Page 25 of Adonis: The Cost of a Billionaire's Heart
Simora looked at me and then back at Maya before nodding with a soft chuckle. “Sure, but let’s have Miss Maya be the one behind the wheel, okay, speed racer?”
He eagerly agreed, and Ellis smiled, visibly pleased. “Perfect, now let’s go so I can get a first-hand assessment of that swing of yours, Holland.”
I smirked while gripping my bag of clubs. “I’m always ready for a little competition.”
Simora stepped off with Jeanine, while the two of us made our way over to the first hole for some practice swings before getting into the real game. As our pastime progressed, so did our conversation, just as it had in our private box at the opera. Each stroke was carefully controlled, and so were my negotiation skills. Everything I did was unhurried. I planned to let Ellis lead himself toward the decision that a partnership between our organizations was in the foreseeable future.
Ellis stepped back and whistled with joy after taking his swing that sent the ball soaring through the air like a missile. “Oooh wee! Did you see that, Holland? That was almost a hole-in-one.”
“It was a beautiful shot,” I complimented him.
“Almost as beautiful as the lady on your arm. Have the two of you settled on a wedding date yet?”
I wagged my head. “No. We’re taking things one step at a time right now.”
“Better not wait too long. Someone else might come and steal her away.”
“Nah, I don’t think I have to worry about that.”
“Keeping her plenty satisfied, huh?” he probed, followed by a giggle that seemed childish for a man of his age.
“Plenty,” I replied dryly.
“Good. Don’t fumble that. You’ll hate yourself for the rest of your life if you do.”
My chin dipped in a nod as I temporarily soaked up his advice. Little did he know that none of it would matter after the deal was closed and the papers were signed. “I’ve got it handled,” I assured him with the utmost confidence.
“I’m sure you do. Though I’ll admit, I’m still trying to picture you as a husband. You’ve always been married to your family’s empire. It was one of the reasons I was skeptical about doing business with you in the beginning, but I welcome the growth.”
I nodded again. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
By the tenth hole, Ellis turned to me, looking as if he were on the brink of a new idea. “Why don’t we give our old ladies a chance to swing?” he suggested, glancing over his shoulder at his wife and Simora.
I dipped my chin before waving Simora over. She sauntered across the grass slowly, and I noticed the hesitance in each step as she approached me. “You ready to take a swing?” I quizzed while handing her my club.
“What? No. I’ve never golfed in my life. I thought I was coming here to watch.”
“Another thing to scratch off your bucket list.”
“Who says golfing was on my bucket list?” She chuckled while adjusting her grip on the club.
I chuckled, watching her stare down at the small white ball with doubt in her expression. Learning to golf was probably the furthest thing from her mind, and yet she was standing on a freshly manicured course about to take her first swing.
Just before Simora swung, she paused and looked back at me. “What if I chop up the grass or miss the ball entirely? Help me. I don’t want to embarrass you,” she whispered.
I stepped behind her and gently slid my hands down her arms until they were stationed over hers, slightly adjusting them to the right angle. She gripped the club tightly and stiffened her posture. “You’ll be fine. Just relax your shoulders,” I whispered back while aligning her grip and her stance.
She did.
“Good. Now, draw in a deep breath and forget about everything else. It’s just you and me right now.”
“Okay.”
Although Ellis and his wife stared at us with the amusement of seasoned lovers, I wanted Sim to know the only eyes on her that mattered were mine.
“Remember to breathe, draw back, and swing on three,” I instructed.
“Breathe, right. That,” she mumbled while slowly nodding.
