Page 20 of A Billionaire for Christmas

REVENGE, A DISH BEST SERVED BOLD

Molly slammed her bedroom door and sagged against it, inhaling deeply.

If that man thought a simple, half-hearted apology would cut it then he was sorely mistaken.

She would prepare his meals and leave them out for him as she was being paid to do but anything else, any further interaction, was out of the question.

She was not a woman to be toyed with. He had been very rude, leaving her spreadeagled begging for sex.

Not once but twice! And to basically accuse her of having an ulterior motive for seducing him.

She quickly dismissed the notion that she had, in fact, originally tried to seduce him to tick off her list. They’d moved past that with his incessant rejections.

This was about dignity and pride. He might be rich, with an excellent portfolio of land and property and an expert command of how business worked, but he clearly had no idea how women worked.

As though catching her thoughts, he put his laptop aside and strolled over. ‘I can’t concentrate with you constantly ogling me,’ he said wryly.

‘I’m not ogling,’ Molly retorted. He really was an insufferable big head.

She stiffened as he stood next to her. All the hairs on her arms prickled. The electricity between them was palpable.

‘Is that so?’ Levi scratched his chin playfully.

‘You seem to be having an about-turn on our agreement to stay away from each other. Well, it won’t work.’

‘You’re still annoyed with me because I wouldn’t have sex with you?’

‘No. And… yes. But it was more the way you rejected me.’ Molly would have to be the grown-up here.

‘I’m disappointed with the lack of empathy and the accusations surrounding my intent, which by the way was completely innocent.

And furthermore, you have no reason to be concerned because those feelings are very much non-existent now.

There will be no repeat of the… unwanted advances. You are quite safe.’

Why did she sound as though she was standing trial in a small claims court? Any second now she’d be calling him M’Lud.

‘That’s good to know. I’m sorry for any offence taken.’

Molly felt slighted at his lack of contrition. ‘I’m sure you are,’ she said tightly.

‘Okay. Point taken. I guess I need to go big with the apology.’

‘No need. I’m quite indifferent to you now.’ Molly continued chopping her vegetables.

‘So it would seem. I have to say, you have a remarkable ability to turn yourself on and off like a tap.’

She went to the sink to retrieve her tomatoes to put a little distance between them. ‘I will be keeping myself to myself.’

‘Glad to hear it.’

He didn’t have to sound so pleased about it .

‘Especially as it’s our last night alone together.’

His words danced around in the air as she returned to the bench. He was leaning casually against it, causing her stomach to flutter.

Was his voice loaded with sexual ambiguity? Molly couldn’t tell as she gazed into his eyes. They twinkled with mischief.

‘Meaning?’ She really shouldn’t be encouraging him.

‘I feel partly to blame for this… this falling out. Let me make it up to you tonight. I don’t want to spend the entire week with you mad at me.’ He gave her a sheepish grin. ‘Have dinner with me.’

She raised an eyebrow. ‘Don’t you mean “cook dinner for me and stop sulking while you’re at it”?’

A small puff of laughter escaped Levi’s lips. ‘Yes. Please. And I promise I’ll be the most charming and attentive companion. I’ll even help you cook it.’ He blinked slowly, waiting for her to answer. He was like a magnet drawing her in. ‘It could be fun.’

‘If this is a pathetic attempt to flirt with me then you had your chance. Two chances, in fact,’ Molly said, tilting her chin defiantly.

‘Just because the Wi-Fi keeps dropping out, and you’re trapped in the house because of the weather, and your family aren’t arriving until tomorrow, doesn’t mean I’ll be your plaything, your entertainment for the evening. ’

She was so up for being his plaything that it was unnerving, and felt like a slight against all women everywhere. She really must put up a modicum of resistance. She stepped away from him.

‘What if I’m not playing?’ he said in a more serious tone.

Lies. All lies.

‘I find your attempts at sincerity incredibly off-putting and counterproductive.’

Levi took a step towards her, looking her up and down. Luckily, she had gone all out to cover up. ‘Funny, because I find those gigantic sweatpants you’re wearing enormously off-putting and counterproductive. Ditto the scarf and three cardigans. Are you sure you’re warm enough?’

And just like that, Molly was thrown back to the night he came to her rescue at the Cigar Lounge, him taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her.

Their heated kiss in the lift. His hands wandering over her stockings, tugging at the bodice, the top of her breasts spilling out of the tight-fitting corset.

Levi seemed trapped in the same moment, his pupils dilating. ‘That was some outfit you were wearing the first time I saw you.’

Oh.

He was a very difficult man to stay angry with.

That chemistry, that spark between them, that energy that seemed to ignite whenever they were within an inch of one another, exploded into the air.

Molly threw a mushroom at him. ‘Why are you flirting with me when you have no intention of seeing it through? You blow hot and cold with the wind.’

Truthfully, they were as bad as each other.

Levi placed his hand on his heart, smiling. ‘Can’t a man get to know a woman without her always thinking it has to end in sex? If only there had been a global movement to shift the balance between the sexes.’

Away from his laptop, she had to admit, he was very amusing. ‘Okay. I’ll have dinner with you. Happy?’

‘And I promise not to flirt with you. I’d hate for you to be in a permanent state of arousal. Anything could happen.’ Levi leaned across the counter towards her. Traces of vanilla and spiced bergamot filled her nostrils.

Suddenly an idea came to her. She pulled away. He needed to be taken down a peg or two. She needed to let him know who the boss was. ‘Meet me back here in half an hour.’

