Her Guardian Billionaire (Forbidden First Time Romance) (4 page)

Her chest heaved up and down, bouncing the diamond like a penny on a mattress, and he couldn’t look away. Over and over she rubbed her fingers, faster when the scene intensified on screen, slower when the couple backed off. If he didn’t see her with his own eyes, he’d never believe it. But watching bondage play turned her on.

The video neared conclusion and James tensed. He could tell she was close—parted lips, flush cheeks, fingers flicking with each thrust of hips on screen. And then she came. Head thrown back, eyes fluttering shut, lost in a haze of bliss. Her whole body trembled, and he longed to be there, wrapping her up in his arms and never letting go.

The video man pulled the condom off and James frowned. What would she think? Anna blinked the screen into focus as he turned around on screen, spent condom in hand, and winked at the camera. The shock was palpable. She jumped in the chair, hand flying to her mouth as she yanked the other out of her panties.

She stood up, grabbing a tissue and wiping herself off as he strode out of the library. Just as he thought. Fun to spy on, but horrifying in real life. She probably thought he was a pervert. A deviant. That he’d let her peep show go on so long was ridiculous.
Weak
.

How dare she watch one of his videos, glimpse a bit of the life he worked so hard to keep hidden. And for what? A cheap thrill in his desk chair before she got on with her life? If she’d ever been interested in him before, she couldn’t possibly be now. She needed to leave. Immediately.

Busting into his office, James cleared his throat and raised his chin. “Some light entertainment before bed?”

Anna shrieked and jumped back, staring at him with wide eyes he hadn’t seen in years. “Oh my god. James. I’m sorry—I didn’t—”

“You didn’t what? Mean to sneak into my wing barefoot and hop on my computer? Or is it that you didn’t mean to orgasm in my desk chair?”

“I—I don’t know. I just—I shouldn’t—”

“You’re right. You shouldn’t stay. I’ll speak with Malcolm. You can leave first thing tomorrow.”

“What? No!” She scrunched her eyebrows and palmed her hips in indignation. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

“Gah! You can be such an asshole!”

She stomped her foot as James smirked and ran his tongue over his lip. “I seem to remember being called that before, yes.”

She stalked around the desk, bare feet silent on the plush wool rug, until she stood right in front of him. Without heels, he dwarfed her, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“What if I told you watching that video turned me on?” Reaching out, she stuck her index finger smack into the middle of his tie. “That you turned me on?” As she said it, she ground the pad of her fingertip into the silk, needling him with more than words.

Reaching down, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand up to his lips. He opened his mouth with a smile before latching onto her finger and sucking. He could still taste her arousal all over her.
Damn. So sweet
. A few licks of his tongue and she’d softened, the rage pouring out of her and desire taking its place.

He let her hand go and it fell limp to her side. “That can’t be true. You can’t want the man you saw on screen.”

“But it is. Don’t you see? I’m not afraid of you. Of what you like.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough. I watched that whole video—I know what I saw.”

“That was a mistake.”

“Then you shouldn’t go around leaving things like that where anyone can find them.”

“They can’t. The house is secure, the staff would never dare. And I never pegged you as the breaking and entering type.”

“I didn’t break anything to come in here, James. And I’m sorry I snooped. It was wrong. But now I know. And I’m not running away. I’m not scared of you.”

“You should be.”

“Give me a chance. If you’re worried about the papers, we’ll keep it secret. No one has to know.”

James swallowed. “You don’t know what you’re getting into.”

“I’ll learn.”

James snorted and shook his head. “You’re sweet, but I can’t dump my burdens on you, Anna. I’m not this façade all the time. I’m…I’m no good for someone so innocent.” He turned away, but she grabbed his arm, tugging him around to face her.

“I don’t want to be innocent anymore.”

“You’re lying.”

“Why would I lie?”

“I don’t know.” James turned around and ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe to keep all this—to stay here with this life.”

She dropped his arm and backed up, mouth hanging open like he’d punched her in the gut. Her arm wrapped around her stomach, cradling the invisible wound as she stared at him.

“You think I’d lie about wanting you so I could stay here? In your house?”

Shit
. He’d let doubt get the best of him. James stepped forward, an apology on his lips, but she stepped back.

“Is that all I am to you? A fucking whore who’d give you her virginity for a pool house and a chauffeur?”

“No—Anna, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

“You’re damn right. But the cat’s out of the bag now. I can’t believe I ever fantasized about you. All those years wasted.”

“Years?” James shook his head in confusion. “You’ve wanted me for years?”

She snorted out a hollow laugh and rolled her eyes. “What does it matter now? I see what you think of me. Here—” Unclasping the necklace from around her neck, she pulled it off and held it in her outstretched hand. “Take it. I’d hate for you to think I’d tried to earn it.”

James closed his eyes. How did it all go so horribly wrong? He’d wanted her to leave, true, but that was for reasons all his own. Insulting her had never been his intention.

“Anna, I’m sorry. Forget what I said. I didn’t mean it. I was pushing you away and I wasn’t thinking.” Stepping toward her, he wrapped his hands around hers and the necklace she still held. “This is yours. It’s a gift. No strings attached.”

