Maid for the Billionaire(12)

Abby shared a look with her sister. Dominic couldn‘t be all that bad if he‘d taken an old employee‘s wife under his wing. What was holding her back? She wanted to go just as much as he wanted her there. Could her sister be right? Was it time for her to shrug off the responsible role she‘d donned out of necessity and allow herself this one crazy adventure?

―Ok,‖ Abby said in a shaky voice. ―I‘ll do it.‖

―That‘s fantastic,‖ Mrs. Duhamel said. ―Now get some rest, dear. I‘ll pick you up at seven.‖

Before hanging up, Abby asked, ―Are you sure about all this? There must be someone else he…‖

The older woman rushed to reassure her. ―Don‘t second guess yourself. Take it one step at a time. For now, just focus on the fact that you‘re going to be pampered tomorrow like you‘ve never imagined.‖

―That does sound nice.‖

―You have no idea, Abby. I‘ll see you at 7.‖

Lill leaned back into the couch while a bemused Abby placed the handset back on its charger on the wall. ―If it helps, Abby, I think you made the right choice.‖

Abby softened her response with a smile. ―That‘s actually the part that scares me.‖

Lill threw a small cushion that Abby deftly avoided with a chuckle. No matter how tomorrow turned out, things were already much better than they had been in a very long time.



Chapter Six

Late morning, Abby stood before a full-length mirror in the changing room of an expensive clothing boutique which had instantly closed its doors to further customers at her arrival. She barely recognized herself. Her dark brown curls had been tamed into soft waves around her now flawless face. Her eyes had never looked so large or her nose so petite. She‘d always considered herself to be average in appearance, but Marie had been correct that all the waxing and primping had given her a new level of confidence. She felt beautiful.

If she were honest, there was also a spark of anticipation in those eyes that stared back in the mirror. She might have told herself that she was getting dressed for the lawyer‘s office, but she knew she was hoping that whatever hunger she‘d felt from Dominic yesterday had not been in her imagination. Her body came alive as she remembered how he‘d made her blood pound with just the heat of sexual interest in his eyes. Would his touch contain the same promise of barely restrained, primal lust?

Could anything that good survive the light of day?

The strapless black dress she‘d been handed clung to her every curve, leaving nothing to the imagination. Demure on the hanger, it hung too low on her ample chest to be publicly appropriate, barely concealing her present state of excitement. ―Marie, this one is too sexy for me. How about something looser with sleeves?‖

―Show me.‖ The male voice that answered her was definitely not Marie.

Dominic! Abby gasped, covering her cleavage with one hand and grabbing the doorknob with the other.

―Do not open the door,‖ Abby ordered. ―What are you doing here?‖

There was the sound of slight movement in the outside room and of the outer door closing.

―I‘m checking on your progress. We have just enough time to catch lunch before the meeting if you hurry.‖

―The dress doesn‘t fit,‖ Abby lied. She wanted him to find her attractive, not consider offering her cash again. ―I need Marie to get me another style.‖

―Show me.‖

―No.‖

―I dare you.‖

―You think I cave to adolescent peer pressure techniques?‖

―Show me.‖

―It‘s not appropriate for today. Ask Marie to get the dark blue one we looked at.‖

―I will. After you show me.‖ If the sound of a chair being placed near the changing room door was any indication, Dominic wasn‘t going anywhere.

Abby released the door handle and squared her shoulders, which only made the bodice dip lower. The dress was barely decent, but if he wasn‘t going to leave without seeing it – well, then she was going to give him an eyeful.

Her confidence should have doubled as she noted his reaction to her attire. His folded arms went slack, along with his jaw. But the rumpled man from the day before was gone. His crisp dark gray suit looked like it had been made for him and his hair was contained to a disciplined style. Everything about him screamed wealth and power.

He’s way out of my league. Abby lost the desire to spin joyously before him; instead, she put her arms out a bit awkwardly and said, ―See, I told you it wasn‘t appropriate.‖

―You‘re right,‖ he said in a husky voice, leaving the chair with predatory swiftness. His gaze swept over her again, but became surprisingly critical. ―They covered your freckles,‖ he said almost in accusation.

Her chest heaved in irritation and her hands went to her hips. ―This is where you‘re supposed to say that I look beautiful.‖

He pulled her against him, forcing her to crane her neck back to look at him. ―You know you do.‖ He brushed his lips over hers before whispering in her ear, ―But I‘m going to enjoy scrubbing all that makeup off you later.‖

She stiffened in his arms, ―Mr. Corisi –―

He kissed the nape of her neck. ―Say my name.‖

―Dominic, this isn‘t why I came here today.‖

―Just my name.‖ He ordered again while taking her earlobe gently between his teeth. ―Say it.‖

―Dominic,‖ she breathed. Ok, maybe this was partially why she was here.

―Mmmmm.‖ He moaned as he moved down to kiss the exposed curve of her shoulder. One hand slid beneath the short hem of the dress to cup her buttocks and pull her tighter against him.