* * *

A short but hectic while later, she had wrestled herself back into the burlesque costume and was sauntering seductively, just like she’d seen the women in the Cigar Lounge do it, into the kitchen area. Levi’s eyes were out on stalks.

His eyes swept over her long legs sheathed in stockings.

She fingered the little red bows teasingly at the top of each stocking before drawing his eyes to the frilly skirt, no longer than crotch-level.

She saw his excited gaze follow her hands as she put them to her waist. It looked tiny, pulled in tight, the red corset doing a sterling job of creating delicious womanly curves that accentuated her breasts to perfection.

Two generous mounds of sumptuous bosom peeking over the top of the corset, half hidden by the thick mane of hair tumbling down her bare shoulders.

Levi stared at her cleavage, his mouth falling slightly open.

She’d just had time to give her lips a slick of red gloss.

She batted her eyes slowly at him. She was in the mood to teach him a lesson.

She’d have him begging for her by the end of the night and she would reject him, like he’d done to her.

‘What would you like me to do first?’

I’d like you to whip your top off and flex those spectacular muscles at me.

‘Right, right.’ She tried to think of something sensible to say. ‘You can stand over there, far away from me, and erm, chop this up.’

Levi looked down at the vegetable she was holding out.

It was very suggestive as far as carrots go.

He took the carrot from her hand, his fingers grazing hers.

The whole exchange was loaded with sexual euphemism.

Molly found that she was rooted to the spot, watching as though in a trance as he trailed the carrot slowly across the palm of his hand before pointing it at her.

‘Nice carrot,’ he said. She held her breath, unsure of what was coming next. He was wild and unpredictable and thrilling, and he had her nerves on end. He took a step around the counter towards her. ‘What do you want me to do with it?’

She could barely look him in the eye. ‘What would you like to do with it?’ She was all for empowering people in the workplace .

His eyes flashed, a dangerous twinkle lighting up his whole face.

She barely managed to squeak, ‘Because I was thinking, shave it into neat ribbons.’

‘Okay, you’re the boss. I’ll shave it into neat ribbons. Anything else I can do for you?’ He was making it sound filthy.

‘In what way is this not flirting?’ Molly said huskily, stepping towards him. She looked slowly up at him.

‘In what way is wearing this outfit not flirting?’

Touché.

Perhaps it was time to be more assertive. ‘Take off your top,’ she ordered.

Oh God. Was she really going to do this?

‘Things are about to get messy.’ She cleared her throat nervously. ‘We’re making a panna cotta slippery nipple for dessert.’

Levi rolled his eyes playfully and did as he was told. ‘Sounds delicious.’

As he lifted the hem of his T-shirt and slid it over his head, she took a deep breath in, sure that she was almost completely in charge of this game she was playing. She would show him all right.

He stood in front of her, the soft fabric of his jogging pants clinging to every muscle. She saw the excitement she was causing and felt instantly empowered. She would soon have him grovelling for mercy.

‘Hold this,’ she instructed, taking a clip from her hair to release the theatrical feather fascinator.

He took the clip while she trailed the feather teasingly down his torso, slowly down to his crotch.

His erection sprang to attention. She was going to enjoy torturing him.

He would have no idea that it would all come to nothing.

She would be cruel in her revenge. And serve it cold.

Just like he had been cruel towards her.

Instinctively he reached out to touch her.

She slapped him away with a long, black, satin-gloved hand.

He stood back, realisation dawning as to the punishment ahead.

Levi regarded her for a moment. ‘Before you go any further,’ he said firmly, ‘I’m not into playing games.

So whatever revenge fantasy you’ve cooked up in your head, it won’t work. ’

For fuck’s sake.

Molly’s eyes widened. He had hit the nail on the head. She was only seconds into the powerplay, and he’d trumped her already.

‘You really have zero skills when it comes to lying. You’d make a terrible poker player.’

She put her hands on her hips.

‘I’m right, aren’t I?’ He was straining to keep from chuckling. ‘You wanted me to suffer. To tease me and then walk away, leaving me begging and humiliated.’

‘You are so incredibly annoying!’ she yelled, twisting away, flustered.

The game was up.

Molly grabbed her apron and swiftly tied the strings around her waist. ‘Chop these onions. I hope they sting your eyes.’ She heard him sniggering. This was going to be a long night. ‘And then you can shell this mountain of prawns. And then I’ll think of something else hideous you can do.’

He looked incredibly sexy standing there bare chested. She tilted her head. ‘What? Why are you looking at me like that?’

Levi put his knife down and stepped towards her.

‘You wear your feelings on your face. Trust me. You don’t want someone like me.

’ His hand trailed lightly down her arm, causing her to shiver with anticipation.

Mesmerised by his words, the way they lazily tumbled from his lips.

Those inviting, warm lips that he used with extraordinary skill.

She blinked slowly.

He was doing it again, drawing her in.

Molly leaned in towards him, her lips hovering over his mouth.

‘But what if I do?’ Where was her pride when she needed it?

She pressed her lips lightly to his, teasing him before Levi surrendered.

A low groan escaped from his throat as he tangled his hands in her hair, kissing her neck, instinctively going for the spot that rendered her a helpless mush.

He dragged her lips back towards his, hungry for her.

They kissed in a frenzy of excitement until she could bear it no longer.

Levi hauled her up in one fluid movement to sit on the bench.

His mouth moved down her throat to her cleavage, causing her to moan aloud.

‘Christ,’ he mumbled, tugging her corset down. Her breasts sprang free. He took her nipple between his lips, gently roaming his tongue over it, then the other.

Revenge was indeed sweet. Molly would happily stay lost in this moment forever .

It was then that they heard the front door slam.