“How does one even discover a penchant like that?”
“My mom’s business wasn’t doing too well, so I went to help her out. When I realized that she should be doing a lot better since she was so busy, I started digging into what was going wrong. It turned out her prices were way too low, she had about three times as many people working for her as she actually needed, and her marketing strategy was aimed at the wrong audience.”
“So you fixed it,” she deduced. “How is your mom now?”
My chest swelled a little when I thought about my parents. “She sold the business a few years ago as a going concern. Made a tidy profit on it, too. My dad retired around the same time, and now they’re living their dream in Florida.”
“You’re lucky to still have them.” Her voice was wistful when she said it, and I squeezed her arm as I pulled her to a stop before looking down into her eyes.
“Your parents aren’t around anymore?”
She shook her head, taking a deep breath before offering me a weak smile. “They were at a sales convention when I was in my sophomore year at college. On the way back one night, their car skidded on some black ice.”
“I’m so sorry, Tori.” I brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s okay.” She released a shuddering sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. “It was long enough ago that I don’t fall to pieces every time I talk about it anymore. Besides, at least I have Kari. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her.”
“I always wanted a sibling,” I confessed. “My parents tried, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
“What would the world have done with another one of you in it?” she teased lightly, very obviously trying to lift the heavy mood.
Since I was perfectly happy to leave the deep stuff behind for now, I smiled and lifted one of my shoulders in a shrug. “You’re right. The world can only handle so much awesome coming from one family.”
She gave my shoulder a playful shove, but before she could say anything else, a woman with flushed cheeks and a camera in her hands came up to us. “Excuse me. Aren’t you the couple from those videos on the internet?”
Tori’s eyes widened in surprise, but I put my arm around her waist and nodded. “Yes, we are. Allow me to introduce you to the one and only, Ms. Victoria Mitchell.”
The woman grinned and pumped Tori’s hand enthusiastically. For her part, my date looked a little stunned as her fan gushed. “My husband and I love you so much. You really stood up for the little people.”
Tori gave me a sly grin before turning back to the woman. “Well, it only meant something because Mr. Benjamin Reed over here wasn’t too proud to admit his mistakes. Have you met Ben?”
“I hope your peers have learned a lesson or two in humility from you, Mr. Reed,” the woman said, then spoke to us for another couple of minutes before holding up her camera. “Can I get a picture? My husband will never believe I actually met you if I don’t get one.”
“Sure.” I pulled Tori closer to me, noticing her blushing before I rested my head on top of hers. She looked so darn sweet that I couldn’t help but bend my knees just a little further to kiss her in that moment that the flash went off.
“That’s so ending up on social media,” she grumbled, but her eyes sparkled with humor before she pulled away from me.
“I hope it does,” I replied, my mouth so close to her ear that her hair moved when I said it. “I want the world to know that you’re mine.”
“That’s a mighty bold assumption to make, isn’t it?” she asked me after saying goodbye to the woman.
I shrugged, not loosening my grip on her in the slightest as I turned to face her more fully. “I have to be bold to catch your eye.”
She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she liked that when she smiled slightly before taking a step back. “So, what have you got planned for us next?”
“A dance lesson,” I said, feeling a grin that would definitely look mischievous spreading on my lips. “Then a chance to use our newly acquired moves at an exclusive club after dinner.”
She groaned. “More dancing, huh?”
“But of course. You know how much I love your moves.” I led her back in the direction where our car was waiting for us, taking her hand as we strolled toward it.
The dancing lessons were fun, but it turned out they were also lessons in restraint. The instructor immediately realized Tori was no bumbling beginner, and she got her moving her body in ways that made me want to drag her to the closest hotel.
We laughed a lot while the instructor tried to get me up to scratch, but I really couldn’t concentrate on dancing with Tori in my arms. Once we were done with the lessons, we had dinner at a small, romantic restaurant lit exclusively by candles, lanterns, and twinkling lights.
Tori told me more about her sister and their childhood, while I couldn’t stop staring at her like I was some kind of virgin on his first date. The woman looked magnificent in the soft, flickering light of the candle between us, her face open and her eyes twinkling when she laughed.
Eventually, I got enough of a grip on myself to tell her more about my own upbringing and the early days of Reed Global. When we got to the VIP section of the club, the champagne was flowing and it looked like Tori was having a great time.
I was so relieved about how well our date was going that I grinned like an idiot the entire time. I’d known if we could just get a chance to connect without work or revenge getting in the way, she would realize how good we could be together. Today seemed to be proving me one hundred percent correct.
When she pulled me onto the dance floor, pressing that sexy body close to mine and winding her fingers into my hair while looking up into my eyes, I let out a low groan that must’ve rumbled against her chest.
“What was that all about?” she asked, smiling up at me as she continued to roll her hips in a way that was getting me dangerously close to embarrassing myself.
“Nothing,” I said, bringing my mouth to her ear again so she’d be able to hear me over the music. “You just make me completely crazy. I should never have brought you all the way to the city for our date.”
“Yeah?” She laughed, but her brow furrowed into a curious frown. “Why’s that?”
