Kissing A Stranger Billionaire

JACQUELINE

"Now, this? That is what a real man looks like," Chloe winked, turning her phone and showing it to us. A gasp escaped my lips at the sight of a tall, chocolate-skinned man on her Tinder profile. Wow. She had spent minutes raving about her newest date since we got to the café. I became so sure he wasn't at all good-looking like she kept on describing. But this man was a sight to behold.

"Get it, girl!" Natalie whooped from beside me, snickering as she leaned forward, tapping Chloe's arm with a sense of urgency. "How was the sex?!" She asked, in what I knew she assumed was a whisper.

"Natalie!" I cautioned, my cheeks reddening a little as I instinctively glanced around the café we were sitting in. And sure enough, there were a handful of people already sending disapproving looks our way. Not that my friends would care anyway.

"Ah, come on, Jackie," Natalie rolled her eyes. "Don't start with the prude behavior again. This is a sacred moment for me,

and I very much want to hear every detail of how good this man fucks, alright?"

I chuckled despite myself. With my friends I could never win. I didn't know why I still tried up until now, this was just how they were. I smiled, instinctively looking down at the watch around my wrist once more. I still had a full hour before I had to leave for work, so there was time. Willing myself to stop worrying, I looked back up at my friends, half listening to Chloe's raunchy tale. At intervals, Nat would let out a boisterous laugh, hitting the table lightly in glee. At the sight of the smile on her face, I couldn't help but laugh too. My best friends were the craziest people.

"Ah, he does sound dreamy," Nat nodded in approval. "He's hot, rich, and he's great in bed. Looks like you've struck gold, Chlo. Better keep him close," She winked.

Chloe twirled a strand of her blonde curls in her hand, heaving a little. "Yeah, I guess so. But...I'm wondering if he can do other things too.." She trailed off.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Other things?" Natalie and I exchanged confused looks. "Things like what?"

"You know, be loyal, faithful, just someone who'd be there for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the sex. But I need more."

Natalie responded by letting out a chuckle. "Sweetie, the man can fuck. I think that covers all that. After all, it's not like you want to marry him or something."

Here we go.

As though on cue, they both began to argue about it. Nat was on team 'one night stand' and Chloe was on...well, the same team. I like to call it 'one night stand turned boyfriend'. Our table was attracting stares once again.

"Guys, we're here to catch up and enjoy our iced coffees," I whined, gesturing to my own cup. "Can we get back to that? I don't even know what you're arguing about. But if it's still about Chloe's new man, then I'd say there's more to a relationship than just sex. Now can we get back-"

I was interrupted by laughter from both of them, making me roll my eyes.

"Oh really, Miss Relationship Guru. Tell me something I don't know," Nat said, her lips twitching as she tried not to smile. "But you're right. I mean with ALL your experience, you're surely qualified to give dating advice." Her eyes widened as she did a mock gasp. "Ohhh wait...you don't have any experience."

As they continued to snicker, I stared daggers at them. I should have known they would pick this up. I hadn't dated anyone for so long I didn't even remember the last time I did. I was just so busy with life and work that I hardly ever crossed my mind. And of course Nat and Chlo couldn't resist bringing it up in times like this.

"What makes you think I don't have any experience? Just because I don't date anyone, it doesn't mean I'm not getting any action. I meet lots of men on a daily." I shot back, folding my arms defiantly. Of course, I was lying through my teeth, but they didn't need to know that.

"Did you just say, men?" Natalie giggled. "Babes, the only men in your life are your father and that creepy vet doctor at that clinic."

I scowled, discreetly giving her the finger as I took another sip of my coffee.

Chloe snickered, scooting closer to me and patting my shoulder. "Aw sweetheart, maybe in your dreams. You know I'm usually on your side, but I gotta go with Nat on this once. We all know about your nonexistent love life. It's no secret."

Natalie laughed, nodding her head. "Come on, Jackie. We're always telling you this. Quit drowning yourself in work. You're using it as an excuse. Go out sometimes, take a break, get a drink..."

