“Or I could just come with you for dinner, and me and Mia can do the interview then,” Robert answered.
He smiled toward Mia. He was impeccably groomed without a hair out of place; he was as smooth as Cody was rugged. Although this time around, Cody had been clean-shaven.
“Let us have a minute okay?” Cody asked Robert, who nodded and then drifted out of earshot.
“Listen, do you want this interview? If so, then, well, we can do dinner tomorrow night, Mia. I don’t want him with us, but I don’t really want you alone with him,” Cody said, holding both of Mia’s hands and staring into her eyes as he spoke.
Mia thought for a moment. “No Cody, I don’t want to be left alone with him. If the interview happens tonight, it happens with you or not at all. I guess yes, it’s important.”
“Right then, that’s settled sexy.” He smiled down at her and bent his head forward, kissing her nose gently. Mia liked wearing the heels for the extra height they offered; her face was now closer to Cody’s than usual.
They walked back hand in hand to join Robert.
“Seeing as you’re leaving tomorrow Robert, and the interview’s important to Mia, we’ll all go to dinner,” Cody said.
Robert beamed. “Excellent choice, Cody, and may I say how gorgeous you look tonight, Mia.”
“No, you may not!” Cody replied.
Mia smiled and squeezed Cody’s hand as they all made their way outside into the summer’s evening.
The evening ahead is going to prove very interesting indeed!
13. Chapter Thirteen
The bars weren’t far from the center, which was a huge relief for Mia’s feet.
“Shit, I never rang the restaurant to say about an extra person for dinner!” Cody exclaimed.
“Which one is it?” Robert asked.
“The Taverna, you know it?”
“Yes, a good choice. I’m sure it’ll be fine Cody, they’ll squeeze me in somewhere.” Robert laughed, winking at Mia. What she initially mistook for charisma was quickly turning toward more flirtatious behavior, and she knew Cody could also spot this by the way he squeezed her hand tighter when Robert looked at her.
Robert was making her feel uncomfortable, and she was so glad now that Cody had accompanied her. Mia shuddered at the thought of being alone with Robert, and Cody’s previous words about him liking young trophies on his arm didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
They reached one of the bars and found seats; Cody said about fetching their drinks, “I’ll help you,” Mia said, standing up quickly and losing her balance. She stumbled backward and was relieved to feel a strong pair of arms catching her.
“Steady there, Mia.” Robert laughed as she all but ended up on his lap. “We hardly know each other yet!”
“You okay?” Cody asked, rushing to help her and get her away from Robert.
“Yes, thank you,” Mia whispered as Cody helped her stand up straight. She felt instantly better with his powerful arm wrapped around her petite waist.
“Did he touch you?” Cody asked, once they’d walked away from Robert.
“No, Cody; seriously, I don’t think he’s that bad.”
“Hmmm, I wouldn’t trust him, that’s for sure, Mia; the comments have already started, and the sneaky longing looks at you when he thinks nobody will notice.”
Mia had caught Robert staring at her legs and had wished she’d dressed more appropriately, but then she and Cody were shanghaied into letting Robert join them for dinner.
They made it back to their seats to find Robert chatting away to a young girl of about Mia’s age; she was pretty and giggling at all Robert’s jokes.
“This is ... ummm ... I don’t recall your name; did you tell me?” Robert said.
“Yes I told you, it’s Carly,” the young girl spoke so quietly that Mia had problems actually hearing her. Once the introductions were over, Carly sat with them for a while, and Mia noticed how Robert kept placing his hand on her bare legs. Carly was wearing a pair of tight red shorts and a barely there top.
She seemed comfortable enough with Robert’s hand where it was until he began to slide it upward and actually beneath the leg of her shorts.
Carly slapped his hand playfully as if to give him a warning but not to cause a scene.
“What, you don’t like it? Then why friggin tease me?” Robert asked in a stern tone.
“I wasn’t teasing you,” Carly defended herself and stood up, walking away quickly.