“Fine.” Closing her fingers around the diamond, she pulled her hand away and glanced at the floor. “I’ll make my own arrangements for leaving if you don’t mind. I’ll be out of your life by tomorrow evening.”

“Anna—”

She waved him off with a brush of her hand. “I don’t need your pity, Mr. Davenport. That’s never what this was about.” Turning around, she walked toward the door with her head high.
 

When she reached the door to his office, she spun and faced him. Even from across the room, he could see the hurt barely restrained on her face. “I appreciate your generosity all these years. You’ve given me everything money could buy. And for that I’m eternally grateful.”

Pulling open the door, she walked out without even waiting for his reply.

J
AMES
PACED
THE
office, wearing a pattern into the wool pile as he stared out the windows into the dark. He’d played out their argument in slow-motion in his mind. Repeating everything he’d said, all her responses. One admission stuck out like a hidden branch, tripping him up every time—she’d fantasized about him for years.
 

Every summer, she’d show up and spend a few weeks lounging around the pool and using the gym. Always appearing on the periphery of his life. Was she…watching him? He shook his head, but it wouldn’t clear.

In one day, Anna Sinclair had upended the natural order of things and James didn’t know what to do. He’d made it a point never to let a woman affect him—cloud his judgment, fog his brain—but she had in an instant.

And now he paced the floor like a damn caged animal. A lion who wouldn’t know the first thing to do if it escaped. Stopping, he ground his teeth together and faced reality. He needed to let her go. That’s what a legal guardian should do. She’d be twenty-one in the morning. He’d sign the papers terminating the guardianship and she would move on.

Leave him and his…tastes…and find a normal young man. A boy her age who could experience all the first times with her. Not a man almost twice her age who wanted her tied down and begging for it.

He closed his eyes and pictured her—arms bound above her head, ankles tethered to the bed, ready and waiting. She made him hungry and agitated. What if she’d submit, open herself up to the passion he craved?

God, he’d worship her for hours. Bring her to the brink again and again, give her orgasms she’d never even dreamed of. And then, when she’d surrendered completely, take her. Make her a woman and drive his cock deep until they both cried out. It’d be the best night of her life.

Could they keep it a secret? Could they go down that road together without the press finding out? Or would some asshat with a telephoto snap a picture and splash it all over the internet? He could see the headlines now.
Little Orphan Anna’s All Grown Up and Look Who She’s Kissing
.
James Davenport: From Daddy Warbucks to Sugar Daddy
. It would go on and on. Tarnish his reputation and ruin hers before it even began.

Pressing his fingertips into his eyelids, he willed the images to fade away. She might say she wanted him, but she couldn’t mean it. And they couldn’t act on it. It was a schoolgirl fantasy gone on too long. Nothing more.

James took a deep breath and smoothed back his hair. He’d claw back his veneer, escort her out the door, and go back to his life. Back to the order, the precision, the system he’d constructed. To hell with the longing inside his chest. He’d just have to punish it into submission.

Anna rolled over and blinked her eyes open. Sunlight streamed in through the window, and she dropped her head back onto the pillow, willing a fresh gush of tears to stay away. She’d never been treated so badly.

The nerve of him to call her a whore because she came onto him. It didn’t make sense. Usually, men loved that kind of thing, didn’t they? And he was almost twice her age, shouldn’t he be extra flattered? She groaned and pulled herself up to sit when a knock sounded on the door.

“Come in.”

“Brought you some coffee, miss.” Malcolm gave her a smile and stepped in, setting the tray of coffee and a croissant on her bedside table.

“Thank you, Malcolm. You know, I didn’t say it yesterday, but you’re the one person here I’m going to miss. And it’s not just the fabulous coffee you bring me, I mean it.”

Malcolm smiled and handed her a steaming cup. “You know, you could stay for the summer if you wanted to. You don’t need to rush off to the city just yet.”

“Then you obviously didn’t hear about last night.” She took a sip and glanced at Malcolm over the mug. His look said the opposite. “What? Did he say something?”

Malcolm shrugged. “Mr. Davenport is a complicated man, Anna. If he said something that upset you, it was his way of keeping you safe.”

Anna shook her head and raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t hear what he said, Malcolm. He basically called me a prostitute. That I’d be willing to trade…you know, for staying here. It was awful.”

Malcolm patted her on the knee and nodded. “I know. Mr. Davenport can say horrible things when he’s afraid.”

“Afraid? James Davenport? I don’t think so.”

“Do you know anything about his past, miss?”

Anna frowned and looked down at her half-empty mug. “I know something terrible happened. I remember at my mom’s funeral he hugged me and said he knew what I was going through. That he was an orphan too.”

Malcolm nodded. “That’s true. James’s family disowned him when he was in high school. Kicked him out with nothing. He made his own wealth thanks to his uncanny ability to anticipate market demands.”

“Wow. I had no idea.”

“It’s quite impressive. He scraped together some business loans—trading on his name—and launched his internet business. Now he’s the head of Davenport Industries and owns a little bit of everything.”

“Including Daven Security?”

“Yes.”

Anna nodded. She’d always assumed he’d inherited his money despite the family split, not earned it. “What happened with the family? Why did they force him out?”

Malcolm paused and looked out the window. “It’s not public knowledge. Only a select few know about it at all.”

“Including you?”