Authors: Susan Fleming
ROMANCE: Badass Boss (Billionaire Alpha Bad Boy Romance) (Western Mail Order Bride Calendar Contemporary) (3 page)
So, like everything else so far, she spoke her mind.
“I don’t know who you’ve had working for you before, but surely it’s not lost on you what a snare you are offering me. Taking the train back and forth to Auburn Hills, as expensive as that is, is still less than a thousand dollars a month, far less expensive than that apartment. If I live at home, I have few expenses, so I could easily live on a salary of four thousand a month.”
She continued to surprise him at every turn. “So I’m offering you a salary of sixty-two hundred a month and you say you’d prefer four?”
She shrugged. “It’s all a matter of practicality. I retain my independence, and you keep a good chunk of change. Sounds like a win-win to me.”
He had to laugh at her beguiling tactics. Little did she know that she was turning him on much more than any woman with a lot of cleavage and a “fuck-me” look.
“Fair enough about the independence, but I don’t want you taking the train every day. I’ll need you to have flexibility with your working hours, ones that likely won’t correspond with Amtrak schedules. How about this? I’ll make it a provision of your contract that should leave the employ of McNabb, Petrou, and Sinclair that you will have the option of selling me your lease.”
“I still don’t need a $6200 salary. That’s insane!”
“You’re right. Let’s make it $7500 then. You’ll need money to furnish and decorate your apartment, and perhaps to buy a new wardrobe since you seem so displeased with the one you have.”
“Hmm… furnishing, decorating,
and
a new wardrobe? How about a forty thousand dollar signing bonus, and fifty-two hundred a month?”
“Done! Wait, that’s over a hundred grand a year. How did you end up beating me at my own game?”
She threw her head back and laughed, then looked at him through narrow eyes. “So you admit it was a game?”
“Maybe, but negotiations are over, and you’re mine.”
Her eyes went from narrow to big again, but she resigned herself. She was running out of arguments, and things were working in her favor, if she could get used to his quirks. But it was a step on a ladder that she had never dreamed of taking—being mentored and moving toward law school.
What a minx! he thought.
She outmaneuvered me, but now she’s in my lair.
“So, we’ll go in the morning and sign the lease; then you can take the afternoon train home to get your things together. You can take the rest of the week to move in and do whatever décor shopping you need to do, and start Monday. I’ll be glad to help with any of that.”
She realized that it was getting later in the evening and she hadn’t thought about where to spend the night.
“I’ll need to make arrangements for the night.”
“Nonsense. You’ll stay right here at the Marriott at my expense. I can pick you up first thing and we’ll head over to Rivermore.”
Another trap?
she wondered. Why did she have to be so suspicious all the time? He was her boss! Just because he looked dark, dangerous, and gorgeous didn’t mean anything. Maybe he was even gay. That must be it, she decided.
That
would explain why he was so sweet and helpful. And also, why he was showering all this attention on her when he could have any woman he wanted. Whoa! She needed to stop confusing the potential boss with the potential boyfriend. Admit it, she told herself.
You
need
him to be gay. Then he’s much less of a threat.
“Dessert?” he asked.
“I couldn’t possibly,” she said.
“Good, then. Let’s take a stroll on the Riverwalk.”
He paid the tab and they exited through the lobby. He looked up at the towers once they were outside, thinking about her being alone in one of the rooms. He needed air in order to will his erection down.
“Ready?” she asked.
“I’m so ready,” he responded.
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A Mail Order Bride Romance
This deliciously dirty story is a part of Susan Fleming’s super-charged, highly lewd collection of love and lust, written in 2015. Those who attempt to steal any part of this goldmine and take it as their own risk being a fiery, hot death from a hunk bearing copyright notices—and she’s not about to play with you.
This is a work of fiction—although we wish that people like this really existed, it’s nothing more than a figment of a very, very overactive imagination. Any resemblance to someone you know, a place you love or anything you hold dear to your heart is nothing more than a craving in your heart that these carnal desires and actions were true!
It goes without saying that this book oozes with erotic sex appeal, and is filled to the rafters with a smorgasbord of acts that you certainly wouldn’t tell your grandmother about. Bodice-ripping, panty-dropping and glasses-steaming, the scenes contained herein are wickedly naughty!
