Penthouse Perfect: BBW Erotic Romance

by Carolina Moon

  Joel stepped on and looked at her, cocking his head sideways a little.

  She wanted to drop through the floor. Again. Instead, she said, “Hi,” and gave him an innocent little wave, knowing now that she looked like a psychopath. Beside his tall, commanding form, she felt frumpy and plain.

  He turned to meet her eyes, and she felt that shiver again. “Hey, there. How are you doing? Is your car all fixed?”

  Her head shot up. “You did it?”

  He smiled.

  “Thank God. I thought I was losing my mind! Thank you so much.”

  “Why did you think you were, uh, losing your mind?”

  “Because it was broken, but then it wasn’t. The tow truck guy must have thought I was lying.”

  They both laughed.

  She looked at him for a second, then made a decision. “A guy came to see me at work today. He said that he was a reporter for the Post, and he wanted to buy your personal phone number from me.”

  He grew very still, and a shadow flitted across his features.

  She hurried to add, “I didn’t sell it to him – wouldn’t dream of it. I just thought you should know.”

  He didn’t answer her directly. Instead, he said, “Can you come up to my penthouse for a moment? There is something I’d like to discuss with you.”

  She could have kicked herself for not dressing up, even just to go to the parking garage.

  “Yeah, sure. I guess.”

  What did he want? Was he going to grill her about the reporter? She hoped not, because she didn’t know much. Was he going to demand payment for fixing her car? She would pay it, but she hoped he would wait until payday.

  Then she remembered that this payday might be her last payday from Bailey & Blake. The elevator chimed its musical little song to let her know that they had arrived.

  The elevator doors slid open to reveal the most beautiful room she had ever seen, lit by a wall of windows she hadn’t even noticed before. White carpet, white sheers, white furniture – it all looked so clean and so perfect – not like her apartment. It couldn’t be true, but the living room alone looked like it was the size of a football field.

  Not that she really knew what size a football field was, exactly.

  “Please – come in and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

  She padded across the carpet in her dirty sneakers, wishing that she could start the afternoon over. If only she had worn a cocktail dress to the parking garage, she would feel a lot better right now. She sat carefully on the edge of the sofa, just in case she had somehow gotten more grease on her.

  When he saw that she was settled, he left the room.

  ***

  It felt good to have Lia here in his environment. Joel knew that the other apartments in the building weren’t as nice as his, and he was almost embarrassed at the opulence surrounding him, but it tickled him that she liked it.

  He had only seen her here and there in these last few months, but it hadn’t escaped his attention that he was drawn to her. Something made him want to talk to her every time he saw her, even though he didn’t act on it, mostly because he was usually focused on business and couldn’t come up with an excuse on the spot. It was something he needed to work on, this inattention to social situations.

  He was excited by her proximity, and showered quickly in the glass master bathroom. The hot water felt good against his skin, and as he scrubbed an unexpected picture flashed through his mind:

  Lia was with him, her body slippery against his in the spray. She was washing his skin, slowly, just as he washed hers, touching every part of her deliciously soft body and enjoying her soft gasps as he touched there, and here, and there…

  He groaned, and felt himself grow hard. Calm down, man. You don’t even know this woman. He wanted to, though, more than anything. Every inch of her.

  He imagined her skin turning pink in the heat of the shower, along with his own. He imagined the smell of peaches that always seemed to be where she was, and her long silky hair swinging forward as she put her head on his chest. He imagined her breath against his skin, and then her lips, and then all of her…

  He took a deep breath, rinsed quickly, and turned on the cold water for a minute before stepping out and finding a towel.

  In his bedroom, he stopped to take in the sun. It was beginning to dip toward the horizon, and another day would be gone soon. What had he spent it on?

  It was a question he asked himself every evening. Of course, there were always work-related accomplishments, but this question was for him, personally. What had he done to make his own life better? Happier? What had he done to help someone else today?

  If Lia said yes to his proposal, he would have a positive answer for every one of those questions.

  His heart grew warm at the thought of her sitting out there in his living room, taking in the view. She deserved a view like this, and maybe after they talked, she could have one.

  Maybe, eventually, she can share yours.

  Slow down, cowboy.

  You know you’d like that.

  Maybe. I need to get to know her better.

  No you don’t. You know what you want.

  She has to want me, too, idiot.

  He remembered what Miffy had said about his grandparents, and wondered if it could be that easy. He wondered if Lia would work for him, if their long days would grow into long nights, if she could ever come to see him in that light.

  He shook his head, pulled on some clothes, and grinned at himself in the mirror before heading back out to Lia. He didn’t know anyone else who argued with themselves the way he did. It was fun.

  ***

  Lia wanted this view. And this apartment. It was beautiful, and she marveled at the city skyline stretched out before her. She hadn’t even known that the city was this big.

  She imagined coming home from work and stretching out with a glass of wine, looking at this view and this perfect, clean apartment and knowing that all was right with the world. No wonder penthouses cost so much – he must feel like some kind of God, perched high in the clouds above his people.

