The Billionaire From Dallas

by Simply BWWM

“I decided to get ahead instead of taking time off.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  “So, if you’re not here about the car, what are you here about?”

  “Do you remember what I said while we were in the hotel?”

  I remember every moment, she thought, but she shook her head instead.

  “I told you I would take you on a real date, and I’m here to do just that.”

  “I’m not dressed for dinner.”

  “I’m not taking you for dinner.”

  Her heart fluttered. Was he serious?

  “I don’t know if I can leave for that long.”

  “I’ll give you double what you would have made.”

  “I’m not about that.”

  “Deena, I want to show you the world you deserve. You’ve worked hard for everything you have; let me spoil you. It’s only a week.”

  She closed her eyes, trying to convince herself that it was a bad idea. She had responsibilities and a life to lead. She couldn’t be living a fairytale, even if it was only for a week.

  “You know what? Screw it. Yes. Let’s do it.” She opened her eyes. “I’ll go with you.”

  “Perfect. Let’s get packed up, and we’ll leave right away.”

  She looked at the clock.

  “Do you think we can book a flight and make it in time? Maybe we should leave in the morning?”

  “Just trust me. Go home and pack and get ready for a nice dinner, and I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

  “An hour? I’m not going to be packed by then.”

  “What do you need to pack?”

  “Clothes, toiletries, you know, my things.”

  “Skip the clothes,” he said, and her stomach clenched.

  She remembered what he’d said about clothes.

  “I’m packing clothes,” she said defiantly.

  He shrugged.

  “You do what you want. I’ll see you in an hour.”

  He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then left almost as quickly as he’d appeared. She looked at the clock, then hurried to lock up and get home. The clock was already ticking, and she had a lot to do.

  She knocked on Tamika’s window when she got home, waiting impatiently for her friend to come to the door.

  “What’s up?” Tamika asked.

  “I’m going out of town for a week, and I need help.”

  “Are you in danger?” Tamika asked, looking panicked.

  “What? No. Jake came to the salon, and he’s taking me on that real date he promised.”

  “For a week?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “That’s one hell of a date.”

  “I have an hour to get ready, and I need your help.”

  “I’m on it. What do you need?”

  “I need you to pack for me, and I was wondering if I can borrow your dress.”

  “The dress?”

  “Yep.”

  Tamika’s eyes widened, and she smiled.

  “You can have it,” she laughed. “I have a feeling I’m not going to want it back when you’re done with it.”

  “Shut your mouth,” Deena laughed. “I’m going to hop in the shower. I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

  “I’ll be up in a hot minute,” Tamika said, all but singing as she went down the hall to get the dress.

  Deena was in the shower and out in record time, but when she looked at the clock, she was down to her last fifteen minutes. Walking around her room in a towel, she checked out the clothes Tamika had packed. A generous mix of Deena’s clothes and some of Tamika’s, she would have a different swimsuit to wear each day, and a dinner outfit for each night. She hoped it was enough, but Jake hadn’t been very forthcoming with information on what they would be doing and what she needed to bring.

  She half believed that he really was going to confiscate her clothes, and she wasn’t even mad about it.

  Tamika helped her into the slinky dress with a slit that went up to her thigh on each side. It was a warm, deep red with wide straps and a plunging neckline.

  “You’re going to have to skip the bra,” Tamika said. “Do you have any panties in black or red?”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  “What?”

  “I’m not planning on wearing any.”

  Tamika sucked in a breath, then shook her head.

  “You’re playing with fire,” she said.

  “You’re right,” Deena laughed. “But I can’t think of a man I’d rather go down in flames with. I’ve dreamt of a vacation on a tropical island with a billionaire. I’m not about to let this opportunity pass me by.”

  A knock sounded at the door, and both women jumped, then looked at each other. Tamika hugged Deena close, then held her at arm’s length and smiled.

  “I know you’re going to be fine, but be careful.”

  “I will.”

  “I’ll see you when you get back.”

  Deena opened the door, surprised to see a smartly dressed man she didn’t recognize standing there.

  “I’m here for Ms. Deena Harris,” the man said. “Mister Berrington is waiting at the car.”

  Deena turned and looked at Tamika, who gave her a thumbs-up in encouragement.

  “That’s me,” she said.

  The man took her bag, and Deena followed him out of the apartment and into the parking lot.

  A stretch limo waited for her, and Jake stood by the back door with it held open. When he saw her, his lips parted in surprise. She knew then that she’d picked the right dress for the occasion.

  “You look stunning,” he said, helping her into the limo while the driver loaded her bag. “I’m also impressed to see that you only packed one bag.”

  “I wasn’t sure about the bottle sizes on my toiletries.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Really? What about security?”

  “Also, not an issue.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “You have no idea, but you will.”

  His hand was on her thigh, his eyes on her. He leaned in and captured her mouth with his. The kiss was short and sweet, and her heart fluttered long after his lips had left hers. She was nervous and excited all at once.

