The Billionaire's Masquerade: Betting On You Series: Book Two (11 page)

As they danced and swayed together he saw Elaine look around. “People are staring.”

“Who wouldn’t? You’re gorgeous.” Then he took his hand and tipped her chin to look at him and not the crowd. “Ignore them.” Then he kissed her lightly on the lips. He thought she would resist, but surprisingly she kissed him back. That was a mistake. Trent didn’t need any encouragement as his body quickly reacted to hers.

The music continued to play, but he stopped dancing and pulled her so her entire body rested against his. He deepened his kiss, and she lifted her arms to rest around his neck.
You’re playing with fire.
Trent ignored the camera flashes. Nothing mattered to him at this moment, and from Elaine’s reaction, it didn’t faze her either. He wanted to taste her, explore her mouth with his tongue, yet the enjoyment was limited due to their masks. Slowly he began to ease his kisses. If he didn’t gain control soon, the pictures were going to be more explicit than she would have liked.

Thinking it was time to cool things down, he said, “I think I need another drink,” and led her off the dance floor.

They spent another hour at the ball. He was surprised how much he enjoyed the evening. Normally when he attended an event, it was only another form of business, not pleasure. Tonight was spent talking, laughing, and dancing with the most intriguing woman he had ever met. Part of him wanted to stay but knew the time was approaching for everyone to remove their masks and reveal their true identities.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Smiling, she said suggestively, “I hope you’re not tired.”

Elaine was a sensual woman. He had barely been able to keep his hands off her all night. The dress he had made for her fit like a glove, showing off every curve of her beautiful body. Though her face was hidden, her eyes were pleading with him, and when she spoke, her voice—sultry and sexy—completely shattered any self-control he may have had up until then. “Did you want to stay longer?”
Say no.

“That’s not what I meant,” Elaine stated.

“Then let’s really get the hell out of here.” After making a quick call to his driver, he took her hand in his, and they left the building. He needed out of there quickly, as the need to rip that dress off her and kiss every single inch of her body was increasingly becoming more urgent.

Once inside the driver asked, “Where to?”

Normally he would direct the driver to a hotel or in this instance, her apartment. He made it a point not to take women to his penthouse. Doing so would have been letting them further into his life than he wanted. For some reason, Elaine wasn’t like any other woman to him now. He didn’t feel she would be intruding on his space, but rather he wanted her there. Turning to Elaine, still hidden behind her mask, he said, “My penthouse.”

***

When they entered his modern penthouse it was as she’d pictured it. She would ask for a tour tomorrow. Tonight she had other plans.

Trent must have read her thoughts as he led her down the hall to what she assumed was his bedroom. It was masculine like him, and the scent of his cologne filled the air. He released her hand and left her standing in the middle of the room as he crossed to the nightstand near his bed, picked up a remote, and turned on soft instrumental music. “Come here,” he said.

Elaine continued to stand where he had left her. She was in control tonight.

“Come here,” he repeated in a husky tone.

Elaine denied his request again, and while slowly pulling out the hair combs, holding her mass of curls in place, said, “Tonight is about you and giving you whatever you want.” Then she removed one of her long red silk gloves, slowly pulling at them one finger at a time until her hand was free. Tossing it to one side, she did the same to the other glove. She enjoyed the sexual tension building between them. When he took a step toward her, she took a step back.

Reaching behind her, she unzipped the strapless gown and let it fall to a heap on the floor. She heard a moan escape him, which only encouraged her to do more. She stepped out of the gown, then kicked off one of her spiked heels, then the second one. She unhooked one garter then another. Bending over, she seductively rolled her thigh-high stocking down her right leg until it was bare. She did the same to the left one, giving him a full profile. It was meant to drive him wild, however as she watched him watching her, she could feel the heat flow throughout her own body. Though her own need was growing, she wasn’t going to rush this.
All about you tonight.
The music he had chosen encouraged her. With the precision of a burlesque dancer she wiggled her hips until the garter also hit the floor.

