The Billionaire's Ball: BBW Billionaire Boss Erotic Romance (Vivian's Desire) Read online

  “She had her head in law books even then. A gorgeous woman who paid no attention to men, but we were family friends. I hooked them up,” Robert said proudly and Alex nodded with a small smile.

  “It’s true.”

  “And now you’re married to her. You owe him,” she mused and her boss nodded.

  “Yes, I was not as good with the ladies as Ben.”

  The last comment struck a soft wounded chord in her heart. The two men went on chuckling, now bringing up stories about their time on the lacrosse field. She watched them over her chilled drink.

  Sometimes she felt so close to Ben and then, at moments like this, it was like she didn’t know him at all. It was funny how you could lie in bed next to someone night after night, but at the mention of a past filled with adventures you weren’t privy to… she played with the napkin in her lap.

  What was he doing now? She hadn’t received a message from him all day. She even sent him one earlier this morning while she was getting ready.

  My service must be bad on water, she hoped and took a swig of her drink. The men in front of her looked like two teenage boys. She smiled softly behind her hand.

  She knew Ben loved her. Perhaps it was enough to see a glimpse into his world. She’d once visited a Buddhist temple with a friend during college, where the monk softly repeated over and over: “Do not focus on the past.”

  Could she help it though? She truly wondered. It wasn’t so much the past that was her focus, but the future…

  Where would she and Ben be in a few years? Would they be married? She felt her cheeks flush. She hadn’t truly thought about that. Maybe a few times when they laid together, glowing with sweat and naked after an exhausting love making session, but they were girlish dreams as far as she was concerned.

  This hasn’t been the brunch for my self-esteem, she thought a bit sourly. Robert suddenly turned to her and she perked up with a plastered smile.

  “Are you excited for the masquerade tonight?”

  “Oh, yes! I’ve packed some beautiful masks,” she replied. It was true. She had gone a bit overboard in preparations for the masquerade. She’d bought a fine evening gown of emerald green and an assortment of black masks with corresponding fine costume jewelry to match. She couldn’t help it though. The desire to dress up had never really left her from her days as a young girl.

  “Oh, Adriana packed a mask for me,” Alex suddenly mused. She smiled and nodded innocently. Yes, Adriana had packed a mask for him since Vivian told her immediately upon reading about it.

  “I’ll dig something out from the family closet,” the new mother had told her. It made Vivian a bit jealous to hear remarks like that. Even a closet could represent a door she seemingly could never open. Would she ever be a part of the family?

  Alex called over the waiter to ask for another round of drinks. Robert began to regal her with tales of his glory days on the field and in the classroom. She felt the sting of the alienation from the past fade, as the two men seemed to bring her into the warm circle of the present moment.

  And yet, she still desperately felt a hollow space as Ben’s face fluttered through her mind every now and then for the remainder of brunch.

  The full moon glowed above them.

  “Did you miss me?”

  That voice. How unmistakable it was to her ears. It was music to her. The moonlight glittered across the dark water behind his impressive towering back. She pressed a hand against her fast beating heart. It swelled in warmth, beating right along the sound of the waves as they struck against the bottom of the ship.

  She could make out the strong lines of his jaw even underneath the mask. They seemed sharper than before as he coolly leaned against the railing as if they were discussing the weather. His lips, those beautiful stupid lips, were arching upward into his trademark smirk.

  “You are such a bastard,” she said. As if he needed a reminder. His grin was instant. She crossed her arms as a breeze rolled over them, fluttering the silky edges of her dress and the feathers of her mask. He raised a black-gloved hand to cover his rising bout of laughter.

  “Vivian, you’re a gem.”

  “I know,” in her mind, a voice whispered: his gem. That was perfectly all right with her.

  The night seemed to wrap around them in sweet solitude. The deck was devoid of any other person. Soft rises and falls of the waltzing music inside drifted through the walls behind them.

  “So,” his tongue ran over his top lip and she shivered. “Did you miss me?”

  This son of a bitch! He was a whirlwind of surprises. She hadn’t expected him in the least. He had been dodging her messages. She replayed the moments of the day like a movie in her mind to try and make sense of it all.

  It had been a quarter to eight. She had just finished placing her mask on a face of perfectly applied makeup for the ball. Her emerald evening gown hugged her soft curves. The lotion she had bought before the trip wafted into her nostrils like a teasing whisper. She spritzed her favorite fragrance on the heated space of her neck and adjusted the neckline of her dress. It perfectly propped up her ample bosom and created one of the best presentations of cleavage she’d ever gotten with a dress.

  She’d checked the clock again. It would be just a few minutes before she needed to meet Alex in the lobby. He would be dressed in one of his tuxedos that Adriana had picked out and a handsome understated white mask she was sure. She slipped on a piece of exquisite and nearly real looking costume necklace around her neck. The stone rested just above the dip of her cleavage.

