My Billionaire Stranger (11 page)

“I need them, I won’t sleep, I always take them, have for years.”

“Well, you didn’t have a brain injury all those years and you have one now.” How long is he going to argue with me about this?

“If I have to get out of this bed and hop to the bathroom dragging my cast behind me to get them myself, believe me lady I will, and if you get any smart ideas about hiding them, I have backups, more than one stash so don’t even bother.”

My God why am I even here? My professional opinion obviously means nothing to him. “Well let’s start with getting you comfortable and see if you can fall to sleep on your own, what do you wear to bed?”

“Nothing.”

Of course, why did I ask?

“Ok…well how about boxers, think you can tolerate that?” 

“I don’t like wearing clothes when I sleep nurse Imani.” I’m getting really weary of his attitude, so here goes nothing; I march to the bedside and put on a stern face.

“Arms up,” I command and he raises his arms like a child with a sheepish grin. I strip it over his head briskly.  “Jeans.”

“I’ll need help with that.” He smiles up at me through his long, thick eyelashes with fake innocence. I reach out to unbutton his jeans while trying to think boring thoughts but it’s far from effective, my hands tremble as I unfasten them and pull down the zipper while he watches my every movement.

“Up.” I motion my hands for him to raise his hips, but he smiles that sexy smile of his. “What?” I ask

“You are quite bossy nurse Imani, I like it, but commanding me
up
is never necessary, I am
up
whenever you are around.” Queue the smirk…fuck I need to get out of this room before I maul him again. I do my best to ignore his remark and wiggle his jeans down his hips working them over his casted leg and then  with some help from him off his other lean, bronze leg. I avert my eyes and fold the clothes neatly.

“Those can go in the wash. I won’t wear them again until they are laundered.” 

“Where is the laundry?” I say, turning to look at him forgetting my plan to keep my eyes off of him. Shit, shit, shit, why did I look? He is laying there in that larger-than-life bed, with his larger than life cock straining proudly against his briefs, dark purple briefs I now notice. I have got to find out what the deal is with this man and the color purple. His smirk is back, the one that makes me involuntarily moan in appreciation. It’s my trigger with Marcus, he’s known from the beginning that it stops my heart and melts my panties right off my body.  One corner of his mouth drawn up ever so slightly and this time I swear he winks, agh! How can a simple facial expression be so alluring and intensely sexy? An ache low in my belly takes up where it left off earlier this evening, and my mind fights my body for control.
I’m his nurse, I’m his nurse
I keep repeating to myself,
be professional, and get a grip
. He points his finger toward the bathroom, indicating where the laundry belongs, but his eyes beckon me to join him in bed. I attempt to move toward the bathroom to put the clothes away, but my feet are deaf to reason and I find myself at the edge of the bed. Reaching out, he removes his folded clothes from my hands and drops them on the floor.  He keeps constant eye contact with me. His lusty eyes speak to me as he reaches up to yank my thick braid that hangs over my shoulder. I cry out in surprise, and an overpowering need to be closer to him consumes me. He pulls my braid harder until our mouths crash together violently. Hungry for one another, the undercurrent of attraction and need that’s been denied takes control. With my hair wrapped around his forearm he tugs me into his lap dragging his mouth down my neck nipping at my skin roughly, almost painfully, yet sensually. Intense, urgent kisses cover my face, and I let my head fall back, offering him better access to my neck, submitting to this internal fire. I clutch his bicep with one hand and reach between our bodies to feel his thickness throbbing against my hip. A deep groan vibrates from deep within his chest and God my head is spinning with the intensity of it all. He shifts under me, and I feel his muscles tense with pain not pleasure. I bolt off of his lap and he attempts to keep me captive by clutching at my braid.  Half on and half off the bed panting, I look him in the eye.

“This isn’t right,” I say, between ragged breaths.

“
I
say it is.” His voice is deep and demanding. “Let me go, you’re in pain, I can’t do this.” “Pain is not foreign to me Imani, you misinterpreted my reaction.”

“No,” I say sternly, and snap my head hard enough to make him release his grip. “No means no,”

“Until it means yes.” He flashes his mischievous smile.

“Marcus, really I.... I don’t know what’s come over me, I’m not like this, I’ve never been like this,” I stammer.  My heart is pounding so hard in my chest; my palms are sweaty and that damn dizziness is starting again.

“I don’t know how you usually are Imani, but I am quite enjoying the way you are now, except for your constant worrying.” Sparkles again- fuck I’ve passed out once in my life and this man puts me in such a tizzy that I’ve been on the edge of fainting two times in one day. “You are doing it again, sit on the edge of the bed and put your head between your knees, you need to eat something,” he commands, and there’s no time for pride; I have no choice but to do it or I’ll be splayed out face first on the floor in a minute.

