Bedding The Billionaire (23 page)

She glanced away. He couldn't possibly still think she
was after him for his money? Could he?

"Maybe this was a bad idea," she muttered,
standing.

Nick shot to his feet. "No! You can't go, we
haven't even...eaten."

"Look, Nick, this is uncomfortable. We're here to
work, not re-live what happened a month ago. I think we should concentrate on
the business at hand."

His face hardened and lost color. He grabbed her hand
and squeezed tightly. "Abbey, don't go. I'm sorry. That was my fault. I
don't think... well, I don't think you're a hooker anymore." He smiled tentatively
and Abbey blushed but nodded.

She sighed. She was being irrational. This was
business. They had to spend tomorrow brokering the deal, so she should at least
remain polite to him, despite what he might still think of her.

They sat again, but Nick hadn't let go of her hand. He
held it across the table and his thumb rubbed gently along hers. The movement
was sensual.

Their wine arrived and the waiter took their order. Nick
let go, somewhat reluctantly it seemed, and sat back in his chair. He watched
her through black eyes that were as hot as coals.

"Congratulations," he finally said.

Abbey looked up at him sharply. "What for?"

"The promotion. Tarken must've been
surprised."

She grinned. "Angry more like it. I had
threatening phone calls for a week afterwards."

Nick frowned and sat forwards. "He didn't try
anything did he?"

"No. He's all hot air and no action. Anyway, he
got another job the following week and I haven't heard from him since."

"Good. I'd hate to think he was bothering you. There's
nothing worse than having a psycho ex boyfriend on your hands."

"Speaking from experience?"

Nick grinned. "Not about the boyfriend."

Abbey had forgotten how great that smile could be, how
infectious. She couldn't help smiling with him.

"Melinda also found another job," Abbey
said. "She suddenly felt uncomfortable with me as her boss."

He chuckled. "I don't blame her. I think you'd
make a scary boss."

"Scary! I'm the nicest boss around. Unlike you, I
imagine. I hear they call you The Machine."

Nick frowned. "Who told you that?"

She shrugged and pretended to admire the view.

"The Machine?" he said, half to himself. "I
wonder what that's supposed to mean? That I work long hours?"

The look on his face was priceless. All of a sudden he
seemed utterly concerned that his staff didn't like him.

"I think it means that you're, well,
heartless."

"Heartless! I've got a big heart. Especially when
it comes to my staff." He shook his head, frowning. "I can't believe
they think I'm heartless."

She grinned. "I also heard that you've change in
the last month. Changed for the better."

He raised an eyebrow. "Changed? How so?"

She shrugged. "Just nicer I guess."

"Nicer. Hmmm."

"So what happened a month ago to change you so
drastically?"

Nick's eyes flew to hers then quickly skittered away. Abbey
leaned forward and touched his hand. To hell with talking about business. She
wanted an answer to this one and she wasn't letting him go until she had it,
whether it was what she wanted to hear or not.

"Well?"

He glanced at her then up at the approaching waiter
who took their orders and disappeared.

"Well?" she prompted again.

"Abbey, don't." He looked pained.

"Why?"

"This isn't fair."

"Nothing about this was ever fair, Nick. Let's
face it, I wasn't fair to you and you weren't fair to me. There's been a lot of
water under the bridge between us, and I just want to start hearing the truth
from you. I'm tired of lies."

He stiffened. His face had gone rigid, all hard
angles. "Do you want me to tell you I've hated every minute of the last
month because I can't get you out of my head? Or would you prefer I tell you
that we were just one of those things that burns brightly and dies just as
quickly? Well, which is it to be, Abbey?"

His words stung. "The truth, Nick."

He sat back, glancing out at the Harbor. "I'm not
ready for the truth."

Abbey bit the inside of her bottom lip to stop it from
quivering. So which version had been the real one? She thought there was
probably an element of truth in both scenarios for him
—
that he hadn't
been able to stop thinking about her and yet there was nothing between them
except great sex. Problem was, as far as she was concerned, the emotion she'd
felt for Nick hadn't gone away. It had only intensified.

Had it for him?

Their meals arrived and they fell silent, the topic too
painful to resurrect.

"I think we'd better stick to safe conversation
tonight," Nick said at last.

"Like business?"

He shook his head. "Tell me about you, Abbey. You
never really did let me see who you really were."

She blinked. "I'm so boring."

Nick's lips twitched into a smile. "You're the
least boring person I've ever met
—
after Lucy that is."

Abbey chuckled. Then she frowned and tried to think of
something interesting to say about her life.

"Tell me where you were born," he prompted. "And
then tell me where you grew up. I want to know about your parents, brothers and
sisters, whether you liked school and what sort of dress you wore to the school
dance. Things like that."

"Well, the last one's easy. It was purple with
puffy mutton-chop sleeves. It was hideous."

He laughed. "I bet
you
weren't hideous
though. I bet all the guys in school wanted to date you back then."

She
crossed her arms and leaned forward. "If I tell you about me, then I
expect the same from you. Okay?"

He nodded. "Deal. All the gory details, including
what I wore to my school dance. Something tells me you'll laugh though."

She put a hand to her breast. "Me? Laugh at Nick
Delaware? I wouldn't dare."

"Wrong." Nick's eyes sparkled. "You're
the only person I've ever met who does laugh at me."

"Except for Lucy."

