Bad Girls Do It Better (Bad Boy Billionaire Romance) (14 page)

Liam arrived early to pick me up and had to wait until I was finished. This was new territory for him. He was used to my beauty regimen consisting of pulling my hair back into a ponytail, grabbing my purse and walking out the door.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I won’t be too much longer. Just have a seat on my bed and I’ll be right out,” I yelled from inside the bathroom. I learned that day that he didn’t like to wait. While I was rolling the curling iron through my long hair, I could hear the sound of his knuckles cracking. Looking through the crack in the door, I could see that he was nervous and fidgety. His leg bounced up and down as his eyes darted around the room. I’m pretty sure he even sighed and let out a low whistle as he waited.

When I finally made my way out into my room, he jumped up off the bed to meet me. He was raised to be old-fashioned and believed a lady should never be greeted by a man in a seated position. Sometimes I wonder why I wasn’t into him. He was literally everything I wanted in a guy. The feelings weren’t there, though, and we both knew it. We’d debated giving it a go a couple of times while we were younger but it was too weird. We’re best friends and that’s the way we like it.

“Wow, you look beautiful,” he complimented me as I did a little spin so he could see my dress.

“Thank you. You look very handsome yourself,” I responded as I looked his black and white tuxedo up and down. He really did clean up quite nice.

Just as I had suspected, Lexi and Becca emerged from her room with only minutes to spare. She had a smirk on her face that I would have loved to have slapped off. Instead, I bit my tongue as I usually do and rolled my eyes.

“You ready to go?” Liam asked, holding out his hand, instructing me to walk ahead of him.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

And with that, it was time to head to the gala. Liam held the passenger door of his blue Ford Mustang while I got in. I was used to riding in his SUV but this was the car that he brought out for special occasions. I thought it was cute that he considered this dance to be one of those times. I really hope to meet a man like him.

§  

As we pulled up to the Grand Roosevelt Ballroom, I was taken aback by how beautiful it was. While Liam was busy giving his car keys to the valet driver, I looked in awe at the stunning pillars and charm of the building. The building was white but purple spotlights were placed on the ground, focused on the structure, causing it to glow in a shade of lilac. I had been relaxed during the drive over but suddenly my nerves were getting the best of me. My mouth was as dry as the desert and I could feel my anxiety rising. Just as I thought I was about to lose it, Liam held out his arm to me.

“Shall we?” he asked in a fake British accent, breaking the tension, causing me to laugh.

“Let’s,” I replied in a horrible attempt at matching his accent. I probably sounded more French than anything.

There was a long line of people making their way inside. Each person was stopped to make sure their name was on the list before being allowed entry to the event. I knew that it was an exclusive gathering but I had no idea what lengths they would go to in order to keep out people who did not have invitations. The line moved quickly but not fast enough for several of the women standing in front of us. For the next five minutes, Liam and I listened to the complaining and moaning about how one person thought that, since they were a VIP, they shouldn’t have to wait in line while another whined about the event organizers for not having a better solution in place. Personally, these women were everything I vowed to never become. How someone can be so miserable all the time is beyond me.

After checking in at the door and making our way inside, I was amazed by the beauty and elegance of the interior. With a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and Victorian-era crown molding, the inside was even more beautiful than the outside. We were led to a table, which had our names etched on a placard on top of a solid white linen tablecloth. We would be sharing our table with Robert and Vanessa Anders, two people whom I was not familiar with.

Not long after we had been seated, a jazz band took the stage and started to play. The music was beautiful and it didn’t take long for a few couples to make their way to the dance floor. I had no doubt that I would end up out there at some point, although I was going to have to consume a few drinks first. As we stood up to mingle, I noticed several people were staring at me and immediately became self-conscious.

“Liam, I think I’m just going to stay at the table,” I nervously mentioned to my date.

“What? Why? What’s the matter?”

“There are so many people staring at me. What’s wrong? Did my makeup smear or something?”

“No, not at all,” he laughed. “People are looking at you because you are absolutely stunning this evening. Come on, let’s go get a drink so you can loosen up a bit.”

The two of us walked to the bar and got a flute of champagne, which would be my drink of choice for the evening. When we turned away from the bar, Lexi was standing behind us.

