Adam looked away suddenly. Though he continued smiling, she saw his jaw clench and his cheeks color a bit.
She jumped when Gwen took her hand and placed her bidding paddle in it. “Don’t tease him. This is hard enough as it is,” the older woman murmured. “He really is a very private man and hates to be in front of crowds.”
“But I’m not teasing,” she responded.
Onstage, the auctioneer described Adam’s planned date. An afternoon cruise on his yacht followed by dinner and the current production of a romantic comedy at the Civic Theater.
Margot was stunned as a furious bidding war began. Five women raised their paddles, including Leigh what’s-her-name who countered every bid someone else made.
Adam kept looking at her with a slight frown as the bidding went on, but Margot had yet to raise her paddle the first time. She smiled when his expression darkened even further when the first woman dropped out with a loudly muttered curse.
Margot waited until three of the bidders dropped out before raising her paddle at the twenty-thousand-dollars mark. After three more five-thousand-dollars raises, it was down to Leigh the society bitch and her.
Tired and really needing to relieve her bladder, Margot decided to end it. Pushing to her feet, she waited until Leigh made a twenty-seven thousand dollar bid. The auctioneer turned to her, along with every other person in the room.
“I bid one hundred thousand dollars,” she said, meeting Adam’s eyes before glancing at her opponent.
Leigh tried to raise her arm, but her mother grabbed the paddle out of her hand with an emphatic shake of her head.
“Going, going, gone. Sold to the beautiful lady sitting with Adam’s mother, Gwen Thomasson.” The gavel banged, and then the murmuring and questioning began as everyone turned to ask their neighbor if they knew the identity of the woman who’d just made the highest bid of the evening.
“Well done, my dear,” Gwen said. “Cut that gold-digging floozy off at the knees while giving away an outrageous amount of Adam’s money. He’s sure to be proud. You will make my boy a fine life mate.”
Margot leaned close, ignoring the closing comments coming from the stage. “Where’s the restroom?”
“Shall I come with you?”
“No, thanks, I’m a big girl. Tell Adam I’ll be right back.”
Without a thought to how it would look to others, Margot stood and hurried from the room. Once in the bathroom, she took her time using the facilities. It had been so long since she’d spent so much time with so many other people. Especially people who looked down their nipped and tucked noses to judge her every move and seemed to find her lacking in one way or another. Though she had worked in a bank, she rarely worked directly with customers. After an afternoon of beauty and an evening of catty comments on her weight, her hair, and her skin, she needed a few minutes alone.
By the time she finished washing her hands and making sure she had not messed up her makeup, several women had come and gone. She was just heading to the door when Leigh walked in with two friends.
“Look who it is ladies, the old bitch with bucks,” Leigh sneered. The three surrounded her, forcing her into a narrow alcove that ended in a window that overlooked the bridge.
Taking a deep breath, Margot reminded herself that she was an adult, and Adam belonged to her. This young woman was not worth her time.
“You do realize you’ll never see him again after your date, don’t you? Adam never dates the same woman more than twice. For him, life is all about his work and making money, not women.”
“In the past maybe, but he’s claimed me forever,” Margot said, keeping her voice low. For some reason she pointed to her neck, wanting to show Adam’s mark, though these woman would not understand its significance. “If you’ll excuse me, my date is waiting.”
Leigh frowned as she looked at the mark. Margot thought she heard her growl, but then she blinked and her expression went smooth again. Then the younger woman sneered.
“You brought a date to a bachelor’s auction?”
Margot shook her head and felt sorry for her for being so dense. “No, actually Adam brought me.”
As the three women gasped, Margot pushed her way past them and walked away. She kept her back straight, head high, and tried not to giggle in triumph. She heard a cry of animalistic rage but didn’t stop walking. Adam waited.
Margot was several steps into the hallway when someone tackled her from behind. She cried out as she was slammed to the floor. Her hands were trapped beneath her. She couldn’t do anything to defend herself as the person on top of her began to hit her again and again.
“What the hell?”
She recognized Adam’s voice as it silenced the murmuring of the shocked spectators.
A moment later, her attacker was pulled from her, but not before she’d inflicted a few heavy blows to Margot’s ribs. Shocked by the attack, Margot didn’t fight the hands that gently rolled her over. Opening her eyes, she found Adam kneeling over her. He helped her to sit up then sat down beside her before pulling her into his lap.
“Are you okay?” he asked, smoothing her hair from her face as his other hand rubbed up and down her bare arm.
She ignored everyone pressing around them, asking questions and talking. Nothing mattered except getting away from this pack of bitches and getting her mate alone.
“I’m fine. I spent an obscene amount of your money and met your mother. Can we go home now?”
Chapter 8
“Welcome to our home,” Adam said as he opened the front door. He wanted to give her the grand tour, but she looked exhausted. He was as well and couldn’t wait to feel her next to him in bed, even if it was just to sleep with her in his arms.
Wrapping his hand around hers, he led her through the grand foyer and down the darkened hall to the kitchen. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Fundraiser dinners never fill me up. Tomorrow I’ll give you the full tour, and we’ll see about getting the rest of your things moved over here.”
