The Billionairess

Chapter 2

"Dude, you were so badass!"

I jumped at the sound of Lance's voice. He peeked through the backdoor of the kitchen and glanced down at me from my place on the brick steps by the dumpster.

"Bro, what are you doing out here?" he glanced around at the alleyway behind the restaurant. It was getting late. The sidewalk was glazed with water from the afternoon rainfall, and you could hear the pattering of rat feet.

"I just needed a second to clear my head" I said.

"From what?" Lance took a seat next to me. "Dude, you just saved Rose Delacourt, Ice Queen Business Lady of Hotness, from Tristen Grey's wine. You're going to be in the magazines, man!"

"That's the problem" I said. "I'm not like you, Lance. I don't like attention. I don't revel in people staring at me like you do."

"Then why'd you do it?"

I looked down at the ground and shrugged.

"I don't know, I wasn't thinking. I could sense that Miss Delacourt was in trouble and got this sudden urge to help her."

"Well, you're a hero now, man. I say be nicer to yourself. Your low self-esteem is killing you. Not to mention killing my vibes."

He gave me a clap on the shoulder, then stood up.

"Boss says you have to come back in soon" he said. "Rosie and her man left, and everyone followed them. So there's a lot of tables that need clean-up."

I took a deep breath, then stood up and followed him through the door. Part of me was relieved Rose and everyone had left. I was afraid to go back inside, face their stares again. But then there was that smaller, creeping feeling of disappointment that Rose was gone.

I didn't even get to refill her water glass.

---

Lance wasn't kidding when he said everyone left. Just as I stepped back into the main area, the last remaining couples quickly signed their checks and disappeared out the door. The place was empty. The table were lined with half-filled cups and half-eaten food. Some of tables still had entire meals from people who decided watching two beautiful rich people was more important than food.

I began sauntering from table to table, picking up cups, plates, and silverware and stacking them in the bucket.

Around two minutes until closing time, the front door opened.

"Sorry, folks" I said. "We're closing soon—"

I turned around, and nearly dropped my bucket. Rose Delacourt stood at the door, removing a pair of sunglasses and a cloth from around her head. She gave me a small smile.

"I-I'm sorry I—"

She ignored me. One of the waiters removed her coat and another brought her to a table in the corner. I looked at the clock. One minute until closing time. I glanced back just in time to see Mr. Albany shaking her hand. It seems we would be open a little longer.

"Thomas" Mr. Albany's voice snapped at me. "Get some water for Miss Delacourt."

"Y-yes sir" I said, then sped towards the kitchen.

I took the icy pitcher out of the fridge, then exited out the kitchen. The restaurant was completely empty except for her. All the other waiters were elsewhere, and Mr. Albany was gone. I was alone with the Ice Queen.

She glanced up from her menu, and I flinched. Water, right. Water. It's just water. I'd done it once, I can do it again.

I took a deep breath, straightened my posture, and then walked over.

"Thank you" she said, as I filled her glass.

God, even her voice was gorgeous. Smooth, sultry, and elegant. Her words clicked off her lips and tongue in perfect articulation with both elegance and strength.

"You're welcome, Miss Delacourt" I said, thankful my voice didn't stutter.

Once her glass was full, I turned to leave when she grabbed my wrist. Her hands were cold as a freezer. The Ice Queen indeed.

"You're that young man from earlier" she said. "The one who blocked Mr. Grey's wine?"

My stomach turned, all of my nerve-endings directed to her hand on my wrist.

"Yes mam, I am" I said. I glanced down at my shirt, which was still spotted with red.

"I'm so sorry for that" she said. She took the napkin off her lap and began wiping my chest. My face burned. "Mr. Grey is such a dogmatic man, can't keep his temper under control. And at the expense of perfectly good wine and nice shirt like yours."

After cleaning whatever she could, she dropped her napkin down.

"What's your name?" she suddenly asked, squinting to read my metal name tag.

It took me a full second to remember it.

"Thomas" I said. "Thomas Luxembourg"

"Thomas Luxembourg" she said. She said the name slowly, savoring it on her tongue like an unfamiliar taste. "Lovely. Luxembourg, like the Luxembourg Garden in Paris?"

"Well, my family is French" I said, with a small grin.

I wanted to slap myself. I sounded like an i***t. She didn't care what my family heritage was. Why would she?

"So is mine" she said. She gestured to the seat in front of her. "Take a seat, Mr. Luxembourg"

My heart lurched in my chest. She wanted to talk to me? Why would someone like her want to talk to someone like me? An inhumanly beautiful billionairess wanting to speak to a skinny, awkward, dorky busboy?

