GREED, page 26
The rest of the morning seemed to drag on and fly by all at the same time. All she could think about was dinner with Riker and what to wear. Even the usually relaxing walk with Toby hadn’t done any good at being a distraction. Oddly once Penny realized this was happening and there was nothing she could say to talk her out of it, she was a lot of help with the outfit and hair.
Standing back from the mirror, Minetta smiled as she fastened her earring in place and took in the pretty updo that Penny had styled for her. Her new smoky makeup made her eyes stand out with the matching silver dress that Penny seemed to pull out of thin air.
Stepping into the bedroom, she smiled at Toby. He was in his favorite spot on the bed, eyes closed.
“You be a good boy for Penny,” she said to him and gave the top of his head a rub and a kiss. A soft moan was all the response she got. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll miss you too.”
The doorbell rang, and her heart leaped into her throat as butterflies erupted in her stomach. She shouldn’t be this excited to see Riker. Was she really ready to be the person to draw out his humanity, so to speak? And she really hated the idea of hiding what she knew from him. She understood Michael’s rationalization that if Riker knew, then he would assume that any feelings he had would be fake, but it seemed conniving and wrong to keep something this big from him.
She made her way down the stairs just as Penny opened the door. “Penelope Mendroin, what an unusual surprise. What are you doing answering Minetta’s door?”
“Penelope,” I asked, giving Penny a look. Something else I didn’t know about her, apparently.
Penny blushed, her cheeks reddening. “Penny, just call me Penny. I hate Penelope.” Penny crossed her arms over her chest and stepped away from the door to let Riker in.
“That doesn’t answer the question as to why you are here, Penny?” Riker emphasized her name like he was analyzing her response.
“Penny and I work together.” Minetta said, bailing Penny out. “Penny mentioned you two had met, but I didn’t realize you knew each other that well.”
“Penny and I go way back, don’t we, Penny?” Riker’s intense amber eyes swung to Penny, and she backed away from his stare.
“Is there something I should know?” She looked between the two of them. She hadn’t considered the two of them being an item at any time, but considering his reputation, it was highly plausible, and her stomach flipped.
Riker looked at her and a small smile formed. “Do you think I sleep with every woman I meet?”
“Honestly, I did wonder. Though I think I should know if my friend and my…date used to sleep with one another, it would ruin the first course if it came up, kind of thing,” she said.
Riker stepped closer, and as he did, she had the urge to step back. His aura seemed to charge the air was with a potent electricity simply by being in the same room. Just as when she’d first met him, her body was alive with what felt like small electrical currents running under her skin, and she took a deep breath as he stopped a few inches away and stared down at her. She watched his hand like a worried animal as he lifted it to run his thumb across her cheek—something he seemed to enjoy doing. She bit her bottom lip to keep from fidgeting.
“No, Penny and I did not sleep together, my little bird.”
“Why do you keep calling me that,” she whispered.
“One day, I will tell you.” His lips briefly touched hers, and she was tempted to tell him to screw dinner and drag him upstairs. He had a very carnal effect on her body, and destiny or not, she couldn’t deny being drawn to him as a man. “You look ravishing,” he said. “That should’ve been the first thing I said.” He gave her cheek a soft kiss and then her neck, making her knees wobble.
Penny made a throat-clearing noise. She’d forgotten all about Penny standing in the same room. “Thank you for the compliment. You look very handsome, but don’t we have a reservation to keep?”
Riker sighed but smiled as he took a step back. “Indeed we do. Come my little bird, our night awaits.”
She waved at Penny as Riker escorted her out the door, making sure to call out Toby’s food and schedule one more time. Penny gave her a thumbs up before closing the door. A distressed feeling settled in her stomach as she caught sight of the car. This was really happening. She was going on a date with this man, this archangel, this god-like demon, all alone. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat as Riker opened the door to a car that looked like a spaceship.
