The Billionaire's Gamble (9 page)

He laughed loudly at her comment. “Of course you can choose one. In fact, you should pick out several. There will be other events that you might need a dress like this.”

Sabrina shook her head but her empty hand reached out to touch the delicate fabric of a bright blue dress. “No, I can’t accept these dresses. expensive,” she said.

Sid took down the blue dress and held it out in front of her. They are far too

He looked at her figure, then at her eyes. “No, this one won’t work for you,” he said and hung it back on the wrack.

“Why not?” she asked, ready to laugh at the way he quickly pulled it away.

“Not striking enough. Here, try this one on,” he said and handed her a green silk dress with a simple front that came all the way up to her neck. But when she turned it around, she realized that there was no back to it.

“I can’t wear that dress,” she said and shook her head.

 

“Why not?” he asked, his eyes looking at her, alight with a fire inside. “I think you’d look stunning in it.”

Sabrina shook her head, but at the same time wished she had the courage to wear something like that. “No, really. I’d be too self-conscious in it.” She bit her lower lip in regret as she stepped away from the dress reluctantly.

Sid turned her around and took the untouched martini out of her hand. “Go try it on. You don’t have much time left before the party starts. It’s almost eight o’clock now and the guests will start arriving in the ballroom soon.”

Wanting to just try it on and see what it would look like on her, Sabrina took the dress and allowed him to lead her to the bathroom which was a large black and white marble extravagance complete with a shower fixed with multiple shower heads and granite counter tops. She quickly pulled off her suit, eager to see what the glorious green dress would do to her skin and hair. She slipped the soft silk over her body and it felt like warm, smooth water gliding down over her skin. When she turned to face herself in the mirror, she was shocked to see her reflection. Was this sexy, stunning woman really the shy person who, until seven months ago had been living a quiet, almost boring life in Virginia?

The woman looking back at her, despite the bra straps visible outside the fabric, made her seem sultry and sophisticated. Sexy! The dress was glamour defined and she twisted from side to side to see her figure in the luxurious silk. The knock on the door was preceded by Sid coming through carrying three other dresses. These were just as stunning but he stopped short when he saw her.

He placed the dresses on a hook and walked over to where she was standing. “It looks incredible,” he said. “But this really isn’t going to work.” With deft hands, he reached around and unsnapped her bra. There was nothing hindering his hands since the dress had no back. With a few simple movements, the thin shoulder straps fell off her shoulders and he pulled the lacy scrap of material out the side. “Now look at yourself,” he said, his deep voice even huskier as he turned her to face the mirror once again.

As she watched, Sid reached up and pulled the pins out of her masses of hair, the tangles spilling out over her shoulders. “That’s better,” he said, his calloused fingers sliding gently down her arms.

Sabrina’s hands wanted to reach up and cover her breasts which were now more visible through the silk material. As were her nipples and the hardened peaks showed prominently through. Her breathing was rapid and she was embarrassed by her reaction to his touch.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, standing behind her, his hands firmly held hers away from her body but as he continued to watch, she felt the rest of her body react. The space between her legs became wet and her body swayed against his. She tried to stand up straight, but he felt her sway and pulled her against him. Sabrina was shocked to find that he was just as aroused as she was and her eyes shot up to his, questioning.

But Sid wasn’t watching her anymore. His hands were on her upper arms and his head was descending to kiss her neck. When his lips touched her ear, she gasped, her bottom pressing more firmly against his thighs and his hands came around to the front, pressing her thighs against his, her shoulders against his chest.

“Sid?” she asked, her head falling back against his shoulder, giving him greater access to her neck.

 

“Shh,” he said, his mouth moving along her sensitive neck, nibbling her earlobe.

Within moments, Sabrina was a quivering mass of need and her hands covered his, pressing against her skin more firmly. She breathed in, trying to find the strength to pull back but the air was filled with his scent and it only made her head spin more crazily.

When his hands reached into her dress, she cried out and her body almost fell over. If his hands hadn’t been there, she wasn’t sure what would have happened. As it was, she pushed her whole body against his, writhing with her need now as his thumbs flicked her nipples, sending sharp stabs of desire shooting through her body.

