He gave her a quick kiss on her lips then smiled.
“Not crazy, just meant to be. You’ll see. It will all work out.”
Chapter 4
Pierre answered his cell phone. He was anticipating seeing Mikayla all day. Michael had shared with them Mikayla’s concern over having sex with him on the first date and what message it might send. She was indeed a very special woman, and he wondered how he would be able to resist taking her to bed. He wanted to explore her body, and he was used to getting what he wanted. He half listened to the person on the other line as Isaac pulled onto some dark, dismal road leading into what would reveal the town of Orchidea. He ended the call and waited patiently to see what the place looked like. As they came around the final bend in the roadway, the lights and sounds of jazz music greeted them. It was not such a small town, and it appeared to be a hidden treasure.
Isaac located Mikayla’s home, set back from the road in a humble neighborhood of similar houses. Her home was decorated with lots of flowers and a front porch with swinging bench and rockers. He hated to admit it, but it looked inviting. It was a far cry from the city and their extravagant family estate.
Isaac got out of the car and came around the side to open the passenger door. Pierre got out and fixed his dress pants and the blazer he wore. He was dressed somewhat casually considering that he would be taking Mikayla out on his yacht for an evening dinner and cruise.
He climbed the stairs, noting the sight and smell of the wisteria that traveled up the side of the railing and along one side of the porch. He immediately thought about the story she had shared about the Owens’ son and owner of the house he bought.
He rang the doorbell and waited for Mikayla to answer. His heart pounded inside of his chest, and his palms began to sweat. This was so unlike him.
To his pleasurable surprise Mikayla answered the door wearing a simple, yet sophisticated yellow sundress that showed some of her voluptuous figure. Her hair was pulled back on one side with a small, delicate butterfly clip that helped reveal tiny diamond stud earrings.
She looked absolutely stunning, and he absorbed every feature until he realized he hadn’t said a word to her. There she was blushing and looking up from under her long, thick eyelashes.
“You look stunning, Mikayla. Absolutely gorgeous,” he stated then placed his hand on her hip as he leaded forward and kissed her cheek. Her scent filled his nostrils, and his need for more of her was overwhelming.
“Thank you. I hope this is all right to wear. I wasn’t certain where we were going,” she replied sweetly.
“I would grab a sweater if you have one. We’re going on a dinner cruise.” He was shocked by his shaky and excited voice. She did this to him. Mikayla made him feel energized and alive.
“I’ll go grab one. Please come in,” she told him then hurriedly walked through the hallway and into her bedroom. He watched the sway of her ass and her long, sexy legs that the dress revealed. She was a gorgeous woman.
* * * *
Mikayla grabbed her sweater and headed out of her bedroom. She found Pierre staring at a picture of her and her sisters. He turned and smiled at her.
“Where was this taken?” he asked.
She walked closer and stood next to him as she looked at the picture.
“That was at Ellena and Angelina’s restaurant, Aubert’s.”
“These are your sisters?’ he asked, and she told him each of their names as she pointed to them. She explained what they did for a living and a bit about each one.
“So Angelique and Illeanna are in ménage relationships, huh?” he questioned, and she felt a little nervous. Just because they were involved with those types of relationships didn’t mean that she understood them or was an expert on them. Truth was that she personally was scared. Scared to give in to the feelings she had and to get involved sexually with four men and scared to have her heart broken quadruple time.
She took the picture from his hand and placed it back onto the shelf.
“Yes. They are.” She looked at the photo. Her sisters looked happy. It was a great day they had shared.
Pierre took her hand and brought it to his lips. He held her gaze and kissed each of her knuckles.
“You’re shaking. Please don’t feel nervous or scared around me. I won’t hurt you, Mikayla, I just want to use this alone time to get to know you. I want you to feel comfortable with me and get to know who I am as well.”
She nodded her head, and he took her hand and led her from the room toward the front door. She grabbed her purse and clutched the sweater before heading out.
* * * *
They made small talk on their way to the marina where Pierre kept his yacht. As soon as they arrived, the sun was beginning to lower. They would be enjoying a sunset by the time they set sail.
Pierre grabbed her hand as Isaac accompanied them. She was curious as to why he was coming, too, because she thought he was a driver for Pierre.
“Sir, the crew has checked everything over, and the chef said dinner is set for eight as you requested,” Isaac told them.
“Very good, Isaac. Thank you,” Pierre replied. Then they climbed aboard one of the largest yachts in the marina. The engines roared to life, and people around the marina stopped to watch. It was quite impressive looking, and she was excited to see what the inside of a yacht looked like.
Pierre accompanied her and gave her a tour where along the way various crew members tended to the vessel. She was impressed and not surprised that Pierre had lavish-styled furniture and décor aboard the yacht. He had to be very wealthy to afford such luxuries.
“It’s very impressive, Pierre,” she stated as he motioned for her to take the stairs to the top deck before him. Then she felt his hand on her waist and the tiny sensations of awareness travel through her body.