“Two Jack and Coke’s,” she ordered, pushing past us without acknowledging our existence. She was still in a mood; I guess because I wouldn’t let her wear the dress I had just bought. When she’s mad, she likes to drink Jack and Coke. Her drink order showed me that her intention was to get wasted.

After walking around and talking to the few people we knew, all the while consuming several glasses of champagne, Liam finally talked me into dancing with him. We danced awkwardly as we stood about six inches apart, his hands on my waist and mine on his shoulders. From the corner of my eye, I spotted my sister making out with some guy I had never seen before. I had no idea how many drinks she had already gone through but watching the way the two of them were groping each other publicly, she’d had plenty. I told Liam that I wanted to go talk to her but he convinced me to stay on the dance floor until the song was over.

Once the band was done playing, Liam kissed me on the cheek and we made our way back towards the tables where my sister was heading. The sound of my heels clicking on the floor reminded me of when I was a little girl and loved hearing my dress shoes click whenever I walked across the kitchen floor. I was taking a sip of my champagne when I noticed that my sister was not only clearly intoxicated, but she was being helped out the door by the man she had been making out with. I looked over to Liam with concern on my face, his face mirrored mine.

“I’ll follow them out and stop them before he gets her into his car. She may not like it but I’ll take her home before she does something she regrets,” Liam assured me. “Are you going to be okay here until I get back?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” I replied, realizing that the champagne was doing a fantastic job of making me much less socially awkward.

I finished the champagne in my glass, the bubbles tickling my nose as it went down. Since I didn’t want to look like a loser sitting alone, I figured I might as well go back up to the bar and get another drink. I’d seen quite a few people I knew so I’d just join in on their conversations until Liam returned. As I was ordering my drink, I felt a tingling on the back of my neck as my spidey senses kicked in. I went to scan the room and almost ran right into the chest of a tall, handsome man.

“Oh, excuse me,” I said embarrassed as I tried to make my way past him. He stopped me by grabbing my arm, turning me back towards him.

“What’s your name?” he asked, his voice deep and attractive.

Surprised by the sudden situation I’d found myself in, I looked up at the man I was talking to. It only took me a moment to realize who he was. His name is Christian Wilde. With his gorgeous eyes, amazing smile and perfectly chiseled facial features, he may have been the most attractive man in the entire Scarsdale area. He is also well known for being the biggest playboy around. He doesn’t even try to hide out. He’s almost famous for playing the field and I couldn’t even guess at the number of women who have been in his bed. Men like that disgust me,  yet for some reason, I was feeling butterflies stir in the pit of my stomach. I was sure the feeling was a result of how much alcohol I’d been drinking because I knew I shouldn’t react to him.

“I’m Sarabelle,” I replied, only realizing that I sounded like a gushing schoolgirl after it was too late.

“Sarabelle, huh? Why don’t you join me at my table and we can get to know one another?”

My mind told me to say no, to make a run for it and surround myself with anyone at the party but him. Yet, there I was, making my way towards his table.

Christian  

She had no idea what she was about to get herself into. To her, running into me at the bar was nothing more than a chance encounter but in reality, the move was perfectly planned and orchestrated. It had been nearly a month since the first time I laid my eyes on Sarabelle. There is a charity auction that I attend every year and this was her first year on the committee. I like to pop into charity events from time to time. It helps keep my name out there and can only look good for my investment company. We like to throw our money at a few charities. I mean, it’s a tax write-off, after all, so what could it hurt? If it helped send a little good karma my way, that’s even better.

I was watching the silent auction when I first laid my eyes on her. She was sitting at a table to the side of the stage with the other committee members. I was scanning the room to figure out which ladies were available. I’d already screwed most of the women in the room and wasn’t particularly interested in a repeat performance. It wasn’t a hard rule and I’d broken it a few times in the past but the sex would have to be exceptional for me to sleep with the same woman more than once. When I saw her laughing with one of the other girls, I noticed that she had a single dimple on her right cheek. She was beautiful but that wasn’t what I was attracted to. What made me want her was her innocence. I didn’t know her personally but I could tell she was a good girl. The only thing I wanted to do was take her innocence and leave her ruined for all the other men she might encounter later in life. Just thinking about all the dirty things I could do to her made me ache for release.

