My Billionaire Stranger

by Shae Black

  “Wow, paranoid much?”

  He chuckles, I really love it when he laughs. “I like to know what is going on under my roof.”

  “Well if you didn’t have such a massive roof you wouldn’t have to worry about all that.” I gesture at the screen.

  “I make a lot of money nurse Imani…it needs to be spent some where why not use it to surround myself with things I enjoy? I invest, save and give an obscene amount to charities. Being wealthy can be a pain in the ass.” he answers, with his chosen endearment for me, will I always be known as nurse Imani? His generosity to charities intrigues me though; I wouldn’t have pegged him for that.

  “Well Mr. Castillo, you’ve done a good job of spending money that’s for sure. What charities do you give to? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “I do not mind you asking. Safe Horizons, Joyful Heart Foundation, and shelters for battered women all over the country, Futures without violence, a couple that fund mental institutions, I can’t remember them all really.”

  Wow, those are some interesting choices, they make me wonder about his past- maybe he’s a victim like me. Knowing all too well about being a victim, I’m careful not to push the subject, if he wants to tell me about it someday I would be interested in listening but right now he needs to rest.

  “Are you getting tired, do you need pain medication yet?”

  “No pain meds, but I do need my sleeping pills.”

  “Sleeping pills, I don’t remember bringing any sleeping pills with us from the hospital.” “They aren’t from the hospital, I’ve taken them for years, they’re in the bathroom.” He points toward his en suite bathroom. “

  Can I take your dishes to the kitchen?”

  “Yes, and have Maria see about some dinner for you while you’re there.”

  “I’m ok, I can eat when I get home, I’m used to eating in the middle of the night anyway, night shift you know?” There’s a shift in the atmosphere in the room Marcus’s demeanor changes and I notice him looking down at his hands,

  “Marcus, you ok?” No response. Oh no, not this again. I approach the oversized bed and crouch down next to it so I can look up into his downturned face- his eyes are glazed over again. Shit, he should really have had his damned brain scanned before leaving the hospital. “Marcus, can you hear me? Do you know where you are?” I repeat the questions from this afternoon and he continues to stare, expressionless, at his lap. I can’t give him sleeping pills when he’s having fucking blackouts.

  “Imani?” he says confusion thick in his voice. He’s back… thank God.

  “What’s the last thing you remember?” I ask him and he scowls at me.

  “Why are you down there?”

  “Marcus you blacked out, you were unresponsive, you couldn’t answer my questions. I’m really worried about this, please let me make you an appointment for a CT tomorrow.” He looks at me thoughtfully, tipping his head to the side and he reminds me of a puppy I had when I was little, it cocked his head when you asked it a question. But thankfully, he agrees, with one condition…one very big condition.

  “Ok, if you spend the night tonight, I’ll go.” Oh…my…. God…. he has the art of manipulating situations to his benefit down perfectly; he knows how much I want him to have that test tomorrow and now I know how much he wants me to stay the night. I see how he works; no wonder no one ever tells him no. Dropping my chin to my chest I slouch in defeat and sigh heavily.

  “Yes,” I reply.

  “Yes you will stay?” He sounds surprised, although why I don’t know. Could he possibly be unsure of my commitment to him at this point? I took the damn job, didn’t I? I left my career to be with him.

  “Yes Marcus I’ll stay,” I sigh again, I’m so tired, it’s almost a relief to stay and not worry about how I’m getting back to my car. After sleeping in a chair last night with no medication to chase away my nightmares, and dealing with Marcus all day, I’m totally exhausted. I rock back and rest my bottom on my heels.

  “You are tired, go on to bed, I will admit I have manipulated your time today.”

  “And last night?” I add.

  “And last night, yes.” I look at him expectantly. I’m exasperated that he won’t offer an apology or a thank you for helping him.

  “What?” he asks. “A thank you would be appropriate right about now.”

  “Mmmm yes…thank you,” he says painfully. What is it with this guy and manners?

  “I have to get you squared away before I can go to bed. Dishes please.” I stand and gather his dinner tray from his lap and carry it to the kitchen, where I find Maria still cleaning up.