I pressed a kiss to her temple, using my hands on her lower back to haul her as close to me as I could get her. “Because it’s way too far from home.”
The soft moan she released told me she’d felt exactly what I was talking about. When she looked up at me again, her eyes were dark and making promises I really hoped she would keep. “Let’s stay for a few more songs. Then we can get out of here, okay?”
“Okay.” Regardless of how much I wanted her, I’d asked her out to connect with her on an emotional level. Not a physical one.
If she wanted to dance until the sun came up, then that was what we would do. I wasn’t pushing my luck with her. I’d blown too many chances to risk fucking this up just because I was horny. I could take care of myself later, but I wouldn’t get the opportunity to try fixing things with her again.
This was my very last chance, and I wasn’t letting anything or anyone get in the way of that.
Chapter 33
TORI
Our date flew by in a flurry of activities and moments that took my breath away. Something had been drawing me to Ben all this time, even when it shouldn’t have been, and I thought I’d finally figured it out.
Previously, I’d only seen glimpses of the man behind the power-wielding prick he liked to portray to the outside world. Those brief flashes of who he was on the inside was what had kept me coming back for more, and after seeing that man for an entire day, I was hooked.
Ben had proven to me that there was so much more to him—to the possibility of an us—than I ever would’ve imagined. I wasn’t in love with him or anything crazy like that, but if this was the real him, I was in danger of falling for him completely.
The thought should’ve scared the living crap out of me, but it didn’t. Being together felt so right it was almost like it was inevitable. I’d never played fast and loose with my heart—or my body—before, but I’d already seen the worst of him. I knew what he was capable of, and I’d already survived it once.
More than survived it actually. I’d come out the other side stronger and in a better position than ever before. In a way, I felt like we’d walked through fire to get to this point, and in doing so, it kind of felt like if we went on to have a relationship, it would’ve been forged in that fire. Together, we would be unbreakable, unstoppable.
By the time we were in the helicopter again, flying through the night sky with the stars above and city lights below, I somehow felt like we’d won. The universe had challenged us every step of the way, tested us to see if we were willing to fight to be together with as much determination as we’d fought against one another, and we’d come out holding hands.
As I rested my head on his shoulder, I wanted him something terrible. It was like my body was pushing me to cement this bond we’d forged, and I didn’t have the will to fight it.
The dancing had only made it that much worse. His body had been made for dancing—and lovemaking for that matter—and I was aching to feel him on top of me, inside me, once again.
While I was sitting there with my pulsing core drenching my panties and begging me to seal the deal, Ben seemed perfectly fine. He’d been as hard as concrete on the dance floor earlier, but now he seemed content to just hold me and absently stroke my arm as his pilot flew us home.
It was a little disconcerting to think he could’ve gone from flaming hot for me to being totally calm, but then I placed my hand on his chest and felt his heart racing underneath my palm. He swallowed hard, bringing his hand up to cover mine.
“You okay?” I whispered, knowing he’d be able to hear me with his headset on.
He inclined his head, but his jaw was tight and his body stiff as he glanced toward the pilot. Right. We’re not the only people who can hear us.
Sighing internally, I tried to relax into his side and ignore the instinct to make him mine. It had surprised me when he’d said he wanted to show the world I was his, especially since one date didn’t really mean that, but then I’d realized I wanted the same thing.
Once we landed back in Hartford, the limo was waiting for us again. The driver hopped out when he saw us emerging from the helicopter, opening the door as soon as we reached him. Ben slid in after me and the door closed immediately, sealing in most of the heat blowing through the vents before it could escape.
A quick glance toward the front let me know that the privacy shield was up, and when Ben settled into the seat beside mine, I wasted no time straddling him instead of just leaning against his shoulder again.
Surprise flashed in his eyes, but then my mouth was on his and his arms wrapped around me like he would never let me go again. Groaning as he kissed me back, he held me firmly in his lap. Eventually, he pulled away.
“I’ve never wanted a woman as badly as I want you, but I didn’t do all this just to sleep with you.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but I heard him loud and clear.
“I know.” I took his face in my hands, bringing my mouth back to his, and kept talking while pressing kisses to it. “Everything you’ve said and done in the last few days has shown me that you’re serious about wanting to date me. I want that too. If you’re holding back just because you don’t want me to get the wrong idea, then stop. If we’re going to give this thing between us a real chance, don’t you think we have to just go with whatever feels right and not second-guess ourselves all the time?”
“Fuck yes.” A deliciously wicked grin spread on his lips before he claimed mine, his hands suddenly roaming as if he was trying to memorize the feel of every inch of my curves.
Relieved that we’d gotten the doubt out of the way, I realized we were going to have to keep communicating clearly if we wanted this to work. Neither of us had been very good at it with each other so far, but we seemed to be learning fast. Ben certainly hadn’t been pulling any punches with what he wanted since that press conference, and I vowed to myself then and there to make an effort to be as assertive.