When she didn’t answer by the time he flipped the kitchen light on, he turned to check on her. She looked too pale and shocked. “Baby? What’s wrong?”
She blinked, and her eyes glittered with tears. “You want me to live here? With you?”
When she began to visibly tremble, he pulled her close to his chest and wrapped both arms around her. Kissing the top of her head, he smiled. “Of course I want you to live here with me. We’re mates. Where else would you live except with your mate?”
She shrugged and buried her face deeper in his chest.
“Margot? Talk to me, baby. I may be insanely rich and a shape shifter, but I am a man, and I don’t read minds.”
Easing his hold, he tried to step back. She followed, keeping her face buried in his chest. With a sigh, he relented and cuddled her closer. When hot tears soaked through his shirt, he began to rub her back.
“Sweet Margot, you are mine forever. If you don’t like this place, we can find another. Or we could build a new one. I can call the architects in the morning.”
“No, don’t do that. It’s not that I don’t like the house, it’s just,” she sighed before continuing, “I’m tired and overwhelmed and… and…oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.” Pulling away, Margot covered her mouth with one hand while her other covered her stomach. She ran across the room to the sink where she threw up.
By the time she finished expelling everything she’d eaten that day, Adam found a bottle of ginger ale and a clean cloth. After wetting it, he wiped her face. Then he offered her the drink. “I’ll find some crackers.” He led her to the corner of the room to a butcher block table with several wooden chairs around it.
He returned a few minutes later with two glasses and a box of crackers. Without a word, he picked her up from the chair she occupied. He sat down then settled her in his lap.
“Now, would you please tell me what’s got you so stressed that it made you sick?”
* * * *
M
argot looked into his face and read only concern and love there. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. He didn’t smell like fancy colognes, but like clean, healthy male.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“What do you mean?”
Margot felt more tears pressing and wasn’t sure she could control the wild emotions blasting through her. “This morning my biggest concern was securing a job that paid enough that I don’t have to move to Santa Fe to live with my brother. Now I’m sitting in what has to be the biggest house in the county with a man who just offered to tear it down and build me a new one. You have an empire to oversee. What am I supposed to do? I’m not a doll to sit on a shelf waiting until you decide you have time to take me down and play with me.”
She watched as his confusion cleared, and he nodded. “For now I think we should take a few days to get to know one another better, in bed and out. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but I also don’t want you doing anything just to please me. If I do start ignoring you, tell me. You can even slap me upside the head like on that military cop television show. For now, relax and stop worrying. Okay?”
Margot nodded into his chest. She smiled when his cock stiffened and pressed into her hip. The feel of his growing hunger ignited her own. “I can’t believe you’re horny again. Have you always been this way?”
“Never. Truth is, I’m not the sexual beast the paparazzi make me out to be. In the past, most of my dates usually ended with a kiss on the cheek before Sam drove me home. I think this is all about you and our mating bond.” He shifted under her and tightened his hold around her body.
A moment later, she squeaked when he stood with her in his arms. “What are you doing?”
He carried her around the table. After setting her in the chair there, he returned to the one they had just shared. “I’m trying to take care of you. You need to eat without me spreading you across this table and ravishing you,” he said, picking up a knife and a cracker. “Now eat something.”
“Yes, sir, mister mate of mine. Anything you say,” she said with a cheeky grin.
“Ha ha.”
After their snack, Adam took her hand and led her back to the foyer and then up the main staircase. At the top he turned left and they headed down a long, wide wall lit only by several knee-high nightlights placed at regular intervals.
“How big is this place?” Margot whispered.
“Baby, you don’t have to whisper. We’re all alone. The staff stays only until about eight each night.”
“Staff?”
“Yes, baby, staff. This is a big place. Twelve bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom, two living rooms, a formal dining room—though I prefer to eat in the kitchen—a media room, an office, a conference room, kitchen, a staff area, and some other rooms that I’m not even sure I know what their function is.”
By the time he finished the recitation, they had reached the end of the hall and a set of floor-to-ceiling double doors. “This is the master suite,” he said, turning both handles and pushing the doors inward.
He stepped aside, allowing Margot to enter first. He tried not to grin as she walked in and looked around. “There’s nothing in here.”
“Nope. The structural stuff is all finished, but the decorating hasn’t been touched. In fact, a bunch of the rooms are unfinished. About half the bedrooms and the rooms in the business wing are finished. Oh, and of course the media room and kitchen.”
“Of course,” Margot snarked as she returned to the doorway. “So if the master suite isn’t ready for occupancy, which room is? I’d really like to change into something a little more comfortable.”
“Or maybe nothing at all?” Adam offered as he guided her back down the hall to a room near the center of the house. “This is where I’ve been sleeping.” He opened the door and flicked on the light before stepping back.
Margot walked in and froze. “This is beautiful,” she breathed.
The walls were painted a soft shade of blue-green that reminded her of Adam’s eyes. The furniture was of light wood in a simple Mission style. A nightstand stood on either side of the king-size bed. A huge fireplace with a flat panel television above it occupied the wall across the room. Just in front of the fireplace, a pair of club chairs sat on either side of a low table piled high with magazines and books. A table across the room under several windows was covered with papers, as well. The cream-colored comforter matched the carpeting, which was covered with several woven rugs in browns and deep reds that added to the Southwestern feel of the room.
