Bidding on the Billionaire (Bad Boys Billionaire Bachelors Club) (8 page)

Chapter 15

M
andi awoke in the morning and felt Sergio
lying next to her, still asleep.  She wondered when he’d came up to bed and was
surprised that she hadn’t heard him.  The day outdoors having fun must have
exhausted her more than she thought.

Instead
of getting up or making any noise Mandi turned around and watched Sergio
sleeping.  She’d never had a chance to study him up close before without him
being aware of it.  It was nice and when he was asleep he looked as if he
didn’t have a care in the world.  In fact, his lips had a slight smile on
them.  There was no crease in his eye brow when he was thinking about something
big involving business.  She also could see his 5:00 shadow, something he
usually didn’t have.  He was always meticulously groomed.  His shoulder length
hair was a bit wild, making him look all the more inviting to her too.  She
liked this unkempt side of Sergio; it made him seem more…average, and not just
some rich guy who was perfect in every way.

Mandi
must have drifted back off to sleep because she woke up to Sergio looking at
her.  She wondered what he’d thought of his assessment of her, but didn’t dare
ask.  He’d offer it up if he wanted to share it.

“Good
morning.  I was up earlier and I must have dozed off.”

“You
are so beautiful when you sleep,” Sergio said.  He leaned over and kissed
Mandi’s cheek and caressed under her jaw with his pointer finger.

“I
think you have a one up on me when it comes to that,” Mandi teased. 
I hope
I didn’t talk in my sleep!

“I
have an errand to attend to this morning.  Would you like to come with me?”

“Sure. 
What is it?”

“You
shall see,” Sergio said.  Mandi could tell that he took great satisfaction in
leaving people hanging and curious.  It was quite the switch for her, who
preferred structure and to know everything going on.  Yet, it was part of what
made this time with Sergio exciting.  You never knew what you were going to get
and that was kind of refreshing.

“I’m
not going to let you get to me,” Mandi said. 

“Darn
because you are very fun to get to, Mandi.”

Mandi
grinned from ear to ear.  Sergio was playful and flirty just like yesterday and
it was wonderful.

After
breakfast they headed toward Rome and Sergio’s stop surprised Mandi.  He
stopped at a toy store that was at the edge of a strip mall and announced,
“We’re here.”

“What’s
going on?” Mandi asked, completely curious.

“You’ll
find out.  We’ll each grab a cart when we get into the toy store, okay?”

“Okay.
Are you getting some presents for your cousins or something?”

“No.”

Mandi
and Sergio walked up and down every isle of the toy store, stopping in sections
for all age groups, as well as boys’ favorites and girls’ favorites for toys. 
Sergio wouldn’t reveal what was going on and only asked for opinions of a
certain toy looked fun or enjoyable.  Mandi didn’t really know much about toys
and had only been around smaller children minimally so she didn’t know how much
help she was, but she did the best she could.

One
hour later, Sergio, Mandi, and three toy store employees exited the store
carrying bags full of toys out to the car. 

“Will
you tell me what’s going on now?” Mandi asked.  Her curiosity was getting the
best of her and she couldn’t imagine who could possibly need so many toys. There
was enough there to cover three Christmas seasons for a large sized family.

Twenty
minutes later they pulled up to a stately looking building that reminded Mandi
of an ivy league college, or something like that. “We’re here,” Sergio
announced.

Mandi
looked over and saw a sign. It read
Giovani Cuori Casa
. “What does that
say, Sergio?”  Mandi knew casa was home, but didn’t know the other two words.

“Young
Hearts Home,” Sergio replied.  “This is an orphanage that my family has long
supported.  My great great grandfather had lived here as a young boy.”

Mandi’s heart
swelled up, realizing what Sergio had purchased the toys for.  She couldn’t
believe how kind and generous he was.

“That’s
amazing. You’re amazing,” Mandi said, leaning over to kiss Sergio’s cheek.

“I
do it because I like to. I don’t expect anything in return,” Sergio commented.

“I
don’t doubt that one bit, Sergio.”

Twenty
minutes later, Mandi and Sergio were sitting in a big common room of the
orphanage and  smiling lovely faces were all looking at Sergio with curious
delight.  This was going to be one memorable day for them and even more so for
Mandi. It was incredible, truly incredible.

