Maid for the Billionaire

Chapter Six

Late morning, Abby stood before a full-length mirror in the changing room of an expensive clothing boutique which had instantly closed its doors to further customers at her arrival. She barely recognized herself. Her dark brown curls had been tamed into soft waves around her now flawless face. Her eyes had never looked so large or her nose so petite. She‘d always considered herself to be average in appearance, but Marie had been correct that all the waxing and primping had given her a new level of confidence. She felt beautiful.

If she were honest, there was also a spark of anticipation in those eyes that stared back in the mirror. She might have told herself that she was getting dressed for the lawyer‘s office, but she knew she was hoping that whatever hunger she‘d felt from Dominic yesterday had not been in her imagination. Her body came alive as she remembered how he‘d made her blood pound with just the heat of sexual interest in his eyes. Would his touch contain the same promise of barely restrained, primal lust?

Could anything that good survive the light of day?

The strapless black dress she‘d been handed clung to her every curve, leaving nothing to the imagination. Demure on the hanger, it hung too low on her ample chest to be publicly appropriate, barely concealing her present state of excitement. ―Marie, this one is too sexy for me. How about something looser with sleeves?‖

―Show me.‖ The male voice that answered her was definitely not Marie.

Dominic! Abby gasped, covering her cleavage with one hand and grabbing the doorknob with the other.

―Do not open the door,‖ Abby ordered. ―What are you doing here?‖

There was the sound of slight movement in the outside room and of the outer door closing.

―I‘m checking on your progress. We have just enough time to catch lunch before the meeting if you hurry.‖

―The dress doesn‘t fit,‖ Abby lied. She wanted him to find her attractive, not consider offering her cash again. ―I need Marie to get me another style.‖

―Show me.‖

―No.‖

―I dare you.‖

―You think I cave to adolescent peer pressure techniques?‖

―Show me.‖

―It‘s not appropriate for today. Ask Marie to get the dark blue one we looked at.‖

―I will. After you show me.‖ If the sound of a chair being placed near the changing room door was any indication, Dominic wasn‘t going anywhere.

Abby released the door handle and squared her shoulders, which only made the bodice dip lower. The dress was barely decent, but if he wasn‘t going to leave without seeing it – well, then she was going to give him an eyeful.

Her confidence should have doubled as she noted his reaction to her attire. His folded arms went slack, along with his jaw. But the rumpled man from the day before was gone. His crisp dark gray suit looked like it had been made for him and his hair was contained to a disciplined style. Everything about him screamed wealth and power.

He’s way out of my league. Abby lost the desire to spin joyously before him; instead, she put her arms out a bit awkwardly and said, ―See, I told you it wasn‘t appropriate.‖

―You‘re right,‖ he said in a husky voice, leaving the chair with predatory swiftness. His gaze swept over her again, but became surprisingly critical. ―They covered your freckles,‖ he said almost in accusation.

Her chest heaved in irritation and her hands went to her hips. ―This is where you‘re supposed to say that I look beautiful.‖

He pulled her against him, forcing her to crane her neck back to look at him. ―You know you do.‖ He brushed his lips over hers before whispering in her ear, ―But I‘m going to enjoy scrubbing all that makeup off you later.‖

She stiffened in his arms, ―Mr. Corisi –―

He kissed the nape of her neck. ―Say my name.‖

―Dominic, this isn‘t why I came here today.‖

―Just my name.‖ He ordered again while taking her earlobe gently between his teeth. ―Say it.‖

―Dominic,‖ she breathed. Ok, maybe this was partially why she was here.

―Mmmmm.‖ He moaned as he moved down to kiss the exposed curve of her shoulder. One hand slid beneath the short hem of the dress to cup her buttocks and pull her tighter against him.

She squirmed against him and all thought of where they were flew out of her mind. She held onto both of his shoulders as his kisses moved down to where fabric met skin. He stepped forward until she was pressed against the wall. His hand slid forward and met the moist fabric that blocked his immediate entrance. He didn‘t seem to mind; he caressed through the material until she arched backwards in pleasure, revealing one bare nipple that he quickly descended upon.

This was no fumbling boy. His touch held a confident expertise that promised fulfillment for both of them.

A knock on the outer door interrupted them. Marie‘s voice carried through the door of the outer changing room. ―Does the dress fit? Should I get the blue one?‖

Dominic groaned against her neck as he slowly slid the hem of her dress back in place and pulled up her bodice. ―Not now,‖ he growled.

Mrs. Duhamel‘s answered as if she hadn‘t heard him. ―If you two want lunch, we really have to get going. Abby has a couple of other dresses to try on.‖

Embarrassment flooded Abby‘s face. ―Oh, my god, she knows what we‘re doing.‖

Dominic cupped her face in both of his hands and forced her to look up at him. ―And has decided we need a chaperone.‖ He kissed her deeply until she was quivering with need for him again. He ended the kiss with one last gentle brush of his lips across hers and rested his cheek against her curls, encircling her with a tenderness that belied the brevity of their acquaintance.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was their mutual ragged breathing and his heart beating wildly beneath her ear. With one decisive indrawn breath, Dominic set Abby back a step and said, ―Maybe she‘s right. For now.‖

He moved to open the outer door for his assistant and gave her a sheepish smile, like that of a son caught in a guilty act. ―All yours, Duhamel. You‘re right. We have about ten minutes before we should go and she can‘t wear that dress.‖

The older woman entered the room, discrete enough to pretend she hadn‘t interrupted just in time. Before Dominic closed the outer door behind him, he said, ―Just make sure it‘s boxed and added to today‘s purchases.‖

His wink was about the sexiest thing Abby had ever seen. She fell back against the mirrored wall.

As Marie approached with a few dresses slung over one of her arms Abby said, ―We were just…I mean nothing….‖

Marie waved her free hand and smiled. ―You don‘t have to explain anything to me, dear.‖

―I just don‘t want you to think….‖

―What I think, Abby, is that you‘re going to be good for Dominic.‖

Abby didn‘t think her face could get redder.

―I know. I know,‖ Marie quickly interjected. ―I shouldn‘t have said anything. It‘s none of my business, but I like you.‖ She held a dark blue, much more conservative dress up. ―Now, go try this dress on before Dominic wears a hole in the carpet from pacing out there.‖

Abby wondered if Dominic had any idea how lucky he was to have Marie in his life. She reached over and gave Marie a spontaneous hug, before taking the blue dress from her. Marie adjusted her blouse and said, ―Don‘t go getting all emotional on me, now,‖ but her words didn‘t negate the pleased expression on her face.