He stopped her at the top of the stairs and turned her toward the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen.
“Oh God, it’s amazing,” she whispered then felt Pierre’s arm go around her waist as he escorted her closer.
She pressed against the railing, looking out at the sunset and the clear horizon before them.
“It’s stunning really, Pierre, thank you,” she told him.
Mikayla felt how close he was to her back. The arm around her waist held her securely although she was certain she was safe where she stood. Something inside her wanted him closer so she could feel his full embrace. Mikayla tried to pretend to look to the side of them as she brushed her hip nearer to him before returning to face forward. A moment later Pierre was pressed against her back and his face inches from her cheek.
“You are more stunning than the sunset, Mikayla. So beautiful,” he whispered then kissed her bare shoulder. She tilted her head the other way, exposing her neck to more of his kisses, and he obliged, trailing them along her clavicle and up to her shoulder again. The goose bumps spread along her body, causing her to shiver beneath his mouth.
He turned her toward him and kissed her deeply, exploring her mouth with his tongue as he pressed her against the railing.
The slight breeze caressed her shoulders and added to the excitement she felt. His hand cupped her breast, and she moaned into his mouth while she kept her hands against his chest.
Her pussy wept in response, and her nipples hardened. She was becoming so aroused and Pierre didn’t seem anywhere near stopping this make-out session.
She pressed her hands against his chest, and he gripped her tighter, indicating that he would be the one to end the kiss. It was so Pierre. To always have to be in control and in power seemed to be a major part of his personality. It didn’t bother her as long as he didn’t try to order her around.
Slowly, he pulled from her lips then reached up to brush a thumb along her bottom lip.
He smiled at her, and she returned the smile.
A moment later, one of the crew members appeared, carrying a tray with two crystal glasses of champagne.
“Sir, Miss,” he stated, and Pierre re
leased her to take the two glasses and pass one to her.
The crewman disappeared below deck, and she noticed Isaac nearby but on the other side of the boat. He wasn’t too far, and she was curious as to why. He seemed more like a bodyguard now.
Pierre seemed to follow her line of sight and took a sip from the glass of champagne. Mikayla followed suit.
“Does it bother you that Isaac is nearby?”
“No, I was just surprised to see him. I thought he was your driver.”
“He is way more than that. He’s my personal bodyguard as well.”
“You need a bodyguard?”
“I have many businesses, Mikayla, and along the way have gained enemies. I am also worth a lot of money. As I am certain you understand, people will stop at nothing for revenge.”
She absorbed that information a moment and realized this was probably why he went by a different name than Fromm.
“So where did the name Bently come from anyway?” she asked, and he smiled as if impressed with her ability to figure things out.
“It is my adoptive mother’s maiden name. Come, I believe that the appetizers should be ready now.”
He took her hand, and she immediately felt comfortable and warm from his touch. He was a handsome man and very debonair with his dark shoulder-length hair and sophisticated style of clothing. He was almost too beautiful to be real.
He held out a chair for her, and she stared at him, wondering why a man so handsome and perfect would be interested in her.
* * * *
Pierre could tell that Mikayla was a shy young woman. She definitely did not have the experience and familiarity of dating the way he did. That made her even more attractive, and to know that he and his brothers would share her between them heightened his arousal. She would belong to them, and they would shower her with everything she ever hoped for or dreamt of having.
“So tell me about your business, Mikayla.”
“Oh, the closing for Burrens Place is still on for this Monday morning. I hope that was fast enough for you?”
“Oh of course, but that’s not what I meant by my question. Please tell me about your business and what your goals are for Aubert’s Realty.”
She lowered her eyes and looked down at her hands clasped on her lap. Her long fingers kneaded into her digits, and he wished they were on him, touching him and caressing his skin.
He reached over and covered her hands with one of his much larger ones.
“I want to know more about you. So tell me where you see the business taking you.”
She swallowed then looked into his eyes.
“It is growing in leaps and bounds. I have multiple interviews to conduct Monday once our closing ends. I have to hire a few more agents, and I hope to expand to multiple locations eventually, but I fear growing too quickly.”
“Really? What is there to be concerned over? If you can franchise, then you should do just that.”
“There’s more to it really. I have good people working for me now, but if I expand too quickly I’ll lose my ability to have that personal touch Aubert’s provides to their customers. Buying a home is a big deal. I want my customers to know that I’m right there with them to help the process run smoothly. A lot of realtors aren’t like that. Once the customer says they want to buy or give an offer, other people handle the work and that client is just a number.”
“That’s important, you’re right. Perhaps if you provide a specific training manual that all employees must abide by and follow, then you could ensure that Aubert’s remains that family-oriented business you’re so fond of maintaining?”
She smiled at him, and her cheeks turned a shade of pink.
“How do you do it? How do you run so many businesses and remain so confidant?” she asked him.
He smiled then took another sip of champagne as another crewman appeared with two crystal glasses of fresh shrimp and a tray of raw oysters for them to share.
