Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story

by Krista Lakes

  "Slippery little suckers," I said, glancing around to make sure no one else had seen my scramble with the shell. Owen chuckled.

  "You'll get better at it the more you eat them."

  "I know we are going to Dubai, but what are we doing there? Are you sure it will be okay for me to come?" I half hoped he would tell me that I actually wasn't coming and that I didn't have to get on another plane. I half hoped that I could just rent a car and drive home, but that would mean I wouldn't be with Owen.

  "Yes, I'm sure that it's fine. I wouldn't have asked you otherwise. I know you had to take time off work for this, which I appreciate, so I'm going to make sure you have a good time. As far as what we are doing there, we will be wooing a sheik."

  "A sheik? Like a prince?" I sat up straighter at the table. I never thought I would meet royalty. The waiter came and whisked the empty escargot dishes away, placing a small bowl of sorbet in front of me. I looked up at Owen, confused as to why dessert was being served.

  "It's a palate cleanser before the main course," he explained.

  I nodded and took a taste. Sweet orange sorbet.

  "So a sheik, huh?" The sorbet was gone in two bites. I hoped dinner was coming soon, because despite the escargot and now the sorbet, I was still hungry.

  "Yes. Sheik al-Saffar owns a large portion of the oil fields in production currently. He is thinking of partnering with Jack's company, due in part to Jack's marketing success. My job is to convince him that, since I am the head of marketing, my team will sell his oil better than he can himself." Owen folded his hands neatly on the table in front of him as though he had just finished a business proposal. I leaned back thoughtfully in my seat.

  "I have a feeling it's more complicated than that, isn't it?"

  "You might have a future in this business, Kaylee," he said, a grin breaking across his face.

  "Nah, I'm better suited to scrubs than suits."

  The waiter returned, refilling our wine glasses and placing the main course on the table. I almost didn't want to eat it because it was so pretty. A small fillet of white fish sat perched on a bed of onion, fennel, and tomatoes with a sauce that I could only describe as heavenly. Small clams and shrimp dotted the plate, adding to the amazing sauce. I had heard the word bouillabaisse when Owen had ordered and was sure that was what the sauce was called. I could die happy if I only ate that for the rest of my life.

  Owen smiled at my look of rapture as I tasted the food before he continued. "We are meeting with the sheik and his son to forge a personal relationship with them. A lot of these business deals are built more on whom you like than what you can do. Most companies can offer similar services, but what they can't do is the relationship. The sheik actually had an arrangement with one of our competitors, but he wasn't getting what he wanted, so he has come to us. We offer almost the exact same core services, but we are willing to give him that something extra he is looking for."

  "So, you are the sales pitch, then. The relationship that he is looking for. He wants someone he likes to sell his oil for him."

  Owen nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "You're getting it."

  We sat quietly for a moment, each of us enjoying our food. Owen gave me a bite of his beef bourguignon, and I shared my fish with him. I was hungrier than I thought, because despite my best efforts, the fish was gone long before I was full.

  "Earlier, you said, 'We are wooing'. Do you mean me, or the company?"

  "You, actually. You will be able to help me quite a bit with this."

  My forehead crinkled as I tried to figure out how I would be able to help. I was a medical professional, not a salesperson. Especially not an oil markets salesperson. Unless the sheik needed help controlling his cholesterol or fixing a broken leg, I couldn't see what use I was going to be.

  Owen smiled at me, waiting for the waiter to serve the next part of our meal before answering. A small plate of different kinds of cheese sat between us, waiting to be shared. I tried them cautiously, but found their flavors were actually quite good.

  "I have been invited to dinner with the sheik and his son, and was told to bring a guest. It is very common to discuss business matters over dinner, and as I am trying to forge a more personal relationship with him, this is the perfect opportunity to bring you along. If it goes well, there will be more dinners. More dinners means more opportunities to impress him." Owen watched my face carefully, gauging my reaction to his words.

  "I'm not sure I'm going to be very good at this, Owen. I'm not good at selling things," I said softly. "I was the kid in elementary school whose parents ended up buying subscriptions to ten magazines and paying for entire boxes of candy bars because I couldn't get anyone else to buy them."

