The Billionaire's Vegas Bride: A BWWM Alpha Male Romance (6 page)

He tried to deny her claims. “This? No, this is Sam’s place. I’m just staying here.”

She cut him off with a short, derisive laugh. “No, we’re past that now. You need to stop lying to me right now or you will make it worse!”

In spite of her fury, she was utterly gorgeous. Her hair swayed as she gesticulated and fire flared from her dark eyes. He was worried about being discovered and yet could not help feeling that familiar hardness swell and desire flooded his body at the sight of her.

She pointed her carefully manicured finger directly in his face and said in a low, firm voice, “I am a lady. I may not have much money and I don’t live in a penthouse, but people love me and I love them. I don’t put a shield around my heart to protect a lot of…” she gestured around the room, “… things. Things don’t matter. People matter!”

She turned to leave the room and Justin quickly followed. “Chantelle, it’s not like that.” He put out his hand to stop her, but she pushed it aside. “I… don’t know how to say this. I didn’t want you to know about my money because…” He swallowed hard.

Chantelle looked into his blue eyes and saw sincerity. He paused and then spoke, “I didn’t want you to see me as a spoiled, rich kid. I know it wasn’t right, but even though I was surprised to find you that morning, I felt something for you. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I’ve never felt like this before.”

Her face softened. At the same time they smelled something burning. Justin’s eyes widened. “Damn! The soup!” They both hurried into the kitchen. He shook his head with disgust while he awkwardly carried the scorched, smoking pan to the sink. Chantelle couldn’t help but laugh.

“You can’t even re-heat a can of soup? I’m sure they didn’t teach that at whatever prep school you went to.” Her eyes were merry as she gave him a sideways glance.

“I must admit that being raised with a personal chef leaves little incentive to learn to cook.” Justin’s boyish grin made her chuckle.

“Alright, then. Let me take over.” Chantelle began to search the kitchen for items to make a decent soup quickly, but Justin stepped forward.

“Hey now! I wanted to make soup for you. The only problem is that you’ll have to teach me to do it.” They looked at each other and smiled. They threw together a quick soup with leftover baked chicken and a thick broth. Chantelle didn’t have time to make the homemade egg noodles or moist dumplings she had learned to make by Aunt Janine’s side, but she did take a few of Justin’s leftover vegetables and made a soup worth eating.

They sat across from each other in a nook in the kitchen overlooking the city. Although the view was beautiful, they chose to look at each other over the steaming cups of soup. He couldn’t help but remember how sexy she looked after peeling off the jacket of her suit. The pale blue blouse clung to her dark skin, and he wanted nothing more than to tear it off her. He was about to lose control and reach across the table for her when the doorbell rang.

The dry cleaners had returned her suit. They realized that time had gotten away from them, but now the need to traverse the city slowly was no longer valid. Justin got on the phone and told the attorney he would be a bit late. After Chantelle dressed and fixed her hair, they zipped in the elevator down to a waiting car. Sitting in the car, Justin felt that they had been saved by the bell. Another moment alone in his home and he would have caved in and confessed his feelings for her. 

Chapter5

The drive to the attorney’s office became awkward. Chantelle was astonished by the city. She was used to living in a large city, but Vegas was so different from Manhattan! She could see what her aunt meant about getting to know a city. This was a city she did not know at all and it was quite overwhelming. The people seemed to be in such a hurry and it made her feel small and unimportant. She also began to feel strange traveling in this limousine with Justin. It was a different world. She had been in luxurious places with Kaya, but she always felt that she was not a major player. Kaya had a way of making everyone feel comfortable.

Justin was feeling just as uncomfortable. Having been caught in a lie and admitting that he had wanted her to see him as a man and not a dollar sign took a lot out of him. He had such mixed emotions about the annulment. Upon his return from Vegas, his father had begun a full out campaign to arrange every detail of Justin’s lifestyle. Justin knew that his father had no legal right to do it, but he also felt an obligation to the old man. As long as his father didn’t cross any strong ethical lines, Justin felt that he owed his father respect and a certain amount of compliance.

Marrying Chantelle was most definitely not one of his father’s plans for him. Candice had been brought up again and again, but that was an area where Justin refused to budge.  He would not strap himself to that woman for anything. He tried to explain this to his father, but the old man had become very set in his ways over the years and his short term memory didn’t seem to grasp the idea that Justin would never, ever marry that girl.

Mr. Fullerton was convinced the family connection would be a boon for their family and that Candice would make an excellent hostess. She also came from a family line that seemed to produce strong heirs and many men of business. In Mr. Fullerton’s eyes, these were reasons enough for marriage. He had cared for Justin’s mother, but theirs was mostly a marriage of convenience.

They both opted to vacation with friends or even alone. It was clear to everyone around them that there had been affairs on both sides, but as long as it was handled safely and discreetly, neither one of them made a fuss about it. Justin had not been exposed to this information until he was older, but he did notice how distant their family was and didn’t want this for his own marriage and nuclear family.

