Her Indecent Proposal (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) (5 page)

“Why don’t we grab some lunch then hit the beach?”  Sloane turned
away from the verandah and walked back into the living room.  “Or do you prefer
the pool?  The villa comes with its own pool and private beach.”

Melanie followed him into the room.  “The beach, I guess.  I like
lying in the sun and digging my toes in the sand.”  She shoved her hands into
the pockets of her cargo pants.  “So what’s for lunch?”

“We can stay here.  We have a private staff who will cook a meal for
us.  Or, if you don’t want to wait, we can always walk over to the Bizot Bar
and grab something there.”  He shrugged.  “It’s up to you.”

“Let’s go to the Bizot Bar.  We’ll see other people there, right?”

“Sure.”

“Then let’s go.”

He seemed amused by her eagerness but Melanie had a very good reason
for wanting to get out of the villa.  As spacious and open as it was, being
there alone with Sloane, it was still too intimidating.  It was too private,
too intimate, and just then she did not want to be reminded about what was to
come. 

At the Bizot Bar they sat down poolside and enjoyed a meal that
featured samplings of the local cuisine – jerked chicken and spicy escoveitched
fish with ackee and salted codfish in flaky pastry cups.  As they ate they
enjoyed the sounds of France’s Radio Nova playing in the background.

Soon, though, it was time to head back to the villa and to their own
little world.  “Ready for the beach?” Sloane asked as he strolled toward the
master bedroom.  “Let’s get changed.  We can do with some sun.”  He didn’t even
look behind to see if she was following.

And so she hesitated.  Sure, the bellhop had taken both their bags
to the same bedroom.  They were man and wife, after all.  But the villa had all
of five bedrooms.  Why did they have to share the same one?  If she could avoid
changing in front of Sloane she would feel so much better.

But then his voice broke into her thoughts and she realized she was
being a perfect idiot. 
You’re planning to have sex with the man.  He’s
going to be seeing your body anyway, so why hide it now?

“Where are you? Come and change.”

It sounded more like an order than a request and Melanie frowned. 
She did not like being bossed around.  But then she sighed and headed for the
bedroom.  She was the one who’d said she wanted to try the beach so she might
as well get moving.

When she walked into the bedroom Sloane had already stripped off his
shirt and trousers and was wearing shorts and sandals.  And his chest was bare.

Melanie could only stare.  Talk about sexy.  The man was in perfect
shape, and not just for a thirty-six year old.  Anyone looking at his taut
muscles, broad pecs and narrow waist would swear they were looking at the body
of a guy in his early twenties, he looked that good.

But if Sloane noticed her staring, he didn’t acknowledge it.  He
walked toward where she stood in the doorway and as he approached, she stepped
aside. 

“I’m heading beachside.  Join me when you're ready.”  And then he
was out the door and gone, leaving her standing there, staring after him.

Well, so much for having him watch her while she undressed.  He
hadn’t shown even a spark of interest.  And, although she knew she was being
contrary, she was not pleased.  So she might not be Kate Moss but wasn’t he
even the least bit curious about what she looked like?  Melanie gave a soft
sigh.  She guessed he wasn’t.

In minutes she’d changed into a neon-orange bikini bathing suit with
a wrap thrown over it and was on her way down to the beach.  There she saw
Sloane already in the water, floating on his back as he stared up into the
cloudless blue sky.  As she crossed the sandy beach he turned his head and when
he saw her, he smiled and waved.

“How’s the water?” she called out, encouraged by his smile.

“Awesome,” he yelled back.  “Come on, try it.”

And so she did.  Sloane hadn’t flown her all the way to Jamaica for
her to be a stick in the mud.  She was sure he was paying several thousands per
night for them to stay at this private villa so it only made sense for her to
take advantage of all that the property had to offer.

She stripped off her wrap and dropped it right there on the sand. 
“I’m coming in,” she yelled and ran through the crystal-clear water at the
shore then dived in.  She swam out to where Sloane was now treading water while
he waited for her.

