The Billionaire Romance
“Are you fucking serious?” Bianca shrieked as her coffee went sloshing all over the sleeves of her white peasant blouse. The cash register was abandoned, and one woman that was trying to squeeze her size nines into a pair of dark blue ballet flats paused with the flat hanging off of her toes at Bianca’s screeching.
“Are you kidding me? Ay, yo tengo muchas perozosas!” Bianca went behind the counter and chucked thick directories hidden in three-inch binders around. She found one with “Employee Directory” printed on it in bold letters. She ripped it open and scrolled down to the name of her opener, Laura Lewis.
She punched the numbers in on the store phone and when Laura groggily answered with, “Hello?” Bianca screeched into the receiver, “Where the hell are you?!”
Laura shook all of the sleep out of her voice. “What’s wrong, did something happen to the store?”
Bianca clenched a roll of receipt paper in between her hands. “Yes. You were supposed to be here at nine. It is now eleven, and you’re still in bed.” She gritted out, between clenched teeth.
Laura yawned. “Well, yeah, I took today off to study for midterms.”
“You have to tell me information like that weeks in advance,” Bianca snapped.
“There’s no way I could have known I’d be so stressed out last Saturday,” Laura said.
I’m never hiring an eighteen-year-old again, Bianca thought. “Laura, it doesn’t work like that. I need to check the register now to see if everything’s how it should be.”
“Cool, let me know how everything turns out on Monday, okay?”
“Monday? Don’t bother coming back Monday. We’ll mail you your last check.”
Bianca slammed the phone down and yanked open the cash drawer. She pulled out ones, tens, and fives and relaxed once she realized that all one hundred dollars was present and that her sole customer hadn’t decided to help herself to the register.
I could put up another ad , but then I’d have a store full of new people and that’s an outright nightmare, she thought.
A customer approached the counter and grinned. “Will you have a chance to change out of that wet shirt?”
“Huh?” The piping hot coffee on her blouse had lowered in temperature and was becoming a sticky mess that clung to her sleeve.
Bianca presented her best smile. “Well, I should take care of that after I get you taken care of, shouldn’t I?”
The older woman smiled at her. The skin around her eyes crinkled with crow’s feet. “I can see that you’re not having the best start to your day.”
Bianca sighed and took off the safety pin on the her shoe. “I’ve had better. None of my employees seem to want to come to work lately. Which reminds me, how did you get in? My opener didn’t show up.”
“Apparently, no one closed last night either. When I got here, the sign was on and the door was open. No one wanting to open or close besides you could be a problem. Are you hiring?”
Bianca pulled out one of the red bags and put the shoe box inside. “I’m perpetually hiring, do you need a job?”
The woman extended her hand. “I’m Ashley.”
Bianca shook it. “When can you start? I’m beyond conducting interviews at this point.”
Ashley sputtered, “Today, I guess?”
Bianca handed her the shoes. “Great, I need the rest of the day off. Get back here, I’ll order you a name tag later.”
Bianca’s head hit the keyboard in a defeated thud as the email from Alex and Boots Corporate defiantly stared back at her.
“Why is this week complete garbage?” she hollered and Ashley poked her head into the management office. Her fingers gripped the edge of the door.
“Anything I can do?”
Bianca batted at tears at the corner of her eyes with her knuckle and punctuated the motion with a sniffle. She lifted her emerald eyes to look at Ashley.
“I could get fired if I don’t hire someone trustworthy.
“Well, you’ve got me,” Ashley crooned.
Bianca pushed her chair back and pulled out a thick black binder.
“This is a list of all of the employees that have worked here since I became the store manager.”
“That’s not so bad.” Ashley looked to the register to see if she had any customers and squeezed her way into the manager’s office, which was the size of what could be generously described as a narrow hallway.
“A lot of people places hire and let go people in that volume over years.”
“That’s from October.”
Bianca sat back down and reread the email. Maybe there’s positive over tones to this if I read it and wish really hard.
The screen reflected the following:
Dear Bianca Torres:
This location of Alex and Boots does not have a single employee on file that has stayed on payroll longer than two months. I would like to discuss what we can do to greatly decrease your turn-over rate. I will be flying into Puerto Rico soon and investigating all stores in the area.
Respectfully,
Alexander Campbell
Alex & Boots Co.
CEO
Bianca chewed on her cuticle and swiveled to Ashley. “‘Respectfully’ has to be a good sign, right?” she asked.
The store carried the scent of cinnamon instead of ripe feet jamming themselves into shoes the Tuesday afternoon that Alexander Campbell was due to arrive in Puerto Rico. His flight had probably left Australia two days before.
He might be weary from his trip and cranky. What if he’s more critical? Bianca thought, and she hustled over to the front counter and pulled two more incense cones out of the drawer. Ashley sneezed.
“Is this going to be permanent? I should have mentioned that I have allergies.” Ashley swiped a feather duster over the first three boot displays for the fifth time that morning.
Bianca carefully placed all of her gift cards in an attractive diagonal layout on the front counter. “I’m sorry, Ashley. Bear with me? It’s just going to be like this until after Alexander leaves.”
They decided to let the cool summer breeze in and kept the door to the store open. People shuffled by, and every once-in-a-while, someone would peek in to see what the specials on this season’s sandals were. The air seemed to cling to Bianca’s golden skin. Earlier that morning, standing in front of a toothpaste smeared mirror, she had considered putting her hair into a no-nonsense bun to look the part of a put-together business woman, but she opted for wearing her thick raven hair down instead. She didn’t want to risk coming off like a boss that was so no-nonsense that she kept letting all of her imperfect employees go.
