Undercover Billionaire Boss: A BWWM Contemporary Romance

by Mia Caldwell

  The Del Mar group was one of their clients. Suddenly it was making a bit more sense. Was this the hotel’s version of hush money? Something to make her go quietly, but without having to admit they were wrong about accusing her of theft.

  Raina shook her head, balling the letter up in her fist with anger. Her instinct was to toss it directly into the trash. But, suddenly, the thought of the private school Martha had mentioned near the B&B floated into her brain.

  Raina pinched herself back to reality. She was getting ahead of herself. She hadn’t even made an offer on the B&B yet.

  Yet. The corner of her lip lifted at that word. Yet. She realized her subconscious was telling her that she was indeed planning on making an offer.

  The future for them seemed so bright—if only Christopher could have been a part of it ... But no. Raina shoved that traitorous thought aside. What was wrong with her that she was still so hung up on that jerk? She sighed heavily.

  “What’s wrong Aunty?” Chantal was watching her with big eyes, playing with her long black braids.

  “Nothing, sweetie … just a lot of things I’m thinking about.” Raina decided to broach the subject on her mind. “How would you feel about moving houses?” She said with a degree of nervousness.

  She looked at her nephew and nieces and felt as though she would drown in the love she felt for them. If they were opposed to the idea, she would have to scrap it. There was no way she could uproot them again so soon after their parent’s death without their permission.

  “Where to, Aunty?” Chantal asked.

  “Why?” Crystal said in the same breath as her sister.

  “Well, I’m thinking of buying a bed and breakfast. I saw one today that I think might be a good home for us. It has an apartment on the third floor. We could all live there and I would be downstairs all the time while I worked.”

  “What’s a bed and breakfast?” Jeremiah asked.

  “It’s like a small hotel, where guests pay to sleep and eat,” Raina explained, “but instead of being big and grand like the Del Mar, it’s small and cozy, and there are only a few people who stay there, and I would be running it almost all by myself.”

  “Would I have to help out?” Crystal said, making a face.

  “Only if you want to,” Raina smiled.

  “I would like to help out over the weekends,” Chantal said. “If you pay me,” she added.

  Crystal shoved her. “We will help Aunty Raina. You don’t have to pay us.”

  “You might have to change schools again,” Raina warned. The twins shrugged in unison.

  “There’s way too much drama at the school we’re at now.” One of the girls said by way of voicing her approval.

  “As long as the new school has a soccer team,” Jeremiah said.

  “And I would get a new best friend,” Crystal said. “Shanise can go jump off a bridge.”

  “It would be wonderful if you made up with Shanise, sweetheart. It’s not good to leave without making up with her. She was your first friend here when everyone else was unfriendly.”

  Crystal had the grace to look ashamed and Raina patted her head. Still, she was glad that her little family approved of her plan.

  That night in bed thoughts of the B&B invaded her mind. They were a welcome distraction from the pain of losing Christopher. The pain went away for long periods, but when it returned, it did so with such force that Raina wondered if she would ever get over him.

  Sometimes, she remembered small details about him and the idea that she would never see him again was unimaginable.

  His easy smile, his confident stroll as though nothing in the world fazed him. The way his eyes seemed to open halfway when he was asleep.

  The nights alone were the worst. She had gotten used to having him sleep next to her, his limbs entwined with hers.

  Nothing beat waking up to a warm, hard body, and the feelings he evoked with his fingers. Raina felt a sharp longing of desire which seemed to come from her soul. She had gone so long without sleeping with anybody that sex with Christopher had seemed like a revelation.

  Christopher was selfless in bed and only after she was completely satisfied did he think of his own pleasure. Raina fell asleep past midnight, thoughts of her and Christopher making love filling her mind. He had made her feel like a proud woman. Proud of her body and the pleasure she received and got from him.

  She dreamt erotic dreams of her and Christopher, which left her exhausted and empty when morning came. Her feelings of unsatisfied desire made her feel angry with Christopher and how he had left her.