Trent let out a long exhale and demanded, “Come here.”

Not yet.
Stepping only a foot closer she reached behind her and unhooked her black lace bra, she placed her right hand on the material covering her left breast and then the left hand on the material over her right breast. Swaying her hips, she slowly released the pressure of her hands letting the bra fall to the floor. Only her hands now covered her breasts. She traced her lips with her tongue and kneaded her breast while taking another step forward. Elaine could see the hunger in his eyes. She took her nipples between her fingers and plucked at them. A soft moan escaped her lips.

“You’re driving me fucking crazy, Elaine.”

Good!
His words only increased the heat between her legs, but she was going to make sure he would never forget tonight. Her hands moved down, and she seductively hooked her thumbs on either side of her black lace thong and wiggled them down her hips, then thighs, bending forward till her hand touched her ankles with the lace material. Only then did she step out of them. Still holding them in her right hand she raised them up to the level of her shoulder, taking another step forward so they were only inches away. She watched him gulp as she let them drop to her feet.

“Fuck.” His comment wasn’t loud, but his breathing was heavy.
Yes, this was the reaction I wanted from him.

Slow, make it last.
Elaine unbuttoned his suit jacket, walked behind him, and removed it. Underneath was the white cotton shirt, which she pulled out from his pants, then walked back to stand in front of him, and began to slowly unbutton and remove it, leaving him standing bare-chested. Elaine ran her fingers down his chest and abdomen before she bent to remove his shoes, then his socks, tossing them to the side. Slowly she traced her way back up to stand once again in front of him, running her fingers up his leg as she did so. She unbuttoned the top button and found these pants only had buttons. Easing each button out of its hole she could feel him growing harder, larger, beneath the cloth. She crouched down to kneel in front of him as she slid down his pants.

Meeting his eyes she removed his boxers and threw them to the side. She slowly ran her fingers up the back of his legs, over his firm bottom, then his hips to finally rest on his swollen shaft that was begging to be tasted. Never breaking the gaze she blew gently on it, and licked the tip. A husky groan rumbled through him, and his body tensed as her tongue continued to lick the length of him and back to the tip. His eyes darkened with desire as he watched her. He let out a deep growl as she took him deep within her mouth, stroking him with one hand and sucking him, teasing the head with her tongue before going deep again. Her rhythm became more aggressive each time. His hands tangled in her hair, and she heard him groan with pleasure. Faster, deeper, sucking, knowing she was driving him crazy. She was so turned on.

Then in one quick movement he pulled away, his breath ragged. “If you don’t stop, I won’t be able to hold back.”

His voice lacked its normal control.
Perfect.
She rose and stepped so close to him her nipples touched his chest and ached for attention. Bringing a hand up, she cupped her own breasts and gently rubbed her erect nipples against his chest.

“You’re a damn goddess.” Trent let out another deep growl and in one swift moment lifted her off her feet and took her breast into his mouth. Smiling at his comment, she wrapped her legs around his waist enjoying the feel of his hot body rubbing against her wet folds. He removed his mouth from her breast and their mouths met in a fevered kiss. Then he cupped her buttocks in both hands and slid inside her. Instantly her body was shocked as the waves of pleasure rippled through her. He held her still deep inside until the waves began to stop. “Tell me what you want.”

The feel of his cock slowly moving within her was teasing her to the brink of losing control. “I want you.”

“Tell me what you want me to do.”

She tried to pull him closer, deeper, but he held her so only his tip entered her. “Please,” she begged.

“Say it,” he demanded.

She couldn’t wait any longer. She needed all of him now. “I want you, all of you, deep inside me,” she said boldly.

Then he began to lift her again and again, deeper, faster, harder each time. Their breath coming in gasps, she clung to his shoulders. “Yes,” she cried out and arched her back as the release came, wave after wave, stronger than she had ever experienced. “Trent,” she gasped.

“Elaine,” he moaned in her neck. She felt his body jerk as he joined her with his own release.