“Could you relax? You’re stressing me out.”
Bianca glared at Ashley and gasped when a tall man in an expensive suit walked through the door. She felt her stomach do summer saults from standing in front of the sole owner of Alex & Boots, the man whose judgement determined her livelihood. It also didn’t help that he had to be the sexiest man she had ever seen in Puerto Rico.
His skin was pale and his hair contrasted with a dark chocolate color. He filled out his suit nicely, and Bianca was tempted to ease her nervous grin into something a bit more sultry.
He stepped forward and took in that Bianca and Ashely were the only two in the store. “Is the manager around?” he asked. His voice had a raspy, deep quality to it, like a jazz singer.
Bianca raised a couple of fingers and pointed to herself. “I’m the general manager here, Bianca Torres.”
His expression was all business. He offered a tight-lipped smile and extended his hand. Bianca shook it but her wrist was limp and her fingers were clammy.
“So, I’d like to take a look at the store, see if things are in order, and interview the employees here.”
He paused and laughed. Bianca noticed that his Australian accent was faint. Maybe he had spent more time in the states then his home continent? Bianca wondered.
“I’m sorry, I sound like a dingus. There are almost no employees at this location and I didn’t even properly introduce myself- I’m Alexander Campbell, owner and CEO of Alex and Boots.”
Bianca nodded. “You’re more than welcome to interview Ashley, my only employee at the moment.”
He scoffed and took off his suit jacket, throwing it on the counter. Bianca chewed on her lip at the sight of Alex in his cream colored pressed dress shirt. He wasn’t an incredibly muscular man but he filled out his clothing wonderfully. He had broad shoulders and he was lean, with a trim waist and a perfectly shaped ass.
It’s a good thing I live on the fourth floor in my building, just a quick sprint up and down those once a day and I don’t look like a complete slob when I stand next to Alexander.
His pants fit snug against his ass which Bianca quickly took her eyes off of when he turned around.
He led her to the children’s corner of the store, all decorated in purple and yellow butterfly decals on the wall. He waved a hand at the decor.
“This is last year’s design. Did you guys ever get decals for this year? It’s a jolly tiger wearing our sneakers.”
Bianca folded her arms behind her back. “I got it in January and one of my employees took it with him to put on his kid’s wall when he quit in the middle of his shift. I reported it and everything.”
Alex frowned with skepticism in his eyes. He walked over to the Ladies Outerwear section and stood in front of it. He eyed it from every angle. He took out his phone and compared one of the shoes to a pair on the company website.
Bianca tensely followed him around, but she allowed herself a small exhale of relief when they made it back around to the front counter. Ashley clipped pieces of receipt paper into perfect squares to make into sticky notes. Bianca had instructed her to clean and organize every section of the store two days ago. There weren’t any customers for Ashely to busy herself with during Alex’s visit. The store seemed to be going through a dry period, and very few customers had walked through the door in the past week.
“So, while I think the store could certainly look better, your store isn’t altogether bad. There are a few improvements that I would like to discuss over lunch tomorrow afternoon,” Alex said.
He leaned against the counter and stared at her, waiting for a response. Bianca blinked herself present and tried to mold her expression into what she hoped came off as obvious enthusiasm.
“Sure! Where should I meet you?”
He rubbed his smooth chin in thought. “There was a place that I visited the last time I was in Puerto Rico that I really liked. “
“Oh? What’s the name?” Bianca asked, she started writing down her number on a sticky note.
“ Amores de Carne?”
The corners of her mouth quirked upward at his horribly pronounced Spanish. His accent did nothing to help his pronunciation.
“I’ll look up the address,” she offered.
Alex nodded and waved goodbye to Ashley. He tossed Bianca a nod as well and walked out of the store.
Bianca sighed. “That means neither of us are fired then.”
Ashely pushed the employee directory toward her. “Good. Can we burn this pathetic binder then?”
“Maybe we can make s’mores over it after my meeting with Alexander. Hopefully, it goes well and he doesn’t chew me out for two hours over taquitos.”
Chapter Two
Bianca forced the door to her apartment open. The ever-present draft assaulted her as she walked in. She swore she lived in the oldest, and coldest, apartment in Puerto Rico.
She heaved a heavy sigh as she sat down on her couch. Her eyes focused on the grey walls at first, but they rolled up to the celling as she laid on her back.
Her couch felt like a sack of rocks.
Maybe I should eat dinner before I pass out. She mulled the idea around and decided that she didn’t have much of an appetite. Her phone chirped from her pocket and then it began to vibrate. She pulled it out and mumbled, “Hello?”
“Hola, esta bien?”
“Si, Mama. Estoy durmiendo. Que paso?”
Bianca rolled her eyes and sat up as her mother told her all about the bruja at the grocery store. When she finally got off of the phone an hour later, she chuckled. “I’m awake now.”
She shifted on the couch and her eyes drifted around her apartment. It had been ages since she had a reason to really make it look nice. Her parents lived in Miami, and she had run out of friends because most of them started getting married and having kids.
She hadn’t had a date in months. After encountering seventeen losers in a row, she had resigned herself to the fact that her sex life would consist of her index and middle fingers, and bottle of red wine.
She ran a hand over her plump breast and then grazed her lower abdomen in a way that would have sent a dangerous shiver down her spine if a man had done it.
I’m tired of being alone. I want someone to want to do this with me. Why don’t I ever meet guys like Alex?
