So things were becoming clearer and clearer to Liz as the night went on. She wasn't going to be all detached when she wouldn't be seeing him ever again.
But she knew it had to be done. Whether they slept together or not. She had to try and leave America. Or maybe to a different state at the least. But damn if she didn't feel too much of a foreigner here despite living in the Big Apple for most of her life. With her aunt gone, she really didn't have anything here. Plus there was just too many memories here.
Not like Britain was filled with any better ones, but at least she knew there was where she belonged. She would always have a place in Britain. Then again, the adjustment would be a lot. Her family weren't people she could rock back for anything. They were the privileged snobby old money type. She knew that all too well, moving from one mansion to another as a kid. But always treated as an outsider. She supposed that was one of the reasons she and her aunt got on so well. They were both outsiders of their own family. Gush, how she missed her aunt. Most times she didn't even think of her as an aunt. She was more of a mother and sister than anything else. It was more than shocking when she left everything to her son that never did care for her. But she accepted that. At the end of the day, she wasn't her blood daughter. Others in her situation would hate her, but Liz could never do that. No matter what, her aunt had a special place in her heart. Bethany Golding. Never ever would she call her by her horrible deceased husband's last name.
"Hey, did you see that full knock down," he turned to grin at her and she couldn't help but to grin back, even though she was still conscious of her teeth. She was pretty sure that her teeth weren't as white and evenly straight as his. Yep, this had to be a one night stand. Not just because they were worlds apart, but...yeah that was the main reason. Liz wasn't into living in a dream. Only for this moment. A world where she was his and he was hers. His eyes remained on her, most likely seeing the shift in emotion on her face. Striding towards her, Liz watched his figure completely tower over her. How tall was he again? Well over six feet for sure since she was five feet eight and he made her feel short. "We can stop playing now, you hungry?"
Liz continued looking up at him, her eyes squinted a little. She knew she should answer him. It was a question, right? Why couldn't she think properly?
"Let me check." Liz heard him say, her senses still useless due to his proximity to her. And that scent...it consumed her. But Liz was in for a surprise.
He knelt down in front of her, pressing his ear to her belly and she squealed. She tried moving away, but he held her by her hips close to him. Liz mind conjured images of him doing that to speak to his child growing in her womb. She got rid of the image as quickly as it came but the feelings spreading through her from it stayed. And they confused her. She was never going to have a family with a man she would most likely only see in the media. Whether he was married to some blue-blooded Aphrodite or closing some major deal, making billions.
"Yep, you are definitely starving," he rose up then, Liz having to blink as she gazed up at him as he stood to his full length right there. She always felt as a child in wonderment before him, fascinated by his flawless features and towering figure. "Let's head in for dinner."
Pulling her along, Liz found herself leaving behind such an odd room into what she could only describe as a classic modern world. The place was overall masculine and light with grey walls, dark grey marble floors and white carpets, she even thought she spotted a white washed stone fire place. It did have the touch of a woman though and Elizabeth could see that in the subtle touches such as the paintings and soft floral vases. The pink throw on the couch was a dead giveaway though. Otherwise, a perfect bachelor pad.
"Do you live here alone?" Liz inquired, trying not to sound snappy but failed anyway. He simply glanced her way, not giving any other indication that he noticed her change in attitude.
"If you are asking if there are others that live here," he answered back calmly. His cool and composed attitude bothered her a little, making her have a stronger need to anger him or something. She couldn't really explain the feeling. "Yes, but as for me living alone, I always have."
Well that sure put a damper on her plans to anger him, arise an emotion from him. She sighed, he was already seeming to battle some emotion of his own. Always living alone? It was hard not to pity him. She was alone now and it was the hardest thing in the world. She could never imagine always living alone. Maybe he was lying. He must have someone that cares. His mother? His father? Someone.
He stopped in front of large double doors with a chandelier giving a soft glow above it, highlighting the oily shine of the hard dark wood. Almost black but not quite. It surprisingly seemed modern. Well maintained indeed. No doubt he was wealthy, if the sheer size of this condo and the invaluable pieces decorating it weren't an already dead give away. Who knew a condo could be this large?
