Open For Him (BBW / Billionaire Erotic Romance) (8 page)

The night before, Macy forced herself to call it a night before midnight.  She let everything stay as it was, half of a painting done, some ideas written down in her notebook that looked more of bad doodles than words.  But in the hurry of the morning, she never put her art stuff away.

That meant...

That meant she left it all out, in the open, unknowingly.  That meant she didn’t hide it.  She had no reason to hide it.  Plus, Stacey asked her about her paintings.  And she told her to bring one in on Monday.  What if she and Stacey could work together?  Maybe Macy could assist on some paintings with Stacey and gradually do her own.  They could split the orders, the money, the business, the everything. 

Stacey looked stressed, on the verge of burning herself out.  And she wanted to expand...

Macy had to resist the thoughts.  She knew the peril of thinking too much into something that didn’t actually exist.  Her past dictated the problems with manifesting a reality that was only in her mind.

So she turned her to painting, picking up where she left off the night before.  Time moved on, seemingly faster when painting, and when Macy realized it had been over three hours, her stomach told her she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.

Macy joked with herself, saying that painting could maybe help her lose some of her extra curves.  If she painted and didn’t eat...

She went back to work a little before nine and when her cell phone rang, she glanced at the small screen and saw it was Stacey.

“Stacey?” Macy whispered.

On a Friday night.  After sending Macy home early. 

Maybe an order came in.

Maybe Stacey needed a friend.

Macy rolled her eyes.  She didn’t mind Stacey, but she liked the old Stacey better.  The college Stacey.  Not Stacey C.  Definitely not Stacey C.

The screen went dark and Macy felt guilty for ignoring her boss. 

But, oh well, right?  It was the weekend.

The phone rang again and Macy couldn’t ignore it.

“Stacey, are you okay?” Macy answered, not wasting any time.

“Yeah, I’m fine.  Are you?”

Macy looked at her current painting.  She felt her cheeks redden.  It was almost like doing something wrong. 

“I’m fine,” Macy said.  “You called and called right back.  Wasn’t sure if...”

“So you ignored me?” Stacey asked.

“No, I didn’t... well...”

“Relax, I’m joking.  What are you doing, right now?”

Again, Macy looked at the painting.  “Uh, just hanging around. In my apartment.”

“Good.  Stay there.”

“Stay here?  Why?”

“Mr. Billionaire Hunk came looking for you.”

Macy’s heart jumped in her chest, like a swinging boulder.  “What?”

“That’s right.  I heard someone knocking on the front door and they wouldn’t stop.  I yelled from my office we were closed but he wouldn’t stop.  When I saw him... well... who wouldn’t let him in, right?”

Stacey giggled and it made Macy cringe.  She thought about Derreck and Stacey together, his strong body and her super skinny body... she hated the thought.  Macy knew her curves fit better with Derreck.

“So what happened?” Macy asked.

“He was asking about you.  I guess he expected you to find him or something.  Did you break plans with him, again?”

“No, I swear...”

“If you did, Macy, I’m going to smack you.  He’s so beautiful and sexy and...”

“What else did he say?”

“Well... he wanted to know where you were...”

Macy gasped.

“So... I told him.  I gave him your address.”

“Are you serious?”

“He’s sexy,” Stacey repeated.  “And you need him.”

“I need him?”

“Yes,” Stacey said.  “You do.  If a man like that wants to get into your apartment, and your pants, you let him.”

Macy stammered, unsure whether to be mad at Stacey or giggle because Derreck wanted her.  “Is he on his way?”

“He said he was.”

“How long ago?”

Macy figured maybe she had some time.  Maybe Derreck was planning something big and crazy, like making her go to that investors meeting.

“Twenty minutes,” Stacey said.

“Twenty minutes?!” Macy yelled.  “He... he could be here any min...”

A knock at Macy’s door took her words and breath away.  She stared at the door and listened as Stacey said goodbye and hung up.  The knock came again and Macy stood from her stool.  Taking just one step towards the front door she realized that not only was she unprepared for Derreck Hagan to see her again, she was filthy.  Covered in paint.  Sweating.  And completely exposed.

She felt better off naked, which, if she let Derreck Hagan into her apartment, there was a good chance she’d end up naked with him.

The scars, she thought. 

But Macy forced herself to walk to the door.

By the time the knock came a third time, her hand was on the handle, twisting it.

Macy imagined seeing
Derreck in something casual, maybe even sweatpants, looking haggard, in need of a shave and a shower.  She imagined him standing before her, begging her to come in and have just one more night with him... just one more night.

When Macy opened the door, she saw the Derreck Hagan the rest of the world saw.  A perfectly pressed suit tight against his wide, rounded shoulders.  His tie hanging down an extra inch, but it didn’t matter because it suited Derreck and his attitude.  He didn’t smile and didn’t have a single emotion.  He just stared at Macy, with those eyes.  Those eyes and that same stare that started it all back in the elevator the day she went to deliver a painting.

Seeing him standing there, absorbing his look, and finally catching a welcoming whirl of his cologne, Macy parted her lips to sigh but it came out as a whimper.  A desperate whimper, her body’s needs taking over, not afraid to show what she wanted and needed.

And that was
him
.

Derreck Hagan.

“Derreck...”

“What are you doing?” Derreck asked.

His eyes shifted and Macy was caught.  Let alone the paint on her clothing, hands, face, and hair, she had a little art studio set up right in the living room.  It wasn’t like she had a chance to actually put the stuff away either.

Freaking Stacey...

“Oh, this,” was all Macy managed to say.

