Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe_The Billionaire's Code

by Aliyah Burke

  Once the phone was shoved back in her pocket, she swiftly mounted Gypsy. “Can you pull yourself up behind me?”

  “Of course.”

  Arrogance strung along his tone and she hid her annoyance. Leave it to a man who completely needs help to play it off as if she was asking something stupid. Another reason why I’m single.

  She pressed a steadying hand along Gypsy’s neck as he swung up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her mare twisted an ear back and she muttered an encouragement. She knew how Gypsy felt about carrying two people, it wasn’t her favorite thing to do.

  With a gentle touch, she asked her mare to move.

  The man behind her held tight and she swore buried his face into her neck and took a whiff of her. “What’s your name?”

  His voice was temptation pure and simple. She shifted slightly on the saddle and wished she wasn’t out in the cold rain with a hot ass man but inside somewhere with him. Naked. Limbs entwined. “Jules.”

  “Short for?”

  “Nothing. My name is Jules. Jules Tarrington.” She felt grateful she was in front of him, so she couldn’t burrow against his back and smell him to her hearts delight. It was good she was in front of him, or he would be able to feel the diamond points of her nipples. Probably even through his leather jacket.

  “You’re cold,” he stated, inching closer.

  She gulped as he splayed one large hand along her belly and prayed to whomever up there listening that she didn’t make a fool of herself as they rode. “I’m fine.” She fell quiet for a moment. “Let me know if you’re feeling dizzy or anything. The last thing you need now is to fall off a horse and hit your head again.”

  Her phone vibrated and she almost jumped from the shock. Digging it free, she answered with a, “Yes?”

  “Where are you?” Ward demanded.

  “Nearly back. I have him with me. Before you head out to grab his bike and remove the tree, call Doc Venable and have him come out. I think this guy’s got a bit of amnesia.”

  “So, you’re out there on a horse with a man you don’t know? Bringing him back here?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous Wade, I couldn’t very well leave him out here in the rain.” She hung up before he could speak another word on it.

  “Who’s Wade?”

  It had to be in her mind because she swore there was a bit of proprietary claim in his tone. “A man I work with and a great friend.” Again, with her mind playing tricks on her, she inhaled sharply at the tightening of his hold around her waist. Thankfully, Gypsy minded her manners which with her was always a crap shoot.

  A mixed feeling seemed to seep in as she rode up to the main house. She felt glad about having this man with her and she also felt disturbed about feeling glad. She swung her leg over and slid down to the muddy ground. “Come on, let me get you inside, and dried off while we wait for the doctor.” She looped the reins over the hitching post before the house.

  His gaze snapped between her and the post.

  Yes, I have one in front of my house. Man, get over it.

  “I promise a good rubdown for you, Gypsy-girl. Just give me a bit.” One final pat on her shoulder and Jules led the way inside her home. Water dripped off her and the man following behind.

  When the door clicked behind him, she took a sharp breath and angled her body so she could see him. Then beyond him, she spied a truck pulling up to the house.

  By the post, Gypsy shifted and rolled her eyes at the approaching vehicle.

  “The doctor is pulling up. Take a seat over there in the kitchen and he’ll check you out.” She pivoted on her heel and moved by him to go meet Doc Venable.

  “Wade called me about some stranger you picked up along the road.” The doc tugged on the brim of his rain hat. “Haven’t we told you about bringing home strays?”

  She blew him a kiss and waited for him to get out of the rain by joining her on the porch. “You know me, can’t help it. I’ll always stop to help those who need it. Come on, I have him waiting in the kitchen for you.” Jules introduced him and stepped back to let him check her unnamed guest. She didn’t want to leave him alone, regardless of having work to get to.

  Once Doc Venable checked him out, she got him to a guest room and told him to shower and rest. They would wake him later and go from there.

  Walking out with the doc, she shivered as a new wave of cold rain hit her. I can’t complain, I left my horse out in this. “What aren’t you telling me about him, Doc?”