It was another bright neon sign on how way out of her league he was. How did he find her interesting at all? She was quite boring when compared to all that he had and could possibly have.
Almost tripping, she fell into his side. A band of steel was around her waist with remarkable speed before she could move away and pulled her even tighter to his side. She looked up at him and their eyes met.
Eyes of burning gold hypnotized her, everything else disappearing to a blur. His hand came up to her face, she flinched despite knowing he wouldn't hurt her. It was just an instinct she couldn't stop.
There was then the soft scrap of the pad of his thumb against her cheek. She involuntarily shivered, his touch reaching down to her core. She didn't even realize she gripped his shirt tighter, crushing the perfectly crisp expensive shirt under her tiny fists.
"What do you do to me?" He asked and Liz blinked, trying to interpret his words but she wasn't quite able to get over the sweet rasp of his voice. "Breathe, Beth."
His voice was no longer a whisper and Liz heard the order in that voice loud and clear. Blinking away the moment, she loosened her grip on him but she couldn't do much else since his arm was still securely locked around her waist.
"I said breathe, not to let go," she shook her head and he loosened his grip then. The double doors then opened and there was a quite average height Asian woman in an almost charcoal apron and what looked like a maid's dress underneath with surprisingly blonde hair. He turned to the maid that was around ten to twenty years older than him.
"Dinner is ready," she informed them. Sabastian checked the large Rolex on his hand, the dim light from the chandelier above causing the diamonds to sparkle as he lifted the sleeve of his shirt.
"Just on time," was his reply before beckoning her inside what Liz presumed to be the sunroom, but it was night now. And the sight was stunning. Liz couldn't bite back the gasp that left her lips as she went inside.
The room was in complete darkness except for the candles lit on the table.
Liz almost swooned at how awfully classic romantic it all was. She would never thought that could be. Spinning around, she saw him leaning against the door masked by the shadows watching her silently.
"This is stunning." She stared at him amazed and he chuckled.
"Ahhh, but I have yet to see the view that measures up to you," he told her, flashing her a charming smile that had her weak to her knees. She offered a weak smile in return as he pulled the chair from under the table for her to sit. Chivalry wasn't dead after all. "Would you care to sit down?"
Liz simply nodded, already using up her strength to move towards him and take the seat. Tucking her in, she swore she felt him press a soft kiss at the nape of her neck. He casually strode to his seat across her as if nothing happened and Elizabeth wondered if it was all her imagination. After all, her heart did race when near him. But to a point she felt she was going to have a heart attack and her hands trembled? Well, maybe it was the glittering city below and the sparkling dark waters beyond.
She found herself drawn to the view as they were a step higher where the table was situated. There were couches and a few flowers here and there going down, closer to the view.
Feeling a flame spread throughout her climbing up to her face, she turned to meet his piercing gaze that was a shimmering gold. It was absolutely fascinating and hypnotizing. She couldn't even tell him that having his elbows on the table, despite looking deadly handsome there with clasped hands masking his delectable mouth, was bad table manners. According to her aunt anyway. With a twig, she remembered her aunt was not there anymore. But she did not have time to dwell on that. It wasn't everyday you had to stare in the eyes of a absolute God. Just a few days ago, Liz would never believe she was going to face this situation at all, or rather this handsome male specimen and actually see interest in his eyes. For her.
Out of nowhere, the same maid from earlier returned. Breaking out of her daze, Liz managed to smile at the maid who nodded in return. Shaking her head as the maid also lifted the silver covering, she tried to focus on the maid's words before realizing she was speaking a different language. It sounded heavily of French due to her strong accent. Although Liz couldn't be sure since she was never keen on identifying different languages besides from English, Italian, Latin and Spanish she learned in high school way back when. French she remembered she did poorly at some point but she couldn't remember a word pass Bonjour. That was purely due to a television commercial she saw recently.