Both Chantelle and Justin were absorbed in their own thoughts and yet fully aware of the presence of the other. The electricity between them was palpable. Before long, they arrived at the attorney’s office. They didn’t realize that they had been followed, but the city traffic gave them a slight advantage so that by the time Tom pulled up to the building, Chantelle and Justin were just going through the revolving door.

They entered the office with its well-dressed receptionist and perfectly decorated waiting room. An attorney swiftly came from his office and greeted Justin with deference. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting, Mr. Fullerton. Let’s get to your business.”

Chantelle was shocked. Not only did they show up late, but they hadn’t even sat down yet. She had never needed an attorney before, but she had gone with a friend who was petitioning for an increase in child support and her experience had been the opposite. The receptionist had seated them without showing much concern and the attorney kept them waiting for forty five minutes, even though they had been on time for an appointment. She was beginning to understand what an important man Justin Fullerton was!

The business was accomplished quickly, but as with any legal encounter, it would not be finished this day. As usual, there was red tape to handle and the attorneys said that they would only be able to begin the process. Hands were shaken and a business card given, and then Chantelle and Justin were back in the early evening air.

Tom had been waiting and watching. He seethed as the strange man put his hand under Chantelle’s elbow and helped her into the car. He considered her to be his property and didn’t want this new man to touch his woman. He threw down his cigarette and jumped into a cab he had paid to wait for their return.

Back in the limousine, Justin looked at Chantelle. “It’s been a long day and all I’ve given you is a cup of coffee and a cup of soup. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s grab something to eat.” In Chantelle’s world, “grabbing something to eat” meant swinging through for fast food, ordering a pizza, eating in one of her healthy and favorite hole-in-the-wall ethnic restaurants, or getting some quick sushi.

When she agreed to dinner, she had no idea that he was planning to take her to The Pavilion. It showed that he wasn’t thinking straight when he called ahead for a table because he should have considered that he would run into the old crowd there and that tonight he simply wanted to spend time with this lovely woman. Suffice it to say that Justin’s thoughts were muddled. Chantelle was obviously a woman who had not spent a lot of time in society, but she had handled herself beautifully at the attorney’s office. Even when she was unsure of what to do, she watched him closely and followed his lead. He didn’t know that he had made it easy for her by being sensitive to her needs at every moment.

For example, in the past when men held out a chair for her, they tended to be awkward and it made the process of sitting down into a ridiculous affair, but Justin did it in a way that eased her into the chair comfortably. How was it that they were so in tune with each other but were spending time together only to sever their relationship? She shook the thought out of her head and reminded herself that marrying a stranger was ludicrous – even if the man was a handsome, wealthy, witty, and kind gentleman.

Chantelle wanted to go back to the apartment and change into something more suitable, but they were both very hungry and exhausted from the stress of the day. So, Chantelle pursed her full lips and said, “Hmmm… I have an idea.”

The back seat of the limo was roomy and Chantelle stretched forward and started playing with the buttons and dials in front of her. “Do we have a mirror?”

Justin grinned his boyish grin and started speaking in the over-inflated voice of a used car salesman, “Do we have a mirror? Do we have a mirror? If you look behind door number three, you will see that we not only have a mirror but…  Voila!” He pushed a series of buttons and a complete cosmetics mirror opened, with perfect lighting and an adjustable base.

“Very nice,” She said in a playful grudging way, “but do you have a brush for MY hair?”

Justin continued with his silly tone and said, “Why, step right up, pretty lady, and see the menagerie! We have brushes, we have combs, we have straighteners, we have curling irons, and we have…” With a flourish, he pulled from between two combs and some kind of device that she didn’t recognize… “a pick!” Chantelle definitely didn’t have an afro, but the sight of the pick set her into a fit of laughter. This was the first time their racial differences had even been referred to.

Chantelle almost doubled over. The relief of laughter loosed every muscle in her body. Before it became awkward, Justin, who was also laughing, went on. “Also, in case you happen to be traveling with someone of the Caucasian persuasion…” At this he did a little flourish with his hands as if he were a magician. “We have this!!” He pulled out a blond wig for a man. At this they both leaned over, laughing.

They didn’t see the driver flick his eyes to them and grin to himself. Dan, the distinguished driver and life-long father type figure to Justin, had never seen Justin cut loose like this. He had seen him relax with his friends and have a good time, but this was new. Justin seemed like the man and the boy all at once. He had opened himself up to this woman without even knowing it.

Meanwhile, Justin was explaining to Chantelle that the wig was there because of a joke Sam had played on him while they were out. It was a silly prank and it was a lot of fun. It wasn’t something Justin would talk about with his artistic friends, his business contacts, and especially his father, but it showed the brotherly bond between Sam, Glenn, Tim, and Justin.

