The Heiress (Book 2 of the Forbidden Series)

5

Layla avoided Jeff as best she could by taking the girls shopping on fifth avenue. It was a day of boutiques and spas, relaxation and beauty. She had made sure it was a girl’s day out, and none of the guys were remotely interested in going with them. She had a facial and a wrap to forget her worries. Putting Jeff out of her head was easy enough, but the memory of Alexander was not so easy to put aside.

She found herself fantasizing about that night alone in her room. The way he smelled, the way he felt pressed against her. She wondered what it must be like to be pursued by a man like that. The way his body would move, the sound of his deep voice, the desire in his dark eyes. He made her want him so effortlessly and then again, he had made his living by making women want him. A fact that strangely annoyed her.

After a day of indulgence, Layla suggested a night out. The truth was she did not want to go home. Unfortunately, her friends insisted they go back to the mansion to change for their night out on the town. They decided to check out the newest hot spot in New York. Her father’s longtime friend and bandmate Ronny Creek had decided to try his hand at the proprietorship of a major nightclub, and from the buzz, in the social pages it had taken off. The VIP was the newest place to be. Anybody who was anybody in New York City frequented the club. Tonight, they were going to hit the town.

The girls were comparing their latest purchases as the town car pulled up to the gates of her father’s estate. Layla could not believe her eyes when she saw Alexander relaxing against his motorcycle outside the gate. Layla banged against the partition and addressed the driver. “Pull over.” She ordered. The car came to a stop, and Layla rolled down the window smiling sweetly at the handsome man grinning back at her. “Hello, are you lost?” She teased.

Alexander took off his sunglasses and walked over to the car. Leaning against the open window, he looked inside and nodded hello to the other ladies. “It would seem no one will let me in.” He said with an ‘I told you so’ implied in his tone. “Have you ladies been shopping?”

“With a vengeance.” Kim chuckled.

He turned his attention back to Layla, and she could see the shame in his deep eyes. “Do you still want me?” He asked Layla in a sultry tone that sent shivers through her. She understood what it was he meant by his question, but she couldn’t help the images that suddenly flooded her mind.

Layla looked away hoping she wasn’t blushing and said, “Follow us in.” She tapped the partition and ordered the driver to move on. She casually glanced back to see Alexander ride his bike through the gate before it closed. She was happy to see he reconsidered their agreement. The town car pulled up in front of the house, and the ladies got out with their bags. Alexander pulled up and parked beside the town car. Layla waited on the steps watching him climb off the bike and mount the stairs to come face to face with her.

The others had gone into the house, and Layla was left alone on the front porch with the man that had been haunting her thoughts all day. “You came back.” She smiled.

“Since I seem to be unemployed at the moment, it was either stick around or go home and watch soap operas with my mother. I decided that annoying Jeff was a better use of my time.”

“Thank you,” Layla said hugging him. She felt Alexander’s arms wrap around her and she felt strangely secure.

“So, what are we all doing tonight?” Alexander asked releasing her.

“We’re stepping out. Have you ever been to the VIP?” Layla asked heading inside with Alexander behind her.

“Are you kidding, it’s imposable to get on the guest list, and you don’t get in if you are not on the list.” He said following her up the stairs to the second floor.

She stopped and grinned back at him. “Then it’s a good thing we are on the guest list.”

“We are?”

Layla chuckled and continued up the stairs. “I’m an heiress Alexander; I am on every list.” She informed him. It was clear he had no understanding of how wealth and fame worked. She reached the top of the steps and saw Jeff coming out of his room. She cringed when she realized he spotted her and was headed straight for her.

Suddenly Alexander swept Layla up in his arms and backed her against the wall. His mouth claimed hers and Layla was instantly lost to the deep ravenous kiss. Her hands plunged into his hair, and she felt his strong hands roam up her thighs then he lifted her and her legs wrapped around his hips. She felt the wall sliding against her back as he slowly stumbled toward her bedroom. He broke their kiss when they bumped into Jeff.

“Sorry, buddy didn’t see you there.” Alexander winked at Jeff who was scowling at him. “You know how it is when you are having fun.” He gloated reaching for the doorknob to Layla’s door. The door opened, and they stumbled inside as he stole one last passionate kiss and kicked the door closed behind them. Once alone inside the sanctuary of her bedroom, Alexander broke off his passionate pursuit as suddenly as it had begun. He placed Layla on her feet and walked away from her.

It was his sudden nonchalant attitude that helped her realize that the whole thing had been purely for Jeff’s benefit. She was happy his back was turned to her so he could not see her blush with embarrassment. In a matter of moments, he had made her lose all cognitive thought with a kiss. “Did you see his face?” Alexander laughed opening the doors to the terrace to let in fresh air. “He looked like he’d pop a blood vessel.”