They both laughed and Abbey launched into the details
of her life starting with birth. She thought it was going to be short, but Nick
kept asking questions and offering comments.

Then he began his own story and she learned that his family
had been well off, but he'd rebelled when he finished school and disappeared
for a few years, preferring to hang around the beach and surf with his mates. He
glossed over that period of his life rather quickly, Abbey thought, but she
decided not to ask him any questions about it. Not yet. Perhaps one day...

After dessert and coffee, Nick paid the bill and they
decided to walk along the promenade.

"Lovely evening," Abbey breathed.

He caught her hand and murmured his agreement. They
walked hand in hand for a while, then turned to head back to the car. When they
reached the BMW, Nick suddenly spun Abbey round to face him.

He was very close to her, his lips only inches from
hers. He brushed his hands along her waist to her hips, feeling her curves,
then reached up behind her and pulled her to him. Abbey's body fit into his
perfectly and the sudden closeness sent tingles down her spine. She could feel
his rousing erection pressing into her stomach.

His lips nibbled at hers, but they didn't kiss, much
to Abbey's frustration. It seemed her lips wanted him, badly. Her body wanted
him even more.

He reached up and brushed a knuckle across her cheek,
his black eyes shining into hers.

"This was nice tonight, Abbey," he
whispered.

"Very nice," she agreed. But was it about to
end? Or was he going to come back to her hotel room?

"So tell me, Ms. McPherson, do you put out on the
first date?"

Abbey giggled. "This isn't our first date."

"I know," he whispered, "but it feels
like it."

She nodded. It did. It felt like they were starting
all over again. She closed her eyes and leaned into him. His erection got
bigger and his lips met hers in a deep and desperate kiss.

"I only put out for the right sort of man on the
first date," she said when they parted.

"Do I qualify?"

She stood back and let her eyes roam his body. "I
guess you'll do."

He laughed softly and opened the car door for her. Before
she stepped in, Abbey put a hand to his chest and felt the muscles tightening
under her fingers.

"Actually, you'll do perfectly."

Nick kissed her intensely and sharply, then patted her
bottom. "Hurry up and get in the car then. I'm not a machine."

She laughed and sat in her seat while he sprinted
around to his side and jumped in. He sped back to the hotel and waited
impatiently as she fumbled with the key in the lock of the door.

Abbey paused, key poised. "This isn't going to be
like the last time we had dinner together is it?"

Nick's brows knitted. "Why?"

"I've only got one spare pair of underwear, so no
ripping."

He grinned. "Promise I'll be gentle." He
nodded to the door. "But if you don't hurry up, I can't be held
responsible for what I do."

Abbey finally opened the door and stepped inside. Before
she had a chance to close it, Nick had her in his arms. His mouth covered hers
in a hard, searching kiss as he picked her up and carried her to the bed.

He undid the buttons on her shirt and his hand found a
pliant breast. His thumb strummed the nipple slowly through the thin fabric of
her bra and it didn't take long before Abbey's breath was coming short and
fast.

His other hand moved down and unzipped her skirt. It
puddled at her feet. She stepped out of it and drew her panties down her legs. Nick
unhooked her bra and licked each nipple until Abbey's body was arching into
his. His erection, still inside his pants, was huge and throbbing as it pressed
against her. She fumbled with his belt and fly but he drew himself away.

"Not yet," he whispered. "You
first."

His tongue traveled from her breasts to her stomach
and downwards until it met the triangle of hair below her belly. With a few
flicks of his tongue on the right spot, she began to pant and spread her legs
wider.

"Oh my..."

Nick's hands reached around and sank into her behind,
caressing the mounds of flesh. But Abbey barely noticed. Her own hands sank
into his hair as the shudders began to overtake her, and soon she was rocking,
her head thrown back and a low cry gurgling in her throat.

She rode the waves until her legs felt like jelly and
could no longer hold her up.

"Come here," she whispered hoarsely.

Nick rose and picked her up, gently placing her on the
bed. He raised himself above her, his stiff erection poised. She placed a hand
gently on his chest and shook her head.

"I want you to lie down."

He did, and she straddled him. She lowered herself
onto him and watched as he shut his eyes, threw his head back and sucked in a
breath through his teeth. Within moments he was arching into her, thrusting
higher inside her.

She began slowly, moving her body gently to the rhythm
of their heartbeats, then she stepped it up a notch.

Nick caught hold of her hips.

"If you keep doing that I won't last long. It's
been a whole month."

But instead of slowing, Abbey smiled wickedly and
picked up the pace until she was pumping him hard. With a stifled cry and a
sudden thrust into her, he climaxed, his fingers gripping her hips.

Abbey collapsed on top of him, stretching out her legs
to lie her entire length on his. He hugged her to him tightly, one hand buried
in her hair, the other around her waist. She listened to his breathing. It
started out as fast and heavy then dropped to a regular pace before slowing
dramatically as he dozed off.

She closed her eyes but couldn't sleep. This was what
she'd wanted to do for the last month. She'd thought of nothing else until now.
She wanted to enjoy this moment.

Because she had a feeling it wasn't going to last.

Finally she got up and went into the bathroom. When
she came out, Nick was sitting up on the bed waiting for her. By the look of
his stiffening erection he was ready to go again.

Abbey wasn't. She was going to sort this out once and
for all.

She shook her head and Nick frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He patted the bed
beside him and when she sat, he put his arm around her and hugged her close.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?"