She slipped into the sleek silver vehicle and sat on the seat like it might bite her. She was terrified to touch anything because it was so clean. There was not a speck of dust on the dash nor a fleck of dirt on the floor. She was tempted to take off her shoes and hold her feet off the floor.
“Are you okay?” Riker asked. “You look like you’re in pain. Are you still sore?”
“I’m all good.” She was still a little sore, but that wasn’t the issue. Minetta slowly slid back in the seat and put her seatbelt on as Riker pulled away from the curb. She quickly grabbed the door and the center console as he flew down the street, screeching to a halt at the stop sign. He whipped out in front of many lanes of traffic and then proceeded to exceed the speed limit by enough to make the world look like a blur.
She jumped as Riker grabbed her hand. “Relax.”
“Little hard when you are driving like… oh dear god!” She closed her eyes as he veered into oncoming traffic to maneuver around a group of slower-moving vehicles. A horn blared as they swung back into their own lane. “This!” She finished and closed her eyes. Riker laughed and squeezed her hand tighter.
“You’re adorable, little bird.”
“Thanks, but if it’s all the same to you, I’m going to keep my eyes closed,” she said, getting a deep, chuckled response from Riker. He turned on the music, and she focused on the smooth jazz sound rather than the violent jerks of the car, which made her feel ill.
“We’re here.”
Minetta opened her eyes as they pulled through the gates of an airplane hanger. “Umm, why are we here?”
“This is my airplane.” He pulled off to the side of the plane and parked. “So I need to be honest. I was already planning this trip to try and convince you to go on a date with me.”
She looked between him and the plane. “Okay, and where are you planning on taking us?”
He smiled wide. “We’re going to fly to Venice. I know the most amazing restaurant that serves spaghetti in Nero Seppia, Frittelle, and of course, it serves my wine. Did I mention I own a winery? It doesn’t matter. We will land, take in the sites of the city, have dinner, and then I’ve arranged for a gondola ride before we head to my villa. Tomorrow I have a full day planned before we fly back.”
“You thought that the flowers weren’t enough, so you were going to fly us to Venice?”
“Yeah, it’s really lovely, you’ll see.”
Riker smiled and went to get out of the car, but she grabbed his arm. “I can’t fly to Venice. I have a dog to take care of, and my boss called. I’m to go back to work next week, and I have no clothes, that’s really far to go, and….”
Riker stopped the runaway train in her brain as he leaned over and his lips touched hers. Cupping her face, he deepened the kiss. She moaned in his mouth. He tasted like rich nectar, sweet and thick on her tongue.
He broke the kiss and laid his forehead on hers—Minetta’s breathing was as quick as her heart pounding in her chest. “Everything you’re worried about can be dealt with. Now tell me, why are you really nervous?”
Turning her head, she looked at the large black jet with his company’s logo on the side. “I’ve never flown before, and to be honest, it just seems rushed that our first real, get-to-know-you-date is like some big romantic getaway.”
“I’ve never had a girl think anything I offered to do, be too much.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “I guess I’m not like the other girls you’ve decided to impress by bringing them to your jet,” she said and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn’t really jealous of the girls that had come before her, of which she knew there were countless, but the way he looked her over was upsetting. It made her feel like there was something wrong with her.
“Yes, indeed,” Riker finally said. He sat back in his seat, and her heart sank that this was the end of their date. In one fell swoop, she’d ruined it. “Well, how about this? We will not share the same bedroom, and we can make arrangements for your work and dog while in the air. As for the clothes, that is the easiest fix. We can stroll the shops, and you can pick out a few new outfits. I’d planned that part anyhow.” She kept staring between the plane and the man, the two things both so foreign to her.
“This still seems pretty over the top, Riker, like a first date is usually a dinner and a walk along the beach or ice cream in the park.”