  The simple hanging diamonds in her ears were real; a gift from Ben. She’d fingered them lovingly and glanced at her phone. It had been depressingly silent for the whole day except for a message from her mother urging her to enjoy her trip. Not even a massage from the spa earlier in the day could soothe the knot in her stomach.

  “You’re a sexy, powerful woman,” she told herself in the mirror and then felt woefully foolish for doing so. She picked up her lipstick and reapplied the mauve berry color once more before finally deciding the process was finished. “I look great.”

  This time she said it a bit more confidently. If she couldn’t feel it authentically, she would fake it until she made it.

  She quickly glanced in the mirror, adjusting the plunging collar once more to allow for the sexiest fit, and then whisked herself out of the room.

  Alex was waiting, just as she’d pictured him. He smiled charmingly at her. “You look lovely! Ben would be furious to see you on my arm tonight.”

  She half-smiled. “Perhaps,” and then deciding she definitely didn’t want her boss probing her about her depressed answer, grabbed his arm. “To the ball!”

  He nodded and they followed an elegantly dressed group down the massive main hallway. The ballroom was the crown jewel of the ship, but she hadn’t imagined it to be quite as magnificent as it was. It was a scene out of the Titanic, but on a grander scale. The sparkling floors, the luxurious ice sculptures, and a tremendous hanging chandelier hovering over the center of the main area. She let out a little gasp of awe.

  “Beautiful!”

  Alex nodded in agreement. “Absolutely beautiful.”

  “I hope you’re talking about your date,” Robert’s voice sounded from behind them. “Vivian, you look ravishing.” He took her hand gently with a flourish and placed a kiss on it. She blushed.

  “Captain, I doubt anyone could steal a girl from you.”

  He gave her a lighthearted wink and then exchanged a firm hug with Alex before being called off by a crewmember.

  “Our table is right over here, next to Robert’s,” Alex said as he guided them toward a collection of three tables. They sat and sipped on iced water. She adjusted her mask and prayed impression lines wouldn’t set into her soft skin. Her boss nearly tugged his off.

  “Too itchy,” he muttered. But, he kept it on after looking around to see nearly everyone was masked but the service.

  “After everyone’s drunk, I’m sure yo
u can take it off,” she reminded him. He nodded in agreement with a grateful smile.

  “Yes, or I can fake sea sickness!”

  Somehow she doubted it would be feigned at the rate he’d been eating on the trip. She was surprised he hadn’t thrown up from eating nearly twice his weight on the first day. She looked out among the crowd. Jealousy bit into her just a bit as she watched the cuddling couples that ran gloved hands over each other at the tables.

  “It’s OK to miss him you know,” came the sudden remark from Alex. She turned to him with flushed cheeks to see him looking at her with an amused, but sympathetic smile.

  “It’s hard to be away from the ones we love.”

  She nodded. “Yes, it is. He hasn’t contacted me at all,” she had finally admitted her worry. Her boss raised his eyebrows, but didn’t seem too surprised.

  “Vivian, I’ve never seen Ben more in love than he is with you. I saw it on the first day that you met.”

  She felt her heart skip a beat and couldn’t help but pushing for more information. “Really?” it was so unlike her. She felt unprepared, always, now it seemed.

  He nodded with a larger grin now. “Yes,” he hesitated. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, actually.”

  But, before he could continue, the lights dimmed suddenly in the room. Robert sat beside them.

  “Don’t tell them I’m missing from the Captain’s table,” he whispered playfully to her. She was still reeling from Alex’s last comment. She wanted to ask him what he was going to say, but suddenly an announcer’s voice came over the speakers.

  “Ladies and gentleman, we are pleased to announce the first Masquerade Ball on our maiden voyage. Feel free to get up and dance. Your servers will be more than happy to fill all your refreshment requests. Please enjoy the sound of the Third Street Quartet as they perform for your listening pleasure.”

  She peered over to a collection of musicians, finely dressed. They gave a little wave at the outburst of applause after their announcement. She clapped politely along with the crowd.

  “We have a special surprise tonight, actually,” the announcer continued. There were a few chatters of surprise in the crowd. Robert shifted suddenly beside her.

  “What? This wasn’t on the schedule.”

  The announcer continued. “One of our finest investors has requested a special first dance for all the couples. He told us that the woman he loved deserved the best.” There was a massive whooping of applause. “We couldn’t agree more, Ben.”

  The Captain sighed. “Oh God.”

  “Boarding school all over again,” Alex muttered.

  “What-?” Her question was cut off by the sudden sound of a drumroll. A spotlight suddenly appeared and her eyes shot to a figure underneath the burning glow.

  “We’d like to ask a Miss Vivian to please join our fine friend on the floor. The rest of the couples are more than welcome to join.”

  The music began playing. Her jaw dropped.

  “No way.”

  “Yes. Way,” Alex replied with a feigned girlish accent. He groaned into his hand. “I don’t even want to know how he got this done.”