  Damn him! She would get over him even if it meant working herself into an early grave.

  14

  Kelly could never quite get used to working in Raina’s office.

  As far as she was concerned, it still belonged to Raina and she felt like an imposter sitting behind the desk. She had taken over Raina’s managerial email address and she browsed through it, going through the sent emails folder to update herself on the happenings of the last couple of months at the hotel.

  One email that Raina had written caught her eye curiously.

  It was to someone that Kelly was not familiar with, and the contents puzzled her. Raina was talking about the payments going through and that she would transfer his share to his account. She wrote about the need for secrecy and about an offshore account.

  Kelly closed her eyes and visualized Raina. She thought of her friend’s character and the person that she was.

  Her mind refused to accept that her friend would be involved in embezzling money from the company. There had to be another explanation. She picked up the phone to call Raina—there had to be another explanation, but as it rang, Roger walked in with that leering grin that made Kelly think of a hyena.

  She replaced the receiver with a heavy sigh and it clanged against the cradle.

  “Hello, my lovely.” Roger’s smile was oily.

  Kelly cringed.

  “Hello, Roger,” she said evenly, trying her best not to let on how much his presence upset her.

  He shut the door behind himself and Kelly’s muscles tightened.

  It had become a game to Roger. He came in every couple of days and had gone as far as grasping her hands with his. Every time he came into her office he got more daring and now she felt legitimately afraid for herself.

  He walked across the office and rather than sit down as he usually did, he came around to her desk.

  Kelly shot up out of her chair in fright.

  “You know that you don’t have to play hard to get. I just want to get to know you a little better,” he said in a soothing voice as though he was speaking to a child.

  Kelly thought fast. She could not afford to antagonize him, but damn him if he thought he would get rid of her too. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on end. She shivered despite her bravado. Roger took a step closer to her and placed his hands on her hips.

  “Not as meaty as your friend are you?” he murmured. “Still, I like. You have all the parts necessary.”

  “I like you too, Roger, but you’re moving too fast for me. I like a man who courts me, makes me feel special,” Kelly said. “I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl.” She was doing her best not to vomit in disgust as she spoke the words.

  He took a step back and wore a surprised expression.

  “So you like a little romance, is that it?”

  “Well yes, doesn’t every girl?” Kelly flirted, arching herself forward.

  “That’s a change, and yes I can do that,” he said, clearly pleased at the turn of events. “I’m glad to see that you’re smarter than your friend.”

  “What do you mean?” Kelly asked innocently.

  “Never mind about that. You. Me. We have a roller coaster to ride. How about dinner, I’ll pick you up?” Kelly thought of Roger in her house, knowing where she lived, and almost made a face.

  “I’d rather meet you there,” she said demurely.

  “Good girl, and I expect you to
dress up real nice.” He slapped her rump, and strode out the door.

  Kelly slumped on her chair. How long could she hold him off for? And as for wearing something sexy … well, she seriously considered renting a nun’s outfit from her neighborhood costume emporium.

  She glanced at the time. Three in the afternoon. Rather than call Raina, she decided to pop over to her friend’s house on her way from work.

  She knocked at Raina’s door that evening. Raina shrieked when she saw Kelly and enveloped her in a huge hug.

  Kelly stepped into the hallway and the living room and was struck once more by Raina’s taste. How the living room was just right, not overcrowded with furniture, and what was there had obviously been bought after a lot of consideration.

  “Hi, Aunt Kelly!” the children chorused, in between mouthfuls.

  “Hello! Oh my, haven’t you all grown big since I last saw you!” Kelly said.

  “Aunt Kelly, we’re moving to a bed breakfast.” Jeremiah offered, his mouth in a wide grin. “Will you visit?”

  Kelly raised her eyebrow.

