Sex with the CEO: A Billionaire Romance (The Midnight Collection Book 1) (2 page)

Chapter 3

On the other side of London Annabel Winter was on the worst date of her life. Timothy, the man sat across from her at the table in the quaint little Italian restaurant which was uncomfortably quiet for a Friday night was listing off his favourite types of cheese and why. Annabel was polite and tried to smile and be interested but really she just wanted to cry inside. Timothy and her had met online. She had decided to try one of the dating websites her old roommate had been dabbling with out of sheer boredom and when Timothy and her had ended up being a match she thought,
why the hell not?

              He didn’t look like a serial killer, in fact he was quite the opposite. He was very unassuming and quiet. In other words, he was boring. Annabel spent the entire cheese conversation trying to figure out who he reminded her of and it was with complete disappointment when she finally realised it was John Major, the most gray and boring of British Prime Ministers. She sighed and smiled a half smile, she still had no idea what he was talking about. She stirred her tea and wished it was something stronger. She patted down her lap, and on the top of her thighs pinched herself, once, twice, nope, definitely awake. It wasn’t a nightmare.

              “Excuse me,” she interrupted, “I need to use the ladies room.” She got up from the table and walked to the back of the restaurant, desperate for some time away from him. Tim the most boring date
ever
.

              Inside she locked the door and looked in the mirror. She had gone for the 50’s look that evening and needed to reapply her eyeliner. It was swept up in big cat-eyes and matched her recently dyed jet-black hair. Annabel had been a natural frosty white blonde but she had decided that it was time for some changes. Not only had she changed her hair and decided to start dating again, she had also accepted a new job which she would be starting the following week. She had felt stuck in a rut and was more than ready to pull herself out of it.
Let’s make things happen
, was her motto and she was living it out as often as she could.

She dabbed her ruby red lips and flicked her hair from her shoulders. Annabel had what many people would consider the perfect figure, she had been blessed with big natural breasts, a tiny waist and a lovely round behind. She stood, curvy and elegant in her tight black, long sleeved dress with plunging neckline which enhanced the large swell of her breasts. They were gigantic. Like big, bouncing balls of fun and Annabel had never been with a man who didn’t become engrossed with them. The men she was used to were never anything special, she had kissed her fair share of frogs and had her heart broken more than once, but on this particular night Tim was just way too dull. He wasn’t bad looking, he could even pass for a seven, but she couldn’t get on board with the monotony of his voice. And for the first time in a long time, she felt sexy. She had been waiting to wear this dress since she had found it and she wasn’t going to waste it on Dim Tim.

              When she had finished applying her make-up she went back to the table, sat down and called over the waiter. “I think we need something a little bit stronger than tea,” she said, “Bring us a bottle of Limoncello.” Tim’s face curled into something which could have been fear, but most likely disgust and Annabel smiled and twiddled her thumbs as she waited for it to arrive.

After that, the date certainly became less boring. Annabel giggled her way through half the bottle of Limoncello as Tim watched on half confused, half horrified as she became drunker and drunker and less mindful of her opinions and his feelings. When he brought up politics she rolled her eyes and whispered, “bollocks” and when he talked about his job she mock slept and then laughed at him. She had never acted so outrageously in front of a man before and it was liberating. She was having fun and enjoying herself and even though she did wish the date wasn’t happening, she was glad of the experience. She tuned out to Tim’s voice and focused on his rough hands which she imagined having all over her. She thought of them undoing her bra at the back and squeezing her breasts. She thought about what was in his pants. She bet he had a monster cock in there. Surely Tim had to have one redeeming quality and knowing her luck she would be walking away from the best sex of her life. When she noticed it was almost eleven pm she stood up and thanked Tim for a nice evening, even if she didn’t really mean it for the right reasons and she let him walk her to the door of the restaurant before saying she could make her own way from there. She scanned the streets and contemplated finding the closest tube station, but quickly decided there was no way she would manage in those stilettos. She tottered along on her heels and looked for a taxi.

Chapter 4

Dexter sat in the back seat of his Maybach as his driver chauffeured him around London’s West End. It was getting late and he had still to set foot inside a nightclub. He looked out onto the streets and saw girls in tiny dresses with their legs on show and he eyed them up, wondering if any of them would end up going home with him that night. He was determined to get laid and he always got what he wanted.

