by Bella Grant
“I think this is the one.”
“Jeez, after just one date?”
“I like her. I think she’ll do well for my image.”
“You sound like such an asshole when you talk like that.”
“It’s all business and PR. Should we cancel tomorrow with the other woman?”
“With Kelly? No. Keep seeing your frontrunners until you have a done deal. Just because you’re interested doesn’t mean she will be.”
The idea caught him off guard. It made sense, of course, but the arrangement he proposed would be a boon to any woman who accepted it. He reminded himself that they may not quite see it in the same way. Patience.
“What are you up to tonight?” he asked, as he guided the Beamer through the rainy streets to his building. Maybe for the weekend he’d go upstate.
“Homework. Fighting with Ricky. Pretty standard fare.”
Though Sterling hadn’t met the infamous Ricky yet, he was sure he didn’t like the man. She didn’t talk about him much, but the way her jaw went tight at the mention of him, or the way she scrunched her shoulders, gave him the idea Ricky wasn’t a particularly nice guy.
“Sorry to hear that.”
Sterling pondered inviting her over. She could claim she had to work to get out of the house, bring her schoolbooks and…
And what?
He imagined her on the rug in front of the fire, lying on her stomach, reading. He imagined coming up behind her, running his hands along her legs.
“It is what it is,” she said. “I’m glad your date went well. Anything else I can do for you tonight?”
Dump that bastard. Find yourself a man who deserves you.
“Nothing else, thanks. Goodnight, Cherise.”
CHERISE
“Why does he need to call you at home?”
Cherise jumped. Ricky had been listening. “Because he’s so rich he’s a million miles out of touch from reality and needs me to micromanage every aspect of his dating experience. Keep in mind, my five-minute phone call just made us fifty dollars.”
“I don’t like it,” Ricky said. “I don’t like what it’s doing to you. Look at what you’re wearing.”
She wore a pair of designer jeans that actually fit—that weren’t too long and weren’t too saggy in the ass. A bra sized properly for her chest. A button-down shirt that flattered her and didn’t gape open at the top.
“We can’t afford to say no to this money.”
“We were doing fine without it.”
“Ricky! I was a paycheck away from having to go home to my parents.” She clenched her fists at her sides. She wanted to remind him how he’d squandered the money that came after his mother died, but it seemed like a low blow.
“You’d really rather live on this guy’s table scraps?”
“He’s hired me to do a job, and I’m doing it.”
“Doesn’t it make you think of prostitution?”
Cherise exhaled, a long breath. Her phone buzzed, a text from Sterling. Ricky snatched it up before she could say anything. Ricky scrolled down, and his expression went dark. “What the fuck is this?”
Fear scraped at her. Had she done something wrong?
Ricky turned her phone around, and she saw the picture Sterling had texted her of herself, standing at the base of the cliff, wearing the helmet and rock climbing harness and giving the camera a thumbs up.
“Rock climbing.”
“Since when do you rock climb?” His tone slashed at her.
“Sterling took me.”
Ricky threw her phone at the floor where it landed with a sharp crack. “Quit. Right now. Tonight.”
“How can I? You broke my phone.”
“Email him. I don’t care what you do. You’re not working for him anymore.”
If she did that, she’d have to drop out of school. And not just the semester leave of absence she was planning. She’d board a plane at JFK and be welcomed home by her parents, who loved her and would remind her that her place was with them, not pretending to be more than she was in America.
Either way, she and Ricky were finished. The realization slammed into her. He wouldn’t come home with her. She wouldn’t want him to, even if he offered. So they were done, whether she quit or not.
“No.”
He gaped at her. “Then get out of my house.”
“It’s not your house. I’ve paid rent for the past year!”
“Whose name is on the lease?”
They’d always talked about getting around to adding her. But he was right. Her name appeared nowhere on the lease, even though she’d lived here almost a whole year.
“I’ll give you an hour to get your stuff out.”
Where would she go? She thought of Kara, of Susan, of Maribella and her family. She’d be a burden on any of them.
“Fine,” she said, ice in her voice. “You leave for an hour, and when you get back, I’ll be gone.”
He looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded. “If you’re not out of here, I’m calling the police.”
She was pretty sure there were some tenant rights that would prevent him from throwing her out on the street with less than twenty-four hours’ notice, but she didn’t argue. He didn’t want her, and she didn’t want to be there.
She heard him go and was almost ashamed to acknowledge the wave of relief that poured over her. This chapter of her life was over. Despite the relief, grief weighed heavily in her chest, a molten lump that weighed her down.
She picked up her phone; the screen was shattered. It allowed her to get into her recent calls and call the last person who’d called her.
“Cherise!” Sterling said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I need a favor.”
A pause. He’d been talking the other day about how, as a wealthy man, people crawled out of the woodwork asking him for ‘one little favor.’ Her heart pounded, expecting him to say no when she asked.
“Ricky just threw me out. I need a place to stay. Not for long, just to get back on my feet.”
He didn’t hesitate to answer. “Whatever you need.”
