Billionaire Romance: Desires (Complete Series) (4 page)

“I don’t know, but that sounds a bit envious to me,” he ventured to say, feeling the sting somewhat from the words that left her mouth.

She sighed. “No, I’m not envious; I’m just frustrated.”

“Well, maybe something will turn up sooner than you think.”

“I am afraid that’s not possible,” she told him.

Phillip laughed at what she had just said, unable to help his reaction to how pessimistic she was, and he saw her face lighten just a bit. Women liked to shop, and for today he would indulge her somewhat to ease her miseries. Tomorrow he would get her a job. They got to his Mercedes, which was parked under the basement of a set of offices, and she stared at him a second before she commented.

“Are you a country club rich man as well? Is that why you were defending them?”

He laughed. “I wasn’t defending them. I work too, and I am definitely not a country club man.”

She raised her brows at him before she slipped inside the car, relaxing on the plush interior. He could tell she had never driven in a car like this before, as she was looking all over and running her hands over the soft fabric of the seats. He didn’t say anything lest he embarrass her. They drove to
Smither’s Boutique,
where her eyes widened when he told her she could choose whatever she wanted. His treat. She was hesitant at first, but then she got into the groove of it when the store assistant started showing her several pieces. At the end of it all, she had three outfits, two pairs of shoes, and a purse as well. Phillip smiled as he gave the woman his credit card and she easily swiped almost two thousand dollars from it.

He saw her eyes bulge with the surprise that he’d bought everything instead of just the one outfit she’d called her favorite, but he waved his hand to tell her it was no big deal. “I hope you spill coffee on me tomorrow,” she told him as they left.

He laughed. “How about I just purposely see you instead, and treat you to whatever you like?” He asked. She smiled at him and he knew she would no longer resist him. They deposited the bags on the back seat of the car. “I have a feeling you aren’t busy, so would you mind sharing the day with me?”

“What do you want to do?” She asked.

He thought he would love to hold her and taste the softness of her lips that were tempting him to madness now. Instead, he opted for a more civilized response. “How about we go to the park and just hang out?”

“That sounds nice,” she said.

He drove to the close by Community Park and they spent the better part of three hours talking like old friends and laughing. They took turns skipping stones on the pond and acting like children. “I don’t know your name,” she said to him as she turned suddenly.

“Nor I yours,” he admitted. “What a terrible way to meet someone.”

“Not so terrible. I’m Melody,” she said as she held out her hand.

“And I am Phillip. Nice to meet you, Melody,” he said as he reached out to gather her hand in his own. The moment he touched her, his stomach was in knots, and this time he had no intention of controlling himself. It was a beautiful day and he was in the company of a wonderful woman, and he didn’t want to stop himself. He held her hand longer than he should have, and when he lowered his head to kiss her, she didn’t move away. He locked her lips with his own, and like magnets to steel their bodies drifted together until she was pressing against him. He slipped his hand around her waist to pull her even closer, and her hands found the tangle of hair at the back of his head, fastening him to her.

He held onto to her like she was oxygen and he needed her to live, and as he did so, his body grew ripe with desire for her, and he began throbbing in places that had been long subdued. He could feel her heart beating fast and strong against his chest and he could tell that she wanted him as well. He couldn’t contain himself as he pushed her against a nearby tree, devouring her lips with his own, and as she responded, he lowered his head and nuzzled her neck, taking in her fragrance that was as soft and light as her name. The music that was her name echoed in his bones and they danced a slow rhythmic dance under their maple tree as the leaves fell around them unnoticed. His hands drifted to her bosom and he clenched his fists around soft mounds, and she moaned, and then pulled away. He was unable to regain focus for a few seconds as his pupils readjusted themselves.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her.

She was breathing heavily. “This is not the place,” she said as she looked around her nervously. “Plus, I need to get out of these shoes,” she laughed.

He looked at her disappointedly. “May I see you again?” He asked timidly, fighting the lack of confidence he was so unaccustomed to feeling.

She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips before capturing his thoughts again with her grey spells. “How about dinner...tonight?”

“Where?” He asked as he felt his features lit up again.

“My place: a token of appreciation,” she smiled.

“Agreed,” he said as he led her to the car once more. Just before he got there he remembered his phone, and retrieved it from his blazer pocket. As soon as it was on, he received several messages. Apparently he was needed in a director’s meeting an hour ago, and they needed him to start.

“What’s the matter?” She asked as she saw his brows creased.

“Urgent meeting,” he admitted.

“Well, I can get a cab from here,” she told him.

“You wouldn’t mind?” He asked gratefully.

“Go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.” The details of their next meeting set; he hailed a passing cab and then slid her packages inside before she disappeared behind the yellow metal that was taking her away from him. He stood there a moment longer, and waved as he saw her look back, his heart singing to match the music that emanated from her being. She was his melody now.

CHAPTER 7 - PHILLIP

Phillip found it difficult to concentrate on anything for the remainder of the day. Several times he had to be snapped out of his constant reverie by the other directors on the board of one of the charity organizations he helped to manage and donated heavily to. Melody was right about him in that he had inherited his fortunes from a long line of fathers and grandfathers, but he’d in no way just been handed the treasure. He was shipped off to boarding school when he was sixteen, and he was taught the entire business from the ground up; even today, he was still absolutely sure he met everyone on staff, right down to the crew that cleaned the windows occasionally.

He had no time for his country club luxuries, and he hadn’t wanted to admit that there were many rich men out there who lived the way she had described. But he was in no way like them, and he needed her to see him differently. This was probably his most unsuccessful meeting so far, he having contributed little or nothing, simply agreeing to everything they suggested so that he could leave as soon as he could to tend to what was affixed on his mind.

