Bidding on the Billionaire (Bad Boys Billionaire Bachelors Club) (3 page)

Chapter 6

O
nce Mandi was back at home that evening her
head was spinning as she thought about the auction and what had happened that
night.  What a surprise!  In just a few hours another mundane evening with
nothing particularly exciting about it had turned into the single most exciting
event in her life that she could recall at the moment.  She was going to Rome
with Sergio for a week.  Yes, there was some business, but it sounded like
Sergio was also due for some fun.   Since Mandi was too it would be a good
opportunity to get to know Sergio better, and see what type of chemistry they
had.  The chemistry in Mandi’s lusty dreams and fantasies had always been great
so hopefully…

Deciding
what to pack for a week in Rome may be challenging enough, but for Mandi it was
a very tough decision.  Did she pack super sexy clothes and show that she was
expecting, well hoping, for some passionate sex with the man she had been
fantasizing about since college?  Or should she pack more cautiously and look
like she couldn’t care less about spending a week with the hottest guy she knew? 

It
was a tough call, and in the end balance won out.  Mandi packed some fun and
lively sundresses that she hadn’t worn much.  They were colorful, vibrant,
flirty, and should be practical.  She decided on her hot pink bikini, and just
in case things got more adventurous she also threw in her black thong bikini.

The
Leon family villa just outside of Rome was said to be spectacular and Sophia
had always talked about how amazing the zero gravity pool was there, almost
looking like it fell into the Atlantic Ocean that it overlooked.  The finishing
touches to the wardrobe would be a few pairs of jeans and some fun sandals,
along with t-shirts that accented her ample breasts and cleavage nicely.  As
for undergarments, they had always been Mandi’s weakness and she didn’t
hesitate to pack the sexiest ones she could find.  There was something about
how sexy lingerie could make a woman confident even on a day where she may not
be feeling that way.  It was her guilty pleasure, and one that she usually got
to experience alone.

Mandi
also decided to throw in a sketch pad and pencils just in case she was inspired
to draw.  Her talents were average at best, especially compared to her
mother’s, but she knew that her mom would have probably filled that sketch book
with the beautiful sights of Rome.  She could at least do one thing.  When she
was done packing, Mandi looked through her suitcase and realized that she had
definitely packed with some expectations in mind, and she wanted them to be
met.

The
next day at the gallery seemed to last forever, and Mandi’s excitement was
building up as the day progressed.  Sophia and Andre had stopped by to get a
quick run-down on the basics of the gallery and assured Mandi that they’d be
there to open it up the next morning on time, and take great care of it. 
Although the gallery wasn’t Mandi’s passion she wanted to be a good business
owner, and admitted that Sophia and Andre could probably run the gallery as
good as she could.

Just
as 5 p.m. rolled around a sleek shiny silver Jaguar XKR-S coupe pulled up, and
Mandi’s jaw dropped.  The car was definitely as sexy as its driver, and she
waved through the glass window of the gallery to Sergio as he came to the
door.  Oh my gosh, did he look hot.  He had on jeans that hugged his hips and a
fitted grey v-neck tee that showed every muscle that he obviously worked
diligently at keeping in shape.  His hair hung down loose, and framed his
chiseled jaw.  He was nothing short of model material.

Without
skipping a beat Sergio came right up to Mandi and pulled her to him in a tight
hug where every inch of his hard body pressed closed to hers, whispering in her
ear, “I’ve been thinking about this trip all day, and how beautiful you looked
last night. You’ve certainly grown into a sexy minx of a woman, haven’t you? You
had every man’s attention in that room.  And today it gets even better because
we’re headed off to Rome for the week.”

Mandi’s
heart was racing and she could barely respond.  He was talking about how she
looked and all she could think about was how amazing he smelled and felt as he
embraced her.  Every place where their bodies touched was tingling, as well as
a few other spots.  Realizing that she’d grown so easily distracted by his
touch suddenly put Mandi on alert, and she wondered why she was suddenly so
self-conscious.  It got worse when Sergio took a step back and looked her up
and down, not bothering to hide that he had a certain amount of lust in his
eyes.  Suddenly the short mini skirt and clinging silky blouse seemed a bit too
obvious, as his eyes drank her in appreciatively.

