Shades of Step Billionaire (3 page)

Olivia blushed, flushed with embarrassment. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she laughed. She felt like her whole body was electrified she was so excited to be meeting Mr. King in person.  She had never felt this nervous before, and couldn’t believe she actually had the courage to meet him.  She was glad she did, though.  He was gorgeous. He looked like he just walked out of a magazine.  He was well over six feet tall, he had the broad shoulders of a football player, thick dark hair and eyes and a strong angular features.  He was even more attractive in person than the photograph she had seen.

“You know for someone who is interested in alternative practices, you’re surprisingly shy,” he said. Olivia smiled again. She found his big brown eyes disarming, and felt comfortable opening up to him.

“I know, I’m sorry.  It’s just that, I’ve never really talked openly with anyone about my preferences.  And then there’s the reason we’re meeting…

“What do you mean?” he asked.  Olivia glanced nervously around to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Well, we’re meeting for the explicit purpose of determining whether or not we want to have sex with each other,” Olivia whispered as she spoke, feeling self-conscious about the topic. Mr. King threw his head back and barked in laughter, and then leveled his gaze upon her again.  He leaned forward, his eyes piercing and focused.

“Okay, that’s true.  But isn’t that what any date is?” he asked. Olivia felt another blush rush through her and charge straight to her core. He was so direct. Olivia appreciated his candor, and found his openness alluring. She fell silent for a moment, lost in his eyes.

“You’re right, I guess I never thought about it that way,” she said.

Mr. King looked thoughtfully at her for a moment.  “Maybe it’s too early to jump right into the heavy stuff.  Why don’t we order and you can tell me a little about yourself.  What your interests are, your line of work, that kind of thing. Olivia smiled.

“Okay, I’d like that.”  Just then the waitress appeared. 

“Good evening, my name is Cynthia and I’ll be your waitress for the evening. Cynthia’s eyes flashed as Mr. King turned to look at her. She looked like she just set her eyes on a juicy steak. She smiled broadly and crouched down between Mr. King and Olivia’s chairs, presumably to give off an intimate, friendly vibe.  Olivia found it annoying. 

“Our specials tonight are the pan seared scallops, filet mignon, or pheasant-…” she continued on, but Olivia was distracted by the obvious way she was trying to flirt with Mr. King.  She had turned her body away from Olivia completely, and even rested her hand on the arm of his chair. Olivia began to wonder if she even realized she was there.  Mr. King was polite, yet appeared unmoved by the waitress’ overt attention to him. The waitress leaned in close to him and pointed out something on the menu.  Olivia was becoming uncomfortable watching the waitress flirt so openly, but she couldn’t blame her.  Mr. King was a stunningly handsome man, she just wasn’t expecting someone to flirt so directly with him in front of her.  In fact, looking around the room, she noticed many women stealing glances of him.  Briefly she wondered if her self-esteem was strong enough to handle dating someone so attractive.  She imagined if this happened every time they went out, she could start to feel paranoid. 

Finally the waitress finished taking their order and disappeared.  Mr. King smiled at Olivia, and she instantly forgot about the fawning waitress. As the conversation wore on, Olivia was delighted to find out Mr. King was as charming as he was handsome.  In fact, once they got to talking, they discovered they had a lot in common. They both came from small towns, both parents were divorced and remarried; they enjoyed a lot of the same sports teams and even had similar hobbies.

“I can’t believe you play broomball!” Olivia squealed.  It was a sport her stepfather had taught her.  She had not met many other people who played the obscure game.  She started to feel like she had known him her whole life.  She was happy she had spent the time getting to know him, and was feeling much more comfortable.  She realized part of it was because he was so warm and attentive.  He watched her so closely when she spoke, giving her his complete undivided attention.  He made her feel like she was the only person in the entire restaurant.  She realized what a rare quality that was these days.  She had been interrupted many times while on dates while her companion read texts or took calls.  It was so refreshing to feel like he valued her presence enough to really focus exclusively on her.

The flirty waitress returned to clear the table after dinner.  She continued to smile suggestively and bat her eyes at him as he ordered coffee for them.  Olivia turned away until she was gone.  Best just to ignore it, she thought.  Besides, he didn’t seem to even notice.  He gave Olivia his complete attention.  After the waitress left to get coffee, he held her gaze in silence for a moment before speaking. “I’ve seen your list of preferences and interests.” His statement sent a spear of heat charging to her core.  Her stomach tightened.  If she thought the conversation was awkward before, she knew she’d have to really brace herself now.  It never occurred to her how uncomfortable it would be actually discussing sexuality so openly, and how challenged she was to not shy away from the topic.  She knew she’d have to get comfortable with it if she really wanted to pursue this with Mr. King.

