The Billionaire From San Diego

by Susan Westwood

  “I didn’t say I’ve never seen him. I said I am paid to take care of the horses and anything else is none of my business.”

  Kelissa turned to look at Manuel, but he was already bent over, cleaning out Scout’s hooves without bothering to show her how. She shrugged, looking back to the gate, but the car was gone and so was David.

  Manuel’s words played over and over again in her head. Now she was even more curious about the mystery man, and she was starting the think that David was keeping something big from her.

  She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she’d learned long ago not to ignore it. Something was going on, and she was going to find out what it was before she got caught up. She was here to live out a lifelong dream, not get swept up in someone else’s mistakes. David was going to tell her what was going on, or he was going to have a fight on his hands. She didn’t like being lied to, and something was definitely going on.

  Chapter6

  It was almost three in the morning when David finally returned, the loud engine of the Camaro waking Kelissa from a fitful sleep, the headlamps lighting up the driveway as the mysterious man dropped David off. Kelissa rolled over in bed, looked at the clocked and decided that she would deal with the situation in the morning when she’d had a good night’s sleep. The ball was that evening, and it wouldn’t do her any good to show up with bags under her eyes. She needed her sleep, and now that David was home and she knew he was safe, she would be able to get some solid rest.

  But she was fooling herself, and within a few minutes, it was apparent that she wasn’t going to be able to sleep with this weight on her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling he was hiding something, and she couldn’t let it go.

  She wrapped a robe around herself and slipped her feet into her house shoes, then padded down the hall, through the den and into the kitchen. David was sitting at the bar, eating a sandwich and quietly watching TV on his phone.

  “You’re still up?” he asked when she walked into his line of sight.

  “I was worried about you.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m not sure if I agree with that.”

  He set his phone down and looked at her, his brows furrowed.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about your visitor today. Is there something I should know about?”

  “No,” he said flatly.

  “That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.”

  “What do you want me to tell you? He’s an old friend and I asked him to stop by. I wasn’t sure when he was coming, and he had a small window of time to hang out.”

  “Then why did you go stiff when you saw him as if you were shocked to see him?”

  “I was surprised to see him because I had arranged to meet him for lunch later today, but he showed up a day early. I thought something had happened.”

  “Did something happen?”

  “He’s fine. Everything is fine.”

  “Then, why do I feel like you’re hiding something from me?”

  “Because you’re paranoid?” he teased, then got serious again when she didn’t laugh. “Look, I thought you wanted a casual relationship where we both do our own thing, and we meet in the middle when it’s convenient. Has something changed? I’m just trying to figure out why my friend coming to talk to me is any of your business and something for you to be so concerned about that you stayed up until three to interrogate me.”

  His words hurt, the accusation clear. He pretended to be joking when he’d said she was paranoid, but the truth was that he was actually being honest. He thought she was acting paranoid.

  “Fine,” she said, pulling away when he reached for her. “I’m sorry that I overstepped my bounds. I’ll see you when you’re ready to leave for the ball.”

  “Kelissa, don’t be like that. I’m not saying that you can’t ask, but don’t you think waiting up until three to ask me about my friend is a little much?”

  “I didn’t wait up until three,” she shot back, her voice getting louder as she got more agitated. “The damn Camaro’s engine woke me up. My room faces the gate. I’m going to hear people coming and going, even if that’s not convenient for you. If you don’t like it, maybe I should move into the stables with Manuel and his family.”

  David’s eyebrow shot up, but he said nothing. He took a bite of his sandwich, watching her as he washed it down with a swig of beer. His calm demeanor infuriated her, but she held her tongue. She was tired, and she was emotional. Now was not the time to discuss this. She might find herself shipped back to Iowa on the first plane out of San Diego.

  She wasn’t going to risk her dream, even if she was sure he was lying.

  “You know what, you’re right,” she said.

  “That sounds terrifying.”

  “It’s too late for this ish. I’m going to go back to bed, and I’m going to get all prettied up for the party and I’m going to be the best arm candy you’ve ever taken to the ball. But I’m not going to stand here and listen to you dance around my questions like I’m some blonde airhead who can’t think for herself. Something is going on, and if you don’t want to tell me, you’re right, you don’t have to. We’re bed buddies; nothing more, and maybe less. I’m sorry I acted like a concerned girlfriend. That was stupid of me.”

  “Kelissa, wait,” he called out, but she was already out of the kitchen and walking toward her suite as fast as her sore legs could carry her.

  Wearing heels all night was going to be torture, and she might have to rethink riding lessons, at least the day before a fundraiser. That was if she didn’t have to rethink her entire plan. If she couldn’t trust David, she couldn’t stay with him. She was going to have to go home or find another way to live her dream.

  She heard him following her, but she closed her door and locked it, slamming it hard enough to be satisfying. She wasn’t a fool, and he wasn’t going to charm his way out of this.

  “Kelissa, open the door, please.”

