The Billionaire's Mistaken Match ( A BWWM Romance) (5 page)

The night was cool and brisk, but not cold enough to be unpleasant. As they walked through the streets, Reid reached out and took Paloma’s hand. Things were easier with her than he had expected and he was enjoying himself immensely.

The streets were practically empty and the neon signs around the city lit up the whole area. It was the city that never slept after all. Reid talked about things he had never talked about with his other dates. He told Paloma about his love of the city and which buildings were his favorite, where the best hole in the wall food places were. He shared his dreams to make the city better than it had been, to help out, to build up. He realized he was rambling and apologized.

“I don’t mind. I have pretty big dreams too.”

“Tell me about them?”

Paloma hesitated just for an instant. “Remember my love of food?”

Reid couldn’t hide his smile. He nodded, looking at her profile while they walked.

“Well, I want to own a restaurant. It was my grandmother’s dream, my mother’s goal, and now it has made its way to me.” She paused for a minute. “I don’t mean that I feel like it’s an obligation. I genuinely want to make it happen. I want to bring good food to the masses, to spend my day in the kitchen, working, cooking, mixing…”

“Making magic?”

“Exactly!” She smiled at him, glad he could understand. “It’s just so much, you know. I mean, I have it all planned out, but I think I’m just afraid to put it into action. It’s probably the one thing I’m not ridiculously impulsive about.”

“Does that mean you won’t be ridiculously impulsive about me?” Paloma stopped walking and looked at him. His green eyes reflected the bright neon signs. “I mean. I don’t know what I mean. I’m an idiot.”

“I have a feeling you are a lot of things, Reid, but an idiot is not one of them.” She smiled at him ducking his head so she couldn’t see his blush. “I’m really having the best time tonight. Are you?” she asked, changing the subject quickly.

“Absolutely. I have to tell you, this is one of the best dates I’ve ever been on. Can we do it again sometime?” When he looked at her now he looked like an eager little boy at a toy store. This man, this successful, lovely man wanted to spend more time with her? She was thrilled at the idea, but also afraid of letting too much of her out in the open. When she didn’t answer right away, his face fell, breaking her heart.

“Of course we can, yes. I would love to.” She decided then and there that she would do anything to keep that boyish smile on his face. When he looked at her, he didn’t have those sad eyes anymore. She made it her personal mission to keep them at bay.

“Wonderful,” he said. “Next time I could take you to some of the places I told you about. I would love to get your opinion on some of the buildings I have going up.”

Paloma agreed that it sounded like a good time and was flattered that he wanted her opinion. When they came to the subway entrance, they stopped at the top of the stairs, still holding hands. It was like he didn’t want to let go of her.

“Soon, then. It has to be soon. The second date, I mean.”

She smiled and nodded, looking toward the subway entrance. She was not really looking forward to the long train ride home and she didn’t want the night to end, but they had agreed to end it casually and have another date. She liked that idea.

Before she could let go and take the stairs to the platform, Reid leaned in, putting his forehead on hers. She closed her eyes and felt the breath between them mingle. Her breath hitched slightly as he tilted his head and placed his lips softly on hers. They were like silk, his lips, so different from his hands, which now wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to explore her lovely mouth, both of them dancing in the air between them.

“I think, maybe,” he said once they pulled apart, “maybe we could stand to be just a little impulsive.”

Paloma laughed and leaned in to kiss him again, holding him tight and tangling her fingers in his hair. “I think maybe you are right.”

Reid grabbed her hand and turned down another street. There stood a magnificent hotel. “This will do,” he said, looking up at it. Paloma smiled at the opulence of the place. “I’ll get us a room. If this suits you.” The eager puppy dog face was back.

              “This suits me just fine,” she said, seating herself on a finely appointed sofa to wait for him to check them in.

              In the elevator, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Paloma didn’t even notice that the doors opened directly into the room, a penthouse. Reid tossed his jacket to the ground and kicked off his shoes.

