The Billionaire's Dance(2)

"Dad, what have I told you about matchmaking? I can choose my own  dates," Alex said, losing some of his patience. He didn't want to be set  up. Marriage was simply not in the cards for him and in no way did he  want kids. He idolized his gorgeous niece but the family thing was for  Lucas, not him. He was still young at thirty-two years old and he wasn't  ready to trade in the Lamborghini for a mini-van. He shuddered at the  thought.         

     



 

"I'm not trying to be a matchmaker. I didn't ask you to take her to the  fundraiser. I simply asked you to keep an eye on her and say hello;  maybe ask her for a dance. She's not from around here and her father  said she isn't used to huge events. She normally avoids them at all  costs but this fundraiser is something very important to her. She's  always wanted to spend an evening at the Fairmont. Here's a couple of  pictures so you can recognize her," Joseph said while holding them out.

Alex reached for the photos, just for the sake of curiosity. He looked  down and was surprised at how attractive she was. She wasn't the typical  socialite he was used to. Her features seemed softer, more inviting.  One of the pictures was her and her father. She had her head thrown back  in laughter, while her eyes were rounded, causing a sparkle to shine  through the still shot.

Alex may have to change his mind and at least meet the woman but he was  sure she'd turn out to be just as fake as the rest of them. A picture  may be able to capture an unguarded moment but from his experience, all  women had an agenda. He didn't see how she could be any different from  the rest.





Jessica walked down the wide staircase, admiring the beautiful golden  railing with its intricate design. She had a mixture of feelings running  through her. She hated parties that masqueraded themselves as  fundraisers. They were only an excuse for the rich to rub elbows and  talk about who had the most money. On the other hand, she'd always  wanted to come to the Fairmont.

It was steeped in history and there were so many areas to explore. The  room she'd rented had a spectacular view of the gardens. It was  decorated to look more like a guest room in a distinguished home.

She'd walked into the suite to the smell of fresh cut flowers and the  sight of a bowl overflowing with fruit. Alongside that had been a bottle  of champagne chilling in a bucket of ice. The bed was beautifully made  with a note from the staff, welcoming her and offering any assistance.

Jessica was used to the red carpet treatment, which wasn't always as  great as people seemed to believe it was. When your father was a  millionaire, you never knew who liked you for you or who liked you for  what they could get out of your father. Every place she went people  would do all they could to accommodate her but it was usually a double  edged sword.

After her last tragic break-up she'd decided to forgo relationships  altogether. She was tired of her heart being broken. Her last boyfriend  had seemed like the perfect man. Thinking about him was a painful  experience but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

He'd ridden into her life like a knight in shining armor and she'd  fallen for him hard and fast. When he spoke, he said all the right  things. He also romanced her unlike any other man she'd known. She'd  been relieved he was wealthy because she didn't think he was gaining  anything by being with her. To her, the love seemed genuine. She  couldn't have been more wrong.

He courted her because his company was going under from the millions  he'd gambled and lost. He figured if he snatched her up, he could go  into business with her father and save himself. His plan would've worked  too, as she was blinded by his games. She would've remained blind if  she hadn't gotten home early from a trip to find him in bed with the  maid.

When she walked into her bedroom and saw the two of them wrapped in each  other's arms, on her bed, she quickly shut the door and walked out of  the house. She thought he respected and loved her enough to wait to have  sex until their wedding day. He never desired her in the first place  and the waiting had turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him, as  the ‘maid' he'd hired was really his long-time girlfriend.

Jessica snapped back to the present and walked into the ballroom. She  wasn't easily impressed but tonight was an exception. Every detail of  the room was exquisite. There were several chandeliers hanging at least  three feet down and almost equally as wide. The crystals dripping from  them were shooting off prisms of light in every direction.

The linen covered tables held only the finest dinnerware and the candles  were creating a soft glow from the centerpieces. The room had the added  appeal of strategically placed tall shrubs, offering privacy if a  couple chose to sneak behind one.

Jessica was feeling more positive about the evening ahead. It was a  beautiful night and the organization she often donated to, the National  Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), was going to  receive a substantial amount of money. She'd already decided to enjoy  herself. Later she could return to her boring life.

She sat down at one of the tables and before she knew it, her dinner was  finished and she found she was having a delightful time speaking with a  few of the other guests. When an older gentleman asked her to dance she  gladly accepted. They weren't on the dance floor for long when they  were interrupted.         

     



 

"May I cut in?"

Even though the words came out a question, Jessica had no doubt they  were a command. The gentleman she was dancing with heard it as well and  stepped aside without a word. Jessica didn't like men who were so  overconfident that they felt they deserved anything they wanted. She  wouldn't cause a scene though. Besides, the man was intriguing, so she  allowed him to take her into his arms.

As she placed one of her hands in his and the other on his shoulder, she  could feel the raw power of his hold. He had the most piercing  beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen. They were the kind of eyes that  could penetrate straight into your soul. She would have to be on her  guard with him.

Suddenly it clicked who the man was; Alex Anderson. Their fathers did a  lot of business together. This man with the entrancing eyes, kissable  mouth and sexy body, was a playboy unlike any other.

He was known to be ‘uncatchable', as the single ladies put it. He dated  many women but made it clear he wouldn't settle down. His grin had  graced hundreds of magazine covers, making women both young and old,  lose a bit of sleep at night over erotic thoughts of him.

Her heart was racing as they played a game of cat and mouse. He kept  attempting to pull her body intimately into his, while she was  concentrating on keeping the proper amount of distance between them. If  she wasn't on a self-imposed leave of men she could easily consider a  night of flirting with him. She shook her head to clear it and decided  to just get through the dance so she could move on as quickly as  possible.

His smoldering blue eyes flashed into hers, as his perfectly sculpted  lips turned up into a sexy as sin smile. He knew he was hard to resist  and he seemed to be treating her to his full arsenal of charms.

He slowly brought her fingers to his mouth and ran his lips across her  knuckles. She felt a shudder ripple through her body. He then flicked  his tongue across the same spot and desire pooled deep inside of her.  "I'm Alex Anderson, and you're intriguing," he finally whispered to her.

"Jessica Sanders but I'm assuming you already know that," she replied.

The hotel was everything she could've ever imagined but it dimmed in  comparison to the man holding her. While she was in his arms, the rest  of the people and even the room itself seemed to disappear. She knew he  was dangerous and she was playing a game with him she couldn't possibly  win but for some reason she wasn't able to pull away.

The man was intoxicating. As he spun her around the barely lit dance  floor, she was sinking further into his spell. She could feel the solid  muscles beneath her fingertips and his scent was spell-binding. It was a  combination of his masculinity, enhanced by expensive cologne.

"I haven't had someone cut in on a dance since I was in high school.  Don't you see that as a little overzealous?" she asked, raising her  brow. "Perhaps I didn't wish to dance with you but didn't want to cause a  scene," she added sweetly.

"Not at all," he answered.

Jessica raised her eyebrows at him questioningly and waited.

"I don't think it was at all presumptuous to cut in on the dance. You  were barely keeping your eyes open; the boredom of your partner was so  overwhelming. So you see, I should be thanked for saving you from the  tediousness of a boring partner," Alex said with a grin, which left her  speechless.

He spun her around the dance floor, undressing her with his eyes. She  was shouting to herself to end the dance but she couldn't seem to pull  away from him. He was too compelling. Besides, she thought to herself,  they were in a room full of people. What could possibly happen? She  decided to enjoy the flirtation.