  “No,” she said, taking her robe off and kicking off her shoes. “I need my rest or you’re going to have a zombie on your arm tomorrow night. We’ll talk about it when we’ve both had some rest. I’m just too tired for this right now.”

  “What do you want me to tell you?” His voice was surprisingly clear through the heavy door. “I met with my friend to discuss an issue I’m having with a former business partner. I didn’t want to make you nervous because it doesn’t involve you. I wanted to make sure I covered my ass and part of that was upgrading the security system at the beach house.”

  That caught her attention.

  “Why at the beach house and not here?”

  “He doesn’t know about this place. I bought this house under an umbrella company, but the beach house has been mine for a long time and used to be my main residence. He left me a note on the porch that day.”

  “What kind of note?”

  “The kind that doesn’t sound like a threat, but is.”

  “What does he want?”

  “I don’t know, Kelissa, and that’s the truth. I don’t know why he’s contacting me all these years from now, and I don’t have a good feeling about it. My friend has a security firm, and I had him upgrade everything, including putting cameras everywhere so I can see a car, boat, or human coming for half a mile. And he’s putting a panic room in the master closet.”

  Her heart sank. That sounded serious. And terrifying. Slowly, she unlocked the door and opened it, standing face to face with him.

  “Don’t you think you should call the police?”

  “People like me don’t call the police. I call a security expert, I hire another bodyguard and I weigh the pros and cons of telling you that I have a bodyguard tailing you everywhere you go or keeping it to myself.”

  “That’s creepy.”

  “I didn’t want to scare you. I don’t know what he has in mind, and I haven’t gotten anything from him since that first letter. But he came to the
beach house when you were there, and I felt powerless to protect you.” He pulled her against him and held her tightly. “I didn’t like that feeling and I don’t want to feel that way again.”

  “Why are you afraid of him?”

  “It’s complicated. I’m not afraid of him, but his associates are another story. I have worked very hard to make a good life for myself, and I don’t want him causing problems.”

  “What could he possibly do?”

  “I don’t know, but the possibilities are there. High-end real estate is entirely based on reputation. I have solid investments, and my money is handled, but he could destroy my business. Or at least take a crack at destroying it. My reputation is everything, and I don’t want you to get swept up in anything.”

  “Thank you for thinking of me, but this isn’t about me. This is about some asshole trying to destroy your reputation, and for what? Because he wants you to do something you don’t want to do? Don’t let him intimidate you. I know I’m always bothering you to spend time at the beach house, but if you think I’m safer here, I’ll stay here.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I don’t want to be alone there if this man takes things too far.”

  “I’m glad you understand.”

  “I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me.”

  “I didn’t want to scare you.”

  “I don’t scare that easily. He’s a shady business guy. I think that describes a lot of business men.”

  “Don’t be so quick to dismiss him as just shady. It’s been years since I dealt with him, but he can take things too far.”

  “Do you really have a guard following me?”

  “No. But I turned on the locator on your car so I know where you are. I was seriously considering a bodyguard, but I wanted to see how you would react.”

  “I don’t think I need a bodyguard. But, if you think I do, as long as he doesn’t make a scene I’m okay with it.”

  “It’s not like the movies; you won’t even know that he is there.”

  “Would it make you feel better?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Honestly.”

  “Yes, it would. At least when you’re not with me. I can protect you here, and this place is already pretty well protected. It’s just that I can’t protect you when you’re out alone and it makes it hard for me to concentrate on my work. I worry about you.”

  “I guess I need a bodyguard, then.”

  “Thank you for not making a big deal out of this,” he said, pulling her closer and hugging her tight. “I’ll call my friend in the morning and have him assign someone to you first thing Monday.” He sighed, still holding her. “Can I ask one more thing?”

  “Sure,” she said, preparing herself even though she wasn’t sure she could take much more.

  “Would you sleep in my bed tonight, so I know you’re safe? You have no idea how much I’ve been stressing about your safety.”

  She nodded, then followed him to his room and slipped between the sheets with him. He wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep almost instantly, but her mind wouldn’t let her sleep. He had a past, and that past was coming back to haunt him. She felt bad for pushing him, but she was glad it was out in the open, now. She’d been worrying about it since the Camaro first showed up, and she didn’t want to wonder what was going on.

  But now that she knew, she was scared. He was honest, and he had shared a lot, but it was obvious that he wasn’t telling her everything. She wasn’t going to push him again, but she knew she needed to watch her back. This man sounded like more than just a nuisance.

  If David thought she needed a bodyguard, there was no telling how far this man would go to get what he wanted.

  Chapter7

  Kelissa emerged from the dressing room, hair and makeup freshly done by Tina, the woman who’d worked with Kelissa on the photo shoot for the billboard ads.

  “I’m doing minimal makeup,” Tina had said, sitting on the edge of the makeup counter, her touch gentle yet quick. “I want the focus to be on those eyes and these luscious curls.”

  As predicted, Tina’s light touch had drawn the focus on Kelissa’s eyes and her natural hair, with just a hint of color on her lips to give her that just bitten look. Tina stood behind her while she took in her reflection in the full-length mirror.

