The Offer (Books 1-3): The Billionaire’s Love Story (The Billionaire’s Love Story Boxed Set Book 2)
Chapter 18

Was he sure?

Hell, yeah. His pulse raced and his fingers trembled as he worked the key to the penthouse door. It didn’t help that Savannah’s fingers teased along the waistband of his trousers and shivers scampered along his back.

He pushed open the door and with his hand on the small of her back, pushed her in. She glanced around, her eyes widening as she looked around, taking in the windowed wall at the far end, and the spiral staircase. She looked around in awe, breathless and speechless, the way most people were when they first came up here. He caught the motion of her chest heaving fast and furious and saw that her eyes were bright, her skin translucent.

She looked at him with pure desire. Closing the door behind him, he walked towards her and took her by the fingers, gently pulling her to him. She was heat, and softness, and he didn’t know how long he could hold back.

“Welcome to my penthouse,” he said, cupping her cheek with one hand and sliding her coat off with the other.

“It’s…it’s…” He knew. The light and space up here, the wood and windows, the metal staircase, all of it left people speechless. But she hadn’t come here to admire the setting. He raked his fingers through her hair and she pushed her body up against his chest, her soft body driving his hard one insane. Soon enough, if they didn’t slow down, he would reach the point of no return.

“It’s beautiful up here,” she murmured.

“Hmmmm,” he moved his hands to her face and fingered the outline of her lips with his thumbs. “Do you want to talk about what happened? Now that you’ve calmed down and hopefully forgiven me.”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while.”

“I know. I kept my distance deliberately. I wanted you to have your space.”

“Why did you stop emailing me that day?” she asked. Their emails had quickly taken on a more personal tone; writing words behind a screen was easy but he needed to see her face-to-face, to make sure things were fine once more between them. “I wanted to be sure you weren’t still angry with me.”

“I’m not angry with you.”

“I’m forgiven?” He asked.

“Completely. It’s all in the past.” Relieved, he bent down and slipped a kiss on her lips again. She tasted heavenly, of champagne, and lust and his mind soared into overdrive, an image of her naked body flashing into his mind. Her mewling, as she ground her hips into him, sent the blood rushing around his body. Engorged, he needed release. “Is this the champagne talking, Savannah?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s me. I think about you more times than is good for me. We’ve said things to one another in the past but I don’t think it’s what we meant to say. I know I lashed back at you. But it’s not the way I feel now.” This was music to his ears, that she didn’t play games, didn’t hold back but laid her heart on the line. He’d have to be careful he didn’t crush it carelessly again. He didn’t intend to. “It’s not?” he asked, knowing that she was right but not able to tell her, just yet, of how he felt. He slipped his arms around her waist.

“Make love to me.” Her hooded eyes, stared up at him from behind thick mascara’d lashes.

Anticipating the next hour, his mind still managed to function. “What about Jacob?”

“I have a babysitter.” He struggled to maintain control, especially when all he wanted to do was to rip her dress off and get dirty with her. “What do you want to do?” He asked, as an image of her lying spread-eagled on his bed upstairs tempted him.

“How about we discuss the charts I created earlier,” she whispered, sucking his lower lip. He pulled his head back, his fingers frozen on the curve of her hip. “Charts?” he asked, he could never tell with Savannah Page.

“Don’t be silly,” she replied, her lips slinking into a smile as her fingers raked through his hair. He could smell the zingy scent of her perfume and his body tensed in preparation. They lingered once more, entrenched in a kiss so deep, so molten, that he found himself falling deeper into her, his mind and senses being swallowed whole.

“I want you to screw me senseless,” she whispered.

The blood rushed south, emptying his mind of normal thought. “We don’t have to rush things, Savann—”

“Stop. Talking.” She breathed, “Before I change my mind.” He heard the urgency in her voice, could feel it in the way she kissed him, with a thirst and a hunger he hadn’t come across. He wanted it slower, upstairs, in bed; wanted to take his time with her, to examine every inch of her, to undress her slowly, revealing each part of her in turn, he wanted to work his mouth and tongue over every crevice of her body because for weeks now she had lingered in his thoughts and now his moment with her had come.

But she didn’t look like a woman who could wait. Her boldness and brashness, her heat and want, excited him beyond reason. He wasn’t used to this, to having someone else control the timing and pacing of his lovemaking, but then he’d always known she was different.

“Do you have—?”

“Yes,” he replied, walking away to a chest of drawers on which a bright green and navy blue vase rested. He fumbled inside the drawers and felt her hands around his waist as she hugged his back. “You have protection placed strategically throughout your penthouse?” She giggled, and he felt her breasts against his back. She peeped around his arm, her lips grazing his bicep with a small kiss.

