The Billionaire's Masquerade: Betting On You Series: Book Two (18 page)

Slowly she stood upright so her back was now against his, her breath almost a pant from what they had shared. Turning her toward him, he kissed her roughly at first, then lightly on the lips. “That was incredible, my beautiful angel.”

His angel?
She melted into his arms as the hot water continued to run over them.

After a few minutes Trent broke the silence. “I would love to stay here with you all day, but I do have an appointment I can’t miss.”

Only then did Elaine turn to face him. “Since someone didn’t let me get much sleep on the flight over here, I think I’ll nap while you’re gone.”

“Good idea. Rest while you can,” he laughed, “because I won’t be gone more than a few hours.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she teased. “I believe we better wash before we wrinkle. You don’t want to attend a meeting looking like a prune.”

Picking up the soap, he stepped back. “You better stand farther from me or I’ll never make it out of here.”

Enjoying the knowledge she could tempt him to stay made her blush with power. Today wasn’t the day to use it, but one day, it would come in handy.

***

“This is not what was agreed upon,” Sheikh Alkaba said.

“This is my offer. If you believe you can find a better offer elsewhere, you are free to do so. But if you choose to do so, do not approach me again,” Trent stated firmly.

“It is not wise to push me, Mr. Davis,” Alkaba said angrily.

“Sheikh Alkaba, this is a business proposition. I’m not the one who has anything to lose if I choose to walk out that door.”

“You are what you Americans call a cold-hearted bastard.”

Sounds familiar.
It wasn’t the first time he’d been called that, and it wouldn’t be the last. He hadn’t built his empire by playing nice. His reputation was well-known and respected, not necessarily well-liked.

When he’d heard the initial buzz that Sheikh Alkaba was having financial difficulties, he’d thought the information had been inaccurate. The Sheikh had been known for not only for oil, but for lush resorts. Neither of which were the type of business he’d ever considered acquiring, but it had appeared Sheikh Alkaba had found himself in the same situation as many others. Most owners quivered when they saw him coming. If they hadn’t known the true extent of their financial difficulties before, they knew after meeting with him. Many believed his tactics left his opponent defenseless without any option but to sell to him at any price, however Trent felt he offered a fair price. He prided himself on knowing everything about a company long before any meeting took place. And he was not in the habit of wasting his time. After making three previous trips here, he usually knew where he stood. Sheikh Alkaba was different. He was hard to read and extremely unpredictable. That was why Trent was surprised when Sheikh Alkaba reached out to him, regarding a business deal. This was uncharted territory.

After much digging, he’d found it was not the resort that was failing. It was thriving. The issue Sheikh Alkaba faced was the turmoil in his home country. His only son had been killed a year ago, leaving no heir. The sheikh could no longer afford to leave his wife and four young daughters home with no man to protect them. Running these resorts required him to be away from home.
That sucks.
He wouldn’t want to be in the man’s shoes, but business was business. He wouldn’t let himself get emotionally involved in matters that didn’t concern him.

Trent stood and said, “I’ll leave the papers with you. You don’t have to decide now. Take your time, consult with your lawyers or whomever you wish. But know this, I do not negotiate terms. Take it or leave it.” When he was at the door he turned and told Sheikh Alkaba, “I will be returning to the states tomorrow night. You know how to reach me after that.”

Leaving the office, he heard what sounded like glass smashing on the floor and what he only imagined was the sound of swearing in another language. Sheikh Alkaba had every right to be furious. Trent’s offer must have seemed like a slap in the face. Some might say it was stealing the company away from him. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, and a tinge of guilt hung over him. What was he doing here anyway? He never purchased this type of business. This was meant to be a resort with an owner on site, someone to greet guests, oversee their holiday experience, and maintain the buildings. He was going to do neither. If this purchase went through he would have it managed by others, and if they were lucky, he would visit on vacation before he resold it. Walking back to his suite he thought, a
t least I won’t lose sleep if he declines my offer.

The meeting had lasted longer than he wished. As he entered the room, he found Elaine sound asleep, wrapped in a sheet in the king-sized bed. He was tempted to wake her so she could remove the remaining stress lingering within him. Maybe he would even share what transpired at the meeting.
No, she probably would throw something at me and accuse me of taking advantage of an old man.
He laughed softly, knowing she would be right too. Maybe she was the little voice in his head that made him almost reconsider his own offer.
I feel like I’m someone else when I’m with you.
He lay down beside her, gently stroking her long dark curls. She murmured his name in her sleep and turned, curling up beside him.
What have you done to me, angel?
They had another twenty-four hours here to enjoy themselves with no talk of business. He would let her sleep for now but had every intention of seeing what new lace outfit she brought with her this time. Kissing her forehead, he closed his eyes and joined her for some much-needed sleep.

