The Truth about Billionaires (Southern Billionaires Book 2)

by Michelle Pennington

  She explored the pool house since she’d been too tired to notice much the night before. The pool house was no less luxurious than the main house with polished marble tile and thick carpets. The front wall of the bedroom was made entirely of glass doors that opened out onto the pool.

  Striding forward, Jill pushed back the heavy silk curtains and looked out at the early Texas sun. It shimmered on the surface of the pool, glinting off the tiny ripples caused by the filter. “Time for some pool-side yoga,” Jill said, knowing that taking the time to go through her ritual would help her be calm and focused.

  After changing into her yoga clothes, she grabbed her yoga mat and earbuds out of her suitcase and headed to the pool deck.

  After turning on her yoga playlist and unrolling her mat, she lifted her face to the sun, eyes closed, and drank in the morning.

  Twenty minutes later, feeling her muscles deliciously stretched and her joints relaxed, she hurried inside to shower and dress. She did not want to be late for her first full day on the job. Especially since she hoped to catch a ride with Blake.

  When she was ready to go, she went into the main house through the French doors in the back as Blake had told her to. She paused in the front hall and looked around, marveling all over at the beautiful space. The dual grand staircase rose in graceful, curving lines to the second floor with white painted woodwork, ornate, black wrought-iron rails, and deep mahogany steps. Throughout the rest of the room, from the custom trim work to a Venetian chandelier and the French Provincial architecture, there were many details to linger on. And yet, despite the formal luxury of it all, the soaring ceiling height, big windows, and light colors made it feel welcoming.

  Hearing voices to her right, she followed them and found the kitchen. Hayden sat at the island scarfing down a bowl of cereal while Blake leaned against a counter facing her with a coffee mug in his hand. They both turned to look at her as she came in and she got the distinct impression that whatever they were talking about was a point of conflict between them. Either that, or they resented her intrusion.

  “I’m sorry,” Jill said, forcing a smile. “I heard voices and wanted to let you know I’m ready when you are.”

  “Are you always so punctual?”

  “I try to be,” Jill said.

  “Only when she’s trying to impress her boss, I’d bet. Especially when he’s rich and single,” Hayden said, smirking at Jill.

  “Hayden, I’m not her boss.” Blake said, his tone sharp.

  Hayden shrugged and took her bowl to the sink. She dropped it in, making milk splatter over the counter, then said, “Doesn’t change the fact that she was doing yoga in tight clothes in front of your bedroom window this morning.” She picked up her backpack and threw back one more word over her shoulder, drawing out each syllable. “Des-per-ate.”

  Jill flushed at the contempt in the young girl’s words. She didn’t say anything though, figuring there was no good way to respond. It didn’t matter anyway. Hayden was gone.

  Blake cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about her. Please disregard everything she said.”

  “Okay,” Jill said, though she could feel the awkwardness of Hayden’s comments hovering between them.

  “And, um, for the record, I didn’t see you doing yoga. Please don’t hesitate to continue.”

  Jill quirked an eyebrow at him.

  “I mean, I know you aren’t doing it to impress me or anything, so don’t let Hayden ruin it for you.”

  “Does she always have this kind of response to women you work with?”

  “She’s been rude to Ivey before, but I don’t bring people home from the office very often. And when I have dinner parties, she keeps her distance.”

  “Hmmm,” Jill said, thinking that amount of resentment must come from somewhere. It was none of her business though.

  “Want some coffee before we go? Or a muffin?”

  “Both would be lovely,” Jill said, looking over at the fancy bakery box on the counter. “Those look amazing.”

  “They taste as good as they look. I have a box delivered every few days, and I take the rest into the office.”

  As he spoke he opened a long drawer and motioned to an enormous selection of Keurig cups.

  Jill pulled her insulated mug from her bag and selected her favorite coffee. In the minute it took to brew, Blake busied himself with transferring stacks of papers and his laptop to his leather case.

  Jill added cream and sugar to her coffee and picked up the box of muffins. “How about if I just carry these out?”

  Blake smiled. “If you’d like.”

  “I’m not ready to choose yet,” Jill said. “Too many yummy choices.”

  Blake chuckled and led the way to the front door. “You seem to have the same trouble with men.”

  Jill struggled to keep her cool. They hadn’t even left yet and he was already teasing her about this? Well, she could dish it out too. “Why are you so interested in my dating life?”

  “I’m not. I’m just trying to figure you out.” There was a pause while he opened the door. “You are rather important to my business at the moment you know.”

  Really? Was that all it was? Jill rolled her eyes, wishing she could read his mind. Rick waited for her by the car, holding her door. She gave him a friendly hello and got in, planning to ignore Blake by talking to his driver again. Blake, however, launched into a question about business and kept her focused on it for the whole drive.

  By the time they arrived at Square Towers, she had to admit that the man was extremely intelligent. Like all Type A personalities, he knew what he wanted and expected to get it. Working with him would be a challenge, but Jill was determined that he would never catch her at a loss.

