“So…”
He looked over at me, tilting his head in question. “Yes?”
I flushed. “Nothing,” I said. “It’s just that we’ve been pretty quiet. “The incline was getting steeper and I stumbled over a twig as I kept pace with Aaron.
Before I could crash to the ground, Aaron reached out and caught me in his arms. Before I knew what was happening, I was pinned to his chest and my heart was pounding a mile a minute. “Careful,” he growled.
I gulped. “Sorry.”
He contemplated my words for a moment before nodding. “Just try to be more careful,” Aaron repeated.
From what I could tell, he genuinely cared about my safety. That thought alone was enough to send a warm thrill through my body.
He placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me the rest of the way.
Somehow, he looked like he could continue for miles without even breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, I was already struggling to catch my breath.
Hiking was definitely harder than it looked. All those people on the nature documentaries make it seem like it’s a walk in the park. They carry those big backpacks on their shoulders with smiles on their faces, but they fail to mention the heat or the incessant swarm of bugs always buzzing around your ears.
Don’t get me wrong, the views were spectacular, but I just wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. For a moment, I thought about asking to head back, but I had been the one to suggest this idea. I didn’t want to go back on my word.
Besides, being alone with Aaron would be a perfect way to get to know him better.
“Did you want to talk about something?” he asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us. “There seems to be something on your mind.”
I shrugged. “When I suggested this hiking trip, I just thought we could take the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, you know?”
“All right. What specifically do you want to talk about?”
I hesitated. For whatever reason, I wanted to tell him about my father – someone I barely remembered – but someone who had left a dark shadow on my life.
“Do you know why my mother drinks so much?”
“She really likes the taste of gin,” Aaron chuckled. “At least, that’s how it seemed to me.”
I shook my head sadly. “No. She started drinking after my father died.”
Aaron was silent. A look of compassion swept across his features.
“That must have been hard for you.” Gently, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close.
I stopped walking and looked into his eyes. “Yeah. I was young at the time. Really young in fact, so I don’t really remember much about his death. It’s this weird blur in my memory. I remember my mother breaking down into sobs one night and then everything changed. I couldn’t understand why my father had just disappeared. My mother didn’t bother explaining it to me, too caught up in her own sorrow. That’s when I really got into artwork. My mother had these books and I used to look through them, admiring the classics. Once I learned how to read, I devoured the descriptions.”
“I see,” Aaron nodded his head. “The book became a comfort to you, then?”
“It did. Whenever I was having a hard time, I’d return to those books. Eventually my mom gave them to me but not before she became an alcoholic. You know, at first, it wasn’t so bad. She’d have a drink here or there but that was it. She never got drunk. Now, that’s all she does. There’s no doubt that she needs help. I’m scared that one day I’ll come home, and she won’t be there anymore. That she’ll be passed out on the couch, just gone.”
Thinking about it brought tears to my eyes.
Aaron gently wiped them away. “Please don’t cry, sweetheart.” He cupped my cheeks in his hands. “It pains me to see a woman cry.”
I had to get this off my chest. “I’m just scared,” I whispered. “That’s why I agreed to all this. I need the money to help pay for her rehab.”
“You really love your mom, huh?” Aaron asked, looking into my eyes. He was still holding me in his tender embrace.
It amazed me how I barely knew this man and yet, I felt comfortable enough to tell him my life story. What was it about Mr. Black that made him so trustworthy?
“I do.” I moved a little closer, finding refuge in the warmth of his body. “When I was a little girl we used to play all the time. She was my best friend. I felt like I could tell her anything. To me, she was a super hero.” I closed my eyes as those memories came swimming to the surface. Once, I had remembered them fondly but now they were tainted with disappointment. I wanted my mom back, but she was already gone, replaced with a woman who preferred to cradle the bottle at night. All I wanted to do was help her but a part of me feared that she was already past the point of being helped.
He tightened his hold. “I’m sorry you lost a friend.”
“I didn’t just lose a friend, I lost my mother.” Tears stung at the corner of my eyes. I tried to hide my face from him, but he grabbed me by the chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Melanie.” Just listening to the way he said my name made some of the tension in my chest release. I liked that he didn’t try to tell me that everything would be okay or some other meaningless words – Aaron listened, and that was better.
The air between us grew charged and Aaron leaned closer. As soon as his lips pressed against mine, my heart melted. My skin tingled with excitement. There was just something about this man that made all my worries fade away. I wanted to stay in his arms forever just listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat.
In that moment, I realized that I was falling for him.
It was difficult to imagine that I was falling for a man who had bought me for a million dollars but as crazy as it sounds, it was true. My heart throbbed at the thought of him. Happiness coursed through my veins. If this wasn’t love then I didn’t know what was.
Eventually, he pulled away, cradling my face gently in those big hands.
“I’m sorry you’ve had to go through all that. A girl like you deserves nothing but the best.” He took my hand and laced our fingers together, squeezing his palm against mine. “Come on, if we stand here all day we then we’ll never get to see the view from the top.”
So together we continued our hike.
