The Billionaire From New York City Read online

  If she turns you down flat, then you’ll just have to hope for better luck next time, he reminded himself. He wouldn’t coerce a woman, but he would definitely try to remove any obstacles Brianna might have to be spending the night with him. She’s definitely interested, though. Ethan had been around enough women to know the difference between one who went along with him because she was afraid—or because she wanted access to his money—and one who was genuinely intrigued.

  “Only if you let me buy,” Brianna said firmly. Ethan smiled before he could resist it. The ice cream would cost nothing next to the meal, but he knew exactly what she was doing, and it only made him more determined to spend the night with her: she wanted to assert some level of control over the situation, even if it was a miniscule gesture.

  “I will let you pay for dessert,” he told her agreeably. The waiter came with the check and Ethan tucked his American Express Centurion card into the little pocket inside the folder without even looking at the total.

  He’d gotten her to open up during dinner: she’d been born and raised in Florida, to parents who were one generation removed from New York—Queens and upstate. She’d gone to the University of Miami, and worked her way up through the creative departments at a few different startup and small-sized ad agencies in South Florida before submitting her application for the job at Hanover and Williamson.

  “You know, I don’t think you’ve mentioned what you do at the company,” Brianna said, as Ethan signed the receipt and took his copy.

  “At the end of the day, it’s all paper-pushing,” Ethan said with a shrug. He didn’t want to give anything away to Brianna just yet—he had to see if she would go for his tactics first.

  “If it’s all paper-pushing, why not pursue something that’s actually creative?” They left the restaurant and walked down 5th Street, and Ethan gestured that they would be turning right onto 2nd Avenue.

  “I save my creativity for my off-hours, for the most part,” he explained. “It’s more rewarding not to sell my better parts off at an hourly rate.” Brianna rolled her eyes.

  “Must be nice,” she said tartly. “Some of us don’t really have much of a choice.”

  “We’re turning here, onto Fourth,” Ethan told her. “I don’t deny that I’ve been incredibly lucky to be able to find a way to make more money than anyone could ever deserve without having to really stress myself out too much.”

  “There has to be some kind of stress that comes with the territory,” Brianna countered. Ethan shrugged.

  “It does—but having this kind of position in the world also gives you plenty of avenues for relieving stress,” he explained. Time to shift the focus before she gets curious again. “If you could do anything in the world—money being no object—where would you be right now and what would you be doing?” Brianna was silent for a moment, and Ethan watched her consider his question as carefully as if she was in a job interview; it wasn’t too far from the situation at hand.

  “I’d probably be doing something in design,” she replied. “I’m really interested in that aspect of things. But I don’t know what I’d specifically do; maybe something in industrial design or concept design.” Brianna lapsed into silence again, thinking before she continued. “I like business—don’t get me wrong—and advertising poses a real challenge, with psychology and everything. But if I didn’t need to make money to live, I’d probably be designing stuff as cutting edge as possible.”

  “Like what?” Ethan wanted to draw her out as much as possible, put her at ease and get her into the most friendly, casual mindset as possible. Get her completely out of work-mode and into social-mode, and then invite her to your place.

  “One of my friends—his dad had more money than God—started a business designing components for folks like Elon Musk,” Brianna explained. They’d reached Oddfellows, and Ethan gestured for Brianna to precede him into the little dessert spot. Exotic scents washed over him, and he smiled to himself. Even without Brianna’s company it would have been a nice detour—but with her, it was even better.

  She might do for what you have in mind, he thought, his gaze dipping down to the high, rounded ass that showed just under the hem of Brianna’s blazer. She’d dressed to try and de-emphasize her curves while still looking feminine, but Ethan could picture her in something sexier: slinky, maybe, made from high-quality satin or silk, or form-fitting. It would be too easy to buy her an entire wardrobe of exactly the kind of things he thought would enhance her inherent sex appeal best.

  “So, what’s good to get here?”

  Ethan shook himself out of his thoughts and looked around. “This place does exotic flavors, so—assuming you’ve got the budget for it—let’s go wild,” he suggested. He wondered if it might be a good idea to try and talk her into one further stop before proposing they go back to his place; there was a tiny little hole-in-the-wall bar not too far from Oddfellows. Don’t get her drunk. You’re above that kind of frat asshole tactic.

  He’d let the sake flow at the restaurant, but he could tell that Brianna wasn’t more than just slightly buzzed—which was ideal. She was winding down, and Ethan thought if they spent just a little more time together, it wouldn’t be difficult at all to convince her to come for a nightcap at his place. And from there, it would be easy to seal the deal.

  They both got ice cream dumplings—lychee, Thai iced tea, and pineapple cake—and found a seat, and Ethan peppered Brianna with a few more questions: what was the most expensive dinner she’d ever paid for herself, how had she heard about the job opening, what was she looking forward to most in terms of city sightseeing? He carefully kept Brianna off the topic of what he did at the company, and took his time with her, dragging out the conversation as long as possible, making sure she was at ease.

  “I have one last suggestion,” Ethan said, as they threw their trash out and stepped outside together.

  “What’s that?” Brianna looked up at him, and he could see the slight wariness in her eyes.