  She didn’t turn to look at him when she heard him come back into the room, but she told him what she was thinking.

  “A god? Oh no, Lia, I’ve never once felt like a god. In fact, this view and my… other luxuries, all of it humbles me. I’m the luckiest man on earth.”

  She turned at the sincerity in his voice, and noticed that he wasn’t looking out the window, but at her. “I must admit, though,’ he said, “That the view is lovely right now.”

  She was so taken with how he looked that she almost didn’t catch the meaning behind his words. He was wearing black jeans and a tight white t-shirt, completely unlike his office attire. It looked odd on him, simply because she had never seen him looking less than perfectly business-like. Odd, but very, very good. The sexiest part of the whole picture was that he was barefoot, his toes sinking into the white carpet. She didn’t know why, exactly, but for some reason that sight made her breath catch.

  And when she realized what he meant by his last words, she stared at him, speechless.

  He grinned at her and went to a bar in the corner of the room, mixed to drinks, then came back and handed her one. “A screwdriver. They’re weak.”

  She needed a strong one, but she wrapped her fingers around the glass. “Thanks. What did you want to talk about?”

  He motioned toward the sofa. “Sit.”

  She sat, then held her breath when he sat down beside her. She wanted to fan herself, and knew that he must feel the heat rolling off her body at his proximity. Maybe he would kiss her. Or take her hand and declare his undying love…

  Or tell you that he’s worried about your mental health and have you commited.

  She almost snorted at that.

  “This may be forward, and if it offends you, please tell me, but I got the impression this morning that you didn’t like your job.”

  She blinked. “Um, I don’t
, actually. My bosses are underhanded weasels, and I don’t agree with their business practices at all.” Where was this going?

  “My job hinges on having huge amounts of information available to me, so that I can make good decisions. I had the perfect secretary, but she retired.”

  “Okaay…” She was seriously confused now. Or, actually, afraid to hope that he was saying what she thought he was saying.

  “I would like to offer you the job, if you want it.”

  That was all. He just sat there, looking at her.

  “Well, um, thanks, first of all. What would I be doing?”

  “Working closely with me. Helping me keep tabs on the business, offering input so that I can make the best decisions. See, I work better with someone who will bounce ideas back and forth with me. The job gets creative sometimes, when there is a thorny problem that needs to be fixed.”

  It sounded perfect, especially the ‘closely with me’ part, but-. “How do you know I would be good at those things? I mean, you don’t really know anything about me.”

  “I know the most important thing – that I can trust you. Right?”

  She nodded, but he was still talking.

  “I mean, Ian offered you a lot of money, I’m sure, and you didn’t take it. That tells me a lot.”

  She froze and stared at him.

  He looked away.

  “How did you know his name was Ian?” she whispered, knowing the answer already. A lot of things fell into place. How he’d known her name, where she could be found, what her weakness would be…

  “You checked up on me. Tried to trick me.”

  The pride she had felt when she’d thought she was helping him deflated.

  “No. I did not try to trick you.”

  “You sent someone else to trick me, then. What if I had accepted his offer?”

  He shrugged. “I would have paid you, but then not associated with you again.”

  “I don’t want your money, especially under such false pretenses. Was the number even real?” It had looked real, and she remembered the elation that filled her when she thought that she had this special access to the wonderful, sexy, Joel Cortran. It had all been a lie.

  “Yes. The number is absolutely real, and I do want you to have it.” He turned to look at her. “You are more special than I think you know, Lia, and you make me want to be your hero, somehow.”

  She shook her head, still trying to straighten out her pinging thoughts. He took it as denial.

  “You are. You’re sweet and obviously trustworthy, funny as hell, and so cute that I just want to kiss you.”

  She blinked. “Kiss me?”

  He smiled. “See what I mean? You don’t see yourself as anything special, but I do.”

  He wants to kiss me?

  That’s what he said.

  Maybe I’m dreaming. Maybe I took that nap after all, and just dreamed all of this.

  You have a fantastic imagination, then. You should be a novelist.

  She looked up to see a desperate sort of sincerity in his eyes.

  She wanted him to kiss her, too, but her thoughts were still stuck on the part where he had tricked her, tested her. Logically, she understood. Emotionally, she was pissed.

  She jerked to her feet. “I have to go.”

  “Wait! Why? I’m sorry. Do you at least want the job? I need you, Lia…”

  She couldn’t answer. She ran.

  In four steps, she was at his door and out, where the plush surroundings and his larger-than-life presence wasn’t crushing her. The elevator was still waiting, so she ran in and started punching the button for her floor. Repeatedly.

  It finally began its slow descent, and she sank to the floor.

  He had offered her a job. He had told her that he liked her.

  He had wanted to kiss her.

  He had tricked her.

  The ups and downs of her emotions got the best of her, and before she had dropped five floors she was in tears.

  The day had just been too much. She was going back to bed – to hide, to think, to nurse her hurt feelings.

  That’s all it is, you know – hurt feelings.

  He checked up on me. He didn’t just…trust me.