Although all the saucy characters are flirting with forbidden desires and sometimes taking the naughty fruit they really shouldn’t be, all are consenting adults over the age of 18 and not blood-related. What they are is passionate and eager to explore their carnal desires all day long.
In short, this book is going to get you very, very hot!
© Susan Fleming
All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any many whatsoever without the express permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental. The characters are all productions of the author’s imagination. Please note that this work is intended only for adults age 18 and over. All characters represented are age 18 or over.
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1: Nervous Upon Arrival
Chapter 2: A Party Gone Wrong
Chapter 3: Vicksburg Living
Chapter 4: Sometimes You Need A Second Chance
Chapter 5: A Walk In The Moonlight
Chapter 6: A Promise of Love
Chapter 1
Nervous Upon Arrival
Belle Trotter knew as soon as she stepped down from the train that she was in way over her head. The noonday heat blasted her in the face as she looked around. She was used to the hustle and bustle of the big city, but she could see from end to end of the town as she stood at the bottom of the steps.
For one crazy second, every part of her mind told her to turn around, jump back on the train, and ride it as far away from the little town of Vicksburg as she could, but she didn’t. Summoning every ounce of will she had, she gathered up her small floral valise that held everything she owned in this world and stepped away from the train so others could depart. A glance about the station proved to her that she knew not a soul around.
A tall, whip-thin man raised a hand and began to walk toward her. Belle’s heart leapt in her chest as she looked the man over. She decided that this must be the man whom she was to marry.
My Lord
, she thought,
how did I ever get myself into this?
The man looked something like what he said he would over the telegraph. At least he didn’t lie about that, she thought. It was a small comfort.
For now, her mind was overrun with thoughts that she wished she would have had before. Thoughts about who this man was. He claimed to be a sheriff, but she had no idea if that was true. For all she knew, he could be an outlaw and just wanted a woman for a few nights.
Sweat broke out on her forehead, so she pulled out her handkerchief and wiped it away as casually as she could. Her hands wrung the kerchief as she waited for the man to get to her. He stepped up and swept his hat from his head. It was all she could do not to laugh out of nervousness when he sketched a bow over his extended right leg. As was customary she held out her hand. He took it and gently kissed the back before he spoke.
His voice was gruff, but held no anger. This close she could see that he had a walrus mustache. It had once been black, but now it was flecked with gray, as was his hair. He smelt fine. Not like an outlaw at all. What an odd thing to notice, she thought to herself as he replaced his hat on his head.
“You must be Belle Trotter.”
“I am.”
“Nice to meet you Belle. My name is Matt Thorn.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, Ma’am. I’d say you about the prettiest thing I’ve seen in my life. Your beauty rivals that of the desert flower when the rains come after a long drought.”
“Thank you.” She blushed despite herself. Suddenly, everything began to take its toll. The new town, people talking all around her, the man before her, and the noises of the train were all more than she could stand. Her head began to swim. “Could we step in the shade? I am beginning to feel lightheaded.”
“Of course.”
Taking her valise, he linked her hand through his elbow and led her toward a bench near the train station that was in the shade, but all of the sudden her dress seemed like it was much too tight.
I can’t get any air
, she thought. Darkness seeped into her vision.
I hope I’m not dying
was her last thought before she fainted. As she fell, strong arms wrapped around her and kept her from hitting the ground.
Belle had no sensation of being moved from the station and to a stranger’s bed. She was off in another time. In her mind, she was back in Chicago and her parents were still alive. The memory was one from more than three years ago, when she was just fourteen.
Chapter 2
A Party Gone Wrong
Her father called to her from downstairs and told her to hurry up. The play would be starting soon and they would miss the opening act if she didn’t come down now. She yelled to him and told him she was coming down as she fixed the last pin in her hair to keep it up in an elegant, yet graceful bun. Her mother had taught her how to put her hair up last year and ever since then she hadn’t gone anywhere without it done up properly.