She got up and walked to the kitchen, telling herself that she needed to concentrate solely on keeping her job and not how hot her boss was. Those thoughts would only get her in trouble. She pulled out a tea kettle and turned the faucet on. She filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove, then rooted through her cabinets and pulled out a tin of hot cocoa.
I should probably go ahead and take care of myself later so I’m not a total hornball at our meeting.
The sun beat down on them, and Alex grunted in frustration as he peeked into the dark building in front of them.
“Shit. How could they be closed on one of the only days in the year that I’m able to eat here?” Alex looked at Bianca, dressed casually in a floral peplum top and denim shorts with Alex and Boots sandals strapped to her feet. Her long black hair was in a braid and she had decorated her lips with bright red lipstick.
She tried to think of something to diffuse Alex’s frustration She nodded and said, “Maybe we could try some place else? There’s a restaurant on every corner.”
“I was really looking forward to this one, however.”
“Most of the restaurants around here serve the same kind of food,” she offered.
Alex shook his head. “Not every restaurant makes mole like this one does. I suppose this afternoon was about discussing improvements to your store though, huh?”
Bianca smiled at him and he smiled back. That’s the first real smile she’s given, instead of that nervous grimace, he thought to himself.
“Mole, huh?”
“Yes. Do you know any other good restaurants around here?”
Bianca didn’t respond right away. Her eyebrows creased and she smirked. “You want mole?”
“You know a place that serves good mole poblano?”
“I know how to make mole. And my place has a dining table where we can eat and talk about the store. I guarantee, my mole is the best you’ll ever have.”
Alex rolled that around in his head, wondering if it was inappropriate for him to have lunch in Bianca’s home. He supposed that as long as he stayed professional, it should be fine.
“Alright. Do you live near here?”
“Yeah, I walked. We need to stop by the grocery store down the street though so I can get what I need.”
Bianca smiled and led him through the neighborhood. Kids sprinkled the streets and Alex relaxed. Puerto Rico was such a beautiful country. Alex hadn’t visited since he was in his twenties, and after he returned to his brownstone in New York, decided another location would do incredibly well here.
I’m still not sure if this location is worth keeping around, though. he thought, as Bianca’s long golden legs strode ahead of him and he took in how toned they were. Maybe standing in that store all day gives her such nice legs.
They arrived at a small market, and Bianca plucked vegetables out and grabbed a few packs of chicken. They went to the checkout counter and Bianca greeted the clerk,
“Hola. Es todo.”
“Bueno. Como estas?”
“Bien, El es mi jefe.” Bianca gestured toward Alex who looked between her and the clerk, perplexed.
“El no hablan espanol.”
“She asked how I am and I told her I am good and that you are my boss,” she said, not wanting Alex to think she was being rude by speaking a language he clearly didn’t understand.
Gratefully, Alex nodded and smiled at the clerk.
The clerk smiled back and rang up all of the items.
Bianca chuckled and she dug around in her red satchel for her wallet. “You didn’t bother to learn Spanish before opening a store in Puerto Rico?” she asked him.
“Well, I took some classes in college, but clearly none of it stuck. And, here, let me get that,” he said, and pulled out his visa and shoved it at the clerk.
Bianca felt her cheeks heat up and said, “Oh no, you really don’t have to do that. You pay me enough to be able to afford a few groceries.”
He smiled and managed to tell the clerk, “Gracias.” As they left the bustling grocery store, he told her, “It’s fine. This is a company meeting, so the company should pay.”
“Oh, but you’re visiting, I hate to impose,” Bianca said.
“Nonsense. Now, let’s talk a little business. You store needs some serious updates. I hate pouring money into projects that just aren’t working but I can tell that you have positive intent toward my company. Most people that are qualified to be a general manager would have left by now after having that many nightmarish employees. I appreciate you sticking around.”
He didn’t take his eyes off of her as they walked around the corner to her building. Bianca felt goosebumps rising on her skin, his smoldering gaze holding her captive.
She smiled and pointed out her building. “This is it. Es mi casa.”
“If you’re going to keep speaking Spanish, I’m going to have to use Australian slang to even the playing field,” Alex teased.
“I’m sorry, I’m not used to being around people that aren’t used to speaking Spanish.”
They started the climb up the stairs and Alex looked around, noticing that his brand new white sneakers had already collected some dirt going up the steps.
He couldn’t help but stare at her perfectly round bottom as he followed her up the steps. He could see no tan lines from the bottom of her shorts and that intrigued him. He felt his pants tighten a bit in the crotch as he pictured her sunbathing on a nude beach. He could barely hide his attraction.
They reached her apartment and Bianca shouldered the door open. Alex walked into the center of her drab living room as she hustled into the kitchen.
Why is her place so shitty? I’m almost positive she’s getting a generous salary, he thought as he sat on the couch and noticed that she didn’t even have a nice view. The walls were grey and boring, not a single piece of artwork was hung to brighten the room. Her place was clean, but it was hospital clean, being inside of it made you feel more uneasy than cozy.
The sound of Bianca chopping vegetables could be heard from the kitchen. “So,” she called out over the clinking of knives, “you’re from Australia?”
He twisted around on the sofa to look at her. “Yes, I was born there and lived there until I was about eighteen. Then I moved to the states, and I dropped out of college to start up Alex & Boots.”
“My parents live in Miami,” she chopped an onion in half, “I never cared for the states.”
“No? American living is refreshing, they have romantic ideas about what it’s like to live overseas.”
“I’m sure they do. I just find it to be an uninteresting country. There’s plenty of romance here in Puerto Rico.” She paused from chopping vegetables, and looked up at him.
