I'm afraid my manners went to sleep hours ago.” Morgan wiped the tears from her eyes and managed to gain co
ntrol of herself. “It's very nice to meet you as well.” She extended her hand and the bird ran down her arm and stopped at her wrist. When Giovani attempted to take her hand, PoPo bit his finger then ran back up Morgan's arm.

  He pulled his hand back quickly and looked at the bird, “PoPo, go to your room!” Giovani was still smiling, but tried to put enough authority in his voice to make the bird listen. The beautiful Macaw looked at Morgan quickly, then flew from her shoulder. His voice echoed through the kitchen as he left their view.

  “Eu te amo!”

  “I love you too, PoPo.” Morgan answered him as she looked back to her client.

  Giovani looked around as if to check for anymore distractions. “Well, it would seem that you've enamored my assistant as well as my bird.” He took a step forward and slipped his hands around hers and held them to his chest. “If that's what you're capable of when you're exhausted, I can't wait to find out what you can do when you're well rested.” He brought her hands to his full lips and kissed them both slowly. “Let's get you upstairs and then we'll have a late dinner.” Morgan relaxed at the thought of food, and tried to enjoy the stranger's warm touch.

  She followed his lead as he held her hand and walked them to the stairs. I can do this. She tried to talk herself into the inevitable with each step they took up the white spiral staircase.

  Having sex wasn't a problem, but so far she'd been pretty lucky to have a little time to get to know her clients before jumping right in. With the exception of Cade, who technically was never a client, she had spent several hours, at least, with each man before they were intimate.

  She scanned the back of his lean body as they turned the corner to his bedroom. His jeans fit perfectly and had probably cost him more than anything she had owned in her small apartment. His black boots were also something to be admired and she wondered if the were real alligator. Of course they are. Morgan smiled at the color of his long sleeved button down shirt, light purple, because she knew that very few men could pull off a color like that. But his thick black wavy hair that barely touched his shoulders, and his lightly tanned skin, made the shirt look perfect on him. The man was more than handsome, he was nearly flawless. Money helped quite a bit with his too-perfect teeth and perfect thick hair, but even without it, she was certain that he would be just as gorgeous. The only problem she could see was that he was all too aware of how good looking he was.