Staring at my shoes for the second time today I feel double the embarrassment while I breathe in through my nose and out my mouth several times. When I feel okay I stand up slowly. “I think you’re right, my blood sugar is probably low, I need to eat,”

“Go to the kitchen, Maria keeps cheese and fruit trays in the refrigerator.” Walking out of his room, I feel his eyes burning a hole in my backside as I make my way toward the kitchen. Just as promised, a cheese and fruit tray sits on the top shelf in the fridge. I slide the huge tray out, remove the lid and pop a strawberry in my mouth. I spot some orange juice, pour a glass and chug it. A few more bites and I’m feeling much better. When I return the food to the fridge I stop when I remember that he’s probably watching me on his security cameras from his bed. Even though I’ve vowed to be the epitome of professionalism I can’t resist the opportunity to tease Marcus. Before closing the refrigerator I scan the door for what I need and voila, there it is. Armed with two of the juiciest strawberries and a can of whipped cream I push the door closed with my hip and lean my back against it. I have no idea where the camera is but I’m sure he can see me, I feel it when I squirt the whipped cream on the first strawberry and bite into it, the juice trickles down my chin and neck. I don’t even bother trying to clean it off when I repeat the act and giggle imagining Marcus’s face watching me make such a sexy mess. “Imani!” he yells and I jump. Yep, he has been watching, I wipe my face with a paper towel and return the whip cream to the fridge before going back for round 3.

Chapter 14

“Are you feeling better?” he asks, studying me carefully when I return to the room.

“Yes, thank you.” “Did you get enough to eat?” Bingo, he was watching, his hand is placed casually over the bulge under his sheet. “I don’t know, did I?” I say playfully. “No, I believe you should go back and have some more, or better yet bring it in here and share with me.” He’s stroking himself slowly through the sheet and I’m feeling really stupid. What made me think I could play with this man; I am no match for the master. “Um…  so you all set for the night?” My nerves are getting the best of me that was a stupid stupid question.

“Noooo.” He answers drawing the word out as he continues to move a hand over his hidden arousal. His gaze leaves mine and begins to travel down my body to my breasts. He slowly blinks his bedroom eyes and strokes his cock. They move to my tummy, blink… stroke… and finally my core, blink…stroke…

Shit, now I have to figure out a way to ask him if he needs anything without
asking if he needs anything
. I don’t know what to do; I’m walking right into the trap that I set for myself. I have to address his negative response one way or another but he is so deliciously distracting.

“What’s the matter little temptress, cat got your tongue?” I am regretting the show I put on in the kitchen.

“No, I…” Actually yes I think a cat does have my tongue, no matter what I say at this point he’s going to twist it to his advantage. I’m not entirely sure I don’t want that too.

“No worrying my Imani, thank you for that erotic scene.” He grins while removing his hand from his cock to tuck it behind his head. I’m left staring at a hugely tented sheet on his lap. “I will be sure to think about that while I am falling to sleep,
thank you
.”

He winks.

Oh my God.

“Are you getting my sleeping pills or do I have to hop?”

Agh! Lesson learned, don’t start things you’re too tired to finish. Now I’m exhausted, horny, frustrated and he is so fucking stubborn!

I remind my tongue how to speak and focus on his face instead of the sheet. “I can’t do it, what if you never wake up? We don’t know what’s going on until we get an MRI and another CT.”

“You can lay next to me and watch me breath all night if you want, but I’m taking those pills no matter what you do, whether I hurt myself in the process is your choice.” Marching to the bathroom, I snatch the pills off the counter and lob them on the bed within his reach, he can have them, but I’m not staying to watch him sleep. I can smell the manipulation and I’m not falling for it again.

“I’m going to bed, do you need to go to the bathroom or anything else before bed?” I ask,
please say no, please say no
. I’m his nurse but right now I’m weak and he doesn’t play fair. I really hope he doesn’t want me to help him. “No Imani, I’ll be fine.” He tilts his hips up when he speaks drawing my attention back to his cock. I look away toward the window where the drapes have been drawn and make a mental note to never eat strawberries again. “Leave my doors open, and yours as well in case I need to yell for you.”

“Ok.” I don’t even bother reminding him of the benefits of a please or thank you because I just don’t give a shit right now. I turn and drag myself next-door leaving all the doors open.