It
was definitely in Mandi’s best interests to change the subject.  “You are in a
great mood.  You must have had a very productive day.”

“Indeed
I did, as I do every day,” he said matter-of-factly. Sergio looked around the
gallery briefly, and then asked, “Where’s your bags?”

“Right
over there,” Mandi pointed, showing the Louis Vuitton suitcase by the door.  It
was small, but held everything she needed for her adventure.  It had been
inherited from her mom too, which meant a part of her mom was going to Rome and
that was a good thing like a good luck charm.

Sergio
didn’t bother to hide the surprised look on his face about only having one bag
for a week in Rome.  “This is it, nothing else, Mandi?”

“It
holds more than you’d think,” Mandi said, not bothering to hide her annoyance
by the comment.  What concern of Sergio’s was it that she was a light packer?

“I
just want to make sure that I was clear.  This is going to be an event-filled
week, and part of the reason I agreed to help Sophia out was because I needed a
date for the factory’s fiftieth anniversary party.  It’s a huge deal to the
local community and the factory workers, which means I have to present my
best.  It’s a very traditional affair designed to show them how much they are
appreciated.  I just need to make sure it’s special for them.”  Sergio looked
at Mandi and stopped talking immediately.  He could see anger flashing in her
eyes, and that was no way to start the week in Rome off.

Mandi
didn’t want to lose her temper with Sergio right now, even though it seemed
like it would make her feel better.  Who did he think he was?  Just because he
was a billionaire didn’t mean that he could cast certain expectations on her
like he was a reprimanding father.  She took a deep breath and chose her words
cautiously.  “I apologize, Sergio.  Maybe I can repack, and find a fancier
dress for the occasion than what I’ve picked.”

“We
don’t have time to do that now, Mandi.  Once we’re in Rome one of my assistants
can find something that’s suitable for you to wear and really makes you stand
out like you did last night.”

Realizing
that Sergio was all business at the moment and not the playful flirt just a
minute ago was discouraging, making her want to change her mind and stay back
in New York.  A week in Rome watching a workaholic conduct business didn’t
sound all that adventurous or exciting to her.  “Sergio, I’m perfectly capable
of picking out my own clothes and have fashion sense enough to choose something
good for your factory’s big celebration.  Besides, it seems like you’ll be busy
working a lot on this trip and that’ll give me something to do.”

Sergio
was instantly embarrassed by Mandi’s statement and he realized that his direct
manner had happened to offend the girl he was just saying he wanted to protect
the night before.  Damn, that was not what he wanted to come off as. Why did he
sounded so abrupt and business-like? Had he truly become such a workaholic that
he couldn’t turn it off, even in the most private and personal moments? Damn,
he needed a vacation. Damn, he needed someone to help him forget about all the
stress he had to deal with…Olivia used to do that for him. Fun with a
single-minded purpose of having him fuck her brains out, Olivia’s sex drive and
persistent need for sex was enough to take his mind off work.  That was the
problem with her, though, when she couldn’t get sex from him, or when he worked
too many hours; she found a way to satisfy her cravings…with his friends,
apparently.  Now if only he could forget Olivia and try to have fun, if only
for a week with sweet and non-pretentious Mandi. With a body like hers, and a
face like that, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the possibilities of being
distracted by her.

“I’m
sorry, Mandi.  I just wasn’t thinking clearly.  I have my mind on business, and
I know that for you this trip isn’t about business.  It’s about experiencing
Rome and having some fun.  I truly am sorry about that and will make some
efforts to turn off my business switch a bit more.  Deal?”

Mandi
smiled, instantly forgiving Sergio and being ready to move forward.  If there
was one thing she knew is how challenging it could be to switch gears when you
were a focused person.  “Deal.  Now let’s get this business pleasure adventure
started, shall we?”  Mandi gestured for the front door, and Sergio went and
picked up her bag to take it out to the car.