Mikayla said thank you, and Pierre smiled. She was very polite and aware of everyone she encountered, but he wanted her focus to remain on him. It was an odd sensation, to instantly need her in such a way.
He reached for a shrimp, dunked it lightly in the sauce, then leaned closer to Mikayla.
“Shrimp?” he asked in a low whisper as he stared at her lips. How badly he wanted to kiss her, to taste her and explore every inch of her body. He imagined slowly sliding the straps off her dress and pressing the yellow material down so he could view her breasts. She was perfect in every way.
Shyly, she leaned closer to his fingers and the shrimp as she held his gaze. When she bit into the shrimp, he winked at her then tried to control his desires. He reached for another shrimp and tasted it himself.
“Very good, but you taste better,” he stated before he leaned closer to her, placed his fingers under her chin, and tilted her closer to his lips before he kissed her.
He peeked one eye open to check to see if her eyes remained closed. Someone told him once that every meaningful kiss was done with eyes closed, and it was one of the many ways he tested a woman’s commitment to him. Mikayla’s were closed.
It was Mikayla who began to pull away first, and he was disappointed, but not nearly as disappointed as he would surely be at the end of the evening when she would insist on going home instead of staying the night in his bed.
“Just as I thought. Delicious,” he stated then nodded toward the plates for them to take another sample.
“Do you always go to such measures to impress your dates?” Mikayla asked as she took another sip of champagne and watched him over the rim.
“Are you asking me if I’ve had other women on this yacht and have shared deep, passionate kisses over shrimp?” he teased, hoping that perhaps Mikayla was feeling a bit jealous. Although she didn’t need to. She had his complete attention.
“Of course not. I would hope that this wasn’t a game of sorts for you, Pierre. I was impressed with you the moment you responded back to Shelly Merchot and called me your agent, even though we had just technically met.”
She was precious, absolutely precious.
He held her gaze.
“Does my wealth and success bother you?”
She fidgeted with her hands and looked away from him, toward the water. Something was on her mind. She would have to learn to express herself and share her thoughts more freely.
“Tell me what you are thinking right now. Surely you aren’t turned off by my wealth and this yacht we’re on.”
She turned to him and held his gaze.
“I don’t care for boats actually, and I’m sure a good-looking man like you can get any woman he wants to come on this boat, to follow your beck and call, and to give you the answers and the responses you want. I’m not like that, Pierre.” She stood up and placed her napkin on the table. She began to move away, but he grabbed her before she could escape.
“Don’t go. Tell me what I said to offend you.”
She stared at him a moment and held his gaze. He could feel her shaking in his arms, but she didn’t appear frightened.
“What is it that you want in this relationship between us and your brothers?”
He hadn’t expected that question at the moment. He could tell she needed answers. She was running from her feelings and from the desire she was feeling for more than one man simultaneously.
“It is the kind of relationship my adoptive parents had. There was always love, attention, and commitment. It was like nothing I ever could have imagined, but it felt right. I had nothing, and I probably would have died on the streets with nothing and no one to care. But Rosette, Miguel, William, and Lawrence took a chance and adopted me. Miguel was in the CIA like Michael. He found me during a job he was on. I was caught in the line of fire. I was eleven and hiding out near the shipyards in abandoned storage crates. A stray bullet hit me, and Miguel found me and saved me from getting killed. He placed himself in danger that day, and well, the rest is history. Their ménage relationship showed me wha
t love was really all about. I have three fathers and one mother, and I love them equally.”
* * * *
Mikayla was shocked to say the least. She had been kind of jealous of other women he wined and dined on his expensive yacht. She didn’t want to be another woman he fucked. She could have that kind of relationship anywhere. For some reason, Pierre seemed more distant than the others. It was him and Douglas who made her feel uneasy about the relationship, and she wasn’t sure why.
“Where were your parents?” she asked, not sure how to respond to his story. She was so worried about getting hurt she had been accusatory to him when everything was going nicely. God, she could be such an idiot.
“I don’t have any parents.” He responded abruptly then looked away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the evening. I’m not really good at this.”
He turned back toward her and held her gaze as he looked down at her. He was tall, and his green eyes bored into hers but revealed nothing of his emotions. It was kind of eerie in a way, because she always sought out information from people’s eyes and the way they responded to her.
He stepped closer, wrapped a solid arm around her waist, and pulled her against him. She laid her hands against his chest and looked up at him, wondering what he intended to do, and hoped that he would kiss her. She could get lost in his embrace and the demanding, controlling personality he had. She needed him to lead her through this and push her if necessary.
He cupped her head and hair with his hand and pulled her closer to his face.
“You get under my skin, Mikayla.”
She wondered what that meant and whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but before she could retort, he pressed his mouth over hers and kissed her until he had his fill. He licked along the seam of her lips, pressed his tongue into her mouth, and ravaged her. His hands explored her body, and she tried to reciprocate his actions but his hold around her waist was firm and restricted any movement on her part.
Mikayla [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7