"Get some dick," Chloe cut in. "When was the last time someone ate your cookie?" Before I had time to recover from the shock of her saying that loudly, she had continued. "You're like a robot, you don't know how to have fun, Jackie. We'd thought you'd loosen up a little with time, but nope. You're still timid, wound up Jackie. You're like a potential cat lady."

As they both laughed good naturedly, I felt my face warm. I was getting tired of the jokes. It's not like I didn't want to have fun and be in a relationship. But I wasn't actively trying either. It annoyed me that they were right. And usually I would have let it slide. But not this time.

I finished the last of my coffee. "I don't know what you're talking about, girls. I can have fun, and I can be spontaneous too. And oh, despite what you think, I could get a man if I wanted too. I do know how to relax," I shrugged, smirking as I leaned back into my chair.

My best friends exchanged amused looks. "You, Jacqueline Williams, spontaneous? Right!"

My jaw ticked. "Fine, I'll prove it," I blurted out without thinking. But I couldn't take it back. It had captured their attention already.

"How?"

My mind went into full thinking mode immediately. Whatever it was, it had to be something that would show them I was serious. Maybe they'd stop teasing me about my love life for once. I tried to appear indifferent as my mind continued to roam.

And then I had it.

Sitting up straighter, I put on my best resting face. "I'll kiss the next person that walks through that door."

JACQUELINE

"You're going to do what?!" Nat and Chlo asked at the same time. They exchanged looks and then turned back to me. I shrugged, forcing a smirk.

No. No, no, no. What have I done? I longed to facepalm but I held myself back. There was no going back now. I couldn't take it back. I wondered if kissing someone out of the blue counted as harassment. The last thing I needed was to get arrested this morning. Despite the anxiety creeping up on me, I faced my friends, folding my arms across my chest.

Natalie observed me closely, and I could see the doubt in her eyes. After a few seconds of holding my gaze, she reached across the table to give Chloe a nudge. "She's bluffing. She couldn't possibly." She faced me. "You're a lot of things, Jackie, but you're definitely not a daredevil. I don't even think Chloe could do that, and then you? No way."

Chloe nodded. "She's right, Jackie. Nat is the only one brave enough to do that. You don't have to prove anything. You know we're just teasing, right?"

"I'm not," Nat chipped in, laughing. After a few seconds she raised her hands in surrender. "Fine. We're just teasing you, Jackie. You know how I am. Don't take it seriously, okay? How about we get refill coffees and talk about something el-"

"No," I said pointedly. There was no way I was standing down now. "I know you're teasing. But we're arguing about me being uptight right? I'm only going to show you that you're wrong. Besides, it's not a big deal. It's just a kiss. A little kiss never hurt anyone," I laughed. As I spoke, my eyes darted toward the door as I prayed the café wouldn't have any other customers until it was time for me to leave.

But I knew the chances of that happening were extremely low. It was nine in the morning. People needed their caffeine. I took a deep breath, trying not to think of all the things that could go wrong kissing a random stranger. Top on my list were possible bad breath and a police intervention. But hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

I turned back to my friends who were still staring at me curiously. After a while they grinned widely. "Well, if you're sure. This is something I'd love to see," Nat teased. Chloe nodded in agreement. I shrugged again, laughing it off as I directed the subject to something else. But no one was paying attention. I could see them cast glances to the door in between words. A smirk was playing on their lips and I could tell they were still wondering if I would actually keep to my word.

I tried my best not to act nervous. I couldn't even remember the last time I had kissed anyone. I really didn't. As I parted my lips to say something, I heard the soft sound of the café doors swinging open. One glance at my friends told me they'd heard it too. All of a sudden I needed a drink. A wide grin creeped onto Natalie's face as I stood to my feet with fake confidence.

It was now or never.

Tucking a strand of my dark red hair behind my ear, I looked toward the door to see who had walked in. I turned just in time to see the tall form of a man take off his sunglasses and look around the café, another bulky man right by his side. If I wasn't so intent on doing this perfectly, I might have tripped on air. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of the man who towered above me. He was...breathtaking.