  That was the reason for her awake senses and alert mind when she was around him. It had nothing to do with the way his deep blue eyes seemed to see straight into her soul, or the sort of wistful frown on his masculine lips when he was thoughtful.

  Jill was no fool, though, and realized that being in close contact with Blake all day, every day, would be a mistake. So, after riding up the elevator with him, she said, “Let me know if you need me for anything,” then walked in the opposite direction of his office.

  Which, she quickly realized, was shortsighted of her since she had no idea where she was going. She probably looked like an idiot. Now she’d have to turn around and find her way back to Blake. Or at least find his personal assistant, which would be worse since the woman clearly didn’t like her. Jill didn’t even know where her desk was going to be since they’d still been trying to figure it out yesterday.

  But then she heard a voice that stopped her short. It was the creeper from the meeting the day before. She searched her mind for his name. Trevor Walton.

  She moved to the open door of a conference room and saw that he was on the phone. As much as he made her skin crawl, she was determined to get to know him. Like it or not, part of her job was deciding whether or not he was the right guy to be running Gourmand’s Fine Chocolate.

  Still trying to decide how she could inconspicuously wait for him to get off the phone, she nearly jumped when someone behind her spoke her name.

  Turning, she saw the older man from the meeting, the president of Elysian Ice Cream, Marty Dunn. She recovered quickly and held out her hand. “Good morning.”

  “Is it?” he asked gruffly while shaking her hand.

  But Jill caught the slight, humorous lift at the corner of his mouth. “I intend for it to be. By getting some work done.”

  “But you’re waiting to talk to Walton?”

  Jill shrugged. “It’s on my docket.” Then she smiled. “But I also need to talk to you.”

  “Pfft. Figures. Now I won’t get anything done today.”

  Jill followed him to his temporary desk.

  “Tell you what—I’ll just pull up your reports to go over and sort of…listen in while you work. And maybe ask you a few questions.”

  Mr. Dunn didn’t respond, but that
didn’t mean he objected, so Jill sat her bag down in front of his desk and dragged a chair over.

  For the rest of the morning, she worked, listened to Mr. Dunn running his business, and waited for a chance to speak to Trevor Walton. He still managed to startle her, however, when he pulled a chair up next to her and sat down.

  Jill looked up from her laptop at Trevor’s handsome face and arrogant expression. “Getting a lot done today?” she asked, knowing full-well he hadn’t. From snatches she’d heard of his conversation, he’d been wheeling and dealing with someone about a custom motorcycle he wanted and arguing with some girl named Tisha.

  “Yes. A very productive day. I’d love to discuss it with you over lunch.”

  Mr. Dunn rolled his eyes at Trevor and turned back to his computer screen. Jill looked back and forth between them since she’d thought about inviting the crotchety old man to lunch, hoping to get him to relax a little over food and open up more. That could wait, though, and her gut told her that Trevor was the one she needed to focus on right now.

  “That sounds nice, but let’s keep this professional. I’ve had problems with men getting the wrong idea about business lunches before.”

  Trevor let his eyes drop to sweep over her figure. “Can’t say I blame them.”

  Jill rolled her eyes and stood, allowing her to look down on him. “Are you stuck in the sixth grade, Mr. Walton?”

  He stood as well. “I’m just saying—”

  “Well don’t. Get your testosterone under control and meet me at the elevator.”

  Jill walked away without giving him another chance to talk. She considered letting him cool his heels by the elevator for the next hour while she went down to see what there was to eat at the small cafe in the lobby. But like it or not, she needed to see if there was any reason to keep this man around. Maybe he had some hidden talent for business, and maybe she could teach him proper respect for his female co-workers.

  After a stop at the ladies’ room, Jill walked toward the elevator, her confident stride faltering when she saw Blake heading there as well.

  Trevor stood at the elevator waiting, and when he saw Jill, he hit the button to call the elevator. Jill glanced at Blake, who looked back and forth between them, a question in his eyes. Why did he have to be getting on the elevator just now? She knew his opinion of her would not be helped by this and decided to explain her motives in being friendly with this man, even though her instincts were sounding alarms.

  The door opened and Blake and Trevor both stepped back to let her go first. After she went in, they stepped to either side of her, and they all faced the closed door as the elevator descended.

  “I was going to make sure you were getting something to eat today,” Blake said, and Jill knew he was addressing her, though he didn’t look her way. “But I assume that’s where you and Mr. Walton are going.”

  “Yes. Do you have any recommendations?” she asked coolly, though her insides were lighting up as they always did around him.

  Blake opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Trevor said, “Don’t worry. I know just the place to take her.”

  The elevator doors opened. “I’m sure you do,” Blake said. Then Jill saw a muscle jump in his jaw as he stepped out of the elevator and strode out ahead of them.

  Chapter Six

  Saturday morning, Blake woke up with a sense of relief. At least today, he wouldn’t have to face riding to work with Jill where he’d have to keep up a steady conversation of business to keep from asking her the question that burned inside him like a smoldering chunk of coal. Why was she spending so much time with Trevor?

