“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Steve.
“Likewise, I’m sure,” Selena replied, though she honestly couldn’t care less. “Anyway, like I said, Steve, this place supports a huge quantity of kids in a variety of different ways. It takes a lot of money to keep it going and government funding just isn’t what it used to be. While I appreciate you’re coming all the way over here, I’m afraid that $50,000 simply isn’t enough to keep this place running. Now, I have a lot of work to do before we close on Friday, so if you wouldn’t mind letting me get back to my filing, I’d very much appreciate it.”
“I know it’s not enough,” said Steve, staying in his seat. “I’m well aware of how many homeless kids there are in this neighborhood. That’s why I don’t just want to donate $50,000. I want to donate $50,000 every month.”
Selena felt her eyebrows rise. “Every month?” she echoed. “That’s…very generous of you.” She frowned at the wealthy man in front of her. “What do you want in return?” she asked.
Steve looked genuinely surprised. “Uh, nothing?” he answered. “Should I want something in return?”
She smiled. “You people always want something in return: a tax break, a photo shoot for your electoral campaign. What’s the price tag on your donation?”
The man chuckled. “It honestly doesn’t have one. But, if it makes you feel better, how about you come for dinner with me tonight and we can go over the finances and see if we can make this work. That’s my price.”
“I’m not going, fuck you,” said Selena bluntly. “I love this place, but I won’t sell myself for it.”
Steve looked shocked and his face went red. It was actually kind of cute, Selena thought.
“I…I wasn’t…I just…” Steve cleared his throat. “Selena, I don’t expect any favors of any kind from you. I just want to help. You can come to dinner or not. I’ll donate the $50,000 regardless.”
Her curiosity got the better of her and Selena gave in. “Okay, fine. What time?”
“How’s 7? I can pick you up if you’d like.”
“I’ll still be here at 7,” she said.
“Great,” Steve smiled warmly, “then I’ll know where to pick you up. See you tonight, Selena.”
Already regretting her decision, Selena nodded goodbye as Steve left her office, closing the door behind him.
***
7 o’clock rolled around much faster than Selena had thought possible. On her lunch break, she’d dashed home to get her second best dress out of the back of her closet and stuff it, a pair of heels and her makeup bag into a backpack. After everyone else had left for the night, she had a quick shower in the center’s bathrooms, which were empty for the first time in the center’s history, and shimmied into her dress. It was shortly before 7, so Selena hurried to put on her face and do her hair.
Turning herself this way and that, she took stock of the final result and nodded in satisfaction. Her hair was out of her face in a simple milkmaid braid, which always looked fancier than it was, and her green dress clung to her body in all the right places and brought out her eyes. She put on a simple gold necklace and earrings and slid into her heels. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn these shoes. Working at the center was exhausting and didn’t leave her much time – or much money - for partying. If nothing else, it would be nice to have a night out.
At 7 exactly, Selena watched from just inside the center as a sleek black car of a kind not often seen in Camden glided to a stop in front of the building. Steve appeared out of the back seat and held open the door, smiling at Selena through the center’s glass doors. He really was a very handsome man, Selena thought, eyeing the way his suit stretched across his muscular shoulders.
“Hello again,” said Steve as she came out to meet him.
“Hi,” she said, her tone as brusque as it had been that morning. Just because he was pretty did not mean that he wasn’t wasting her time, and Selena had more important things to think about than sexy millionaires wanting to play saint.
Except, as the night went on, it became more and more difficult to remind herself of this. Steve’s driver took them to one of the fanciest restaurants in Philadelphia, and Selena suddenly felt underdressed in her simple dress and cheap jewelry. But, if he noticed it, Steve didn’t seem to care in the least how other diners looked her as he guided her to their table.
“Would you like to choose the wine?” Steve asked, offering her the list.
Selena shook her head emphatically. “God, no. I trust your judgment.” Selena didn’t know the first thing about expensive wine. She usually just bought whichever bottle had the prettiest label.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Steve smiled and rattled off some incomprehensible vintage to the waiter, who was eyeing Selena with ill-concealed disdain. Turning back to Selena, Steve watched her fidget in her seat. “You look uncomfortable,” he said.
Selena blushed to be caught out. “I…this just isn’t really my crowd,” she gestured at the other diners with her chin.
Steve glanced around the restaurant and then turned back to Selena, smiling. “Forget about them, Selena. People with money think that they’re the only ones with the right to certain privileges, but they’re wrong. This is a democracy after all. I’ve found that the best with people like that is to simply go in acting like you own the place. After all, you have just as much right to be here as they do.”
“Act like I own the place?” Selena asked with a doubtful smile.
Steve nodded. “98% of people are wildly insecure, no matter how rich they are. If you act confident, they’ll follow your lead simply because they’re afraid of doing something wrong. Though, if you’d like,” he smiled at her and Selena felt something flip flop in her stomach, “we can always go somewhere else.”