Chapter 7

W
hile Sergio put the bag into the trunk of his
Jag, Mandi locked the gallery door.  By the time she was done he was back
holding his arm out for her to take.  He guided her over to the passenger side
door and opened it up, helping guide her into the low riding plush leather seat
that was meant for her.  He couldn’t help but think that there’d never been
anyone quite so appealing and provocative in that seat before.

Mandi’s
sleek sexy body and long legs looked smooth and silky, making Sergio long to
touch them even if it was an “accidental” brush.  Her mini skirt was as short
as it could be without revealing too much and Sergio wondered exactly what type
of lingerie she wore under that skirt.  She was dressed to tease and the silk
blouse that she wore on top clung in all the right spots, accenting her ample
breasts and flat stomach.

Sergio
felt himself starting to get hard as he imagined what it would be like to tear
open that blouse and suck on her breasts, while hiking up her skirt to caress
her soft folds with his twitching fingers. He was used to having sex on a
regular basis, but since being cuckold by Olivia, he had placed his needs
aside, while focusing his drive into his work.  Now he felt the similar but
more intense arousal go through him as he reached across Mandi’s breasts to
buckle her in. It was like white hot electricity shooting through him as he
tried not to brush against her succulent mounds, already visibly erect
underneath her paper thin bra and blouse.

The
night before had been rather interesting for Sergio.  Seeing Mandi as a grown
and matured woman had thrown him off guard.  The dress she wore was stunning,
elegant, yet sexy enough to get him to see her in an entirely new light other
than his sister’s best friend, but as a woman he’d like to sexually explore. It
apparently had the same effect on the rest of his BBBBC friends.  Everyone
there was interested in having Mandi that night and no one bothered to hide
their desire to bid on a date with her and win.  Olivia’s attempts to bid on
Sergio with Benjamin’s money had actually ended up working brilliantly because
it instantly angered Sophia and whether she realized it or not, she ended up
delivering Sergio the only woman that had been able to peak his curiosity in a
long time.  Just when had Mandi become such a sexy siren?  Now she was in
Sergio’s car and they were headed off to Rome for a week.  It was most
unexpected, just like the thoughts and emotions it brought out in Sergio.  He
wanted her plain and simple, but was curious to see if the same thoughts were
running through Mandi’s mind.

Although
it had been a long while since Sergio had seen Mandi and he’d never studied her
more deeply than thinking she was a good looking woman who was off limits due
to being his kid sister’s best friend, he could tell that she was
different—more serious.  Sergio longed to protect her and help her through what
must have been a challenging past year and a half.  He could tell that Mandi
didn’t think she needed anyone to do that for her and maybe she was right, but
Sergio wanted to try.  It would be nice to help someone who didn’t want or
expect help, plus he wanted to see that spirited spark and sexy energy appear
again, just like it had last night in the bidding war. 

The
face on Olivia had been comical, showing her darkest and ugliest side to Sergio
the night before.  Now that they had distance between them Sergio could see
right through her even when she was dressed to kill.  His penis no longer took
charge of his thoughts and actions, making her actions childish and desperate. 
Knowing that she was there bidding on money that Benjamin was trying to buy her
back with, made Mandi’s victory all the sweeter for Sergio.  He didn’t like
being taken for a fool, and knowing that Olivia and Benjamin, who’d been a very
close friend, had made a fool of him was embarrassing to him.

Why
are you thinking about Olivia when you have Mandi right here?
Sergio asked
himself.  He was right too.  Mandi was sitting in the passenger seat of his
Jag, looking incredible and smiling politely, but cautiously.  Sergio realized
that he’d been absorbed in thought and silent.  It probably made her wonder
what was going on.

“Mandi,
I truly am excited about having you here,” Sergio said.  He reached his hand
over and it grazed her toned shapely lean leg.  He wanted to keep it there
longer and run his fingers up and down her smooth skin, but there’d be plenty
of time to be close to Mandi on the jet.  For now, they had to get to the
hangar if they wanted to maintain their schedule.

“I’m
excited too, Sergio.  It promises to be a very interesting week I’d imagine.”

Sergio
laughed at Mandi.  Just how interesting a week was yet to be determined, and he
was going to do his best to be less work and more pleasure on this trip.  It
was an unexpected turn of events.