She clung to him, not wanting to let go. While she was still wrapped around him, Trent walked to the bed. Only then did he lift her off him to lay her on the cool sheets. Both still breathless, Elaine welcomed the warmth of his body as he lay beside her.

“That was amazing. You’re fucking amazing.”

Rolling over, she rested her head on his chest. Never had she felt like this before. Tonight she wanted to make it all about him, but he was such an unselfish lover and refused to only take. And when he gives,
damn his give is good.
She wasn’t sure how to describe it even to herself. Trent wasn’t the first man she’d been with. But never had she had these feelings for anyone, the urge to open up and share everything with him. Snuggling closer to him, his scent filled her nostrils. “This is definitely a night I will always remember, and it’s going to be tough to beat.”

Trent chuckled at her words and kissed her softly. “If that’s a challenge, I accept.”

This night had been perfect, even more than she could have imagined. Like a hot fantasy one would read about. How he thought he could improve on it was beyond her.
Oh, it will be fun trying.

“Elaine, I know it late to mention this, but we didn’t use any protection.”

His voice had been soft, no signs of panic. Even though she had told herself this wasn’t going to be a habit, she had seen her doctor before leaving Rhode Island and had decided to get a more reliable form of birth control. Smiling she said, “I’m on the pill.”

Though he said nothing, she sensed him relax slightly. Yes, everything was perfect tonight, but that was the problem; tomorrow, with their masks removed, they would be back where they started, back to reality. Closing her eyes tightly she forced the thought from her mind. She wanted to enjoy this moment as long as she could.

***

That was incredible.
He thought he was the one full of surprises. Trent knew she was the most seductive woman he had ever met, but tonight she’d brought him to the breaking point. It took every ounce of self-control not to interrupt the little striptease dance she had given him. He was not one to release control to another, but tonight, he knew she wanted it, needed it, and he let her have it.

Now, holding her in his arms as she slept, she looked like an angel. Gently he brushed the brown curls that fell across her face. As he did so, he heard her moan softly, and his body instantly reacted to her. Instead of acting on those desires, he kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. Things were changing between them. Unexpectedly. The original plan to enjoy each other without any strings wasn’t as clear-cut as it had seemed. Elaine had feelings for him, exactly what, he wasn’t sure. Having her admit what they were would only solve one problem. He needed to give her time and eventually she would learn to relax and not worry about what others thought. But tomorrow was another day. One that wasn’t going to go as she planned; he wasn’t about to tell her either.

It had been hard to pull herself away from Trent earlier. There was no place she wanted to be more than with him. When she gave him a lame excuse of needing to do the laundry, she couldn’t help but be disappointed when he didn’t try to stop her from leaving. Of course, she would have needed to go as she couldn’t stand Lizette and Jon up, but he could have at least tried. Instead he lent her an oversized pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt to wear, since she hadn’t packed a change of clothes. There had only been one thing she could do, go back to her apartment and get ready for her evening with Jon and Lizette.

Elaine arrived at six o’clock sharp at the address Lizette had given her. It was not far from Vinchi Medical Engineering. Convenient for Jon, probably not so great for Lizette. She was in the heart of the city and, from everything Elaine knew about Lizette, she was more of a “house with a white picket fence” woman. Elaine was glad Trent set her up with a very nice apartment and not right next door to work. The elevator doors opened at the top floor. That seemed to be the only thing Jon and Trent had in common.

Lizette opened the door and greeted her with a hug. “I’m so glad you made it. Let me take that for you.”

Elaine handed her the box. “Hope you like cheesecake.”

“Love it. Come on in.”

She followed Lizette into the penthouse and almost stopped in her tracks as she heard laughter from the other room. A laugher that sounded familiar. As they entered the kitchen, she found proof that her ears were not playing tricks on her. Trent stood talking with Jon. Oh yes, she had been set up. She turned to Lizette who smiled innocently.

“Hi, Trent. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“I had that feeling earlier.”

She gave him a warning look then turned to Jon. “Nice to see you again, Jon.”

“Same here, Elaine.

