Her Three Entrepreneurs [The Hot Millionaires #8]

by Zara Chase

  Was it? A frisson of excitement ripped through her at the thought of spending the night under the same roof as Bay. It had nothing to do with him making her feel safe, which didn’t seem right, given what had happened to Gramps. She absolutely shouldn’t agree.

  “I guess so,” she said, guided by some instinct that overrode common sense.

  “Such enthusiasm,” Bay said, touching her face gently with his fingertips.

  Dex and Marty seemed to find her lukewarm reaction highly amusing.

  “You got a bucket and some disinfectant?” Marty asked.

  “Why?”

  “We’ll clean up that lounge for you.”

  “You don’t need to do that.”

  Bay flashed a smile. “Yeah, they do.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. I wasn’t looking forward to that particular task.” She shuddered. “All that blood.”

  “I suppose I’d better lend a hand, too,” Bay said. “Otherwise they’ll say I’m pulling rank.” He winked at her. “Coffee wouldn’t go amiss.”

  Athena watched them go, surprised that they were prepared to do the cleaning themselves.. She figured they employed others to attend to their domestic arrangements. Even so, they appeared to know how to scrub a rug and did so with considerable vigour, the banter flying between them as they eradicated all visual signs of the attack on her grandfather. Ridding her mind of the mental images would take a lot longer.

  “Thanks,” she said when they crowded into the kitchen again and fell on the coffee she’d made for them.

  “No problem,” Marty said. “Bay needed the exercise. He’s getting flabby.”

  Athena suppressed a smile. As far as she could tell, every inch of all three of them was made up of hard, taut muscle.

  Before Bay could fire off the pithy retort Athena sensed him formulating, a commotion in the doorway had them all turning in that direction.

  “What’s going on?” George asked, scowling at Athena’s guests.

  “Oh hello, George,” she said, feeling a little flustered. “I was just coming down to see how you were getting on.”

  “Who are these people?” he asked. “And what are they doing here?”

  “Friends.”

  “What do they want?”

  For some reason that she couldn’t explain, Athena didn’t feel inclined to introduce the guys to George. His predatory stance had taken her by surprise, reinforcing the wariness that always intruded in her dealings with her grandfather’s employee. Had he always assumed he had some sort of responsibility for her, or was he just being protective in the absence of her grandfather? She supposed he had a right to be suspicious of strangers given what had occurred that day. Even so, she didn’t need his help and wasn’t prepared to let him dictate to her.

  “How’s the haymaking going?” she asked instead.

  “It’s all done.”

  “Max managed to fix the thresher then?”

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure it’ll hold up for next season.”

  That was the least of her worries right now. “Thanks then, George, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I’m not leaving you here with this lot,” he said forcefully, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. “Not after everything that’s gone on.”

  “We’re leaving anyway,” Bay said, draining his mug.

  Athena flashed him a grateful smile. She figured it wasn’t in any of the guys’ makeup to be told what to do. Fortunately they didn’t suffer from feelings of inferiority and chose to leave without engaging in an embarrassing pissing contest that George would have been bound to lose.

  “So am I. I’m going to see Gramps,” she said, ushering George in front of her through the door and actually locking it behind her. “Thanks again for today.”

  “I don’t like seeing you with this lot,” he said, rubbing his chin stubbornly.

  She touched his arm. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Did you notice?” Bay said to her as they stood outside and watched George climb into an old truck.

  “Notice what?”

  “He didn’t once ask after your grandfather. All he seemed to care about was you.”

  Marty nodded. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it,” he said.

  * * * *

  Bay tried to make himself comfortable on a plastic chair in the hospital’s waiting area while Athena visited her grandfather. He was never going to succeed, and when his buttocks lost all feeling he gave up, taking a walk down the corridor to the vending machine. He got himself a can of soda and popped the tab, leaning against the wall as he sipped at it. All the while, he worried away at Athena’s problems, trying to figure out what they’d missed. There had to be something.

  He didn’t get far because the moment he thought about Athena, it got personal. The feel of her breast, pressed against his biceps as he held her while she cried. The scorching determination in her eyes when she learned of the bank manager’s duplicity earned his respect. Her apparent disinterest in the three of them—an unusual enough occurrence to get his attention—made her an irresistible challenge.

  Athena Lloyd was an intriguing mix of intelligence and susceptibility, sensuality and single-minded resourcefulness. He’d never met anyone quite like her before and was determined to get to know her better. He needed to satisfy his curiosity about her hidden depths, regardless of the outcome to her difficulties.

  After what seemed like an eternity, she appeared in the waiting area, brushing fresh tears from the corners of her eyes.

  “How is he?” Bay asked.

  “Sedated. They were right, he didn’t know I was there, but at least I got to talk to the doctor.”

  Bay placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the exit. “What did he say?”

  “He wants to hold on to him for a couple of days more and run some tests.” She managed a weak smile. “He won’t like it, but I’ll tie him to the bed if necessary.”

  Funny, I’m having similar thoughts about you.

  “Did they say what they think is wrong?” Bay took her keys from between her slack fingers and opened the passenger door to her Jeep. “I’ll drive,” he said. “You look completely done in.”