Kissing him back with every ounce of the need and certainty I felt, I was hardly aware that my hips had started rocking until he let out a pained moan and wrenched his mouth away from mine. He tapped the sides of my legs, then chuckled when he saw my shocked expression.
“Relax. We just need to switch or this is going to be over a lot sooner than I want it to be.” He helped me get my leg over his before lowering down to his knees.
I frowned. “Switch? You want to sit on top of me? That might make things a little difficult.”
“It would, but that’s not quite what I had in mind.” Reaching out, he hit a button I hadn’t noticed before but quickly realized was some sort of intercom for him to communicate with the driver. “Take us to my place, please. We’re not dropping Ms. Mitchell off anymore.”
“You’re not, huh?” I asked, my tone light but my heart racing.
He smirked as he crawled closer to me on his knees, stopping to push my dress up to my hips and spread my thighs with his big hands. Another moan came out of him before he lifted his gaze back to mine.
“Nope. I’ll take you home later if you want me to, but if we want to finish what you started, it won’t be with a quickie in the back of a car. This isn’t prom night and we’re not teenagers.”
“Who said anything about a quickie?” I gasped when he hooked a finger around my panties and pulled the front panel aside. “And just how soundproof is this backseat?”
“Neither of us live far enough away that it wouldn’t have to be a quickie, and don’t worry about the soundproofing. Can you hear rock music playing up front?”
I shook my head and he grinned. “Exactly. I can guarantee that’s what the driver is blasting over those speakers. If you can’t hear that, he can’t hear you. Stop worrying and just let me work, would you?”
“Work?” I arched an eyebrow at him, digging deep to maintain a sense of humor even as he stroked my folds.
“Yep. Working at pleasuring you and winning you over for good is my new favorite mission in life.” He was chuckling as he said it, but the look in his eyes was dead serious. “I mean it, Tori. I’m yours and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make you mine.”
“Dear Lord,” I murmured as I wound my hands into his hair. “With a mouth like that, how am I supposed to say no?”
“Easy. You’re not. Now just sit back and let me show you what else this mouth is good for.” With one last devilish grin up at me, he ducked and got to this new favorite mission of his.
Although he hadn’t said anything about it, I knew we couldn’t have too much time left until we got to his place. I also knew that him stopping to ask the driver to keep going until he told him otherwise would be making things way too obvious for my taste.
With the knowledge of the ticking clock in the back of my mind, I didn’t expect to make it across the finish line in time. I’d underestimated Ben’s level of skill, though. He seemed determined to get me there, and he read my body like it was an open book until fireworks finally exploded behind my eyes. I was swept away by a torrent of pleasure racing through my body from head to toes, screaming his name just as the car slowed to a stop at his gates.
He didn’t rush me, seeing me through before helping me cover up again. The car crept down his drive as he pushed himself up off the floor, tucking me under his arm and into his side moments before we had to climb out.
Ben got out first, then reached a hand back in for me to take. There was a strange, almost boyish excitement to him when he closed his front door behind us. He squeezed my hand, pressing a kiss to my forehead before pulling back to look into my eyes.
“Would you like a tour? We didn’t exactly get around to it the first time you came over.”
I rolle
d my eyes, but I couldn’t stop a smile from taking over my face. “The first time I came over, you’d have sooner locked me in the dungeon of this castle of yours than show me around.”
“Actually, that’s not true. Unless I had a sex dungeon because I definitely would’ve liked locking you in there that night.”
“No sex dungeon then?” I joked, holding his hand while he flicked on lights as we went. “Pity. I’ve never seen one of those.”
“I’ll have one set up for you tomorrow if you want,” he offered, laughing as he pointed toward a dining room. “It’s not a dungeon, but I never eat in there anyway. It’s wasted space really. I bet it could fit one of those cross things and a bit of other paraphernalia.”
I shook my head hard and fast. “No. Thank you. I was just joking. Jeez.”
“I know, but you need to know that your wish is my command from now on.” He kissed the back of my hand and jerked his head toward what appeared to be a living area. “That’s where I watch TV when I’m home. The kitchen’s over there, and there’s a bar and stuff around as well.”
“My wish is your command?” I repeated skeptically. “Firstly, it seems a bit too soon for that kind of thing. Secondly, you’re not taking this tour very seriously.”
“Nope, I’m not.” He was cheerful when he said it, shrugging as he pointed out a few different rooms when we passed them. “As for the first thing, I don’t think it’s too soon for that. We’ve known each other for months. You already know all about the bad parts of me. I’m trying to show you the perks of getting involved with a rakishly handsome yet clueless about dating billionaire who’s been a real pain in your ass.”
I sighed, pulling him to a stop when we reached a door at the end of one of the hallways he’d dragged me down. Walking around him, I took both his hands in mine and looked into his eyes.
“What am I going to do with you, Mr. Reed? You’re going to spoil me if you keep talking like that.”
He let go of one of my hands to put his on the side of my neck, using his thumb to tilt my chin up. “I plan on spoiling you rotten, but I also plan on ruining you for all other men. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m playing for keeps, Tori.”
Love Your Moves: A Billionaire Valentine's Romantic Comedy Page 20
