Courted (How Not To Be Seduced By Billionaires: Book 2) (5 page)

            A smile was also in his voice when he answered softly, “Yes.”

            I ventured, “That’s the kind of bouquet I’d love you to give me.”

            Silence from the other line.

            “Constantijin?”

            “You are for real?”

            A giggle escaped me at his incredulous tone. I tried to explain, “I’m just really uncomfortable with the money you’re spending on me.”

            “
Then you are truly serious
?”

            My giggle turned into genuine laughter. “Yes, Constantijin. I am.”

            A sigh escaped him. “I do not understand you at all.”

            I think that’s a good thing, I thought but knew I was better off
not
saying it.

            “If you do not want me spending my money on flowers, then what should I spend my money on? I want something that would please you.”

            “Text messages cost money,” I told him helpfully. My phone started to ring in the background.

            “Answer it,” he ordered.

            “No, it’s okay---”

            “Please.”

            Sighing, I wiped one hand dry in the towel hanging from the rail and fumbled for my phone from the expansive sink. My eyes widened. “You’re calling me?” But Constantijin had already ended the call to my wireless. Placing the wireless on the sink, I answered his call to my mobile phone, inhaling sharply when I saw Constantijin appear on the screen.

            Bare-chested.

            “
Constantijin
!” My insides turned into jelly at the sight of him wearing nothing but a pair of flannel pants, his fair skin gleaming in the darkness of the night. He was standing at the balcony of his hotel room, leaning against the rails. Even just through the iPhone’s screen I could appreciate how stunning Dubai’s views were, with its mixture of urban paradise and wild desert beauty.

            “I wish you were here,
schat
.”

            His huskily spoken words made my toes curl under the bubble.

            “If you were here, I would have fucked you in this very spot, taking you from behind while you watched the world and they watched you, knowing that they cannot have you because you are mine.”

            “
Constantijin.
” Oh, dear. I needed another shower after this. I was wet for a whole different reason now. I pushed myself up---

            “
You’re in the bath
?”

            Oh, shit, I forgot.

            I sank right back into the bubbles.

            “
Yanna.
” His voice was harsh, and through the video call I could see his face turning taut with the same need coursing through my body, sparking every nerve until I was almost shaking with desire.

            “Take pity on a poor man and show me your breasts again, sweetheart.”

            “I can’t.”

            “Yes, you can.”

            I shook my head mutely.

            The intensity of his gaze, the acute frustration in his eyes – it all reached out to me even though we were half a world apart. Swallowing, I said, “Just for a second.”

            “Thirty,” he immediately bargained.

            “Ten, starting now.” I rose from the water, completely baring my breasts to his sight. Even as I could feel myself blushing, with my nipples turning hard, I didn’t lose track of my mental counting.

One. Two. Three. Oh God, this was too embarrassing. I needed to speed this up. Four,five,six,seven,eight,nine,ten!

            I sank back into my bubble bath with a swoosh, face completely on fire now.

            “That was
not
ten seconds,” Constantijin growled.

            “Goodbye, Constantijin.”

            “Don’t you dare hang up.”

            Giggling, I so dared.

            My phone beeped a second later, and still smiling to myself I opened Constantijin’s message.

           
I repeat, that was NOT ten seconds.

           
It was. I counted. I swear.

            Good thing I always keep a record of my video calls.

           
I shot up from my bath, hitting the call button immediately.

            “Yanna,” he practically purred into my ear.

            “Constantijin,” I growled back. “Delete it.”

            “No.” I could totally imagine him grinning his wicked grin right now, especially when he said, “I’ll see you on Monday.”

            “Don’t you dare hang up!”

            But he did.

Day 23 of Courting

“Did you do this?” An irate Glenda appeared before my cubicle, waving a pink folder with lavender hearts in the air.

Since I was sure to be the only one with that kind of folder in Kastein Inc., I said with a gulp, “Yes?”

            Her glare intensified. “Mr. Kastein said this is---” She sniffed. “The word he used is not something I am comfortable using.”

            My jaw dropped.

           
Shit? Fucked up? Goddamn epic fail?

           
“You are to report to Mr. Kastein’s office, immediately.” She didn’t wait for me to answer. God, it was really
like-boss-like-secretary
with these two.

“Wait!” I had a hard time catching up with her, slowed down by my new pair of mules, which I unfortunately decided to break in today.

Bristling, Glenda stopped midway to Constantijin’s office. When I reached her side, she immediately started enumerating what Constantijin apparently did not like about my report. “The length of the report...” She sniffed.

            “Sorry,” I mumbled even though I didn’t quite understand why the ten-page length of my report was a problem. Did they want it like Arian’s, which was shorter than a text message? She only submitted full-length reports when sucking up to managers.

            As we walked past a group of interns, Glenda continued, “And that series you are recommending!” She shuddered.

            My heart sank. Even my series recommendation was a problem? I honestly thought they would like
City Hunter,
considering how awesome the Korean adaptation was plus the fact that Kastein Inc. – with its own adaptation – could create a better ending, thus giving Asian markets a new reason to revisit the series.

            We reached Constantijin’s suite of offices. “Go in, go in,” she said irritably, practically pushing me in. When the door closed behind her, Glenda startled me by winking.

            “Sorry, dear. It was the boss’ orders to make your visit here
inconspicuous.
”

            “Then…then my report wasn’t really
bad
?”

            “Oh, no, Constantijin loved it. He just said I should torture you on the way here.”

            “Glenda!”

            “Blame the boss, dear,” Glenda said over her shoulder as she returned to her desk, already focused on her tasks.

            When I entered Constantijin’s office, he was already grinning.

            I totally saw red.

            “Not now, sweetheart,” Constantijin said, easily catching my slapping hand as I reached him. “I have something better in mind.” And then he was kissing me with ravaging hunger, taking me by surprise and completely sweeping me off my feet.

Lesson #5

Yes is the only word your billionaire wants to understand.

When you say ‘no’,

he will think you are saying ‘never’.

Constantijin half carried me to his couch, dropping himself on it and I landed on his lap sideways without our kiss breaking.

            “You drive me insane with wanting,
schat
.”

            “You, too,” I gasped, arching as his lips left a trail of kisses and nibbles on my neck.

            He twisted me around on his lap, leaving me lying with my back against his chest, legs spread open with his in between. I moaned when I felt his hand pulling my tucked blouse free from my skirt. And then he was cupping me, pushing my bra away almost angrily so that his hands could completely cover my flesh.

            “
Constantijin
.”

            “I want a going-away gift,” he said as he started tweaking my nipples.

            “What?” I managed to ask, finding it so hard to concentrate when he pinched my nipples rather hard.

            “I want to see you come before I go.”

            Oh my God, oh my God---

            “Say you’ll let me?” He breathed into my ear, making me shudder.

            “Constantijin…”

            “I want to remember your face as I make you come, Yanna.”

            When he said those words, when he said it like that, his thick Dutch accent a rough/tender caress all on its own, all I could do was nod, twisting sideways so I could look at him.

            One of his hands dipped into my lacy briefs.

            “
Aaaah.
” I didn’t make any attempt to lower my voice, not when I knew his office was totally soundproofed and not when I knew by now how much Constantijin liked hearing me express my pleasure with his touch. I kind of liked it, too. Well, to be honest – I
really
liked it.