And there seemed no stopping it.
Wave after wave, it struck her body, and it just didn’t help that the billionaire continued to torture the sensitive nub of flesh, now made painfully hard by his attention. When it was over, he caught her as she fell with a lazy chuckle.
“It appears I’ve made you literally swoon.”
“Shut up.” But her protest was frail, and she could only cling to him as he laid her on the bed.
His mouth pressed against hers ever so softly, and her eyes drifted closed.
“Ilse,” he whispered against her lips. “Invite me back to your place tonight.”
She stilled, hoping that she had and hadn’t heard him right.
And as if he felt her fears, he asked simply, “Don’t you think it’s time?”
Her eyes slowly opened. “Jaak...” Her voice was tremulous. “Do you understand what you’re asking?”
“Yes.” His blue eyes remained on hers. “And you can trust me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Atall, auburn woman in her late forties stepped out of the front door, smiling. She was dressed in a baby pink suit, a choker of pearls around her neck, a diamond ring gleaming on her finger. “And so we finally meet, young man.”
Ilse rolled her eyes. “Stop acting like you’re my mom meeting my prom date.” Turning to Jaak, she gestured to her friend, saying, “This is Erik.”
Erik tittered. “I’d rather you call me Erika, Mr. de Konigh.”
“Erika it shall be then,” the billionaire murmured gallantly as he brought Erik’s hand to his lips. “And please, call me Jaak.”
“You are such a lovely man, Jaak.” She looked at Ilse meaningfully, the meaning unmistakable.
“And I’m not?” Ilse protested.
“I didn’t say that,” Erik said innocently. “Anyway, I shall be going now. I live just across the street, and it would be my absolute pleasure if I could have you together with Ilse and Jan over for dinner one day.”
“You only have to say when,mevrouw.”
As Erik crossed the street and headed up her porch, the billionaire turned to Ilse, his gaze boring through hers. “So that’s Erik.”
From time to time, Ilse had shared with him stories about her dear Erik, who hadalwaysbeen there for her. And of course he had hated the son of a bitch even when he had forced himself to smile and did his best not to let her know how thosesweetstories chafed at him.
A fucking man as her brother’s regular babysitter, and one who even slept over from time to time?
Ilse was doing her best not to smile. “He’s everything I said he is.”
“Except,” he mocked, “for the very important fact that he’s also a transsexual.”
“Gender labeling is a manner of discrimination,mijnheer,” she said primly. But when he suddenly stepped forward, she couldn’t help rearing back, just a little bit frightened. But it was a good, sexy kind of frightened – and they both knew it.
As he came to hold her hand, his grip familiar, strong, and exciting all in one, she admitted, “I didn’t think it was fair that I was the only one tortured by your past.”
“So you tortured me about Erik.”
She gave him a small, mortified nod. “I’m sorry.”
His grip tightened. “You wanted me to be jealous because you love me.”
Her eyes widened.