  "Kaylee, you are beautiful and smart. You're easy to talk to and you can carry a conversation. You're perfect for this." Owen reached out and touched my hand, his confidence in me surging through our skin. I felt my cheeks redden at the compliments.

  "Thank you. I just don't want to embarrass you. Or Jack's company."

  "You could never embarrass me," Owen said softly, his eyes intent on mine. I felt another blush sear through my cheeks.

  The waiter returned and Owen released my hand. The empty cheese plate was taken away and replaced with dessert and cups of coffee. A dark chocolate torte with a raspberry glaze for me and a deceptively simple peach tart for Owen sat like presents before us. I'm pretty sure I died and went to heaven with the first bite, and then again with every bite after.

  "I'll do my best with the sheik, but I can't make any promises," I told Owen once the dessert was gone. I seriously considered licking my plate but decided that I was in too nice of a place to do so.

  "I just want you to be you, Kaylee. I know you are going to be amazing," Owen said, his voice full of trust. I smiled and sipped on my coffee, a little nervous. I didn't want to let him down.

  "If this all goes well, it would be really good for Jack's company, wouldn't it?" I asked.

  Owen nodded. "It would be huge. I mean, Jack's company is already successful, but this would increase our market share by another third."

  I felt a pressure settle on my shoulders. I knew that this was not my responsibility, but I wanted to make sure I helped Owen as much as possible. I was going to be the perfect dinner guest, even if I had to fake every word. I wasn't going to let Owen down.

  "Brandy or cognac, mademoiselle?"

  I startled slightly at the waiter's question, lost deep in my thoughts of being a good dinner guest.

  "Cognac, please." I glanced at Owen and he hid a smile at my startle.

  "Thinking much?" he chided softly. I stuck my tongue out at him before I remembered that we were at a very fancy restaurant.

  "Just trying to figure out some witty banter for the sheik."

  "Don't think too hard." Owen sipped at his own cognac, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. I wanted to stick my tongue out at him again, but I refrained this time. Barely.

  "I guess I just need someone to practice my witty banter with. Maybe I can get that waiter to come back," I teased, pretending to look around for the waiter.

  Owen chuckled softly; I loved that noise. It was a masculine laughter that suited him so well. I could listen to him laugh like that all day.

  Chapter 16

  "You want to take a walk around the park?" Owen asked when we returned to the hotel. I glanced up at the darkening sky, then out toward the trees. Green sprouts were just starting to form on the bare branches, in wait of spring showers to nourish them. The sky was dark, but it still looked like we had some time before the rain would hit.

  "Sure," I answered. Owen grinned, and grabbed my hand and the two of us practically skipped hand in hand into the park. We found a path that meandered through the trees, the two of us just quietly taking it all in. From the corner of my eye I could see his bodyguard shadowing us silently. I ignored him, instead just focusing on being with Owen. I loved the way his hand felt in mine—strong and warm, prote
ctive and secure. I loved the way he smelled like a clear spring in winter and the way he wrapped me up in his arms. Just thinking of being held in his arms made me squeeze his hand a little tighter, glad just to be with him.

  A hotdog stand resided off the path, a bright yellow umbrella over a light brown cart. The smell of cooking meat wafted through the air, and even though we had just finished a satisfying gourmet meal, my stomach rumbled. Owen gave me a surprised look at how loudly my stomach had growled.

  "You hungry?" he asked.

  "Maybe a little. I didn't eat much today, so even though the food was amazing, the serving size was a little small," I said sheepishly. Owen squeezed my hand.

  "I can go for a snack myself. I've never eaten there, but it is supposed to be the fanciest place in town, so I thought I should take you. You deserve the best."

  A flood of warm fuzzies flowed through me at his words. No only did he love me, he really liked me too.

  "Can I buy you a hotdog?" I asked as Owen's stomach growled in response to mine.