Again, silence wrapped around us like a thick blanket. I tolerated it for a while but, at the same time there were so many things I wanted to ask him. I was anxious – I’d never imagined that I could fall for someone I barely knew. What kind of life had Aaron had? Had he faced his own hardships in life or was he one of the lucky ones that just cruised through without a hitch?
“You know, I’ve been going through a rough time myself,” Aaron spoke up as if answering the thoughts in my head. “Lately, I’ve found myself spiraling. The funny thing is, I don’t really know why. Dissatisfaction maybe. But in all honesty, I think it might just be plain boredom. I’ve worked so hard for all the things I have but now I don’t quite know what to do with myself.”
He spoke calmly with a natural cadence in his voice that made him easy to listen to. Everything about him was so collected and controlled –I admired that.
“So I started going to bars. But not the ones I used to go to.”
“And that’s how you met my mother, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “That bar was nothing more than a rundown joint, but I think that’s why I went. I was feeling so down in the dumps that I needed a place that would match my mood.”
I shook my head. “What a way to meet your girlfriend’s mother.”
He was quiet for a moment and I wondered if I had overstepped. Was it okay to use the word “girlfriend,” or was that taboo? After all, this was a temporary arrangement. He probably didn’t like me the same way – heck, he probably didn’t see me as anything more than a transaction. Nonetheless, it felt natural to think of him as my boyfriend. But my fears were misplaced because Aaron spoke again.
“It is a kinda weird way to meet your
girlfriend’s mother, isn’t it?” he asked drolly. “Who woulda thought?”
The absurdity of it made me start giggling and after a few moments, Aaron began to laugh too. Soon, we were both holding our stomachs, trying to compose ourselves.
“If I’m completely honest, I’m glad you made this crazy deal with my mom. With the million-dollar payment she’ll be able to go to a really nice rehab facility. Maybe, when this is all said and done, I’ll have a mom again.”
Aaron nodded but the expression on his face was vague. He probably didn’t know what to say. Some people become tongue-tied when it comes to addiction. After all, what was he supposed to say anyway? I’m sorry? It wasn’t his fault my mother married the bottle.
Our conversation died out but luckily, we had reached the summit. Together, we shuffled toward the edge. I tightened my hold on Aaron’s hand for comfort. We were both holding our breaths.
And then, the Tucson Valley came into view.
“Wow,” I whispered. “It’s beautiful.” My jaw hung open in pure awe.
In the distance, a monsoon washed over the landscape, blotting out part of the valley. A gentle haze rose from the dark clouds giving the scene a romantic vibe.
I glanced over at Aaron to find him looking right at me. Our eyes locked. Like magnets, our bodies moved together. Soon, our lips were pressed together in a passionate kiss. I tangled my fingers into his hair unable to let go. Inside my chest my heart was doing somersaults.
I was falling for this man.
Hard.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
Chapter Twelve
Aaron
As we sat down on the edge of the cliff, I couldn’t help but think to myself. So far, everything with Melanie had been amazing. She was sweet, vulnerable, and achingly empathic. She had listened to me gripe about my life without so much as a frown. In fact, she was always eager to listen – to comfort me – despite having problems of her own.
How was this woman still single?
I couldn’t believe that no man had noticed Melanie. In a way, I was glad they hadn’t because it meant I could keep her for myself. The thought brought a smile to my face.
She was more than just a good companion – she was an amazing daughter. Her family obviously didn’t have much because before I came along, Melanie had worked day and night just to make ends meet. That was no way to live.
And now, she was doing all this for her mother.
Shit.
Her mom.
And a million dollars.
Guilt set it because in fact, the million-dollar payment that Melanie kept talking about wasn’t even real. Miranda and I never placed any money on the deal. Miranda just wanted her daughter to get out and date someone instead of sitting home and worrying about her all day. Besides, who would really buy a woman for a million bucks? I’m crazy, but not a criminal.
So yeah, the million dollars was just a bit of enticement to get Melanie to agree to this whole thing. But now after listening to the rehab story, I felt bad. Miranda needed the help and Melanie was doing all this with the hope of getting her mom into rehab.
So what was I supposed to do?
Knowing I would overthink the situation, I put it out of my head for the moment. Right now, I wanted to enjoy my time with Melanie.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close.
She smiled, resting her head on my shoulder.
Ah, this was perfect.
***
We arrived back at the manor around five that evening. I opened the door for her and was about to head straight for the bedroom with Melanie in tow when Quinn, one of my butlers, walked up to me, holding an envelope in his hand.
“What is this?” I asked.
“It is from Mr. Golden.”
“Ah.” I nodded my head. “Melanie, why don’t you head upstairs and get freshened up? I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay.” Probably eager to step into the shower, she hurried up the stairs. For a moment, all I could think about was her naked body, wet and slippery. Her hands running up and down those delicious curves.
Maybe I’d join her and give her a nice little shower surprise.
Before I could get carried away, I turned my attention to the envelope. I grabbed a letter opener from a nearby desk, tearing the seal. Inside was an expensive piece of parchment, decorated with beautiful golden letters and flowering embellishments.