“If you don’t like this room, there are others to choose from. There’s the red room that looks like it came straight out of a New Orleans bordello, a jungle room with vines, animal prints, and a hammock, and one the decorator called kid friendly, but it has bunk beds. There’s also one that’s all white and light purple. She called that one shabby, but the price was anything but.”
“Shabby chic,” Margot corrected. “This room is fine. It’s more than fine. It’s perfect.” Turning, she threw herself at him, certain he would catch her. He did. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed every inch of skin she could reach.
“Wow, and you haven’t even seen the bathroom or closet yet.”
“Don’t need to. I’m not as high maintenance as the women you’re used to. I don’t spend hours primping. I don’t own a lot of clothes. I prefer jeans to dresses, and you’ll probably need to sign me up for an etiquette class before we try the high society thing again.”
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m not much of a high society guy myself. I prefer jeans to suits, beer to wine, and my mother is forever correcting my table manners.” He kissed her nose as he searched for the zipper on her dress. “I’ll tell you a secret. You are now so rich that people will forgive you for using the wrong fork. They’ll be too busy kissing up to notice any mistakes in etiquette. Now where’s the zipper to this damn dress?”
With a grin, Margot lifted her right arm and pulled the zipper down with her left. “That way it doesn’t spoil the line of the gown,” she explained as she pushed the dress to the floor.
“Why Miss Jackson, you’re nekkid ’neath your ball gown,” Adam teased as he tossed his jacket over one of the club chairs. He then started on the gold studs holding his shirt together.
“I guess I win this time,” Margot teased back as she circled the room.
She’d just found the bathroom, decorated in the same Southwestern desert theme, when Adam joined her. He wrapped his arms around her, cupping her breasts.
“Want a bath before bed?” he offered in the sexy growl that set her juices to collecting between her legs.
“No, just want to brush my teeth and pee.”
“Okay. I’ll use the bathroom next door and meet you in bed.” He kissed her neck just below her earlobe. After licking the mating mark, he grabbed his toothbrush and disappeared out the door.
By the time Margot finished in the bathroom and climbed into the beautiful bed, exhaustion from the overwhelming day outweighed horniness. Closing her eyes, she smiled as Adam’s scent on the linens surrounded her.
Just before she slipped into sleep, she thought she heard the question, “Baby, what do you want?” Only it wasn’t in that toneless voice any longer. This time it sounded a lot like Adam.
She sighed before murmuring, “Just you.”
* * * *
“Baby, what do you want for breakfast?” Adam asked as he walked in from the hallway. “Margot?”
Approaching the bed, he heard her murmur something, but he couldn’t make out the words. But the contented smile she wore brought a similar one to his lips. “Oh, sweet mate, it was a hell of a day, wasn’t it?”
Trying not to disturb her, he crawled in next to her, easing closer until his front spooned against her back. With a contented sigh, he wiggled one arm beneath the pillow under her head and draped the other around her middle, pulling her even closer. Closing his eyes, he breathed deep of her honey-cinnamon-vanilla e
ssence and smiled.
All was well in the world tonight. He had found his mate.
Chapter 9
Margot woke feeling rested and more relaxed than she could ever remember. She didn’t feel any dried tears on her cheeks and the knotted muscles of her shoulders and back that had grown progressively tighter over the past weeks were loose and pain free. Taking a deep breath, she felt warm skin of an arm not her own slide against her middle. A moment later, the arm moved up until a large hand covered her breast.
“Good morning, sweet mate of mine.”
Margot moved forward then rolled to her back, so she could look at the man in the bed with her. “I fell asleep, didn’t I? Oh God, I’m so sorry.”
“Hush, baby. You were exhausted. We both were.” Adam leaned down and gave her a gentle good-morning kiss. “Today is a new day. We have all day to play.”
As soon as his turquoise eyes began to glow, Margot felt her core melting, preparing for sex. “Are you sure I won’t wear you out?” She caressed a path down his muscled chest and six-pack abs to find him already hard. Wrapping her fingers around him, she brushed the pad of her thumb back and forth over his slit, her smile growing when her thumb came away wet with his juices. “I’d hate to be the reason Thomasson Enterprises loses money this quarter.”
* * * *
“You could never wear me out,” he growled as he moved over her and licked her mating mark.
“That feels so good. It’s like there’s a direct line from the bite mark to my cunt. I need you in me. Right now.” She spread her legs, lifting and wrapping them around his waist. His hard length traced down between her lower lips until the tip reached her entrance.
“You’ve got me,” he groaned.
His hips pushed forward as he licked the mark where shoulder met neck. This joining was slow and easy, a slow wakening of lust and love and need. When he felt her muscles ripple around his length, massaging him, he called forward his inner beast, and his canines dropped.
“Come for me, baby,” he ordered. He thrust deeper and harder until they reached their pinnacle. As she cried out her climax, he claimed her again, drinking deep of her life blood, savoring the sweet taste of her before licking the wound closed again.
The Billionaire's Mate Page 5