  The man looked down at her and shook his graying head. “He’s not playing, he doesn’t remember who he is and until we get his stuff, we’re not going to know his name. It would be a lot worse had he not been wearing a helmet. I could see some slight bruising on the left side of his head.”

  “That’s the one that had the branch on it. Do I need to take him to a hospital?”

  “No, keep an eye on him. Wake him every so often, you know how to handle these types of situations. And, as usual, if it appears he’s not responding or getting worse, call me immediately.”

  Jules nodded her understanding.

  “And get yourself out of the rain before I’m called back for you.” He climbed in his truck and drove away.

  She listened and after ensuring Gypsy was taken care of, she trudged through the continuing downpour to the warmth of her house.

  And her mystery guest.

  Three steps from the door and a familiar rumble filled the air. She turned to see Ward returning the bike in the trailer.

  So much for being able to get dry.

  Perhaps, she would be able to find out about her guest. Jules went back out into the rain and sighed as she was again, hit by the cold water pouring down from the heavens.

  Chapter Two

  Something was wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something wasn’t right. He stirred and cracked open his eyes. Nothing looked familiar. At all.

  A dark blue comforter covered him and the bed. He gazed around, one light on in the room and a stack of clothes sat on a chair nearby. A button-down flannel shirt, jeans, and a pair of thick socks to go inside the heavy boots.

  Realizing how close to naked he was, he pulled on the clothes, grateful for the extra layer of warmth. He frowned again as he looked down at his outfit. This was off. Nope, didn’t feel correct at all.

  Still a bit unsteady, he went to the dresser and stared at his reflection.

  Who am I?

  The face staring back at him looked unfamiliar. There were the beginnings of a black eye and a cut on his cheek. Looked like he’d been in a fight. Or beaten up, he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t pull a name from his memory banks other than Rex. Yet, even that sounded slightly odd to him. A nickname perhaps? He scratched his jaw and blinked. This feeling of not knowing wasn’t pleasant at all. For whatever reason, he believed he preferred to be in control at all time.

  Noises from behind him had him turning toward the nearly closed door.

  Perhaps his answers were out there.

  Walking up the hall, he paused at the edge of the living room. Two cats played with a cardboard box and each other. At the other side of the room, stood a woman. He couldn’t explain the relief surging through him when he laid eyes on her. Her, he recognized.

  Jules Tarrington.

  Wife maybe? Possibly girlfriend. She was his, and that fact felt right to him.

  She stood at the counter, one foot propped up on a chair rung beside her. With her jeans taut over her ass, it kicked his libido into high gear. Her smooth dark caramel skin looked delectable and he longed to run his tongue along it.

  Surely, she could help him with his confusion. After all, by his body’s reaction to hers, and his recognizing her, they must be together. Or had been at one time but again, that didn’t seem right. She was his and he, hers and that was all he really knew. A scowl hit him as he spied the man on the other side of the counter laughing with her.

  He moved toward Jules, his physical response growing with each s
tep taken. She peered over one shoulder and he was instantly lost in the green-gray eyes she possessed.

  A smile turned up her full lips. “You’re up. Wonderful. I was just going to come check on you.” She wiped her hands off on a rag then headed to him. “How are you feeling?”

  He strode to her and with a brief glance at the observing man, he claimed her lips.

  There was no guarantee that he’d ever heard bells before when kissing someone but he sure as hell heard them now. Her soft lips parted beneath his pressure and he slid his tongue past them to tangle with hers. Her flavor flooded him, reminding him of crisp apples on a lovely autumn day. Possessiveness rumbled through him and he curved his arms around her, drawing her closer to him. Craving more of this delectable contact.

  She sagged into him, hands spreading over his chest, nails raking lightly along his shirt.

  Damn, he could kiss her forever.

  The clearing of a throat had her drawing back.