              The queues for all of London’s top boutique nightclubs were snaking out down the pavements and as Dexter’s driver pulled up outside of Vita, the hottest new place in the city, he adjusted his collar over his suit jacket and got ready to enter to swarm of people outside. His driver opened the door for him and he go out into the hectic mass of bodies all pushing and clambering to get past the red velvet rope. Security parted the crowd and made a path so Dexter could walk through and as he did paparazzi snapped him, he half shielded his face as he got to the main door. He was ushered inside and led down the darkened VIP tunnel, out of the main section of the club, through two huge ceiling high red velvet curtains and into the secluded, much quieter area where he was immediately set up at the best table in the house, already adorned with several bottles of Dom Perignon. He looked around at the chandeliers and the opulence and instantly felt at home. Even though he’d be comfortable at a country pub, this sort of place was definitely where he liked to spend his time.

              A waitress in a tiny mini skirt and a skimpy vest popped the first cork and poured him a glass of champagne, Dexter smiled and thanked her before slipping her a fifty pound tip, desperate just to be left alone. He had wanted to be out of the house and knew he needed female company, but right now he didn’t want to be bothered with pointless conversations or servers crowding round him. He leant back in his seat and resisted the urge to check his blackberry.
Don’t do it, Dex… Switch off, just for tonight…

              It was whilst he sat there wrestling with his frustration that Annabel Winter descended the stairs to the VIP area. Fresh from her date with Dim Tim and ready to go wild, she was best friends with Clara, the hostess of the club and she had called her whilst she was in her taxi fleeing from the Italian restaurant and desperate for somewhere to go, limoncello’d up to the eyeballs.

              Annabel spied Clara and walked over to her, the two girls hugged and kissed each other on the cheek.

              “Anna, you’ve got to fill me in on this date from hell!” Clara giggled, snapping her fingers to a barman and motioning to him to pass them both some drinks.

              “Oh god,” Annabel put her head in her hands and laughed, “Honestly, never try and encourage me to go on a blind date again… especially with someone I met on the internet.”

              “I really thought you were going to hit it off with him!” Clara exclaimed, “He seemed just your type.”

              “Yeah, if my type was dull and boring…” Annabel playfully slapped Clara on the shoulder and took her drink from the barman, smiled and mouthed
thank you
. She looked around the room, the lights were so low in there it was difficult to make out how many people were sat in the darkened alcoves. Clara tapped Annabel on the waist, took hold of her hand and led her to a table, out of the way in one of the dark corners.

              “Here you go, Darling,” Clara said, setting Annabel down and making sure she was comfortable, “I better get back to work. Will you be ok over here?”

              “Yes of course, thanks so much for setting me up, I just couldn’t face going home, not after the trauma of Dim Tim!”

              “Enjoy!” Clara smiled as she wandered off back to the bar area. Annabel sipped on her vodka and cranberry and listened to the music. Like most cities, London could be a lonely place, and she just needed to be around other people that night. She didn’t want to go back to her flat alone. After living by herself for nearly a year and a half she was starting to crave regular company. Annabel had plenty of friends but nothing could replace the feeling of total devotion from another person. It had been almost three years since she had had a proper boyfriend and at least two and a half years since she had had sex. She thought about the last time, it had been with a man called John. They had dated for a few weeks and Annabel had slept with him when she felt she had known him well enough. It turned out she didn’t know him at all and he had a whole host of kinky fetishes he was keen to try out and Annabel couldn’t get away fast enough. She was asked out on dates quite regularly by people she met either at work or out in bars, but she rarely said yes. After her track record she decided she was better off on her own. Dim Tim was the first person she had considered dating in well over a year and he had been nothing but a disappointment.
At least you gave it a shot,
she thought,
But being single is definitely the way for now…

It had just turned midnight as Dexter sat and watched the women greet each other. One of them was the hostess and the other was obviously an acquaintance. They kissed each other on the cheek and rubbed their hands down each other’s arms as if they were old friends and knew each other intimately. They caught Dex’s attention immediately because the girl who had entered and been shown to the table next to his had the most perfect hourglass figure he had ever seen. As she moved across the room her waist undulated and she swivelled her hips like a cat. She was slinky and demure and so unbelievable sexy Dex felt his dick pulse in appreciation the second he saw her. He sipped his drink and watched her with lust and hunger. She was going to be his tonight. He had her in his sights and she was his pray. A naughty smile crept over his face as he summoned the hostess to his table and whispered into her ear.