He chuckled and decided to take his shoes off. “I’m sure a Sheila like yourself finds a lot of romance.”
Bianca frowned and washed her hands. “My name is Bianca.”
He laughed heartily. “I know your name. That’s Australian slang, it means beautiful woman. It’s payback for you speaking Spanish all the time. I warned you,” he said with an easy grin.
She giggled and pulled out a large pot and filled it with water. “That’s not payback at all, you called me beautiful. Tell me, is my beauty enough to keep my store open?”
“No one is shutting down your store.” He got up, rising to his full six feet. He walked into the kitchen. He leaned against the wall, wanting to stay out of Bianca’s way.
“Really? You know, I was so scared of you. I thought you’d be this intimidating, no-nonsense professional.” She laughed as she seasoned the chicken with paprika. “But you’re letting me make you a meal in my tiny and well, shitty, apartment and you’re agreeing to keep my store open.”
He smirked. “Just because I am a multi-billionaire, doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate a home cooked meal made by a beautiful, intelligent, and hard-working woman.”
Oh my. Bianca thought. “You’ve only known me for two days, and you’ve got all that?”
“I can read people. And please don’t ever be scared of me, I’m quite the softie. I read romance novels because I’ve never been married and I often wonder what it’s like. I hate sleeping alone.”
Bianca tossed a chicken leg in the steel pot. “You? Sleeping alone? What woman isn’t- I’m so sorry, that’s inappropriate.”
“No, it isn’t. Who’s going to tell on me? Me? We’re just talking.”
She put the lid on the pot and let it boil. She rested one hand on the counter and pulled off the rubber band keeping her braid together. A curtain of thick, dark waves fell around her shoulders and she shyly looked in Alex’s eyes.
“Where’s the line, then?”
He seemed to ponder this. He stepped forward and stood an inch from her. “It depends.” His voice was low, and Bianca trembled. Her pulse quickened and her brain flooded with dirty thoughts.
“Depends on what?”
He placed one hand on her thigh and she gasped. He picked her up and gave her a seat on the counter. Bianca watched in astonishment, as he removed her sandals.
He smiled, and it was a charming grin. It didn’t make her feel like she was a lamb wandering into the lion’s den like most men would have. He kissed her feet and looked up at her, asking for permission.
It was easier to not say anything at all, to avoid having the moment crash and fall into an awkward mess around them. The kisses gravitated to other places, the outside of her thighs, the inside of her thighs. She hissed as he just missed her center.
He hooked his fingers into the edges of her shorts and in one motion, they hit the floor.
Bianca moaned as Alex had already made quick work of removing her dark red panties and she grabbed a handful of his hair.
“Ah, Alexander,” she moaned.
His tongue flicked, and teased her clit. “Come on, we’re on a much more familiar basis than that now, Bianca. Unless this is too far for you?”
“No,” she said, as he nipped and sucked. She stifled a scream as he tortured her by sucking on her clit.
“Oh my God,” he said, her voice was husky as she groaned, “You’re the best boss ever.”
“Let’s not talk about work.”
The pot lid jumped off of the pot as the mole boiled over. Alex jumped back, wiping his lips with his sleeve.
“Oh shit!” Bianca screeched, as she slid off of the counter and poured some of the hot water out. Alex had quickly regained his composure and Bianca pulled her shorts back on, frustrated that she hadn’t been able to come before the damn pot had boiled over.
Story of my fucking life.
Bianca lay awake in her apartment the next night. The sheets were cool in her bed and for once the draft felt nice. She had a ‘meeting’ set up with Alexander the next day but her mind raced whenever she thought about it. Were they actually going to talk about the store at all this time? After what happened on the day before, it was hard for her to take business calls seriously. She stuttered when Ashley asked her how the lunch went.
“It went fine, we still have jobs, huh? Could you organize the men’s’ section?”
Ashley shot her a look but said nothing.
Bianca’s fingers toyed with the edge of her panties, thinking about the things Alex had done to her with his tongue. Sadly, he hadn’t mentioned it the rest of the meal. He complimented her mole, and cleaned his bowl. They had a chat about the store and then he went back to his hotel, promising to work more with her before he left next week.
Bianca was typing in her tiny office when Alex squeezed back there with her. She could hear the chime of the cash register from the front counter. Ashley had been busy all day, selling sneakers and sandals, saying hello and goodbye to throngs of customers. She made a mental note to speak to Alex about introducing a commission incentive for the employees. Ashley surely deserved the extra cash for being the most loyal employee she’d ever had.
Alex smiled at her, he was dressed in a suit again instead of the more casual dress shirt and jeans he had worn the other day.
“I’ve always hated how small some of the offices were. Are you comfortable, Bianca?”
“I’m fine. What can I do for you?”
She clicked through applications on the screen and sighed at the email address that one of the applicants had listed, ‘[email protected]’.
He smiled and leaned down to look at her. “You’re all business today. Why’s that?”
She heaved another sigh and took off the glasses she used when she worked on the computer. “The only people that I get applying to work here are absolute bums. If they don’t have a record, they have crazy demands for availability. No one is willing to work past six, or on weekends besides Ashely, and I can’t keep working her so hard.”
Ales pulled out a collapsible chair and sat down next to her. “Alright, then. I’ll help you weed out the poor choices.”
Bianca paused. “Oh, you really don’t have to. I’m sure there’s something more important for you to do.”
“Like what? What’s more important than overseeing your new hires? You know that we need more reliable people. I’m giving Ashley a big bonus however, for being the only one to work at this store besides yourself.”
