How to Avoid a Billionaire

by Tressie Lockwood

  Ryder’s hand dropped from her cheek to her thigh, and he squeezed. Rather than relaxing her, he ignited a flame in her belly, which was not how she should feel in her parents’ driveway. She glanced up at the small house, so unassuming and simple but still nice. Her father didn’t believe in wasting space, so although they could afford more, he’d chosen a compact structure. Her mother had made it cozy and warm, so she had never needed anything else.

  Melanie turned back to Ryder. “Don’t point for any reason. Greet him before my mother. They’ll offer—”

  “Hey.”

  He slanted his mouth over hers, silencing her. Melanie gave in to his kiss and parted her lips. He snaked his tongue inside and swept the interior, drawing a moan from her. When he moved his hand up her thigh toward her pussy, she stopped him, but he shook her hand off and raised his head.

  “Let me relax you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Like that, here? Are you insane?”

  He kissed her again and whispered against her mouth. “Pull your dress up.”

  The street around her parents’ house lay in almost total darkness. A motion sensor light would come on when they approached the front door, but where they sat no one would see into the car. That wasn’t the point, and yet she wanted to give in.

  “I feel like they’ll know.”

  “Will they?” He touched a fingertip to her clit through the dress and her panties. Arrows of delight shot through her.

  “Or my mother might come to the window.”

  “And?” He circled the small bud. Her breath hitched in her throat.

  She pulled her dress up, exposing her thighs. Ryder eased his hand higher and inched around the leg band of her panties. He kissed her lips as he slid a finger into her heat. She squirmed, moaning and grasped his wrist, but she didn’t want him to stop. Already, her come flowed, and her clit swelled. She arched into his touch as he pushed deeper.

  “Mmm, angel, you’re so wet.”

  “Ryder.”

  His thumb circled over her clit with no barrier now, and her pussy throbbed. An orgasm loomed, and the mere fact that someone could walk up on the car at any second heightened her desire. She rode his fingers, pressing his hand deeper. Her core muscles contracted, and the next instant her orgasm descended. She bit down on a cry of pleasure, humping his fingers until the sensations passed.

  When she was done, Ryder pulled out of her and sat back in his seat. “That’s better.”

  “How can you tell?”

  He grinned. “I can.” He reached into the compartment between them and removed tissue. She used it to clean up, and he wiped his hand. Then they walked together to her parents’ front door.

  She tugged on her dress. “Why do I feel like the entire neighborhood knows you just got me off in the car?”

  He cast her an innocent expression and rang the doorbell. Melanie felt the stirrings of nerves but much less intense than earlier. Ryder might have no shame, but he’d been helpful. She could deal with the dinner better than if she’d gone straight in. Just before her mother opened the door, Melanie noticed the tent in Ryder’s pants and pointed it out. He had just enough time to tame his erection and straighten when the door opened.

  “Melanie,” her mother chirped and dragged her into a hug and kissed her cheek. “Come in. Come in.”

  Ryder let Melanie step ahead of him, and they moved into the entryway. From habit, Melanie bent to remove her heels and nabbed a pair of slippers from the shelf by the door. She was about to instruct Ryder to do the same, but he’d already removed his shoes and set them together facing the door. She gaped at him and he winked. Of course he must have met with Chinese businessmen in his line of work. She was an idiot for lecturing him, and he hadn’t complained.

  Melanie’s dad stepped into the room, and her mother moved to the side. Her smile remained in place, but she quieted and let him speak. When he did, he spoke in Mandarin rather than English. “Song, you finally remember your parents are not dead?”

  She bowed her head briefly to him but spoke in English for Ryder’s benefit. “Bà ba, it’s good to see you. This is my friend, Ryder Neyland.”

  Ryder bowed as well. “Hěn gāoxìng rènshì nĭ.”

  Her mother clapped. “Perfect pronunciation. It’s good to meet you too, Ryder. Come inside, please.”

  They headed into the living room, and Melanie sighed in relief. The first hurdle had been passed. As her father and Ryder moved ahead, her mother hooked her arm with Melanie’s. “He’s cute, sweetheart. Is he your boyfriend?”

  Melanie didn’t get a chance to answer because a small sound from her father sent her mother scurrying off to get tea. She returned a few minutes later, and Melanie poured for everyone. Ryder accepted his. He waited for Melanie’s father to encourage him to drink and took a sip. A second later, the questions began.

  “How old are you, Mr. Neyland?” her father asked.

  Melanie suppressed a groan.

  “Thirty-five, Mr. Cai, and please call me Ryder.”

  “And how much money do you make?”

  “Bà ba!” Melanie squeaked.

  Somehow, Ryder deflected her father’s innate curiosity and penchant for asking whatever popped into his head. Ryder impressed her by offering the fruit basket to her parents using both hands and in complimenting them on the house and her mother’s outfit. Soon they sat around the table on their knees, and Melanie peeked over at Ryder to see him deftly using chopsticks without a problem.