"Merci," was his reply in perfect dialect and Liz raised an eyebrow at that. The maid smiled and turned to leave. She continued to stare at him which was probably rude but he had to be used to that by now. "We have Focaccia Bread as a starter and Pasta Con Pomodoro E Basilico as the main which is in front of you. Dessert will come shortly which is Tiramisu that has caffeine. I hope that isn't too much for you going to bed."
"Well...I haven't eaten pasta in forever," Liz said looking down at the simple yet delicious food in front of her, if the smell was any indication of its taste. It did look good too. How could she have missed it? Looking back up at Sabastian after spreading out the napkin on her lap, she realized why. Was it terrible that your senses were so focused into someone that you didn't even smell or see food in front of you? A basic need? "Are you Italian?"
She blurted out the question and she looked away then, feeling a little embarrassed that at the first sign of pasta she thought he was Italian. Prejudging was never something what she did.
"Eat Liz," he told her softly, but she immediately took up her fork to indulge. She should really stop and think about why she kept obeying the authority in his voice. He had nothing over her. Nothing. "And no, I was born and raised here in New York for awhile. But my mother is Italian and my grandfather was French from my father's side. Are you a fan of Italian food?"
Shrugging, Liz swallowed her mouthful of food before grabbing the napkin to dab at her mouth. "Well, it is good and I have no allergic reaction to the food, although I am sure getting fat will be a sure thing if I eat too much."
She let out a soft laugh at that and he nodded. "I do see that you enjoy it."
Elizabeth gave a firm nod as she resumed eating. There was a comfortable silence between them and Liz found herself liking it. Odd thing to have with a stranger anyway.
"When you mean awhile, do you mean you were grown here as a child and then went somewhere else?" She fired out as her brain finally became solid. It was usually just mush or liquid around him. Along with the rest of her. It was a shock to her how she managed to not fall to the floor at least once the entire time. She was stronger than she thought. "And to where?"
"Good question," he commented and Liz smiled at the simple remark. "I did grow up here for some of my childhood before moving back to my mother's country after a sticky divorce when I was ten. When I was around sixteen, she died from some robbery in the store she worked. My father gained custody of me then almost immediately and that is how I moved back here in New York. I thought you would have known this all though."
Liz shook her head before looking down at her empty plate and dish, cue for a different servant to approach the table and pick up their empty dishes.
"Give Franco our praises for preparing our meal, am I not right Beth?" Liz nodded, just finishing her glass of water. The male servant bowed, balancing the dishes perfectly before leaving the room quietly. Not another millisecond behind, the maid entered with their dessert that looked absolutely mouthwatering despite her filled stomach. Liz smiled, enjoying the feel of not worrying about her next meal or where it would come from. She was just going to enjoy this one. Very much. "Merci bien, Fendi."
Really looking at the servant as he came in a second time to refill their glasses, Liz realized the resemblance between the maid and him. She looked to Sabastian who was watching her intensely and nodded.
"I realize you do not ask me much questions about myself," Elizabeth said as the servants left the room and they resumed eating. She felt the kick if coffee in the dessert and it pleased her. She really needed that kick to function properly. "Why?"
For a moment he remained silent, only the sound of silverware meeting china could be heard and Liz was about to repeat herself when he responded.
"Because an evening with you will not satisfy my knowledge of all that I want to know about you," he informed her putting down his fork and letting the silence follow as she felt his gaze on her.
Putting down her own fork, she raised her head to meet his. She wasn't sure of an appropriate response to his admission. One half of her was all gleeful that he wanted to see her again, while the more rational side was very much not in agreement. She needed to leave New York, he was in New York. This was his home. It wasn't hers. Anymore.
"I know of your predicament, Miss Elizabeth Golding," he continued, her head snapping up from looking down into her lap to watching the man of every woman's fantasy rise from his chair, the sound of his chair scraping the polished floors non existent as he moved towards her. What did he say to her again? Holding out his hand towards her, she automatically grasped it. He helped her rise to her feet as well. "And I have something in mind that can more than help but be your solution. Probably your only one."
