Hal raised an eyebrow at her and frowned.
“Jess,” he said simply. “I have enough money to safely spend the rest of my life doing absolutely nothing. I’ll be getting money from my movie for the rest of my life. I’ll probably do a few projects here and there, but I don’t have to do anything.”
Jesse nodded as she took in his words.
“And today,” he said, going on. “I would really like to spend the day with you. But only if you want to. If not, I can go ahead and take you back home, and you can do whatever you like.”
“Oh, thanks,” Jesse said in response. “But … I think I’d rather spend the day with you than sit at my house worrying about getting an interview.”
Hal’s face lit up, and he immediately stood up from his place on the couch.
“What are we waiting for then?” he asked animatedly. “Let’s get out of here!”
Chapter 52
Hal
Hal led Jesse down to the street level of the building and then out through the doors. He breathed in the cool, crisp air of the city and looked down at the beautiful woman at his side. He couldn’t have been happier to be out with her, and he had a good idea of where exactly he wanted to start.
“Why don’t you let me get us some breakfast?” Hal suggested, looking down at Jesse beside him.
She seemed reluctant, but Hal was determined to have his way this time around.
“Come on,” Hal urged her. “I’m starving, and I imagine you could do with a good meal, too.”
Jesse hesitated for another moment, and Hal waited patiently to hear her decision.
“Okay,” Jesse finally conceded, and Hal smiled broadly. “But nowhere extremely fancy or expensive.”
“Deal,” Hal nodded in affirmation. “I know a nice little café not far from here. Come on, it’s this way.”
Hal led Jesse down the sidewalk to the small place. It was definitely smaller and cheaper than he would have selected for her, but it would have to do.
“Any particular reason you never let me treat you the way I want to?” Hal asked her, looking down and raising an eyebrow.
Jesse shrugged and her face lit up with that gentle blush that Hal couldn’t help enjoying.
“I don’t know.” She sighed and shrugged. “I just don’t want you to think I’m ever just using you for perks or for money.”
Hal’s heart softened, and he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
“Don’t worry,” Hal said softly, turning to take a look at the people milling around them on the city street. He could see that people were already shooting glances their way. Moreover, he could tell that Jesse was beginning to notice as well.
“Shouldn’t you have security out with you?” Jesse asked, and Hal could tell that she was nervous, as her eyes kept darting out to take in their surroundings.
“I do,” Hal said simply. “Look around, I can see three of my security detail as we speak.”
Hal watched with a smirk as Jesse looked at the sea of people around them, obviously seeking out men in black suits with headsets.
“You won’t be able to find them,” Hal explained. “They are dressed like anyone else on the street. You wouldn’t be able to tell unless you knew them personally.”
“Oh,” Jesse said, blinking. “Is Adam with them?”
“No,” Hal sighed. “It’s Adam’s day off.”
“He takes days off?” Jesse asked, her voice curious.
“Well, he wouldn’t if it was up to him,” Hal said. “But fortunately, it’s up to me. And I think he has more of an edge when he’s had his rest and personal time.”
“I’m sure,” Jesse agreed.
“Plus,” Hal went on, “he turns into a bit of a parental figure when he hangs around for too long. And I’m a big boy—I can take care of myself.”
Jesse laughed, and Hal smiled. He glanced down at Jesse to see that she was lingering close to him and that she was immensely tense. Again, he looked around and surmised that it was due to the people that were beginning to recognize him and were pulling out their phones to take pictures.
“Relax,” he nudged her gently. “They’re definitely more scared of us than we are of them.”
Hal set out to prove his point and waved at a passerby who was taking a picture of him. The man was simply shocked and only responded with a dropped jaw. Another group of teenage girls saw the occurrence and began to giggle and titter amongst themselves but made no move toward him.
“See?” Hal turned back to Jesse and gave her a smirk. “I’m not worried about any of these guys. If the paparazzi get here—that’s when we might have a problem.”
Jesse did not seem to relax much, and Hal frowned a little.
“Don’t worry,” he said more gently, “we’ll be inside soon.”
Hal walked a little faster, keeping Jesse close to his side, wrapping an arm around her waist. He felt her relax a little in his hold, and he smiled knowing that she felt safer when he held her.
As he had promised, they soon arrived at the café, and Hal ushered Jesse inside. He strode toward the back of the restaurant and pulled out the seat at a small table in the corner for Jesse. She took her seat, and Hal helped her to push the seat back in.
He took a chair across from her and frowned as he took in her state of being. She looked tense and worried, her eyes darting around the small restaurant.
“Hey, guys,” a waiter came up to their table, addressing them casually. “What can I get for you both to drink?”
“Coffee for me, black,” Hal ordered with a smile. The man nodded and jotted the order down before looking over at Jesse.
“Black coffee, please,” Jesse ordered and smiled up at the man.
“You got it,” the man said and turned to get their drinks.