“Yes, I’ve seen yours, too,” she said quietly. He nodded, his expression became serious.

“Olivia, have you ever actually
experienced
any of the things you put on your list?” he asked.

“No, have you?”

“Yes,” he said.  His answer was immediate, certain.  He said it with and intensity in his eye that rattled her core. She suddenly worried that she was swimming in waters that were far too deep for her.  She held his gaze for a moment longer.

“Is that a problem?” she asked.

He sat for a moment, as if assessing her, contemplating his answer.  Tension coiled within her and she felt for a moment as if she was interviewing for a job.

“I have to admit, I was hoping the agency would pair me with someone more…experienced,” he sighed and held onto his breath for a moment before letting it out in a huff. “Look, I’m just going to be straight with you.  I didn’t sign up with a dating agency to help me get a date, that wasn’t the problem. I can get plenty of women.  I signed up with them to help pair me with someone who can meet me on my level. I was tired of having to explain myself to my partners and I was having a hard time finding anyone who could keep up with me sexually. I assumed going into this that they were going to find someone experienced for me, and perhaps that was my fault for making that assumption.”

Olivia swallowed hard as he spoke, taking in his words hurt, and she feared he had decided to reject her. Mr. King shifted in his seat before continuing. He leaned in close to her, speaking intensely, intimately. “Your shyness and lack of experience is a bit of a problem for me. I’m looking for someone who is fearless. You’re interested in this, but you’ve never actually
done
anything on the list.  I can’t afford to waste time.  How do I know you won’t get scared off?” he asked.

Olivia understood.  He wanted to invest time and energy into something and he didn’t want to waste his efforts if they weren’t going to pay off. He was right, she was interested in pursuing this, but couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t get scared or back out if it became too much.  She looked back at his drilling eyes.

“You’re right.  I don’t have the experience you’re looking for and I can’t promise you anything,” she sighed.  She didn’t want to lose this opportunity but she feared it was slipping away. “Let me tell you why I signed up for the agency.  For as long as I have been sexually active, I’ve always been interested in certain things, but have never found anyone who was brave enough to do them with me. They either treated me too delicately or worse, ridiculed me.  I’m looking for someone bolder. I was hoping to find someone with experience who wouldn’t be afraid to give me what I want.  I know I’m shy and inexperienced, but don’t confuse that with lack of commitment,” she said.  She spoke boldly and held his gaze directly.  He tilted his head as if considering her further, and then he smiled.

“Ms. Prince, I think our interests are complimentary, and I do enjoy your company.  I would consider taking you on if you to agree to some things.”

Electric tingles danced over Olivia’s skin at his words. He wasn’t rejecting her.  She sat straighter in her chair, listening attentively as he spoke. He leaned forward over the table his eyes focused and incisive.

“First, I expect absolute compliance from you.  I move fast and am very intense. I will not go easy on you because you’re a beginner. Don’t question my methods, don’t second guess me. You have to be willing to relinquish complete control to me in all things.  It might sound pretty abstract right now, but in real life situations what I am asking of you will be harder than you think. If this scares you or you are uncertain, I ask that you back out now.”

Olivia was silent as she took in his words and considered what it could mean for her going forward. “What would be difficult about that?” she asked. His eyes pierced hers and he was silent for a moment.

“Are you wearing underwear?” he asked.  He spoke calmly, yet looked at her with an unsettling directness.

“Yes,” she said, a wave of uncertainty flowing over her.

“Take them off.”

She paused for a moment, considering his request.  If any other man on the planet were to ask her to do that, she would have slapped him. But here, under these circumstances, it was still surreal, yet at the same time it seemed almost natural.  His eyes bore down on her and she felt her pulse quicken. His tone was certain, almost dangerous. His outrageous suggestion immediately electrified her and she felt an intense tingling sensation between her legs. She was going to do it.  Nervously, she placed her hand on the arm of her chair and started to push herself out of her seat. As she rose, his hand clamped down on her wrist. She sat down again and looked at him with an expression of confusion.