After the charity event, there was a dinner held to honor everyone who donated their items and time to the cause. That was where I had planned to make my move but it wasn’t meant to be. She left early and my opportunity to turn the good girl bad was lost for the time being. I ended up taking someone else home that night. Even as I screwed her, I closed my eyes and imagined it was Miss Innocent straddling me.

I asked around to find out who she was. Getting her name was easy. She was relatively well-known around Scarsdale, or, at least, her parents were. Their tragedy was plastered all over the news when it happened. It looked like she did okay for herself, though. I looked her up online but every social media profile she had was set to private and I wasn’t about to send her a friend request. I didn’t need her seeing the lewd comments from women wanting to see me again. I knew I had to bide my time and wait for the right opportunity. When I saw her name on the guest list for the gala, I knew my time had come.

The whole damn night, I had to watch as this guy she brought refused to leave her side. He was like a dog who walked alongside their owner no matter where they were going. If she went to the bar, he was right there with her. If she went out to the dance floor, he was right there with her. I could be wrong, maybe it was her following him around but I doubt it. They were there together but they didn’t seem like a couple. I was patient and wanted to wait for the right opportunity. That opportunity came as I watched her date stroll out the front door.

I approached her cautiously. I knew she wasn’t going to be an easy lay like the girls I was used to. I would have to move slowly at first if I was going to get what I wanted out of Sarabelle. Before I had a chance to say hello, she swung around and smacked right into my chest. Obviously embarrassed, she looked up at me, flashed a nervous smile and started to walk away. Once again, that dimple of hers stood out to me. I realized that it was what made her look so innocent. Realizing she was about to get away, I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to me, maintaining eye contact as I spoke to her.

After she had told me her name, she accepted my invitation to join me at my table. I had my own spot near the back of the room. It was a private VIP section of sorts. I had a waitress with full bottle service and I wasn’t above convincing this girl to have a drink with me. She seemed apprehensive so I pulled out her chair to show her I could be a gentleman. I began pouring her a glass of wine, which she waved off immediately. I finished pouring anyway and sat the Chateau Lafite in front of her.

“My name’s Christian. I don’t think I’ve seen you at one of these things before.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Christian,” she said as she scanned the room. “I don’t attend a lot of events. A lot of people I know are surprised to see me here tonight.”

“Why is that?” I asked. “A beautiful girl like you should use any excuse she can to get all made up and come out to the parties.”

“That’s what my friends tell me. The truth is, I’m not much of a partier. I’d rather keep a low profile. My weekends usually consist of sitting at home with a good book.”

“That’s a shame. The scenery would be a lot better if you came out more often,” I said, trying to lay it on thick but not seem too obvious about it.

“That’s very sweet,” she said as her face turned crimson. “It’s just not something I can get into.”

“I may be mistaken, but didn’t I see you at that charity thing last month?”

“Yes, but that’s only because I do a lot of work with that charity. I lost my parents when I was young so I feel strongly about charities that help orphans find permanent homes. Even then, I left as soon as the silent auction was over. Do you support the charity as well? I’m guessing so if you were there.”

“I give to a number of different charities. I feel like, with as much money as my company makes, it’s important to spread some of that wealth around for good deeds.”

She gulped down her wine in an attempt to calm her nerves. Her nervousness made her that much more attractive to me. I also knew she was not the kind of girl I’d usually go for. Typically, I would give my attention to girls that I could tell would be a sure thing. For some reason, I was in the mood for a challenge. It would be a different kind of conquest. She would be a trophy of sorts.

“You know Sarabelle, it’s kind of loud in here. Why don’t I have my driver bring the car around and we can go back to my place?”

“No, I don’t think so. I need to wait here for my date. He was going to take my sister home and come back for me.”

“Oh come on, I can have someone watch for him and let him know it’s okay to go on home. It’ll be fun. We can have some wine in my hot tub and you can tell me what you’d like for breakfast in the morning.”

She nearly choked on the wine she was drinking as my comment caught her off guard. I know that it’s a good line. It’s worked on plenty of women. It didn’t appear to be working on her, however. She wiped her mouth with the napkin lying on the table, excused herself and left my table, heading straight for the door. I lifted my glass in a toast to her as she left. This wouldn’t be the last time I would see her. She would soon find out that I can be a patient man when it comes to something I want.