Driven By Fate(20)

A pause ensued. “Is there a reason you are calling me instead of sitting at your desk?”

“I can’t make it today.”

Another extended silence. “I await your explanation.”

“Monocle,” she whispered and heard him sigh. “My Uncle Joe is sick and he needs his shift covered. I told him I would do it.”

“Even though we agreed your time today belongs to me.” It wasn’t a question. And he’d phrased it so annoyingly, her hand clenched around the phone. “Very well,” he continued. “I need a ride uptown. How soon can you be here?”

She did a double take. “I—huh?”

“I’m already irritated, Francesca. Please don’t make me repeat myself.”

Thank god. Here was her reminder that she didn’t like him. She didn’t even have to spend the day with him for a refresher course. “I have to pick up fares. For money. I can’t just spend the day driving your stuffy British ass around.”

“Leave the bloody meter running all day if you must. I’ll pay at the end. But you will come here and give me the time agreed upon.” She heard a briefcase snapping shut. “Unless you are the type of person who doesn’t follow through on their responsibilities.”

“Ooh, burn. And here I thought you wanted me to like you.”

“How do you propose I accomplish that when you neglect to show up?”

She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “I don’t have a good feeling about this. It would be like you’re paying me for work I’m not actually doing. I don’t take free money.” One of her classmates passed in front of the cab and they exchanged a wave. “How about this? I’ll drive you uptown. But after that, I’m picking up fares. You can even veto any fares that look questionable, if it fulfills your need to be in charge.”

“I agree to these terms. See you downstairs.”

He hung up.

Grumbling over the delay in turning on her meter, Frankie pulled onto Broadway. She got lucky with traffic, and it took her twenty-two minutes to head east across town and pull up in front of Porter’s building in Tudor City. He climbed into the passenger side, still talking on his cell phone, but ended the call after a brisk goodbye. Her casual greeting was cut off when he immediately handed her an envelope. The money he owed her for working the day prior? As he watched closely, she weighed it in her hand, examining how she felt about being paid by the man she was sleeping with. If she hadn’t worked hard for it, she would have handed the money back. And the promise of paying down her debt to the Prestons was far too great. She pocketed the envelope.

“Do you really have an appointment uptown?”

“Is your uncle really ill?”

Frankie’s mouth dropped open.

Porter reached over the closed it with a single finger. “Right. Now that we’ve both accused each other of being liars, I have something else for you.”

“A gift?”

“Yes.”

She eyed him warily. “I don’t like gifts.”

“Why is that?”

“I didn’t pay for them.”

He raked her body with a look. “Very well. I shall make you pay for it.”

Tingling heat blossomed between her legs. She thought of how he’d chased her last night. Made her submit. How much pleasure she’d derived from it. “I should take offense to you implying I’ll pay for that gift with my body, but the truth is, I don’t really care. I just want you to take me again.”

His gaze darkened. “You tell me this now? When we’re about to embark on the world’s longest cab ride? I should carry you upstairs for a punishment this minute.” He moved closer on the leather bench seat. “You haven’t even begun to be taken by me. Last night was a preview.”

Oh God, his mouth was right there. Right there. “You wanted honesty, but you’re mad at me for giving it to you?”

“Not angry.” He took her hand. Before she discovered his intention, he’d pressed her palm to his huge erection. “Not angry, Francesca. Aching.”

She couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were on fire. His weight felt so good in her hand, but she was afraid to move, in case she caused more discomfort. “I’m sorry.”

“I had no intention of coming inside your tight, choking * just once. If you hadn’t left, you’d have been bent over, put on your knees, tied up and ridden within minutes.” He swelled larger in her hand. “I’m very rarely satisfied after coming once, Francesca. With you, I expect it will require much more.”

“Th-there you go, complimenting me again,” she whispered. “Can I have my one kiss now?”

“Using it up so early, are we?”

She shivered at the gruff way he spoke. “I thought of a way around that rule.” When he pushed himself against her hand, she couldn’t stop herself from stroking. “You only give me one kiss. But what if I gave you two? Technically, we wouldn’t be breaking any Porter Commandments.”

Thoughts raced behind his eyes. “I’ll think about it.” He made a savoring sound, just above her mouth. As if he’d just taken a bite of warm, chocolate lava cake. Mmmm. “It might help your cause if you accept the gift I brought you.”

“My cause?” She narrowed her gaze. “I seem to recall you didn’t mind kissing me.”