  “A nightcap. One little drink, back at my place,” he said, keeping his tone as casual as possible. “I promise you I won’t try anything.” Brianna smiled wryly and shrugged.

  “As long as you’re still willing to pay for a cab to take me home, I think I’m safe enough in your company,” she said, looking him up and down. Ethan could see the flicker of interest in her eyes, and he knew it wouldn’t be difficult at all to get her to the next phase. He had a delicate timeline—but he was fairly certain that he could make it happen.

  Once he had her back at his place, it would all come pretty freely, and the last piece of the puzzle—the last thing he needed at the company—would be in place. Of course, you’re going to need to audition her pretty thoroughly before you make up your mind for the position, he reminded himself. But even if he didn’t get her to sleep with him, it would still have been a worthwhile night.

  *

  Brianna wasn’t entirely sure why she’d agreed to go back to Ethan’s place. There was just something about him—something that had triggered a forgotten instinct to fun that she’d thought she’d outgrown years before when she’d started to focus on her career. The driver had pulled up to Ethan’s building, and Brianna had immediately realized—with her limited knowledge of the city—that they were in midtown, only a few blocks away from Times Square. Good god he must be doing very well in his career, she thought as they stepped out onto the sidewalk and she looked up.

  Ethan had given the doorman a nod as he led her through the big, brass-handled doors, into a lobby that was nicer than any Brianna had seen with her own eyes. Marble floors, shining brass and gleaming wood, granite and thick, plush carpets, told her that not only was the location of Ethan’s apartment itself expensive—but the building itself must be one of the more expensive and exclusive ones in the area.

  Before she could think much more than that, they were on the elevator, heading up to the topmost floor. “You know, I would almost suspect that you were showing off for me,” Brianna to
ld Ethan as she watched the lights on the console flick on and off, showing each floor the elevator ascended through.

  “On the one hand, I can’t pretend like having a nice place to bring someone home to wasn’t on my mind,” Ethan had admitted. “But I’ve stopped even paying attention to what it looks like around here.”

  Sitting in his living room, Brianna came back to herself as Ethan said her name. “Oh—sorry, I was thinking about something,” she said, blinking once or twice to shake off her absentmindedness. “I think I’m getting tired, finally.” She gave Ethan an apologetic smile.

  “Maybe we should get you some coffee then,” Ethan suggested. Brianna shook her head, smiling still.

  “No—then I’ll never fall asleep,” she explained. “And I do have to be right back at work tomorrow.” She wondered what kind of vampire Ethan was that he didn’t seem to be tired at all; it was nearly ten, and if he was working in the same office she was, he would have been up since probably at least seven—she’d been up since five, anxiously making sure she knew how to get to her new office, and changing her outfit to try and make sure she was wearing exactly the right thing.

  “Maybe some decaf?” Ethan rose to his feet and Brianna watched him walk across the living room. She was starting to get the idea that he had to be a fairly highly-ranked executive at her new job, considering that his apartment was easily three or four times the size of hers, and in such a prime location.

  His living room alone, she thought, was the size of her entire new place—and even though the kitchen wasn’t huge, it was still bigger than hers. “Kick off your shoes, relax a bit,” Ethan suggested as he stepped into the open-plan kitchen, and turned on a light.

  Brianna considered insisting on going home—even if she had to pay for a cab to do it, which she knew would be pricy—but then decided against it. Ethan was hot, and he wasn’t someone who worked directly over her; if he wanted to extend the evening, didn’t she deserve a little fun?

  She kicked off her shoes and in a matter of a few moments, Ethan had a cup of what he told her was decaf coffee, along with a small pitcher of milk and a bowl with sugar cubes. “I have a confession to make,” Ethan said, sitting down with a mug of his own in the wingback chair next to the couch she had taken.

  “What’s that?”

  Ethan grinned at her slowly. “I will absolutely get you a cab to go home if you want to—I want that to be clear—but if you’re willing, I have every intention of making it worth your while to stay the night.” Brianna added sugar and milk to her coffee as Ethan explained that to her, and she stirred the concoction, thoughts flitting through her mind.

  If she stayed the night, she would have to leave even earlier—or she would have to make a stop on the way to the office and quickly buy some outfit to wear, to avoid everyone in her department realizing that she was wearing the same clothes as the previous day.

  But after the extremely delicious dinner, the dessert, and the feeling of warmth and intrigue she’d had with Ethan all through the evening—along with the serendipity of their meeting—Brianna had to admit that she wasn’t all that unwilling to spend the night with him. She was single, new in the city, and she wasn’t old yet; she might as well have some good stories to tell her friends back home, and a night with an executive in his midtown apartment on the night of her first day at work was definitely—she thought—a good “New York City” story to tell.

  She set her coffee mug down after she’d taken a sip and looked at Ethan speculatively. “Let’s see,” she said, turning towards him. “I’d need to know if you could make it worth having to scramble to get clothes at seven in the morning.”

  “I could definitely make it worth your while,” Ethan said. Brianna pressed her lips together and looked him up and down. She had definitely felt a bit of heat from being around him, and she had definitely realized—even before she’d agreed to go home with him—that she was attracted to him.