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth wasn't sure what to think at this point. The caffeine from the dessert was now gone. Her brain was back to mush. So was her limbs as she wobbled in his arms. He led her towards the view, looking down with her.
"I know you are living in a woman's shelter and that you have only a few things in possession but a car, proper housing and a good amount of cash is not among that," she turned to look at him then, and he moved away cocking his head at her with a wistful smile on his lips. "You can have this condo, a million dollars and a vehicle of your choosing under one condition."
"I won't be your mistress," she said, forcing more distress in her voice but it didn't quite reach. "I am not a whore."
"Oh, I would never think to bring such a thing on you, there are way too many people that would grace my bed without gaining a dollar from me," he came up to her once, firmly grasping her arms in his large hands. His hands smoothed up to her shoulders and this time her skin did turn to a very deep combustible color of red. He was the fire she didn't need in her life. She just needed another clean slate. Which he was providing."I know you feel it too, Beth."
His lips were so close to hers and she couldn't help but want to close the distance between them. She was just about to lose the battle when he moved away.
"I need a response, Elizabeth," he said her name so deliciously she had to loom away to hide see if she could hide her response to him. "You will live here with me until we are both satisfied and then I will leave this all with you, a millionaire."
Elizabeth contemplated his words. She would be sleeping with him after all. But what exactly did he want? And could she survive after? The saddest part of this all was the fact that the money wasn't even the part that caught her. It was sharing this home with him. She would be definitely pushing back her expiry date for awhile, of course she couldn't stay here in New York. And a million dollars would do well to achieve that.
"What do you want?" She asked, turning to look at him staring at her without blinking. Those eyes...they were the eyes of a cat that caught its prey.
"You being my sex toy for as long as I need you to be," he quickly issued out. She raised her eyebrows at that. "Which could be just a day, a week or a month."
"That is all you ask for?" She asked him, turning back to the view. Her blood was pounding too loud in her ears for her to appreciate the view but she felt more confidence with her back to him for some reason in order to have this discussion. "Sex?"
"Mostly," he replied and she took in a deep breath to watch him now. Her eyes narrowed. "I want to know about you as well. No harm in that, is there?"
She didn't answer.
"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked, watching him carefully.
"You don't." He simply said, pouring himself a glass of what she presumed to be whiskey.
"And you aren't even going to try to convince me?" She inquired and he shrugged as he rolled up his sleeves and took a seat.
"You wouldn't be here if I didn't," he responded cockily before draining his glass empty.
"And what happens if I say no?" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm not holding you back," he retorted and she had to give him credit, he wasn't giving anything away.
She sighed, looking back through the glass down at the people below in the rain. Could there really be a life for her here?
She felt him behind her, the surge of electricity in the air causing the hairs on her neck to stand up. Resting her forehead on the cold glass, she tried to cool down the heat she felt creeping up her face. His hand was on her waist and his head then rested on her shoulder. She suddenly felt her heart beating wildly in her chest as her breath became choppy.
Bracing her hands on the glass for some support, she tried to think straight. His effect on her was something she didn't think existed. His touch caused her body to respond to him in ways it shouldn't. Yet it was so natural and...real. Maybe this was what she needed. Time to be with him and realize that he was just a regular notorious billionaire playboy. Nothing more and nothing less. She desperately needed to believe that.
"Yes," she gritted out, her voice sounding way too breathy and needy.
"Yes what?" His voice sounded gruff and husky. It vibrated through her core and he wasn't really doing anything.
"Yes, I will be your sex toy," she answered and he spun her around.
"I was going for yes sir, but that could work too," he didn't give her a moment to answer as he immediately pressed his lips against hers, stealing her breath away.
A/N: So yes, happy new year🎆🎇✨🎉 hope you guys have a great year! Sorry for the long wait but I made it long so it would be worthwhile. Dinner in the picture above and dessert below. Thank you so much for the votes and comments. I hope to see more for the new year and for you to never stop supporting. Thank you all for being so patient with me☺
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