“We can do both of those things in Venice. Minny, I don’t want this to sound like I’m an egotistical ass, but this trip is no more elaborate than a dinner here in New York for me. I have the luxury to do this.” She lifted an eyebrow at him, not even sure how in the heck to respond. “You must have wanted to see more of the world at some point in your life?”
“When my dad was alive, we made this pact to see a new place every year. We were going to start with a city or part of the world that started with A and then move on to B and so on. He got sick much faster than the doctors thought, and we never made it past Boston, but we got to take in a baseball game at Fenway Park.” She looked away from Riker, wiping away the tear sliding down her cheek.
He grabbed her hand, and his felt so warm and secure, it settled her instantly. Riker laid his lips on her knuckles, those amber eyes burning into her own. “Would your dad approve of you seeing Venice?”
She couldn’t deny that he would, just maybe not with this particular man. But, from the time she was old enough to walk, he would point at places on the map in his old study and tell her a fact or story about each place.
He’d say, “One day, Minny, my girl, I hope you get to see the world and fall in love with every one of those places.”
Locking eyes with the most intimidating person she’d ever met, she took a leap of faith. “Alright, let’s do this.”
I was trying hard not to eavesdrop on my little bird’s conversation. Those amazing blue eyes flicked up to me, a pink hew spreading across her cheeks. As she turned her head away, I quickly adjusted myself. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I’d been having trouble controlling the urge to ravage her, feel her body under her sexy little dress, and hell, I even wanted to kiss each of her dainty toes. I stared at the strappy heel she was wearing and pictured how good she’d look bent over one of the jet’s seats in nothing but those.
“Yes, Penny, I know,” she said. I could hear Penny say to be careful.
Like Penny could talk, she wasn’t exactly known for being a straight arrow. There were good reasons for her being kicked out of Heaven, and in the many years since she’d been on Earth, she’d partied almost as hard as me.
“So you are okay to look after Toby for a couple of days? I don’t want to put you in an imposition.” Minny bit her lip, and I gripped the tablet in my hands, hard to keep from lunging across the short space. She had no idea what she was doing to me, and that was part of her allure. She genuinely wasn’t after my money or what I could do for her sexually. It was strange, and I wasn’t sure how to handle her behavior.
“Thank you, Penny. I owe you big time. I’ll be sure to text and send pictures, yes, I promise, but I really have to go, the plane is starting to move. Okay, bye.”
Minny smiled as she hung up from the call, and I watched as she dutifully switched her phone to airplane mode and then slid over to the window in the large seat that she was dwarfed by to watch us take off. I’d long ago lost the ability to be impressed by such mundane things—maybe I’d never been impressed because I could fly myself after all. Humans were generally archaic, yet I was fascinated by her excitement and interest in every little thing. She had an appreciation for life that was addicting.
She’d giggled when I showed her the mini bar that was stuffed full, and I thought she was going to faint when I held up the bottle of champagne and told her to order off the extensive menu for lunch. She’d decided to try a few of the appetizers and then blushed as she asked if I’d like to share with her. How could anyone resist that face?
“Riker? Would you hold my hand for the take-off?” Minny asked. Her hand was clutching the armrest in a death grip. Sitting the tablet aside that I’d been working on, I switched sides and sat down beside her. How many women had asked to hold my hand, and I told all of them to fuck off?
Yet, here I was, purposely holding out my hand for this unassuming human girl to hold. As her fingers laced with my open palm, I could feel sweat forming on the back of my neck. My pulse picked up as I stared at her profile—her lovely neck was begging to be kissed as her sweet peach perfume stirred something inside of me that I didn’t think even existed since my fall. I quickly pushed the disturbing sensation away.
“Oh my.” She sucked in a sharp breath and gripped my hand hard as the jet picked up speed. The nose of the jet tipped up and then pushed off the ground in a rush. Even her fear was endearing. “Oh my god, look at the clouds, and everything is so small.” She smiled and peeked out the window. A child-like glow shone back at me as she pointed out things as the plane accelerated further into the air.