Bianca pulled up another applicant. “Well, that’s wonderful. I know she’ll appreciate it and she certainly deserves it. What kind of people would you prefer that I hire?”
“Driven people, people that want the job to go somewhere. We need people that are invested in the company and want to see it grow, and to want to grow with it.”
“That’s sounds awesome,” Bianca said. “However, I don’t think ‘boobyjones’ fits that bill. Nor do any of the others I’m seeing here.”
“Maybe you should adjust the ad? I’m going to talk to Human Resources at corporate and change the starting rate. I want to attract people with degrees in business preferably, but really any degree at all. It shows they have some discipline and ambition.”
Bianca nodded. “That’s a start.”
“I would offer you a raise, but I’m not entirely sure if that’s appropriate, as you have an unfair advantage over most general managers.” He smiled a wolfish smile then, and massaged her bare leg.
Why did I wear a skirt today? I knew I should have down played things so that he wouldn’t be so tempted. I can’t keep messing around with my boss, I need to end things before I jeopardize my job. But, dammit, he is so sexy, she thought, her brain at war with her body.
“What’s on your mind?” Alex pried.
“Nothing.” She smiled. “Nothing at all. Would you like to grab coffee soon? My lunch break is coming up.” Maybe out of such close quarters, she could tell Alex that getting further involved with him wasn’t a good idea.
He laughed again, and his smile was all too inviting. “Your break is whenever I say it is. You look you could use one.”
“Are we going now?”
“We are.”
He pulled her up by her hand and Bianca followed him out of her office and around the front counter. Ashley’s eyebrows shot up in a question when she saw Alex leading her out.
Bianca knew that if she didn’t get a handle on this soon, she would have zero credibility with Ashley, or any future employee. If only she could push how good her hand felt in his out of her mind.
They walked to a coffee store that Bianca loved and they sat in a dark corner and enjoyed their lattes in gargantuan red mugs.
Bianca sipped on her vanilla mocha. “How are you enjoying Puerto Rico?” she asked, trying to sound casual and keep the conversation neutral.
Alex grinned and shrugged. He was drinking a black dark roast, and as he eyed her over the rim of his mug, Bianca’s insides turned liquid.. “It’s just as beautiful as it was the first time I visited, but I would say this trip has been much more enjoyable. ”
Bianca’s heart thudded in her chest. “Why is that?”
He reached his large hand across the table and took her hand in his. “I’ve met some interesting people.”
He thinks I’m interesting?
“I like spending time with you and getting to know you. I like your confidence and your style. Plus, you’re one hell of an employee.”
His compliments warmed her. “You like me because I’m a good employee?”
The music in the shop changed to folk and Bianca rolled her eyes. He kissed her knuckle. “There are worse reasons to be attracted to someone. All of the qualities that most employers look for in a solid employee is what I’m attracted to in a woman. Are we going to pretend that some of my qualities that benefit my work aren’t what you’re attracted to?”
“I know that I’m attracted to you physically, what heterosexual woman wouldn’t be? But in all seriousness, Alex, what happened the other day can’t ever happen again,” Bianca said, steeling herself against his charm.
Alex smiled and raised his eyebrows. Bianca stiffened and inwardly groaned as her resistance slipped. That damn smile. Alexander had slid a hand up her skirt. “Why’s that?” he whispered. “Don’t worry, no one can see us.”
She took a shuddering breath and her face screwed up in an expression of pleasure and embarrassment. “How can I expect my employees to respect me if they think I’m just the boss’s plaything?” ”
“Well, first of all, they’re my employees. And it’s just Ashley; I doubt she’d deny you a little fun.” His fingers wandered into her as they had two days ago, and she clenched around them. He let out a low moan that only she could hear, and Bianca practically saw the dam burst on her self-restraint. She spread her legs to give him more access, and he took it. He rolled his thumb over her clit and slid a perfectly manicured finger past her lips.
This underwear is done for today, she thought, her arousal having ruined them moments ago.
She gave him an intense look. Her chest heaved, her golden skin was rosy in some places. “Fine, let’s go,” she breathed.
He smirked and stood, clearly pleased with himself for wearing her down. Alex grabbed Bianca by the hand and helped her onto legs wobbly from his attention, winking at a barista who had caught a glimpse of their indiscretion on their way out.
They nearly sprinted for three blocks to Bianca’s apartment, and he fondled her ass as they hustled up the steps. Alex shouldered her front door open and they made it to the couch.
Alex ripped off Bianca’s shirt, her skirt was around her ankles in mere seconds. He grabbed the clip holding all of her hair together and pulled it out. She smiled as her hair fell around her in waves and she tugged on his belt.
“Come on,” she urged, “Take it off.”
He unhooked her bra and began to run his tongue along her breasts, but she caught his lips in a kiss.
“Kiss me.”
“I’m in charge,” he mumbled as he kissed her roughly along her neck and she cried out because she loved it and because it would leave a bruise in the morning. They worked his pants off and his rock hard cock jutted out, sending Bianca’s thoughts into overdrive. She sat up, and with a hand on his perfect chest, she pushed him backwards.
“Give it to me,” she demanded, as her hand sought out his cock. She lowered herself to her knees in front of him and took the whole of him into her mouth.
He groaned and his fingers massaged her scalp as she ran her lips up and down his shaft. He ran his hands along her back and she took him as far into her throat as he would go. She lifted her mouth off of him only to run her tongue over his tip . Alexander all but screamed. Bianca was spurred on by his obvious enjoyment.
