The Billionaire's Gamble (3 page)

Nina sighed and shook her head. “You’re too soft, Sabrina. Watch yourself around him.”

“I will,” she promised. “No falling in love with Sid Matthews!” she said, crossing her fingers over her chest and raising three fingers in the air like a girl scout oath. “But right now, I want to know what is in those boxes,” she said, referring to the presents that were now sitting underneath the tree in her family room. “You know how I can’t stand secrets,” she said.

Nina laughed as she followed Sabrina into the family room and the two of them sat down and opened presents with their coffee in hand. There were several for each of them since their parents had shipped out a large box filled with wrapped presents earlier in the week, plus the ones each of the two sisters gave to each other.

Once the presents were opened, the two of them heated up the egg casserole and split it between the two of them, reminiscing over previous Christmas mornings, laughing about their childhood foibles and teenager whims.

All too soon, Nina took off to get ready for the evening’s shows at Solara and Sabrina was left to her thoughts and anxiety over Sid Matthews coming to her house for dinner. Nervously, she raced through her small house, cleaning everything from top to bottom, trying to see how things might look from his point of view. Was it frumpy? Or maybe too cottage-like? She knew Sid was more sophisticated so would her comfortable, overstuffed furniture covered in flowery fabric and pretty plaids or stripes make him feel uncomfortable? Should she hide some of the cut flowers?

Shaking her head, she realized she was a nervous wreck and it would only get worse if she didn’t stop second guessing herself. It was ridiculous to try and figure out what Sid Matthews liked or disliked. If he was uncomfortable, then he could just deal with it, she thought with a firm nod of her head.

Close to the time everyone was scheduled to arrive, Sabrina was chopping onions and other vegetables, her mind going through all the reasons she should call Sid and tell him that the dinner was canceled. Her sister was right. Sid played by different rules. Rules she couldn’t even fathom. Inviting a man like Sid Matthews to dinner asking for punishment in one way or another. She would have to be careful and make sure she protected herself.

A knock sounded on her door and she called out to enter, assuming it was one of her neighbors who was arriving early. “Come on in,” she called out, still dancing to the Christmas music playing on the stereo.

Sid walked into the cottage style house and followed the music to the back where the delicious smells of cooking were emanating from. Once he reached the doorway to the kitchen, he stood still, admiring the view of Sabrina dancing in her small kitchen. Gone were the business suits that covered her from her neck to her ankles and the hair that was neatly pinned to the nape of her neck. Sabrina was dressed only in leggings and a tight tee-shirt that perfectly revealed her slim figure and luscious breasts to his hungry view as well as her fire red hair flowing in waves down to the middle of her back. Her cute derriere wriggled to the beat of the music and he had a small glimpse of voluptuous breasts as she turned slightly to toss something into a large, wooden bowl beside her.

He leaned against the door jamb and enjoyed the sight. Sid remembered interviewing Sabrina. He’d known that she’d have an incredible figure underneath those stern suits but he’d never imagined that she would be so enticing. He wanted to walk over to her and place his hands on her hips, pull them into his and dance with her, feel the beat of the music and her svelte body against his.

“Oh!” she gasped, turning to say something. “I thought you were my neighbor. I’m sorry, Mr. Matthews,” she said and grabbed her sweatshirt that had been draped over a kitchen chair. She quickly pulled it over her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Am I early?” he asked, knowing that he was exactly on time. He set a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers on the counter, raising his eyes in inquiry as he watched the emotions flit across her face. Sid like that he could see so much of what she was thinking just by looking into her eyes. Eyes that were incredibly lovely, he thought.

Sabrina looked at the clock and gasped. “Oh no! You’re not early, I’m late.”

The clock obviously energized her into action. “Can you open the bottle of wine over there on the counter?” she asked and disappeared into what he could only guess was a storage room.

Sid took the cork screw and quickly opened the bottle of wine, setting it down onto the counter to breathe for a few moments.

 

Sabrina reappeared with a large, folding table in her arms, struggling to carry it through her tiny kitchen.