After
all the toys were handed out one sweet little girl walked up to Sergio.  She
was too shy to talk, but she handed him her dolly. “Rotto,” she said. Her voice
was so soft and quiet.

Mandi
knew that rotto meant broke. Sergio looked down at her and smiled, taking the
doll from the little girl. It was clearly an old doll that was marked up from
being dropped, drawn on, and probably squeezed by many a little girl.  The part
of the doll that was broke was its arm. It kept falling off. Sergio looked at
the arm, trying to see what he could do to fix it for the little girl. Mandi
could see a gentle determination in his eyes and there was no way he was going
to disappoint the angelic face that was watching him so closely.

A
bit of the plastic that keeps the arm in the socket was worn down from years of
play and Sergio held his finger up to his chin, looking like he was a toy doctor
evaluating the problem.  He suddenly said, “I have just the perfect idea,” and
got up and went over to the desk in the corner where the worker was sitting.

Mandi
and the little girl both watched him and were both obviously curious as to what
he was up to.  He came back with a small paper clip and tightened it around the
plastic piece that was worn down.  Then he carefully put the arm back in the
socket and wiggled it around a bit until he was sure the paper clip was
securing the arm so it wouldn’t fall off again.

The little
girl’s eyes were so wide as she watched his every move.  He leaned in to the
doll like it was talking to him and nodded his head, mumbling, “Yes, I see.”

“Fisso?”
the little girl asked.

“Fisso,” 
Sergio confirmed.  He handed the doll to the little girl and told her something
in Italian that Mandi didn’t understand.

She
nodded her head, smiling brightly and lunged toward Sergio to give him a big
hug.

Mandi’s
heart just melted and she wondered how he could not just take every one of these
kids home with him.  It would be so hard to not want to do that.

Another
hour had passed and Sergio and Mandi finally left the orphanage, being bid
farewell by happy and lovely children. Sergio had made their day and he’d made
Mandi’s too. 

Sergio
had some business to attend to that afternoon and Mandi was very quiet,
thinking about what had transpired that morning. It had really touched a part
of her in a way that was most unexpected.  It was such an intimate scene and
one that came from such a genuine place within Sergio. It was so appealing to
her and she could just see him doing so many amazing little things just for the
joy of it, not for any recognition. It was the sign that he was a good man too,
not just a rich man.

That
night, Sergio and Mandi sat out on the veranda and enjoyed the unusually warm
breeze that was coming off the ocean. They didn’t say much, but they just held
hands, casually caressing each other’s palms with their fingers.

Something
inside of Mandi was changing and she didn’t know how to describe it.  She
didn’t know if it was love, but it was certainly an emotion that went beyond
the parameters of the arrangement.

When
Sergio and Mandi finally crawled into bed they started to kiss each other
slowly and deliberately. Nothing was rushed and every action, every second
seemed to be an expression of a deep emotion and hidden desire.

Mandi
and Sergio’s lips did not leave each other’s the entire time they joined their
bodies together that night. It was as if their touch was the lifeline that kept
them going strongly and showed just what the other was feeling without words. Their
silence was welcomed and it seemed like no words would be adequate to describe
the moment. It was a moment of pure unbridled desire to experience everything
another person had to offer and take of the gifts of their heart.

As Mandi
rested her head on Sergio’s chest she could feel the soft pounding of his
heart. She could smell the scent of his cologne and sense the depth of his
passion for life. Sergio gently caressed Mandi’s back with his one hand,
leaving a trail of his touch behind her that was accented by the breeze that
was still blowing in from the ocean that night.

Eventually,
they both fell asleep and Mandi drifted off to thoughts of how completely happy
she was and dared to dream about the possibilities of more.

Chapter 16

M
andi had three days left with Sergio in Rome
before she had to get back to life at the gallery.  She missed her home and New
York City somewhat, but she absolutely loved what was going on between her and
Sergio across the ocean. Every moment seemed magical and their passion didn’t
seem to waiver every time they’d approach each other in a sexual manner. Their
appetites were insatiable.

Thoughts
of the scene at the orphanage and the tender passion of their love making that
night never were far from Mandi’s thoughts. It had just been such a moving
experience and one that exposed the most desirable side of Sergio that there
was.  Looking at him in a physical sense was obviously desirable, but getting
that glimpse into his heart surpassed it by all measures.