With a fist-full of her hair in his hands, he pulled her off of him and kissed her. His tongue danced with hers, and they shared the taste of him on their lips. In one fluid motion, he flipped her over on to her stomach, letting her breasts dangle over the back of the couch. He pushed himself inside of and they both sighed as his thick cock was fully sheathed.
She’s so tight and warm, he thought, as he rocked his hips and Bianca hummed beneath him. She moved her hips to meet his and they both groaned as he felt his orgasm asking for release.
Bianca’s body trembled each time he thrust, the perfect tip of his cock hit her G-spot every time. Just as Alex was sure he wasn’t going to be able to hold his pleasure off much longer, Bianca bucked and clenched around him, yelling out as her orgasm overtook her. Alex followed a second later, groaning loudly as he finished inside of her.
He caressed her lower back. “Are you ok?”
Bianca nearly laughed out loud. “Yeah, I’m perfect.”
Chapter Three
Ashley was training the new girl, Tatiana who wore a long, black pleated skirt and a professional peach colored blouse. Alexander’s idea of changing the ad had worked, and people with degrees in advertising and business were flocking to Alex & Boots. The store presented a new look and feel because of Alex’s visit as well. He removed the bland carpet, and put in polished hard wood floors. All of the displays were updated with fun spring designs and he was working on knocking down half of the store so that the space to wait in line could be longer, and to expand Bianca’s office.
Bianca had adjusted to feeling a small ball of anxiety bloom in her chest when she worked with her best employee. Ashley worked really hard, and she had received the raise that Alexander arranged for her, but Bianca couldn’t help the guilt she felt about why her store had received so much special attention.
I’m not sleeping with him just so that he’ll go easy on my store, she thought, while fiddling with the wall of ballet flats that were a part of the new spring design. She was actually developing feelings for Alex past the insane physical attraction. He worked for her affections, and she loved that about him.
Her eyes rolled over to Ashley, who had two women holding two boxes of sandals each waiting on her. Bianca hustled over to the counter and signaled to the women, “I can help you!”
She rung them up and sent them on their way. By the time she was done chatting with the second woman, who wanted to shower her with compliments about the new layout, it was approaching the end of her shift.
She grinned a little. Alex will be here soon.
It was Monday and they had filled each day between Friday and now with sexual exploration. Alexander had introduced Bianca to new positions, new places, and new feelings, and she wasn’t ready for the rhythm to change.
He’s going back to New York on Thursday. What will I do then? Was this just fun? She couldn’t help but feel a bit like a summer fling, and the thought made her feel hollow inside.
Later that evening, Alex rapped his knuckles on the door to Bianca’s apartment. With some struggle, she pulled it open and beamed at him. She was dressed for their date, in a white sun dress and wedged heels. Her hair framed her face perfectly, and her makeup had been done for a natural look. Twice now, Alex had woken up next to her makeup-free face and had loved it. She’s perfect all of the time, he realized.
“Hello.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded and slid her hand in his. “So, where are we going again?”
“Somewhere special,” he said, as they walked down all three flights of stairs to a black, brand new town car that waited for them. He signaled to the driver when the small man started to climb out. Alex pulled open Bianca’s door instead and he slid in after her.
“We’re good to go,” he said, and they pulled off. Bianca turned to him, “What are we doing, tonight? I can’t stay out too late because I have to open the store tomorrow.”
He smiled and squeezed her fingers. “You can do anything you like when you’re with me.”
“Oh, stop.”
“Seriously. Just relax and enjoy the ride.” His hands lazily rubbed her thigh and he rested his head on top of hers. “You can fall asleep, it might be a while before we get there.”
“Alex! Come on, I can’t do anything too big, I have to be up by 4:30 tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t want you to worry about that.”
There was an ear-splitting sound as Bianca was jolted awake. Her legs were stretched out on top of Alexander’s and he was wide awake, reading a novel. Frantically, she looked around the car and peeked out of the windows to see the sun retiring for the night.
“Did I sleep through our whole date?” she asked, horrified.
Instead of answering, Alex opened the door and slid out of the car, and she slid out after him. The streets were cobblestone and it was warmer and the air clung like the adhesive on an envelope.
“Where are we?” she asked.
He grinned and swung his arm out in a presentative gesture. “We’re in San Juan, one of the most beautiful places in Puerto Rico.”
The car pulled off and Alex steered her down the streets. “The car will come back for us later. I wanted to bring you somewhere magical.”
“You believe in magic?” she prompted, as they walked past a fountain gushing with water and decorated with stones.
“I believe in good fortune.” He squeezed her hand, and Bianca felt a wave of nervousness climb over her.
Is this a farewell date? It seemed a rather grand gesture, which had her wondering if this was the brush-off she’d been dreading.
“So, once when I visited Puerto Rico, I ate at this amazing restaurant. They made their own tortillas, the service was magnificent.”
She almost laughed. “You know all of the restaurants here make their own tortillas. You didn’t need to take me all the way to San Juan for that.”
He just smiled and led her around another corner to a dimly lit, very quaint street. Tucked away, almost as if in secret, was a slim black door with bold silver lettering that read “Fernandos”.
She turned to him. “This is so nice but it must cost a fortune. I’m embarrassingly simply compared to most women.”
“It’s not about money,” he insisted. “I wanted to show you one of my favorite places Bianca.”
Alex strode up to the door and knocked. A small girl dressed in a colorful skirt peppered with oranges and blues pulled the door open and smiled. Her blonde hair fell around her face in a professional but alluring way.
If the inside of the restaurant is as pretty as this girl, then this was worth the four-hour car ride, Bianca thought.