       Paloma pushed him back just far enough to start working on the buttons of his shirt. Watching her do that made him calm down a bit and realize that this wasn’t one of those things you wanted to rush. He let her finish unbuttoning his shirt before throwing it to the side. Paloma ran her hands over his muscular chest and abdomen, sending wave after wave of sensation through his body.

              She turned from him, moving her hair out of the way and exposing the zipper of her dress. Reid unzipped it slowly, watching dark skin appear where clothing had been. He wanted his lips all over that skin. Leaning in, he kissed her shoulder and the base of her neck, all while letting her dress fall to the floor in a shimmery blue puddle. She hadn’t worn a bra and her whole back was now exposed to him.

       He turned her slowly, admiring the length of her; legs that stretched for days, her most sacred parts hiding behind thin, black, lacy panties.  Her breasts were full and heavy, her nipples erect already. Reid wrapped his arms around her, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom.

       They lay across the bed, kissing and touching, exploring each other’s flesh. The sensations made her arch her back and beg for more from him. She wanted him now, all of him. Reaching over, she slowly unzipped his pants and pulled him free. Like the rest of him, this part was something to behold.

      Paloma stroked him, feeling the smooth skin slide in and out of her palm. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman and his excitement was evident. He moved away from her only long enough to remove his pants and boxers. Hooking two fingers into her panties, he drew them down, exposing the sweet dark flesh of her most private parts.

              “I haven’t been with anyone in a while,” he said sheepishly, knowing this could potentially be a short ride.

              “Me either,” she confessed. “We will get through it together.” Reid gave her his bright, beaming smile and leaned in to kiss her again. Their bodies fit together almost perfectly. She admired his pale skin next to her darker skin and was pleased with the contrast.

       Reid kissed his way down her neck and chest, pausing to spend time on each breast, licking and suckling softly, causing her to moan in pleasure. He reached down to find her wet and welcoming. He slid first one finger, then two into the welcome opening, teasing her with his tongue and thumb. “Please,” she moaned. “Now. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

              Reid spread her legs and buried himself deep into in one long, slow thrust. They both lay there, looking into each other’s eyes, completely connected in more ways than just one. Slowly, Reid began to pull out, keeping his eyes on Paloma’s. He watched her face, memorizing each tick and movement as he slowly entered and exited her. He was scrutinizing her when he found what he was looking for. That magical spot that made her head roll back and her eyes close. Encouraged, he increased his pace, thrusting deeper and faster until her breath turned to pants and moans. She writhed under him, shifting to take him in as far as he could go. She wrapped her arms around and dug her nails into his back, holding on, unable to let go as her body felt like it was going to burst with the pleasure she was feeling. Her orgasm took her hard, causing her to cry out. Feeling her body tighten around him, Reid was able to finish and let out a moan of his own. He fell, sweaty and glistening, on her chest, burying his face in her breasts. Neither of them spoke for some time afterwards, both too busy trying to catch their breath.

              “I think some more wine is in order,” Reid offered. Paloma agreed and he called down to the front to have it delivered up to them.

Paloma yawned, tired and sated from the wonderful sex they had just had. Reid grabbed a robe from the bathroom and went to get the wine at the door, leaving Paloma alone for only a moment.

              She looked at the room around her, the high, elegant ceilings and the wall to wall window. Idly, she wondered what the room cost per night, but tried to push that idea out of her head. She wasn’t here for his money. This wasn’t
Pretty Woman
; she wasn’t a hooker playing house. She genuinely liked Reid very much. When he returned with the wine and two glasses, he poured them each one and crawled back into the bed. Paloma could see that he was tired as well. She was at a loss for words. She set her glass aside and excused herself to the restroom. When she returned, still trying to sort out the evening, she found Reid asleep in the bed. Debating on what to do, she decided to throw caution to the wind and crawled in beside him. She would sort out everything in the morning. For now she just wanted to sleep. She curled up to Reid’s warm body and fell asleep almost instantly.