Sergio had
even stopped doing as much business, only pausing or removing himself on
occasion to take a call. 

Of
course, for Sergio on occasion meant maybe once an hour, but Mandi didn’t
mind.  This was a busy man with a great many expectations on him. He wasn’t a
slacker and he wasn’t a quitter.  He followed through with everything he set
out to do in his life.  Mandi admired that about him and it was the one thing
that they were most similar in.  Mandi didn’t quit either and she had a great
sense of priority ingrained in her.  That’s why she tried so hard with the
gallery despite it not being her true passion.  It had to be done and if she
didn’t do her best it wouldn’t be acceptable.

Now,
Mandi had to question what was the best thing was for her to do with Sergio. 
She knew that she couldn’t keep lying to herself. She’d fallen in love with him
and it grew deeper every minute they spent time together and each time they
made love. She knew part of that was an initial infatuation and turn-on, but it
wasn’t the driving force. Her heart was and her other parts just got an awesome
benefit from that.

One
day Mandi and Sergio were eating a lunch out by the pool and his phone rang. He
looked at it and jumped up right away, going to take the call where he was out
of earshot. Mandi didn’t want to pry, but she couldn’t help but notice how
Sergio’s mannerisms had tensed up when he saw the call.  Who was it?

He
was pacing around as he talked, putting his free hand into his front pocket and
then abruptly taking it out to run his fingers through his hair. He was intense
and his chiseled jaw was hardened.  There was no smile on his face and Mandi
was worried for him, hoping that nothing serious was wrong.

About
five minutes later Sergio came back over and Mandi tried to act casual.  “Is
everything okay?”

“Fine.  I’ll
be back in a minute,” Sergio said.  Without waiting for a response he bolted
into the house, taking long strides.

Mandi
looked on the table and saw his phone sitting there. She went into an instant
internal debate.  Part of her wanted to look and see who he had been on the
telephone with, but the other part of her knew that not trusting someone was a
bad omen when it came to hopes for a relationship. Damn, it was so frustrating.

There
was no one else around and Mandi didn’t know where Sergio had gone.  Her
temptation won out and she grabbed his phone, turning it on.  She scrolled down
to the recent calls and froze.  The call Sergio had just been on was with
Olivia. Why the hell was she calling? Mandi couldn’t help herself and kept
going down the list of recent activity.  There were three calls from Olivia on
it and Mandi knew for certain that she’d been with Sergio all these times.

Mandi
was so mad at herself.  She was such an idiot. Sergio still had feelings for
Olivia and Mandi was nothing more than a rebound. Yet, it didn’t make sense
because he was very generous with her and while she was no expert on men she
knew enough to see that he had genuine emotions for her.  Was he just scared?

Admit
it already.  You are in love.
 

Mandi’s
thoughts were so annoying to her. She was in love and the thought of that being
a one way street was too much. She needed to find out how Sergio felt about her
and it would require some bold action, the boldest of her life. When would be a
good time to tell him she loved him? Only one thought came to mind. The
appropriate time would be when they were most intimate.  If he felt it he’d
have no problems saying it back.  After all, that was easier than saying it
first, right?

It
was impossible to act like nothing was wrong for the rest of the day. Sergio
came back, but his casual demeanor had soured and Mandi was so distracted.  She
ended up telling Sergio that she was going to take a walk down to the beach and
do some sketching.  He told her that was a good idea because he had some work
to get done…something unexpected had come up.  Mandi didn’t know what he meant
by those words exactly, but they suddenly made her feel annoyed and angry. 
Okay, hurt.

The
afternoon of sketching cleared Mandi’s thoughts and she was more committed than
ever to telling Sergio the three words she had been thinking.  She’d never told
a man that she loved them first before, but had been on the side of the person
hearing it that didn’t share the same sentiment.  It would be an interesting
evening, and to keep the confidence to do it Mandi knew she had to unleash her
inner vixen.

By
the time night came both Sergio and Mandi were back to their old selves again. They’d
had a fun and lively family dinner with everyone, and Marcel had proved to be
rather entertaining that night, telling lively jokes and stories from his
travels when he was younger. It was helpful to everyone and Mandi wondered if
he didn’t sense a certain tension between her and Sergio. That supper proved to
be the liveliest and most talkative that he’d ever been.