“It took you long enough,” he said in a playful growl but his eyes
twinkled as she surfed up to him and she could tell he was pleased she’d come. 
Well, that was some consolation after his speedy departure from the bedroom.

“Race you,” he said and took off before she even realized what he
was up to.

“Hey, no fair,” she called out, and he circled and came back to her,
a grin on his lips.  “For a woman who’s got to respond quickly to sudden
changes in the market, you’re real slow.”  He was laughing as he teased.  “I’ll
give you a three second head start.  First person to swim across to that rock,
wins.”

“And what do I get when I win?”

He raised his eyebrows.  “Don’t you mean ‘if’?”

“No, I mean ‘when’.”  She raised her own eyebrows – two could play
that game – as she spoke with supreme confidence.  “I’m not going to do it till
you tell me what my reward will be.”

“Okay,” he said with a shrug.  “One billion dollars.”

She almost slapped him.  “Will you be serious?”

He laughed.  “I am.  Because I know there is no way on God’s earth
you can beat me, I’ll make you that bet.  You owe me nothing if I win, by the
way, because there’s no doubt in my mind that I will.”

“You’re on,” she yelled and before he could even turn, she was off.

And then he was after her.  She could hear him behind, gaining on
her, and within seconds he’d cut the lead she’d had on him and was neck and
neck with her.  But soon, as he’d predicted, he swept past her and sailed on to
touch the craggy black rock that jutted out of the water.  It took another four
seconds before Melanie caught up to him.

“You cheated.”  She was panting as she reached out to grab the
rugged surface.  “You said you’d give me a three second head start.”

“Yeah, but that was before I had a billion dollars on the line.”  He
was laughing outright, water still streaming down his face, his dark hair
slicked down and dripping.

“Beast,” she grumbled but her displeasure only seemed to amuse him
more.  “Okay, what do I get if I’m first to climb on top of this rock?”

“Nothing,” he said, “because I won’t let you.  See those sharp
edges?  I’m not going to have you mar your flawless skin with all kinds of cuts
and scratches.”

Flawless skin?  She could hardly believe her ears.  He’d actually
noticed something about her?

“I have a better idea,” he said, and suddenly he didn’t seem quite
so amused.  The laughter was gone from his steel gray eyes and in its place was
a look so intense that, despite the warmth from the sun, she shivered.

He reached for her then and his hand slid up to cup the back of her
head.  “I think it’s high time,” he whispered, “that I gave my bride a proper
kiss.”

Then, before she could make a move in protest, he’d pulled her
against the solid wall of his chest, dipped his head and was kissing her with a
passion that made her world spin.  That first moment of contact was a shock but
then, with a soft moan, she gave herself over to him, succumbing to the breathtaking
ardor of his kiss, melting into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

And then slowly, gently, he lifted his head, releasing her lips, and
her world righted itself.  “Delicious.”  His voice was low but his eyes burned
into her.  “I can’t wait to taste the rest of you.”

The words sent a frisson of awareness all the way up her spine. 
Sloane wanted her and if his kiss was anything to go by, he would be a superior
lover.

The question was, could she handle it?

CHAPTER SEVEN

Melanie was glowing tonight.  As Sloane sat across from her at the
secluded table in The Gazebo, the open-air tree house style restaurant, he
could not believe this was the same woman who had invaded his office with her
crazy baby-making scheme.  She’d seemed so straight-laced, uptight and rigid,
every bit the CEO.  Now that woman seemed far removed from the one who sat
across from him, soft and relaxed and smiling.  It was quite the transformation
and he liked it.  Taking her to Jamaica had obviously been a good idea.  She’d
been coiled tight as a spring but now all that tension was gone and he meant to
keep things that way, at least for as long as she was on the island.  That was
the only way she was ever going to open up to him, let him get to know the real
Melanie Parker.  Or, as of the last thirty hours, the real Melanie Quest.

