My Billionaire Boss

by Gold, Bella

  “It’s not the sort of thing you put on Facebook, Em.”

  “You could send him a private message.”

  “I could, but I think this sort of news ought to be delivered in person.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “So can we get a message to him? And can we meet at your place?”

  “I can contact Matt.”

  “You won’t tell him why, though?”

  “Of course not, babe. But we can’t meet at mine. I’ve got a couple of decorators in.”

  “Getting rid of the old murky brown, huh?”

  “It wasn’t murky brown. It was beige.”

  “Very old beige.”

  “Not all that old. Maybe fifteen years?”

  “Murky brown…”

  “Okay, it was overdue for some freshening up. But the point is, we can’t use my place. Not until the weekend.”

  “But it’s Tuesday, Em. What am I going to do?”

  “We could use your place.”

  “What? Meet in the darkened living room where I have no curtains? Or the blacked-out hallway—which I share with four other residents?”

  “You have a bathroom with only one window.”

  “Yeah, that’ll be cozy. Sit down, Tim. I have something to tell you. Yeah, sure, the shower should be comfortable.”

  “I guess. Not much space for chairs in there.” Emily tapped her chin with a finger. “Hey, wait! We could use blindfolds!”

  “Blindfolds?” Tanya raised an eyebrow. “We’ll all be stumbling around like…”

  “Like we were in the dark?”

  “I guess. But I’m thinking the time for hiding might be over.”

  “Ahh…” Emily rotated the coffee cup with her forefinger. “Maybe not quite yet.”

  “Why?”

  “You might… I mean, he might not be ready to bear witness to your full glory.”

  “Wait, you said ‘You might.’ What do you mean by that?”

  “Well…” Emily refused to meet her friend’s eye. “Have you thought about how Tim might look?”

  “No, I haven’t. Wasn’t the whole point of this circus to avoid physical appearance?”

  “Yes,” Emily admitted. “But up to a point. I mean, you guys are okay with each other, right?”

  “If we’re not, there could be trouble ahead.”

  “So, if you’re gonna stick together, why not step into the light?”

  “That’s an appropriate metaphor.”

  “It was supposed to be. Look, Tan. I need to break this to you before you meet him with eyes wide open.”

  Tanya leaned back in her chair. “Aw, Jeez, Em. What in hell’s name have you done?”

  “Nothing, nothing. I mean, he’s not missing any body parts. Not really”

  “I know this. I’ve had my hands all over him. Wait. Not really?”

  “Then everything’s cool.”

  “Except you haven’t told me what the problem is.”

  Emily sighed. “Tim isn’t Caucasian, okay?”

  “That’s it?”

  “You’re okay with that?”

  “Em, it’s the twenty-first century, not the 1950s.”

  “I’m so happy you’re not freaking out on me right now.”

  “So what is he? Race-wise, I mean.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I’m curious.”

  “He’s Asian. And there might be something else.”

  “Go on…”

  “You’ll see when you meet him, Tan.”

  “Is this where not really comes in?”

  “Um… maybe.”

  “Em, tell me now, for fuck’s sake!”

  Emily stared at her friend for a long moment, then sighed. “Okay. When you meet him at your place, you’ll be blindfolded at first, but he won’t be.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “Because he won’t need one.” Emily dropped her head and stared at her knees.

  “He already knows what I look like, doesn’t he? You already told him, or showed him.”

  “Oh, Tan, that’s not it at all.”

  Tanya frowned. “Then what is it—at all?”

  “He’s never gonna know what you look like, not really.”

  Tanya stared at Emily. “I’ve been dating a blind guy?”

  “You’ve been doing more than dating him if you remember.”

  “Oh, I remember it very well.” She stared into her untouched latte. “But I wish you’d told me he was blind.”

  “Would it have mattered?”

  “It might.”

  “But you guys like each other, right?”

  “It was a lot of fun.”

  “Which you would have missed out on.”

  “I guess. But now the fun’s over.”

  “Doesn’t have to be.”