Selena glanced around the restaurant at the wealthy diners and shook her head. “No, there’s no way I’d ever be able to afford this place on my own. I don’t want to miss my chance,” she gave him an impish smile.
He laughed. “Fair enough. Now, when the waiter comes back, I’m going to get him to have you taste the wine. He’ll pour a little into your glass. Swirl it around a few times, smell it, then taste just a tiny bit. Let it sit in your mouth for a moment. Then, as if you were doing him an enormous favor, nod your approval, okay?”
Selena giggled. “Got it,” she said.
“Excellent. Now, do you know what you want?”
When the waiter returned, she sat up very straight and did as Steve instructed, doing her best to look unimpressed by the entire procedure. The waiter smiled at her ingratiatingly and poured them both more. Steve ordered for them and the waiter went off again.
“Fantastic job,” said Steve, raising his wine glass to toast her performance.
“This is really nice wine,” she replied, slightly breathlessly, as she clinked her glass to his.
“Yes,” he replied, “it is.”
As the night wore on, Steve charmed Selena more and more. He was funny, smart, and very down to earth for someone worth a cool two billion. Whenever he smiled at her, Selena could feel her stomach turn over and her pussy tingle. But, as this dinner only made more evident, he may as well be from another planet. He was rich, successful, and confident, whereas all she had were street smarts and a scrappy attitude. She’d been born and raised in Camden and, for all that she was smart and tough, she didn’t think she could ever fit into the glitzy world that Steve inhabited.
At the end of the night, as his driver pulled up in front of her dingy apartment building, Selena looked up into Steve’s warm eyes and fought back the urge to kiss him. Forget it, she told herself. He’s probably got five supermodel girlfriends waiting for him all around the world.
“Thank you,” said Steve softly. “I had a very nice night.”
Selena laughed. “It’s me that should be thanking you, Steve. I haven’t eaten so well in all my life.”
He smiled. “Well, maybe that, if nothing else, will convince you to com
e out with me again one day.”
She smiled wryly. “Yeah, maybe,” she replied. She doubted she’d ever see him again.
“I’ll see you tomorrow to go over the building refurbishments,” he told her. “I’ll bring the first check.”
“Sure,” she said, still unconvinced. “See you tomorrow, then.”
He nodded. “Bye, Selena.”
“Bye, Steve.”
They sat looking at each other a moment longer, neither really wanting to leave. Then Selena cleared her throat and, with another smile, got out of the car. She watched it drive away feeling a little sad. She was sure Steve would have forgotten all about her and the center by the next day.
Chapter 5
Sunlight woke Steve from a very nice dream. He and Selena had been alone in last night’s restaurant and he’d been going down on her on the fancy parquet floor. She’d been screaming his name and just about to come when his alarm had gone off.
With a groan, Steve rolled over, one hand on his throbbing erection. He knew he’d only known her for a day, but he’d never been so taken with someone in all his life. As he waited for his hard-on to fade, Steve reached for the phone. He wanted to drop off his check right away so that they could reopen as soon as possible. And yes, while he could just have the money transferred, he felt this was a good excuse to see Selena again.
When his driver dropped him off at the center, Steve was surprised to find that everyone was still packing. With a frown, he headed for Selena’s office. His knock was greeted with a barked, “Yes?” Pushing open the door, he stepped inside.
“What do you nee—Steve!” Selena’s surprise was evident as she looked up from her work.
“I told you I’d be by today,” he said with a faint smile, “and yet you still seemed shocked.”
Selena blushed. “I didn’t really think that you would go through with it,” she admitted.
“Used to being let down?” he asked rhetorically.
She nodded.
“Well, I’m a man of my word,” said Steve as he passed her the promised check. “Plus, I’d like to help out, if I can be of any use. I’m pretty good at lifting and hammering, if you need any of that,” he smiled.
Selena blinked, noticing for the first time that he wasn’t wearing his usual suit. Instead, he was sporting a purple t-shirt and gloriously form-fitting jeans. “I…that would be great,” she grinned.
***
The week went on and Steve came down every day to help get the center back on its feet. With his money, they renovated the old building, adding new facilities and modernizing the ones they already had. The work was moving quickly and Selena hoped to have the place up and running by the end of the month. The only snag was her growing feelings for Steve.
After several weeks of working side by side, Selena had found herself falling for the charming billionaire in a way that she never had before. Unlike most of the men she’d known, he could be counted on to show up when he said he’d show up, to finish what he said he’d finish, and to do all of it with a smile. But despite his open, down-to-earth nature, Selena still balked at the idea of telling him about her past life on the streets of Camden. Everyone had their limits, and she was sure dating an ex-drug addict/thief was beyond Steve’s. So, she admired from afar and told herself to get real.