Her hands reached around to hold him, gripping his thighs in a desperate attempt to find some stability but it was pointless as one hand pulled free of her dress, then slid down her waist.

“I want you,” Sid said, groaning deeply. With a quick movement, his hands pulled away from her breasts, causing Sabrina to cry out. He then spun her around and held her tightly in his arms. “We can’t do this here. When I make love to you, I want a bed and absolute privacy along with several hours to do it right.”

“I don’t think I can take much more of this,” she whispered, her whole body trembling against his strong frame. “If you’re not going to take me upstairs to your bedroom right now, then you can’t touch me for the rest of the night.”

She felt more than heard his rumble of laughter against her cheek which was laying against his chest. “Then you’ve finally reached the point that I’ve been in since I met you,” he said.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

 

He smiled but shook his head. “No, I’m not going to ask this here. Meet me upstairs tonight after midnight. We need to talk.”

 

Sid led her out of the bathroom, chuckling at the confusion in her green eyes. “Don’t worry. You’ll like my surprise.”

Sabrina forced a smile on her face but she wasn’t really satisfied with his answer to her unspoken question. Nor was she satisfied with the promise of sexual fulfillment later on. She wanted him now, desperately and she was grinding her teeth in an effort to control herself and stop from flinging her arms around him and demanding that he take her upstairs to his penthouse suite.

As soon as she entered the lobby, a series of people walked up to her with problems or questions and she felt Sid slip away from her waist. She was grateful that he didn’t flaunt their relationship in front of the people who worked for her, but she missed the warmth of his hand on her back.

She quickly dealt with the current round of crises, then made her way to the ballroom where the New Year’s Eve Party was well underway. Hundreds of guests all dressed in their finest, were already dancing, drinking and eating the delicious foods. She’d organized dance classes for whoever wanted them in a separate room as well as entertainers who strolled around the main ballroom, breathing fire, swallowing swords, twirling hula hoops around their waists while balancing a ball of water on their heads among others. It was all very interesting and festive but Sabrina missed most of them since she was moving from room to room, making sure the event went along smoothly. She only had a few minor issues but overall, the event seemed to be a resounding success. By the time the bottles of champagne were poured and the new year rung in, she was feeling proud of another wonderful event gone well.

It was only twelve-thirty in the morning when she felt someone touch her elbow. “Can you break away yet?” Sid asked, his deep voice bringing back memories of their few moments in the bathroom earlier in the night.

She looked around, eager to get away and find out more of his surprise. “Yes. I think everything is under control. Most people will be moving out to gamble in the casino now.” Turning, she smiled up at his handsome face. “And I’m eager to know what you’re secret message is.”

“Come along, then,” he said and put a hand to the small of her back to guide her away.

He took her into the private elevator and as soon as the doors closed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It wasn’t a demanding kiss but was gentle and coaxing, as if he were seducing her softly. Sabrina couldn’t resist this kind of kiss any more than she would be able to resist his more demanding embraces. She leaned greedily into him, enjoying how strong he was and how seductive his mouth as it moved across hers.

The ding of the elevators interrupted Sid, but Sabrina was startled to feel him pull away, having forgotten that they were still in the elevator. She let out a deep sigh as he led her through the hallway and blushed when she heard him chuckle behind her. “Patience,” he said softly.

They entered his penthouse a moment later and Sabrina gasped when she saw all the roses and candles lining every available surface. The fireplace was even lit, adding to the romantic ambiance. She stood in the center of the room, looking around with astonishment when she heard the champagne bottle pop. Looking over at Sid, he was carrying two glasses of champagne, his eyes boring into hers with a look that made her stomach muscles clench and her knees start to tremble.

“Have a glass,” he said and handed her one of the flutes of champagne. “I noticed you didn’t get to ring in the new year with a glass so here’s to the next year,” he said and clinked her glass. “I hope it will fulfill both our expectations.”

