Blind Girl: A Dark Billionaire Romance (7 page)

Charles pulls away, dropping his face, but he keeps a steady hold on my body. “Believe me, Alice…” he whispers. “I want nothing more than to have your body again, but I feel we’d be doing a great disservice to that dress if I disrobe you so quickly.”

My pulse quickens. “Are Faleuro dresses only meant to be worn once?” I ask.

“Perhaps,” he answers. “To some.”

I step back and he releases me. “Do I strike you as the type of woman that wears a beautiful dress only once?” I reach behind me and grip the zipper between my fingers.

“No,” he smiles. “You do not.”

I slowly pull the zipper down my back until it won’t go any further. It sags free about my midsection but remains locked in place around my neck. I grip the halter and pull it over my head, being careful not to bump my hair before pulling it down my face. The blue dress drops to the floor. I pay close attention to his eyes as his gaze wanders my naked body.

“Alice…” he mutters as his tongue taps the roof of his mouth. I can see the desire in his face already.

Before he can reach for me, I lower myself to my knees in front of him. He lays a hand on my head and his strong fingers grip the back of my neck.

After her second night with Ian, Gabby told me about all the ways she learned to please him. In extreme detail. I insisted on the extreme detail.

I reach for his belt and slide it free.

“Alice…” he breathes again, his eyes trained on me from above.

He’s giving me a way out — a chance to stand back up and forget I ever made the move in this direction. But in truth, I’ve thought about this moment since Gabby described it. I remembered all the ways Charles focused on pleasing me during our night together. I want to do the same for him.

I lower my eyes to his groin and continue freeing him. His fingers massage the skin of my neck, twitching with delight as I pull his trousers to the floor, along with his black briefs.

His manhood stands erect with eager love forming on his tip. I lick my lips and take a deep breath as I’m reminded of his impressive size. The fear of inexperience clouds my vision. I blink quickly, pushing aside all seeds of doubt, and open my lips for him. His hand goes stiff against my neck as I slide his shaft into my mouth. I don’t want to seem too eager, so I focus on the tip, slathering it with my saliva while I keep my deeper urges at bay.

He tastes sweet, far sweeter than I expected. I suck him slowly, savoring my quivering taste buds as his breathing intensifies above me.

“Look at me,” he begs. “Alice… look at me.”

I flick my eyes up at him and stare him down as I roll my tongue across his tip. He squeezes my hair with desire and turns up to the ceiling. His chest rises and falls. My lips begin to feel numb, but I’m not done yet. I push him farther inside, inching him closer to the back of my throat. Charles lets out a grunt of satisfaction, giving me a surge of confidence. I reach up and take the base in my hand to gain control. He doesn’t seem to mind. I quickly bob back and forth while keeping a tight suction on him with my aching lips.

“Alice—” He reaches out and grasps my wrist. I look up at him with wide eyes, but I keep his thick rod grazing the back of my throat. “My god…” he whispers.

He grips my head with both hands then and rocks his hips to meet my bobs. It’s too much, I can see it in his eyes, but I don’t want to stop. I want to please him more than anything. I ignore the intense throbbing coming from my own sex, begging and urging me to ride him.
My desires can wait,
I decide.

Charles lets out one final grunt and I feel his warm spray hit the back of my throat. I let it settle on my tongue, tasting every bit of him before sending it back. His seed tickles my senses as I swallow each shot of it he gives me. I stare up at him as I do it, carefully lapping every drop of it off his smooth cock.

“Alice…” he breathes once more.

I let him slide from my lips and he dangles in front of me, twitching and satisfied. “Are you all right?” I ask him.

He reaches down and pulls me up by the arms with all his strength. I shake as I stand, not realizing the strain I had put on my knees and ankles. He holds me up with little trouble and whips me around. We tumble onto the bed together and he spreads my legs before I even realize what’s happened.

“Charles!” I cry out as his lips meet my clitoris.

Chapter 5

Don’t Take It Personal

I wake up alone.

The other side of the bed is cold to the touch. I sit up, naked and confused, and glance around to see the blue Faleuro dress hanging from a wooden hanger on the back of the door. A white robe lays at the end of the bed, draped across my feet.