“He gave me an hour to get out.” Saying it out aloud made her feel so small and insignificant. She was a thing to be discarded on an hour’s notice. She would not cry on the phone to Sterling.
“I’ll be by as soon as I can in the Hummer. How much stuff do you have? Do you need something bigger?”
“No, the Hummer will be more than enough.”
When she had come to America from Johannesburg, she had brought little with her. The new clothes she’d acquired in the past few weeks were the bulk of what she had except for her laptop and a photo album.
Sterling lived in town, and normally, it would take him almost an hour to get here, but it was late and a lot of the traffic would be quiet by now. She collected her things in armloads and started piling them on the front porch. Mama Jameson from the first floor came out to watch.
“You movin’ out on that nice boy?”
Cherise wiped her tears and nodded. She deposited another armload of clothes on their hangers, some of them still in plastic dry cleaning bags.
Mama eyed them. “You get rich all the sudden?”
“I got a really good new job.” She sniffled miserably.
Mama nodded knowingly. “Happens. These men can’t take it when the lady makes more than them.”
“I guess not,” she agreed.
She wouldn’t have that problem where she was headed. The Hummer’s headlights washed the building and Sterling pulled up outside. He got out wearing a fifty-dollar t-shirt and three-hundred-dollar jeans. He looked like a million bucks, almost literally. Mama eyed him and shook her head at Cherise.
Sterling gave her a brotherly squeeze. “Hey, you’re all right. We’ll get you set up in the spare apartment, and you can get your head together.” It was the same easy tone he’d used when they were rock climbing—gentle and confident. “You’ll get through this.”
She could
have kissed him for not saying she was better off without Ricky or that she was too good for him anyway. He helped her load her things into the back of the sleek SUV.
They were silent in the car, with just the road noise from the tires. Everything inside was leather and modern gadgetry. She took out her phone and caressed the broken screen.
“Did he do that?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a dick move.”
“Yeah.” She didn’t know what else to say. She stared down at the black spider webs of her phone screen.
STERLING
The apartment was a corner on the top floor of Waters Enterprise. He had three-quarters of it for his penthouse, and the apartment took up the remainder of the floor. He kept it for clients coming in from out of town, guests, friends, and whoever needed a place to stay. He liked that it was a separate apartment because it kept them out of his hair if he didn’t want to deal with them. It was furnished, cleaned as needed, and nicer than most five-star hotels.
He really felt bad for Cherise. The kid looked broken, her shoulders slumped and eyes red and puffy. He told her not to worry, and he’d have someone bring her stuff up.
“I’ll do it. I don’t want anyone to know.”
So Sterling Waters helped lug Cherise’s meager belongings into the elevator for the penthouse.
“What happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, thanks.” She stared at the broken screen of her phone.
This, ladies and gentlemen, was why Sterling didn’t have a heart and didn’t want one. The guy was clearly a dirt bag, and this beautiful, brilliant young woman was pining over him when she could so clearly do better.
He’d forgotten she’d never been up here before when the elevator doors slid open, revealing the guest suite.
The apartment was done in white and blonde wood, with the two exterior walls all windows. It was a two-story apartment with an open floor plan and stairs that seemed to come out of the wall. The sleek, ultra-modern kitchen gleamed spotless, and in the time it’d taken to pick her up and bring her back, he’d had a fruit basket and a large bouquet of orchids placed on the counter. The bed upstairs would be turned down and the linens freshly washed.
“There’s a closet upstairs where you can hang your things. A desk down here you can set your computer and stuff up… What else do you need?”
She looked shell shocked, gazing around at her surroundings. “You want me to stay here? I can’t. This is too much. And it’s only going to be a day or so.”
“There’s no one staying here. It’s just sitting empty. It’s really no trouble.” Cherise shook her head. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Here, let’s get you unpacked.”
Sterling started up the stairs, carrying an armload of her things. She followed him. Up in the loft, she gaped at the king-sized bed and the view of the city. The bathroom featured a glass stall shower and a sunken Jacuzzi tub big enough for two, at least.
Sterling hung her clothes in the wardrobe. She plopped down on the edge of the bed, and he sat beside her. “I should have done it months ago. I just feel so stupid. And sad. And stupid for feeling sad.”
Then she started to cry.
He felt awful for her. He took her in his arms, smoothed her hair away from her face, and muttered general platitudes. Once again, he opted against telling her that the guy was a dirt bag and that she was better off without him.
She snuggled into him, and he hoped he had the self-control, being this close to her, not to make a move. He thought about Jenna, shy and interested. At the moment, though, he didn’t care. All he could think about was the beautiful, dynamic woman in his arms.
But he wasn’t some kind of predator, so he kept his hands in the appropriate places and his mind out of the gutter. Or at least he did until she tipped her tear-streaked face to his and kissed him. It caught him off guard, and he froze for a beat, feeling her soft, hot lips on the corner of his mouth.
He wouldn’t put moves on her in her time of weakness, but he couldn’t resist this. He kissed her, fierce and hard. A low, hungry moan squeaked out of her, stoking the fires in his loins.
He ran his hands across her back, feeling her muscles. She climbed onto his lap, and he welcomed her there, knowing full well she’d feel the hardness in his pants. She ground herself against him, causing his breath to quicken.
