Bella walked down the street heading toward the late night bus. She walked all the way home when she missed the bus. Checking her clock, she had two minutes to get to the end of the street. She’d worked faster tonight, and getting the bus seemed to be in her favour. The shops were all closed up, and several teenagers were lurking around. Many of the people on the street were smoking and drinking. She ignored them all as she made her way to the bus stop.
Hitching her purse high on her shoulder, she kept walking, determined to get the bus. Getting the bus took over thirty minutes off her travelling time. She couldn’t believe Clark had offered to drive her home. Thinking his offer was some kind of joke she’d ignored it, packed up the cleaning equipment, and headed out. Until today she’d never had to worry about using the security code she’d been given. Clark leaving before her finally gave her the opportunity to use the code to secure the building. The company had given her the code because she’d been given plenty of recommendations from other companies. She’d worked for several firms before settling for the firm she was now working for.
She saw the brake lights on the bus up ahead. Picking up her pace she tried to catch the bus.
A car pulled alongside her.
“I offered you a lift,” Clark said. The window to the expensive car rolled down. Clark stared at her, waiting. She stopped when she saw it was really him.
He’d driven in her direction?
“I’m going to catch the bus. Thank you for your offer,” she said.
The car followed her. Stopping, she turned to him. “Get in the car, Bella.”
“I don’t know you.”
“You’ve been working in my building for the last six months. You know I’m not a murderer or a rapist. Get in the car, and I’ll drive you home.”
Nibbling her lip, she looked at the bus.
“I really appreciate the offer. Yes, I work in your building, but I don't know you. I’m going to catch the bus.”
She started walking and stopped when she noticed the bus pulling away.
Tears filled her eyes at missing her ride.
“Don’t cry. Get in the car. I’ll take care of you.”
Why? No one else takes care of me. Why would you want to?
Her pity party was back.
Turning back to him, she saw his blue eyes up close for the first time ever. She’d watched him at a safe distance, working around him. His eyes were a clear blue like the ocean. They were startling to look at. They were surrounded by
long lashes that women would kill for.
“Get in the car.” He repeated his words to her.
“I don’t think I should. I can walk from here.”
“Bella, it’s dark, and the walk will take you an hour to get home. I’m offering you a ride. Get in the car and let me help you,” he said.
When she made no move toward him, Clark climbed out of the car, took her hand inside his, and escorted her around to his side of the car. His touch sent sparks of electricity up her arm.
She did as instructed as he opened the passenger side door and helped her inside. He leaned in the car grabbing the buckle. His arm brushed across her breasts. Her nipples tightened at the contact. She’d never responded to a man so quickly.
You’ve been lusting after this man for over six months.
He buckled the seat. She watched him walk around to his side and climb in. Her heart raced from his closeness. She was acting like a crazy person.
Clark put the car in gear and pulled away from the kerb. Taking a quick glance at him, Bella chanced a look at his profile. He looked angry.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
Bella fidgeted with the edge of her dress wishing the skirt covered more ofher fleshy thighs.
“I offered you a lift, and you run away. Have I done something to upset you?” he asked.
When he glanced at her, she looked away, staring out of the front window. “No.”
“Have you read some shit glossy mag story and decided I’m not good enough for you?”
“No.” She shook her head. The only time she read glossy magazines was when she was waiting around at newsstands. Reading glossy magazines were a waste of time and money. She’d rather spend her money in a book store buying books that were worth her time. “I didn’t think you meant it,” she said, admitting the embarrassing truth.
“Did you think I’d offer to drive you home and then leave you high and dry?”
She shrugged. What else was she supposed to think?
“What kind of men have you known?”
Again, she shrugged while also thinking she’d only known the worst kind of men.
“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation,” he said.
Neither could she. His anger seemed to be coming out, and she listened even though she stared out of the window.
Her stomach chose that moment to growl. She’d not had the time to eat anything at lunch. The last time she’d eaten was breakfast where she’d indulged in a buttered bagel.
Grocery shopping was something she did on Friday. It was Wednesday,
and she wouldn’t be going grocery shopping for at least two days. Her pay checkcame through Friday, which she paid her rent out of. Once the rent and other bills were paid, she used the rest on food.
“Next time, you make your way to the parking lot beneath the building.
You know where the parking lot is, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes. I know where it is. You don’t need to worry about me getting home. I’m safe.” She tried to argue with him. Clark held his hand up stopping her from saying anything.
“No, I’ll be the judge of whether you need help or not. It’s night, dark, and anyone could hurt you.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Bella never thought her first conversation with Clark would be about her safety.
****
The woman was driving him crazy. He’d hoped on some light flirting and sweet seduction, and instead he was telling her off like a child.
Get your shit together.
Tightening his hands on the steering wheel Clark counted to ten and then twenty until he’d calmed down enough. Didn’t she have any idea how unsafe the world was at night time? There he went again, getting mad at something he couldn’t control.
“I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she said, whispering from where she sat.
“You didn’t make me mad.”
“Seriously, because from where I’m sitting you look kind of angry.”
