The Billionaire's Marriage Proposal (Billionaire Bachelors Series - Book 4) Read online

  “Thank you, Mr. Anderson. He wasn’t hearing the word no,” she said and turned to head back to her table. She wanted to leave and her friends seemed to be having a great time, so it looked like she was going to grab a cab. She didn’t know where Trenton had gone but that didn’t matter.

  The group told her to stay, but she explained she’d gotten a headache and needed to leave. Tracy offered to leave with her, but she was having a great time and there was no need for that. Jennifer told her no and made her way to the front of the club.

  She stepped out onto the sidewalk, and was surprised by the empty street. There were a few cars here and there and several people milling around but she couldn’t see a cab anywhere. She turned and decided to walk for a while, hopefully clearing her head.

  “Hey lady, are you looking for a date?” some creepy guy asked, sending chills down her spine. How stupid of her to walk the Seattle downtown area in the middle of the night. She blamed her stupidity on one too many margaritas. She shook her head and walked a bit faster.

  The guy started trailing her, making crude suggestions, really starting to scare her. She looked around for somewhere safe to go, thinking it may be wiser to turn around and try and make it back to the club. She could go inside and ask them to call her a cab.

  Suddenly, her arm was grabbed and she was about to scream, when she turned and saw Trenton. She’d never been so happy to see the man.

  “What the hell are you doing out here, wandering the streets?” he demanded. “I turn around for one minute and you’re gone. Don’t you know what could happen to you out here at this time of night?”

  His tone of voice instantly put her on edge. She wasn’t some adolescent child who needed scolding. Sure, she’d made a stupid choice, but she was an adult and if she wanted to make stupid decisions on her own time, it was none of his business.

  “I’m looking for a cab, not that it’s any of your business,” she slurred at him, surprised by her own voice.

  “You’re going to give me a heart attack. I don’t know why I’m bothering to worry about you,” he seethed and took her arm, leading her in the opposite direction. She tried to yank her arm free but he had a firm grip.

  “I can walk on my own,” she snarled. He looked at her as if she was indeed not capable of doing anything on her own and he continued to walk, dragging her along, beside him.

  He stopped and clicked a button and then she was being tossed inside his car again. She was so stunned by his behavior that she sat motionless, giving him time to reach the driver’s door. When he started the car and pulled onto the street she came out of her shock.

  “You arrogant jerk, I didn’t ask you for a ride, nor did I ask for your help. You can let me out of this car and I’ll call a cab,” she yelled, glaring at the side of his head.

  “You may not have asked for my help, but you obviously need it. You can’t handle liquor worth a damn, and are a prime candidate for tomorrow’s news if I don’t get you home safe. I can’t imagine how you managed to stay alive this long,” he answered in an eerily calm voice. She was more irritated by his tone of voice than anything else. He was talking to her like she was a child and she didn’t appreciate it.

  “What are you doing down here, anyway?” she demanded, giving up on the idea of him letting her out of the vehicle.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m human, and do like to go out once in a while,” he said in the same tone.

  “I didn’t think you knew how to take off your suit and mingle with the commoners,” she said, knowing how immature she sounded, and not caring. She knew she let her tongue run rampant when she drank.

  “I know exactly what to do when I take off my suit,” he said and the look in his eye let her know his exact meaning. She decided to keep her mouth shut for the remainder of the ride. She suddenly found they’d pulled up to her apartment and so she worked on getting her seat belt undone so she could get away from him before she said or did anything else.

  Trenton exited the car and came around to open her door before she was finished. She got out on wobbly legs and holding her head high, started walking toward her door. He gripped her arm and led her there.

  “I don’t need your help. I’ll be just fine getting in on my own,” she snapped.

  “Obviously, you do need my help, and I don’t leave a lady alone this late at night without making sure she’s locked inside, safe and sound,” he said, still with too much patience. She was irritated he seemed so capable of keeping his cool when her own emotions were all over the place.

  She dropped her keys in her haste to get the door unlocked and he just sighed, reached down, grabbed them, and then had her door open in a few moments. She held her hand out for the keys but he just placed his hand on her back and led her inside.

  “I don’t need you to walk me in,” she snapped before plopping on the couch, too tired to argue with him anymore. He ignored her and walked over to the kitchen and soon she could smell coffee brewing. It smelled heavenly but she wouldn’t have a cup until after he left.

  “Drink this,” he said and she realized she’d drifted off while leaning against the back of her couch. She was surprised she could relax with him in her house enough to fall asleep.

  “Maybe, I don’t want to,” she said, even though she really did want the soothing liquid. He raised his brow and with a sigh, she conceded and took the cup, taking a long sip. It was just how she liked it, which irked her. He was more observant than she’d given him credit for.

  He stood there and sipped his coffee while she finished her cup. Then, he walked over and removed it from her fingers. She sucked in her breath, knowing she wasn’t up to fighting him off. Her traitorous body was already reacting to his nearness and she wanted him.