The girl greeted them and allowed them inside. They were seated at a small table so that their knees and elbows would touch as they moved around.
The corners of Alexander’s mouth began to jump a little, as he popped his napkin open to spread it across his lap. “Fernando’s specializes in close romantic encounters, so you won’t find a bunch of other people in here in the middle of your date. It’s very private and very cozy.”
He gazed around the restaurant, apparently pleased with his choice.
The server approached and Bianca nodded to him. “I’ll have the red wine, please.”
As Alex gave orders to the waiter, Bianca let her eyes wander around the restaurant. The walls were covered in beautiful, colorful murals, and the lamps that hung over each table gave of the softest glow. The place was absolutely beautiful, and Alex had been right, they had it nearly all to themselves.
The table linens were silk and he wooden floors shined, as if they had been freshly polished before Bianca and Alexander arrived. She directed a curious glance toward Alex, who was studying the wine menu.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s had them preparing this place since yesterday. She allowed a small smile on her lips, maybe this wasn’t the dreaded brush-off after all. Alexander took his eyes off of the menu and put on a serious mask.
“This is too much, isn’t it?” he asked her, searching her face as if to read her feelings.
“Well it’s definitely way fancier than I am used to, but I love it. I love everything about it,” Bianca nearly gushed.
The waiter slid their wine glasses in between them. She let the velvety red graze her lips as she focused on Alex. His shoulders were pinched together, and he seemed distracted. His eyes darted around, following the small hostess and then scrutinizing the waiter as he brought out an appetizer of chips and salsa.
“Alex, please calm down. I love everything. It is so nice that you did all of this just for me.”
He sighed. “Since I’ll be leaving on Thursday, I wanted to make it a spectacular last few days.”
Bianca swallowed before asking the question she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to. “So, after Thursday, will I ever see you again?” For the sake of keeping her hands busy, she scooted the base of the wine glass around.
Alex shifted in his seat and spoke slowly, as if the right words were just occurring to him. “Well, what would it mean to you if you did see me again? On a more permanent basis?”
Bianca wore a blank expression and replied, “Quite a bit. I’ve really enjoyed the time we’ve spent together.”.
Alexander smiled. “Good to know.”
The waiter came by and took their orders, and then the hostess stopped in to check up on them.
“Is everything to your satisfaction?”
“Yes, everything is wonderful. Thank you for everything, Dulce.”
She skittered off, and Bianca asked, “So what exactly is this ‘permanent basis’ you mentioned? Is it you flying in from New York every so often? Do you really believe in long distance?”
Hot plates were placed in front of them and Alexander began to cut into his steak. “Why don’t we enjoy our food while it’s hot and then we’ll talk?”
After a magnificent dinner, Alex had the car come back to drive Bianca home. They spent the first half of the drive in silence and Bianca wasn’t sure what to say.
“So, are we going to talk about this?” she finally asked.
Alex sighed. “Honestly Bianca, I don’t know. I just know that I want to see you, I want you to be a part of my life. What I don’t know is what that looks like right now.”
Bianca felt a lump forming in her throat but she was determined not to break down in front of him. The rest of the ride passed torturously slowly and when the car pulled up in front of Bianca’s building, she scrambled to get out before Alex could exit the car.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening,” she said, as she all but ran up the steps and away from Alex. When she was out of his line of sight, she finally allowed the tears to fall.
Chapter Four
Bianca sighed as she tightened her grip on her coffee cup, and pushed the door to Alex and Boots open. It had been raining all morning, and she woke up three hours before she needed to leave and couldn’t go back to sleep.
Part of her wanted Alex to show up and tell her that he’d been up all night just like her and he’d figured out what he wanted. Another part of her wanted him to be so busy that he didn’t have time for her and she could just go on about her life and forget him. She was probably headed for heartbreak anyway.
Ashley pulled out a drawer or red sales stickers from behind the counter and smiled at Bianca as she entered.
“So, are all of the pumps on sale?” Ashley asked.
Bianca set her purse down and mumbled, “Yeah, until Saturday.”
Ashley lingered behind the counter, leaving an entire row of pumps unattended. She rubbed a bright blue cloth along the honey-hued counters. “Is everything alright?”
Bianca’s eyes flickered to Ashley and she slammed her fingers on the copy button to print inventory sheets.
“Why do you ask?”
“You look sullen. Did everything with Alexander go alright?”
The door chimed and a woman wandered in and walked straight toward the flats. Bianca flashed her a smile and told Ashley, “Why wouldn’t it have?” She hadn’t wanted her employees knowing she was sleeping with the boss, she certainly didn’t want them to know he had tossed her aside when he was done with her.
“You know, did you get reamed out? Since we hired Dalia, things have been running smoothly and I think we should be fully staffed now..”
“Probably.” Bianca said, more curtly than she had intended. She stapled the inventory sheets.
Ashley ran the cloth along the spotless counter again and when Bianca continued to staple, she said, “Did you guys break up?”
Bianca’s face became a glowing red. “Excuse me?”
Ashley cleared her throat and pulled her sweater tighter. “Well, it’s kind of apparent that your relationship isn’t just a business one.”
Bianca chewed on her lower lip and asked. “What gives you that impression?”
“I’ve seen him rubbing your shoulders while you were on the computer and it didn’t exactly look like sexual harassment to me,” Ashley said.
I’m the worst boss ever, Bianca thought, as she stapled another stack of inventory sheets. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“Yes, we have been seeing each other, but I don’t think it’s anything serious. At least not on his part.”