  The jade green sheath dress hugged her curves in all the right places, but the fabric was stretchy enough that the seductive look was both eye-catching and classy.

  “David said he wanted people to notice the woman on his arm, and he’s getting exactly what he asked for and then some. Girl, you are a vision.”

  “Thank you, Tina.”

  “No thanks needed. You provided the canvas. You could go out fresh-faced in a paper sack and still turn heads.”

  “So, I’ve been told,” she laughed.

  She admired the dress, and the way thin gold thread was expertly woven throughout the fabric, making it shimmer with her every movement. Strappy gold sandals with a modest heel and a matching clutch finished off the look, but it was Tina’s attention to detail that really tied everything together.

  “I love the gold tips in place of the white on the French manicure,” she said. “You really have a knack for managing the smallest details.”

  “Thank you. Now hurry up. David isn’t known for his patience.”

  The women shared one last laugh before Kelissa opened the door and stepped into the small sitting area outside the dressing room. As expected, David was sitting there, eyes trained on the door, waiting for Kelissa to come through it.

  “Wow,” he said, his voice barely above a shocked whisper. “You look…wow.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “I do,” he said.

  She did a slow twirl for him.

  “I feel like a princess.”

  “You look like a queen. Come here, I have something for you.”

  She went to him, her smile faltering momentarily when he pulled out a small box, then she recovered. It looked like a ring box, but she knew that it couldn’t be; she felt silly for thinking it. But it was a jewelry box, and she felt giddy wondering what it could be.

  “At some of these events, they have pieces for you to wear as part of the fundraiser, but not tonight. I didn’t know which dress you were going to wear, so I went neutral. It’s yours to keep. I hope you like it.”

  He held the box out to her, then he opened it, displaying a perfect gold chain with a large diamond dangling gracefully. He carefully put it around her neck, then led her to a small mirror in the hallway. The diamond was heavy on her chest, and she wondered how many carats it was, but she didn’t want to ask. It was at least two, if not three, and it was the clearest, most perfectly cut diamond she’d ever seen.

  “It’s so beautiful.”

  “I was wrong about you looking like a queen,” he said, standing behind her and kissing her softly on the cheek. “A queen is a mere mortal. You’re a goddess, plain and simple. I can’t wait to spend this night with you.”

  “This is like a dream,” she whispered.

  “It’s your dream, isn’t it?”

  “It is. I’ve always wanted this life. I just can’t believe that it’s happening.”

  “It’s only going to get better from here.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I have another surprise for you,” he said. He opened a narrow drawer in the table beneath the ornate mirror. “When you went for a run the other day, you left your laptop on. I wasn’t trying to be sneaky; I just didn’t know you were gone. Anyway, I saw that you were looking at business cards and I took a picture of your design and had them made for you. I hope you like them. I have a guy that does them and they’re much better quality.”

  He handed her one of the cards out of the small box and waited while she looked it over.

  “This is beautiful. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I know I didn’t, but if you’re going to be at these events, you need
to have business cards in case an opportunity comes up. I just got a small sample box to start, but if you like them, I’ll have him print more.”

  “They’re really nice,” she said.

  “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

  “No, it’s not that. I’m just overwhelmed.”

  “With me?”

  She laughed, taking the small stack of cards he handed her and putting them in her clutch.

  “Yes and no. You’re wonderful, and this is so…amazing. It’s hard to explain. Things just seem to happen so easily when you’re around. I want a new phone and it appears on the doorstep the next morning. Before it’s even available to the public. I look at cheap business cards from one of those low-rate online stores and you buy me premium ones with everything on it except the website I haven’t set up yet.

  In my life, everything I’ve ever done has taken so much effort. I hustle, but it’s so much work sometimes, and I almost feel like I work too hard, you know? Here, things just fall into place, and it’s perfect. But I have that feeling that comes with newfound success. Like I’m waiting for the rug to get pulled out from under me, or at the very least, for the illusion to shatter.”

  “You shouldn’t think that way.”

  “I know that, but it’s in the back of my mind. I know the feeling will pass, but sometimes the dread I feel is too much. Maybe you’ve never felt that way.”

  “I have,” he admitted. “Maybe not to the extent that you are, but I understand what you’re saying. You’ve been taking care of yourself for so long, and now the only thing you have to do is relax and show up when you have an appointment. It’s a huge departure from your normal life, and change is scary. Even when it’s exactly what you wanted.”

  “Exactly. You get me.”

  “I try.” He held his elbow out and she slipped her arm in his. “Let’s get going. We don’t want to be fashionably late and I’ve been looking forward to this night all month.”

  “I thought you hated these boring dinners.”

  “I do. But now that I have you with me, I know I’m going to enjoy myself.”

  He led her out of the house and to the limo that waited in the circular driveway. He opened the door for her and helped her in, then slid in beside her and closed the door. When the limo eased down the winding driveway and out the gate, she took a deep breath and sat rigid in the seat beside him.