But as the night progressed and it came closer to the time for them
to leave he noticed a change in her demeanor.  She began to throw nervous
glances his way and, more than once, he caught her twisting her napkin in her
hand.

He frowned.  “Are you all right?”

She jumped then reached for her glass of water.  “Uhm…yes.  Why?”

“You’re kind of jumpy all of a sudden.”  He looked at her through
narrowed eyes.  “Do I scare you?”

“No,” she said quickly, “not at all.”  But the flush rising up her
neck made that statement an obvious lie.  He stared at her for a moment longer
until she dropped her eyes and started fiddling with the stem of her glass.  If
she wasn’t careful she’d be spilling the thing in another minute.  “Look,” he
said, his voice cold with annoyance,  “you don’t have to do anything you don’t
want to.  I’m not going to force you, if that’s what you’re scared of.”

“No, please, I…” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly
then she raised her eyes to his.  “I’m fine.  Really.  I just need to get used
to the idea…that I’m a married woman now.”

“Well, you are, so deal with it.”  She looked shocked at his harsh
rejoinder but he didn’t give a damn.  How the hell did she plan to ever get
this baby if she was going to be so uptight?  And besides, she was a grown
woman in her thirties, not a teenage virgin.

He got up, startling her, and dropped his napkin on the table. 
“Let’s go.”  He was behaving like a jerk but he had good reason.

The fact was, he wanted Melanie.   All through dinner he’d been sitting
at the table with a boner in his pants, his body tight with anticipation of the
coming night.  Ever since that kiss in the ocean he’d been holding himself in
check, wanting more, but determined to be patient until the time was right. 
And now that it was time for them to retire to the privacy of their villa, now
that it was time for him to take her into his arms and make love to her, she
was acting like this?  Like she wasn’t sure she was ready?  It would drive any
red-blooded man to frustration.  He wasn’t used to this crap.

No, in his world, he didn’t have to go hunting.  Women offered
themselves to him.  They didn’t act like they were scared he was going to
ravish them.  They craved his attention.  They sought him out, not the other
way around.  But Melanie…she was the total opposite of what he was used to.

As he strode back to the villa, Melanie walking beside him in silence,
he shook his head.  He was in a heck of a fix.

But then when he got back to the villa his prickly mood softened.  Maybe
he was being unfair.  Maybe she was not used to his intimidating personality. 
Maybe her reaction was all his fault.

And so he made a deliberate attempt to play nice.  After all,
despite her status as CEO of a multi-billion dollar enterprise, she was
obviously no match for the women he’d had in his life, not where handling men
was concerned.  So, he decided, he’d just take it slow.

They got to the door but he did not go in.  Instead, he reached out
and took her hand.  “Come here,” he said, but his voice was gentle as he pulled
her closer.  “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice quiet as she lowered her eyes.  “I’m fine
now.”

“I apologize for my earlier behavior,” he said.  “I was a brute. 
Can you forgive me?”

She looked up at him then, her eyes wide with surprise.  “Of
course,” she said.  “No hard feelings.”

“Good.”  He looked over at the tropical garden, the pathway lit by
soft lights, the leaves and flowers glowing in the light of the moon.  “I don’t
feel like going in right now.  Let’s go for a walk.”  And then, suddenly aware
that he hadn’t given her a choice, he asked, “Would you like that?”

Her face broke into a relieved smile.  “I’d love to.”

So he’d guessed right.  She still wasn’t ready for the inevitable. 
A walk along the beach by the light of the moon should put her in the mood.  It
would be calming and it would be romantic.  Women loved that kind of thing.

Sloane almost chuckled aloud.  He could not believe this was him,
being so patient and understanding when what he wanted to do right then was to
have this woman lying in bed, naked and panting under him.  And then the
realization struck.  Maybe that was the difference.  The woman holding his hand
as they walked along the path was like none he’d ever had before.  This woman
was his wife.