Ashley looked at her pityingly. “I’m sorry Bianca, that can’t be easy.”
“No, it isn’t,” she admitted. “But it’s my own fault, I let it happen.”
Ashley nodded, still sympathetic. “Well for what it’s worth, I think you’re an amazing boss and friend. If he doesn’t want to be with you, then he’s the one at fault.”
Bianca smiled and was about to reply when the bells chimed again and Alexander strode in, dressed in a plain black polo and dark jeans. He wore his own brand’s running shoes.
It took everything inside her not to run into the office and lock the door.
Alex smiled sweetly at her once their eyes connected and he asked, “Bianca, could you come around the counter, please?”
She shuffled around the front counter. Ashley’s eyes flickered from Bianca to Alex and back and forth, so much that they threatened to fall out of her head.
Alex smiled again and kneeled in front of her.
“What are you doing?” Bianca shrieked.
All of the browsing customers craned their heads over their shoulders to see what was happening.
Bianca began to feel a little light-headed.
“I have a proposal.”
Bianca nearly stuttered. “We just met, we’re in the middle of the store. This isn’t right.”
“I’m the boss, remember?” he said, punctuating it with a wink.
“Bianca Torres, will you move to New York with me to run my most successful store, and give this relationship a real chance?”
Ashley abandoned any attempt to look like she was working hard and shamelessly ogled the scene. Customers that were under the wrong impression, began to applaud.
Bianca’s knees quivered and she looked between the sea of customers and Alex’s question swam around in her brain.
Alex rose to his feet and squeezed both of her hands. “Maybe I shouldn’t have put you on the spot. See, this is why I want you to come with me, so I can properly get to know you. If I had known you a bit better, I would have known not to do this in front of a full store.”
Bianca managed to nod. “Can we talk about it later?”
“Of course, I’ll come over to your place.”
Bianca excused herself to her office and sat down heavily, her heart still hammering in her chest.
After a work day of avoiding Ashley’s questions and stares, Bianca and Alex were making the climb up to her apartment.
Once Bianca got the door open and Alexander closed it behind him, she took off her shoes and sat on the couch. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I thought you’d love it! I’ve always been told that women love that sort of thing.”
Bianca cast a foul glare in his direction. “Not all of us. How is anyone supposed to take me seriously? Ashley will never see me as her boss now.”
“That’s right because you’ll be in New York.”
“I cannot just uproot my whole life for a man.”
Alex sat on the other end on the couch and his voice was colored with frustration. “Are you serious? Is that what this is about? Is this about being a modern woman? What about us, why are you letting a principle like that get in the way of us being together?”
Bianca scoffed. “ You know what? Maybe you should move here, give up all of your ambitions and live in Puerto Rico.”
“Bianca, what are your ambitions?”
“To move up in and continue to work for Alex and Boots. Doing it your way is not fair to other employees, whether it’s your company or not.”
He scooted closer to her and risked putting an arm around her shoulders. “All of the qualities I seek in a woman, I also happen to seek in high level general managers. It’s okay to have fears about this.”
She stroked his cheek. “I’m afraid to move forward.”
“Everyone is right before they’re about to do something very big. I want you by my side, I want your constant counsel. You fill out a sun dress pretty well, too.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and pressed a kiss to his lips.
“Do you have these shoes?” A woman dangled the Alex & Boots catalog in front of Bianca and Bianca grinned and replied, “Yes, I have them in three colors.”
The woman smiled back and Bianca directed her toward the shoes. Once she left the woman to try on every color, she strolled back to the front counter. The counters stretched from one end of the lavish store to the other. She could have squeezed at least two of her old store into this building.
The most successful store owned by Alex & Boots was in Manhattan. In six months, Bianca’s life had undergone a drastic change. Her tiny apartment in Puerto Rico was packed up and shipped to Alex’s New York apartment only days after she agreed to move for him. There were no more broken doors and persistent drafts, instead there was designer clothes and vaulted ceilings.
Ashley had been unsurprised when Alexander and Bianca traveled to New York, she wished them both the best.
The clock struck noon and Bianca’s afternoon salesperson, Penelope, hustled in.
“Good afternoon, I will be heading out early today.”
“Alright then, enjoy your day Miss Torres!” Penelope said enthusiastically.
Bianca smirked as she shrugged her ash pea coat on and headed into the busy mess of New York streets.
She nodded at the hot dog vendor on the corner and pounded the pavement toward the subway. The overwhelming business and constant flow of New York had been one of Bianca’s biggest adjustments since arriving. It had taken weeks for her to read the subway map without all of the lines blurring together and confusing her. Alex usually traveled by car service, but Bianca preferred some normalcy. It was enough that she lived in a style of loft that she’d only previously seen on TV, and that her entire wardrobe had been swapped out in favor of big label names.
She smiled as she squeezed next to people on the subway. Bodies bumped next to hers and she enjoyed the rhythm of the train. It was one of her less expensive comforts.
Bianca made it off of the subway a few blocks later and walked two more blocks until she made it to her neighborhood. Alex’s building was one of immense size and presence. It’s stoic architecture and large, revolving glass doors still made Bianca feel like a little kid in comparison.
“Good afternoon, Miss Torres.”
She nodded hello at the doorman, Ralph, and made her way into the lobby. The elevator chimed and when it opened Alexander stood in the box, in a fine Italian suit.
She smirked, and swaggered into the elevator. She pressed the up button and turned a lustful stare in Alex’s direction. He chuckled, already nipping at her neck.
“Welcome home, Miss Torres.”
THE END