No Ordinary Billionaire (The Sinclairs) (R) (21 page)

“After all I’ve done to promote your education, you’re just going to throw that away?” her mother asked angrily. “You’re horribly scarred, Sarah. Have you forgotten about that? But an intellectual man who can see beyond sex won’t mind as much about your scars.”

“I’m happy,” Sarah replied quietly, wishing it didn’t seem like she and her mother were on two different planets. She’d been a very obedient child, constantly trying to keep her mother happy, make her proud. If she had succeeded, her mother had never shown it. Now it was time for Sarah to live her own life and stop hoping to somehow get her only parent’s approval. It was never going to happen, so she might as well make herself happy.

“Happiness means nothing to a woman like you,” her mother retorted. “You’re gifted.”

Sarah’s body jerked as though she’d been slapped. “I’m also human,” she told her parent sadly. “I want more than marrying the right man because of our genes. I want to manage my own life now.”

“Fine. I suppose I don’t have any choice but to let you waste your life and your talent,” Elaine relented haughtily.

“No. You really don’t,” Sarah agreed, then disconnected the phone with a beleaguered sigh.

Dante immediately pulled her onto his lap and cradled her body against his. “I take it that didn’t go well,” he queried curiously. “Was she really expecting you to marry somebody you’ve never met?” His voice got angry, rougher.

Sarah shrugged. “I’m expected to marry a man with a genius gene pool so we can make tons of little Mensa babies for the scientific community to marvel over.”

“Jesus, that woman is cold,” Dante retorted vehemently. “Not that I didn’t know that already.” He hesitated before adding, “How do you feel about going out to Tony’s tonight? I still owe you that dinner we talked about.”

He’s actually willing to go out? He thinks I’m unhappy, so he’s trying to do something to make me feel better.

“I’d love to go out, but if you’re doing this because you think I’m sad, I’m not. I’ve been dealing with my mother for twenty-seven years,” Sarah stated blandly, turning to look at his face.

“Bullshit,” Dante said gruffly. “I know what it feels like to wish for a parent who actually gives a crap. I’ve been there.”

Sarah’s eyes softened as her gaze met Dante’s. She knew his father had been a mean, abusive alcoholic before he died, and his mother had left them all just as soon as Hope was out of the house. Dante and his siblings almost never heard from their mother. It was obvious he really did know exactly how she felt. “It hurts. But I won’t let her ruin my chance to be happy.”

“Don’t,” Dante agreed as he stood up, lowering Sarah’s feet to the floor. “Go get ready. I’m doing this because I owe you dinner. And it’s still daylight. We need to be back before dark.”

He didn’t owe her anything. It was just the opposite. But he was using that excuse to make her happy. Sarah grinned at him. “I’ll be like Cinderella.”

“We need to be home way before midnight, and I’m no Prince Charming, woman,” he said gruffly.

“No, you’re not,” she agreed, giving him a lingering kiss on the lips. “You’re even better. And I’m almost certain you’re better endowed,” she answered in a sultry voice as she teased his large erection through the denim of his jeans with her palm and fingers. Sexually, she was getting bolder and bolder, and she loved feeling her own feminine power.

A low, reverberating sound came out of his throat, and Sarah scampered off before he could catch her. She squealed happily, the sound echoing through the house as she sprinted up the stairs with Dante hot on her heels.

“I can’t believe I actually let you walk out of the house in this dress. Every man who sees you will be fantasizing about fucking you,” Dante complained as he opened the passenger side of the truck, his eyes roaming over the long expanse of the bare legs exiting the vehicle.

“You wanted me to have a red dress,” Sarah reminded him. “Emily thought it was hot. You don’t think so?” She loved the dress, but she had to admit that it was meant to be sexy. It had a halter neck that made it impossible to wear a bra, and it was backless, the material starting at the top of her buttocks. The skirt was short and fitted, and it cupped her ass and the tops of her legs lovingly, ending at the middle of her thighs. It was revealing, but elegant enough not to make her look like a slut or a woman on the prowl.

“Too damn hot,” Dante griped. “My dick will be hard all through dinner just like it is now, and I’ll want to kill the first guy who shows the same appreciation I have for that particular dress.”

Sarah smiled at his unhappy tone. He’d already told her how beautiful she looked, and she felt beautiful. She’d put her hair up, letting some of the curls frame her face, and she’d used a heavier hand with her makeup than she usually did. Every time Dante glanced her way she felt like he wanted to devour her whole. She’d worn her torturous three-inch heels, but Dante still towered above her, his broad shoulders encased in a suit jacket that just emphasized his mammoth size. In jeans, Dante Sinclair was mesmerizing. In a suit and tie, he was so devastatingly handsome that he took her breath away.

They were shown to their table by the window. When she went to sit down, Dante gently grasped her upper arm and guided her to the seat across from him.

“I like to face the door,” he told her gruffly, pulling the chair out for her and seating her before he seated himself.

Sarah knew he was carrying a gun, and she assumed he wanted to be able to see who was coming and going from the restaurant. “A cop thing?” she guessed.

“Yep,” he answered with a grin. “I always face the door.”

They ordered drinks while they looked over the menu. The restaurant might be touristy, but Sarah loved the nautical decor that was appealing without being tacky. They both decided on the turf and surf, steak and lobster, and Sarah leaned back in her chair and sipped her wine, the novelty of sitting in a restaurant like she was on a real date delighting her.

“What are you smiling about?” Dante looked at her quizzically.

“I feel so young—like I’m out on a date with the hottest guy on the college campus.”

“If I were still in college and I were dating you, all I’d be thinking about was whether or not I’d be getting laid afterward,” Dante commented with a wicked smile.