“Honestly, the youth of today!” Robert exclaimed, looking at both Cody and Mia and smiling.
Cody took Mia’s hand in his and held it tightly.
“Perhaps the older people of today should know better, Robert, and leave the youth to do their own thing,” Cody answered.
They finished their drinks in complete silence, and upon leaving the bar, Carly whispered in Mia’s ear as they left, “Hey girl, he’s not your father or anything is he?”
“God, no, he’s a business associate, that’s all, are you okay?” Mia replied, stopping with Cody by her side holding her hand; Robert was walking ahead of them.
“I’m cool. Just do me a favor and watch him around you, okay. Your boyfriend looks like he’ll take care of you anyhow.”
Mia smiled and was just going to correct her by saying that they weren’t officially a couple, but instead she simply said, “Yes, he takes good care of me.”
She was grinning all over her face, and when she turned to look at Cody, she saw he was also grinning.
“Nice reply!” he said under his breath, squeezing her hand.
Mia squeezed back. She felt as though Cody would take good care of her, so technically it wasn’t a lie, just a slight exaggeration of the truth.
Robert was walking quickly as though he couldn’t leave the bar quickly enough: he turned when he heard Cody and Mia approaching behind him.
“Sorry about that, just my male ego taking a bashing, I guess.” Robert smiled awkwardly.
“No worries mate,” Cody replied while Mia said nothing.
Jeez, and you work around teenagers as your profession, that’s fucking scary seeing you with Carly like that. Perhaps I should mention something to someone.
Mia was quite perturbed to think that Robert had the trust of teenagers’ folks while he tried to help their kids’ minds. What did he do? help the young girls’ by touching them up? Mia dreaded to think what he did and felt quite physically sick thinking about it.
She stopped Cody walking and motioned for him to bend his head down so she could whisper in his ear, “I really don’t like this, Cody. The guy’s almost a pervert, and he works with teenagers; maybe you’d be better off without his partnership, after all.”
Cody stood up straight and cradled her face gently in his big strong hands. “Mia, listen, he’s just flirting, that’s all. I’ve only heard rumors that he likes to flirt a bit and date the odd younger woman, that’s all. Nothing sinister.”
Mia wasn’t convinced but trusted Cody’s judgment, and besides, the sensual kiss, he was now capturing her trembling lips with was enough to convince her that extra bit.
“Sorry to interrupt, but we’re here guys,” Robert’s voice shattered their romantic moment entirely.
Cody smiled down at Mia while answering Robert, “Okay mate, no problem.” Mia felt his lips brush hers again with a quick but delicious kiss, filling her body with warmth and causing her to sigh deeply.
“What was that for?” Mia asked through short, harsh gasps of air.
“Does there have to be a reason?” he smiled down at her, and with an arm still wrapped around her tiny waist, they joined Robert standing in front of The Taverna.
They entered with Robert walking behind Mia; probably getting a good eyeful of my ass, aren’t you? You pervert!
She tried to tell herself he wasn’t that bad, but it did little to alter her perception of him, and I’ve got an interview to do with you? What fun, not!
The restaurant made space for Robert. Th
e waitresses were fawning over him once they recognized who he was; he’d appeared on a few chat shows throughout the last few months discussing his work. In a way, she could see why he was the way he was to the young girls, especially if they were as adoring as the waitresses were.
It didn’t make it right, but it explained his behavior. Perhaps he wasn’t in a relationship; Mia didn’t actually know much about the personal side of him at all. Maybe, just maybe, she’d been too hard on him.
Mia sat close to Cody and opposite Robert. Cody’s hand was resting on her thigh underneath the table in a comforting way; it wasn’t meant to be particularly sexual, but it didn’t matter what it was meant to be. All Mia could think about was his hand sliding up underneath her short black skirt then inside her panties and finding her warm dark entrance; his gentle fingers would begin caressing her slick wet hair and discover her swollen clitoris.
She was trying to read the menu while thinking about Cody’s hand exploring up her skirt; the menu was paling in comparison when it came to imagining Cody’s gentle hands on her slim body.