“I have to be careful,” he replied, slipping the foil packet into the pocket of his trousers as he turned around to face her. “Are we really going to do this now? Don’t you want to wait for a more opportune time?” In answer she lifted on her tiptoes and kissed him on his lips, letting her tongue swirl around his lips and running her hands down the side of his ribs.

He was going to explode if this continued. She pulled back and stared at him with bedroom eyes. “I’m a single Mom, Tobias. I don’t have a lot of time, or many opportune moments. Not that I make a habit out of doing this.”

And that was when he grabbed her wrist.

“Where are you going?” she asked, as he moved towards the spiral staircase.

“Upstairs.”

“Upstairs?”

“To bed. I want to enjoy you slowly, Savannah.”

“I don’t want slow.” She told him as she tugged at his hand.

“But I want our first time to be special, I want to take my time with you and be gentle.” He pulled her towards him, his hungry hands squeezing her bottom once more and pushing her body further into his hardness.

“I haven’t had sex in almost three years, Tobias. Slow and gentle aren’t the things I need right now.”

Holy shit. His jaw tightened when her hands started to undo his belt. He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to rip her dress off, and needing to restrain himself now that her confession made him feel like a man who hadn’t had sex for years. “Then I will do my best to screw you senseless,” he murmured, nipping her lower lip and dragging her towards the corner, near the curved TV screen and the sectional sofa pit.

He threw her onto the dark gray velvet sofa which was larger than a bed. Orange and green brocade cushions bounced as she moved back up on it, inviting him with those sultry eyes. Her dress rode up, only barely covering her thighs, and Tobias licked his lips. His breathing was ragged as he peeled off her tights, taking her panties off at the same time. He wanted to savor the sight of her but as he reached for the hem of her dress, unsure how to take it off, she pushed his hands away. He wanted to strip her down to nothing, but for now, for today, for this first time, he was going to respect her wishes and do it her way. He’d have his chance later. He sat back on his knees and pulled out his foil packet when she shimmied forward and undid his belt. He got up and almost groaned in agony when she pulled his boxer briefs and trousers down. He shrugged them off as she lay back, propped up on her elbows, watching him sheath himself. His heartbeat rocketed as he caught her staring in this most intimate moment. He had no qualms, or worries or outrageous accusations to make. He’d been missing something in his life and this woman had somehow managed to make herself fit right into it. He didn’t know how, he didn’t know what would happen next, all he knew was that he needed her, and he liked to think she needed him too. His soul warmed at the thought of their need for one another.

She moved her legs apart and threw her head back, giving him a look that made him want to crawl all over her like a spotty teenager, except that he was now schooled in holding back, in maintaining his control. He climbed onto the sofa and gently lowered his body over hers, at the same time lifting her dress up and feeling her wet nakedness for the first time. She arched her back, letting out a long and drawn out sigh as his mouth melted into hers. He was more turned on than ever by the sound of her moans, long and low. Her soft breasts rested against his chest and he longed to suckle them, but there was no opening on her dress and he couldn’t replace the access he so craved. He was desperate to see her naked, to feel all of her against him but she threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him like her life depended on it.

Three years?

He moved his thumb around her swollen wetness, getting even harder when he found her soaking wet. Slipping into position, he met her softness with his hardness and dipped his head down, kissing her deeply. His tongue meshed with hers and as each mewl escaped from her mouth, it became harder for him to hold back. He lifted his head and stared at her, and then she groaned; a guttural sound, hungry and deep. That was it. He rammed into her with one smooth thrust, all the way to the hilt, making her scream, before he pulled out slowly. And again and again, slipping out slowly, sliding in hard and fast; the wet and sloshy noises of their union mingled with her cries of rapture, and took him to a place where they were one. Raw and animalistic, this felt like more than making love. Her cries rose with every thrust, making him want to do it over and over again.

Three years?

His deep frustrations, built up in the weeks he’d stayed away from her, now melted away with every stroke, every push and every pull. He never once took his gaze off her; she was hot and wet, her thighs moist with sweat. As her dress bunched up around her waist, his gaze fell to her face, to her open mouth and closed eyes as she whimpered and sighed loudly, bucking wildly, easily and fast, and all he could do was watch as she came, shuddering and throbbing, her face flushed pink as her knees hugged his waist. She was too far gone, too deeply immersed in her own world as he stared down at her, allowing himself to be completely swallowed up by her. It took all of his control not to explode as he watched her release. When he came, moments later, it was violently and with a release that drained him to his core.

After a short while they turned on their sides, facing each other. He stared into her bright eyes, losing himself in them and giving himself up to a connection so deep, he could almost feel it in his heart.