              She woke up alone. Her mind cursed her, knowing last night had been too good to be true. Looking around for her clothes, she spotted her panties on the floor and pulled them on. Just as she was about to go to the main room and get her dress, the door opened and Reid appeared, carrying her dress and a tray. He had put on his pants and draped his shirt over his shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned and showing off his sculpted chest. 

“Oh good, you are awake. I had hoped to be prepared before you woke up, but this is just as good. How did you sleep?”

              Confused, Paloma looked at him, then took her dress from him slowly. “I slept very well, thank you,” she finally managed. Reid pulled a small table over to the bed and set down the tray. He helped her zip her dress and pulled a couple of chairs over as well.  “What’s all this?”

              “I was hungry. I figured you would be too, but I wasn’t sure what you wanted. I tried to think of the food that would be the most magical, but I can’t think like you, so I just got a couple of everything,” he said, lifting the lid off with a flourish. The tray was swamped with food. Eggs, bacon, sausage, a number of cheeses, French toast, pancakes, waffles, and fruit of all sorts spilled from the tray. “Surely we can put together a decent breakfast with this?”

              “There is certainly enough, yes.” She laughed, grabbing at a piece of bacon. She was thrilled that nothing seemed awkward this morning. Finding Reid just as open and considerate as he had been the night before really calmed her nerves. She was worried that this would be a one-night stand. Slowly the realization that it wasn’t make a smile crawl across her face.              

              “Why are you smiling?”

              “I’m just having a great time. I didn’t think it would be like this at all. Kit isn’t going to believe this.  Oh shit! I have to call Kit. She probably thinks I’ve been kidnapped or something!” Paloma jumped up from the bed, nearly toppling the tray.

       Reid steadied it as he watched her look around the room, then leave, on a search for, presumably, her bag. She came back in with her phone in hand. “Sure enough, there are only about fifteen messages. Oh, I’m in such big trouble.”

              “Friend of yours, I take it?”

Paloma nodded, putting the phone to her ear. She walked out of the room, talking to her friend. Reid sat back and heaved a sigh. He was hoping for a calm, easy breakfast, not a freak out. She walked back into the room only a minute later and seated herself across from him again.

              “Sorry. I was supposed to keep tabs. She was worried is all.”

              “Worried about me?”

              Paloma shook her head. “The unknown really. Kit is hard. She doesn’t trust easily. The idea of me going on a date with a man neither of us knows kind of freaked her out a bit. Then I didn’t check in at all because I was having such a great time.

       I’m pretty surprised she didn’t call the police, because I wouldn’t put that past her.” There was silence across the table and Reid shoveled a forkful of eggs into his mouth. She watched him chew, her eyes on his the entire time. As soon as he swallowed he let out a hearty laugh. The sound surprised her. That certainly hadn’t been the reaction she was expecting. “What’s so funny?”

              “Your friend sounds great. Truly. I wish I had someone to check in on me and worry if I was out with a serial killer.” He continued laughing, pushing his plate away from him. “Oh, it hurts.”

              “Well, then stop,” Paloma said, her voice quivering with her own barely restrained laugh.

              “I can’t. I just assume she is shorter than you and keep getting this image of a small Chihuahua barking up at this majestic Great Dane. It’s killing me.” Reid covered his face to hide the redness and tears welling up in his eyes. He guffawed into his hands, finally causing Paloma to release her giggles. She fell back on the bed, laughing until she hurt.

       Reid managed to get himself under control and left the table to fall on the bed next to her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her face. “You have no idea how badly I needed that.” Paloma did, though. She was starting to get the fact that he spent a good deal of his time alone and it probably wasn’t much fun at all. “Come on, then, let’s go,” he said, surprising her.

              “Go? Where are we going?”

              “I promised to show you the city on our next date. While we are still technically on the first date, this is still the next day, so I’m going to go ahead and roll date two into date one. If you have the time to spare. I didn’t even bother to ask.”

              “I have the time.  If I didn’t, I would certainly make the time. I’d love to spend the day with you.”

Reid pulled her up off the bed and planted another kiss right on her lips, hugging her against his exposed chest and kissing her so deeply her toes tingled. “I can definitely get used to this.”