  He felt confident had he not been holding her to him, she would have bolted like a jackrabbit. Why he wasn’t sure. Her incredible eyes had gotten darker and swirled with passionate desire.

  “I’m feeling much better, Jules. Thank you.” He set her gently away from him, eyes locking on the man at the counter who watched with a mix of disbelief and shock.

  Jules touched her lips then dropped her hand as if she had burnt her fingers.

  In that second, all he thought about was pulling them to his lips and kissing the pads.

  “I see that,” she muttered, continuing to move back from him. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes.” He followed her to the counter and stared once more at the other man there. Tall, built. And far too close to Jules. “Who are you?” he questioned with authority.

  The man cocked an eyebrow and said, “Ward. Have you remembered your name yet?”

  So, not knowing his name wasn’t anything new around here. “No.” He looked around the room, disappointed that nothing else looked familiar. “So, you don’t know who I am?” His question, he directed to Jules.

  “Sorry no. I found you out in the rain and brought you home.”

  A calico cat wove between his legs, purring as it moved. He barely paid it any attention, remaining focused on the woman beside him. “I had no identification? Anything?”

  “Not that I found. We had the doc check you out and he didn’t recognize you either. So, you’re not from around here. Look, you had an expensive helmet on but the bike wasn’t even close to that. Same with your jacket, it cost a lot. Our guess. You were jumped after you took a spill but the tree crashed before they could finish the job. Not positive but it’s a working theory. Do you remember the doctor?”

  Vaguely. Impatience nipped at his heels telling him he wasn’t at all a man used to waiting. For anything. “Yes. And the name Rex is familiar.”

  Jules shared a look with Ward before nodding. “Rex, it is.” She finished the rest of her juice. “I have to go. You want to work, see Ward and he’ll get you something to do. Otherwise, make yourself at home. The cats won’t bother you too much if you stay in here.”

  “I’ll work.” Did he feel like it? No. but he wasn’t about to have the Ward guy telling Jules he sat around all day.

  “Don’t push it.” Her words were accompanied by a pointed look to both him and Ward. She headed out, depositing her glass in the sink on the way.

  Ward said, “You need to eat something then meet me outside the barn closest to here. Unless you’re just staying inside.” Then he left as well.

  Rex stood in the kitchen and gazed around. This wasn’t familiar. Surely, I can cook. He wasn’t positive about that, however. After scrounging through cupboards, he found bread and made toast. Then he went to the door before going back and cleaning up after himself. Outside was beautiful. Barns, fenced areas with horses milling about along with a lingering morning mist and a view of the mountains. A small building with the sign reading, Office over it sat between two of the four barns.

  Ward didn’t keep him waiting long and showed him to a row of stalls. “Clean.” He slapped a rake looking thing into his hands and pointed to the red tub. “When it’s filled, dump it in the large thing behind the tractor.” He strode off, his cowboy boots making very little sound as he moved. “There are gloves on the bucket,” he called out.

  Is this man kidding? Rex curled his lip as he stared into the open stall at the sawdust mixed with horse shit. He yanked the gloves on and ground his jaw, refusing to give in. No way would this Ward guy get one over on him.

  Hours later, he was tempted to throw in the towel. He stank and he was so unbelievably sore. It was painful to move. However, the barn stalls had been cleaned and new sawdust added where needed.

  He could say that Ward hadn’t hovered, the man had come by twice. Both times, he’d left a bottle of water for him. Outside, the rain poured down and he wondered about the horses out in the mess.

  Seconds later, he realized he didn’t give a crap. He wanted a shower and clean clothes. He removed a glove and rubbed the back of his neck. Menial labor sucked. This couldn’t be what he did for a living. He imagined sitting in an office with people to do things for him.

  “Rex.”

  He spun around.

  Ward sat on the tractor. “There’s food in the office. Help yourself. I’ll be in soon, gonna empty the spreader and bring the horses in. Close the door behind me.”