He was stopped several times on the way out, and he was annoyed by the time he got into the safety of his car. He sped to his office and instantly demanded a meeting with his human resources personnel. “Would you like to tell me what happened this morning, and why a position that was already filled was still open for interviewing?”

“Sir, apparently this new receptionist read information that was already posted and made an error in calling Miss Mitchell this morning, but the records have been updated and I can assure you it will not happen again. She was the only person that was called, and I ensured I reimbursed her for her travelling expenses and her time, generously I might add.”

“I ran into that woman in tears this morning as she left the office, but she didn’t know who I was, and after hearing her story, I think the only thing we can do is create a position for her.”

Miss Facey looked at him incredulously. “Create a position? Sir, we don’t have any room here for an additional person.”

“Well, make her a position that doesn’t involve a desk of sorts then; call it my personal advisor, or my home assistant, or something of the sort, but create a position, advertise it so that it doesn’t seem like bigotry or anything of the sort, and then call back Miss Mitchell with an offer.”

“Yes Sir, right away,” Miss Facey said as she walked off.

He walked to his office, the one that he hardly occupied, and closed the door. Then, he grabbed the phone from the cradle and called Miss Facey once more. “Let me know when it’s done.” He hung up and leaned against the chair, rocking it back on its recliner. He closed his eyes and thought deeply about the woman he had met only this morning. She was indeed young and beautiful, and he longed to feel her close to him once more.

“Sir, we have Mr. Fairchild on line two,” buzzed the receptionist.

“Put him through,” Phillip said after a five second pause. Roger was always bugging him about going sailing, so that Phillip believed he had no other friend. He was fond of the man nonetheless, for Phillip always found tell of his escapades amusing, faithfully related as they were. “Who is the young girl this time that you managed to trap?”

“Don’t be coy with me, Phillip. This time it’s you who are holding out on me. So, what’s her name?”

“What’s whose name?” Phillip asked, pretending not to know who the man spoke of.

“Fine, since I have to be the one to say it. I saw you this morning leaving
Smither’s Boutique
with a young woman on your arm and a load of parcels in her hands; actually no, let me correct that—you were carrying them for her. That sort of outing isn’t like you, so she must be special.”

“I was making it up to her for ruining her clothes. I got coffee all over her,” he told his friend cagily. Actually, he told himself there was nothing more he could tell, for he wasn’t sure either who Melody was to him as of yet, however much he wanted to be.

“That didn’t look as platonic as you make it seem. I got a good look at you, and there were a few stars in your eyes. You may not know it yet, but she has you by the balls,” Roger said, laughing. “Welcome to my world, old friend.”

Phillip saw no use in arguing with the man, and he simply laughed and promised to give him the details of his presumed love affair. He hung up then, and a smile played upon his lips. She did make his heart flutter, and she had a very unforgettable presence. He wasn’t sure as yet what it was, whether it was her eyes, or the way she looked at him, or maybe it was simply his longing to be with a woman who stirred him so easily. Whatever it was, he needed to leave the office soon, for destiny awaited him at dinner. He grabbed his blazer from the back of the chair and headed out again. This was one appointment he had no intentions of missing, and being tardy wasn’t an option either. He had waited long enough, and he would wait no more.

CHAPTER 8 - PHILLIP

Phillip glanced back at some highway patrol cops as he sped past, hoping none of them would think to stop him. He was preoccupied with Melody and was barely paying attention to where he was going. He slowed down nonetheless, careful that he wouldn’t be stopped. Suddenly, he remembered that he hadn’t taken her number, and nor had he taken her home, so he didn’t know where to find her. Other than their names, they knew nothing about each other. Then it occurred to him that his office had called her, so they must have some contact information.

“Call the office,” he said to his dashboard, and instantly his voice command was received. If nothing else, he was glad for this piece of technology as it prevented his being issued tickets for talking on his cell and driving. As soon as the receptionist answered, he asked her for the contact numbers for the interviewee this morning. Miss Mitchell, he was told. Melody Mitchell: the name had a nice ring to it. Melody Conway: even better, he thought as he dialed her number. She didn’t answer right away, but on the third ring, and she seemed out of breath when she did.

“Hello?” She answered, her voice caressing his ear.

“How did we plan to meet up when we hadn’t even exchanged numbers, and I don’t know where to find you?” He asked her.

“We-we—my goodness, this is amazing,” she stuttered. “Up until now it never occurred to me,” she admitted. “How did you find me?”

“I am a very resourceful man,” he grinned. “Maybe you should just give me directions now just in case there are any mishaps by tonight.”

She laughed and her voice sounded like instrumentals to him, drifting him away like an old jazz beat. Thereafter, she directed him to her apartment and he registered it on his GPS, not trusting his memory to hold the information.

“Seven it is,” he confirmed when she gave him the time, and then he hung up. He turned off the main road now and drove along a tiny patch of road that opened up into a circular driveway lined with plush green lawns and manicured landscaping. The house was huge, and because he lived here alone, he didn’t come here much. He mostly stayed in his apartment in the city, but he hoped that one day he could introduce Melody to his most favorite place to be. This is where he grew up, and he had his fondest memories here, but with his older siblings living abroad, it had lost some of its childhood appeal. It seemed that large houses need families.

He switched the engine off and walked slowly up the cobblestone walkway that led to an attractive ornate door. He swung it open and then registered the alarm before moving past the threshold. He was slipping from his blazer and his shoes by the time he got inside; so that by the time he got to the bedroom he was almost bare. He glanced at the clock on the wall which read six and realized he only had an hour in which to get ready and make his way to Melody.