A Busty Bride for the Billionaire (Contemporary Erotic Romance) (2 page)

“I... what did you say your name was, again?”

“Ah, yes, sorry about that. I used the details of my personal assistant's husband on the website: profile picture... name. Couldn't really use my real ones, unfortunately, for reasons of security... and simple practicality, really.”

He looked her in the eyes, and she managed to meet his cool gaze for a few seconds.

“My name is Will Locklear.”

Dimly, a series of images and phrases flashed through her mind – half-remembered tabloid front pages, gossip she'd overheard at dentists' waiting rooms or on the radio. Will Locklear. Head of Ferrus Industries. Linked one day with this tennis star, the next with such-and-such diva ballerina...

In a bid to avoid looking at him, she scanned over to the elevator buttons, noticing that the highest floor had the colors inverted: silver on black, rather than the other way around.

Without really thinking, she pointed at it.

“What's this top one for?”

“Why don't you press it and find out?”

She saw his reflection in the glass. He seemed amused.

She pressed it.

The elevator continued its stately path upwards.

\\\///

///\\\

When it finally came to a stop, they were so high that a faint wisp of cloud passed by them on the other side of the glass. With a gentle “
ting
”, the doors slid open to each side.

Through them, there was only a short corridor: black marble walls, floor, and ceiling, with little circular halogen lights cut into it. At the other end, there were a pair of sliding black metal doors, identical to the elevator which faced it. On the wall beside them was a large touch panel, shining faintly green at the sides.

The infamous billionaire walked up to it, rolling up the sleeve of his right arm, keying in a complex code before presenting his fingertips for a scan.

“
Identity confirmed. Welcome, Master Locklear
” rang out a subtly computerized voice.

The next second, the doors in front of them slid opened out onto a gloriously wide, airy office. There was a huge desk with a black wood-and-fabric chair behind it, and various computer terminals set on pedestals in a room with no walls except sheer-looking glass.

Shell-shocked, Kim walked forward in small steps until she laid a hand against those glass walls. Beyond, the city stretched onward out into the sea on one side, and distant, forest-dotted hills on the other side. She could see people milling about on the rooftops of the skyscrapers around them, a few stories down – for there were no buildings in the metropolis taller than Ferrus Industries HQ.

She spun around to find Will standing in the center of the room, arms crossed, head cocked slightly to one side.

“Mr. Will Locklear.”

“Will.”

“...Will. Tell me one thing.”

“Sure. Shoot.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why me? Why this? You could get any girl in the world – why a dating website, why a... a... slightly overweight office worker who doesn't know the first thing about international business, or about anything, really? Is this just a cruel joke you play – pick up desperate girls, make them think you'll marry them for a few seconds, then never call them again? Cus if so, it's a pretty clever–”

“I'm not playing around, Kim. I'm serious about this – about you.” He let out a weary sound – half-laugh, half-sigh. “I've had just about enough of feeling lonely when I wasn't alone, with hook-ups and half-assed relationships that leave a bitter taste in your mouth with every kiss. I've got to start thinking about other things. Marriage. Kids. I–”

“OK. Alright.”

“What...? What's alright?”

She held her hands up.

“I'm not going to put up any more doubts or second guesses. I'm ready to go along with whatever it is you're going to throw my way next.”

“That's it? You believe I'm serious already, just with that?”

“Oh, sorry, I should've been more clear. I still have no idea whether you're serious or not – whether you're really thinking of marrying me or just pulling an elaborate prank. I'm just saying that I'm going to stop trying to guess which one it is.”

She bit her lip, and scratched at an elbow.

“I guess what I'm saying is... you've done enough. I... I
l-like
you enough that, well, if I'm honest, I'm not going to be able to say no to you, whatever you do. So, if you're really going to follow through – fantastic. If not... oh well, I guess I'm just going to end up crying about it later. But that's a risk I'm willing to take. That's the risk I'm
going
to take, no matter what it is you end up doing...”

She trailed off, and when a few seconds' silence had stretched out, looked up shyly from the spot near his feet she had been fixating on the whole time.

Will's mouth was slightly ajar, and his heavy-lidded eyes were stretched open as wide as she or anyone had ever seen them – which is to say, barely at all.

“...wow. I knew I hadn't made a mistake with you.” He shook his head, as if to clear it. “A girl like you... you're worth my weight in gold. Which, when I think about it, is barely enough to buy that café we met at, but hey, it's just a figure of speech.”

She had to look away as soon as he'd started saying nice things about her, staring at one of the terminals dotted around the room. She couldn't think of anything to say, having exhausted her resources of candidness and brutal honesty for the day, so he continued.

“Though... when you say you're happy to follow along with
anything
I end up doing...”

“Oh, um... within reason, I meant...”

