The Billionaire's Woman Trilogy (2 page)

She nodded, and he gestured to the door. “The car is waiting outside. I’ve already stowed my things; put yours in the trunk and we’ll be off.” He followed her through the door, locking it behind him, and Sharise found herself dreading the car ride to come. It was sure to be the most awkward one of her life.

***

The stewardess directed her to a seat just to the right of James, placing a glass of champagne in front of her. Everything had happened so quickly that Sharise was a bit surprised. The car ride had been predictably silent, and she spent her time musing that he would drive instead of asking her too, but she guessed he didn’t want to give up control. She hadn’t been expecting him to hand her a first class ticket, however.

At her age, she’d barely flown before, let alone in first class. She was used to stewardesses barely acknowledging her existence, not lavishing her with attention. Flying with James Waldorf had its perks.

Sharise looked towards her boss to see if he needed anything, and was surprised to see his eyes closed and his hands steepled in front of him. He looked lost in thought, but then let out a long, shuddering breath, and visibly relaxed. Sharise was surprised, then shocked, as he opened his eyes and looked right at her, a smile tugging at his lips.

James Waldorf never smiled. Smirked, perhaps, when something was going his way. But a true, candid smile? That never happened. Ever.

“That was quite the ordeal, wasn’t it?” he asked, starting a conversation.

Sharise stayed quiet, still not sure what to do. Did she just…talk to him, like a normal person? But James Waldorf was
not
a normal person. He was her boss! And when he smiled the way he did now, her brain went all fuzzy. She could see very clearly why he was Denver’s most eligible bachelor. Damn, that man was hot.

“I..guess so,” Sharise said. James sighed.

“You can relax around me, you know. I’m not a monster. I’m not going to eat you.”

Sharise was half tempted to pout. He had turned his charm all the way up, it seemed, and she wouldn’t mind if he did eat her.

“O-okay. Um…what did you have for breakfast?”

James burst out laughing. “Eggs and toast.” At Sharise’s surprised look, he asked, “What? Did you think I ate caviar each day or something?”

“Well, maybe. Possibly?” She had no idea. She’d never thought about it.

“What did you have?”

Sharise realized she hadn’t eaten anything, right about the same time her stomach growled. James grinned and got the stewardess’ attention. “Can we get a breakfast tray for the young lady, please?”

The stewardess nodded, and James looked at Sharise. “I realized it was time for a change, both within the company, and within myself. I’d been at the mercy for investors for far too long, when half of them were incompetent fools who won their positions through nepotism. That’s why I did what I did last night. And I also realized I didn’t value my employees enough. Believe it or not, you’re around the tenth receptionist I’ve had this year.”

Sharise nodded. She knew; they had warned her when she started that she might not last long. No one else had.

James looked at her again, and took a deep breath. “So tell me, Sharise. You’re very young, yet you handle yourself well. What makes you so driven for this job? It’s not anything glamorous.”

“Well, my family doesn’t have much money,” Sharise said. “And I want to go to college. We didn’t qualify for financial aid, and I didn’t qualify for any scholarships. I got accepted, but couldn’t afford the tuition, so I delayed going until after I saved up some money.”

James nodded. “I see.”

Sharise felt herself beginning to loosen up and relax. “Can I ask you something?”

James smiled, indicating for her to continue.

“Do you have maids?”

He laughed, showing a full set of strong, white teeth. “No, I don’t have any maids. Of all questions in the world, why that one?”

“Um. When I was in your house earlier, it was so big, I just thought you must have had help cleaning it. And…it’s hard to imagine you doing dishes…” her voice trailed off, and James’s laughter grew louder until he was nearly doubled over. She wasn’t sure how to handle this new side of her boss.

“I suppose the tabloids run all sorts of rumor mills about me, huh?” James asked, his eyes sparkling. “No, I do my own dishes. The only way I keep my private life private is by not allowing anyone in, which is why I have the persona of a machine.” He paused, gathering his thoughts. “It seems I would owe you an apology, for before, and for the future. When we’re in the company of other people, I will be cold, calculating, and demanding. I have no choice; if competitors found any crack, any way in, they would exploit it. As such, they can’t know anything personal about me. When it’s just you and I, however, I’ll endeavor to be a bit more fun.”

Sharise smiled. At least he wasn’t completely a machine. “But why are you telling me this? What makes you trust me?”

“Your drive,” he said. “You’re working to put yourself through school. That’s a motivation that comes from within, and tells me you aren’t likely the one to screw an opportunity like that up.” Even through he smiled as he said it, a veiled threat dripped from his last words, letting her know that no amount of money the tabloids would pay her would be worth selling him out.

Sharise nodded. “Hey, you can call me Sherry instead of Sharise, if you’d like. That’s what my friends call me.”

***

The plane landed, and the two of them made their way to the hotel. The board meeting wasn’t until the next morning, and it was already late, having lost several hours from the time difference. Sharise was surprised when James picked up the keys for only one room, with two beds. Granted, it was an enormous suite that could have held twenty people comfortably, but still.