As if reading her mind, Cody started to slide his hand up and down her smooth thigh. Mia smiled at him as he glanced at her before turning his attention back to the menu. It seemed that her smile was all the encouragement he needed as his hand found her skirt’s hemline and crept underneath it.
Mia’s breathing was fast and hard; her breasts were heaving up and down in her royal blue top; she caught a glimpse of Robert staring at them, and for once, she didn’t care as it actually heightened her sexual arousal. Cody’s hand was sliding away on its own journey upward, and Robert was watching her breasts intently I often wondered what a threesome would be like, and if this is a taster, then why the hell not give it a go!
As her mind pictured Cody’s throbbing erection easing itself into her tight, slick wetness while she sat astride him, maybe Robert would be squeezing her breasts and sucking her hard nipples. Mia positioned herself to allow Cody better access to her panties. He obliged quickly by moving his hand across to her crotch, letting his fingers lightly touch her, but then he stopped and leant over toward her.
“Not like this, Mia; I want you properly,” he whispered huskily in her ear.
Disappointment was the first emotion Mia experienced, closely followed by respect; in the heat of the moment, Cody had stopped. He wanted it to be right between them, and she liked that; she liked that a lot.
“So have you two chosen?” Robert asked, staring across the table at them both.
Mia jumped to her feet; she’d been so lost in Cody, she’d temporarily forgotten all about Robert.
“Sorry, what Robert?” Cody asked, removing his hand now from Mia’s thigh.
“Have you chosen your dinner choice from the menu?” Robert asked.
God, for a moment I thought he was asking if we’d chosen to continue with our playing under the table or stop and continue later!
“No, not yet, Mia. What do you fancy?” Cody asked her, grinning the whole time.
“Apart from a piece of your ass?” Mia said quietly, but not quietly enough, apparently.
“Lucky guy there, Cody.” Robert smiled.
Mia blushed.
“Yep, and don’t I know it,” Cody replied, making Mia smile.
Robert continued smiling at them both, and then his hazel eyes dropped to her still heaving breasts briefly before he looked away. Luckily, Cody didn’t appear to notice.
The rest of the evening went by quickly and smoothly. Cody kept his hands to himself, much to Mia’s disappointment, but she understood his reasoning. The trio chatted about everything and anything, and even Robert’s company was bearable.
“Shall we conduct our interview over coffee, Mia? Maybe in the lounge part of the restaurant?” Robert asked.
She nodded her head slowly, “Yes that’ll be fine. Shit, I don’t have my notebook on me!”
“I’ll run back to the center; it won’t take me a moment, Mia. Will you be okay?” Cody said.
You’re leaving me alone with him; seriously, how could you?
She smiled sweetly, “Of course.”
Cody left after giving her a quick peck on the cheek, and she felt abandoned.
“So you two are an item?” Robert asked her, obviously trying to make conversation.
“Yes,” was her short and concise answer.
“Shall we make our way through to the lounge?” he asked, looking a little disappointed with her brief answer.
She answered his question by standing up and making her way around the table to join him. He guided her as he’d done before into the dining-room at Thrill Seekers, by placing his hand on the small of her back.
His touch was actually surprisingly reassuring and steadying. They found a quiet table by a window and were soon joined by a waitress.
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes please, and can I get a spare one for my boyfriend, please? He’ll be joining us soon,” Mia asked, enjoying the sound of the words as they tumbled from her lips.
“Of course, miss. What type of coffee does he take?” the waitress asked.
She might as well have asked Mia if she knew the square root of a 100 and whether her answer was in the positive or negative form. Mia was reminiscent of a fish out of water with her mouth gaping.
Her expression and silence obviously alerted Robert to the fact that she’d no idea at all how Cody took his coffee, “He’ll take it white with one please, and the same for me. Mia, how do you want your coffee?”
“Huh? Oh the same please,” she stammered, knowing full well how she must sound.
The waitress seemed satisfied with their answers and hurried away.
