The Billionaire and the Virgin (Billionaires and Bridesmaids #1)(14)
Chapter Seven
Rob’s date was impossible to miss in the busy lobby.
A full head taller than every other woman in the room, she was also the most acutely uncomfortable. Her pretty cheekbones were stained with a red too mottled to be blush, and she kept fidgeting with the impossibly low collar of her short, flimsy dress. The thing was bright red and barely covered her ass, and it was clear that Marjorie was uncomfortable as f*ck in it.
It surprised him to see her in the odd choice of clothing. After all, she’d seemed shy, and from what her friends had said, she was old fashioned. The woman in that dress didn’t look like old fashioned a bit. She looked like she was gunning for cock tonight.
Which . . . didn’t make sense. He blinked as her braless breasts swayed as she headed toward him, tugging at the hemline of her tiny blousy dress. She wasn’t exactly dressed appropriately for where they were going, and her shoes were a pair of ugly black flats that made her feet look enormous.
He said nothing, though. With the panicked look on Marjorie’s face, Rob suspected that if he said one word about her appearance, she’d flee and he’d never see her again.
And that wouldn’t suit his plans to get her out of his head.
He raised a hand so she’d see him, and then adjusted his cufflinks as she crossed the room toward him, tugging at her clothing. Her wide-eyed gaze grew even wider at the sight of his black suit, and he watched her clutch her handbag in terror.
“Oh,” she breathed as she approached him. “Oh, I didn’t know we were going someplace important.” Her gaze moved over his double-breasted jacket. “Oh, no. Should I go change?”
“You’re fine,” he told her, and offered her his arm.
She bit her lip in that cute way again, and shyly took his arm like he’d offered her a present. “Thank you.”
For some reason, her obvious pleasure at that small gesture made him feel like a f*cking king. He patted her hand. “You look incredible,” he told her. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Her eyes lit up, and once again, Rob was in love. Damn. He had it bad for this strange, sweet amazon.
“I’m happy to be here with you,” she told him in a soft voice. “Where are we going?”
“A little restaurant called Le Poisson. It’s a few islands over.” He led her to the waiting sedan and opened the door for her.
“How are we getting there?”
“I hired a private boat to take us. Come on. Our reservations won’t keep if we take too long.”
***
The boat ride was mostly silent, with a few comments on the weather. It was clear to him that Marjorie was nervous. That was fine with him. He’d get a few drinks in her at the restaurant and she’d loosen up. The silence allowed him to study her.
She’d been so happy and carefree on the beach, and even last night. Right now, she seemed like a different person, continually tugging the dress into place as the wind whipped past and the boat flew over the waves. Her profile was gorgeous, though, and he caught himself staring, fascinated. She turned and noticed him staring, and an overbright smile curved her mouth. “How about this weather, huh?”
“That’s the third time you’ve asked that in the last fifteen minutes.”
“Oh, is it?” She looked crestfallen. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He watched a lock of hair escape her ponytail and dance across her cheek. He wanted to touch it, but she’d probably be too skittish. “You don’t have to be nervous around me.”
She looked over at him and laughed, and for a moment, he had the uncomfortable feeling that she was going to say, But you’re Robert Cannon, billionaire and TV mogul and my one-way ticket to sugar-daddy-ville. Of course I’m nervous. But instead, she said, “Do you realize I haven’t been on a date in two years?”
His mouth curled into a reluctant smile. Of course Marjorie was exactly who she seemed. He was just nervous over nothing. “That so?”
Marjorie leaned in, tucking her arms close to her body. “Believe it or not, I don’t get asked out much.”
“Now, I choose not to believe that,” Rob said, but he felt a possessive streak of pleasure at her words.
“I’m afraid it’s true,” she said with an expressive sigh. “You’re the first man with enough courage to ask me out in a long, long time.”
He snorted, enjoying the banter. “There’s no courage involved in asking a pretty girl out.”
“There is if she can beat you in basketball,” Marjorie teased.
“I find that hard to believe,” he scoffed. Why was she putting herself down? So she was tall? He dated models all the time and they were tall. Maybe not as tall as her, but who cared? He didn’t. “I play a mean round of hoops.”
“Do you?” She looked interested. “I played in high school until some of the parents got upset. We weren’t a big enough school for co-ed teams, so I played with the boys. I was pretty good, though, when I did play. At least, I was once I figured out the secret advantage.”
“Secret advantage?”
“Boobs. Seems the boys were afraid to guard me once I grew boobs.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
Her smile was pleased, easy now. “It’s true. They didn’t know where to grab me and so I could make it all the way down the court in no time. Why do you think the parents wrote and complained?”