The Billionaire's Bargain (6 page)

Duncan
had the dress delivered at her
work. She’d been surprised when the courier carried the parcel to her. She’d
not had a package sent to her at work. When she’d opened the box to reveal the
dress she thought her heart had stopped.

She stared at the dress she wore.
The deep crimson dress had a long slit up one leg showing a long length of
thigh as she walked. The low-cut bodice tantalised the onlooker with the view
of the tops of her breasts, but the bodice covered enough to give her some
respect. The fabric clung to every curve. She couldn’t tear her gaze away. For
the first time her curves didn’t look fat or frumpy. She looked nice. Maybe
even a little bit sexy. Tess ran her hands over the fabric. She felt her waist
dip in and then flare out. She turned this way and that to see what she looked
like at all angles.

Had the dress been
bought by him?

She didn’t know. There had been no
card or anything as way of explanation. She liked the thought of
Duncan
spending the time
to pick out the dress for her. Would his fingers graze the fabric as if testing
the feel himself?

Tess shook her head. “Get it
together. This is a business arrangement.
Nothing more and
nothing less.
He wants you for something, and in return your father, who
hates you, will be getting out of a prison sentence.”
  

For a short time she could pretend
to be a seductress. She burst out laughing. There was nothing seductive about
her. She preferred to stay at home. There was not a seductive bone in her body.

The dress alone was more gorgeous
than anything she possessed in her small wardrobe. She smoothed her hands down
the fabric, loving the feel as it glided through her fingers. Each time she
touched her body she imagined
Duncan
’s
much larger hand touching her. Would his touch be gentle or rough? She didn’t
know what part of him she wanted most.
The rough businessman
or the man who’d given her a chance to save her father.
Early in the
morning she’d woken up from a pretty steamy dream, her body humming with sexual
frustration. She’d had plenty of sex dreams before but never about a man
she could
physically touch.

She didn’t like the effect he had on
her body or the lack of control she felt. However, she’d accepted the fact she
did want part of him. She wouldn’t act on it. No way would she beg
Duncan
for any of his
attention. She’d accepted her body’s weakness, and now she’d be able to move
on. Once she saw past his seduction she’d be able to fight her attraction. He
slept with every woman he met. She was no different. The only difference
between her and his other women was her lack of station and the fact he could
call the police at any moment if she didn’t stick with her side of the bargain.

Tess went back to her reflection to
make sure she looked fine for when he
came
calling.
Her make-up was minimal with only a deep red lipstick to match the dress
painting her lips. She’d never been good with beauty products either. Tess
pushed the insecurities to the back of her mind. For one night she’d try to
keep them out of her mind. She wanted to enjoy her date. She ran her fingers
through her hair. The locks were glossy and full. They fell around her
shoulders in wild curls. She’d not even tried to tame her hair. Tonight she’d
allow her hair to fall where it may. The raven colour always looked so black
against her pale skin. She wished she knew where her hair colour came from.
Erik refused to tell her who her mother was. It was strange. There were times
she felt he was a father and other times where saying his name felt more
real.
 

Tess stared at her reflection one
final time. She looked wild and free. When she was satisfied with her
appearance, she put the large mirror away.

She was so nervous. Would
Duncan
like the way she
looked? Part of her didn’t care what he thought. She should have refused his
date. This was another area where he was controlling her. He’d not given her
time to say no. The sane part of her wanted to refuse to leave her apartment
while the other part wanted to do everything he asked. The part of her that
wanted to feel like a woman and who came to life whenever he was around. For a
short time she wanted to feel like a desirable woman instead of a bookworm.

A knock at the door made her jump.
Her nerves crumbled as her stomach knotted. She had a desire to hide under the
bed. Would she be able to hide from him? The knock came again. Her heart raced.
She wanted to hide, but she also wanted to experience this with him. Instead of
trying to hide she ran her fingers through her hair then made her way through
her apartment to answer the door. Tess took one deep breath before opening the
door.
 

There he stood in her doorway. He
leaned against the doorframe, his broad shoulders covering the whole area. He
was dressed in a formal suit and looked ready to impress. His arms were folded
as he stared at her. He wore black pants with a smooth, white crisp shirt. He
wore a jacket revealing the fact he wore no tie, and the first few buttons on
his shirt were undone. She saw he didn’t have any chest hair. From the small
look at his chest she knew his muscles were well defined. Heat spiralled in her
tummy, working up through her body. He looked too damn good.

“Y-you l-look
handsome.”
She
stumbled over her words and felt the blush build in her cheeks as his gaze
swept over her body.

His gaze felt like a caress over her
skin. She flushed as her body responded. The heat between her thighs increased
with every passing minute. She hoped he liked how she looked.

“Thank you. You look incredibly
beautiful. That dress looks amazing on you. It fits you like a second skin. I
knew the moment I saw it you’d look radiant.” He came close to her.
 
His hands touched her waist, his touch more
like a caress on her hips. She knew she should pull away. Tess liked his hands
on her body. He didn’t pull away or seem repulsed by her larger body. She’d
never be a size zero model. His touch burned her. His hands roamed past her
hips feeling his way around her back resting above her bottom. Her blush
deepened. No man had ever touched her like this. She didn’t want him to stop.
The pulse in her pussy beat more rapidly. She wanted him.

“You bought this dress?” she asked.
Her voice sounded breathless.

