by Rylee Quick
Undaunted by Liam’s brush-off, Reginald aims his huge smile at me. “Do you know who that is?”
“A dog?” I ask.
The smile disappears from his face like I slapped it off. “Umm... no. That’s Liam Leeland.”
I stare blankly at him.
“Liam. Leeland,” Reginald says slowly, like I didn’t understand him the first time. When he still doesn’t get the response he’s hoping for, he sighs and shakes his head. “He’s like one of the richest people in the world. Probably the richest person in this state.”
Great. A rich playboy. It makes perfect sense now.
“He might be rich, but he’s still a dog,” I say. “He had the nerve to ask me out while his fiancée was shopping for a wedding dress.”
Charlotte gasps, close enough to overhear the conversation. “Ummm... Emma, sweetie. I can’t say for sure that he’s single, but that was his sister he was with. She just recently moved here so doesn’t really have any girlfriends and her fiancé is in the military and still has a few weeks before he gets out.”
I close my eyes and groan. A nice guy asked me out and I shot him down? Just my luck. On the bright side, there’s still hope that there’s a Mrs. Leeland out there somewhere, which would still make him a cheating cheater and I wouldn’t have to feel terrible about almost punching him.
— 4 —
Emma
We’re busy with clients for the rest of the day, but Liam is never too far from my thoughts. Is he single? Did I make a huge mistake?
We work right through lunch, barely having time to grab a snack here and there until Amy gets back from her photoshoot and is able to lend a hand.
Finally, when closing time is just an hour away, we say our goodbyes to the last customer of the day as she walks out the door. I quickly grab my phone and tap on the browser.
A quick search online reveals that Liam is indeed single. And I did everything except physically kick him out of the shop as he asked me out. I shake my head.
“Maybe he’ll come back and try again,” Sophia says.
I laugh softly. “Yeah, because I was so nice to him before.”
I can see Sophia trying to come up with something positive to say, but she finally gives up and settles for, “It’s almost closing time. Wanna close up early and open a bottle of wine?”
I’m just about to say that’s a great idea when the bell over the front door rings softly.
“Well this should be interesting,” Sophia says, a big grin appearing on her face.
“I think I hear the phone ringing,” Isabella says, seconds before grabbing Sofia’s arm and disappearing into the back. Charlotte winks at me and follows them, dragging a confused Amy with her.
It’s him. Liam. He’s no longer wearing a suit but he looks just as handsome in the navy Henley and olive chinos. The white sneakers even work, making him look put together and casual at the same time.
He flashes me a tentative smile. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I reply, still not quite believing he’s here. And feeling all kinds of flattered that he is.
He reaches up and rubs the back of his neck nervously. “I... uhhh.” He sighs and drops his hand to his side, stepping toward me. “My sister said there’s a pretty good chance that you thought we were together, and that maybe I should come by and explain the situation.”
He flashes one of those smiles that won me over this morning. “So here I am.”
“I’m really sorry about that misunderstanding earlier,” I say.
He shrugs. “I should’ve realized how it probably looked. I’m just glad Pam convinced me that you most likely wouldn’t hate me if I came back.”
I can’t help but smile, remembering how much fun the photoshoot was, even though I thought he was engaged at the time. “I don’t hate you.”
“Then she was right. She’ll be thrilled about that.” He laughs softly. “Anyway, I know you probably had a busy day, and this is kind of last-minute, but would you like to have dinner now that you know I’m single?”
I laugh and feel my cheeks heat up. “Give me an hour to get ready?”
“Sure.”
We exchange phone numbers and I give him my address, which is easy since my home address is the same as my work address. I have never been so happy about living in the apartment above the shop as I am right this second. Hooray for no commute time.
He flashes that winning smile at me one last time before disappearing out the door and I feel like I’m floating on a cloud. And then I realize something I hadn’t considered until just now. I’m going on a date with a billionaire.
— 5 —
Liam
It’s been the longest hour of my life, but I’ve been smiling the entire time. She said yes. I had been devastated when Emma had turned me down, with a look on her face that suggested I was one level below discovering dog poo on her shoe.
Naturally my sister was able to see immediately that something was wrong. When I told her what had happened she had simply laughed at me. Not the emotional support I was expecting from her.
And then, as sisters tend to do, she told me I wasn’t overly bright and explained that Emma probably assumed she was my fiancée since there was no way for her to know she was my sister.
I had to laugh at the simplicity of it. Could it really be that simple? Unfortunately, my schedule kept me from finding out until the end of the day.
But that unfortunate misunderstanding is behind us now, and I’m going to do my best to make her mine.
The limo pulls up in front of the Two Hearts Forever Wedding Boutique and I see Emme standing at the door looking outside the window.
I wince a little when I see her eyes widen in surprise. The limo might be a bit much but I want someone else to do the driving while I talk with her and get to know her.
The driver starts to open his door but I stop him. “It’s okay, Jerry. I’ve got this.”
Jerry looks at me in the rearview mirror and grins. “Someone’s looking to be all impressive.”