  “Báijiŭ,” her dad called, and her mother brought in the alcohol. She set the small ceramic container next to Melanie’s dad and added four shot glasses. Her dad poured for each of them, and Melanie, her mother, and Ryder waited for her father to offer a toast. He raised his glass, and they imitated him. “Suíyì!”

  Melanie wondered if her dad used this toast because he thought Ryder might not like the alcohol so he didn’t need to drink all of it in one gulp. Ryder did anyway. Her dad poured more, and this time Ryder raised his glass. His eyes twinkled as he glanced at Melanie and then back at her dad. “Wàn shòu wú jiāng.”

  Longevity and health. This man is good. He’s definitely getting some tonight.

  Her dad nodded his approval. Eventually, they were able to say their good-byes, and Melanie promised to visit again soon. Her dad insisted she bring Ryder, which meant he liked him.

  “So?” Ryder asked when they were on the road.

  She rolled her eyes at him, suppressing a grin. “You did all right.”

  He chuckled and tapped her nose. She ducked away.

  “Are you fluent in Mandarin?”

  “No, I know the basics to get by.”

  “You seemed to follow him pretty well.”

  “I could guess a lot at the beginning when he spoke too fast. You might remember he switched to English early on.”

  “Yeah, that’s when you convinced him you weren’t a bai chi.” When Ryder looked stumped, she grinned. “An idiot.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Song.”

  She glanced at him, and he touched her face. Her heart skipped a beat.

  “That’s what your dad called you.”

  “It’s my middle name.”

  “It’s beautiful, like you.”

  She looked away. Letting him get too deep inside her would be a mistake, and yet it felt like tonight she’d done just that. What she meant to be a sort of payback had backfired. “Do you want to come over tonight?”

  “I want you to spend the weekend with me.”

  “At your house?”

  “Yes, it’s Friday. You don’t have to work, do you?”

  “No, but don’t you work on the weekend?”

  “Often, yes, but I cleared my calendar. When you said I could have tonight, I hoped you would give me more. I apol
ogize if I’m being greedy. I’ve missed you.”

  “Stop.” She held up her hand and gave herself a mental kick when it shook. “Don’t say what you don’t mean. Don’t pretend—”

  He touched a finger to her lips. “Is it impossible for me to miss you?”

  That hurt. “Is it just the sex?”

  “If I say it’s more, will you believe me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Is it possible, angel?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Then that argument is settled.”

  “I don’t see where.”

  He grinned. “Yes, to the weekend?”

  “I have to go home and get clothes.”

  “On the way.”

  Chapter Six

  Ryder lived in Mooresville, North Carolina, and Melanie had heard rich people lived out that way, but she had never been there. She had imagined luxury and beauty right on Lake Norman, but Ryder’s house still blew her mind. The cobblestone driveway led up to a mansion that looked somewhat like a castle without the dull grey stone. An actual butler opened the door for them when they walked in, and Melanie blinked at him before the marbled foyer floors caught her attention. She tried hard not to gawk like an idiot, but when Ryder led her into a room she had to step down into, with a massive fireplace and oversized windows offering a clear view of the water, she couldn’t help herself.

  “This is incredible.”

  He smiled and nodded toward the windows. “Wait until you see it in the daytime. There’s another room I like better. It’s oval shaped with windows all around so you can view a large expanse of the grounds. I have a private pier off the lake, and we can take my boat out if you want.”

  “You must have felt like my apartment was a closet—not even a walk-in one.”

  He pulled her to him and kissed her lips. “I have no recollection of what your apartment looked like. All I saw was you.”

  She escaped his hold. “You’re dangerous, Ryder Neyland.”

  “I’m just a man.”

  “You know you’re more than that. Can I see the oval room anyway?”

  “Of course.”

  He gave her the grand tour, and she learned that while the house was massive, it had only five bedrooms. Space was not skimped on in any of them. Each included a sitting room and a private bath. There were at least two living rooms and two dining rooms, along with smaller areas she had no name for. The kitchen island was more like two separate islands with one structure built above to connect them. One held the sink while the other was counter space lined on one side with chair stools. Across from the islands but still a part of the overhead structure was the stove. She loved everything about this kitchen and wished it were her own.

  “Do you cook for yourself?”

  “Not often. Sometimes a late night sandwich, but I have a housekeeper who cleans and makes the occasional meal when I’m in.”

  “I should have known that. You have a butler.”

  He chuckled. “James isn’t just a butler. He handles quite a few personal tasks and some business.”

  She held up a hand. “Never mind. I get it.”

  “Come here to me.”

  She drifted into his arms, and he kissed her lips. She ran her hands up his chest and stretched to her toes to lock them behind his head. Ryder squeezed her at the waist and moved around to her ass to do the same there. Her pussy clenched in anticipation of more, but he drew away.

  “I have something you might like.”

  “What?”

  He walked away, and she followed until they reached a room she realized she hadn’t seen, a theatre room. She’d always dreamed of having a house with one in it. Several rows of cushiony chairs lined one side, and at the end a gigantic screen filled the wall. Ryder walked through a door at the back, and she heard switches clicking. The next instant, the screen lit up with the opening DVD menu to a sci-fi B movie.