“I didn’t say leave the table,” he said. His eyes grew dark and Olivia trembled under his glare.
Holy shit!
Olivia’s heart pounded in her chest.  A sense of panic almost overcame her.  Mr. King’s dark eyes drilled into her, waiting.  It was now or never, put up or shut up.  This was a test and she knew she’d have to pass if she wanted to continue seeing him.  She swallowed hard and scanned the room.  It was a dimly lit restaurant with panoramic views of the city.  Waiters and waitresses bustled about and tables of diners filled the room. Olivia turned back to him, her eyes wide.

“Are you serious? Here? Now?”  She whispered.

“Don’t question me,” he said.  His tone was serious, with a slight edge to it. Olivia bit down on her lip as she contemplated what to do.
What if someone sees me? I’ll be humiliated.

Mr. King broke the tension with a wide smile.  He sighed and tapped his long fingers on the linen covered table. “See?  I told you it would be harder to do than you thought, most women do. That’s why I’ve turned to an agency.  I’m looking for someone who can keep up with me.” He wiped his mouth with a linen napkin and tossed it on the table then he pushed his chair back.

“Olivia, it was a pleasure meeting you. I think you are a charming, beautiful woman.  Feel free to contact me once you have acquired some more experience.” Olivia’s face burned as he spoke. She did not want him to leave.  She did not want to fail and in particular she did not want to disappoint him. Panic welled in her eyes.

“Wait!” she said.

Mr. King turned to her.  She looked nervously around the restaurant.
No one is paying any attention to us anyway. The lighting is dark.  I can do this.
She pulled her hands from the table and let them travel down to her hips. She knew they were shaking and took a breath to steady herself. With her finger tips, she pinched the elastic of her thong through the sheer fabric of the dress and pushed it down to the seat cushion of her chair. Mr. King’s eyes bore into her as she moved.  She wanted to tear her gaze away and scan the room again, but her eyes locked onto his instead. She scooted her bottom forward to the edge of the seat and looped her thumbs through the elastic strap under the dress.  Then she lifted off the seat and pushed back into the chair, pulling the thong over the crest of her rear end.
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Her heart jackhammered in her chest, she could even hear the blood whooshing in her ears she was so nervous, but she continued, and managed to pull the thong down over the tops of her thighs.

“Can I get you anything else?” The female waitress had suddenly appeared from behind Olivia. A rush of adrenaline flooded her body and Olivia froze, staring straight ahead.  Slowly she rested her hands in her lap and tried to look as casual as possible for someone who had their underwear half off in a public place.  For the first time that night, she was thankful the waitress only paid attention to Mr. King.  Hopefully she didn’t even glance at Olivia. Mr. King turned slowly to look at the waitress.

“No, thank you.  Just the bill will be fine,” he said casually.  He turned back to Olivia.  Briefly she thought she was having a heart attack or a stroke, but she calmed down once the waitress left and she felt confident she had not noticed anything unusual happening under the table. She glanced back at Mr. King.  His expression was again unreadable, but she was certain she detected an amused glint in his eye at the close call she had just had.  The worry on her face must have registered with him.  He leaned forward slightly.

“You have to trust me
completely
. I knew the waitress was coming and I let you continue as she approached. I would have stopped you before you got caught. Your job is to do what I ask and not worry about anything else. Trust that I am taking care of you and looking out for your best interests. I won’t let you down, but you must not let me down, either.”

“I’ll try,” she said. Olivia couldn’t believe the surreal nature of the conversation.  She felt comforted by his words, and this little exercise was clearly illustrating the level of trust she would be required to give him. She wondered what else he might ask her to do.  Would she be able to do everything he asked, with no questions or arguments?  She didn’t know yet.  Right now she was just trying to get through dinner. She decided to leave those questions for later and finish the one thing he had asked her to do.

Without turning her head, Olivia scanned the room with her eyes before placing her hands back down on her legs and gripping the elastic band of her thong. He noticed.