Steve, on the other hand, was doing his best to convince her to open up. The more time he spent with Selena, the more he admired her – and the more he was convinced that she was the woman for him. One Friday he decided to seize the day. He dawdled getting his work done, saying goodbye to everyone else as they left, knowing that Selena always stayed an hour or two longer than the others. When everyone was finally gone, he took his chance.
“Yes?” Selena’s voice answered his knock.
Steve pushed open her office door. “It’s just me.”
Selena smiled at him. “What can I do for you, Steve?”
The billionaire swallowed. “Well, I was hoping you would come out for a drink with me.”
Selena’s eyebrows shot up. “I…uh, I have a lot of work to do,” she stalled.
“Nothing that can’t wait until Monday,” Steve replied. “Please, Selena.”
Selena sighed. “Okay,” she said at last. “I’d…that’d be nice.”
Steve beamed at her. “Great! We can go to my place. I’ve got some new craft beers I’ve been dying to try. A friend’s started importing them from Canada.”
“Your place? Right now?” She glanced down at her scrubby work clothes.
“Of course. You’ve been working all day, Selena. It’s time to relax.” Steve held out his hand to her and, tentatively, Selena took it.
Steve’s penthouse apartment took Selena’s breath away. The view alone was priceless. Steve cracked open two of the new Canadian beers and gestured for her to sit. Selena looked at the leather sofa and hesitantly sat.
Steve laughed. “It’s not going to bite, Selena. Just relax.”
“My clothes are all grungy,” she said as she took a beer.
“Trust me,” he smiled. “It’s seen worse. Couches are for sitting. Enjoy it.”
So Selena sank back into the cushions with a sigh. Steve joined her, propping his feet up on the coffee table and clinking his beer against hers. “To new beginnings,” he said.
“I’ll drink to that,” she said, sipping her beer.
Steve eyed her over his bottle. “You’re from the streets, aren’t you, Selena?” he asked suddenly.
Selena looked down at her beer. “Yeah,” she said quietly.
He nodded. “I thought so. You remind me of someone I used to know, actually.”
Selena laughed bitterly. “I bet she wasn’t a druggie and car thief, though.” It was a relief to say it out loud, even though the consequences terrified her.
Steve’s eyes widened. “A car thief? Wow. I always thought those guys were so badass when I lived in Camden.”
Selena gaped at him. “You lived in Camden?”
“Born and raised,” he replied with a smile. “I was on my own from sixteen. But I was lucky and I got out. That’s why I want to help the center.”
Selena smiled. “One such center actually saved my life,” she said.
“Then I owe it big time,” said Steve with a grin.
Selena laughed and, to her surprise, blushed. “I was in a really bad place when one of their outreach workers found me. She’d been on the streets as a kid too and she knew what to say. It took me two years to get off coke but they never gave up on me. I would never have guessed that you…” she trailed off.
Steve winked. “It’s like I said. Just act like you own the place and one day you will. Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
Selena shrugged. “It’s not exactly something you want to admit to every passing millionaire. I thought you’d be scared off by it,” she admitted.
Steve smiled. “On the contrary,” he said. “It just makes me like you more.” He put his beer down on the table and reached over, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “You’re one of a kind, Selena.”
Selena smiled, leaning into his hand. “I could say the same about you,” she said softly.
They looked at each other for a long moment before Steve leaned in, drawing Selena into a deep kiss. His lips were warm against hers and she moaned as his tongue explored her mouth. Her whole body shivered with anticipation.
When Steve pulled away, Selena followed. Straddling his lap, she pulled his work shirt over his head, admiring his muscular torso. He smiled and cradled her face in his hands, bringing her into another kiss. She felt him undo her bra behind her and, when they parted, he lifted it and her T-shirt off in one go. Selena smiled to see him openly admiring her full, golden breasts.
He looked up, already stroking one nipple with his thumb. “You sure?” he asked.
Selena looked at him through heavy lidded eyes. “If I weren’t, you’d have a broken jaw by now,” she replied, her voice husky with desire.
“Duly noted,” said Steve as he lowered his mouth to her breasts.
Selena gasped as his lips closed around a nipple, his tongue swirling along the sensitive skin. His hands cupped her ass and he lifted her, trailing kisses along her breasts and stomach until he had her balanced on his shoulders. Selena bit her lip in anticipation while Steve grinned, enjoying the sight of her silky, tanned pussy ready and waiting for him. Delicately, he drew his tongue along her slick lips, making her moan. Steve chuckled, pulling her labia into his mouth and sucking, enjoying himself as he slowly worked his way up to her clit.
Selena dug her fingers into the leather, her body convulsing with pleasure as Steve played with her. All thoughts of the couch’s welfare had gone out the window as he sucked and licked her into a frenzy. When his mouth finally closed around her clit, she gasped, bucking against him, desperate for more. In response, he drove two fingers into her, pumping in time to his tongue and lips. Her pussy clenched around his fingers, his knuckles stroking her g-spot until, moaning and panting, she came.
Big Bad Billionaires Page 19