  She burst out laughing. “You did not get that movie.”

  He stuck his head out of the door and winked. “I did, and there are others. We can watch them when we’re not sailing or doing other interesting things.”

  “I told you I love sci-fi. You didn’t mention you like them too.”

  He returned holding a remote and led her to the couch in the middle row. “I have to have some mystery, angel.”

  “That’s mystery?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re nuts. I can’t keep up with you. One minute I think I’ve got you, and the next I’m lost.”

  He sat down and drew her into his arms. His lips on her neck sent chills racing down her arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll always find you.”

  Melanie blushed. Yup, her defenses were crumbling faster than she could mentally reinforce them. When Ryder got up to get them a drink, she gave herself a lecture and waited for his return. Afterward, they sipped red wine and laughed at the low budget movie. She sat between Ryder’s legs with his arm around her middle and leaned on his chest.

  He pointed at the screen. “Watch here when he turns around. You’ll see the zipper in the suit.”

  She gaped. “I never noticed that. I’ve watched this movie three times. You weren’t lying.”

  He shrugged, a sexy grin lighting his expression. Her heart pounded, and it had nothing to do with the danger the heroine was in on the screen. Ryder’s gaze slid from her face to her cleavage, and he followed his line of sight with his fingers. One button popped open at his prodding, and then another. She moaned when he skimmed the line of her bra and pushed farther to brush her nipple.

  “Look what we have here.” He gave the tiny peak a pinch, and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. The low rumble from his moan raised chill bumps on her arms. “You’re a naughty woman. Why are these so tight?”

  “I don’t know,” she quipped. “Might have something to do with you playing with them.”

  “And if I were to go lower?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He clicked with his tongue and the roof of his mouth. She tried to roll away from his hand when he reached for the button on her jeans. Before she could hit the floor, he caught her and dragged her back. Lightning fast movements landed her face down on the couch and him behind her, straddling her hips. Ryder leaned over her, large hands pinning her wrists to the cushions.

  Melanie thought fast. “Ouch!”

  Ryder’s weight disappeared in an instant, and he had her in his arms standing at the side of the chair. The concern in his expression stopped her lie cold.

  “I hurt you. I’m sorry, angel. Tell me where.” His gaze raked her form, but she wiggled to get down. He set her with caution on her feet, but he didn’t let her go. “I forget my size and strength sometimes. You’re so small…”

  “I’m not that little!” A thrill raced over her at his words. “If you weren’t a giant…”

  He tried to scoop her up again, but this time she ducked and ran from the room. He chased her. Melanie’s feet slipped over the marble floor in the hall. She headed for an ornate wooden door beneath the stairs, which looked like it might lead to a dungeon in her overactive imagination. She almost went down before she could grasp the handle, but Ryder’s strong arm came around her waist, and he hauled her off her feet.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  He freed her, but she had nowhere to go. Her back against the door and his hulking form blocking escape, she considered her options. When an idea came to mind, she grinned, and Ryder narrowed his eyes, his stance stiff as if he expected her to duck him out again. Instead, she tilted her head to the side and reached to stroke his cock through his slacks. Ryder’s shaft twitched under her touch, stiffening and growing. She stroked it from his balls to the head and moaned as if he were already inside her. He growled his need and grabbed her by the shoulders to
thrust her back. She brought a knee up to run slow and easy along his outer thigh.

  “You are very bad, angel,” he said and teased her mouth with a kiss. “Do you know the danger you’re in, temping me?”

  Melanie widened her eyes on purpose. He clicked with his tongue. He grabbed her hands and placed them at the band of his pants.

  “Since you want it, go get it,” he commanded.

  “I…”

  He waited in silence, and she looked down to do as he asked. The sound his zipper made had never been so seductive, and when she reached inside his pants, her desire shot through the roof. Ryder’s cock seemed bigger and harder. She held it in her hands, and it seemed to throb. Precome beaded the head. She was about to rub her thumb over the liquid, but he stopped her.

  “Lick it.”

  She dropped to her knees and stuffed his shaft between her lips. The taste of him, the feel, even the scent drove her wild. She moaned and took him deeper, but no sooner had she done so, Ryder whipped her off her knees and pushed her against the door. He followed and held her there, hands on her arms.

  “Open your pants, and pull your panties down.”

  Her body on fire, she snatched her jeans open and ripped them over her hips along with her panties. Ryder didn’t allow the clothing to hit the floor before he bent his knees and thrust between her legs. Melanie’s nails sank into his arms. She screamed his name and pleaded for more. He raised her off her feet, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The door handle bumped her ass as Ryder drove roughly into her. Thumps echoed across the hall and up the stairs, but Ryder didn’t stop.

  “You’re so hot,” he moaned in her ear.

  “Faster, please, Ryder. Do it harder.”

  Their pelvises slapped together, her cheeks hit the door, and Ryder cursed. “Damn it, too soon!”