  “We gotta talk grown-up stuff.”

  “Tomorrow night?”

  Tanya nodded. “I’ll arrange some blindfolds.”

  Emily squeezed her friend’s hand. “I think the time for hiding is over.”

  Chapter 10

  Tanya drummed her fingers on the sofa’s arm. She’d been ready for an hour and a half, and with nothing else to do except wait, her mind had wandered, spinning into ever-tightening circles as she considered the consequences of her four weeks of passion in the darkness. She’d managed to get herself pregnant by a blind Asian guy she barely knew. Sure, he was as artistically inclined as she was, and they’d spent many hours chatting into the night about their creativity, but was that enough to begin a long-term relationship? What if they couldn’t make it work? They’d both be committed to bringing up a child whose arrival neither of them was fully prepared for.

  She half smiled. Tanya’s parents, an Afro-Caribbean woman and a Caucasian athlete, had been equally surprised when Tanya’s mom had fallen pregnant. Neither knew what to do, or how to handle it. ‘We were a mess,’ her mom had told her over and over. ‘We’d no idea what we were doing until we found God. After that, life became calm.’

  Tanya wasn’t so certain God would have approved of her trysts with Tim. Her parents definitely wouldn’t, and she was dreading the day she’d have to admit to her behavior.

  “Oh, Mom. What am I gonna do?”

  “Take it one step at a time, child,” her mother would have said. “One day at a time. Things have a way of working out for the best.” Mom was a great believer that a crisis was best viewed from a week in the future.

  “Yeah, but first you have to survive that week,” Tanya muttered. As her fingers resumed their impatient tattoo on the sofa, her doorbell rang.

  “Oh, shit…” She remained seated for a long moment, not wanting to take the first step toward responsibility. But when the bell rang again, she knew there was no way to avoid the looming crisis or the inevitable meeting with Tim for the first time in daylight.

  Three silhouettes stood at her door. She frowned, having expected only Tim.

  “Stupid, Tanya,” she chided herself. “Someone had to come with him. How else was he going to find the place?” But who was the other shadow?

  She opened the door to see Emily and two men on her doorstep. She was thrown off-track for a moment because Emily had her arm linked with a handsome young man, whose features were unmistakably Asian. Behind the pair was a blond guy, his muscular frame barely covered by his hard-pressed college t-shirt. He was no more Asian than Tanya.

  “Ahh… Tim?” Tanya threw out the question generally. The handsome guy turned his head in her direction and smiled. But his eyes were distant as if fixed on something far behind Tanya. Emily took Tim’s hand and pressed it into Tanya’s, connecting the pair. The familiar touch of his skin told her everything she needed to know. He was definitely her lover-in-the-darkness. As Tim took her in his arms, the other guy—Matt, she guessed—stepped forward and put his arm around Emily’s shoulders. She leaned into him. Tanya pressed her lips together as Matt’s eyes appraised her figure in the old familiar way. She frowned, hoping
Emily had coached him not to say anything stupid.

  He opened his mouth only once and received an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.

  What? He asked Emily silently. She scowled at him and shook her head. He shrugged and waited for events to play themselves out.

  “So…” Tanya began.

  “So,” Tim answered with a smile.

  “Here we are.”

  “On the doorstep,” Matt pointed out. Emily nudged him again.

  “I’m sorry. Please, come in, everyone.” Tanya moved back, guiding Tim past the doorway and into her living room. Matt the man-mountain followed, as did Emily. They waited patiently as Tanya guided Tim around the sofa, then sat him down on the right side, exactly as Emily had done at her place. Matt sat on the left side. Emily sat in his lap, nudging him every time his eyes wandered to Tanya’s body.

  “Well, this is great,” Tim said. “We’re all here together, and it’s not even Saturday night.” He reached for Tanya, and she sat down beside him.

  “Tim, I have something I need to tell you.”

  “And I have something to tell you.”

  “Oh?” her eyebrows rose.

  “Would you like to go first?”

  “No, no. Please, go ahead.”