When Elaine answered the door she almost didn’t recognize Jill. “Jill? I don’t think I have ever seen you as a blonde before.”

“It was time for a change.”

“Guess so. You look so . . .”

“Normal?” Jill asked.

Though the word was appropriate, she chose something sweeter. “I would use the word professional.”

“Great. That’s what I’m going for. I’m turning twenty-six next month and thought I might try something new. This might be hard to believe, but this is what my natural hair color was before I starting dying it at sixteen.”

“It looks fantastic.”

“Do you know I’m getting more looks now than I did with all the purple and pink in my hair?”

“Even more than when you went green for St. Paddy’s Day?”

“Yep. I know. I don’t get it. Do I look that different?”

“Jill, I don’t think it’s just your hair. You seem to have changed your entire look. Bet the men back in Chepachet are beating down your door.” Her makeup was toned down, her clothes looked like she shopped at Macy’s instead of Rainbow Boutique.
What’s going on?

“Let them knock. I’m not interested in them.” She laughed.

“Has Lizette seen you yet?”

“No. I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“Everyone?” Besides herself and Lizette, who else was there to surprise? As far as she knew Jill didn’t know anyone else in New York.

Jill shrugged her shoulders. “You never know who you will meet in New York.”

Was it her imagination, or was Jill hiding something? Seems everyone has become very good at that lately, but Jill was the one who was usually very forthcoming with personal information.
Maybe Lizette can get her to talk.
“Let’s get you set up on the couch, sorry no guest room.”

“The couch is fine.”

“Great. We better make it quick because we don’t have long before we need to meet Lizette and her mother at the dress shop. I think we could have a long afternoon ahead of us.”

Long was an understatement. It was the first time Elaine had ever accompanied anyone wedding dress shopping. Lizette was going to be a beautiful bride. What Elaine thought was going to be two hours quickly turned into four hours of watching Lizette try on gown after gown. She wasn’t sure who was more relieved when she finally found the right one, Lizette or her entourage. Her choice was a simple wedding gown with understated elegance. The sweetheart neckline was disguised by a tulle and lace V-neck overlay, a decadent lace silhouette, lightly dusted with shimmering sequins with an open keyhole back. The moment she walked out of the dressing room wearing it, they all knew it was the one. After all the tears were wiped away the excitement quickly vanished when Lizette said, “Okay, let’s find dresses for the wedding party now.”

Then it started all over again, but it was Jill and Elaine’s turn to play dress-up. Finally, all dress choices were made, and they called it a night.

It was almost nine when Elaine and Jill arrived back at the apartment. Both were exhausted, and their beds beckoned. She was glad she had grabbed the extra bedding and made up the couch for Jill before they had gone out. “Sleep well.”

Once in bed, Elaine reflected on the day. She’d never thought about all the work and planning it took to get ready for a wedding. Maybe that was because she’d never pictured one for herself. Weddings and the activities prior revolved around family. Every time Lizette had come out of the fitting room with a new dress, all Elaine could do was watch Lizette’s mother’s expression. And when Lizette came out wearing the final dress, her mother had cried, then Lizette cried, and before long Jill was crying too. When her tears flowed, they flowed for many reasons: because Lizette looked beautiful, because she was happy for her, but mostly because she might never get to experience this moment if she couldn’t find her mother.

She wiped her tear-streaked cheeks. This was a busy weekend, but next week she was going to dedicate every spare moment she had to her search, and nothing was going to stop her this time.

“Elaine, Jill, thanks for coming early. My mother wanted to help, but she looked so tired from yesterday I told her I had everything under control,” Lizette said as she greeted them at the door. “That’s not the case at all. I really could use some help in the kitchen.”

“No problem. We weren’t doing anything. Point us in the right direction, and we will get started,” said Jill.

“Maybe I should set the table,” Elaine said. Both women looked at her. “Trust me. If anyone plans on eating tonight, you don’t want me touching the food. Do you remember the time I brought pumpkin bread in for potluck day?”

“Bread? Is that what that flat black thing was?” Jill teased.