  “Where are we going for dinner?”

  “The airport,” he said, laughing when she looked at him in shock.

  “Is there a whole world in plain sight that I just don’t know about?”

  “Something like that,” he laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m going to show you my world, and I’m going to rock yours while I’m at it.”

  Chapter 20

  The driver guided the limo right onto the tarmac, parking next to a large private jet.

  “What’s this?” Deena asked.

  “It’s a Lineage 1000E.”

  “A what? No, I mean, what are we doing on here?”

  “This is our plane.”

  “Did you charter a plane for us?”

  “No,” he said, getting out of the limo and helping her out. “I own it.”

  “Wow.”

  “If you think that’s great, wait until you see the inside.”

  He held out his elbow to her, leading her up the stairs and into the plane.

  “Oh, wow, this is, oh my gosh. There’s a sofa and a TV in here.”

  “Come on, let’s sit down so we can take off, then I’ll give you a tour, and we’ll have dinner.”

  “On the plane?”

  He cupped her cheek, kissing her soundly and smiling.

  “I think I’m going to enjoy this more than you will. It’s fun to see my world through your eyes.”

  He led her to one of the large, recliner-style chairs, then sat in the one facing her. Across the aisle, there were two more chairs facing each other, and each chair had its own window.

  “You know, I’ve only been on a plane once, but it was definitely not this comfortable.”

  “These chairs flatten completely to make beds.”

  “Wow. Too bad the flight isn’t l
onger.”

  “You wouldn’t need it anyway.”

  “Why not?”

  “There’s a queen bed in the master suite, and a walk-in shower.”

  “Is that all?”

  “And a dining room.”

  “This is amazing.”

  She pulled up the shade on the window, watching as they took off and the city of Dallas faded away into the sunset. When the seatbelt light turned off, Jake led her through the next small room, which was a dining room with room for four and another sofa with a television affixed to the wall.

  At the end of this space was a door, and behind that door, a queen bed and a dresser that ran along one wall.

  “This is amazing,” she said, taking it all in.

  “I’m glad you like it. Dinner will be ready soon. I hope you like Italian.”

  “I do,” she said.

  “There’s nothing quite like a sunset dinner at forty-one-thousand feet.” He pulled her close, setting his hand on her hip and holding her tight. “I love this dress. You look amazing.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I can’t wait to show you the island. This week is about you. You went through so much, and I just want to show you what life is like with me without the constant risk of death.”

  “But why?” she asked, then wished she hadn’t.

  Did she want to know the answer?

  He sighed, holding her tight and burying his face in her neck with a gentle kiss.

  “Because I like you, and I want to get to know you. I want you to get to know me. I don’t want to be too forward and say that our relationship got off to a rocky start, but I felt something between us, and I hope you did too.”

  “I did,” she said. “And I do.” She looked up at him, deep into his blue eyes, and smiled. “I really thought you were just going to go back to your old life and forget about me. I had it handled, but I would be lying if I said that I didn’t miss you. Things were crazy, and last weekend seems like eons ago, but I felt safe with you.”

  “Feeling safe is a good start.”

  “It’s more than that, but I’m not sure I’m ready to just put it all out there. This is new territory for me.”

  “It is for me too.” There was a pleasant, soft chiming sound over the intercom. “Dinner’s ready.”

  They went into the dining area, the lavish meal already laid out, the privacy door closed.

  “This looks lovely,” Deena said, sitting down beside Jake.

  “I hope this is the best first date you’ve ever had.”

  “Almost,” she said, smiling.

  “Almost?”

  “It’s really hard to top being swept off my feet and out of the path of a killer.”

  Jake laughed.

  “When you describe it like that, it does sound just a little romantic.”

  “So, how is everything going with all that? Are they going to jail for life?”

  “The justice system is never that swift. They’re in jail, but I think they’re going to cut some kind of deal with Pat Barkman.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s worked for some of the most untouchable, wealthiest men in the country. With her help, they’ll be able to nail dozens of men that would otherwise go unpunished for the lives they destroyed.”

  “They’re going to let her walk away just to catch other criminals?”

  “Oh no,” Jake laughed. “She’s going away for the rest of her life. She’s just going to spend it in a minimum-security prison in West Virginia the locals call ‘Camp Cupcake.’ She’ll never get out, but it’s almost two hundred acres of manicured grounds, and the inmates live in cottages.”

  “That doesn’t seem like a fair trade. She’s a cold-blooded killer.”

  “Who has a lot of information about a lot of people. No matter what, she’s lost her freedom. It could be worse. Agent Reeves said he’s seen them put people like Pat Barkman in Witness Protection instead.”

  “Contract killers?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow. That’s terrifying. So, why didn’t she rate protection if she’s that valuable?”

