Treating Mr. Billionaire

~ 55 ~

Maria sighed at that thought, letting her both hands run through her hair in exasperation and exhaustion one more time. A moment later, she raised her head to meet his eyes once again, and his gaze was still locked onto her as though she was the only being that existed in his world.

Her blue eyes softened, and she took in his form for several seconds before she responded quietly. "You still don't get the point, don't you?" she asked him and watched his expression morph into more confusion. "Everything I have said, none of them makes up a valid reason to hate you."  Maria shook her head slightly at that idea, causing him to blink in complete amazement at her words.

"Then why won't you go out with me?"  he questioned, his voice barely above a whisper, yet his voice carried so much weight that her whole body trembled slightly, and he leaned closer to her as if he wanted to find his answers in the warmth of her skin.

With her eyes locking deeper into his, her voice came out in hushed tones as well, yet there was an overwhelming sense of emotions hidden in its depths. "I saw the way your mother looked at me, the disappointment in her eyes... I am afraid many people will look at me that way if I ever date someone like you." she stated, finally revealing her deepest worry about getting into a relationship with him.

There were many reasons attached to that fear of hers. Jayden was someone whose life was in the public eye, and his lifestyle was no doubt being judged by both admirers and anti-fans alike. It was going to be too much pressure for her to choose to be with a man with such a reputation and she wasn't willing to put herself into the position of being called unsuitable for their 'king', especially when his family obviously had a better option for him.

Her honesty seemed to cause some kind of reaction to pass over his facial muscles. He stared at her for the longest period of time in silence, his brown eyes reflecting a spirited emotion, while she kept looking back at him intently, almost anxiously, wondering what he was thinking.

After a long stretch of quietness and deep thoughts passing through his face, Maria noticed a hint of new determination appear in his eyes.

"Will my opinion matter more than those people?" he whispered in a calm voice, his eyes staring intently and penetratingly at her own. "If I told you how much I like you, would you still care about the things that other people say?"

Her breath hitched at his unexpected words, his question leaving her speechless and unable to speak a single word, nor was she able to take her eyes from his.

There was something about his words and his sincere look that sent waves of electricity flowing throughout her entire system, creating a strong and undeniable effect inside her, making her unable to think clearly. All she knew in the current state of her brain was that his presence alone was doing things that her body had never felt before.

"Tell me," he spoke again, his voice low and laced with desire and heat. "If I told you how much you drive me crazy,  and how badly I want you to be mine, would you still care about others?" he asked, his eyes burning into her soul.

Her heartbeat began accelerating at his words, and she fought hard against the sensations coursing through her body. 

Maria closed her eyes tightly for a moment, only to open them back up once again to stare at his unwavering gaze, "No..." She breathed shakily, shaking her head at the very idea.

The sound of her answer created a small smile to touch his lips, and that mere movement of his nearly took her breath away.

He took the last step forward toward her in the short amount of space between them, his frame completely encompassing hers as he bent down slowly to intensify their sealed gazes.

"You make me feel in ways that I have never felt before," he murmured, as his hand reached up to cup the side of her face. "At first, I didn't want to admit my feelings, but I found myself falling harder for you," his admission came out as a raspy whisper, and his eyes fell onto her lips for the briefest moment before coming back up to lock on hers. "Now all I can do is hope that you'll give me another chance." He added, the sincerity that laced his words reaching the core of her soul.

Her breath became unstable at his confession, and his closeness was making her mind wander dangerously off-topic. All she could think about was how inviting he looked, the warmth radiating off of his body, and the fact that his scent seemed more potent when she was standing directly in front of him. 

She knew her brain wasn't functioning properly anymore when her lips parted to speak the most foolish thing she had ever uttered since meeting him. "Kiss me."

Her words were received with an act of hesitation, his hands dropping from her face to rest at the sides of her hips, and she felt his fingers moving slowly in a way that lifted the thin fabric of her gown as he pulled her closer. "Is that a yes?" he questioned as though an answer to that was all he needed prior to losing control.

A quavering nod from her was enough to create a deadly smile on his face, and she felt his hands sliding up the sides of her body, leaving a trail of warmness on her skin as they moved higher and higher.

Her whole frame shuddered violently when his fingers brushed her hair away from her neck before he lowered his head to the side of her bare throat, breathing heavily into her sensitive skin.

That act alone left her breathless and dizzy, and she found herself unconsciously placing a hand against his chest for support, her eyes fighting the urge to shut themselves down completely.

The traces of his fingers running down her body made her gasp and when they reached her calves, it only took a second for him to lift her body up in a way that pressed her against him. Maria didn't have the energy or will to protest, instead finding herself simply enjoying the sensation of being held close, with her legs wrapping around his waist to feel more connected to him.

He paused to take a look at her, and his eyes met hers with the most intense desire that she had ever seen from him. His lips hovered inches away from her own, his warm breath brushing her skin softly, as she waited impatiently for the next move he would make.

His gaze took a glimpse of her lips before coming back up to lock on her eyes once again, and she could tell what exactly he wanted with just the way he was looking at her with a burning passion.

It made her tighten her fist against his coat, as her nails dug deep into his inner shirt, as though she was holding onto his very soul in order to prevent him from escaping her. She could see herself melting against his touch, giving in to every temptation he had offered so far.

And then, slowly, his face began to lean closer to hers, his lips grazing her cheek gently before touching her lips with such softness and gentleness, that it sent tingles all throughout her body, and her toes curled inward.

She closed her eyes immediately, allowing herself to surrender to the feeling of his warm mouth against her own, not realizing how much she yearned for this until that moment.

The air between them began to smolder into something hotter as their mouths moved together in a slow yet intimate rhythm that left her weak and muddled with desire.

Her hands moved to the side of his neck, gripping his shoulders with firm intent, pulling his face tighter against her own as the blazing imprints of his fingers continued to glide sensuously the skin beneath her dress.

Right at the moment when Maria thought she was about to go crazy from the sheer amount of pleasure that was running through her, she felt his face withdraw slowly from her own, causing her eyes to open dizzily before staring at him with heavy breaths.

His dark irises glimmered in the light, sending an electric charge straight into her core as he stared intensely into her eyes until a question crossed his lips. "Where is your room?" he asked in a voice that was soaked with desire.

The words were barely out of his mouth when she felt the first wave of lightheadedness overtook her entire body before responding in a trembling tone,  "Up-Upstairs..."

That was all she managed to answer before his lips crashed back on hers once again, her body reacting to the deliberate way he sucked on her lower lip, and Jayden didn't waste another second before turning around swiftly toward where the stairwell was located.
***