  “That son of a bitch, always a performer,” muttered Robert, but he began to pull out her chair anyway. She sat, dumbfounded, looking from them to the mysterious figure standing in the spotlight.

  “Wait. What? What?” she kept repeating. Other couples were beginning to stand. The figure underneath the spotlight raised a hand toward her and motioned her to join him. She couldn’t make out his face from her spot.

  “He is a handful. Good luck!” that was Robert’s only cheery reply as he helped her stand and gently pushed her towards the floor.

  “Yes, Vivian! That’s the man you’ve chosen to love,” Alex added with a smirk. She gaped at him.

  “This is embarrassing!” she squealed. He shooed her and pointed towards his brother.

  “Go on, now!”

  And just like that, he’d whisked her after a few seconds of dancing and the spotlight disappearing in a quick flash, outside and into the night air.

  Cocky bastard. Her cheeks were still burning from the giggles of the crowd as she had walked slowly towards him.

  Had she missed him? Who could not miss a man who played mystery and sexy so well together? She ran her eyes over his sleek black suit and then crisp rose in his vest pocket. He was leaned against the railing still, casually slouched now with his arms helping to support his weight.

  She wanted to be wrapped in those arms, again and then always. What a fool! How could she really not have missed that smirk? The overwhelming confidence balanced with such good humor and kindness?

  “Maybe,” she begged her voice to be as coy as possible in the warm night air as she took a step towards him, her heels clicking enticingly against the floor. “I was impressed by your theatrics.”

  “I was in theater at school,” he told her.

  “Oh, yes. The Captain and Alex told me.”

  “Oh yes? I recall the Captain is still mad at me for stealing his first girlfriend.”

  She rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle. “Don’t worry. He’s quite happily married now. But, he says he’s still going to punch you in the face if he gets a chance.”

  “That seems fair enough,” he mused and she watched as his eyes flicked up and down her body. “Although, he’s probably just jealous that I still have much better taste.”

  “I’m not a meal,” she said with a click of her tongue disapprovingly. He grinned.

  “Still delicious.”

  “Thank you, I’m aware.”

  “You’ve got a lot cockier since hanging around me.”

  “My confidence just happens to increase around jackasses,” she informed him sweetly. The music shifted inside to something slower and sultrier, but louder now. They could hear it perfectly a low level even from outside.

  “Do you dance with jackasses?” he asked, stepping away from the railing.

  She looked him over with playful hesitation. “Perhaps.”

  He extended his hand with another step. “Would you dance with me, Vivian?”

  “I suppose.”

  They closed the few feet between them. He slid her hand in his soft-gloved grip. She felt tingles rush over her body as they pressed their bodies closer together. The sound of the waves and music seemed to fade away as she looked up into his eyes, peering out from behind the magnificent black mask.

  “You look handsome,” she said.

  “You look utterly beautiful,” his voice was nearly breathless. Her chin instinctively dipped as she felt her cheeks heat up. His compliments always caught any witty replies in her throat and conjured butterflies in her stomach. She steadied herself gratefully by leaning against him, her head resting against his shoulder as they moved.

  She felt the cool steel slide around her wrists before she knew what had happened.

  “Do you want to have some fun?” he asked in the deep voice she loved so much. His fingers brushed over her racing pulse as she felt the metal clink against her. “If you think you can handle it.”

  Her eyebrows rose and she summoned her best steely gaze. “Yes. If you can handle me.”

  She heard the swift click of the handcuffs being secured around her. He ran his tongue lightly up her neck and to her ear, firing off waves of furious nerves that begged for more attention. His lips brushed against the diamond earrings he’d given her just last month.

  “Vivian, you make me want dangerous things.”

  Funny that he was telling her that. She pulled the chains of the handcuffs tight against her wrists underneath him. “I’m ready if you are.”

  He pulled her against his body with one swift tug and found her lips in a searing kiss. She moaned softly as his hips ground against her, feeling her panties growing damp already. His lips grinned against hers and suddenly he tugged her away from the wall.

  “Let’s go!”

  He grabbed her hands, the dainty but sturdy chain
of her new silver bangles jangling as they set off in a run. She nearly tripped over her own heels.

  “Ben!”

  But, he was a man on a mission. He bounded before her to jab the button of the elevator before taking her back into his arms. She was breathless from their sprint down the hall and struggled against him, trying to stifle her giggles as his mask had become skewed in the run.

  He dipped his head and hungrily attacked her neck. His tongue pushed pleasurably against the vein of her throat and she gasped as he nipped it with a soft growl.

  The elevator sounded and she looked up with startled eyes as the doors swept open. An older couple had been laughing, arm in arm. The woman saw them before the man and she let out a little squeal, clapping her hand over her mouth. The man next to the woman grinned wildly as they slipped quickly out of the elevator. Ben couldn’t be bothered to look up as he hastily guided Vivian’s body to enter the elevator as she mumbled some sheepish apologies.