  "You don't have to buy me a hotdog. I'll get it. I don't know if you know this, but I'm kind of rich," he whispered theatrically in my ear as we approached the small stand. I gave him a playful push, pulling out some money from inside my dress. Owen raised his eyebrow as he looked down the top of my dress to where I had stashed my ID and a little money.

  "I know, but you bought dinner. Let me get the hotdogs."

  "Like I can say no to you anyway," he said, shaking his head with a good-natured laugh.

  I paid the man for two hotdogs, and together we ate them as we walked through the park. Owen pretended to bump into me as we walked, and I bumped back into him, both of us laughing under our breath as we tried to maintain the illusion that it was always an accident.

  Thunder rumbled, and Owen turned us back toward the hotel. The clouds overhead were starting to get darker and more angry looking by the minute. I wasn't sure just how much longer they were going to hold back before letting loose.

  We had just passed by the hotdog stand again when a crack of thunder made me jump. Owen laughed and pulled me close to him, draping his arm around my shoulder. I smiled up at him and felt something wet land on my cheek. I touched it with my fingertips, confused for a moment until a second heavy drop landed square on my nose. Owen and I looked right at one another with realization that it was raining just as the down pour started.

  It was as if someone had turned on the shower faucet, the rain starting quicker than either of us could have expected. We ran for the nearest trees, but their bare branches offered no protection from the sudden deluge. I shivered, the two of us already completely soaked by the sudden microburst. Owen quickly shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders, the satin inside still warm from his body.

  I reached up, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. Our lips met, the taste of the rain on his lips. I parted my lips and slipped my tongue inside of his mouth, which was so warm and inviting. His hand tangled itself in my wet hair and pulling me closer to him. Our bodies pressed together, the heat of his chest defying the cold of the rain.

  We stood there, kissing in the rain as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Raindrops pounded against the pavement, splattering against windows and shaking the baby leaves on the trees. I was enjoying the taste of rainwater kisses too much to stop.

  "We need to get you inside," Owen whispered, pulling himself away. I realized I was shaking like a leaf, my teeth chattering with the cold. He rubbed his hands up and down on my arms, trying to get some warmth back into them before grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the hotel.

  It was only a short walk, and we reached the lobby right as another boom of thunder shook the city. I caught my reflection in the elevator door as Owen whisked me up to our room. My lips were blue and my hair was wet, but thankfully my waterproof mascara was holding. My dress was quickly becoming transparent, the water soaking through the white fabric and making it stick to my legs. Luckily, Owen's jacket kept most of me covered, but the dress made me look like I was turning into something that belonged in the water. I gave my reflection a smile, pleased to find I looked more like a sea-soaked mermaid than a drowned rat.

  Owen opened the door, and we stepped inside. The balcony doors had been thrown open by the wind, the curtains billowing in gusts. Owen went to close them, but I caught his arm. I didn't want to wait a second longer to have him. His white dress shirt was plastered against his skin, the water making it almost translucent. I could see the gentle slopes and lines of his muscles highlighted by the wet cloth, everything in perfect proportion.

  "Leave it open," I whispered, dropping the jacket off my shoulders and reaching to him for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around me, the wet fabric of his shirt cold at first, but heating quickly as his body flared with desire.

  I fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, the cold making my fingers clumsy. He growled and ripped it apart, sending buttons flying through the air. Owen stripped the wet dress shirt from his skin, every inch of his toned chest and arms glistening with the dampness. I licked my lip, biting the bottom one and reaching for him again. His skin was cold, in perfect contrast with the fire that burned inside of me.

  The doors banged against their hinges as a cold spray from the storm blew in, but I didn't care. How could I care with a man as attractive as Owen standing half-naked in front of me. His eyes met mine, dark and hungry, a need filling them to the point of pain. He pressed his mouth against mine, his lips cool but his tongue hot. The contrast was startling and wonderful, making me ache to take him completely inside me.

  I nibbled my way along his jawline, feeling his shoulders flex beneath my fingers, a small moan of want escaping his perfect lips. I kissed his Adam's apple, down the the strong curve of his collarbone, down to one hard, erect nipple. He groaned slightly, tangling his fingers in my hair as I took it in my mouth. It was rock solid from the cold, and I could only imagine the pleasure my hot mouth was sending through him as I flicked it with my tongue.