“Charles?” I ask the empty room.

I throw my feet off the side of the bed and let my toes squish into the thick carpet before standing up. The bathroom is empty. Charles’ briefcase is gone.

A knock strikes the door and for a moment, I panic. I throw the bathrobe over my shoulders and tie it off tightly before stepping to the door.

“Ms. Hughes?” A hotel employee stands in the hallway next to a cart.

“Yes?” I answer him.

“Breakfast for you. Compliments of Mr. Kent.”

I step to the side and allow for him to roll the cart into the room. He leaves it by the bed and gives me a kind nod.

“Oh,” I stumble on my words. “I have no money…”

He smiles. “It’s all taken care of, miss,” he says.

“Right…” I shake my head. “Thank you.”

“Have a good day, Ms. Hughes,” he says as he slips out the door.

I inspect the cart to find one plate filled to the edges with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, along with a few pastries on the side with a glass of milk and another of orange juice. I chuckle at the presentation and raise a piece of toast to my lips. I take a bite and notice a card poking out from under the plate.

Stay as long as you like. -C

I toss the card down on the bed and glance around the empty room. This wasn’t how I pictured the morning after would be like. I expected to wake up next to him and exchange awkward, but delightful, pillow talk.

Did I do something wrong?
I think.

My gaze climbs the wall and falls upon the blue dress. I bite my lip and dread the moment I would have to put it on and walk through the lobby again. It’s one thing to wear it at the start of an evening, but no one wears this type of thing first thing in the morning. Ever.

I reach for my clutch and pull out my phone.

Gabby picks up before the end of the first ring. “Tell me
everything
.”

I laugh into the phone. “Good morning to you, too, Gabby,” I say.

“Yeah, yeah. Good morning, Alice. Tell me
everything
,” she repeats.

“Later,” I say. “Listen, you wouldn’t happen to have some extra clothes stashed at the hotel, would you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” she answers. “Why?”

“I don’t want to walk across campus in this dress.”

“Why not?” she asks.

“It’s a pretty obvious walk of shame.”

I can hear her smirk through the phone. “Do you feel shameful, Alice?” she asks.

“No,” I answer. “I just don’t feel like wearing it again.”

“Well, sorry. I can’t help you. Oh — wait. Maybe I can. Hold on, I’ll get right back to you.”

The call disconnects. “Gabby?” I say to no one. I sigh and drop the phone on the bed. I reach for a slice of bacon and chew on it for a few moments as I try to think of a plan B. Walking back home won’t be the worst thing in the world if I keep my head down and ignored the world around me, but I still can’t bring myself to do it.

My phone buzzes against the bedspread. I pick it up and see a new text from Gabby.

Five minutes.

I breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that she found a way to make it downtown with a spare change of clothes. I text back a thank you and sit down on the bed to enjoy a little more breakfast.

Finally, a knock strikes the door. I rush to the door and throw it open without checking the peephole first.

A man stands in the hallway with a small pile of clothes folded up in his hands. I recognize him immediately as Ian Botsford, the owner of the hotel, and Gabby’s new flame. He’s far more handsome than I remember. He carries a youthful face, one that does a good job at hiding his real age, along with a thick head of golden blond hair and sky blue eyes.

“Hi—” My breath catches in my throat as I try to greet him.

“You must be Alice,” he says.

My fingers nervously grip the bathrobe closer to my body. “Yeah… and you’re Ian,” I say.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” he says as he extends a hand. “Gabby speaks highly of you.”

I reach out and shake his hand with trembling fingers. “You, too.”

He holds up the clothes. “She tells me you’re in need of some more appropriate apparel,” he says. I let him slide it into my hands. I immediately recognize the golden outline on black. A hotel employee uniform. “It’s not much, but it’s the best I can do at the last minute.”

“Oh, it’s perfect,” I say as I take it from him. “You didn’t even have to do this. Thank you.”

Ian raises an eyebrow. “Oh, Gabby doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” he jokes.

I laugh. “That’s very true. And I’ll get this back to you, I promise.”

He waves a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it. It’s an older style, we don’t use them anymore.”

