Page 8 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
She stepped back, breaking the contact, her insides still in turmoil. “But no one has succeeded.”
“That’s interesting. You’ve never, hmmm, sold your goods?” he asked, looking down at her as if they were completely alone in a dimly lit room, and not standing in front of a barn in broad daylight.
She sucked in a breath and spoke through her teeth. She couldn’t count on her fingers how many men had offered money to fuck her—even when she’d been a scared teenager, running from home. “No.”
He angled closer, and a dark shadow took over his expression. “Why not? I mean if you’re so nonchalant about it.” He said it evenly, but she detected a slight criticism in his tone.
“I don’t see why this matters,” she said, her voice shakier than she intended. Hell, she’d paid her own price for not sleeping with men for money. She’d been hungry and homeless for weeks until an old lady took her in for a couple of months and let her stay in her house in exchange for some company and cleaning.
“We’re partners now. I need to know some of your core values.”
She squared her shoulders. Core values? Did he want her to join a conservative community or make them both money by choosing the right auctionee? Annoyance pinched her, and she flashed him a dismissive glance she hoped put him in his place. “We’re temporary business partners.”
He nudged her elbow, and she quickly withdrew. Didn’t the man have any notion about personal space? Her flesh seared where his fingers had brushed, and she cleared her dry throat. “Which is why you should trust me.”
“Which is why the reason I don’t sleep with men for money doesn’t matter,” she said.
“Now, don’t be so defensive like a frog cornered by a rattle snake. If you asked me the same question, I wouldn’t be offended.”
She suppressed a chuckle, the idea of this mega rich man charging for sex utterly ridiculous. “Fine. What’s your price, Mr. Taylor?”
“At least five hundred thousand,” he said without hesitation.
“For a month?”
He winked. “For a night.”
She laughed, ignoring the shiver zapping down her spine. If she wasn’t planning on saving for an early retirement from the virgin auctions, she’d spend that money on a man like him. “Your ego is as big as your ranch.”
“That’s not the only big thing at stake.”
A wave of heat flooded her cheeks. She could tell, when they’d kissed, and she’d felt his massive hard-on against her. “I’m glad you know how to brand yourself. Big ego, big cock. A rare breed these days,” she said, sarcasm lacing her voice. “True original.”
He touched his heart, making a sad face, like her words had wounded him beyond repair. “That’s why we need to talk more about personal things, Madam. Because you’re so good at putting me in my place.”
She swallowed. As long as I remember your place is far away from me.