  “Well, we’ve been meeting up for four weeks now…” Tanya noticed he didn’t say ‘we’ve been seeing each other.’ “…and I wanted to ask you if you’d like to turn it into something more.”

  “Something more?”

  “A steady relationship. I’ve enjoyed our chats, I’ve loved… the physical side.”

  “So have I.” Tanya squeezed his hand.

  “So I was hoping you might like to go steady with me. As boyfriend and girlfriend.”

  “Tim, I… yes, of course, I would. But there’s something I need to say.” Tanya glanced at Emily, then Matt.

  “Oh,” Emily said quickly. She jumped to her feet. “Mind if we explore your apartment?”

  “Please do. The bedroom’s right over there.”

  “My favorite room. Come on, lover boy.” Emily tugged Matt’s hand until he rose to his feet, looking bemused. Tanya waited until they’d disappeared behind the door before she spoke again. She wasn’t too keen on the idea of the pair having sex in her bed, but she wanted to speak to Tim in private. And the bed sheets could be changed later.

  “Are you pregnant?” Tim asked.

  “Emily told you?”

  “Your somber tone told me. You’ve always been so happy, so carefree in my arms. Now you’re tense, measured.” He kissed her hand. “Even a little scared.”

  “Oh, Tim.” She kissed his cheek. “Yes, I think I might be.”

  “It’s a wonderful place to be. My sisters were never as happy as they were when they conceived. Their lives changed; they gained purpose, and it brought our whole family together as one.”

  “Where is your family from, Tim?”

  “South Korea, originally, but my parents were both born in the USA.”

  “So you’re American?”

  “You want me to repeat the Oath of Allegiance?”

  Tanya laughed. “No need. But you’re taking the news very well. Most guys would have run a mile by now.”

  “As I said, my family were strong for my sisters. They set a good example. I must do the same.”

  “Were your sisters married to Americans?”

  “They were. My father was very happy. The children’s future, he said, would be a good one.”

  “Were both husbands… white?”

  “Yes, they were. Why?”

  “Tim, I’m not white. I’m not Caucasian.”

  “You’re black?” He cocked his head. His eyes were fixed on something distant and unseen.

  “My mother is Afro-Caribbean. My father was a white American.”

  Tim grinned. “Then you’re coffee and cream?”

  Tanya stared, then laughed. “Yes, I’m mixed. Coffee with a generous pouring of cream.”

  “So will you be my girlfriend?” Tim pulled her close and held her tightly, as tightly as any of their post-coital hugs.

  “I’ll be more than that if I’m confirmed as pregnant.”

  “Of course. I would have no hesitation in asking you to marry me—if you want to do so.”

  “It’s early days, Tim. But I’m glad you feel that way.” She kissed his cheek. “There’s something I need to ask you, though.”

  “It’s about my eyes, isn’t it? You’re concerned for the child.”

  “I’m sorry. I have to ask.”

  “The child will be fine. I could see perfectly until I was eight years old. A car crashed into my family’s minivan. There was broken glass everywhere. I was unlucky enough to be facing the oncoming car.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “I remember enough of the world to imagine how it must look now. But your skin tone…” He stroked her cheek. “I find it difficult to visualize.”

  “Do you remember Twix fingers? Or Snickers?”

  “I do. I still enjoy them.”

  “My skin is a shade lighter than those.”

  “Then maybe I should eat you instead.”

  Tanya smiled. “Maybe you should. You were… better than average the last few times.”

  “Better than average? You told me you’ve never come so hard.”

  “I… well, I had to say that, to keep you sweet.”

  “You… Wait until I get you naked!”

  “Oh, ho! You think I’m so easy?”

  “Yeah, I do!” He grinned at her.