“Well, you are in for a treat. Lizette has been preparing dinner all afternoon.”

“You haven’t even tried it yet, so don’t be bragging too much,” Lizette teased.

“Well, whatever it is, it smells wonderful,” Elaine said.

“Everything is ready so why don’t you have a seat next to Trent while Jon and I bring the food to the table?”

Once they were alone, Elaine turned to Trent and asked, “Did you know about this?”

“It is possible.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you would have come up with some excuse not to show up.”

He’s got me on that one.

“Your silence speaks volumes. So why don’t you just relax and enjoy the blind date they so thoughtfully planned for you.”

Date. Wow, that was not a word she wanted anyone to associate with Trent and her. Not as long as she was working for him, at least. And she had no intention of quitting her job. “You should have told them you weren’t interested.”

“But I am.” Trent reached out and touched her hand.

Pulling it back, she put her hands on her lap under the table. “Do they know? I mean, about us?”

“I haven’t told them anything. If they know anything, it’s purely speculation.” He smiled. “But if you keep looking at me like that, I’m sure they are going to guess.”

He was right, just the slightest touch from him excited her. In this environment, amongst friends, it was going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

“So is it safe for us to come back in now?” Lizette asked.

Oh great. So much for no one knowing.
“So you guys know?”

“Elaine, I have known you for years, so when I saw the way you looked and acted around Trent, I knew instantly.”

“Please, Lizette. I don’t want anyone to know. Can you promise me you won’t tell anyone? Not here and not back in Rhode Island.”

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us. But the food is going to get cold, so let’s eat.”

Pulling her hands off her lap she reached out to Trent and for the first time publicly, she touched his hand. This was nice.

The four sat and ate while Lizette explained the different things she had cooked. Elaine enjoyed hearing the excitement in her voice as she described the different seasonings and techniques she used to create homemade okonomiyaki, sushi, and summer rolls.
Who knew she could cook like this?
The meal was fabulous.

“So this is what you did in Japan? Maybe I need to travel there someday too, because my cooking skills are lacking.” Elaine turned to Lizette, giving her a warning with her finger. “Don’t say it.” Both women burst out laughing.

“You just need someone to cook for,” Lizette said, then winked at Trent.

“That sounds good to me,” Trent added.

“I think it’s going to take more than that, but thanks for the confidence. I did stop at a bakery on the way here. Is anyone in the mood for strawberry cheesecake?”

Lizette told the men to go sit in the living room, and they would bring them dessert. Elaine knew that meant it was time for girl talk.

“So, tell me.”

That didn’t take long.
“Yes, I like him. Is that what you wanted to hear?” Elaine asked.

“It’s a start. I can tell you Jon said Trent has changed lately. I think he likes you, too,” Lizette teased.

“Don’t get any ideas. We haven’t known each other that long.”

“When it happens it happens, Elaine. Time has nothing to do with it. So don’t let it get in your way. If it is meant to be, let it happen.”

She was right. Elaine had to find a way to relax and enjoy what they shared.
Just not publicly.
“Thanks, Lizette. Let’s get in there before they start talking about us.”

They spent the next several hours talking and playing cards. They decided to play men against women. The women totally kicked ass. She thought last night at the masquerade couldn’t get any better, but this had its own charm. Tonight was what couples do together.

“It’s almost midnight. We better get going,” Trent said.

Elaine was surprised how quickly the time went by. Getting up, she hugged Jon and Lizette. “Next time maybe you can come to my apartment, for takeout.” They all laughed.

“Sounds great, let’s do it soon,” Lizette said.

When they got in the elevator, Elaine said, “You wouldn’t be willing to give a girl a ride home, would you? In all the excitement I forget to call the driver. I hope he wasn’t up waiting for me.”

“Don’t worry, I let him know earlier he had the night off.”

“Hmm, you were that confident I would stay?”

“Confident? No. Hopeful? Yes,” he said and then kissed her deeply. “One question.”

“What?”

“Yours or mine?”

“Let’s go to mine tonight.”