The Seduction of Alex Parker(17)

“See these red circles? Those are the places I already visited. The ones in black are where I still have to go.”

“You and your sister did this?”

“Yep. We had been working on this map since we were ten years old, circling all the places we were going to visit. It hung on our bedroom wall and whenever we had an idea or thought of a place, we’d circle it on the map.”

He looked at me and smiled. “That was a great idea the two of you had, but I still don’t understand why you have to visit all these places now. Why not spread them over your lifetime?”

“Because, Alex, you never know when your time is going to be up. Never stay in one place too long. There’s too much beauty in the world to see.”

“Well, it looks like you’re going to have to slow down since your money is running out,” he spoke as he poured the wine.

“I’ll find a way.” I smiled.

I made the salad and took the steaks off the grill. Alex shocked me by setting the table on the patio.

“I didn’t think you knew how to set the table.”

“I’m not that incapable of things. I do run a multi-billion-dollar company, after all.”

He still was in his sweatpants and no shirt. Staring at his rock hard chest and eight pack was getting to be unbearable. The ache between my legs was getting out of control knowing what the man could do to me.

“I think what you’re wearing is inappropriate and you should go change.”

He gave me a blank stare. “What?”

“You have no shirt on and it’s inappropriate. Please go put on a shirt before we sit down and eat.”

The corners of his mouth curved up as he walked over to me and ran his thumb across my lips.

“You didn’t seem to be complaining when I was on top of you totally naked.”

I gulped as I remembered that night and the things he did to me.

“That was different. We were having sex. We’re not having sex now, so please go and clothe yourself.”

“Fine. I will. But don’t be surprised if later, the clothes come off.” He winked and walked away.

My stomach fluttered at the thought. I set dinner on the patio and a few moments later, Alex walked out wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a short-sleeve polo shirt.

“Better?” he asked as he held out his hands.

“Yes. Much better.”

As he sat down at the table, he looked around. “Where’s the salt?”

“No salt. It’s bad for your blood pressure. Starting today, I’m going to make sure you eat properly.”

“Shit. I love salt.”

“You’ll learn to live without it. So, since I told you my life story, I want to hear all about Alex Parker. How the hell did you become a billionaire by the age of thirty?”

“How did you know how old I was?”

“I googled you.”

He raised his eyebrow and gave a small smile. “Why?”

“Because I needed to find out who the stranger was that my brother was sending me to stay with. And by the way? What sort of brother does that?”

“He obviously trusts me.” He chuckled.

“Big mistake on his part.” I smiled.

“Apparently, after what happened the other night.”

I laughed. “Go on, tell me about yourself.”

“I came from money. My grandfather started the company, my father took over when he died, and I did the same when my father passed away.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he passed. How long ago?”

“It’s been about five years.”

“And what about your mom?”

“She and my father divorced when I was seventeen and I haven’t seen her since. She moved to Hawaii.”

“Oh nice. I mean, not nice for you, but Hawaii is nice. I was there for about four months. I loved it.”

“Of course you were,” he spoke as he ate his steak.

“May I ask why you haven’t seen her?”

“She was the reason they got divorced. She had met someone else and left him. I don’t like the guy she’s with, so I never bothered to keep in touch with her. She didn’t even have the decency to come to my father’s funeral.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, don’t be.”

I could hear the pain that resided in his voice as he spoke about her.

“So you inherited the company. Were you ready to take over?”

“I sure was. The board didn’t think so and they thought it would be best if I waited a few more years, but I stood my ground and showed them that I could take the company further. That’s when I invested in some hotels, made a national chain, and made the company billions.”

I held up my wine glass to him. “Congratulations. I’m very proud of you.”

He tipped his glass to mine. “Thank you, Miss James.”

“Tell me what you do for fun. Because since I’ve been here, you don’t do anything but work.”

“I have sex with beautiful women. That’s what I do for fun.” He smirked.

Ouch. For some reason, that stung. The thought of him being with other women sent a fire burning through my veins.

“Besides sex, you nympho. Do you have any hobbies?”