  He’s a powerful man, and powerful men have to be careful. You’re being stupid.

  I know, but it still sucks.

  The sexiest man on earth is interested. In you. Think about that.

  She wanted to, she really did. But Ian Orson’s face kept surfacing instead, offering her money. She knew that Joel was just doing what he needed to do in order to protect himself. She understood completely. It still hurt.

  She stomped her foot on the carpeted floor of the elevator. “Hurry up,” she grumbled.

  When she finally got to her floor, the doors slid silently open.

  Joel was standing there.

  Her mouth dropped open. “How did you-. What? You can fly, too?”

  He shrugged. “Express elevator. For deliveries. I need to talk to you.”

  “No. Wait - you even get a better elevator that everyone else?”

  He sighed and placed both hands on her shoulders. “Everyone uses it. The main elevator sucks. Calm down, please, Lia? Will you let me in, so that we can talk?”

  He looked so sincere and sorrowful that she felt all of the angry energy leave her body. Slumping, she gave up. “Sure.”

  Relieved, he gave her shoulders a final squeeze and let go so that she could unlock her door.

  ***

  It had never occurred to Joel that she would be angry, and he still wasn’t sure he understood this reaction, but she seemed to be a bit calmer as she let him into her apartment.

  The place was tidy and elegant, but darker than his own without the vast wall of windows to light it. Still, it was definitely her – the prints on the wall were bright and colorful, as were the furnishings. That aroma of peaches filled the space.

  She turned on him just inside the door and crossed her arms, then tilted her chin up to look at him. He watched her hair slip over one shoulder. “What do you want?” she asked.

  You.

  Shut up, dude.

  He gave her a hopeful smile. She didn’t seem quite as angry, at least. “I want you.”

  She blinked, and the fear in her eyes pulled at him.

  “To work for you?”

  “Yes, that. Also, I want to get to know you. I feel…something.”

  “Something?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  “Something…good.” He didn’t know how to express this attraction to her. Hell, he couldn’t even explain it to himself. “I like you, Lia. A lot.”

  His hands itched to touch her skin, be closer to her. He stepped forward and put his fingertips on her crossed arms.

  She jumped at the electricity between them, just as she had in the elevator this morning. He smiled at the way her beautiful blue eyes widened. “Will you go out with me?”

  The parade of emotions that crossed her face was fascinating to watch. First surprise, then fear, which melted into suspicion, uncertainty, and then hope – he could read her mind, just by watching her expression. He relaxed a little when her lips curved into a small smile.

  She took a deep breath. “I like you too, Joel. A lot.”

  “Good – I was hoping you’d say that.”

  Her eyes flicked up to meet his. “But should we mix business with pleasure? Isn’t that a no-no?”

  “Oh. Maybe. I just happen to know that you’ll be needing a job soon. I’m jst trying to help us both, as far as that’s concerned.”

  “How do you know that? I didn’t even decide to ask for a raise until this morning – how could you possibly know?” She peered at him now as if he was some sort of magician.

  “What? Oh, no – I didn’t know that.”

  She relaxed a little.

  “I just happen to know that Bailey & Blake are being investigated by a few regulations agencies. They’ll be shut down soon, because of their lou
sy business practices.”

  “Wow. Really? I hate to say it, but I’m glad. They are terrible men.”

  He felt the air between them diffuse a little, and felt better, more like they were friends talking instead of enemies squaring off.

  She looked worried again. “So I’m losing my job soon, regardless of what I do.”

  “Come to work for me. Please?”

  “Why? I really don’t understand how you can hire me based on one answer to one question.”

  “That’s all I need. Call it instincts.” He lowered his voice. “Please, Lia? I want to take care of you.”

  “Take care of me?”

  “Remember the number that Ian wrote on his hand?”

  “Yes.” He actually saw her gulp.

  “If you come to work for me, that will be you’re starting salary.”

  “Oh…”

  “Unless that’s not enough. I could…”

  She was waving a hand. “No. Heavens, no. That’s plenty. Really. I just…wow.”

  She looked so surprised, so terrified, and so happy all at once that he couldn’t help it – he stepped forward to wrap her in his arms.

  ***

  Lia froze, then relaxed into his embrace. Her mind was blessedly silent, for once, and she dropped her cheek onto his chest, reveling in the feel of him – just like she had imagined. For the first time in her life, she had everything she ever wanted.

  It won’t last.

  Shut up.

  This was unbelievable, but it was happening. She felt the softness of his t-shirt, smelled his mouth-watering aftershave, and smiled into his chest. The weight of his arms grounded her in some peaceful place, and she felt her body melt easily into his.

  After a long time, he asked quietly, “What about the other? Will you go out with me, Lia?”

  She laughed softly and looked up at him. “Um… Yeah, I think. That would be good.”

  He bent his head and placed his lips perfectly on her own, pressing them gently. She followed his movement with her own lips, exploring the softness of his mouth with the tip of her tongue.

  He groaned and deepened their embrace, crushing her to his body.

  She felt the hard contours of his muscles and let her arms come up to twine around his neck.