Page 54 of Earl
“Penny for them.”
She looked over at him and laughed sheepishly.
“My time is running out.”
She had told him of the ultimatum Earl had issued. Tomorrow was the deadline.
“You are going to say yes.”
“I am scared.”
“Of making the wrong decision. You are attracted to the guy - no, scratch that, you are in love with him. Let’s face it darling. It’s not just mere attraction, but you have been falling in love with this guy from the get-go.
Ever since you started communicating with him and even without knowing who he is, you have been hooked. I suppose that is the point to the app.
The couple get to know each other without the usual hang-ups. I think it is brilliant.” He eyed her. “Don’t overthink things. I have seen the way he looks at you, that hunger that could not be feigned. As soon as you two were introduced, it was as if no one else was in the room.”
“I am consumed by him,” she gulped her wine and made him grimace. He had insisted on providing the liquor and had brought several bottles from his collection.
“Then there is your answer.”
“It doesn’t stop me from being scared. He is Earl Drummond.”
“Billionaire extraordinaire.” Justin murmured. “You said he told you about his lousy childhood. Now that I recall, I think I heardrumors about his parents. His father was a piece of work, and his mother was an icicle, albeit a beautiful one.
You never were one for the whole society deal, but when I was just starting out in my career, I was required to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. Eric and Jessica Drummond were part of that. There was this model- “He creased his brow in recollection.
“Susie was her name, and she was boasting that she was seeing some rich older man. Turns out it was Eric Drummond Snr., and he was not discreet about it. He was also not faithful to his mistresses either. He had more than one at a time.”
“What if Earl is like him?”
“I have no reason to believe he is. I have never heard of him being with more than one woman at a time. He was with that actress, Diana, for months and it was rumored that they were unofficially engaged. Until they broke up.”
“Because he caught her in bed with someone else.”
Justin nodded. “You can’t fault him for being overly cautious.”
“No!” She shook her head. “But I can still be pissed that he grouped me in with others. And I can still remember that I come from nothing.”
“You told him about that and he still wants to see you. That should count for something.”
“Or I might just be a novelty.” She spread her hands wide. “I am big and black and was brought up in the system. I am not what he is accustomed to.”
“Which, to my thinking, is a very good thing. The women he was involved with were shallow and vapid – greedy bitches with their eyes on his money. He is a smart guy and can tell that you are different.”
*****
Now she was here inside his luxuriously furnished loft and sitting around the counter in his pristine kitchen watching him cook.
“When you said dinner, I had no idea you would be the one cooking.”
He glanced over at her briefly before sprinkling cheese over the risotto. “It relaxes me, and I wanted to impress you with my culinary skills.”
A small smile curved his sensuous lips and sent her heart racing. He had greeted her at the door and apart from taking her jacket and telling her she looked beautiful, he had not touched her. And she was dying to feel his hands and mouth on her.
The black sweater he was wearing stretched across his broad shoulders and tapered to his muscular chest perfectly. A lock of errant curl was on his forehead, giving him an appealing look.
“I will let you know how impressed I am after I taste it.”