Maid for the Billionaire(16)

Abby refused to start doubting herself now. If she hadn't wanted this throbbing, almost visible sexual tension to return, she could have accepted his offer to end the day early. He would have let her go and that probably would have been the last she'd ever see of him.

The problem was, she didn't want the day to end. Yesterday, he had been a two dimensional, gorgeous, amazingly arrogant sexual fantasy.

Today he was also a man. A complicated man who had escaped the misery of a controlling father only to hold himself in an even more painful vice grip of guilt.

He wanted to run. She knew that feeling far too well. She'd spent most of her adult life running from the sadness of the loss of her parents. No, she hadn't gotten on a plane and flown away, but she had distanced herself emotionally so much from whom she had been that she barely knew herself anymore.

She wasn't the strict, rule following, penny pinching, starched shirt facade she'd hidden behind for years. No wonder Lill had rebelled. Abby had tried to force her sister to hide from life with her; afraid that if either of them stepped off the straight and narrow, tragedy would strike again.

Dominic was fighting his own emotional demons. On the surface he looked like a man who needed nothing and no one, but he‘d shown her the man behind that fa?ade when he‘d clung to her hand.

Their connection was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. Dominic had offered her the chance to end this adventure, but something told Abby that they were meant to meet. Being with him was teaching her about herself and she hoped that on some small level she was able to give him that same gift.

A plan for the day was forming in Abby's mind; a purely impulsive plan that she would have dismissed last week. Today, she gave in to the possibilities. Lill was right, it was time to start living again.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the mall, Abby gathered her purse to her side and announced, ―This is a race. The first one back in the limo dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers wins.‖

The seriousness of the day fell aside and Dominic‘s predatory smile returned. ―And what exactly will I win?‖

Overconfident billionaire, Abby thought smugly. He might rule the business world, but when it came to shopping, she doubted he'd ever purchased his own clothes. That alone would slow him down.

―The winner gets the right to decide how we spend the rest of the day,‖ she declared.

His eyes flared with interest. ―I like the sound of that. I know just where I'm going to take you.‖

Not giving him time to plan his strategy, Abby threw her door open, sprinted onto the sidewalk and announced over her shoulder, ―So do I!‖

Upon his return, Dominic flung the rear door of the limo open before his driver could scramble to get it for him. He grunted in response to Abby‘s triumphant smile. She had already given the driver directions to their destination and was loving every moment of her victory.

As luck would have it, she'd shopped in that very mall a few days earlier and impulsively tried on an expensive designer pair of jeans. They hugged her curves as if made for her. Since they weren't practical, she hadn't purchased them, but today she'd snatched them off the rack with confident abandon. She'd added a maroon, v neck t-shirt that revealed just enough of her cleavage to make most men take a second look and had dashed for her favorite brand of sneakers; determined to not only win this race, but look damn good doing it.

Dominic climbed in and slid onto the seat next to her, appearing less than pleased with the outing. ―Do you know that no amount of money will raise the IQ of a teenage clerk? What kind of department store hides everyone above the age of twenty from the public?‖

―Don't be a sore loser, Dominic. You never had a chance.‖ Abby patted his jean-clad knee in mock sympathy and snatched her hand back in response to the jolt of attraction she felt from that brief touch. If she'd been hoping that he'd be less appealing in casual clothing, she couldn't have been more wrong. His dark blue cotton t-shirt revealed his natural athletic build and flat stomach.

He grabbed her hand and placed it back on his thigh, holding it neatly captive beneath his much larger one. ―Why do I get the feeling that you cheated?‖

She let out a shaky breath. Remembering her original altruistic reasons for the day‘s outing was proving difficult when all she could think about was her body's reaction to their one point of contact. Her stomach quivered with an anticipation she was beginning to associate with any proximity to Dominic. ―You're a businessman. Are you above using a natural advantage to win?‖

He slid her hand up his thigh an inch, his breath quickening along with her own. ―When it comes to winning, there isn't much I wouldn't do.‖ He leaned toward her, close enough for a kiss, but stopped before their lips met as if he were debating something with himself.

She said, ―You sound like you're warning me.‖

He released her hand and with very little effort, turned to lift her so she was facing him, straddling him, on the seat. ―You made your choice an hour ago. I just don't want you to imagine this is more than it is.‖ He held her still with one hand on either hip. ―Or that changing your mind is an option.‖

She sat back, tossing her hair over her shoulder. ―So many threats. Haven't you ever heard of the honey and vinegar adage?‖

―That's never been my maxim. Not then, not now. You're here only because I threatened your sister's livelihood.‖ His right hand caressed upwards until his thumb rested just below the swell of her breast.