So breathtaking that I suddenly had the urge to run away and not do this. But I had already started walking toward him and I wouldn't stop now. I saw him place his icy blue gaze on me as I walked up in front of him. I could already feel my knees going weak. He looked like he was about to say something, but before he could react, I stood on my tiptoes, placing both hands around his neck and pulling him downwards by the lapels of his coat.

As soon as we were inches close, I trapped his bottom lip between mine in a slow kiss. I could feel his body stiffen in surprise, but he gave no other reaction. I hadn't anticipated the softness of his lips. It threw me off guard so quickly that I could not control the soft moan that sounded from the back of my throat. The scent of his cologne and the taste of honey on his lips drove me crazy. Without thinking, I deepened the kiss, raking my fingers through his hair.

As soon as I realized it had gone on for too long, I quickly broke the kiss. I was near breathless as I pulled away, noting the confusion on the stranger's face. For a second, I feared he would call the cops or something. And then I noticed something else. The shop had gone silent. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly feeling awkward and inappropriate, I looked toward my table only to see Nat and Chlo staring at me in absolute shock, their jaws dropped. I couldn't tell what their expressions were conveying. Their eyes kept moving from me to the stranger. My cheeks burned in embarrassment and I could feel my hands beginning to shake. I should have known this was a stupid idea. For a moment I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

Feeling stupid, I quickly pushed past the bulky man and hurriedly made my way out of the café. I nearly staggered back in shock when I saw a horde of people outside the cafe, cameras flashing brightly. Not caring what was going on, I pushed past them and quickly hailed a taxi.

I pushed myself down into the car seat of the cab, my palm slapped over my face as I groaned loudly. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I didn't even tell my friends I was leaving. Still boiling with embarrassment, I shot Natalie a quick text, telling her I'd be at work.

But where I really wanted to be right now was six feet in the ground.

ENZO

"Nice doing business with you, Mr Hernandez," the woman sitting across from me said, smiling as she outstretched her hand toward me. When I took it in a handshake, she held on for a while longer, letting her fingertips graze the inside of my palm in a gentle caress.

Laura Slater was a big name in the industry, and one of the few women I had ever done business with. And frankly speaking, her work was impressive. Which was why we had partnered up a week ago. We had no issues in business whatsoever, but apart from being an excellent business guru, Laura did little to hide the fact that she was interested in me. She stayed unnecessary longer in my office after each meeting, her handshakes lingered, and she didn't miss a chance to 'accidentally' rub up against me. It was amusing to watch her try so hard each time.

Laura wasn't bad looking. On the contrary, she was quite exquisite, with curves in all the right places. A blonde haired beauty with mischievous hazel eyes, she was the kind of woman I would have bent over my desk while I fucked her senseless. And it was obvious she craved that too. I could see it in her eyes. But unfortunately for her, that was never going to happen.

My first rule was to never, ever mix business with pleasure. It was the oldest rule in the book. Everyone knows it would always end badly. Business was one of the few things that would always remain strictly professional for me.

And in a case like this where it would be with a business partner, things would get messy. Laura was also an influential public figure. The rumors would start up, and that's when the drama starts to roll in. Being a famous billionaire CEO had its perks, but it also had its cons. And I had tried very much to keep anything related to my personal relationships and love life out of the media. It was bad enough that I could hardly get time to myself without getting swarmed by paparazzi. If I were spotted with a 'potential love interest', I wouldn't hear the last of it.

Besides, women and relationships have never been a necessity for me. What was the point? Relationships were just full of drama that would stress you out. And sex? That had never been a problem for me. If I needed a hot night, I had my sources. Sources that I'd never have to see or communicate with ever again. Easy and straight to the point.

So it was a no for Laura and I. But of course I would still indulge in the satisfaction of seeing her try. Looking down at her hand, I firmly shook it and then let it fall. "Same here. We meet again next week for the rounds at the new site, right?"