“Thank you.”

“I recognize you— from the Blind Girl Party,” He regards me with a pensive glance. “You two girls were hard to miss — and I mean that as the greatest of compliments.”

“Thank you.”

“I saw you with Charles Kent.”

I give an awkward nod. “That was me, yes…”

“You must have really made an impression on him,” he says. “He doesn’t give his time to just anybody.”

“It was an
interesting
evening.”

“I’ve known Kent for a long time,” he says with a nod as his eyes linger into the room behind me. “And if I were to wager a guess,” he begins, “I’d say we have him to thank for this morning’s events, correct?”

I can feel the blood rushing toward my cheeks. I don’t even have to answer. He nods with understanding.

“Don’t take it personal,” he warns. “This is just something he does.”

“Oh?”

“He likes to retain an air of mystery,” Ian mutters and shakes his head. “Show a girl a good time, she wakes up alone begging for more. He’s an ass.”

“I see…”

“Although…” He bites his lip. “I’ve never seen him pursue the same girl twice.” He takes a step back. “You must have done something to hold his attentions.”

“I have no idea…” I breathe a small laugh.

“Well… consider yourself special. Or not, depending on your perspective, I guess.”

“At least he bought me breakfast,” I joke.

Ian laughs.

“Well, thank you—” I hold up the clothes. “For this, too.”

“Take care, Alice.”

And with that, he turns and makes his way down the hall. I close the door and inspect the clothes he gave me to find a black pencil skirt and a matching blouse with the hotel’s insignia embroidered on the right breast pocket. They fit me perfectly and won’t make me stand out like a sore thumb when I hail a cab.

I finish eating what I can of the massive breakfast Charles left for me and gather my things.

Don’t take it personal.

I try to remember that leaving me here to wake up alone was just Charles’
thing
, but I can’t help feeling a little stung.

The departure down in the golden elevator feels longer than usual. I find myself sharing the ride with an elegant couple. The man stands tall in a blue suit, staring forward and waiting patiently. The woman, with red hair and thick lips, keeps glancing in my direction.

“I’m sorry—” she finally says a few floors from the lobby. “Is that a Faleuro gown?”

I chuckle and look at the dress casually draped over my arm. “Yes, it is,” I answer.

“Wow…” Her eyes look me up and down. I can see the wheel spinning in her head, wondering how a girl like me managed to obtain it. She nudges the man next to her in the ribs. “I wish I could get a hold of a dress like that,” she hints with no subtlety.

“Yeah, yeah,” the man mutters.

The doors finally open and I walk through the lobby feeling a little better about myself.

“Ms. Hughes!”

I pause at the sound of my name as I step outside. A man stands in front of a black limo parked on the curb just outside the hotel.

“Yes?” I ask him. He’s a tall, elderly man with a bald head, his scalp hidden underneath a black cap with matching jacket.

“My name is Harvey. I’m Mr. Kent’s personal driver,” he says. “Mr. Kent said you may need a ride back to school.”

“Oh…” I slowly move closer to him. “He did?”

He reaches for the car’s door handle with a smile.

I inch closer to him. “Have you been waiting long?” I ask, suddenly feeling conscious of how much time I spent getting ready and eating breakfast.

He shakes his head. “No, Ms. Hughes,” he answers. “In fact, you’re right on time from Mr. Kent’s estimation.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Well…” he laughs. “You’re technically early. He was ten minutes off.”

I pause to let his words sink in. “Oh. That’s… a little creepy,” I say, only half joking.

Harvey nods. “That’s Mr. Kent.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to get that…” I glance at the car again, feeling very overwhelmed.

“Hop in,” he says. “I’ll get you back to school in one piece.”

I nod and climb into the car. I sit down with my hands on my lap, frozen in place, but my eyes dart around. My mind buzzes with possibilities as I see various compartments in the walls and wonder what could be stashed inside of them. I want desperately to open the sunroof, but it’s far too cold to do so. The world passes by me and as I scan the faces of those passing by, I wonder if they’re curious as to who is inside. I know I always am when I see cars like this and for the first time, it’s me on the inside. My adrenaline runs wild.