Derreck pushed the apartment door open all the way and welcomed himself in.  Macy simply took a few steps back and watched as the apartment door slowly started to shut.  She helped it the rest of the way with a hearty slam and then locked the deadbolt.  As her fingers twisted it, she realized what the subtle move could represent.  Locking the handsome billionaire into her apartment suggested he wasn’t allowed to leave until she had her way with him.  Then again, it was Derreck Hagan, if he wanted to leave, he’d leave.  And if he wanted to stay, he’d stay...

“Wow, you really do paint.”

He stood facing the easel, his hands in his pockets, his face looking serious.  From the angle he stood with his head slightly down, his jaw line looked amazing against the light of the dining room area.  It hit him like he were made out of steel, casting a light that hit Macy’s body in all the right spots. 

All of them.

She walked near Derreck, but then started to retreat, feeling ugly, fat, and undressed for the moment. 

“I wish you would have called me,” Macy said.

“Never got your number,” Derreck said.  He reached out and touched the semi moist paint.  The tip of his finger was red now and he stared at it.  “How long have you been painting?”

“Long enough,” Macy said.  “Why did you wait until now to find me?  Do you realize... this week...”

Macy’s bottom lip quivered.  She thought about being mad and tried to find some kind of anger to throw at Derreck, but she had none.  What would she say?  What was there to say to him?  If it weren’t for Derreck and his amazing body, his wild sex, and his honest words, Macy would have been painting in a closet still.  She wouldn’t have opened herself like this, even though she now hated standing in front of him looking like a colorful mess.

Derreck rubbed the tip of his pointer finger against his thumb.  He finally took his attention off the easel and looked at Macy.

“You always paint here?” he asked.

Macy shrugged her shoulders.

“You don’t.  This is new, isn’t it?”

“The painting?  No.  I’ve been painting since college.  It’s how I met Stacey.”

“Stacey C.?  The famous painter?  You two are close… like I said.”

“It’s Stacey to me.  We are sometimes close.”

“When you’re not jealous of her success?”

Macy frowned.  The anger started to boil.  “No.”

“You don’t get jealous?  Seeing her making all that money.  Taking orders.  And then there’s you, running around the city delivering work that’s half as good as this...”

The serious tone and look on Derreck’s face swept all emotion out of Macy.  She felt like she had been punched in the chest, her air stolen.  She actually took a second to catch her breath.

“Why did you come here?” she asked.

“Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” Derreck said.  “I’m addicted to you, I can’t stop it.  I even threw the damn heels out three days ago... but it doesn’t matter.  I still see you.  I still feel you.”

“Derreck... please...”

“Please, yes, tell me something.”  Derreck moved towards Macy.  She tried to step back but found a wall waiting.  She hit it and sighed.  “Tell me something, Macy.  Why are you painting in here?”

“How do you know this isn’t my normal spot?”

“Because the floor is too clean.  And there’s nothing down.  But I bet...”

Derreck took his right hand from his pocket and touched Macy’s face.  He went straight for the mess on her cheek, smearing small blobs of paint down her face and finally tapping her nose. 

“Thanks,” Macy whispered. 

Derreck raised his eyebrows.

His looks were so hot and flirty.  Macy put her hands flat on the wall, wishing she could grip it.

“But I bet,” Derreck repeated, “that I’ll find something...”

Derreck turned and snapped his fingers when he saw the opened closet door.

Shit, Macy thought.  Shit, shit, shit...

Derreck rushed to the door and laughed.

Macy’s secret was exposed.  Another secret at least.  In the closet she had a clear tarp down to protect the carpets.  She should have had something down in the dining room too, but it never dawned on her.  She never thought she would be painting in the open, let alone leaving the stuff out over night. 

“You’re listening to me,” Derreck said.  He smiled.  “I like that.  I like that a lot, Macy.”

Macy swallowed hard and pushed from the wall.  As she stepped towards Derreck she knew her moves were actual steps not to kill the distance between them, but to kill the distance between herself and her final secret.

The secret beyond her curves.  The secret that kept her hidden so much.

“What do you want from me now?” Macy asked.

She stopped a few inches from Derreck.  He leaned towards her, his lips so close she could taste him.  Her mouth opened and she thought about flicking her tongue at him.

“Why don’t we clean you up?” Derreck asked.

“Paper towels are in the kitchen,” Macy said.

Derreck laughed again.  “My gosh, the innocence... turn around, Macy, and walk.”

Macy felt her body jump and her naughtiest places react.  Turning around walking would take her straight into the bathroom.

Her excitement quickly became overshadowed by fear - a paralyzing fear - because being in the bathroom meant getting naked.  And getting naked meant Derreck would really see her. 

“I want to see you,” Derreck said as he stepped up behind Macy.  

His body touched her backside, his hands fitting around the curves of her hips with perfection.  She moaned and put her head back, touching Derreck’s shoulder.

“I want you to see me,” Macy whispered, “but there’s... something...”

“You’re beautiful,” Derreck said.  His hands squeezed at her hips.  Before Macy could say another word his hands crept under her shirt, touching her warm skin. 

Macy felt Derreck’s body react.

He thickened and his hardness touched her.

His hands slid up, coming closer to her scars.  Macy shuddered and let out a cry just before Derreck’s fingers were there and gone.  He moved over all her scars without stopping or even flinching.  His mind was elsewhere, appreciating the form of Macy’s body.  At her breasts, his hands moved over her bra and paused long enough to squeeze.  Macy’s body throbbed and she pushed back against Derreck, wishing they were naked.  She wanted to just bend over and accept him again.

She needed it.