Escorting the Billionaire by Leigh James

James

When I’d seenher leaving the church, I only had one thought: No.

Then I’d found her with her piss-poor excuse of a mother, and I’d tried to make everything okay. We watched as her mother hobbled off into the afternoon, lighting another cigarette immediately and muttering to herself.

I held out my arm to Audrey. “Well,” I said. “Sorry about that.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Audrey asked.

“No. That’s your mother. I shouldn’t have spoken to her like that.”

She stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, hell yes, you should have. She showed up here to ruin the wedding. She was in the church, James. She was going to make a scene.”

“I’m still sorry.”

“Is it true? About the detective you hired?”

“No,” I said sheepishly. “But I know someone who can do that. I just wanted her to leave you alone.”

“Thank you,” she said. “You’ve been too good to me.”

“Not as good as you deserve,” I said. “I should have just threatened her to begin with. Then she wouldn’t have gotten so greedy.” I sighed and pulled her to me. “Let’s just forget the drama for now. Your mother’s been handled.” One down, one to go. “Let’s go to the reception. Both of our mothers have left me in serious need of a drink.”

“Is the wedding over?” She peered at the church, looking crestfallen.

“Close enough. I don’t think going back in there right now is wise. Let’s just head to the Plaza.” I called Kai; he pulled up in less than a minute.

“So, you left during the ceremony?”

“I gave the rings to my cousin. He handled it,” I said, shrugging. “I don’t even think Todd noticed.”

“What about your parents?”

“I didn’t check in with them, Audrey. I don’t care.”

She reached over and squeezed my hand. “James. What your mother said to me last night… you would care about it.”

“I don’t care what my mother wants,” I said. “I care what you want. And you still haven’t told me.” I watched her profile, flustered but still perfect. “Tell me what you want, Audrey.”

She fidgeted, and I sighed while I waited, my headache coming back. I put my hand on her thigh. I wanted her to feel me, to remember what it was like to have my hands on her.

“What I want and what you need are two different things.” She put her hand over mine. “Does that make sense?”

“No,” I said. “No, it does not.” It didn’t make sense, and it sounded like a thinly veiled letdown. My head started to pound. We pulled up outside the building, and I led her in, waiting for her to talk. The Plaza was splendid, decorated with every care for Evie and Todd’s reception. I noticed none of it, walking through the ornately decorated lobby and heading straight for the bar in the ballroom. We were the first guests here—we had the place all to ourselves.

“Two martinis, please. Hot and dirty.”

Audrey raised her eyebrow at me. “I’ve never heard you order that before.”

“I’m just trying to keep you interested,” I said, fighting to keep my voice even. I felt like I was about to lose something, and I never lost. Fuck. This could not be happening to me.

She had the upper hand and I had… nothing.

“Of course I’m interested,” she said, a soothing sound in her voice. The actress was back, trying to calm me, trying to give me another pass.

“Audrey. Don’t. I need to hear something from you that makes sense.” The bartender handed us our drinks, and I took a long sip.

She leaned back against the bar and exhaled, as if she was either frustrated or defeated—or both. Then she turned and played with my jacket, putting her mask aside and looking at me with those big, honest Bambi eyes of hers. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just trying to keep it together right now. There’s just a lot… to consider. It’s not just about me.”

She pressed herself against me, and I felt myself growing thick and hot against her, like I always did. This time, though, my arousal was almost painful. I didn’t know what she wanted, and it was cutting me. I leaned down and kissed her, parting her lips and deepening the kiss, my tongue searching for hers.

She pulled back. “I have to do the right thing for you. That’s what I want.”

I kissed her again, running my hands over her bare shoulders delicately. I needed to show her what the right thing was. I grabbed her hand and put it on my cock. It throbbed against her.

It may have been crude, but it was honest. I needed her.

“James.” She tried to pull away, but I stared down at her, willing her not to, as I grew harder still against her touch.

“Don’t pull away from me. Ever.” I meant that in more ways than one.

Other guests were starting to arrive, so I quickly grabbed her hand and brought her down the back hall. I found the coat-check room. It was June, so the room was empty. I pulled her inside and pressed her up against the wall, my erection fierce and accusatory against her now.

“I need you,” I said. “Do you understand that?”

Her face, raw and open and honest, stared up at me. “Is this just sex? For you?” Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

I took a step back from her, wounded. I motioned to the air between us. “This is not just sex. And it hasn’t been, even from the first time.” I paused for a beat. “For me.”

Something softened in her eyes, and she pulled me to her. She undid my pants quickly, almost desperately. My cock sprung free, and she stroked it between both of her hands while I fumbled with her long beaded gown. “Just unzip it.” She turned around, and I undid her dress; it cascaded in heavy waves to the floor. She stepped outside of it and put her back to the wall, spreading her legs for me. “I want you.”

I knelt before her, ripping my tuxedo jacket off. I took her delicate lace underwear and roughly shoved them to the side. Then I spread her legs a little more and kissed her cleft. She moaned and I circled her with my tongue, licking and sucking her clit.

“I need you inside me,” she said desperately, grinding down on my face. “I need your cock.” I sucked her harder, feeling her body bunch up and clench around me. She fisted her hands through my hair, and she came, hard and quick, crying out and shaking above me. I stood, my pants undone, and hitched my hard length against her slit. She was so wet, so ready for me, I started to get dizzy. “Do you want me?” I asked breathlessly against her ear.

In answer, she grabbed the tip of my cock and put it inside her. She looked up at me. “Fuck me, James. Please. I need to feel you inside me.”

I lifted her up a little and adjusted my hips so that I was pinning her against the wall. Then I slid all the way into her, all at once. Her tight body stretched around mine, and she cried out, a mixture of pain and relief in her voice. “That’s it, baby,” she said. “That’s what I wanted.” She leaned down and kissed me fiercely, and I pounded into her, my thrusts as ragged as the emotions inside me.

I entered her deeper and harder each time. She arched her back, and the underwear I’d pushed to the side chafed against me, driving me wild. I was blind inside of her, pounding, seeking my release urgently. I held her shoulders, pumping into her over and over, my hands scraping over her breasts, still encased in her lace bra. I was so close, so out of control.

I wanted to fill her with me.

“Oh my God,” she said, her body starting to quake and clench around me. “James.” Then she threw her head back and cried out loudly as she shattered. That pushed me over the edge; I clung to her and pounded into her desperately, exploding into her.

“Audrey,” I cried, clinging to her.

I set her down gently, both of us limp and shaky. I looked down and saw her face against my chest. Her eyes were shut tight.

“I love you,” she whispered against me. “I just want you to know that.” I could feel her shaking. I held her to me, just loving the feel of her body against mine, the joy her words brought.

“And James.”

“What, baby?” I asked, staring down at her gorgeous face, her eyes still scrunched up tight.

“I quit.”