Chapter 5

“That girl,” Dexter whispered into Clara’s ear, “The one you’ve just sat down, would you be so kind as to ask her if she’d like to join me?”

              Clara agreed and slowly made her way over to Annabel’s table.
Oh my god
, she mouthed. Annabel looked at her confused and shrugged, “What?”

              “You’ve been summoned, that’s what,” Clara said excitedly.

              “Summoned?” Annabel sipped her drink, “In what way exactly?”

              “Dexter Slade,” Clara slid into the booth next to Annabel and nodded in the direction of Dexter who was now staring at them both. “One of London’s wealthiest men, he comes in here all the time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him request the company of someone before.”

              “He’s requested my company?” Annabel was confused, she giggled and shook her head, “Tell him no chance, not after the night I’ve had.” She sipped her drink and turned her head to look over to the bar, she was not in the mood for being made fun of.

              “Seriously,” Clara said, “He’s just asked me if you’d like to join him…”

              Annabel looked back towards the man and even in the dark she could tell he was handsome, the way the shadows caught his bone structure made him look dramatic and strong.

              “I don’t care Clara,” Annabel shook her head again, “I’m not interested in being messed with tonight.” She smiled at her friend and reached into her purse for some lipstick. She applied it using her small little gold mirror that was a treasured gift from her grandmother and shook her hair out again over her shoulders
. Requesting my company, who does he think he is?
She was instantly annoyed by him and she motioned to one of the servers and asked them to bring her another vodka cocktail.

              “I don’t really fancy telling him you’ve said no,” Clara said nervously, “He’s a very good customer here…”

              “Oh really,” Annabel snapped, “So I have to sit with him so he’ll spend more money? And what exactly would that make me?” She was getting annoyed, not only had Clara convinced her to go on the truly terrible date but now she was basically offering her up as an incentive to get men to splash cash around the club.

              “Calm down,” Clara said in a hushed voice, “I’ll just tell him you’re waiting for someone…” And she rose from the table and made her way back over to Dex.

Dexter saw his pray looking agitated and wondered if the hostess had said something unforgiving about him. He recognised her, she worked in Vita every Friday and Saturday and Dexter had been a regular since it had opened a few months before. He had certainly had his fair share of women in there. He usually had a selection of pretty little blondes to choose from and he never went home alone. It was common knowledge around his circles and the places he frequented that he was a ladies man but even with his reputation he wasn’t used to being shot down. No one had ever said no to him.

              “I’m afraid she is waiting for someone, Sir, but she thanks you very much for your invitation.” Clara smiled apologetically as she returned to Dexter’s table and began to pour him another glass of champagne.

              “Well, while she waits…” Dexter said, “I’d love to keep her company.”

              Clara felt her heart flutter in her chest with panic, she would have done anything to have a man like Dexter Slade ask to have her at his table and here was Annabel turning him down because she’d had one bad date.

              “Bring her to me,” Dexter said, “
Now
.”

              Clara scurried back across to Annabel’s table and breathlessly said, “He
really
wants you to go over.”

              Annabel rolled her eyes and pouted angrily at Clara. “No,” she said. And slammed her hand down on the table as she rose to her feet and crossed the room, giving Dexter a dirty look as she did so and went down the dark corridor to the ladies room.

              Inside she closed the cubicle door and sighed. She knew she should have just gone straight home, why did she have all those drinks in the restaurant… She rubbed her temples and squinted in the mirror, all she wanted to do now was click her fingers and find herself magically in bed, cozied up in her pj’s.
Make things happen
, she thought,
I want to make things happen so I’m at home, alone, tucked up and sound asleep!
She touched up her lipstick and opened the door, the bathroom was thankfully quiet, a private one for VIP’s only. Annabel was glad she didn’t have to share it with the girls that usually frequented these types of clubs in the West End. They all had agendas and they all wore too much fake tan, too many extensions and fake boobs. Annabel was glad she could define herself as pale, interesting and completely natural.

              She snapped her clutch bag closed and made her way to the main door, she pulled back on the handle, swung it open and came face to face with Dexter Slade.