  She didn’t object but climbed into the car and, sighing listlessly, fastened her seat belt. Bay turned the key and managed to coax the engine into life at the second attempt.

  “They’re not saying much yet,” she said in answer to his earlier question. “Something about CAT scans.”

  “Probably just a precaution to make sure that blow on the head didn’t cause any permanent damage.”

  She expelled a tired breath, a cross between a whimper and a yawn. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

  They made the rest of the journey back to the farm in tense silence. Bay figured she needed time to work things through in her head, and so left her to it. When they reached the farm’s driveway, Bay found it slightly less jarring when negotiated in her old Jeep, but not much. This place really did need an urgent injection of cash.

  He pulled up outside the house and climbed from the car. The key to the kitchen door was on the same ring as those for the Jeep. He unlocked it and the dog hurtled himself at Athena. She smiled for the first time since leaving the hospital and fondled the animal’s ears. Bay was rocked by the most violent bout of jealousy—not so much because of what she did but by the degree of deep affection he read in her expression. Athena would look at him like that before he was much older, or he’d die in the attempt.

  “Do you need to do anything outside before I lock up?” he asked her.

  “No, this time of the year the stock stay out in the paddocks, so we’re okay. I’ll just let Rowan out, that’s all.”

  “What about food?”

  “I’m not really hungry, but there’s a casserole in the freezer if you are.”

  Bay wasn’t particularly but thought she ought to eat. He found the dish and put it in the microwave to defrost. He could do with a beer but already knew there was no booze
on the premises. He ought to have stopped on the way back and picked something up. It might help Athena to relax and break down some of that famous British reserve.

  “Come on, babe,” he called from the kitchen. She was upstairs, straightening her room. “You gotta eat.”

  “What are you, my mother?”

  But she actually managed a brief smile when she came into the kitchen, and sat at the table obediently enough. As he served her a modest portion, she picked up her fork and took a small bite. And then another. Pretty soon she’d cleared her plate.

  “This is good,” he said, refilling her plate without asking her if she wanted more. “Did you make it?”

  “Yeah, I do most of the cooking, but it’s not my favourite pastime.”

  “Oh, and what is?”

  She flashed a wistful smile. “In a previous life, before I spent every waking hour mugging up on organic farming, convincing Gramps it was the only way to save Blackridge—”

  “It was your idea to go organic?” Bay hoisted a brow. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Now perhaps you understand why I feel so guilty about it all going wrong.”

  “Why? From what you say, the farm wouldn’t have survived if you hadn’t changed direction, and organic farming is definitely in vogue.”

  “Yes, but even so.” She ate another mouthful. “It doesn’t seem right to be eating when Gramps is so ill.”

  “You won’t be any help to him if you don’t keep your strength up.”

  “I suppose not.” She sighed. “And to answer your previous question, I used to crave a career as a masseuse. I was good at it, took all the exams, and planned to go down that route. Then seven or eight years ago Gramps had a bout of flu that turned into pneumonia. I came home and kept things ticking over until he recovered.” She shrugged. “I never got round to leaving again.”

  “That was quite a sacrifice you made there.”

  “No, it wasn’t. Gramps is all the family I have. He would never admit it, but he needed me here.”

  “The two of you are obviously very close.”

  Her radiant smile probably had more to do with recollections of her grandfather than Bay’s company. “I was brought up on this farm. I’m very fond of it and determined that it won’t go under. I discovered just how deeply in debt Gramps was when I came to help out, so I started reinventing the place. I eventually persuaded him we had to change.”

  “Did you grow up here with your parents?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’ve never met my father. Not even sure if my mother knew who he was. Seems she was a bit wild back then. She had me here at the farm and kind of forgot to take me along when she took off to carry on where she’d left off. By the time she matured and decided that she wanted me back, I was firmly ensconced here and refused to go with her.”

  “Where is she now?”

  Athena shrugged. “She lives in Portsmouth somewhere. I see her occasionally, and she turns up here even more spasmodically, when she’s between men friends.”

  Bay wondered about the missing mother. “Presumably she’s your grandfather’s heir.”

  “No, actually I am. Gramps fell out with his daughter years ago over her lack of responsibility. She knows not to expect anything from him.”

  Perhaps, but Bay thought she was worth looking at a little more closely. If she was so flighty, perhaps she imagined she could pressure Athena into parting with some of her inheritance when her grandfather passed.

  Athena’s expression was remote as she dwelled upon events she would probably prefer to forget. It couldn’t be a whole lot of fun knowing the woman who’d given her life viewed her as an inconvenience. But she’d gotten over that and dedicated herself to the one person who had truly loved her. Seldom had Bay admired anyone more. She’d given up all aspirations for a career of her own simply because her grandfather needed her. Bay couldn’t imagine inspiring that sort of loyalty in anyone. Her violet eyes glowed in the dimly lit room, and her lips had never seemed more kissable.