I saw disappointment flash briefly in her eyes but she quickly covered it up with a smile. "Yes, of course." She stood to her feet, picking up the file she had come with and walking toward the door. As a bodyguard opened the door for her to step out, she turned back to me. "If you ever change your mind about...building on this site, you know where to find me."

I hid a smirk, knowing fully well what she was talking about. I watched as she strutted out of my office. When she was gone, I shook my head and raked a finger through my hair. I needed to round up everything on my schedule today as soon as possible. It had been a few days since I'd been to the gym, and it was taking a toll on me. Working out was like my very own drug. It was almost an addiction.

After I had scanned through the rest of the files on my desk, I took notes of the locations of lands the company had acquired in the last month. So far, things were looking quite good. Suddenly remembering something, I clicked the button on the bottom of my desk and continued working. A few seconds later, Mara walked in.

"You rang for me, sir?" She asked, bowing her head a little in greeting.

I looked up at my secretary, nodding briefly. "Let me know what's on my schedule for today." Immediately, she took out a tablet.

"Your last scheduled meeting at the office for today was the one you just had with Miss Slater. I have already responded to the necessary emails as well. The only thing you have left is the meeting you wanted to have regarding the new place you wanted to buy downtown."

I frowned. "Be more specific, Mara." I disliked beating about the bush. And whenever people I had to work with behaved that way, my patience began to run thin. I had fired my last three secretaries for the same reason. I would hate to lose Mara as she was incredibly efficient. But I had already warned her twice before.

"I-I'm sorry, sir.." She stammered, her eyes wide as she nodded. "There's a coffee shop called Morty's downtown. You talked about meeting with the owner to discuss buying the land."

Oh. I remembered now. I had been postponing it for a while now. It was situated in the perfect place. With any luck, I would buy it and start the demolition as soon as possible. Our plan was to build a shopping mall in its place. I checked the time on my wristwatch and immediately stood.

"That's all, right?"

"Y-yes," Mara nodded. I quickly waved her away, grabbed my coat from the rack and made my way out of the office. Best to get it all over with and then head to the gym later on. I motioned to my bodyguards as soon as I stepped outside. Usually, I didn't like to string them along everywhere. But they were only doing their job. I didn't have the energy to deal with the paparazzi on my own.

A few minutes later, I was in the back seat of my limo, headed downtown. I sighed in annoyance when I saw that a small group of people with cameras were already waiting for me. I sighed heavily. I was so sick of the paparazzi. I also never understood how they always knew where I'd be.

As I stepped out of the limousine, they began to swarm me with questions. I slipped on my sunglasses to avoid the flashing lights as Alan and Tyrone cleared a path for me. I walked into the coffee shop, carefully observing the surroundings. It wasn't a very huge place, but it was good enough. I slipped off my sunglasses, looking around the place. There were already a handful of customers. What I needed now was to find the manager.

I began to turn toward the counter, but stopped when I saw a young woman approaching. At first I did not notice her, but as she walked to me decisively, I realized she was heading toward me. In a few seconds she was face to face with me. I cocked an eyebrow in confusion, about to ask who she was. Beside me, Alan moved forward, an arm placed out to shield me.

But before either of us could process what was going on, the young lady had wrapped both arms around my neck, pulling me downward and crashing her lips on mine. Shocked, I didn't know how to react. But I couldn't seem to pull myself away either. Her lips tasted delicious...a strange mixture of mint and coffee.

She kissed me like her life depended on it. She moaned softly, sending a chill down my spine. The kiss ended as fast as it began. For a few seconds I did not know how to react. She just stood there, staring at me with the brightest green eyes I had ever seen.

All of a sudden, she staggered backwards, her face turning a bright shade of red. In a split second she had pushed past some people and sped out of the coffee shop at full speed.

I held my composure, brushing the incident aside for now. I did not have the luxury of time to dwell on it. But as I walked up to the counter and demanded to see the manager, all I could think of was the strange lady and the kiss. And right now, I wanted to know what the fuck had just happened.