  “Oh Ms. Jefferson I can get that, it’s my job, please.” She’s so skittish, wow, what does he do to her to make her so edgy?

  “It’s no problem, I don’t mind at all. He’s going to bed and I wanted to get them washed and put away.” I reassure her,. “Oh no, no, you go, I’ll wash and put them away. There is a way he likes it done.” “Oh, ok then. If you need any help just holler.” He has his ways huh; Marcus must be anal with a capital A. On my way back to his room I pass through the living room and notice a fire burning in the fireplace, a huge fire! I wonder who made that; it must take a forest to keep that thing burning! When I enter his room I lay it on the line about the sleeping pills. “I’m not giving you the sleeping pills. You blacked out twice today, sleeping pills will alter your consciousness and we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

  “I need them, I won’t sleep, I always take them, have for years.”

  “Well, you didn’t have a brain injury all those years and you have one now.” How long is he going to argue with me about this?

  “If I have to get out of this bed and hop to the bathroom dragging my cast behind me to get them myself, believe me lady I will, and if you get any smart ideas about hiding them, I have backups, more than one stash so don’t even bother.”

  My God why am I even here? My professional opinion obviously means nothing to him. “Well let’s start with getting you comfortable and see if you can fall to sleep on your own, what do you wear to bed?”

  “Nothing.”

  Of course, why did I ask?

  “Ok…well how about boxers, think you can tolerate that?”

  “I don’t like wearing clothes when I sleep nurse Imani.” I’m getting really weary of his attitude, so here goes nothing; I march to the bedside and put on a stern face.

  “Arms up,” I command and he raises his arms like a child with a sheepish grin. I strip it over his head briskly. “Jeans.”

  “I’ll need help with that.” He smiles up at me through his long, thick eyelashes with fake innocence. I reach out to unbutton his jeans while trying to think boring thoughts but it’s far from effective, my hands tremble as I unfasten them and pull down the zipper while he watches my every movement.

  “Up.” I motion my hands for him to raise his hips, but he smiles that sexy smile of his. “What?” I ask

  “You are quite bossy nurse Imani, I like it, but commanding me up is never necessary, I am up whenever you are around.” Queue the smirk…fuck I need to get out of this room before I maul him again. I do my best to ignore his remark and wiggle his jeans down his hips working them over his casted leg and then with some help from him off his other lean, bronze leg. I avert my eyes and fold the clothes neatly.

  “Those can go in the wash. I won’t wear them again until they are laundered.”

  “Where is the laundry?” I say, turning to look at him forgetting my plan to keep my eyes off of him. Shit, shit, shit, why did I look? He is laying there in that larger-than-life bed, with his larger than life cock straining proudly against his briefs, dark purple briefs I now notice. I have got to find out what the deal is with this man and the color purple. His smirk is back, the one that makes me involuntarily moan in appreciation. It’s my trigger with Marcus, he’s known from the beginning that it stops my heart and melts my panties right off my body. One corner of his mouth drawn up ever so slightl
y and this time I swear he winks, agh! How can a simple facial expression be so alluring and intensely sexy? An ache low in my belly takes up where it left off earlier this evening, and my mind fights my body for control. I’m his nurse, I’m his nurse I keep repeating to myself, be professional, and get a grip. He points his finger toward the bathroom, indicating where the laundry belongs, but his eyes beckon me to join him in bed. I attempt to move toward the bathroom to put the clothes away, but my feet are deaf to reason and I find myself at the edge of the bed. Reaching out, he removes his folded clothes from my hands and drops them on the floor. He keeps constant eye contact with me. His lusty eyes speak to me as he reaches up to yank my thick braid that hangs over my shoulder. I cry out in surprise, and an overpowering need to be closer to him consumes me. He pulls my braid harder until our mouths crash together violently. Hungry for one another, the undercurrent of attraction and need that’s been denied takes control. With my hair wrapped around his forearm he tugs me into his lap dragging his mouth down my neck nipping at my skin roughly, almost painfully, yet sensually. Intense, urgent kisses cover my face, and I let my head fall back, offering him better access to my neck, submitting to this internal fire. I clutch his bicep with one hand and reach between our bodies to feel his thickness throbbing against my hip. A deep groan vibrates from deep within his chest and God my head is spinning with the intensity of it all. He shifts under me, and I feel his muscles tense with pain not pleasure. I bolt off of his lap and he attempts to keep me captive by clutching at my braid. Half on and half off the bed panting, I look him in the eye.