“Alright, alright.” Chantelle gave her best impression of a school marm look, which was hard to pull off with her sexy dark eyes, long lashes, and lips that begged to be kissed. “How much time do I have?”

Justin was still smiling, but looked at his Rolex. “We have about fifteen minutes, mah lady.”

“I can work with that.” Chantelle got down to business. She adjusted the mirror, pulled a few makeup necessities from her bag, and grabbed the small bottle of hair product that would save the day. Justin had seen women put on lipstick before. He always thought it was silly when they tried to be sexy when they were really just sloshing some color on their face, but watching Chantelle was like watching an artist at work.

She shed the lovely yet professional jacket that just wouldn’t do for the restaurant. She was glad that the pale blue blouse had not been stained when it got wet earlier in the day. Justin’s dry cleaners had worked wonders! The skirt of the suit would have looked matronly on some women, but the fabric was light enough to pass for early evening wear and on Chantelle, it took on a sensual look since she filled it out in a way that made Justin want to act like a caveman.

She unbuttoned two buttons on her blouse and the good cut of the blouse allowed it to open enough to show her fine collarbone under her bronze skin. The opening of the blouse followed her chest down to show the beginning of the swells of her breasts without making her look scandalous. Next, she took the scarf and flared it open. She draped it over her shoulder in a way that transformed the entire look of the outfit from business to something more formal. She managed her hair and made some adjustments to brighten her makeup for evening.

Justin sat in amazement while she transformed herself from a woman of business to a woman of creative beauty. He had spent many hours waiting for his mother and other women to transform themselves from one societal expectation to another and in less than fifteen minutes with only the clothes on her back and a darker coat of eyeliner and a bit of lipstick, Chantelle had made herself into a beauty he could take anywhere.

They pulled into the restaurant and Dan came around to help them out of the car. She didn’t feel particularly intimidated by The Pavilion, and so the beginning of their dinner was quite restful. Justin was kind enough to ask if she would like him to order for her or if she would order for herself. She was relieved that she had asked him to go ahead and order when he gave the order in flawless French.

Chantelle was also relieved that Aunt Janine had insisted on teaching every child who crossed her threshold how to eat properly. Etiquette was not always imposed in her house, but Aunt Janine made sure that they learned it and could feel comfortable at any event. There were still a few things she wasn’t used to, and she watched Justin and copied what he did. Justin noticed that she was observing and then following his lead. Rather than being disappointed that she hadn’t participated in society before, he was impressed with her ability to pick up on things and learn so quickly.

Throughout dinner, they continued to find things in common. They loved the same artists, musicians, and movies. Justin seemed to know more about the civil rights movement than she did in terms of history. Of course, she had more family and neighborhood stories, but it was a comfort to know that he had educated on a topic so close to her heart.

“I don’t feel that it’s a black issue,” Justin said with feeling. “Civil rights for every human being is the responsibility of each individual, and those with power and influence need to make themselves aware of real-life issues.”

Chantelle put down her fork and looked at him across the table. He said this so adamantly that she knew it was heartfelt. When he went on to talk about other areas of civil rights, she knew that he hadn’t rehearsed this information for her benefit. Her heart swelled. This man was everything she had ever hoped for. He was a good man who cared about others and worked hard.

He paused and looked up to see her gaze. The softness around her eyes and lips nearly took his breath away. He reached across the table and took her hand. “I’m sorry,” he said gently, “I didn’t mean to talk about such an important subject as if it were mere dinner conversation.” He had misread her look. He wanted to assure her that his concerns for civil rights weren’t merely academic.

She smiled at him. “No, it’s wonderful. Just wonderful.” Normally she was outspoken on such topics, but a sudden rush of emotion took away her ability to speak well and all she wanted was to feel the caress of his thumb as they held hands across the table.

At that moment, a quiet, and yet shrill voice above them shocked them. “Oh, hello, Justin, dear.” Candice bent down and kissed his cheek with an attitude of possession. She turned toward Chantelle. “And who is your… ah… friend?” She lifted one pale eyebrow and put a hand on Justin’s shoulder.

Chantelle had never seen this woman before, but every fiber in her body immediately despised her. Candice was carefully dressed, as always. She wore a silver-tone dress with tall strappy heels. Her makeup worked with her light complexion.

Her appearance was flawless, but she still made a bad first impression on anyone with intuition, and she did take on cat-like qualities when she was around Justin. Their break-up had not gone over well with her father and she was feeling pressure to use whatever she had at her disposal to mark her territory and get him back.

Justin tried to stand to follow the social norms of his set, but he fumbled it badly, spilling a glass of water. He was out of sorts because he had been staring so longingly at Chantelle, and even though the sight of Candice was enough to snap him out of any lovely trance, his body had yet to relinquish the erection that made this show of etiquette an ordeal for Justin. Candice merely tinkled her little fake laugh and brushed an invisible crumb from Justin’s chest. “Oh dear. He is such a clumsy oaf, isn’t he… what was your name?”