She forced a smile when he turned around to look at her. “Ok, you are going to need an evening outfit, and darn it I didn’t shop for you.” She walked over and ran her hands over his broad shoulders trying to judge his size. “I think you and my father might be the same size. You certainly look his build and height.”

“I highly doubt he is going to be excited to lend me a suit.” Alexander pointed out.

“Oh, don’t worry; I didn’t intend to ask him.” She grinned and went to the door.

Alexander crossed the room in a flash and leaned against the door preventing her from being able to open it. “If you go out there right now Jeff is going to know we aren’t…” He paused for a moment and c****d an eyebrow suggestively. “You know.”

Layla searched his face for a moment until she realized what he was referring too. “Oh yeah.” She blushed.

“Then he is going to start suspecting something’s up. We should wait for a little.” He suggested. “You know to keep up appearances.”

“Of course.” She agreed, stepping away from the door. “How long should we wait?”

Alexander shrugged. “Half an hour.” He said walking over to sit on her bed.

“What do we do for half an hour?” She asked not sure how to pass the time trapped in her room with him.

“Come on in a room like this you are telling me you don’t have a television stashed away behind a door or a painting or something? How do you entertain yourself when you are in here alone?” He asked leaning back against the headboard.

“I read.” She admitted, then she remembered the deck of cards she had in the top drawer of her dresser. “Oh wait, I have cards.” She announced strolling over to the dresser and removing the deck. She then jumped onto the bed and settled in a cross-legged at the foot. “Do you play?” She asked.

Alexander layout on his side on top of the covers propped up on his elbow. “Sure. I’ve hustled a game or two in my time.” He said flashing her a mischievous smirk that was sinfully attractive.

“So, you rebuild engines, strip at seedy bars, and hustle card games, don’t you live the eventful lifestyle.” She teased as she shuffled the deck and started dealing the cards. “What shall we play?”

“Lady’s choice.” He smiled.

“How gentlemanly.” She thought for a moment for a game that didn’t require more than two people. Most of the games that came to mind were juvenile. “Do you mind playing a childish game?”

“Not at all.” He said, and they began a riveting game of crazy eights.

“So why do you do it?” She asked eyeing him over the top of her cards.

“Do what?” He asked placing his card in a pile between them.

“Dance the way you do. From what I saw that night you seem to have some skills why do you waste them doing that?” She placed two cards onto the pile. “Why don’t you instruct? It’s got to be more respectful.”

Alexander smiled seductively. “Stripping pay’s better.” He answered honestly.

“And you are all about the money?”

“For now, yes.”

Layla eyed him suspiciously. His clothes were worn and old; he didn’t have a stitch of decorative accessories, no chain, not even a watch. The motorcycle he drove around on was ancient. He didn’t spend any of the money he made on himself. “What do you do with the money you make?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s obvious that you strive to make as much money as possible and as quickly as possible but it’s clear you don’t spend it on yourself. So, what do you do with it?”

He frowned and tossed his cards in the center then looked at the clock on her nightstand. “I think that is long enough for a quickie. Why don’t we get dressed?” He said getting up from the bed.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Layla pointed out getting up and following him to the door. Alexander turned around and smiled at her, and she realized he had no intention of answering. “I see, so it’s like that. I answer your questions, and you get away without answering mine.”

Alexander placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “You are a nice girl Layla but let’s face it our worlds are different. We’re not friends and probably never would even speak to each other if it wasn’t for our business arrangement. So, let’s not get too personal.”

Layla placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes annoyed. “You kiss me like that in the hall and telling me how you spend your money is too personal?”

“Yes.” He smiled.

She rolled her eyes and opened the door. “You are lucky you are cute, or I’d replace you.” She teased as she left the room.

***

David slammed the door to his bedroom, and it flew open again as Kat stormed in after him. “Don’t you walk away from me.” She snapped. “This is your fault if you had just left it alone like I had told you to it would have been fine.”

“I told you he was after her.” David snapped back turning around to face his furious wife. “I warned you this would happen.”

“No, it would not have. That boy would have kept his hands to himself, but you had to go and fire him. He is no longer your employee and therefore has no reason to keep his hands off our baby. You drove her into that boy’s arms.”

“And I’m going to fix it.” David declared heading for the door again.

“Oh no you’re not, you have done quite enough,” Kat growled grabbing hold of his arm and stopping him from leaving. “You are going to do this my way and leave them be, just let this infatuation run its course.”

David frowned “I don’t like it.”

“I don’t care.”

“What if I give the boy his job back? Then he will have to go back to not touching her.” Kat shot him a stern warning with her bright green eyes. “Fine. I’ll leave it alone.” For now, at least.