He looked over at her to find her smiling. Releasing his death grip on the steering wheel Clark shot her his best smile.
She turned away. He spotted the blush filling her cheeks. Cute, his woman still blushed. “I’m sorry for getting angry with you. This is not a great place to be walking home alone,” he said.
“I think you watch too many movies. This place is fine to walk around.
Nothing is going to happen to me.”
He saw her rub her hands down her legs. Was he making her nervous?
“Having that kind of attitude is not going to help you,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
Clark stopped at a red light. He took the free moment to turn to her. She had the nicest brown eyes he’d ever seen. They were so dark, and every time he looked at her, he got the sense she was always thinking something thoughtful.
Her skin looked silky soft. He kept his grip on the steering wheel so he didn’t
reach out and touch her.
“I sense you have the attitude that nothing will ever happen to you.
Nothing bad and nothing good. Be careful, Bella. You always have to be prepared in life.”
Her gaze captured him as he stared at her. Her lips were nice and plump. A vision of those lips wrapped around his cock filled his mind. The image alone tempted him to turn the car around and take her back to his apartment. He could have her screaming in a matter of moments. Clark prided himself in keeping his woman happy.
“Green,” she said.
Was she giving him the go ahead to take her home? Did his woman read minds?
“What?”
“The light is green. You need to go.” She smiled at him before pointing to the light change.
Feeling like a dick, he put the car in gear and raced toward the next light.
This wasn’t his night. All the lights he arrived at were red.
“I see what you mean. Nothing important or bad happens to me, but I'll take your advice. I’ll be careful,” she said.
“Why don’t you have a car? It would be a lot easier if you had your own car.” Her stomach growled interrupting her answer. “You’re hungry?” He thought he’d heard her stomach growling earlier. When she didn’t mention food or anything he’d figured he imagined it.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll eat when I get home.”
He spotted a diner up the street about twenty minutes from her home. It wasn’t the one she worked in. He’d visited the diner she worked in to get a sense of the place and for the woman filling his mind on a daily basis.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You’re hungry. I’m going to feed you.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out. Bella climbed out her side.
“You don’t have to do this. I understand what you’re saying about safety.
I’ll be extra careful,” she said.
“Good. We’ll finish this conversation in the diner.” Clark didn’t want their time to end. He liked being in her company. She was fun, fresh, and he enjoyed being around her.
Together they walked in and found a booth next to the window. Their reflections stared back at them.
Sitting closer to her, Clark saw her impressive cleavage as the uniform settled around her. Her tits were large. He wondered what they’d feel like in his hands.
She picked up the menu, and another growl came from her stomach. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment.
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, picking up his menu.
“I ate at breakfast. I didn’t have time to get anything else,” she said.
A woman walked over to their table.
“What can I get you?” she asked.
“I’ll have a coffee, black with one sugar.” Clark took a quick glance through the menu. “I’ll have a cheeseburger with chilli cheese fries and lots of sauce. For dessert I’ll have the brownie with the extra whipped cream,” Clark said. He’d not eaten since lunch, and he’d not eaten a cheeseburger since he wasa kid.
“A man who likes to eat and works out,” the woman said with approval.
“I’ll have the milkshake instead of the coffee and the same as him with thefood.” Bella folded the menu.
“Coming right up.” The woman left them alone.
He watched as Bella tucked strands of her hair into her bun.
“Take your hair down,” he said.
“What?” Her gaze jerked to him.
“Take your hair down. It’s clearly irritating you. You’re not on office hours or anything like that. Take your hair down.” He wanted to see the long strands free from the tight restraint.
She didn’t put up any argument as she reached behind her. The ponytail fell down. Her hair was much longer than he had thought. The glossy length fell around her shoulders in waves.
His dick tightened at the sight. He wanted her hair across his pillow and to wrap it around his fist as he slammed inside her pussy.
The woman came back handing him a black coffee and Bella a milkshake.
When had she stepped into an alternative reality where Clark Anderson was eating dinner with her in a diner? Bella ran fingers through her hair, easing out the length. She kept her hair tied up when she worked as the strands got in her way. Getting it cut was not an option. She liked her hair long and intended to keep it that way. Spotting a dirty cup ring, she picked up some paper towels and wiped the mess away. “You don’t like mess, do you?” he asked. She shook her head. Putting the towel underneath her milkshake, she took a quick suck to test. The milkshake was creamy and tasted right with just the hint of chocolate. “No, I don’t like mess.” He reached over the table to take her hand. “Relax, Bella. We’re having dinner, and afterwards I’ll take you home.” “How do you know my name?” she asked. “You work for me. You know my name, and I know yours.” Smiling, she drank some more of her milkshake. Clark didn’t let her hand go. His fingers stroked her own.