  He bent down and without saying a word, pulled her off the couch and into his arms, where he devoured her lips. He kissed her long enough that her knees turned to jelly and her insides melted. She was ready for him to take her. She was tired of fighting both herself and him.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and he caressed her back, sending goose bumps all along her skin and making her blood boil. Then, as suddenly as he began the kiss, he pulled away and the shutters were put back into place. He pulled her over to the door.

  “Lock the door after I step out,” was all he said before he was gone. She stood there motionless for several moments, shocked he’d kissed her with so much heat and then walked out. Finally, she cleared up enough to throw the locks into place, and walked back to her room, flopping on the bed.

  She kicked off her shoes, leaving her clothes on, lying on her bed, aching and needing him more than she’d ever needed anything. He turned her on more than any man should be able to but apparently she didn’t have the same effect on him because he’d been able to walk away without a second glance.

  Jennifer tossed and turned for several hours, before finally falling asleep. She was grateful it was Saturday the next day or she would’ve had to call in sick, because she needed a couple of days before she could face her boss again. The man was extremely potent and she was discovering how very weak she was around him.

  Chapter Five

  Trenton waited until he heard the locks click and then headed to his car. He should receive a medallion for walking away, because it was the hardest thing he’d ever done. She’d been willing and ready for him, but he knew she would’ve hated both him and herself in the morning and he’d done the right thing.

  He drove himself home and poured a double scotch before climbing the stairs to his room. He took a long shower and climbed into bed, where he knew he was going to lay for hours on end. He couldn’t get her out of his head and it was really pissing him off. No woman had ever held his attention as long as she had.

  He made the decision to really pursue her. He knew after they had a brief affair he’d get over her and be able to move forward with his life. Hell, it would be good for both of them and things could return to normal. He
could find her a new position within the corporation so she wouldn’t be left without a job and he could once again sleep at night.

  He had a long business trip coming up and figured it was the perfect amount of time to put his plan into motion. He would let her know on Monday morning about the trip. He felt better once he had a plan. It would all work out, even though a part of his brain tried to tell him he was crazy. He chose to ignore the more rational portion of his brain and focused on pleasure instead. He finally fell asleep and she invaded his thought even there.

  ***

  Jennifer walked into work on Monday morning and knew she looked bad. She hardly slept over the weekend and knew her face showed the results. She was frustrated Trenton had so much power over her that he affected her sleep.

  As soon as she sat down and pressed the computer on, her buzzer sounded and she was called into Trenton’s office. She squared her shoulders, held her head up high, and walked into his office. She was hoping her face looked professional.

  As Jennifer stepped into his office Trenton noticed she looked exhausted. Even though it looked as if she’d slept even less than him, she was still stunning. The trip would be a great thing for both of them, even if it would take her a while to realize it.

  “I have a business trip scheduled for the end of this week and I need you to come with me,” he told her, coming right to the point. Her eyes widened and she looked stressed.

  “How long will we be gone?” she asked. She didn’t want to leave her niece for too long.

  “If things go well, it will only take a week, if things don’t go according to plan, then it could take up to three weeks,” he said and her eyes widened even more.

  “I c…can’t be away for that long. I have my niece to take care of,” she told him. She in no way wanted to lose her job, but she couldn’t leave her niece for three weeks. Molly would think she’d been abandoned again.

  “I understand you have your niece, but as you were told when you interviewed for this position there’s a certain amount of travel. I need you with me on this trip. I’ve already arranged child care and she’s used to my cousin, so she’ll be fine. Your laptop also comes equipped with a video camera, so you can video message her nightly if you’d like,” he told her. He’d been prepared for her arguments and had already taken care of them.

  “If I’m to go on this trip, then I need a couple days off to spend with Molly so I can explain what’s going on and she won’t panic,” she told him. He was impressed by her backbone.

  “That will be fine. You can work from home the rest of the week. Take your computer with you, and if there’s any paperwork needing to be transported I’ll send a carrier,” he told her. “You can finish today in the offices, though.”

  “Thank you,” she replied and quickly exited his office. Trenton was feeling pretty good about himself. He’d never wanted a week to end so badly. He couldn’t wait to get her all to himself for a week or two. He sat back in his chair and smiled.

  “Auntie loves you so much and we will talk every night with the cool camera I showed you, okay,” Jennifer said to her niece. She was trying so hard to not let her tears fall. They were standing outside the company jet and thankfully Emily had agreed to bring Molly to the private airport to say goodbye.

  “I’ll be okay, Auntie. I’m going to play with my friends,” Molly said, but Jennifer could see she was a bit frightened by her aunt leaving.

  “I’ll bring you home lots of presents, too,” Jennifer told her, finally letting go.

  “I like presents,” Molly said, enthusiastically.

  “I know you do, baby - now be a good girl for Mark and Emily, okay?” she asked. Molly agreed, and before she knew it she was boarding the jet and waving to her niece from the window.

  Emily led Molly to her car and they disappeared. Suddenly, Jennifer realized she was alone with Trenton and her heartbeat skyrocketed. She didn’t even know where they were going, or how far away it was. She’d been so focused on her niece nothing else had mattered.