“Hehe... naturally, naturally. Well then. I've been perusing your blog in my spare hours these past few days – oh come on, you're going to blush at that, after everything else? – and I'm sure you've overheard all kinds of assorted tidbits about my life over the years. If not, you can search for them online later. All in all, I'd say we've actually seen a lot of each other's inner workings and slightly dirty secrets, considering. That is... except for one thing.”

He came a few steps forward, and placed a hand on his desk.

“If we're going to be getting married, I'll have to see a whole lot more of you than I'm seeing right now.”

“What... what do you mean?”

“What I mean, in so many words, is: take off your clothes. ...Why the shocked look? I'll have to inspect to see if any future wife will have the goods to bear my heirs, surely. Wouldn't you say that's a reasonable thing to want to know about such a... lifelong investment?”

There was a little fire starting to burn in Kim. At first she thought it might be embarrassment, or indignation, or even disgust. But before long, she realized it wasn't any of those things.

Rather, it was like that time she'd gone on the wrong slope on her first ski trip. That moment of queasy, heady vertigo, when you've just looked down and noticed this is much steeper than what you had bargained for, but at the same moment realized you've slid past the edge at the top. Realized that, no matter how much you might want to, you can't go back now – that you're going to keep on going until you reach the end of the slope and the comfort of the ski lodge... or until you fall flat on your face.

It was that moment of adrenaline rush, of perfect freedom, knowing that you had made your choice, and couldn't... no,
wouldn't
go back on it now.

Without a word, she started shedding her clothes, bringing the shadow of surprise out on even Will Locklear's impassive face.

She did so in nervous, awkward motions – fumbling with buttons, and getting sleeves stuck on unresponsive wrists and ankles. Nevertheless, it wasn't long before it all started coming off: cardigan, blouse, shoes, stockings, skirt... leaving nothing but a matching pair of bra and panties.

With a sick jolt of relief, she thanked heaven she hadn't worn her usual plain, white, old-lady underwear. Not that this was miles and miles better or anything. There was no lace, no sheer linen or racy holes cut out in interesting places. Kim wasn't the kind of girl that spent too much time browsing that section of the Amazon store... and besides, it was almost impossible to find fancy underwear for... her size.

Still. At least it was red. She felt sexy wearing red. She hadn't thought in a million years that anyone else would be seeing them... but today, she had wanted to feel sexy.

And, stripped down to her bare essentials, she wasn't sure sexy was exactly what she felt. More like, nervous. Also vulnerable, understandably. And, maybe less understandably, but totally irresistibly: more than a little bit turned on.

She thought of doing a little twirl, making a little show of it, being a little cheeky. But somehow... she just couldn't bring herself to.

Instead – shoulders hunched together, trying to make herself look small – she reached behind herself with one hand, and unclasped her bra. With that hand, she slowly pulled it down, while her other arm remained draped across herself, struggling vainly against the gorgeous amplitude of her breasts to preserve some remnant of modesty.

She reached around to pull her panties down. Once they slipped past her mound, she brought her free hand over to cover that, and squirmed her legs until they slid all the way off.

In sum, she plunged herself into total nakedness – baring it all for her bear billionaire. She did it meekly, but somehow also giving the impression of utmost dignity and bravery. Never had anyone stripped so shyly, and yet so courageously.

She couldn't, however, convert that courage into the strength to look Will Locklear in the face.

If she had, she would have seen him transported by a mix of arousal and admiration. His pupils dilated in wide-open eyes, and his nostrils flared, taking in her scent. If the blood hadn't been pounding so strongly in her ears, she might even have made out the rapid thump-thump-thumping of his heart.

Although, even without those things, she managed to get the message.

Unable to look him in the eyes, she had settled her gaze somewhere around his navel. And at that angle, she had the perfect view of his cock hardening with a steady fury, until it strained against his slacks in a great bulge to one side.

That sight distracted her enough to forget some of her apprehension and self-doubt. She began imagining him slipping it out through his zipper, the feel of its girth as she clasped it in her palm, the taste of it in her mouth.

And with that thought, her hands began a subtle shift. Whereas before, they were covering her breasts and the space between her legs... now, they began to move in small, stimulating motions. She rubbed at her stiffening nipple, rolling it under her hand. A finger slipped between her legs, rubbing at her moistening slit.

She might not even have fully noticed she was doing it, but there was no way Will could fail to, staring at her as intently as he was. And the sight of Kim starting to touch herself under his gaze finally blew away any doubts which had lingered past the sight of her naked flesh.

With one hand, he began to unbutton his shirt.

That startled Kim a little. Gripping herself protectively in her sensitive places, she said:

“Wh–what are you doing?”

“I thought it wouldn't be fair for me to be the only one getting a sneak preview. You're just as entitled to see what you're signing up for as I am.” He stopped, his shirt half-unbuttoned. “Or... would you prefer I didn't?”

“No... you can... you can keep going. I... I wanna see.”