As the waiter left, Hal once again looked at Jesse. She seemed to finally be relaxing, and in turn Hal relaxed as well. He watched as she perused the menu, and he glanced at his as well. Mostly, though, his attention was on Jesse, taking in each of her subtle movements.
The waiter returned with their drinks and took each of their food orders. Hal had raised his eyebrow at Jesse’s simple order of hash browns, but she had merely shrugged and taken a sip of her coffee. Hal couldn’t stay irritated for long, though.
There was something about her simplicity that attracted him to her, and he couldn’t bring himself to be aggravated with her for very long at all.
Chapter 53
Jesse
Jesse took her time eating her hash browns, savoring their salty, hot taste. She loved pretty much any version of a potato. Besides that, she wasn’t extremely hungry, and she didn’t want to be wasteful.
Hal had ordered an immense meal complete with bacon, eggs, hash browns, and a stack of pancakes. She watched in awe as he ate the whole thing without any difficulty, especially as she began to feel increasingly full just from her hash browns.
At length, they both finished their food, and they went back to sipping their coffee. Jesse was beginning to get anxious at the thought of going back out into the city streets. Suddenly, she wished they were just back at his apartment, or even hers. Just somewhere where they would not be in the public eye.
“Hey,” Hal’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. “You alright?”
Jesse blinked a few times and gave him a smile.
“Of course,” she said, though Hal’s frown let her know that he didn’t believe her in the slightest.
“You don’t need to worry about those people,” Hal said softly, and Jesse released a sigh.
“I know, I know.” Jesse nodded, looking down at the table in front of her. “I’m just really not used to it. And last time, we ended up in the papers.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” Hal asked her, and his eyes glistened with humor.
“I guess not,” Jesse sighed, shaking her head. “It’s just … I mean, you’re used to that, but me … I’m not exactly used to strangers approaching me in the street.�
��
Hal nodded and gave her a gentle smile as he reached across the table to take her hand in his.
“It doesn’t matter,” Hal said. “We’re going to get out of the city for the rest of the day.”
Jesse’s ears perked up at that information.
“Really?” she asked him, suddenly curious about how they were going to be spending the rest of the day.
“Well, this is just an idea I had,” Hal prefaced before he went on. “But I was going to take you out to my cabin, in-state. We can stay for as long as you like. I have people out there keep the place stocked, and I can take you shopping for a few outfits before we go.”
Jesse blinked and shook her head at this sudden onslaught of information. On one hand, it would be nice to get away from the population of the city. On the other hand, she would be alone in a cabin with Hal …
That idea alone was enough to make her stomach clench in both a good and bad way.
“I don’t know,” Jesse shook her head and sighed. “It’s just so short notice …”
“I know,” Hal said, nodding gently. “I shouldn’t have sprung it on you like this. It’s just … I can tell that having all these people around is making you uncomfortable. And … that’s not how I wanted it to be today. I just wanted to spend time with you. Just you, Jess.”
Jesse blushed as Hal spoke to her so honestly and warmth built up in her stomach. She was grateful that he was being so considerate of her needs. At the same time, she was almost as anxious about going out into the woods with him as she was about staying here in the city surrounded by hordes of people.
Jesse was about to decline when she looked up into Hal’s face and found her comfort there. His expression was soft, and his eyes were gentle. She could tell that no matter what she said, he would be accepting of it, and he would not pressure her to do what he wanted. He wanted her to make her own decision.
So, Jesse thought for a little longer. She knew herself, and she knew that she would never be able to relax while she felt like she was under the observation of people everywhere. She knew that the logical solution was to go somewhere remote. She had been nervous about being alone with Hal before, but that had not turned out badly at all.
On the contrary, it had actually turned out quite well for her.
So, having made up her mind, Jesse looked up at him and made to give him her answer.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “I want to go.”
Hal’s face lit up, and Jesse held up her hand to keep him from saying anything before she could finish telling him the completeness of her decision.
“But,” she continued. “I want to pack my own clothes.”
Hal seemed to blink for a moment before his face returned to its happy state.
“Okay,” he said, laughing a little. “Done, no problem.”
Jesse nodded and took a sip of her coffee.
“Oh, and also,” Hal held up a finger, “I will have a helicopter there on standby in case you ever need to get back into the city. I have internet at the cabin too, so you can take your laptop and anything else you might need to keep track of your applications, or whatever else you might need.”
Jesse had to admit she was impressed. She hadn’t even thought of that herself, and she was pleasantly surprised by his consideration for her needs.
“Thank you,” Jesse said, giving him a smile.
“Of course,” Hal smiled, and Jesse felt herself warm at the tender look in his eyes.
They finished up their food, and the waiter came back with their check, which Hal easily paid for. When the waiter returned with the receipt, Hal signed it, and both of them stood up, and Hal led her out of the café.
Jesse had already braced herself for another long walk down the sidewalk when Hal gently guided her toward a car that had been parked at the curb. As they approached, a man got out of the driver’s seat and moved toward Hal, handing him the keys.
“Thank you, Jack,” Hal said to the man, smiling, as he took the keys. “Oh, and this is Jesse Clarke.”