She smiled, “I’ve never felt that before,” she murmured, stroking his hair. In answer, he bent down and seared her lips with another deep kiss. He would want her again, and again, and again.

He didn’t know how long they lay there, except that she suddenly sat upright and glanced at her watch. “Jacob!” she gasped. “I have to get back. I told Rosalee I’d be back by ten. It’s almost half past.” The anxiety in her voice forced him back to reality. He reluctantly moved off the sofa as she hunted around for her things. He found her panties behind a cushion and gave them to her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, turning her back to him as she hopped into them. “Hey,” he said, once he had pulled on his trousers and made himself decent. He grabbed her hands and forced her to look at him. “Was that…was that worthy of your three year hiatus?”

“Couldn’t you tell?” she asked, smiling back at him. “It was definitely worthy.”

“No regrets?”

“None.” She said, picking up her coat, in an obvious hurry to get away. “You?”

“None.” He waited for her to slip her shoes back on before he pulled her to him and kissed her again. He couldn’t help but slide his eager hands around her thick coat. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go,” she said, placing her hands on either side of his face. “But I have to. I’m sorry.”

“I want to see you again. This isn’t just a one night stand…is it?”

She paused a fraction too long before answering. “I hope not.”

“It’s not. I want to see you again, Savannah. Not just for this,” he explained, not wanting to get things off to a wrong start. “I mean you and me, being together, not just this…”

“This was pretty great,” she said, a smile dancing on her lips, “As far as this goes. We all know that whatever Tobias Stone wants, Tobias Stone gets.” She lifted her lips and kissed him again.

“Not always,” he murmured. “But most of the time.”

“It could get complicated,” she said.

It would be complicated. He had yet to own up to his part in orchestrating her decision to remain with his company. She would hate him for it, for controlling her in this way but he’d done it because he believed he’d given her a better alternative. Of course, she would have another opinion on the matter.

It still wasn’t going to deter him. Nothing would. He liked that she didn’t play mind games or speak in riddles. “Are you glad I came?” she asked, her gaze dropping once more to his lips.

“Literally or figuratively?” he asked, wishing she wasn’t wearing that coat and wanting to feel her skin beneath it. “Both,” she replied, the glazed expression in her darkened eyes telling him that she was hungry for him again. He wanted to spend the night with her, and not only the night, but the whole weekend too. “Come away with me, this weekend,” he urged but she had moved away from him, as if he’d said something hurtful.

“I’d forgotten that you were going away.”

“I’m going to a friend’s wedding in Martha’s Vineyard. Come with me.”

“I can’t do that, Tobias, as much as I would love to,” she seemed suddenly flustered. “I have Jacob. I can’t up and go whenever I want.”

Of course, she couldn’t. “I understand.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” she asked, looking worried. He slipped his hands around her waist, needing her to know that it wasn’t going to be a problem. “Not at all, I promise you.”

“It sounds like a nice weekend,” she said quietly, as she fished her cell phone out from her bag. .

“It would have been even better with you there.” But she was staring at her cell phone, her face tightening in an instant. “Savannah,” he said, tracing his finger along her cheek. “What’s the matter?”

She shoved the cell phone away. “Nothing. I thought Rosalee might have called. But she didn’t.”

“So?” What had scared her? “Savannah?”

“My uh…my ex called.” She laughed nervously.

“What did he want?” He inclined his head, his breath catching in his chest.

“I don’t know. I missed his call, and anyway,” she dismissed it with a blink of her eyes, “he probably rang me by mistake.” But Tobias was wary. He knew enough about her unsavory ex than to dismiss it so easily. “This wedding on the weekend,” she said, tugging at her earlobe, “Is it just you going?”

“If you won’t come with me, then yes, I’ll go alone.” He grazed his lips against hers, the urge strong to turn the light kiss heavy. He pulled away reluctantly before she made him hard again and cupped her face in his hands. “I don’t have anyone else in my life, Savannah. You know that but maybe things will be different now.” She turned her lips towards his fingers and kissed them. “Maybe.”

Maybe this could work.

“I have to get back,” she told him. “I’ve never been this late before.” The thought of not waking up with her tomorrow, of only having her for such a short amount of time, just about killed him.

“I’ll drive you back.”

“Thank you.” She seemed anxious to get back to Jacob. He didn’t know what that felt like anymore—being responsible and caring for someone. But now he was determined to take away her worries and the harshness of her life, and make things better for her again.

When the time was right—and if she was okay with it—he’d take her away somewhere, only the two of them; somewhere where they could be alone. Later, when she was ready, and if things went well, they could all spend time together, Jacob too. He would take the lead from her.

For the first time in years, Tobias Stone dared to believe that all was not lost, and that maybe this was the start of a new beginning.