  He waved his acknowledgement. Then as Ward drove out on the loud beast, he walked the aisle to close the door and paused, again struck by the beauty of the place. Sure, it was raining but he couldn’t deny the majestic view. Towering pines, open fields, and fenced areas with jumps.

  There were three more barns and his body immediately rebelled at the thought of cleaning more stalls. Swinging his gaze to the office, he stepped out in the rain and while he felt grateful it cleaned off his sweat, it was cold, so he jogged to the office’s blue and white door.

  Entering, his breath hitched.

  Jules had gone from cute cowgirl to beautiful and sexy. Tight tan pants, tall shiny black boots, a crisp white shirt with a black vest over it. At the moment, she was putting on a jacket.

  All of her curves made available to his hungry gaze. Full breasts and hips his hands itched to grasp as she lay beneath him. Or rode him.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Henderson. We look forward to meeting you and your son tomorrow,” she said as she finished buttoning up her jacket.

  It hit him suddenly that she was on hands free.

  Jules glanced at him, a smile lifting the corners of her lips, eyes soft and inviting. She ended her call. “You doing okay? Not overexerting yourself, are you?”

  “Do I look like someone who can’t handle physical labor?”

  She faced him slowly and rested both hands on the desktop. “You look like a man I rescued from being under a tree recently. A man who was supposed to take it easy.”

  He grimaced, realizing how much of an ass he’d sounded. But he wasn’t about to apologize.

  “Eat if you want.” She pointed to the stuff on the sideboard. “Or not. Since you don’t look like man who’s gone hungry a day in his life.” Swiping a black riding helmet, she went out the door.

  Okay, so he wasn’t in as good of shape as Ward but he wasn’t fat by any means. Regardless, he loved her fire.

  Chapter Three

  Jules relaxed against the stall of her stallion Conquistador, affectionately called Con.

  He leaned over the half door and nuzzled the tight bun her hair had been yanked into.

  “He’s driving me crazy,” she admitted aloud. A bit startling to do so, she wouldn’t even admit it to Ward. But the horses were different. There was no judgement from them. “It’s been a week now. He still doesn’t know who he is. I can see the change in him, he’s in much better shape now. And we have all these little moments where we almost kiss or something like that and oh, God. I’m losing my sanity.” She rested her head against Con’s strong
neck. The familiar scent of the horse filled her, settling her unease. “I’m starting to have dreams about him.”

  Vivid, explicit ones.

  Adding Rex into her life had been fine workwise. He’d gotten better as his strength and endurance grew day in and day out. However, it was playing havoc on her senses. “It’s almost like he believes himself to be above this kind of work.” She’d seen him his second day looking as if he were royalty and this all was completely beneath him. “Or did. He does better now and is fitting in with the other workers. I hear them laughing and joking all the time. he’s respectful to the women who come here. And great with the children.”

  Con whickered and she nuzzled closer. She loved this horse. “My sleep is suffering.”

  “Jules!”

  Groaning at the interruption, she turned to find Ward heading for her. “What?”

  “Martin Phoenix is demanding to speak to you.”

  Rolling her eyes, she hugged Con once more. “Is he in the office?”

  “Yes. That man’s an asshole of the highest caliber.”

  “Typical behavior of one who wants to buy what we have. Back up, boy,” she crooned to Con as she moved him back to shut the rest of the door. “I’m on my way.”

  “Want me to come with?”

  “Nope.” She wasn’t going to be intimidated.

  Rex was talking to the mail lady, smiling and charming her.

  Figures. She strode over the hard packed ground to the office and stepped inside, disgusted with herself that anything he did bothered her. “Mr. Phoenix, I hear you requested to speak to me.”

  “I’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes,” he growled.

  Because you’re the only one who has things to do. “Then I would suggest you make an appointment. I know you think we do nothing here at Petrichor but let me assure you, we keep extremely busy. So, from this point on, should you require any of my precious time, I must insist you make an appointment or I will be unable to accommodate you.”