  “Bed and Breakfast, Dumbo,” Crystal said. She pulled on his ears and he shrieked loudly in protest.

  “That’s enough, get on with your snack and settle down for your homework,” Raina said to the kids before turning to Kelly, “Cup of coffee?”

  “That would be heavenly,” Kelly answered and followed Raina to the kitchen.

  “What a nice surprise, Kelly,” Raina said as she filled the kettle.

  Kelly settled herself on one of the kitchen stools and looked at her friend glumly. She was too engrossed in her own problems to try and act cheerful.

  “What is it? Spit it out. I can see something’s eating at you,” Raina said, glancing in her direction.

  “It’s Pervy Rog, Raina … I have an idea of how he set you up,” Kelly said and proceeded to tell Raina everything that she had found from the emails sent from her official work email address.

  Raina snorted. “Good God. Would I be stupid enough to contact someone I was stealing with using my office email address?”

  “I know! That’s what I thought!” Kelly agreed, indignant on behalf of her friend. “I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  Raina sighed. “It doesn’t matter now, I’ve moved on.”

  “Still, I would feel better if your name was cleared from any wrong doing. Besides I have a feeling that I’ll be next in line, and I’d like to have proof about what a sleezeball he is to protect myself. So far I’ve managed to keep Roger at bay,” Kelly said and grimaced.

  Raina handed her friend a cup of coffee and sat down next to her.

  “I’m supposed to go on a date with him this evening, what am I going to do? I thought I was being smart, but now I’m thinking I’m a moron.” Kelly cried out.

  “How did that come about?”

  Kelly made a face. “My grand idea of keeping him at arms’ length,” she said, and proceeded to tell Raina the whole story.

  “Oh Lord, I’m sorry Kelly, I just wish there was something we could do. It’s all so wrong. Everything that Roger did to me, he’s now doing with you.”

  “I know but I’ll think of something. Actually I think I already have. On the way here, I thought of installing a hidden camera in the office. Catch him in the act of sexual harassment.”

  “And then what? He’s the owner’s uncle; they won’t do anything to him.” Raina pointed out while rolling her eyes.

  “I have to try! I can’t just sit and do nothing.”

  “I’m just worried about you. Who knows what that creep will do?” Raina shuddered.

  “Well … do you have a sexy dress I can borrow?” Kelly held up her hands when she saw Raina’s face. “It’s all part of the plan, I swear.”

  Raina looked at her pointedly. “I doubt we wear the same size.”

  Kelly laughed. “Well, that’s fine—so it will be a little looser in the front and behind than it is on you. The point is to entice him, not have him jump on me.”

  “I have just the dress.”

  They made their way to Raina’s bedroom and began sorting through her closet, tossing dresses on the bed that were under consideration.

  Kelly continued the conversation from earlier now that they were out of earshot of the children.

  “You’ve decided on the B&B then?” she said. “The kids are okay with it?”

  Raina clapped her hands together. “I have! And they are. It’s got the most beautiful views and it’s owned and run by this very nice lady called Martha. My lawyer is working out the details of the deposit and other payments.”

  “That’s so exciting! You’re one brave lady, Raina. I don’t think I’d have the guts to do something like that. I’d be scared to death,” Kelly said. She paused and looked at her friend, her eyes glistening. “I’m so proud of you.” Spontaneously, she wrapped Raina in her arms.

  Raina returned her embrace and laughed. “Thanks, I have to say that I’m nervous as hell.”

  “You’ll make it Raina, if anybody can do it, you can.”

  “I need that vote of confidence.”

  They were silent for a moment and then Kelly asked the question that was the elephant in the room.

  “Have you heard from Christopher?” Kelly asked softly.

  Raina shook her head and the pain she felt was evident in her eyes.

  “Not a word, and I don’t expect to. He’s gone. Well, who gives a crap, right? Planning for the B&B is keeping me busy. I think of him less and less.”