The lights have been dimmed in
my
room. I pull back the thick, heavy comforter, kick off my shoes and sit on the edge of the bed before I notice the short lavender nightgown at the end of the bed, what the hell?! Does he expect me to wear another woman’s lingerie? What an arrogant pig! I snatch it off the bed with the intention of throwing it in the trash but before I can I notice a price tag still attached to the bodice. So it’s new…I unintentionally glance at the price, holy shit, who pays that much for a damned nightgown? Marcus…that’s who, at least it’s not someone else’s. It’s better than sleeping in my jeans and sweater, or in my underwear, hell no! I don’t trust him not to come in during the night. I wonder if he is watching me on his cameras from his room. He did say there was a camera in every room- what about the bathroom?
That’s ridiculous
, I think,
he wouldn’t, would he? Yes he would.
I switch off the light and quickly shed my clothes and slide the extremely overpriced gown over my head. I slip between the soft, million thread count sheets and close my eyes. It’s only a second before I snap them open again remembering that I haven’t taken my own sleeping pills. I seriously don’t feel like going through another night terror so I throw back the warm comforter and pad as quietly as I can to Marcus’s door. The only light in his room is a dim lamp on his bedside table. His eyes are closed already and he is still, just like the first time I saw him in the hospital. I tiptoe to his bedside, where I can see the pill bottle next to the lamp. I know what I’m doing is so wrong; you should never take other people’s medication. I also know because I’m a nurse that we take the same sleeping pills. I reach for the bottle and hear Marcus’s deep, growly voice. “Thief.” “Shit you scared me, I thought you were sleeping!” I clutch my chest after jumping a foot into the air!

“Shit, you scared me, I thought you were sleeping!”

“I was trying to but someone is trying to steal my pills. Lavender looks beautiful on you, I knew it would.” His eyes roam over the thin material making me squirm.

“Thank you.”

“Why do you need them?” 

“I have trouble sleeping too, nightmares.” I can’t believe I just told him that, something about him compels me to be totally honest.

“Sit, tell me, I promise to behave.” He points to the other side of the enormous bed and I walk around and sit as far away from him as I can. I feel exposed, and I’m sure that’s what he intended when he put this gown out for me. No sense tempting myself again though, my control is a thin straining thread, ready to snap when it concerns him. “So…why the nightmares?” He frowns at me with concern and I nervously look down at my hands in my lap.

“I… I’ve never really told anyone other than my parents and my therapist about them.” He sits stone still, his hands to himself. I think he senses some distance is important for me to be able to tell him my story. I close my eyes briefly and begin telling him my secret, “When I was nineteen my friends and I got fake ID’s and went bar hopping on the weekends.” He tenses in anticipation and I reconsider for a moment. Something in his eyes encourages me to continue though so I do. “I got separated from my friends one night, the place was so packed I lost my best friends hand. I had way too much to drink and wandered out a side door into the alley beside the club. I didn’t see anyone at first, they came out of nowhere and grabbed me. They took me away…” I take a deep shuddering breath and he reaches out his hand to take mine in a firm grip, his throat constricts as he swallows hard.

“Kidnapped from the bar?” he clarifies.

“Yes, they picked me up and dragged me, screaming, to a van parked right there in the alley, it was like they had it all planned or something. I fought, but I was outnumbered three to one.”

“Oh my god Imani…you don’t have to tell me anymore. Just one thing though, were they caught, did they go to prison?” His voice is icy and angry. This was a mistake, why the hell did I tell him? He knows I’m damaged goods now,  he’ll never want to touch me again. Who am I kidding? This beautiful man could never want someone like me. But I’ve come this far I may as well finish.

“Yes, two were caught they’re still locked away, but one wasn’t home when the police raided the house, he’s still out there.” He is shaking now, his grip on my hand is becoming increasingly painful, his veins strain and pulse in his neck. Fuck this is bad; I need to shut up
now
.

“This happened ten years ago?” he asks, through tightly clenched teeth.

“Well more like eleven but Marcus it was a long time ago. I’m sorry, relax I shouldn’t have told you, please don’t get worked up about it, it’s not good for you.” The look on his face is lethal; in fact I can not say that I’ve ever seen another human being look so angry. Sharp pain shoots up my arm. “You’re hurting my hand,” I say softly, and he immediately loosens his grip. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Imani, for what you’ve been through, for what they did. If I had 2 minutes alone with any of those men, just 2 minutes….” His jaw twitches, and I sigh. “Don’t pity me, it happened, and I can’t change it. I have issues as a result, I don’t want to talk about it anymore right now, it’s hard.” He takes my hand again and tugs my arm, urging me closer to him he pulls back the comforter for me to slide in next to him and I do. Relief spreads through my body; he still wants me. Tears threaten to fall but I bite my lip hard and blink them back. I rest my cheek on his chest and listen to his heartbeat while stretching one arm across his waist as he wraps both of his around me. He kisses the top of my head and rests his chin there. Inhaling the familiar scent of eucalyptus and spearmint I finally allow myself to relax. He hasn’t rejected me after the story of my past, thank God. After a quiet moment he passes his sleeping pills to me, along with a bottle of water. I take the medication gratefully and close my eyes, feeling more safe than I have in my entire adult life nestled in his strong arms.