“Something tells me you don’t know that much about your boyfriend, Mia.” Robert smiled across at her. They were sat on comfy couches. Mia’s short skirt was struggling in a furious battle with the opponent being gravity itself; the skirt was losing at this stage.
14. Chapter Fourteen
Mia simply smiled at Robert. He was right, she didn’t know much about Cody, but they’d hardly been together a long time, and were they technically together?
“How long have you been with each other, Mia?”
“I thought this was meant to be me interviewing you Robert and not the other way around.” Mia smiled. She didn’t like the fact that he was so interested in her relationship with Cody.
“Sorry, just making polite conversation, I guess,” Robert replied.
His hazel eyes were staring at Mia so intently that she had to look away first; he spoke softly, “You have such pretty green eyes Mia; I apologize for staring.”
What the fuck am I meant to do with that comment really?
She’d no idea how to respond, so she simply smiled at him; he smiled back, and she noticed how his smile was slightly crooked and really quite sexy.
“Here’s Cody,” he said as he glanced over Mia’s shoulder.
Thank the Lord!
“Hey, everything okay? Here’s your notebook and pen,” Cody said, handing it over to Mia.
“Thank you. I’ve ordered, or rather Robert ordered you a coffee,” Mia said, taking her beloved notebook from Cody.
“I remembered when we met before Cody how you took your coffee, and Mia didn’t seem to know,” Robert said with a small, almost conceited smile upon his face.
“That’s cool, thanks mate,” Cody responded without mentioning the fact that Mia hadn’t known which way he took his coffee; it was obviously no big deal to him.
Cody sat on the couch next to Mia and rested his hand on her bare leg with a comforting touch, “Shall we begin, Robert?” she asked.
“Yes, absolutely Mia,” Robert replied, sitting forward on his couch and resting his elbows on his lap, so his chin was supported by his hands.
“So Doctor Gregory, where did your interest in Thrill Seekers come from?” Mia asked also sitting forward but keeping a close eye on her skirt’s hemline.
“It came from Shane, the you
ng runaway last year. Cody phoned me and mentioned that Shane had been hearing voices in his head and that the voices had instructed him to leave the group while out hiking that day.”
Cody shifted awkwardly. He knew all of this was a lie; there were no voices, but his story had convinced Robert to take a closer look at Thrill Seekers.
“So were you able to help Shane?”
“Yes, anyone I’ve ever been asked to help, I always manage to help, Mia.”
Boastful and ostentatious guy.
“That must make you feel wonderful to be able to assist teenagers with problems.”
“Yes, for sure. I enjoy my line of work, and I’m good at what I do,” Robert bragged.
“So will you be entering into a partnership with Mr. Wilson?” Mia asked. It felt unfamiliar to Mia to call Cody Mr. Wilson, but she was trying to keep the interview as formal as possible.
Robert smiled at Mia with his slightly crooked sexy smile, “That’s the million-dollar question right there.”
“And can you, or will you give me a million-dollar answer to that question, Doctor Gregory?” she asked.
Cody also sat forward on the couch, now obviously very keen to hear Robert’s answer too.
“No, not right now as there are some conditions regarding me accepting the partnership that Mr. Wilson may not agree with,” Robert answered.
“Care to share those conditions?” asked Mia, feeling Cody tense beside her.
“Only with Mr. Wilson at the moment, I’m afraid.
Mia felt as though the interview was leading nowhere. Robert wasn’t going to disclose the supposed conditions he had for Cody, so what was the point of continuing?
“Anything you’ve got to say to me, Robert, you may say in front of Mia too,” Cody said.
Mia felt a warm glow inside her body. Cody trusted her implicitly, and that in itself meant the world to her.
“No, I truly don’t think you wish for Mia to hear what I’ve got to say Cody, not yet anyhow,” Robert winked at Mia and suddenly the feeling of unease around him came flooding back to her. She was growing to like him before the wink; now he’d just cheapened everything and made her feel unpleasant.
Interview with a Billionaire: Billionaire Romance Box Set Page 10