“Your eyes have dilated, Tess. I
think you want me.”

She averted her gaze staring down at
the floor.

He cupped her cheek with his free
hand.
Duncan
tilted her head back forcing her to look into his eyes. “Don’t ever be ashamed
to show me what you want, Tess. You want me, and I want you. We’ll be married,
and that’s a good thing.” He stroked a thumb over her lip. “Yes, to answer your
question. I found and purchased this dress. You look stunning.”

He kissed her on the cheek before he
pulled away.
    

“My driver is waiting, and our seats
are reserved for eighty-thirty. I don’t want us to be late and miss our table.”

“Someone would dare to give up your
table?” she asked.

“There are so many people who wish
to dine there. I’m sure my seating would be taken.”

She grabbed the wrap that came with
the dress. Tess tried to ignore the shaking of her hands.
Duncan
helped her with the wrap then led her
outside. The night air was cold. She placed her arm through his hoping his heat
would ward off the chill. He helped her into the limo then climbed in beside
her. She stared out of the window trying to distract her rioting mind from the
man seated beside her.
 

The drive was short. Neither of them
said a word to each other. The air around them was tense. She felt his nearness
like a second skin to her. Tess turned to gaze at his profile. He looked
straight ahead. He didn’t seem as affected by their closeness as she was. Their
bodies were close as he seated himself as close to her as possible. She gasped
as his thigh brushed hers. The touch was innocent on his part. She couldn’t
deny the intimacy of the moment. Her thigh moved closer to his of its own
accord.

The slit of her dress fell between
her legs revealing the length of her thigh. She made a move to cover her leg.
Duncan
stopped her placing
a hand on her thigh before she got the chance. She stared down at his tanned
hand covering her pale leg. Tess licked her lips to try to bring some moisture to
her mouth. He had a way of making her forget who she was.

He didn’t let go. His fingers
caressed her knee. She glanced at him to see he was staring at her.

Tess dropped her gaze staring at his
hand.

She was so aware of every movement,
every breath that he took. She must be going mad. Up until yesterday she’d
never felt anything for any other man. The offers she’d received from boys and
men had never made her want them. Her own fears had always gotten the better of
her. All
Duncan
had done was touch her
knee,
and she felt like she was
coming apart at the seams. She didn’t want to give men the wrong impression of
her. Did
Duncan
think she was some kind of hussy? She never felt it was right accepting offers
from men who were clearly looking for something more from her than friendship.
Her books were her only satisfaction. That was until Duncan James. Was it
possible to feel this powerful emotion for someone who you’d only known for one
day?

In the matter of a day she’d
accepted a wedding proposal and a kiss. She knew she couldn’t love him. The
fight inside her was over her attraction to someone she didn’t like very much.
He was controlling, manipulative, and would do anything to get his own way.

Yet here you sit wanting to have more with him than anyone else.

What was it about him that called to
her?

He wasn’t a nice person. In fact he
reminded her of what Erik was like most of the time. He used people to get what
he wanted. She’d been on the receiving end for most of her life.

Duncan
closed the distance between them.
He caught her face in his hands turning her to look at him. “Your skin is so
soft.”

“Why are you doing this to me?” she
asked.

“Because I can.
Admit it, Tess. You want me to.” He
captured her lips in a gentle kiss. There was no demanding pressure as he
kissed her.
Just a brush of his lips over hers.
She
was panting for more of him. It wasn’t enough for her. She wanted the passion
he could give her.

He pulled away. “I bet your pussy is
dripping wet.”

“You can’t talk to me like that,”
she said. Her pussy was wet. No man had ever been so blatant with her.

“Get used to it, baby. This is who I
am, and I’m not going to change for you. I’ll tell you what I want, and how I
tell it, you’ll learn to accept.”

Duncan
claimed her lips once again, his
hand going farther up her leg underneath her skirt. She cried out when he
pulled away, his hand leaving a fiery trail as he moved out of reach. Her heart
was racing, and the pulse between her legs was getting worse. She’d never felt
so burnt up before.

“It’s time you knew what a real man
could do for you,” he said.

I’ve never had a man before. You’re nothing like the heroes in my
romances. You’re sinful.

She mentally shook herself. Tess was
doing that a lot since she’d met
Duncan
.
He had a way of messing with her head.

It is his fault
.

He unnerved her unlike any person
throughout her life.

“Here we are,” he said, interrupting
her mental confusion.

She turned to see what he was
pointing at. Her nerves kicked in double time. She looked at him wondering if
he was joking. She had expected a simple little restaurant. But he’d actually
brought her to a restaurant in a hot spot where the media knew the celebrity
world visited. They were all there taking pictures of men and women as they
entered.

 
Tess recognised the name of the French
restaurant. She remembered reading an article in a newspaper about the huge
success it was having. The chef was a man known for working his way from the
bottom to the top. It was the place to meet celebrities and millionaire bachelors
like
Duncan
. It
was the place to be.
A million light years away from her.
She shook her head. Tess couldn’t do this. The moment she got out of the limo
she’d be known to be with
Duncan
.
That was too much.

“Why have you brought me here?” she
asked. The tears were close to the surface. This world wasn’t for her. She
never wanted to be part of anything bigger than herself. She wouldn’t be able
to handle the public display in all the newspapers as Duncan James’s latest
conquest. This was a nightmare waiting to happen.