  “I think I should have a sample, before I decide. A little audition, so to speak,” she told Ethan. Ethan raised an eyebrow and set his coffee mug down.

  “You know, I have never had to work this hard to convince a woman to sleep with me before,” Ethan said, rising to his feet. “But I’m pretty sure you’ll be worth it.” Brianna rose to her feet and Ethan reached out, letting his hands come to rest on her hips. For a few moments she felt that familiar, nerve-tingling feeling that always accompanied a first kiss; she reminded herself firmly, even as Ethan leaned in, that it was going to be a one-night stand, so it wasn’t as though it was some important moment for them. It was just to evaluate whether or not she would stay the night.

  Ethan brushed his lips against hers, almost tentatively, and for a split second Brianna was almost disappointed; that was his idea of a sample of what she’d get if she slept with him? But almost as soon as she started to feel disappointed, Ethan deepened the kiss, claiming her lips with his own hungrily, his hands tightening on her waist and pressing her body against his. She could feel the lean firmness of his chest and abdomen through his clothes, the strength in his arms as he held her close, his tongue sliding against her lips and then plunging past them.

  Brianna moaned softly into the kiss as Ethan’s hands moved over her body slowly, up from her waist to just below her breasts, stopping just short of where she suddenly wanted them more than anything, and then sliding down to her hips, to move just short of the curve of her ass. She felt herself starting to tremble slightly as the kiss continued and she felt herself beginning to get turned on in earnest.

  Just as Brianna was losing herself in the kiss, Ethan broke away, pulling back and looking down at her face. She met his gaze as she opened her eyes, slightly breathless. “Do I pass the audition?” Brianna was confused for a moment, and then chuckled.

  “Yes, you do,” she said, when she remembered why he had kissed her in the first place. She leaned in and kissed him, instead of waiting for him to make the move, and Ethan took control of their second kiss as well, even more aggressively than the first, probing her mouth hungrily as his hands began to move over her body once again.

  His touches became more demanding, and Brianna moaned as Ethan cupped and squeezed her breasts through the fabric of her clothes, his thumbs rubbing against her already-hardening nipples. She explored his body as well, touching his shoulders, his back, down onto his chest.

  Brianna lost track of time as they stood there kissing, the heat increasing between them moment by moment. She couldn’t even think of the next day, or any of the complications that would come with having sex with Ethan—all she knew in that moment was that she wanted to be with Ethan, that she wanted to see him naked, touch and taste him everywhere she could reach.

  Ethan broke away from her lips and dipped down to her neck, nuzzling for a moment before nibbling playfully at the spot where her pulse fluttered like hummingbird wings. Brianna’s breath caught in her throat as Ethan kissed and nipped her sensitive skin playfully before moving back up to her mouth. She slipped her hands under his jacket and tried to think of whether she should make the first move towards getting undressed, but she couldn’t bring her mind out of the pleasure she was feeling enough to make a decision.

  She felt Ethan sliding her blazer off of her shoulders and decided that she had dithered long enough. Brianna unbuttoned Ethan’s jacket and fumbled with the front of it for a moment before she was able to get it off of him, letting it fall to the floor. She pulled his face back up to her own and tried to begin unbuttoning his shirt without looking, her fingers tripping up on the small pieces of plastic.

  Ethan had much better luck, tugging her blouse free of her skirt and sliding the silky fabric along her skin. He broke away from her lips long enough to get the top over her head, and Brianna met his gaze; she’d managed to get about half of his buttons undone in the same time.

  “Let’s go to the bedroom, shall we?” Brianna nodded, breathless, and Ethan took her hand in his, starting away from the living room. He led her to one o
f the doors, and opened it; the light came on automatically, but Brianna didn’t have time to notice more than a few details—namely a huge, sprawling bed—before he pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her hungrily once more. She went back to work unbuttoning his dress shirt, and finally got to the last button, and tugged the tails free of his trousers.

  Somehow they were moving towards the bed, and Brianna realized that she was almost fully naked—in nothing more than her panties—while Ethan’s fly was open, but his pants were still on. “That doesn’t seem fair,” she said, gesturing to his semi-clothed state, as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

  “Oh? It doesn’t?” Ethan raised an eyebrow and hooked his thumbs in the loosened waistband of his pants. He shoved them down over his hips, and Brianna caught a glimpse of his boxer briefs—black—and the bulge at the front of them, straining the fabric. Then Ethan was kicking his feet free of his pants, and he pressed her onto her back on the bed, kissing her hungrily, one hand sliding up between her legs to brush against her already-slick pussy through the thin fabric of her panties.

  Brianna gasped as Ethan broke away from her lips to dip down to her breasts, cupping one and bringing his mouth down to her nipple to suck and lick the hardened nub. She writhed underneath him, shivering slightly as Ethan worshipped first one breast and then the other with his lips and tongue, even grazing her sensitive flesh with his teeth a few times. Brianna reached down between their bodies and brushed her fingertips against the hard, hot ridge at the front of Ethan’s boxer briefs, eliciting a moan from him—and then a deeper sound of encouragement as she began to slowly rub up and down along his erection.