  She looked around at the luxury jet in awe. It was more plush than anything she’d ever been in. It had beautiful, soft carpeting, comfortable chairs, couches and a hall, leading to other areas. She’d flown in a couple of commercial jets in her life, but they didn’t even compare.

  “Would you like to look around? We won’t be taking off for about fifteen minutes,” Trenton said.

  “That would be great,” she answered. She wanted to see how the other half lived. He gave her the tour and she was amazed such a thing even existed. There were several rooms in the back of the aircraft, one with a large table and chairs around it, plus a huge television screen, another with a fairly decent kitchen. There were amazing smells coming out of there, ensuring they would eat well on the flight.

  When they reached the sleeping section, she could feel her cheeks heat up at the huge bed in the main room. It even had an attached bathroom, bigger than the one in her apartment. She didn’t see how they could fit so much into the jet. It was large, but not overwhelmingly so from the outside.

  She figured she’d be sleeping in the living room if it was too long a flight because there was no way she was sharing a bed with him. Hopefully, it didn’t become an issue.

  “Where are we heading, anyway?” she finally asked.

  “I have business in Austria. It’s a fairly long flight, but the jet’s comfortable so that shouldn’t be a problem,” he answered. She had to suck in the gasp wanting to escape. It looked like she’d be testing the comfortableness of the couch, after all. It was already early evening so they wouldn’t arrive until sometime the next day. She had no idea what time that would put them in Austria.

  “The captain has asked you to buckle up now, Mr. Anderson. He’s gotten the go-ahead for take-off,” a woman said.

  Jennifer quickly sat down and buckled her belt as tight as she could make it. She hated the take-off and landing part of flying. She was fine once they were in the air, that’s of course unless there was turbulence. She really hated turbulence, and if the jet hit one of those pockets of air and dropped, she’d begin to panic.

  She sat tensely, gripping the armrest on her seat until they were safely in the air and the flight attendant came back and offered them drinks. She ordered something strong and slipped off into the bathroom to take a couple of strong sleep aides. She wanted to sleep through the flight and wake up once they landed.

  She came back out and sipped on her drink and then something smelling heavenly was placed before her. She dug into the appetizer, loving whatever it was. She wasn’t used to eating such incredible food and thought she could get used to it.

  “Well, it looks as if you’re enjoying the meal,” Trenton said with a chuckle. She turned a bit pink and thought, ‘what the heck’ she didn’t care if he thought she was a pig.

  “I need to figure out how this was made. It’s so good,” she said. “Do you have a recipe?”

  “I could ask,” he said, sounding amused. She didn’t care what he thought, he was used to the finer things in life but she’d always had to work hard for everything she got. She was a great cook and knew she’d be able to come pretty close to the same flavor.

  More dishes were served and it seemed each one was better than the last. By the time dessert was presented her stomach was already filled to the full mark but it was dripping in rich chocolate and she couldn’t turn it down. Her sleeping pills were kicking in and she could feel the heaviness of her eyes. She wouldn’t last much longer.

  They finished eating and then a warm cup of coffee was placed in front of her. It smelled delicious and she realized there must be a shot of rum in it. It tasted even better than it smelled. She finished the cup and laid her head against the seat. She wasn’t going to last very long, she thought happily.

  “We should get some work done before we turn in for the night,” Trenton said, looking down at his laptop. She mumbled something and then let the fog drift over her and was soon sound asleep, sitting straigh
t up in the chair.

  Trenton looked over and realized Jennifer was out and not just napping, but really out. Hell, he most likely wouldn’t have been able to get any work done, anyway, as he was too anxious for the trip to really get started. He had a ton of work to finish, but he also planned on a lot of romance. He wanted her in his bed nightly, and he knew he was going to have to woo her.

  The flight attendant came back and he dismissed her for the evening, put his lap top away, and bent down and lifted Jennifer into his arms. She immediately snuggled into him, making his body grow hard and his lips relax into a smile.

  He didn’t think it was going to be difficult seducing his sexy assistant. He carried her back to his room and laid her on the bed. He removed her shoes and pants and left the rest of her clothes in place. He was certainly not going to violate her in her sleep.

  After tucking her into the large bed, he decided it was too early for him to sleep, so he went back out into the main cabin and worked on some papers for a few hours. When his mind kept drifting back to Jennifer, in his bed, he finally gave up and joined her.

  He laid there for a couple of hours, with her body pressed against him, simply enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He could get used to her sharing his bed. That was the last thought he had before sleep finally overtook him.

  ***

  Trenton woke up with Jennifer pressed tightly against him and it was incredibly hard to extract himself from her warm body. He was aching and hard and wanted nothing more than to flip her over and plunge within her inviting heat, but even though he knew how great it would be, the consequences weren’t worth it.

  He wanted her hot and willing, and he wanted her aware. He walked out to the main cabin and tried to do some work but gave up after re-reading the same line for the tenth time. He wasn’t happy this one woman had so much control over his emotions and his body. It made him feel weak and no woman should ever have that much control.