"But I still have work—"

"You're a busboy, aren't you?" she said. Her eyes glazed around the restaurant. "None of the other tables appear to need bussing. And I could use some company."

My cheeks flushed red, and I took a tentative seat across from her.

"So, you decided to come back?" I asked.

"A woman needs dinner" she said. "I never even got dessert, and I've heard this place has exquisite cheesecake."

A waiter suddenly appeared from the doors and set a sirloin steak down in front of her.

"I'm sorry, how rude" Rose looked up at the waiter, then pointed her fork at me. "Get him one too."

The waiter shot me a confused look, then disappeared into the kitchen.

"You don't need to get me anything" I told her.

She lifted her hand, her nails long and red. She then proceeded to cut her sirloin. I watched her pull a piece off her fork and chew it. The way her blood-red lips moved when she chewed with her mouth closed...dear god.

She swallowed then spoke.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue earlier" she said. "How very Prince Charming of you."

"You're welcome" I said. "Just didn't want any mess."

"And I apologize for Tristen making such a ruckus. I'll have to punish him somehow."

"Are you two dating?" The words came out before I could stop them, and my face flushed. "If you don't mind me asking...you don't have to tell me..."

She chuckled, a deep, sexy sound in her throat.

"We were dating" she said. "But I've been wanting to break up with him for a while. That wine incident was the final straw. I was wondering at what point he would snap."

She took a cigarette from her purse, lit it, and then took a long drag. She held a second one out for me.

"No thank you" I said.

She shrugged, then put her lighter away.

"So, Mr. Grey got upset just because you didn't want any wine?"

"It wasn't just the wine"

"Oh, sorry, I shouldn't be asking—"

"I don't blame you for your curiosity" she said. "Besides, it'll probably be in tabloids tomorrow." She took another drag. "He's used to women eating up whatever expensive things he buys for them."

"You're not impressed by material things?"

"Oh, I love material things, like everyone does" Rose took a drag from her cigarette. "I don't need anyone to buy me things. If I want something, I get it myself."

"What if you can't get something?"

Her eyes sharpened at me, and a shiver ran down my spine.

"I always get what I want, Mr. Luxembourg."

Her silver-blue eyes bore into me. I could feel my whole body freeze under her gaze, and I was completely powerless to her.

The waiter brought me my steak, then disappeared.

"Eat" she said, more of a command then a suggestion. I obeyed, quickly cutting a piece of meat and shoving it in my mouth. She took a long sip of wine, then set it down and cleared her throat.

Just as I began to eat my steak, she finished hers and handed the plate to a waiter. She then ordered a slice of our chocolate tuxedo cream cheesecake.

"But enough about me" Rose put her elbows on the table, then rested her chin on her entwined fingers. "Tell me about you, Thomas Luxembourg."

I shivered at the sound of my name in her voice. I fumbled awkwardly with my fork. I stared down at my lap, unable to look at her face.

"There isn't much to say" I said. "I'm twenty-one. I go to Masoch University."

"Major?"

"What?"

"Your major. What are you studying?"

"Oh, English literature."

She nodded and leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. The waiter appeared again, setting a slice of chocolate cheesecake in front of her.

"Looks good" I said, trying to fill the silence.

"Want a try?"

She broke off a piece of her cake, stabbed it with her fork, and pointed it towards me. I awkwardly leaned forward and took it in my mouth. It was smooth, creamy, and soft...just like her skin and eyes.

"I considered studying English myself" she said. "I grew up reading classics like Jane Eyre."

"Were they your favorites?"

"Oh no, I hated them" she said. "I could never relate to girls like Miss Eyre or Miss Bennett. I saw myself in Rochester and Darcy. I wanted to be in their place. Wealthy. Powerful. So, I did."

A waiter came by with the bill. Rose pulled a pen from her cleavage and scribbled a signature onto a check. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, then stood up from her seat.

"A pleasure speaking with you, Mr. Luxembourg" she said.

"Even more so for me, Miss Delacourt" I said. "I mean...it's even more of a pleasure for me than you...to speak to you I mean..."

I was babbling like an i***t. Miss Delacourt chuckled, then tapped a finger on my nose before turning on her heels to the door. I watched her as she walked away, the confident sway in her hips, and the delectable curve of her back and...

"Smooth move, man" Lance said.

I jumped and turned to him.

"Oh, shut up"