As soon as the plane was at cruising altitude, I stood and walked to the back of the plane to place the lunch orders, but I didn’t return to her side. It was more unnerving than I thought it would be to be alone with the strange human temptress. Maybe Skye was right, and this girl was playing with me. I was most certainly not acting like myself. I sat down and picked up the tablet, not really seeing the latest growth projections.
“You said you have a winery. Have you been to Venice many times?” Minny asked.
“Yes, most of the time, it’s boring now. I end up coming a few times a year for business and pleasure when it fancies me.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back, the smile slipping a little on Minny’s face. She clammed up and simply stared out the window, the hurt naked in her eyes.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t do work when I’m trying to enjoy myself,” I lied. I held up the tablet and then turned it off and sat it aside. “I really am excited to take you to Venice.” She nodded but didn’t say any more. I opened my mouth a few times to say something, but nothing ever came out. This was new and weird, and I was at a loss for the first time ever in my existence.
The chef stepped out of the kitchen and nodded toward me.
“Lunch is ready,” I said. Minny gave me a small smile, but it no longer reached her eyes. I didn’t know how to fix this. Who the hell was I to try and soothe a woman’s feelings?
You once knew how.
My inner voice berated me.
The chef pushed the silver cart down the aisle and spent a few minutes setting up a table before laying out the foods under their little silver domes.
“Everything smells delicious. Thank you for going to so much trouble,” Minny said to my chef.
“It is my pleasure to cook for you, madam,” he said and smiled. He looked shocked that she’d spoken to him, and frankly, so was I. “If you need anything else, just ask. I am happy to make anything you like.”
“No, this is already too much, thank you.” He gave her another smile before heading to the back of the plane. I didn’t think I’d ever thanked the man for his work. I hadn’t seen the need. I paid him to do the job after all.
“May I,” Minny asked, pointing to the domes.
“Yes, of course. Help yourself, and eat whatever you like. I asked for a few more things than what you mentioned.”
Her every movement was delicate and graceful, and I found myself once more captivated watching her unveil the hidden treasures. She piled a small amount of food on her plate, and my eyes watched as the first piece traveled to her mouth. Mine was suddenly watering as she bit a piece off and moaned. The sound traveled down my spine, making me take a deep breath—she licked the sauce off her finger, and I wanted to be those fingers. Unable to stand it, I stood and took off the suit jacket I’d been wearing. I didn’t even care if she saw the raging hard-on I had going on. If she noticed, she didn’t say and instead just continued to drive me wild with the sexy little noises she was making as she tried each new item.
“This is so good. Are you not going to eat,” she asked.
I rolled up the sleeves on the dress shirt as I debated tossing her on the large bench seat and fucking her right there. Or, I could rip her stunning little dress in half and force her to sit on my lap. She was the only thing I wanted to eat. My mouth watered at the prospect of tearing off her underwear to take what I wanted. To have her scream my name—I shuddered as another surge of desire coursed through my body like a fucking stream of intoxicating drugs. This as well was new. I’d experienced pleasure. I had needs that I quenched weekly, but this…this was something I couldn’t comprehend, and my brain felt like it was doing the backstroke in a passion-filled pool of desire.
“Are you okay,” Minny asked, her eyes wide as she took in my flexed arms and closed fists. There was a sliver of fear in her eyes as I forced the carnal instincts down to a bearable level.
“I’m good. I’m just really happy you are enjoying the food.”
“That’s your happy face?”
I laughed hard. Soon she joined in until I gripped my stomach because it hurt and yet felt…good.
“I’m being weird, aren’t I?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say it, but yeah, you kind of are.” She ate another piece of the spiced sticky ribs, and a bit of sauce stuck to the corner of her mouth. I had no more control left. I leaned across the seat and loved that her breathing picked up. Her eyes went wide, a smoldering desire tucked under it all. She sat frozen in place, mimicking a wild little animal.