  “She used her knowledge from being a Medical Examiner to kill people in ways that helped her fly under the radar. Then, she used her position to cover her tracks. Not to mention the fact that they’re going to have to throw out a lot of old cases because of her. It was the best that she was going to do, and she was smart enough to take it. The District Attorney weighed his decision carefully, but in the end, they couldn’t grant Pat Barkman her freedom. She’s a depraved human being.”

  “As long as I never have to see her again.”

  “It took some doing, but I managed to convince them to move forward without you having to testify. They have all they need and more, and with you only seeing how she walked and not her face, the defense lawyer would rip you apart on the stand anyway.”

  “That’s good, because I don’t want to be in the same courtroom with her. I don’t know if I’d be able to sleep at night after that.”

  “I couldn’t get out of it, but it will be at least a year before they go to trial, and there will be a lot of trials. Agent Reeves told me that Pat Barkman had already provided them with twenty names and the specifics of the people they had murdered.”

  “She killed twenty people?”

  “No, she’s been hired by at least twenty. They estimate that she’s killed upwards of fifty. When they told her that they believed she’d killed at least fifty people, she said that they aren’t wrong.”

  “That’s horrifying. What about Frank?”

  “He’s doing really well. And the FBI offered him a position.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. Turns out he’s one hell of a hacker, and he can build a computer out of next to nothing.”

  “It seems like everything worked out in the end. You managed to stop Oakfield, and he’s never going to be Governor, and a prolific contract killer is off the streets. It’s really a win-win.”

  “What about you? Do you feel like things worked out for you?”

  “I’m on a private jet with a billionaire eating the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life, and I have a new car. I would say it worked out pretty well.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way. I have a lot of surprises for you. I hope that I can make you happy.”

  “You do. This night, this trip, it’s all so magical.”

  “You haven’t even seen the beach yet.”

  “I don’t have to. Jake, you’re an amazing man, and I am really glad I met you.”

  “Even under the circumstances?”

  “With or without you, I would have been walking down that road at night, alone. It wasn’t the smartest choice, but it was the only choice I had at the time. There’s no telling what kind of fate you saved me from, even if Pat Barkman hadn’t been there to kill you. Everything happens for a reason, and as crappy as that night started, I’m glad I met you. Nothing will ever change that.”

  “It’s good to hear you say that, because I was afraid you wouldn’t want to come with me. Passion is an easy place to go when adrenaline is running high. I wasn’t entirely sure that you liked me beyond appreciating me saving your life.”

  “How could you doubt it?”

  “You did pull a gun on me,” he joked.

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Really?”

  She elbowed him playfully.

  “I won’t be if you keep messing with me.”

  An attendant appeared out of the other room, collecting their plates, then setting a ramekin in front of Deena, then one in front of Jake. When she brought out a small torch and set each dish aflame, Deena jumped back in surprise. The flame was gone in an instant, and so was the attendant.

  “I take it you’ve never had Crème Brule before?”

  “Not on fire, no,” she said.

  “You’ve never tasted anything as good as it being made the traditional way.”

  He dipped his fork into the dish,
then held it to her lips so she could try it. She opened her mouth, then moaned when the dessert touched her tongue.

  “This is amazing,” she said.

  “You are amazing.”

  They chatted over the rest of dessert, then wine, and Deena was struck by how down to earth Jake really was. He was wealthy and used to certain privileges, but he was real. She knew that she could take him at face value and be seeing the real him.

  That meant more than she realized now that she was sitting there with him. All the promises in the world didn’t matter when they were just promises. But Jake…Jake was a man who kept his word.

  When the lights dimmed, and the gentle voice of the Captain came over the intercom to let them know they were landing, she almost wished that their flight wasn’t over. But they were landing soon, and Jake was about to whisk her off on another adventure. She knew that the week was going to be over in the blink of an eye, and she planned to cherish every moment.

  Chapter 21

  Jake led Deena down the boardwalk that ran from the landing strip all the way to an overwater bungalow. The landing strip was only about a half-mile from the water, and the walk was pleasant. The air was warm, the breeze off the ocean perfect, and the sky filled with stars. The full moon shone bright on the white sand, lighting their way down the path.

  “This is amazing,” she said, her fingers threaded through his as they walked.

  “Wait until you see the inside.”

  “What about the rest of the island? Are there more bungalows?”

  “Not on this side of the island. The staff and kitchen areas are on the other side of the landing strip. We have this side all to ourselves.”

  “What about our bags?” she asked coyly.

  “If we need them, I’ll have them sent over.”

  A shiver ran up her spine when he said the words. She remembered his promise, and she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to “need” her clothes.

  Jake stepped in front of her, sweeping back the turquoise drapes that served as a door and switching on a light.

  There was a walkway down the middle and around all the interior walls. But it was the middle of each section that caught her attention.

  “Glass floors?” she said, delighted at the colorful array of fish that swam right up to the open spaces.

  “Not glass,” he said. “The water is just that clear. The bungalow floats, so it rises and falls with the tides, and the water won’t ever come in, but the fish are always able to come up. Put your hand in. They’ll investigate with a little nibble.”