Sabrina took a tentative sip, but her eyes couldn’t pull away from his. There was something in the depth of his gaze that held her steadfast, worried and excited at the same time. “Mmm,” she said as the bubbly liquid slid down her throat. “What’s the occasion?”

He pulled her into his arms, his head bending down to nuzzle her behind her ear. “It’s New Year’s Eve, you’re beautiful, the night is young relatively speaking. Do you need any more reasons?” he asked, his teeth capturing her earlobe.

Sabrina could barely think when he did things like this to her. She couldn’t stop her body from melting into his hard, tall frame as he found each sensitive spot. “No. I guess those are all wonderful reasons,” she replied, gasping and shivering each time he moved his mouth. The glass of champagne was still in her hand but she had to hold it out away from their bodies so she didn’t spill it. “That feels wonderful.”

His husky laugh was like a silk blanket on her already sensitized skin. “Good,” he replied, his hand moving up her back to where the satin of her dress gave way to bare skin. “That’s the goal.” He moved from her ear to her neck, then down to her shoulder. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Yes,” she groaned, eyes closed and voraciously hungry but not for food.

 

“What would you like to eat?” he asked, moving to the other side of her neck. “I’ll have the chef send something up.”

“You,” she said before she could stop herself. When she realized she’d actually spoken the word, she froze. Her eyes opened wide and her face flamed into color as she looked into Sid’s amused, hungry eyes.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

 

“I can’t believe I did,” she replied, burying her face in his chest.

Sid laughed and took the glass of champagne from her hands before lifting her hands so they were on his shoulders. “I’m glad you did. I want to affect you like that,” he said, his mouth returning to her neck. “Feel free to tell me anything,” he encouraged. “It turns me on that I can do that to you.”

Sabrina laughed slightly. “I’m not sure you need any encouragement in that area,” she said, shivering as his hand slid up to her breast.

 

“We were meant to be like this,” he said, his thumb hovering right below her breast, teasing.

Sabrina couldn’t think at that moment. All she knew was that his thumb was too low. Her body was aching to feel his fingers on her breast, teasing the nipple but she was too embarrassed to tell him.

“Say it, Sabrina,” he soothed. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

She tried. Sabrina really tried. But she was just too embarrassed to say the words. Her mouth formed the words and she could say them in her mind, but her voice wouldn’t push the comment out. “I can’t,” she said after struggling through the torment. “Please Sid!” she begged.

A moment later, her world tilted as he lifted her into his arms. He carried her over to the sofa and sat down with her in his lap. When she tried to wiggle off, he simply put a hand to her hip and positioned her more intimately against him. “That’s one thing you’re going to have to get over when we marry,” he said and covered her mouth with his, absorbing her gasp with his lips.

Sabrina was caught off guard. While his lips worked their magic kiss, her mind whirled, trying to replay his words in her head. Had he really just said they would be getting married? Was he serious? What on earth was he….. she stopped thinking when his fingers finally touched her nipple. Her body arched and she threw herself into the kiss, uncaring at that moment if they were to be married or thrown off a bridge. She needed his touch more than breathing.

“How soon can we be married?” he asked, his fingers slipping inside her dress just as they had hours ago in his bathroom.

“I don’t care!” she cried out and her hands reached up to pull his head down to her mouth, her body writhing in pleasure so intense it was almost painful. “Please don’t stop,” she begged and was grateful when he maneuvered them so he was leaning over her on the sofa. It gave her better access to his incredible body and she made quick use of that position to push his dinner jacket off his shoulders.

“You’re so beautiful,” he groaned when his fingers had pulled the zipper down on her dress and his hands were able to peel the fabric away, revealing her breast and nipple for the first time to his seeking eyes.

“Sid!” she cried out, almost screaming when his mouth covered her nipple, his teeth scraping the peak and making her heart race and her breath come out in gasps.

 

“I want you now, Sabrina!” he said roughly and stood up, carrying her with him.

Sabrina threw her arms around his neck while he carried her into his bedroom. Her mouth found his neck and repeated his actions to his own neck. It was an incredible feeling to hear him moan just as she had done earlier.