I smile and nod. “Busted.”
“I got your back, sir,” Jerry says, and his grin becomes a big smile as he raises the privacy screen. He winks right before he disappears behind the black glass.
I can’t help but shake my head in amusement. Jerry’s been my driver for years and figured out that tonight is a special night when I told him my plan.
I get out of the limo as Emma steps outside. She’s wearing a red dress that stops just a few inches below her thighs, and the material hugs every delectable curve of her body. The sight of her takes my breath away and I can’t help but admire the view.
Emma tilts her head and looks at me. “Are you okay?”
For a second I’m not sure why she’s asking, but then I realize I’ve just been standing by the open car door with my mouth hanging open, not saying or doing anything.
“I’m fine. Just blown away by how beautiful you are.”
Emma rolls her eyes, but her cheeks turn an adorable shade of red as she smiles.
I motion to the interior of the limo. “Your chariot awaits.”
“I’ve never been in a limo before,” she says.
I arch an eyebrow and glance up at the name over the door of the wedding boutique.
Emma’s blush grows deeper and she shrugs. “Not for a date, anyway.”
“Great. I like the idea of being your first.”
She makes a choking sound and raises her hand to her face, hiding behind it. The laugh she’s holding back finally escapes and she peeks around her hand at me. “You didn’t just say that.”
I shrug. “I’m a little out of practice with the whole dating thing.”
“Me too,” she says, “but I’m having a nice time so far.” She flashes me a smile and slips by me, sliding across the seat of the limo. I can’t tear my eyes away from the peek at her thighs before she pulls the hem of her short dress back down.
“Are you going to get in or just stand out there and ogle me all night?�
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I quickly take a seat beside her. “Oh, I can ogle you just fine from inside the limo too.”
I close the door and the limo pulls out as she chuckles. “Good to know,” she says, her eyes sparkling with the reflection of the city lights.
Unable to resist any longer, I lean forward and kiss her. It’s supposed to be quick and innocent but she reaches up and grabs my shirt when I start to pull back, her lips following mine. I groan and lean into her, reaching up and sliding a hand through her long hair.
My tongue teases the seam of her lips and she lets me in. Our tongues dance lightly together and my cock throbs, rock-hard, as she moans into my mouth.
Emma’s hand slides into my lap and she moans again as her fingers discover evidence of my excitement.
I’m ready to lose myself completely to this woman and take her right here in the back of the limo, taking advantage of the raised privacy screen, but a voice crackles over the intercom.
“We’ve arrived at your destination, Mr. Leeland.”
Emma pulls back and stares at me, her eyes filled with a hunger that I feel coursing through my own body. She rubs her fingers over her kiss-swollen lips.
“Wow,” she says softly.
I know exactly how she feels, and I’m tempted to tell Jerry to just keep driving around the city until the sun comes up, but this isn’t about having a nonstop sex marathon, as fun as that would be. No, it’s about wooing this woman who has, in a surprisingly short amount of time, stolen my heart.
Before I give in again to the desire raging through me, I force myself to open the door and step out of the limo. I take a deep breath, trying to regain my composure, and extend my hand, offering Emma a smile.
She takes my hand as she steps out, her eyes fixated on the building before us. She looks at me, eyes wide.
“This is Cloudscape.”
I nod, leading her to the entrance. The doorman has already opened the door, holding it open for us. Emma stares at him for a moment as if he’s a statue that suddenly came to life, then her eyes return to mine.
“It takes months to get a reservation to this place. We just met today. How?”
I shrug as I slide a tip into the doorman’s hand with a handshake. “It helps to have friends in the right places.”
We walk through the first level toward a bank of elevators. The first floor is a wine bar. Dimly lit, soft music playing, and a bar stocked with every wine and spirit you could possibly think of. It’s one of the most popular hangouts in the city. But it’s not our destination.
A hostess standing at the elevators gives us a friendly smile as she pushes the button to one of them, stepping aside as the elevator doors slide open.
“Enjoy your visit, Mr. Leeland,” she says.
“Thank you.” I give her a tip as we walk by and a friendly nod as the doors close, and then we’re going up. Next stop, the top floor.
— 6 —
Emma
A hundred-dollar bill. That’s what Liam nonchalantly gave the girl at the elevators. He gave another one to the man at the front doors. I’d think he was showing off, flashing his wealth around, but he’s very low-key about it, disguising the move with a handshake.
I probably wouldn’t have even noticed but I seem exceptionally attuned to him since we spent the entire trip in the limo making out. I see him looking at me when he thinks I don’t notice. I see how he breathes a little faster, a little heavier, when his eyes linger on my bare legs.
I thought my heart would beat out of my chest when he placed his hand on my lower back as we walked through the wine bar, and when he slid his hand down to take mine in his I had to bite my tongue to keep from giggling like a schoolgirl.
And we’re at Cloudscape. It’s every girl’s dream, the top-rated romantic spot in the city. I’ve been here a few times. A few bridal photoshoots, even a few weddings. But it’s always been as one of the owners of Two Hearts Forever. Never as someone on a date.