 

“Let me get that for you,” he said.

 

”No, that’s okay. I’ve got it,” she said and kept moving, knowing that if she stopped, she’d drop the wooden table on her toes. Experience had taught her well.

 

Sid ignored her and easily took the heavy table out of her hands. “Where do you want this to go?” he asked.

“Into the living room,” she said, impressed with the ease with which he lifted it through the kitchen. He didn’t look like he was lifting a dead weight. It appeared as if he were carrying a bunch of feathers, he carried the table so effortlessly.

Sid carried it easily into the room and set it up for her. “What are you going to do with it?”

 

“That’s the dinner table,” she smiled cheerily.

 

Sid raised that one eyebrow again at the idea of serving Christmas dinner off of a folding table. “Really?” he asked skeptically.

She noticed his wary expression and laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I promise it will be nice. Can you go pick out some music?” she asked. “The last song on the Christmas album just finished so we need more Christmas cheer,” she explained, pointing to the stereo system that was on a shelf in the corner of the room. There were several CDs stacked up beside the stereo and he sifted through the selection, watching Sabrina the whole time.

Sabrina picked up a piece of red fabric and spread it out over the table. Then she added white plates rimmed with a tiny line of silver. Green napkins, silverware and tiny candles lining the center were next. Sid watched in amazement as the beaten up old folding table was transformed into a Curier and Ives Christmas scene. There were small vases holding one perfect rose and a few green leaves at the top of each plate with individual salt and pepper shakers.

“Does it need anything else?” she asked, staring at the place settings. When he didn’t say anything, she glanced over at him hopefully.

“Food?” Sid said, trying to find his voice. He was a man used to linen table cloths and food prepared by the finest French chefs, wines that were imported and chosen especially for each course. But the scene in front of him was so much more appetizing and inviting. Her creativity increased tenfold in his mind and only reaffirmed his desire to make her his wife.

Sabrina laughed and the sound filled him with warmth as well although he didn’t even smile. “I’m in charge of only a few things,” she explained. “Everyone else is bringing the rest of the meal.”

“I brought a bottle of wine but I’m not sure if it will go with whatever is for the main course,” he said, leaning one arm against the wall as he continued to watch her, curious as to what she would bring out next.

“Great!” she exclaimed. “I also brought some wine but you’re right, I don’t know what the others are bringing so it could be completely wrong. In the past, we’ve lucked out though so just cross your fingers and we’ll all hope for the best. Okay?” Her eyes dimmed slightly. “There’s just one thing,” she continued before hesitating uncertainly.

“What’s that?” he asked in what he hoped was an encouraging tone.

“Well,” she started, eyeing his expensively tailored suit and crisp, white shirt with an obviously costly silk tie and imported Italian loafers, “if you want to fit in with the rest of the crowd about to show up, you’ll have to relax slightly,” she said.

Sid followed her eyes and looked down at his suit. “I am relaxed.”

Sabrina smiled tentatively at his stern expression. “I’m sure you are,” she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t take offense, “but you look like you’re about to head into a board meeting instead of sitting down with friends for a relaxed Christmas dinner,” she said.

He didn’t answer but looked down at his suit again. “What’s wrong with my suit?”

“Nothing!” she said quickly, grateful he didn’t sound angry. “But it’s just that….well, perhaps if you took off your jacket and tie, that might be a little less…” she stopped, looking for the right word, “intimidating,” she finished finally.

Sabrina was relieved by the sudden laughter lighting his eyes although no other facial feature moved. She was extremely aware that she’d never been this close to him before so she’d never had an opportunity to watch his eyes so much. They were a fascinating dark blue but she’d always been too nervous around him to get this close, needing furniture or several feet of space between them during working hours.

Without another word, Sid reached up and pulled his tie off, then swung his jacket over his arm. “Is this better?” he said, unbuttoning the top button of his collar.

“Much,” she said, letting her breath go out of her body in a whoosh, not realizing that she’d been holding her breath in anticipation of his reaction. “I’ll put these upstairs so they don’t get ruined.”

He stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. “Do I intimidate you?” he asked as she reached out to take his jacket and tie.

Although his touch was gentle, she could feel the fire ripping along her sensitive skin. She smiled tentatively, worried that he might be able to see what effect his simple touch had on her equilibrium. “Absolutely,” she finally said, belatedly remembering that he’d asked a question. She added a smile to ease the effect of her words, hoping he might think she was just teasing him.

“How?”

Obviously he was too perceptive to fool so she turned slightly away, shielding her eyes from his gaze. She was just about to take his jacket and tie so she was too close to answer him. She looked up at his square, smoothly shaven jaw and firm lips and shook her head, “I…I guess it’s just the way you….” She stopped, flustered by his nearness. “I don’t know,” she finally said lamely.

Sid let her take his jacket and tie, watching her expressions as she backed up from him, quickly putting several feet of space between them. He didn’t take his eyes off her, liking the way her eyes revealed her desire for him. He hadn’t missed the increased heart beat in her soft, sexy neck when he’d touched her either.

He could tell that she was nervous but trying to hide it. He tried to think of some way to ease her fears of him, but nothing came to mind. Because in reality, she should be scared. The things he wanted to do to her, with her, would probably make her run screaming from her own house.

While she was upstairs, the doorbell rang. “Can you get that?” she called down the stairs? “It is probably my neighbors.”

Sid walked over to the door with the silent grace of a cat. He glanced up the stairway, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever she was doing but the only door was closed. He opened the front door on the second ring and within moments the house was immediately inundated with people smiling and shaking his hand, introducing themselves to him as if he were their next best friend.

It was not an experience Sid had ever been through before. People in his circles didn’t immediately offer their friendship. In his world, his only friend was his brother. Everyone else was kept at a distance where acquaintances were permitted but never reached more than mild friendship and never instantaneous trust such as these people seemed to be offering without question or hesitation.

Sid hid his surprise but he stepped back from the group that was forming around him in the tiny house.

“Hello! Aren’t you the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my entire life!” an attractive woman with loads of makeup, probably about forty years old said as she took a step closer, instantly eliminating the space Sid had just put between himself and the group of strangers. Her thick, Texas drawl and her died blond hair were out of an old fifties movie. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Janice and this is my husband,” she said turning to the man behind her, “William.”

“I’m Sid,” was all he said, shaking the woman’s hand, and then her husband’s.

Janice smiled up at him, patting him on the back and handing him a plate of something covered and mildly warm to his hands. “Glad you’re here Sid. I’m thrilled that Sabrina is finally breaking out of her shell and dating. You can’t do better than Sabrina,” Janice finished then moved on to the kitchen.

A lady with brown hair and friendly, soft blue eyes followed behind Janice, instantly taking his spare hand and shaking it warmly. “I’ll second that. We’ve been trying to set Sabrina up on blind dates since she arrived in Vegas,” the brown haired woman said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “But now I understand why she’s turned us all down. I’m Sarah. This is Jim, my husband and my son Jacob,” she said and reached up to hug Sid. “You’re worth the wait!”

The three of them moved off to the living room and the next set came in and immediately took him into his arms as well. “Oh, aren’t you a hunk!” a woman with shocking red hair said, pressing her hands against his muscular biceps admiringly. “I’m Dorris. I live right next door. If Sabrina gives you any trouble, you just let me know and I’ll knock some sense into her,” Dorris said. “And if you’re in the mood for someone older and wiser, I’ll dump this lug for you!”

The “lug” simply smacked her bottom which created a squeak and a wink at Sid. “I’m Bob,” the man said and took Sid’s hand in his, shaking it energetically. “Sid, glad to have you here. And ignore Dorris,” he said, waving his hand in the direction of the woman walking into the kitchen. “She’s just mad at me for telling her the potatoes were burning,” he said nodded meaningfully. “Can’t trust her to keep her eyes on the cooking where a woman should be,” he said, raising his voice at the last to make sure his wife and all the other women heard him.

Immediately, two napkins pelted Bob in the face and he chuckled along with everyone else’s laughter.