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Tanner comes around and opens my door like an old-fashioned gentleman before I’m awake enough to realize he’s turned off the engine. He doesn’t let go of my hand as he leads me into the house and straight to the kitchen that I swear I saw on some TV show or other. It’s huge and gleaming with stainless and marble, but the dark teal cabinets and polished slate floor give it a cozy feel.
Food in the form of a roast beef sandwich appears like magic in front of me. “Chef left some ready to eat. Or there’s ham if you’d rather?”
“No, this is perfect.” At least I manage to say that much before stuffing the croissant full of thinly sliced beef and cheese into my mouth.
Tanner disappears with a gesture I interpret to mean he’s going back for the bags. So I take a minute to really absorb my surroundings from my perch on the bar stool at the center island.
I can see into the sunken living room that is surrounded on three sides by water. I’m excited to see what that’s like in the daylight. I still can’t quite comprehend how I’m ‘vacationing’ for a month with a billionaire. One that I’m supposed to seduce. But the more time I spend with him, the more confused I am by that.
Tanner still isn’t back yet, so I take some initiative and open the refrigerator to grab another sandwich. It will help me think. But the interior of the appliance has me transfixed. There are containers of fresh mango, raspberries, and strawberries. All absolutely perfect, like they’re waiting for a high-end wedding. And foil wrapped containers labeled in French. It’s spellbinding. Hurriedly I take one more roast beef croissant from the tray lined with a doily (in the refrigerator!). That’s when Tanner steps back into the kitchen.
“Want something to drink with that?”
“Um, water will be fine.”
He looks amused but fills a glass from the dispenser. “Stressful day, Mika?”
I nod. “Apparently, I’m supposed to seduce this really reclusive billionaire. Any tips?”
His eyes crinkle at the corners, but the rest of his face remains impassive. “What’s worked on you in the past?” His tone is mild, but there’s nothing idle in his question.
“Nothing,” I confess, feeling like that paints me as more of a hardass than selective.
His gaze sharpens as he leans in, bracing one arm over my head against the fridge door. A finger lifts my chin so I’m forced to meet his eyes. “Mika, are you saying you’ve never…?”
My blush must be enough of an answer because he lets go of me in favor of propping both arms above me. In theory, I could escape to the side, but I’m too fascinated by his approaching mouth, which halts just shy of mine.
“Then I think we’d better conduct a little test,” he says tightly.
I blink. His eyes smile again, and he taps a finger against his cheek. “A kiss, right here.”
That I’m able to do, assuming I can reach. I stretch up on my tiptoes and press my lips where he indicated. His skin is warm and slightly sandpapery with evening stubble. He smells absolutely delicious.
He taps his nose and I drop a quick peck there. Then it’s his chin, his other cheek, his jaw. I know where this is heading, and I let each kiss linger just a little longer than the last. By the time he places his finger on his lips, I’m feeling needy. I want his arms around me, holding me tight against his hard chest, but he’s still loosely caging me in against a kitchen appliance, not touching me at all.
I seal my lips against his, trying not to show exactly how much I crave it. But either he figures it out or he takes pity on my amateur efforts. Before I can pull away in embarrassment, he’s lifting me up by my waist and holding me against the cold steel. The heat of his mouth against mine is a delicious contrast to the chill against my back. Tanner sucks gently on my lower lip before lowering me down. His hands remain on my sides while his heated gaze sweeps over me. I feel like I’m the complete center of his attention.
“Pretty sure you’re halfway there, sweetness. But I need you to promise me now that you won’t do anything you don’t want to do wholeheartedly. No virgin sacrifices for the sake of honor or friendship or even just not wanting to say no to me. You can always say no. About anything. Understand?”
I nod, my head still spinning from the sensation of his kiss.
4
Mika
Sadly, that PG-13 kiss (there wasn’t any tongue involved) was the full extent of Tanner’s experiment. After I was done eating, he showed me to a beautiful guest room overlooking the lake and pointed to the room next door. “I’m just there if you need me. Or simply want me.” I had to search for the twinkle buried deep in his eyes to know he was teasing me gently.
Now I’m lying in the most luxurious bed underneath an open window with birdsong filling the air. The sheets are silky and the majority of the shock from yesterday has worn off. It was mostly a dream, right? I’m sure when I re-read the letter from Caitlyn I’ll realize I jumped to some embarrassing conclusions and this will simply be a fun adventure.
Then I remember kissing Tanner and I rethink that. My legs scissor in response, probably trying to carry me away to safety, but that’s not going to work until I’m vertical. And my purse with the letter and my phone is still downstairs, so time to get up, I guess.
I take an unusually prolonged shower, relishing the water cascading over my sensitized skin. The bathroom is stocked with three kinds of shower gel, two shampoos, and a gazillion spray combinations on the two showerheads.
Deciding to let my curly hair go crazy, all I have to do is slip on underwear and a pretty sundress before heading downstairs.
The house is blissfully quiet, so I assume Tanner is still in bed or out doing something. I’m excited to raid that refrigerator after the fabulous nibbles last night, so I hope that’s not rude by billionaire standards.
Then again, maybe it is, because when I enter the kitchen, it’s to find a mini buffet lining the island counter. There’s a covered pan of bacon and scrambled eggs, a pot of steel-cut oatmeal, more croissants, muffins, and a tray of the beautiful mixed fruit. The last of which is decorated with slices of star fruit. Not only is it enough to feed twenty people, but it’s too pretty to disturb.