They all laughed. “Besides being slightly overcooked, I may have forgotten some ingredients.”

“Like baking powder maybe?” Lizette asked.

“I’ve seen pancakes thicker than your bread. Better let her set the table, Lizette.”

“I’ll let you get away with that excuse this time, but I’m going to give you some cooking lessons so you can offer more than coffee and toast for Trent,” Lizette added.

Elaine quickly gave Lizette a look of warning look, but it was too late.

“Trent?” She looked at Elaine and said, “You and Trent?” Then she burst out laughing. “Oh, I can’t believe it.” She laughed harder. “I should’ve known.”

“What’s so funny?” Lizette asked.

Jill looked at Elaine again and then at Lizette. “Do you know how many times he called the office, and she had me lie, saying she was not available? And when she took the job offer from him, I asked her if she’d changed her mind about him, and she called him an arrogant ass and said she couldn’t see what women found attractive about him.” Shaking her head, she said, “Guess you found something you like, Elaine.”

Oh yes, my words were going to haunt me for a long time.
“I need to ask you a favor, Jill.”

“Do you want me in your wedding, too?” she teased.

Wedding? No. That was not the relationship they had. What they had was wonderful, electrifying, and fun. Trent had never said it was anything more than that, and she didn’t want anyone else to get the wrong impression either. “Trent and I don’t want anyone to know about us. Please promise me you won’t say a word.” She knew that was going to be almost impossible. Jill couldn’t help it. She always got excited and let something slip out that shouldn’t. Elaine hoped this was the one time she could keep quiet.

“He’s not married or something, is he?” Jill asked seriously.

Couldn’t anyone see why their relationship needed to be private except her? “No. He’s not married. We want our privacy, that’s all.”

“You can trust me. I won’t say a word.” Both Elaine and Lizette gave her the same doubtful look. “Okay. I know my track record isn’t great, but I promise I will do my very best not to tell anyone.”

“Tell anyone what?” Drew asked from behind Jill.

“That Elaine . . . well that . . .” Jill stammered.

“That I can’t cook,” Elaine jumped in.

“Then I’m glad we are having dinner at Jon and Lizette’s house.” He laughed.

Everyone joined in. Elaine looked toward Jill, who only shrugged. She wasn’t sure Jill was going to keep the secret tonight, never mind once she was back home. Maybe it was time to talk to Trent about where they stood. There were really only two options: stop working at Davis Enterprises or stop being involved with Trent. Neither choice was easy to make.

Just as she was thinking of him, Trent also appeared in the kitchen. “I hope you didn’t eat without me,” he said.

“Never,” Lizette said. “We are still waiting for my parents, Jon, and Ross. Can I get any of you something to drink while we wait?”

With drinks in hand they all went to sit in the living room, waiting for the other guests to arrive. Her parents arrived first, accompanied by Jon.

“Is everyone here?” he asked.

“Everyone but Ross,” Lizette replied.

“Mr. Never Be Late for Anything is finally showing up late? I would have lost a bet on that one too. I might be losing my touch,” Drew joked.

“There’s a first for everything,” Trent said.

“Maybe something happened. Shouldn’t one of you call and make sure everything is okay? He could be sick or even injured,” Jill asked with her normal energetic empathy.

Jill seemed genuinely concern for Ross’s welfare. Actually overly concerned . . .
Interesting.
Elaine wondered what else she’d missed since leaving Rhode Island.

The three men exchanged looks before Jon said, “I’m sure he will be here shortly.”

She watched Drew lean toward Trent and whisper something. Trent appeared to contemplate whatever he was told. Elaine could have sworn she heard Trent say, “That’s a longshot, but count me in.”

Count him in? For what?
Every time she met Drew, he always had that playful, jokester look to him, but this was the first time she’d ever seen it on Trent.
It’s kind of cute.
Whatever they were up to she wanted to know.

Ross arrived a moment later, and all eyes were on Jill. She stood holding her hands tightly together in front of her, trying to control them. Her eyes were wide, speaking volumes. The only one who didn’t appear to notice was Ross. Lizette and Elaine exchanged glances and laughed softly.

Looking at the two women and then to his friends, Ross asked, “Did I miss something?”

“It’s a woman thing, I think,” Drew joked.

Trent winked at Elaine as he said, “Don’t go there, Drew. They are growing in numbers if you hadn’t noticed. And the odds aren’t in your favor if you choose to ignore my warning.”