She ran out of her room and down the stairs in a flash. Her father and mother waited at the bottom of the stairs with the front door open. Through the open door, Belle could see the carriage driver as he stood beside the carriage, waiting politely. Her father spun his hat in his hands by the brim and motioned for her to hurry. She leapt the last two steps and landed in front of her parents in a skid. The floor was slick from a recent waxing and she could not stop her slide. With quick hands her mother reached out and grabbed her by the arms. She waved a gloved finger under Belle’s nose.
“This is not the behavior of a lady. A lady does not run or jump down the stairs. A lady has poise and dignity.” The grip of her mother was like iron as she pulled her down the front steps. “You must learn to be a lady, Belle. If you do not, then you will never find a good husband as I did and you will be forced to live your life out as a spinster and die alone.”
“Oh, Mother. You are so melodramatic.” Belle sighed.
“Don’t use that tone of voice with your mother.” Her father was a good man in his own way, but even at the age of fourteen Belle could see that he did nothing unless he consulted with her mother first, and then he would only continue if she gave him a yes.
I hope that the man I marry isn’t like my father
, Belle thought. She felt bad for thinking that way, but she thought that a man and woman should be equals in a marriage, not one ruling the other.
As she climbed up into the carriage after her mother, she hoped that the man she was going to meet tonight would be a handsome man with strong arms and a quick wit. Her father climbed into the stage behind her and they set off for the play.
After the play, Belle and her parents would be going to a small party of the Chicago elite. The man she was promised to once she turned fifteen was to be at the party so that they could be formally introduced. She found herself wondering once again what he would be like. Mother had told her that he was in his early thirties, but that was no matter. As long as he was handsome and smart, she didn’t care if he was forty.
The carriage trundled along the road for some time with them in the back until a single shot rang out in the night. Beside her, Belle’s mother screamed at the report of the gun and pulled her close. The carriage shifted slightly and another shot rang out. This time it was much closer. The thump of the driver as he pitched off carriage and landed in the street was loud. Again, Belle’s mother screamed. Belle turned to her father in the hopes that he would know what to do, but he was huddled in the corner with his knees pulled up to his chest. Sobs racked his small body each time he took a breath. The carriage door flew open.
A man with a black handkerchief tied around the lower half of his face appeared and even though she couldn’t see his mouth, she could tell that he smiled because of his eyes. In his hand, he held a pistol that gleamed in the moonlight. He motioned the gun to her father.
“Get out of the coach.” His voice was gruff to intentionally disguise it.
“Just take what you want.” Her father held out his wallet and his gold watch in shaking hands.
“I don’t want your money. I was hired to do a job and I aim to do it. Now, you and the missus get out of the coach or I’ll kill the both of you in front of your daughter and I know you don’t want that. Do you?”
“No. No, please. We’ll get out.” Her mother climbed over and stepped down. Belle couldn’t believe when the thief or robber or whatever he was helped her mother down from the carriage. Her father went next, but he shook all over and the man had to help him down as well. He motioned for them to step back off the road and turned back toward Belle.
“You’re gonna want to turn your head little one. No one wants you to see what is about to happen. Me in the least, but I was paid to do a job and I’ll see it finished. Turn around now.”
Belle was too confused and scared to do anything other than what the man asked her to do. She turned and looked out the window opposite of the door her mother and father exited. Her mother let out a small scream, but it was silenced by the roar of a gun. Her father emitted a small choking sob and then it too was drowned out by the gun’s report. She heard footsteps approach the door of the carriage, but she was too afraid to turn around. A gruff voice spoke through the window at her.
“I’m gonna take you home now. I don’t enjoy what I do. Of that you can be assured. Believe me when I say I did what I had to do not just for money, but for the good of the country. I know that no matter what I say you’ll still hate me and probably won’t believe me, but one day you’ll be older and maybe you’ll understand. What happened here tonight was inevitable if the country is to survive. I’m sorry.”
Without another word he walked away from the window. Belle felt the carriage shift as he climbed into the driver’s seat, but that was the last thing that she remembered for she fainted. She vaguely recalled someone carrying her into her house and laying her down, but that was all. Someone began to pat her lightly on the cheek and call her name over and over again.
“Belle. Belle. Belle.”