He reached for the buttons on her shirt and, starting at the top, undid them one by one. Slowly. Plenty of chances for her to put the brakes on. Instead of stopping him, she arched her back so her magnificent breasts, contained by a black lace bra, jutted towards him.
Sterling kissed her neck and then down to her cleavage, burying his face in her spectacular tits. She threw her head back and moaned. He wanted her so badly, to consume her, to have her.
He knew damn well it was a bad idea. He didn’t want to lose her as his assistant, and he’d really grown quite fond of her over the past few weeks.
But damn, he couldn’t resist. And apparently, neither could she.
She pushed him back onto the bed, and he flopped down willingly. She pulled at his shirt, and he leaned forward to allow her to remove it. She ran her hands over his chest, tickling him with her fingernails.
CHERISE
Cherise was terrified as she leaned in to kiss her employer. But he’d looked like he wanted it. There’d been a split second pause where she was certain she’d made a huge mistake. Then he’d kissed back, just as hungrily.
Now, she dropped on top of him, feeling her skin pressed against his.
“You’re so soft,” he murmured into her mouth.
She sat up, and he reached for her breasts, taking them in his strong, calloused hands. His touch sent shivers down her spine. He ground himself against her, and she reciprocated, feeling their heat building together. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like this, passionate and frantic. With strong arms, he scooped her up and shifted their positions, dropping her on the bed below him.
He grinned wickedly down at her. God, she loved the way he smelled. He kissed her jawline, working his way down to her clavicle. He tugged her left breast free of the lacy black bra she wore and descended on her nipple. He teased it, drawing as much of her ample breast into his mouth as he could manage. God, how long since she’d been touched like this? His hands and mouth seemed to be everywhere at once… Oh! He reached to unbutton her pants.
A whisper of common sense said this was too much too fast, to leave it at making out and fooling around. A counterpoint in her mind reminded her that what they were doing already defied common sense, so she ought to just strap in for the ride.
Her pants came off, leaving black lace panties, a matched set with the bra.
Sterling leaned back to drink in her body. “Beautiful,” he muttered before he kissed a line from her breast to her hip bone.
Ricky hadn’t liked going down on her, so Sterling’s hot breath through the lace of her underwear startled her. She moaned and arched her hips to greet him. He hooked a finger in her panties and tugged them to one side, then attacked her cleft with the same enthusiasm he’d used earlier when he went after her breast.
The kisses and licks sent undulating waves of pleasure coursing through her, and the world receded to nothing but the sensations of his expertly placed tongue.
It had been so long since she’d been kissed like that, and her orgasm came almost immediately with a series of sharp gasps. Sterling undid his pants, and there was the squirrel she’d heard about on his left thigh, standing on its hind legs, gazing expectantly up at his nuts. She laughed out loud.
“You like my little friend?” He gave her a devilish grin and climbed on top of her.
She felt his hardness pressing against the slick heat of her pussy, still trembling with aftershocks from her orgasm. He eased inside her, and she let out a quavering, trembling breath. He filled her gloriously, sliding in and out, covering her neck with kisses as he did. She worked her hips in time with his, wrapping h
er legs around his waist, pulling him to her, wanting him as deep inside her as he could possibly manage.
The frantic coupling didn’t last long. They came together, clutching one another, Cherise crying yes at the top of her lungs. They collapsed in a heap, panting and feeling the warmth of one another’s skin. Sterling brushed her hair away from her sweaty temple and kissed her there. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest.
Now what? She told herself not to think of it.
She’d just had sex with one of the richest men in America. In the world. She’d seen his name on a Forbes list. She had sex with her boss. She wondered what he was thinking. She needed to shut her brain up and enjoy the feel of his body next to hers. It wouldn’t last. It couldn’t. A one-time thing, that was all.
The silence stretched on and on. She started thinking about the fact that they hadn’t used a condom. She had an IUD, so she was covered. But what about sketchy diseases? With all his money, she hoped he saw a doctor regularly and got checked out. No point worrying about it now; done was done. Finally, she extricated herself from underneath him and went in to the bathroom, picking her clothes up on the way.
When she came out, he was dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Let me know if you need anything tonight,” he said. “I’m right next door.”
You, she thought. You are what I need tonight. She willed him to stay, but he stood up, ran a hand through his hair, and went down the stairs. She heard the door click downstairs as he saw himself out. Cherise stood alone in the empty room next to the tousled bed. What had she done?
The enormity crashed down on her… Ricky had left her. She’d always assumed she’d leave him. She’d thought about it sometimes when he messed the house up after she’d just cleaned it or when he spent an entire weekend staring at his computer monitor, playing online games. He left her because he was jealous. Of the billionaire she’d just fucked.
There really wasn’t a more genteel way to put it. They hadn’t made love, that was for sure. Sterling Waters was a cad, and she’d just played into his game. Whatever. It was her game too, tonight. She wasn’t looking for anything more than a distraction. She didn’t want a guy like him, no matter how good he looked or how perfectly his body fit with hers.