Thursday was busier than usual at the diner. Bella struggled to keep up with the orders and the customers. Her late night was wearing her down. She’d settled herself into a system with her two jobs, and going out to dinner with Clark had disrupted that. By four she was exhausted and ready to go home. Instead, she finished her shift at the diner before making her way across the city to the Anderson Corporation building. Her feet ached, but she refused to give in. Her hair was tied in pigtails down either side of her shoulders. It was seven at night when she got inside. She’d missed lunch and was hungry. Ignoring the pangs, she grabbed the cleaning trolley, smiled at the security guard before making her way over to the elevator. She pushed the trolley inside, pressed the button for her floor and waited. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she pulled the trolley onto the floor. The light inside Clark’s office was on. Nibbling her lip, she wondered if she should go and talk to him
The personal questions unnerved her. She didn’t like talking about her past as that’s where she wanted her past to stay and never come out. Munching on the noodles, Bella waited for him to start talking. “Why don’t you have any photos?” he asked, ignoring her question. She finished eating and placed the carton back on the table. Why did this have to be so hard? This was why she kept to herself. The hours she worked stopped her from attaching herself to people. The diner was perfect as none of the staff had time to talk. Some of the girls tried to get her to go out, but she refused because of her second job. Working in Clark’s building took her late into the night when everyone was home. If anything, she talked to the security guard on the way out of the building, no interactions at all that left her feeling out of place. “I don’t have any photos to put up,” she said. “I don’t like these questions, and I’d prefer to know about you.” Her mother never owned a camera,
The next few days flew by, and before Bella knew it, the following weekend was there. Every night during the week Clark had been waiting for her in his building. Some nights they went to the diner to eat and others he dropped her home without going inside with her. She didn’t mind as some nights their friendship confused her. Clark talked a lot about his work, and she got the feeling he didn’t talk with anyone else. His own friends were settled down with children. He liked to talk about them a lot. She didn’t mind listening. He stopped asking her questions about her past. Turning over in her bed, Bella checked the time on her alarm clock. It was gone nine on a Saturday morning. She’d gone shopping last night after finishing work early at the diner. Bella switched on the radio and climbed out of bed. Walking into the bathroom, she cleaned her teeth and started a shower. Once her shower was finished, she dressed in a long denim skirt and pink jumper. The weather looked chill
Bella had never intended on talking about her past boyfriend. Clark shared so much with her even though he didn’t need to. The trust he displayed made her wish for the same kind of ease to share all of her troubled thoughts with him. Biting her lip, she stared out of the window. The only way for her to talk with him about Frank was if she wasn’t looking at him. “What about Frank?” Clark asked. “He was my last boyfriend. I thought he was amazing. He worked in a bank as some kind of accountant. I met him in the supermarket, and we hit it off. He asked me out on a date. I jumped at the chance to see him. I was a fucking fool. I can’t believe I gave so much of my life to him.” She shook her head remembering how quickly she’d fallen for his charm. Frank had been heavily built with brown hair and the kindest eyes she’d ever seen. He knew what to say to make her feel special. All Frank had been doing was spinning her lies. Frank knew what to say, even though he never meant an
The day at the art exhibition was fantastic. Bella couldn’t imagine a better way of spending her time than with Clark. He was sweet, and his friends were great. She saw how relaxed he was around his them. Bella wished she had her own set of friends she was as comfortable around as Clark was with his friends. Afterward at the Italian restaurant she’d sensed a lot of people paying attention to them. The restaurant made her nervous. Everything about Clark’s richer way of life made her nervous. She didn’t like feeling less than he was. When he started with his money and being able to pay for certain things she could never afford, it put her on edge. His money meant nothing to her, but the way his friends stared at her made her think they were assuming the worst. She’d never be a gold-digger. The concept of using a man for money disgusted her. Bella was more than happy making her own living. She earned enough to keep her going. The bills she kept in the safe would be paid without c
Clark’s family was huge, and Bella saw they all loved each other. The display of affection was making her yearn for something similar. There would be no happy family gatherings for her and no public displays of affection. If anything, her mother would proposition Clark after already getting blind drunk. She’d not seen her mom in years, and the thought of returning to the trailer where she used to live filled her with fear. His mom turned to look at her. She had expected to see the disappointment or some other emotion of disgust. What she got was a large smile, and then she was pulled into his mom’s arms. She turned her gaze to Clark wondering what to do. “You need to wrap your arms around her, dear,” the older man who looked like Clark said. The others chuckled. Bella smiled along with them and wrapped her arms around the woman. The older woman smelt so comforting. Her vanilla scent helped to calm Bella’s nerves. “Penny, dear, I think you’re scaring the wom
One month later. Bella placed the food down in front of her regular customer. She waited for them to ask for something else. When they ignored her, she walked toward the next customer. She checked the clock on the far wall to see how long she had left before it was time to start heading for her other job. Her time with Clark was the best part of her day. Their time at his family’s home had really cemented their friendship. After she’d promised to always be in his life, Clark had held her close, and their friendship deepened. They were no longer the Billionaire business man and the cleaner in her mind. They were simply Clark and Bella, two friends who enjoyed spending time together. He was her first real friend, and she adored him. She checked the clock again to see if the hands had moved faster. This was how her life had become, clock watching. She grabbed the cloth and started wiping down surfaces while also taking used plates and trays back into the kitchen. The othe