  Slowly, I worked my way lower, kneeling in front of the bulge growing in his pants. With a wicked grin, I looked up and worked the zipper down on his dress pants. As the button came loose in my hands, his manhood stood ready for me. Inching the wet pants off his sculpted ass, followed quickly by his boxers and socks, I soon had him completely naked in front of me.

  I stared at his perfection. The rain gleamed on his muscles, tiny drops of water that I envied for being able to touch him so closely.

  "Kaylee..." I loved the way my name sounded on his lips, his voice thrillingly gruff. I looked up at him through my eyelashes, watching his face react to sheer pleasure as I took him into my mouth. He groaned with satisfaction, his eyes closing and his fingers grabbing at my hair. I rocked gently back and forth, sucking and licking, enjoying the taste of his skin. He seemed to grow in my mouth, swelling with a need only I could meet.

  He pulled up gently on my hair as I stopped to take a breath, coaxing me to my feet. He gave me an appreciative smile before a concerned look took over his face.

  "Kaylee, you're shivering." He ran his hands up and down along my bare skin, goosebumps covering every inch. I wasn't sure if I was shivering from the cold, or from pure desire making me vibrate with need.

  "We need to warm you up," he said softly, an eager grin spreading across his face. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes."

  Strong fingers slid the straps of my soaked dress from my shoulders, a sheen of wetness coating my entire body. Slowly, so slowly I almost begged him to go quicker so I could touch him again, he peeled my dress from my body, followed by the sheer panties. Inch by inch he worked the wet fabric down, caressing every part of my skin until I was bare and trembling before him. With every stroke, warm tendrils of sensation swirled across my chilled skin.

  My teeth started chattering, despite my best efforts to stop them. My desire was red hot, but my body was chilled to the bone. Owen effortlessly
swept me into his arms, and in three steps we were in the marble bathroom, the usually cold tile feeling warm against my frozen feet as Owen gently set me down.

  He stepped into the giant glass shower, his ass just begging to be spanked. I reached out to touch it, giving the firm muscle a good squeeze. He tightened, showing off the full strength of his ass. A thrill of anticipation surged through me. The water hissed as Owen stepped back out, letting the shower get to full heat. In one smooth motion, he closed the bathroom door and pulled me close to him. Steam was already beginning to condense on the mirror, the room growing warm.

  "Now, where were we?" he whispered into my ear, his hand tracing the line of my shoulder. I kissed him, showing him exactly where we had left off. He kissed me again, a no-holds-barred kiss that rocked my world. My body shifted from rainwater ice to shower steam hot, the fire within me begging to be quenched by him.

  He continued trailing down my arm, his fingers tracing the hollow of my elbow before making the leap to my ribs. With eyes intent on mine, he cupped my breast in his hand, strumming the erect nipple with his thumb. Desire thrummed through me, vibrating my body as though I were a guitar string. He kissed me again, sending me straight to heaven as he played my body like a musical instrument.

  "Owen...please, I need you," I gasped. I ached in only a way he could soothe.

  With a low animal growl he picked me up and placed me on the edge of the sink. The room was thick with steam, the white mist swirling around the room and fogging the mirror. Owen stood before me, his manhood ready to take me. I guided him in, gasping at the wonderful sensation as he filled me to breaking. My legs wrapped around him, pulling him deeper and deeper into me.

  I dug my nails into his back as he thrust, his ass flexing and releasing against my calf muscles. My moans echoed through the marble bathroom, begging him for more. A sheen of sweat broke out across his brow as his muscles worked.

  He grabbed my hips and pulled me off the sink, flipping me around. My hands went to the mirror to steady myself as he pulled my hips back toward him. He was within me again in a moment, his face reflecting pure lust in the fogged mirror. His hands went to the mirror as he pressed his body against mine, pushing and pulling, the two of us working in tandem to create pure bliss.