Everyone burst into laughter as they made their way to the dining room. The women sat together at one end so they could chat about Lizette’s latest wedding plans and not have to hear all the business talk from the men.

Elaine enjoyed watching the excitement on Lizette’s face when she announced two decisions she’d made. First the flowers, then the wedding favors. How she was able to pull so much together so quickly amazed Elaine.
Ah, it is a labor of love.
Each time she saw Lizette and Jon together, they looked even happier than the time before. Jon was good for her, and from what Drew said last week, she was equally good for Jon.
Is this what they mean when they say you’ve met your soul mate?

Though she tried hard to concentrate on everything Lizette was saying, she couldn’t help listen to Trent too. At one point he mentioned Dubai. “I’m not so sure about this deal anymore,” Trent said.

“Property not worth it?” Jon asked.

Her eyes met his. He almost looked uncertain. Not something she’d seen in him before. “The property is in excellent condition. It would require a different type of commitment.”

“Your favorite word—commitment,” Drew said sarcastically.

She noticed Trent’s eye twitch ever so slightly at Drew’s comment. “Drop it,” Trent warned.

Two simple words ended the conversation. Maybe his friends saw what she had, or had it been all in her imagination? She thought back to how sweet it was on their little getaway. She had experienced a freedom she’d never allowed herself before. How she wished they could have stayed and never left. It was magical. But being here amongst her friends and Trent had its own magic. One she didn’t want to give up either.

“Trent, where did you disappear to last week? I thought we had dinner plans?” she heard Drew ask.

“It was a busy week,” Trent replied, but he faced her and gave her a wink.

“You’re getting to be as serious about work as Jon. It’s time for you to settle down, too.”

Elaine was taking a bite and began to choke on her food at his words. No one was supposed to know they were involved, and now they were telling him to settle down. She had to find a way to change that subject quickly.

“Are you okay?” Lizette asked as Elaine continued to cough.

“Fine,” she said. Still coughing, she left the room and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. Taking it, she sipped slowly while someone gently rubbed her back until the coughing stopped. When she turned she found Trent standing behind her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his hand still on her.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

He didn’t let go of her. “If you’re not feeling well I can tell them I need to take you home.” He smiled.

“Trent, you can’t give them a lame excuse like that.”

“Would you rather I told them the truth?”

She could tell by the look in his eyes he wasn’t joking. He would actually go into the living room and tell them, “We’re horny; we’re out of here.” Giving him a firm look, she said, “Don’t you dare. Jill will be leaving tomorrow morning. How about I make it up to you then?”

“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, you’ll be making it up to me right here in their kitchen.” He gave her rump a light slap and said, “You have three seconds to make the decision. After that, I’ll make it for the both of us.”

She could feel his body harden against her. He was not joking. Pulling away, she said, “I’ll see you in the living room.” Looking down at the apparent bulge in his pants, she added, “You might want to wait a few minutes.” She winked as she left the room. Elaine knew she was going to pay for that tomorrow, a punishment she was looking forward to as much as he was, if not more.

The rest of the evening was full of laughs and old stories. She enjoyed getting to know everyone better. Lizette’s parents told stories about her when she was young. Though she had a family, it was apparent she’d had to grow up fast as her parents were always working at their store. That explained why Lizette was so independent. Then there were stories about Jon his friends started. She couldn’t remember another time she’d laughed so hard. How those guys ever made it to graduation day was beyond her. From the sound of things, it seemed Drew and Trent were the instigators and bent every rule. She was positive if it wasn’t for Ross they all would have most likely been expelled their freshman year. Looking at them now, you would think the only time they were in the dean’s office was to accept an award. There was only one somber moment when Trent talked about Brad. It was apparent he was a blend of them all. “He might be gone, but he will never be forgotten.” She knew about Takes One, but the expression on Trent’s face made it evident he still was trying to deal with the loss of his friend, even after five years.

Tonight had been an eye opener. She learned another side of Trent he’d failed to share. That side explained a lot. He had always bent the rules, lived on the edge. Unlike her—forever the rule follower and often filled with guilt if she even thought about breaking one. Trent and Drew boasted not only about what they got away with, but also what they got caught doing. Such a carefree attitude, a freedom she’d never allowed herself. She and Trent were as different as night and day, but somehow it worked for his friends and him. And that knowledge alone gave her hope that somehow, someday, maybe they too would have a bond unable to be broken.