As
Mandi and Sergio prepared for bed Mandi mentioned her delight in hearing
Marcel’s stories that evening. “I didn’t know that he could be such a talker.”

“He
was more chatty than usual and I don’t even think it was the hundred year old
bourbon doing it either. He really is an entertaining man, but very
introspective.  That’s partly why he is so exceptional at evaluating the
systems and operations of the factory.  He sees things that others don’t.”

Was
that a hint?  What had Marcel seen?

“Guess
what I’d like to see?”

“What?”
Sergio responded, looking slightly confused.

“You
naked…now.”

“Demanding.”

“I
definitely am when I know what I want and right now I want you Mr. Sergio
Leon.”

“I’m
yours for the taking then, if you are going to be insistent upon it.”

Mandi
went up to Sergio and kissed his chest passionately. He’d just taken his shirt
off and he groaned from the unexpected heated kiss on his chest.  Her other
hand began to unfasten his pants and she slid it into them and under his
boxers, caressing his cock and getting it hard. “You have certainly shown me an
incredible time in Rome. I never would have thought it would be this amazing.”

“Me
too,” Sergio whispered.
That’s a good sign,
Mandi thought as she kept
working Sergio and getting him more aroused.

Mandi
needed Sergio on many levels tonight and maybe it wasn’t fair to thrust upon
him, but she needed to find out what was going on. While her lovemaking and
sexual interest was genuine, she was also genuine in knowing that she loved him
and sensed he might feel the same way.  It was not the time to be a bystander
in her life; this was the time to act and she couldn’t let herself down.

The
dance of seduction continued and Mandi was excited to see that Sergio was such
a willing participant and he was so freely giving of himself and his many
physical talents. He was feeling her body, searching out the areas that aroused
Mandi most and responsive to what she was suggestive of. It was slightly kinky
and on the verge of an entirely different kind of passion, but really just an
introduction to the possibilities that may come with it.

As
Mandi found herself becoming more needy of Sergio’s hard-on inside of her she
also began to focus on what it was she had to say.  A slight part of her
wondered if it was fair to pull out all the stops and bring on the full on
seduction in order to have the courage to tell someone you loved them. Shouldn’t
she have been able to just look Sergio in the eyes and say it? She just wasn’t
that confident, but she needed a gauge to see where they were at, and where
they may be going. It wasn’t like she was proposing marriage, living together,
or anything like that.  She was simply wondering how he felt.

Lost
in the moment and the titillating pleasure of an orgasm, Mandi realized that
Sergio had crawled on top of her and was thrusting into her intensely, pounding
in and out like he was playing her like a drum. It was so incredible and Mandi
wanted him to play her more…keep her exploding and the passion growing.

And
it did.

Sergio
was driven and he kept going harder and harder, staring at Mandi closely as she
showed that she could not stop the pleasure she was receiving from releasing
from deep within her. 

“It’s
coming,” Sergio announced as he shot into Mandi, releasing the tension that had
been building up in him. “Mandi, you’re incredible,” he panted.

“I
love you, Sergio,” Mandi said softly.

In
a single instant the intense movements that had been preceding came to an
abrupt halt and the air was quiet, except for the heavy breathing.  Mandi saw
Sergio staring at her, trying to determine if he’d heard her words correctly.

It
was only a few seconds in real time, but it seemed like an eternity to Mandi. 
She was aware that she was staring at Sergio’s lips and not into his eyes; just
waiting for them to move and mouth back the words she so desperately wanted to
hear.  Sadly, no
I love you
came out.  Instead he rolled off her and was
lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Mandi
was devastated and in that instant she knew that she’d crossed the line. 
Sergio was only interested in an arrangement and she’d been so damn foolish to
think it could be more.  Aside from intense embarrassment, Mandi also forced
herself to admit one other thing. Sergio must still really have strong feelings
for Olivia.

The
rest of the night was silent. Mandi didn’t know what to say and didn’t want to
talk.  It ended up with Sergio giving her a kiss on the cheek like you’d give a
grandma, and saying goodnight in a dull and distant voice. If Mandi would have
had any place to go she would have snuck out.  She didn’t sleep well that
night, if at all, and had a feeling that Sergio was awake too.  Yet, instead of
talking about what happened they remained silent, no communication existing
between the two of them but a vortex of thoughts swirling in their minds.