I glance over at Liam and grin as I see his eyes once again skimming over the hem of my dress. I slide one leg slowly up the other a bit and feel a sense of power wash over me as he sucks in a sharp breath.
This man is fantastically wealthy, but I can make his heart race by just the way I move. It’s exhilarating.
His hungry eyes meet mine and his grip on my hand tightens a bit. He turns toward me and I lick my lips, heat rising in my lower belly. He reaches for me, and then the elevator stops and the doors slide open.
Liam growls, low and deep. Then he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, and grins, shaking his head.
“The things you make me feel,” he says softly. So softly I’m not sure if I was actually meant to hear it.
He leads me out of the elevator and I freeze, not believing what I’m seeing. This place is always busy. You have to reserve a table months in advance, sometimes up to six months in advance. And it’s empty.
No. Not completely empty. There’s a waiter standing by a table along the outer wall, waiting patiently. He smiles and nods when he sees us.
“Where is everybody?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Why are you whispering?” Liam whispers back.
I slap him playfully on the arm. “Seriously, where is everybody?”
Liam shrugs. “Eating somewhere else tonight, I guess. I didn’t want to share you with anybody.”
“I’m all yours.” I gasp in shock, surprised to hear those words come out of my mouth. I’m even more shocked that I don’t regret them.
The smile that appears on Liam’s face practically lights up the whole restaurant, and my heart does a strange pitter-patter-flip thing that makes me feel tingly all over.
Like the gentleman he is, Liam pulls my chair out for me, then sits across from me as the waiter waves his hand in the air like a magician doing a trick.
Two carts filled with covered dishes are wheeled out of the kitchen and brought to our table, the men who pushed the carts out quickly disappearing back into the kitchen.
“I know you’ve had a busy day,” Liam says as the waiter starts lifting lids off the dishes, “so I thought a little of everything would make for a satisfying dinner.”
I smile like a kid on Christmas morning as I watch platters loaded down with steaks, lobsters, salads, and pork chops placed on the table. He’s right about the day being busy, and the crackers and cookies I had for lunch are long gone. But it’s the company that makes the dinner satisfying.
The waiter places a little silver bell on the table between us and tells us to ring it if we need anything. He assures us that, aside from someone responding to the bell, the whole restaurant will be completely ours.
Movement out of the corner of my eye draws my attention to the large window next to us and I suck in a breath when I look out over the city, slowly spinning below us.
I was so shocked to discover the place empty I had completely forgotten about what makes Cloudscape so popular. The whole top floor rotates. So slowly you can’t really feel it or sense it, which makes the reveal even more breathtaking when you glance out any of the windows.
Temporarily forgetting about the food, I stand and move to the window so I can look down.
“The view is spectacular,” I say breathlessly.
“Yes, it is,” Liam says from behind me.
I glance over my shoulder and see him staring at me. A flush of heat rushes through me as he steps closer and wraps an arm around me, pulling me tight against him. I can feel his excitement pressing against me and my body responds as a fire I haven’t felt in too long awakens between my thighs.
“My favorite part of the photoshoot was being this close to you,” he says. “Close enough to smell the lavender shampoo you use.” His grip tightens. “Close enough to feel every curve of your beautiful body.”
I reach for the arm around me, gripping it tight as I press my hips back. I hear something between a moan and growl as Liam’s hard body presses forward, grinding against me.
His free hand slides up and captures my full breast in his palm. His strong fingers massage my flesh and I feel myself leaning back more, melting against him, my soft body melding with his hard body. His fingers discover a hard nipple making its presence known through my dress and he pinches it, forcing a moan to slip from my lips.
The arm around my waist slides down and his hand disappears under my dress. I gasp when his hand slides up and down the damp material between my legs.
Liam kisses my shoulder as his hips continue to grind against me and I tilt my head to the side. His mouth immediately finds that special spot on my neck and I moan loudly, my panties becoming wetter than they already were.
Liam growls, his teeth nipping the sensitive flesh between my neck and shoulder as he rubs my clit through my thong. I buck my hips against him, his fingers moving faster.
“You like that, don’t you,” Liam breathes against my skin.
I nod, my hips pushing against his hand, my clit begging for more friction, more pressure.
“Come for me, Emma,” he says, his voice thick with lust as he pinches my clit.
I cry out, shocked as an orgasm pulses through me, racing through my body like a wildfire. I’ve never come so fast in my life, and I’d probably fall to the floor if not for Liam pressed against me, holding me tight against him.
I turn to him, his cock tenting his chinos out. I drop to my knees and unfasten his pants, desperate to see what I felt rubbing against me this morning and just now.
His cock springs free, standing proud. I lick my lips and look up at him, then give him a naughty smile as I take him in my mouth.
“Oh fuck,” Liam says breathlessly, his legs shaking as I take as much of him as I can. I bob my head up and down, humming around his rock-hard shaft.
His cock grows hotter, pulsing on my tongue. I moan around his shaft, my hand pumping him faster. He breathlessly groans out my name as he comes. I take every drop