  “Okay, you’re right, I’m easy.” She kissed him hard, opening her mouth so their tongues could dance. He responded immediately, sliding his arms around her waist and onto her butt cheeks. Warm and delicious, his kiss immediately sent a thrill to her heart, which accelerated. Blood roared in her ears; her head spun. With her eyes closed, she could have been back at Emily’s apartment, enjoying another evening of unseen loving. But tonight, she had the choice. If she kept her eyes open, she would see Tim’s body for the first time. But she was familiar enough with his touch to be able to enjoy him unseen. Still, her curiosity burned as he pulled off his shirt, revealing a slim and trim body. She ran her hands over his skin, enjoying the extra sense her open curtains allowed. Of course, for Tim, nothing had changed, which was unfair. As she leaned back and unbuttoned her blouse, she tried to fill in the extra details.

  “I’m wearing a white blouse, Tim. And underneath, revealed one button at a time, is a black bra.”

  “Are you supposed to wear black under white?”

  “Oh, ho. Look who knows so much.” She tapped his nose with a finger. “But you’re right. Except I have darker skin, so a white bra would still look odd.”

  “And what color panties are you wearing?”

  “Black, lacy ones. Why don’t you explore?”

  “I might just do that.” His hands went to her thighs and lifted her skirt. An electric thrill ran through her as he brushed his fingertips across the lacy material. Unencumbered by the skirt, she moved her knees further apart, at the same time, reaching for the bulge in his pants. Although they’d made love almost a dozen times, a small tingle of excitement ran through her at the thought of seeing his cock for the first time. It was a peculiar novelty, but one she was looking forward to.

  Quiet, muffled cries reached her from the bedroom. Matt and Emily hadn’t wasted any time getting down to it. For a moment, she wished she could swap places with them, so she could enjoy Tim in the comfort of her own bed. But why disturb her friends? There would be plenty of time to bed Tim later.

  His fingers had slipped past the elastic and were now stroking her soft lips. In return, she squeezed the hard flesh inside his pants.

  “Why don’t you explore?” he asked, echoing her earlier words.

  “Why don’t I?” She pulled down his zipper and reached inside, relishing the firm heat against her hand. He groaned as she squeezed him firmly. His fingers slipped along her wet lips, making her sigh ha
ppily.

  “I love how you get wet so quickly.”

  “I love how you get hard so quickly.”

  “It’s ‘cause you turn me on so much. You’re so damn sexy, Tan.”

  “And the sounds of our friends fucking in the other room have nothing to do with it?”

  Tim chuckled. “Okay, you got me. It’s them, and not you.”

  “What?” She slapped his arm. They both burst out laughing.

  “What’s going on through there?” Emily called. “Are you laughing at us?”

  “Go back to what you were doing,” Tim called back.

  “Okay!” Matt said. Emily squealed as the sounds of fast, slapping bodies echoed from the walls.

  “They’re having fun,” Tanya said.

  “So are we.” Tim slipped a finger into Tanya, pushing deep, then withdrawing slowly. She rocked her hips to meet his gentle thrusts.

  “Mmm, that’s good….”

  “You’re so slippery.”

  “Go deeper. Finger me good.”

  “Are you sure we’re okay to do this?” Tim asked.

  “No-one’s watching.”

  “No, I mean… because of the baby.”

  “Oh, you sweet thing. Of course, it’s okay.” She took hold of his wrist and encouraged him into her faster, and harder. “Oh, god, that feels good.” She squeezed him with her other hand, moving her arm back and forward.

  “I want you so much,” Tim said softly.

  “And I want you inside me,” Tanya whispered.

  “We should take these off you.” Tim tugged at her panties.

  Tanya glanced toward the bedroom. Cries of ecstasy meant their friends would be occupied for the next few minutes at least. She was reluctant to undress in the light, where Matt might see her. Even when she was clothed, his hungry eyes had made her nervous. It had been nice, being naked in the dark, clothed in anonymity.

  “I’ll keep my top half covered if you don’t mind.” She wriggled around until her panties were sliding over her knees. When she shook her legs, the black lace slithered to the floor. She straddled Tim, fishing out his cock, then guiding it to where she needed it most. They both sighed as the head slid inside her slippery passage. Tanya sank down, engulfing him completely until their bodies were pressed together.

  “Do that thing you do,” she said in a tight voice.