“Trust me,” he commanded, ordering her eyes back to him. Olivia swallowed hard and complied. As she focused on him, she pushed the thong down her thighs, thanking God she wore the long wrap dress that fell below her knees. She realized, beyond her fear lurked a sense of excitement and arousal.  She had never been this turned on before.  He had set her on fire with one little request.  His eyes smoldered as he watched her execute his order, intensifying her desire.  She was beginning to ache inside, aware of a growing need.  With one hand, she held onto the thong while she discreetly slipped a leg out of it. She moved slowly.  It felt almost as if time had slowed and they were the only ones in the restaurant.  Even the normal noises of a busy restaurant seemed to fade away and all she was aware of was his penetrating gaze upon her. She then crossed the leg still wearing the garment over the other leg and, using her napkin as cover, guided it down her leg and over her foot.  A rush of excitement flushed her and she inhaled sharply, feeling as if she had not taken a breath in minutes.
I did it. I took my thong off in the middle of a crowded restaurant.
She realized how ridiculous it seemed to have that feel like such an accomplishment, but it did. She was actually proud of herself. She balled up the item and passed it to him under the table. Shudders ran through her as his large hand engulfed hers, his fingers trailing over her palm as he swept the thong into his hand.  With a subtle movement he pocketed the cloth and turned back to Olivia. “Congratulations,” he remarked.  Olivia smiled.

“Did I pass your test?” she asked. He smiled.

“This one, yes, but there will be others.  I think we should think of this as a probationary period.  Recognize this isn’t a perfect fit based on your level of experience, and see if we can make it work.  While I don’t want do try and make a match work with someone that doesn’t satisfy my requirements, I also don’t want you to be with someone who pushes you farther than you’re ready to go. So, really, this should be a chance for us both to evaluate how things are going.”
Huh, I’m on sexual probation.  That’s a new one.
  She contemplated his idea.

“Kind of like a trial period?” she asked. He laughed.

“Yeah, something like that.”  Olivia still wasn’t sure.  This was a lot more to take in than she thought, and still worried she was in over her head.  She needed more time to think.  Mr. King seemed to sense her hesitation.  He tilted his head, and keenly observed her.

“Maybe you have already decided this isn’t for you. What’s it going to be, Ms. Prince? Olivia’s mouth went dry at his words. 
He really doesn’t waste any time, does he?
He had not told her what he did for a living, but from the way he carried himself, and the direct way he pursued his interests, she guessed he was probably
very
successful.  She was pretty sure he was a man who got whatever he wanted, and in this moment, it looked like he wanted her. Olivia’s stomach fluttered at the thought. She understood exactly what he meant by that.
Pursue this means explore our shared sexual interests with each other.  It was a sexual proposition.
She felt like she must be out of her mind to do something like this, and yet it was exactly what she wanted. Feeling brave and adventurous, she smiled and nodded in response.

Mr. King’s eyes flashed, amused by her bashfulness.  He leaned in next to her and pulled her in close enough for her to get a whiff of his cologne.  It was a tantalizing blend of cedar and musk.  Instinctively, she inhaled drawing in more of the scent.  He pulse jumped as his chin grazed the side of her hair, his masculine stubble rough against her soft skin. He was so close she could feel the heat of his breath at her temple as he whispered to her.

“Olivia, you’re going to have to be able to ask for it if you want me to give it to you.”

Her spine stiffened and shivers ran down her back at his bold words.  She had never been so turned on by a near stranger before.  She found him to be nearly enchanting, and she wanted him, bad, she just had to challenge herself to be bolder with him. Just then the waitress appeared with the bill. Olivia exhaled, thankful for the interruption.  She didn’t quite know how to respond to his comment.  She wanted to say the words, but she couldn’t.  Not yet. Mr. King scooped up the bill even before Olivia could reach for her purse and then leaned in close to her. “Don’t answer yet. Take your time and think about it. You have my email.  If you decide you want to move forward, send me a message. He pushed his chair back and started to stand, but Olivia stopped him, and grabbed him by the arm.

“Wait,” she said. He turned and lowered himself back into his chair.  She took a breath, trying to calm herself, and summon the courage to speak frankly. “I do want to move forward. I want this,” she paused, unsure of how to proceed. “What happens if it turns out there’s no chemistry?  What if we’re not…you know compatible? She felt silly asking this late in the game, but realized they could get into a sexual situation and find out they didn’t care for each other in that way. She looked up at him with large questioning eyes.  This all seemed so strange and confusing for her, why was he so calm and self-assured in this situation and she was so flustered? He smiled. Just then the waitress returned with the receipt and his credit card.

“That’s a good question.  I suppose step one would be to make sure we are…compatible.” he said as he stood up and put his credit card back in his wallet.