  “This isn’t right,” I say, between ragged breaths.

  “I say it is.” His voice is deep and demanding. “Let me go, you’re in pain, I can’t do this.” “Pain is not foreign to me Imani, you misinterpreted my reaction.”

  “No,” I say sternly, and snap my head hard enough to make him release his grip. “No means no,”

  “Until it means yes.” He flashes his mischievous smile.

  “Marcus, really I.... I don’t know what’s come over me, I’m not like this, I’ve never been like this,” I stammer. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest; my palms are sweaty and that damn dizziness is starting again.

  “I don’t know how you usually are Imani, but I am quite enjoying the way you are now, except for your constant worrying.” Sparkles again- fuck I’ve passed out once in my life and this man puts me in such a tizzy that I’ve been on the edge of fainting two times in one day. “You are doing it again, sit on the edge of the bed and put your head between your knees, you need to eat something,” he commands, and there’s no time for pride; I have no choice but to do it or I’ll be splayed out face first on the floor in a minute.

  Staring at my shoes for the second time today I feel double the embarrassment while I breathe in through my nose and out my mouth several times. When I feel okay I stand up slowly. “I think you’re right, my blood sugar is probably low, I need to eat,”

  “Go to the kitchen, Maria keeps cheese and fruit trays in the refrigerator.” Walking out of his room, I feel his eyes burning a hole in my backside as I make my way toward the kitchen. Just as promised, a cheese and fruit tray sits on the top shelf in the fridge. I slide the huge tray out, remove the lid and pop a strawberry in my mouth. I spot some orange juice, pour a glass and chug it. A few more bites and I’m feeling much better. When I return the food to the fridge I stop when I remember that he’s probably watching me on his security cameras from his bed. Even though I’ve vowed to be the epitome of professionalism I can’t resist the opportunity to tease Marcus. Before closing the refrigerator I scan the door for what I need and voila, there it is. Armed with two of the juiciest strawberries and a can of whipped cream I push the door closed with my hip and lean my back against it. I have no idea where the camera is but I’m sure he can see me, I feel it when I squirt the whipped cream on the first strawberry and bite into it, the juice trickles down my chin and neck. I don’t even bother trying to clean it off when I repeat the act and giggle imagining Marcus’s face watching me make such a sexy mess. “Imani!” he yells and I jump. Yep, he has been watching, I wipe my face with a paper towel and return the whip cream to the fridge before going back for round 3.

  Chapter 14

  “Are you feeling better?” he asks, studying me carefully when I return to the room.

  “Yes, thank you.” “Did you get enough to eat?” Bingo, he was watching, his hand is placed casually over the bulge under his sheet. “I don’t know, did I?” I say playfully. “No, I believe you should go back and have some more, or better yet bring it in here and share with me.” He’s stroking himself slowly through the sheet and I’m feeling really stupid. What made me think I could play with this man; I am no match for the master. “Um… so you all set for the night?” My nerves are getting the best of me that was a stupid stupid question.

  “Noooo.” He answers drawing the word out as he continues to move a hand over his hidden arousal. His gaze leaves mine and begins to travel down my body to my breasts. He slowly blinks his bedroom eyes and strokes his cock. They move to my tummy, blink… stroke… and finally my core, blink…stroke…

  Shit, now I have to figure out a way to ask him if he needs anything without asking if he needs anything. I don’t know what to do; I’m walking right into the trap that I set for myself. I have to address his negative response one way or another but he is so deliciously distracting.

  “What’s the matter little temptress, cat got your tongue?” I am regretting the show I put on in the kitchen.