Dear Mr. Black,
You are cordially invited to the fifth annual Golden Ball. As always, this is a VIP event. You are allowed to bring one guest of choice. Please come dressed to impress. Reception is at eight. The venue will be held at the Omni. We hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
J. Golden.
I shook my head. I should have known. Every year, Jay pulls this stunt. He throws a show-stopping party but never tells anyone the date beforehand. His rationale is that people would just drop everything to attend.
And for the most part, they did. After all, it was the party of the year, filled with the richest billionaires, hottest celebrities, and need-to-know VIPs. Anyone who is anyone would be there. Including me.
After all, the party was a great business opportunity. Every year, I always managed to strike up one or two contracts with new clients, building up millions of dollars in a few hours. It would be idiotic not to go.
Which meant we had to get ready.
Despite my urge to join Melanie in the shower, I knew that doing so would make us late. And while I was incredibly tempted to give her a satisfying fuck – I knew it would be the height of bad form to arrive tardy. So, I gave instructions to one of the maids to help get Melanie dolled up for the party. With that settled, I headed for my bedroom and took a quick shower of my own. I dried my hair, styling it back with a bit of gel. Appearances were everything at this party.
In my closet, I picked out my favorite suit. All black, trimmed with the finest silk. I pulled out a pair of diamond cufflinks, fastening them in place. It was a shame that there wasn’t time to go shopping for Melanie’s jewelry. A nice string of pearls would have done wonders tonight.
But it was too late to think of such things now. We would just have to make sure with what we had.
I took my time picking out a tie, eventually settling for a rich purple one. With ease, I tied it around my neck, tucking it away neatly underneath my collar. I had put on so many ties that I could practically do a Windsor knot in my sleep.
Stepping in front of the mirror, I buttoned up my blazer. My look was complete. I looked like a million bucks. Literally.
I glanced at my watch. Seven on the nose. The Omni was a good forty-five minutes away. It was time for us to get going.
When I reached Melanie’s room, I didn’t even bother to knock.
To my surprise I found her standing by the window, peering outside.
Silhouetted by the evening light that filtered through the panes, she looked more beautiful than ever. I couldn’t move, I was mesmerized by the sight of her. She seemed to glow like some sort of angel. The dress she wore was absolutely stunning. It was the exact purple of my tie and made of a rich material that clung to every inch of her body, giving her one hell of a figure. Her left leg was left exposed by a scandalous slit that nearly reached her hip bone. I liked it.
No – I loved it.
Unable to control myself, I marched forward and took her into my arms. In one fluid motion, I spun her around and kissed her – hard.
She melted into me, her body going slack in my arms. So I held her tighter, refusing to break the kiss, too possessed by her beauty to stop. It was only when we were both breathless did I think to pull away.
“Hi,” she whispered, blushing deeply. “Good thing this lipstick is kiss proof.”
I chuckled. “Looking like that, it’s going to be hard for me to keep my hands off you.”
“Do you really think I’m that attractive?”
I grabbed her by the hips, pull
ing her into me. “Yes. I think you’re absolutely gorgeous.” I smiled down at her before kissing the side of her neck. “Now, I’m assuming that Nancy told you about the Golden Ball.”
Melanie nodded. “Vaguely. She said that it was some sort of business party that you go to every year and that I should try my best to make a good impression.”
“Yes. This is a very important event for me. There will be a lot of high-flying potential clients there.”
“I see.” She bit her bottom lip, looking a bit nervous.
“There’s nothing to be worried about. Just smile, nod your head every once in a while, and laugh at any stupid jokes they might make. Leave all the talking to me.”
“Okay.”
“All right then, let’s go before I lose control and throw you on the bed instead.”
She blushed but nonetheless, hooked her arm in mine.
In the garage, I opened the door for her, helping her into the car. I glanced at her for a moment and just couldn’t resist leaning down and planting a few kisses along her cleavage.
She moaned ever so gently as she arched her back.
“You’re absolutely gorgeous,” I whispered, nibbling her ear before finally closing her door and rounding the car to the driver’s side. As soon as I was behind the wheel, I started the engine. It purred like a kitten. Soft vibrations rumbled through the frame of the car.
Wanting Melanie to be as comfortable as possible, I turned on the heat and seat warmers.
She sat there, hands folded in her lap, looking a bit stiff.
I placed my hand on her bare thigh, smiling over at her. “Don’t worry. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.” I said with a wink before pulling out of the garage and easing onto the road.
In no time at all, I was cruising down the highway, surpassing the speed limit and flying past all the other cars. When you own a fast car, you drive fast.
“All right, let me get you up to speed on what to expect.”
“Hmm?”
“Most of the people attending this ball are billionaires by one means or another. Some are businessmen with their own outfits like me. Others are gamblers who finance business ventures, hoping to triple their wealth by placing bets on other peoples’ companies. Some are celebrities with talent. Others are celebrities who managed their fame by sleeping around. Others were lucky to be born into a trust fund, swimming in cash since the day they emerged from the womb. The fact of the matter is, they are all prime targets. All I need are a few contracts and I’ll have made an easy million by the end of the night. If I’m really lucky, I’ll have made a billion,” I explained with a sly smirk. “It’s as easy as that.”
Buying A Bride Page 10