“A pleasure,” the tall, broad man looked down at her and smiled kindly, offering his hand.
“The pleasure’s all mine,” Jesse said, taking his hand and offering him a smile in return.
The man then left, and Jesse watched as he got into a car that was parked just behind Hal’s, a large, black suburban. The man got into the passenger seat and then the driver pulled out into the street and drove off.
“I texted them to bring a car,” Hal explained. “I didn’t want you to have to put up with any more people than you already have today.”
Jesse gave him a grateful smile and felt a flutter in her stomach in response to his kindness. He opened the passenger door of the car, and Jesse stepped in, allowing it to close it behind her. It was not a moment before he was in the driver’s side and had turned on the car.
“So,” Hal started as he pulled into the street. “To your place?”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Jesse confirmed. “I’ll just pack up a few things if that’s okay.”
“No problem,” Hal said, smiling over at her. “There’s no rush, take your time.”
Jesse felt another flutter at the smile he shot her.
“Thank you,” Jesse said softly. “You know, for being so accommodating for me.”
Hal laughed aloud.
“You’re more than welcome,” he said easily. “I want you to feel comfortable with me. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that possible.”
Jesse listened to his resolute words and felt a chill roll down her spine. She could tell he was serious, and she could feel more of her walls being broken down each moment she spent with him.
In some ways, it unnerved her that he was able to so easily disarm her. But in other ways, she was extremely invigorated by the bond that seemed to be forming between them.
It was not long until they had crossed the city and pulled into the parking garage of Jesse’s apartment. Hal pulled into a spot, and Jesse stepped out of the car. Jesse still felt a little worried that people would see them, but she passed through the apartment with no incidents, and they made it to her home without confronting any fans.
Jesse was more than grateful.
Once they stepped into her place, Jesse shut and locked the door behind them, releasing a breath she had been holding. She hoped that one day she would be able to better tolerate the masses of people that seemed intent on surrounding Hal Roberts.
For now, though, she was content to take advantage of the opportunity to escape with him to a cabin far away from the crowds.
Jesse vaguely realized that she had no idea what on earth she ought to pack.
Chapter 54
Hal
Hal took a seat on Jesse’s couch and waited patiently as Jesse moved about her home gathering up various items of clothing. He was content to wait if she felt that she needed to take her own clothes. He figured they would likely have to pick something up for her anyway, like hiking boots or something of that nature, but he had nothing against her bringing her own clothes for the trip.
For the most part, he was just glad she had agreed to let him take her out there in the first place.
Hal loved his cabin. He he’d had it built for reasons just like this when he felt he needed to get away from his relentless fans and the fame that seemed to follow him everywhere. He took solace from the woods and the river near his cabin, and he had made sure to buy the land the cabin was sitting on as well as to keep unexpected visitors away.
Now, it was the perfect escape for him to spend some quality alone time with Jesse.
As if to remind him of the implications of time alone with her, his cock stirred a little.
Hal had not gotten the opportunity to satisfy himself the previous night. After he had finished with her, Jesse had fallen asleep nearly instantly. He had been amused by her half-asleep offers to take care of him, and had, of course, declined. He was content to watch her sleep and cuddle up to her on the c
ouch.
His cock, however, seemed to be less delighted by his decisions and had refused to lose its aching hardness for most of the night. Even today, it did not take more than a look at Jesse for it to get riled up and start to twitch in his pants. Now, at the idea of being once again alone with her in a secluded cabin, he could feel his cock hardening to a distracting level.
“Ready,” Hal was pulled away from the distracting state of his manhood when Jesse appeared with a small duffel bag in hand, a backpack over her shoulders, and a bright smile on her face.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely excited about this endeavor, and Hal smiled back.
“Here,” he stood, and moved over to her. “Let me take this.”
He was glad that Jesse did not protest as he took her bag and strode toward the door. He waited for her as she opened the door for him and then lingered to shut and lock it behind him.
Hal was already more excited than he had been in a very long time. He felt almost like a little boy again as Jesse led him back out of the apartment and into the parking garage.
First, Hal moved to the passenger’s side of the car and helped Jesse into the car. Then, he popped the trunk of his Jaguar with the key fob and carefully placed the duffel bag in the storage area. When it was secured, he moved to get into the car himself.
He shot Jesse a smile as he started the car, and she smiled back. Hal felt his stomach flip.
He couldn’t wait to see how this trip turned out.
Chapter 55
Jesse
Jesse felt her stomach fluttering with excitement as Hal drove them back to his apartment and took hold of Jesse’s bag from the trunk while she put her backpack on. They crossed the parking garage and made their way to the elevator, and she watched as Hal pressed the button for the top floor. She looked up at him, and he gave her an excited smile.
The elevator opened, and Jesse was immediately buffeted by the wind that was blowing across the top of Hal’s building. She looked across the roof and was mildly surprised to see a helicopter waiting there for them.
Bedroom Rodeo: A Billionaire Romance Page 59