Sarah leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, “I think you most definitely
will
get lucky this time.” She was already hot for him, and looking at his handsome image across from her, she want to crawl over the table and have
him
for dinner.

“You think?” Dante answered, his voice husky.

He shot her a heated, warning look across the table that made her heart skip a beat. She nodded slowly. “I even wore some hot new panties for you to check out later. They’re very scandalous and almost transparent.” Okay, now she knew she was poking at the beast, but she loved Dante’s feral wildness, so she continued. “And the matching silk garter and stockings are lovely.”

“You didn’t show me those,” he growled.

“I wanted to eat,” she told him laughingly. “I was afraid we’d never leave the house.” That was definitely the truth. Had she modeled the underwear for him before they left, they’d still be in bed. Although she still didn’t understand Dante’s insatiable desire for her scarred body, she accepted it as truth. He proved it over and over, every single day, and she was getting used to the fact that he really did want her.

“We wouldn’t have left,” Dante confirmed harshly. “Jesus Christ. How am I supposed to sit here now? My dick is already hard,” he grumbled unhappily.

God, it felt good to tease him. Sarah had never in her life felt comfortable enough to flirt with a man. Maybe this conversation with Dante was a little beyond flirting, because they were already in a sexual relationship, but she loved seeing the intense look of desire on his face and the twin flames of his eyes burning into her as he watched her intently.

“You’ll pay for this later, woman,” Dante told her roughly.

Sarah shivered in anticipation. “I hope so,” she answered teasingly. She was definitely prodding his dominant instincts, and maybe it was dangerous to do so since Dante was already plenty alpha. He was sexually bossy and authoritative, but she couldn’t resist pushing him even more. Dante encouraged her to explore her deepest desires, and she was definitely delving into them right now.

His eyes turned to molten fire. “Is that what you want? Punishment?”

Sarah shuddered at the thought. Dante would never hurt her, and she knew the only thing he’d really dish out was pleasure. Judging by his heated look, the thought of making her pay for teasing him enflamed him just as much as it did her. Opening her eyes wide, she gave him an innocent look as she replied, “Only if you think I deserve it.” She slipped her foot out of her high heel and brushed her toes gently against his engorged erection, hoping she’d get herself into even more trouble, wondering just how far Dante would take this.

“Right now I’m ready to paddle your ass until you beg for mercy,” he warned ominously.

Her pussy flooded. Maybe she was kinky, but the thought of Dante being that bold made her body incinerate. She had no doubt he’d do it. He wasn’t the type of guy who didn’t back up his words with action. If this didn’t stop, she’d be nothing but a pile of ashes in the chair of a fancy restaurant.

The waiter appeared with their food, and Sarah removed her foot, slipping it back into her shoe. The tablecloth was long and covered their laps, but she didn’t want to be discovered. This was all too new for her, too surreal. Dante really wanted her to the point of desperation, the same way she needed him.

Their conversation turned to more bland topics as they ate, but she could feel Dante’s gaze boring into her as she consumed an excellent steak and succulent Maine lobster.

Eventually, they talked about his brothers.

“Evan is almost always traveling. He needs to slow down or he’ll burn himself out by the time he’s thirty-five,” Dante told her as he finished his steak and placed his utensils on the plate.

“He must be lonely,” Sarah commented, wondering what it would be like to travel the world with nobody to share it with.

“I guess I never thought about it that way. But yeah, he probably is. He’s surrounded by people all the time in his business, but I don’t think any of them really give a shit about him. Most of them are just kissing his ass to improve their own financial interests. Evan works himself into the ground, and he doesn’t have to anymore. He never really did. It’s almost like he’s out to prove something, maybe that he can do a better job running the company than my father did,” Dante mused.

“And does he?” Sarah asked curiously, finishing her own dinner and placing her napkin on her plate, declining dessert when it was offered politely by the waiter taking their plates. She had already eaten until her stomach was completely full.

“Definitely. He’s made the corporation more successful than any of us could have ever imagined. The company was already worth billions of dollars, but Evan has probably tripled its value since my father died. I just wish he’d give it a break for a while.” Dante frowned as he slipped his credit card into the folder for the waiter, who picked it up immediately.

“And Jared?” Sarah prompted. She already knew Grady and much of his history from Emily. But Jared was still a mystery to her.

“Jared’s changed. Something happened to him, but I don’t know what. He blows it off if I try to ask him about what changed him, but he never used to be this way. Is his business successful? Very. But he’s not the same person he used to be growing up.”

“What was he like when he was younger?”

“Creative. Smart. He was always drawing something. He was a talented artist, and he went after architecture because he loved creating things, or rebuilding them. I think he’s bored with commercial real estate, but that’s what’s made him even richer. I don’t know. He just seems . . . lost.” Dante paused before saying, “He’s acting like an asshole, but he was always the first one to notice when Grady or one of our other siblings needed us, even though he was younger. He used to be curious about the world, kind to everyone. Now he’s just a jackass.”

“He’s still nice to old ladies,” Sarah pointed out, remembering what Elsie and Beatrice had said about Jared.

“I guess that’s something,” Dante said dubiously.

“What about Hope?” Sarah asked, wondering what it must have been like to be the only female among the Sinclair siblings.

“She’s happy now. She’s married to a childhood friend of the family, Jason Sutherland. He actually handles portfolios for Grady and me. He’s an incredible investor, one of the sharpest in the world.”

“I’ve heard of him. He’s a genius with mathematics and numbers, too, besides being a brilliant investor,” Sarah commented with awe.

“I’m sure your mother would love him, but he’s already married to my sister,” Dante replied morosely.

He looked irritated and possibly . . . jealous? “If my mother would like him, then I probably wouldn’t,” she told him adamantly.

“Every woman pants over Jason,” Dante grumbled.