  “No, I…” Actually yes I think a cat does have my tongue, no matter what I say at this point he’s going to twist it to his advantage. I’m not entirely sure I don’t want that too.

  “No worrying my Imani, thank you for that erotic scene.” He grins while removing his hand from his cock to tuck it behind his head. I’m left staring at a hugely tented sheet on his lap. “I will be sure to think about that while I am falling to sleep, thank you.”

  He winks.

  Oh my God.

  “Are you getting my sleeping pills or do I have to hop?”

  Agh! Lesson learned, don’t start things you’re too tired to finish. Now I’m exhausted, horny, frustrated and he is so fucking stubborn!

  I remind my tongue how to speak and focus on his face instead of the sheet. “I can’t do it, what if you never wake up? We don’t know what’s going on until we get an MRI and another CT.”

  “You can lay next to me and watch me breath all night if you want, but I’m taking those pills no matter what you do, whether I hurt myself in the process is your choice.” Marching to the bathroom, I snatch the pills off the counter and lob them on the bed within his reach, he can have them, but I’m not staying to watch him sleep. I can smell the manipulation and I’m not falling for it again.

  “I’m going to bed, do you need to go to the bathroom or anything else before bed?” I ask, please say no, please say no. I’m his nurse but right now I’m weak and he doesn’t play fair. I really hope he doesn’t want me to help him. “No Imani, I’ll be fine.” He tilts his hips up when he speaks drawing my attention back to his cock. I look away toward the window where the drapes have been drawn and make a mental note to never eat strawberries again. “Leave my doors open, and yours as well in case I need to yell for you.”

  “Ok.” I don’t even bother reminding him of the benefits of a please or thank you because I just don’t give a shit right now. I turn and drag myself next-door leaving all the doors open.

  The lights have been dimmed in my room. I pull back the thick, heavy comforter, kick off my shoes and sit on the edge of the bed before I notice the short lavender nightgown at the end of the bed, what the hell?! Does he expect me to wear another woman’s lingerie? What an arrogant pig! I snatch it off the bed with the intention of throwing it in the trash but before I can I notice a price tag still attached to the bodice. So it’s new…I unintentionally glance at the price, holy shit, who pays that m
uch for a damned nightgown? Marcus…that’s who, at least it’s not someone else’s. It’s better than sleeping in my jeans and sweater, or in my underwear, hell no! I don’t trust him not to come in during the night. I wonder if he is watching me on his cameras from his room. He did say there was a camera in every room- what about the bathroom? That’s ridiculous, I think, he wouldn’t, would he? Yes he would. I switch off the light and quickly shed my clothes and slide the extremely overpriced gown over my head. I slip between the soft, million thread count sheets and close my eyes. It’s only a second before I snap them open again remembering that I haven’t taken my own sleeping pills. I seriously don’t feel like going through another night terror so I throw back the warm comforter and pad as quietly as I can to Marcus’s door. The only light in his room is a dim lamp on his bedside table. His eyes are closed already and he is still, just like the first time I saw him in the hospital. I tiptoe to his bedside, where I can see the pill bottle next to the lamp. I know what I’m doing is so wrong; you should never take other people’s medication. I also know because I’m a nurse that we take the same sleeping pills. I reach for the bottle and hear Marcus’s deep, growly voice. “Thief.” “Shit you scared me, I thought you were sleeping!” I clutch my chest after jumping a foot into the air!

  “Shit, you scared me, I thought you were sleeping!”

  “I was trying to but someone is trying to steal my pills. Lavender looks beautiful on you, I knew it would.” His eyes roam over the thin material making me squirm.

  “Thank you.”

  “Why do you need them?”

  “I have trouble sleeping too, nightmares.” I can’t believe I just told him that, something about him compels me to be totally honest.

  “Sit, tell me, I promise to behave.” He points to the other side of the enormous bed and I walk around and sit as far away from him as I can. I feel exposed, and I’m sure that’s what he intended when he put this gown out for me. No sense tempting myself again though, my control is a thin straining thread, ready to snap when it concerns him. “So…why the nightmares?” He frowns at me with concern and I nervously look down at my hands in my lap.