“We’re only getting one room?” Sharise asked, once they were inside.

James looked up, confusion playing across his face, and then a flash of embarrassment. “My apologies. I’m not quite as good with social etiquette as I would like. Would you like me to get a second room for your use?”

Sharise nodded. “No, this is fine. There are two beds, anyway, and I can help you prepare for tomorrow more easily.”

James nodded, and stood to stretch. “I’m going to take a shower. Please, make yourself comfortable. Help yourself to the mini bar if you would like.”

Sharise went to browse the mini bar, looking through the contents while listening to James prepare to shower. The walls were deceivingly thin, and she could hear the sound of fabric sliding against skin as he slipped out of his clothes, and then the sound of the water drained out everything else. She realized she’d been staring into the fridge the entire time, her face a bit flushed with heat.

Why was she thinking that way about her boss? Sure, he may not have been much older than her, but they were worlds apart in status. She didn’t have any right to think of him that way. Sharise sat on the bed and picked up a book, flipping the pages but not really reading the words, until she heard James step out of the bathroom. She looked up and gasped.

He stood, his back turned to her, with nothing more than a towel hugging his waist. His hair was messy and wet, and her eyes followed the contours of his back. She had been right; he was rock-hard underneath his clothes. All muscle and sinew and power.

Sharise instantly grew wet, the heat of embarrassment flooding her face. James turned around, surprised. “Oh, Sharise. I thought I heard you leave. My apologies.”

Sharise shook her head. “S-Sherry, remember?”

James nodded. “Right. Here, let me get dressed. I didn’t mean for you to see me like this.”

Sharise wasn’t so sure. The man was a genius at strategy; the whole thing could be an act. She hoped it was, because she wasn’t sure what she was going to do if it wasn’t. A spark in James’s eye made her feel like he knew exactly the effect he was having on her, and as he grabbed a shirt and walked over to the bed, she stammered out, “No, it’s okay. You can get comfortable.”

James smirked, and his expression quickly changed to one of danger. “Oh? You’d rather I stay like this?”

Sharise didn’t know what to say and kept quiet.

“Would you rather I stay undressed?” James’s tone had dropped to a quiet, commanding voice that sent shivers up her spine.

“Yes,” she said, quietly, quickly, before she changed her mind.

“What was that? I didn’t hear you,” James said.

“Yes!” Sharise said, more firmly this time. “I would rather you stay undressed.”

“It’s hardly fair that I’m the only one undressed, though, isn’t it?” James asked, raising an eyebrow. “Stand up.”

Sharise did as he said.

“Now unbutton your shirt.”

Sharise started at the top button, working her way down, her mind racing the entire time.

What the hell was she doing?

He was her boss.

But he was hot.

But he was her boss.

But he wanted her.

He was rich.

He wanted her.

By the time she reached the bottom button, she’d made up her mind. Whether she should do this or not didn’t matter anymore, and it didn’t look like he was giving her a choice. After all, it’s not like she didn’t want him too.

“Now your skirt.” His voice was sharp, commanding, and Sharise realized with a shiver that she liked being told what to do. She let the fabric pool around her feet at the floor as he walked over to her, and Sharise could see his member straining against the towel.

His hand reached out and lifted her chin up towards him, to that piercing emerald gaze, and she closed her eyes as he kissed her, his tongue darting into her mouth, claiming it as his own. Sharise gasped, melting into the kiss, pressing her body against his, until he pulled back suddenly and looked at her appraisingly.

She wasn’t sure if she should speak, so she raised her hand.

“What is it?” James asked, his tone indicating he had no patience for silly questions.

“I just thought you should know,
sir,
” Sharise said, inwardly thrilled at the smirk that elicited, “That I’ve never been with a man before.”

James leaned in and placed his mouth closer to her ear, whispering, “Then I will take you on this bed and fuck your virgin pussy in a way you will never forget.” His teeth bit down on her earlobe, and Sharise felt fire run down her spine. Her fingers tingled at his touch, and James snapped off her bra with a flick of his wrist.

He sat down on the bed, pulling the towel off as he did so. His cock sprang forward, seven inches of throbbing, pulsing veins, the head engorged and waiting to be serviced. He indicated his cock with his hand. “Take me in your mouth.”

Sharise nodded. She’d never given a blow job, but the sight of his cock made her mouth water. She got down on her knees, taking his member in her mouth, allowing her tongue to flick over the tip. She had to go slowly in order to make sure she fit it all in her mouth, and clumsily began to bob her head.

“No, not like that. Like this.” James placed his hands on her, adjusting her position. “Now move up and down.”

Sharise obeyed, fighting down the reflex to gag when she felt his cock touch the back of her throat. More and more she continued, her saliva dripping around his cock, her right hand fondling his balls at his command. She could feel his member enlarging more, and the pulse quickening.