  The day before, he’d stayed late at the office and had Rick drive her home then come back to get him, just so he wouldn’t be tempted to give her the third degree. He acknowledged that he still would have been annoyed if it had been someone else, but Trevor made him uneasy. He had credited Jill with better judgment than to encourage someone like him. True, she’d only gone to lunch with Trevor one other time that he knew of, but all too often if he needed Jill, he would find her at his desk or him at hers. He wanted to warn her, but after his unwise comments about her social life the other day, he didn’t think she would listen anyway.

  Maybe a weekend at the ranch would help him get over it. It always relaxed and focused him to do dirty, physical work and be around his animals. The part he was looking forward to most, however, was spending time with Hayden. Her attitude was always better out at the ranch, and they got along well for the most part out there. She’d be leaving home soon, and he felt a rising sense of dread that maybe he was failing as the only parental figure in her life.

  It was going to be a blisteringly hot day, so Blake decided to start the weekend the way he always did during the summer—with a swim.

  Changing into swim trunks, he stepped onto the deck outside his bedroom and headed for the stairs that descended to the pool courtyard below. He paused when he saw Jill doing yoga and let his gaze linger on her slim but curvy form as she stretched out on her mat—strong arms supporting her, legs stretched straight behind her, and butt up in the air.

  He swallowed hard and almost turned back around, but this was his pool. He was darn well going to use it whenever he wanted. Even if a beautiful woman in skin-tight clothes was contorting her body nearby. Even if that woman annoyed the fire out of him.

  Jill hadn’t looked at him, and when he realized she had earbuds in her ears, he didn’t try to say hello. He just went to the deep end of the pool and dove in.

  The cold water rushed over his body, both shocking and refreshing. He swam back and forth across the length of the pool a dozen times before he hauled himself out and sat on the edge of the pool to catch his breath.

  It took a moment to wipe the water from his eyes, but when he could see clearly, he realized Jill was sitting beside him. She still had her yoga clothes on, but she dangled her feet in the water next to him.

  “Man, that feels good,” she said. “How do you keep the water so cold? I expected it to feel like a bathtub in this heat.”

  “I’ve got a heat pump that keeps it a consistent temperature all year. I like it at eighty-two degrees.”

  Jill laughed and splashed the water with her toes. “I always like seeing how billionaires spend their money.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. And I give this pool two thumbs up. It’s gorgeous.”

  “But it sounds like you haven’t tried it out yet.”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t want to impose.”

  Blake laughed. “It’s a pool, not my bedroom.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to suck them back in. What happened to the filter on his mouth when she was around?

  She grinned at him. “So, pool, yes… bedroom, no?”

  “You know I just meant one is a private space and one… not so much. Did you bring a swimsuit with you?”

  “I never go anywhere without one.”

  “Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it on.”

  Jill tilted her head to the side, thinking about it. “Why not? Be right back.”

  She stood up, her feet sloshing as she pulled them out of the water. When she was gone, Blake closed his eyes against the growing brightness of the morning sun. “What are you thinking, man?”

  But when she returned wearing a black swimsuit with a deep v-cut neckline that was only marginally pulled together with black laces, he knew what he’d been thinking. Of course, the logical part of his brain hadn’t exactly been consulted.

  Jill walked over and sat next to him again, and Blake quite literally felt his pulse speed up. “Aren’t you going to get in?”

  “Are you?” she asked.

  Blake smiled. “I already swam my laps.”

  “Come on. I don’t want to swim by myself.”

  Blake rolled his eyes, but just to tease her. There was no way he wasn’t swimming with her. He slid back into the pool, making sure to splash her in the process.

  “Yikes! That�
��s colder than I thought.”

  “Come on,” Blake said. “Don’t be a baby.”

  Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled. She resisted for just a moment, then gave in and slipped into the water. She went under and kicked his leg as she tried to get up to the surface again.

  Grabbing the side of the pool, she gasped and said, “How deep is it here?”

  “Ten feet.”

  “That was a bit of a shock.”

  He laughed. “Hope you aren’t one of those girls who doesn’t like to get their hair wet.”

  “Lucky for you, I’m not.”

  She turned to face him then and put her hands on his shoulders. The movement caught him by surprise, so all he could do was tread water and try to figure out what to do with his hands. He had a strong urge to slip them around her waist and pull her close. Is that what she wanted? Was she putting the moves on him?

  But before he got any further with that thought, Jill pushed down hard on his shoulders, dunking him below the surface. He was too shocked to do anything but sink, even after he went too far down for her to keep pushing on his shoulders. He was just starting to plot his revenge when she pulled up her knees, planted her feet on his shoulders, and pushed him further down.

  Unable to stop it, he let out a heave of air, that would have been a laugh out of the water. As the last of his oxygen left him in a column of bubbles, he kicked for the surface, all too aware that Jill was swimming to the other end of the pool.

  After taking a couple of deep breaths, he swam after her. He cornered her at the other end of the pool, catching her just in time to block her from escaping up the steps.

  She was laughing so hard she wasn’t able to mount much of an attempt at escape. Bracing his arm on either edge of the pool, he stared down at her.

  “That was a dirty trick.”

  “I couldn’t help it. And you deserved it.”