  He stood up and cleared the dishes, crashing them together in his haste. It was either that or make a move on her. He wanted her a damned sight more than he’d let on to his buddies, more than he’d wanted any woman in a very long time. But he wasn’t about to take advantage of her vulnerability. The ancient kitchen didn’t sport a dishwasher, so Bay stacked the plates in the sink and poured hot water onto them.

  “Leave that,” she said.

  “Best do it now. It won’t take a moment. Then we’ll sort one of those spare rooms for me. You look exhausted.”

  “Yes,” she said. “I am a bit.” She stood, picked up a cloth, and started to dry the dishes. “Thank you, Bay,” she said, avoiding all eye contact.

  “What for?”

  “For being here. You’re right. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the night alone.”

  Geez, she wasn’t making this easy for him. “No problem,” he said, washing the last of the plates and turning away from her before he gave in to temptation and kissed her senseless. “Let’s get those beds made up, shall we?”

  Chapter Six

  “It looks like the linen closet survived more or less intact,” Athena remarked, just for something to say.

  “Looks that way,” Bay agreed, taking a pile of sheets and towels from her hand.

  “This is probably the best.” She led him into a large room dominated by a high, old-fashioned bedstead. There was a far-reaching view over the surrounding country. Athena struggled with the warped window and threw it open. “These rooms haven’t been used for years, but at least there was nothing in here for the burglar to trash.”

  She felt tension crackling in the atmosphere as she bustled about with a duster and can of spray polish, filling the air with the fresh smell of lavender. Although large, the room seemed too small for both of them, and they kept bumping into one another. Or rather, she appeared to be getting in his way.

  “Sorry.” She collided with his hip and jumped back as though contact with him had scalded her.

  He chuckled. “There’s no need to be nervous,” he said, spreading an old cotton sheet, worn smooth by years’ worth of laundering, across the mattress. “I don’t bite.”

  Athena tried to look indifferent. “Who’s nervous?”

  He chose a couple of pillows and shot her a confident smile. “You are.”

  His disgusting self-confidence was more than she could handle right now. Her head was swamped with a thousand different reactions to the events of the day. She absolutely didn’t need a not-entirely-civilized male with taut muscles and a tantalizing smile messing with her already overloaded brain. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  “You seem to have everything under control here, so I’ll leave you to it.” She headed for the door. “The bathroom’s down the hall.”

  “Hey, what did I say?”

  “Good night.”

  She closed the door softly behind her, aware of his bemused expression. Athena felt rather pleased about that. She might not be able to get the better of him when it came to verbal sparring, but at least she’d managed to walk out on him. She doubted if many women invented reasons not to stay in his bedroom.

  Athena badly needed a shower, but the house only had one bathroom. She didn’t intend to make prolonged use of it and find him lurking outside the door when she was done. Not that he’d given her any reason to suppose that he was thinking along those lines. If she was honest with herself, in her current state of frustration, she was probably more of a danger to him.

  “Get over yourself,” she muttered, making a dash for the bathroom.

  She washed in record time, brushed her teeth, and made it back to her room before Bay emerged from his. That was a good thing, wasn’t it?

  Athena was exhausted, but sleep eluded her. Her mind whirled as she tried to figure out who was behind the attack on her grandfather. As far as she was aware, all the locals liked and respected him. If he had any enemies, she didn’t know wh
o they were. The Americans were the obvious culprits, but she knew now that they weren’t guilty. She tossed and turned, feeling lonely and restless in her solitary bed. The lack of regular male company hadn’t bothered her that much since moving back to the farm, and she blamed the three Yanks for changing that situation. They’d messed with her head, reminding her there was more to life than working her fingers to the bone. Reminding her that she was a woman with needs and desires, just like the rest of her sex.

  They had no business being such hunks, crowding her out, making her feel there was something missing in a life that up until today had suited her perfectly well.

  Rowan, lying on the rug next to her bed, appeared to be as restless as she was. He must be missing Gramps, too. She reached out a hand and carefully tugged his ears. He whined softly, turned in several circles, and appeared to nod off.

  Athena tried to do the same, but it was no good. She glanced at the clock. An hour had gone by and she hadn’t slept a wink. Usually she went to bed and died. That was the upside of living such a physically active life. She hauled herself out of bed and headed back down to the kitchen. She’d finish tidying up the mess downstairs. That ought to do the trick.

  Wearing just an oversized T-shirt, she crept down the stairs, careful not to wake Bay. The dining room, which they seldom used, housed all her grandmother’s best china. She had only glanced round the door up until now, but that was enough for her to know that the room had been trashed. Seeing the broken china would upset her but not nearly as much as it would upset Gramps. She needed to salvage what she could before he came home.

  Athena steeled herself and opened the door. It was worse than she had previously realised. Broken china crunched beneath her slippered feet, and she walked across the rug, causing her anger to erupt. Why? She and Gramps had so little to show for their hard work. These few pieces of china held precious memories. What had either of them done to deserve this?

  She picked up a sugar bowl that she recalled her grandmother lovingly producing on special occasions. It was still intact but badly chipped and cracked. Suddenly it was too much for her. Athena sat cross-legged in the middle of the mayhem and, for the second time in one day, gave way to a bout of frustrated tears.