  “What a shame. You were so happy and he was a great guy—apart from the clothes,” Kelly said, wrinkling her nose. They both laughed at that.

  Kelly slipped into a dress that Raina held out to her. “Well, try this one on for size—see how it looks.” Raina said.

  When Kelly looked at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t believe the person staring back at her.

  “Raina! I look gorgeous. I never knew I could look this good! I even have curves,” she laughed. “I think this dress molded to your shape.”

  Raina laughed, “You look beautiful. Pervy Rog will be drooling into his napkin.”

  Kelly grimaced, remembering the reason for their mission. “You have to go and ruin a special moment for me, don’t you?”

  She looked at her reflection again. The red dress clung to her hips and then flared out at the bottom. She loved the off shoulder design and how her skin glowed against the red fabric. It had a sort of pin-up vibe that Raina’s more playful clothes tended to have.

  “Thanks so much Raina, I really needed to vent,” Kelly said.

  “Oh you’re welcome, anytime,” Raina said.

  They hugged each other once more, squeezing tightly.

  Kelly left Raina’s house twenty minutes later, feeling like the most alluring woman in the state. She got into her car and made her way to the town. The Meridian Hotel was certainly not what she had expected from Pervy Roger. It was a mid-priced hotel and there was nothing particularly special about it.

  Roger seemed like the type to frequent five star hotels like the Del Mar for everything. She gave her car keys to a valet and made her way in to the dining room. She saw him as soon as she entered and his greedy eyes immediately roamed over her body.

  Kelly stifled a giggle. If only Raina could see the look on his face! He looked like he would eat her for dinner. He stood up when she got close.

  “You clean up great.” He was purring. “Who knew what a sexy little thing you are behind those drab suits you wear to work,” he said by way of greeting.

  Kelly raised an eyebrow. Drab suits? She let it pass; fighting the urge to let him know exactly how much she bought her “drab” suits for.

  She smiled instead and let him pull out a chair for her. To her annoyance, he pinched her ass and she swiped his hand away like it was a stubborn fly. His action put her on guard immediately. She was glad they were in public.

  “I’ll order for us,” Roger commanded and proceeded to order some kind
of steak for both of them. She wasn’t surprised by his bossiness and the fact that she had zero interest in him, made her sit mutely.

  He poured out the wine for her and she noted that he had already downed half the bottle.

  Great. Now she would have to fight off a drunken Pervy Roger.

  They made small talk but he couldn’t seem to maintain the conversation for long periods without making gross comments about what he would like to do to her.

  “How soon can we get out of here? We can continue the party at my place upstairs,” he said with a smirking smile he must have thought was alluring.

  She watched him with mounting disgust. He had a bulbous nose that was somehow pointy and crooked at the same time. It towered over his oily face and was framed by his lank, oily hair. The deep wrinkles caused by decades of cigarette smoke did not help his appearance either.

  “I like being courted, Roger, it’s so romantic and it builds up the passion for later,” Kelly said, afraid that her smile may have appeared as a grimace.

  “I’ll play along,” he said with a cold look that shook Kelly. “But I expect a good reward in the end, I’m warning you.”

  Kelly tried to repress a shudder.

  After dinner, Kelly made her excuses and left, expecting that he would offer to walk her to her car. He waved her off from where he sat, pouting that his night had not gone as planned.

  She was glad for it but also a little miffed that he could not bear to leave his glass of whisky behind. He had switched to harder drinks after emptying the wine bottle.

  The following day, Kelly got to work earlier than usual and set about installing a camera in her office. She found just the person to do it. It would have to be done early in the morning, as Roger rarely showed up before nine o’clock. It was too risky to try it while he was around.

  Kelly was on edge all day expecting him to show up any time with that leer of his. He did not frighten her as much as he had before now that she had a plan and she knew that it would work. All she had to do was be patient and wait for him to harass her in her office. It was as predictable as the sun rising in the east; she only had to wait for him to make an appearance.