Her Brilliant Cowboy Billionaire (Billionaire Bachelor Cove Book 5)

by Erica Penrod

  “You ready?” Jamon swung up in his saddle. He seemed lighter than before, less bogged down than yesterday. She hoped it was because of what he’d shared with her, to know she wanted to be there for him. More likely, his happy demeanor stemmed from the fact that Waylon had boarded the plane over an hour ago and was on his way to Texas.

  “You bet.” She kissed to Butterscotch and they headed out of the barn. The indoor arena was completed a couple days ago, and now the landscaping around the outside of the barn and arena had begun. Hired men and women moved the earth, created mounds, and planted greenery that complemented the natural habitat of the Seattle.

  They headed west, down the gravel road and towards the heavy vegetation of the back five. Thick-trunked trees with leaves bigger than her hand and huge ferns grew in abundance. They came to an opening where the trees had been cleared wide enough for the two horses to pass through side by side.

  Gemma inhaled the fresh, clean scent of nature. She was glad she’d worn a long-sleeve shirt, since the sun barely broke through the heavy foliage and the temperature was several degrees cooler in the shade.

  “I love how you did this.” Gemma gazed around at the moss growing on the trees.

  “This was one of the first projects I worked on. I wanted to bring my horses through here, but I wanted to make sure they wouldn’t get injured. That’s why I had the paths cleared.”

  “Well, it’s perfect.” They moved in silence as the horses kept their heads down, keeping at their own slow and steady pace.

  “Up this hill and to the right, there’s something I want to show you.”

  “Okay.” Gemma was thrilled to see Jamon so carefree again. Any trace of sadness over his brother seemed to have evaporated in the humidity. “What is it?”

  “Just wait and see.”

  The horses took the incline, and Gemma giggled as her backside slid to the edge of the saddle. “Never done this before.”

  “Hold on to the saddle horn. Butterscotch knows what he’s doing.”

  They reached the top, where the ground leveled out, but Gemma’s heartbeat rose when she saw the surprise. “Serious?” She gave him a slanted look from beneath her ball cap. To the right was a gorgeous redwood dining table set for two, with silver lids covering the plates. An elegant floral arrangement done in yellow and pink roses served as a centerpiece. The table stood on an Oriental rug, and two upholstered wingback chairs, a lighter shade of blue than the rug, were on either side of the table. Her heart continued to beat at a quick pace as happiness radiated throughout her body. She grinned and bit her lip. The thoughtfulness behind the surprise touched her in ways she hadn’t expected. It was as if Jamon’s feelings for her, his desire to plan and prepare these surprises for her, communicated directly to her heart without need for translation. Maybe it was an occupational side effect, but scheduling and planning someone else’s life was her job, and the idea that Jamon had done this for her meant more than she could put into words.

  “Here, we’ll tie the horses up over here.” There was a hitching post to the left. She climbed down and led Butterscotch over, where she wrapped his reins around the post but let enough length he could graze. “We can wash our hands there.” He pointed to a portable sink tucked in the tree line.

  “You’ve thought of everything.” Gemma walked towards the sink. She grinned as the tepid water washed over her skin, sending a warm sensation throughout her body. A few drops of soap and she lathered her hands as she thought about how spending time with Jamon seemed to wash away any pain of the past, clearing the way for a future. A future with him? A nervous excitement bubbled inside, and she had to focus on the moment and not float away on dreams of what a life with Jamon might be like. She needed to be here, to be present and experience every second. Too many times in her life, she’d missed the magic of the moment worrying about yesterday or planning for tomorrow. She needed to be right here, right now, with this incredible man.

  “Not everything. If you need to use the restroom, I’m afraid you’ll have to hold it and head back to the barn, or try the old-fashioned way and squat.”

  Gemma’s cheeks burned, and Jamon laughed. “I don’t see that happening.” She rinsed, then dried her hands on the towel hanging on the rack above the sink and giggled. “But then again, I’m riding horses, and that’s something I never saw myself doing either.”

  Jamon gave her a coy smile. “Yeah, I know.”

  She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head, trying to interpret the words behind his smile.

  He changed the subject. “If this works, maybe I’ll put an outdoor kitchen out here.” Jamon scoped out the area.

  “How about a picnic table and a fire pit?” Gemma took Jamon’s hand as they walked back to the table, loving the romantic setting and the beautiful man beside her.

  “Look who’s turning into a simple country girl.” He squeezed her fingers, and she longed to be part of his world, not just to please him, but because she liked who she was around Jamon. Gemma wasn’t giving up her identity, but rather expanding her universe. Jamon had opened a willingness in her mind and heart to try new things, to experience life unscheduled.

  “I want to show you one more thing before we sit down.” Jamon led her to a huge tree just behind the table. She gazed around, unsure about what he wanted her to see. Gemma grinned as she imagined a live band and a hidden dance floor somewhere in the forest. With a billionaire, there was no telling what might happen. She chuckled to herself, and even though she knew Jamon didn’t like to spend money frivolously on himself, she knew there were no limits when it came to people he cared about. Several times a week, he’d asked her to send someone he’d heard about a gift or flowers or even a car to a staff member’s cousin whose vehicle was totaled. Of course, she was to do everything anonymously. Jamon was giving, and that was what drew her to him.

  Jamon stopped to the side of the tree, and she looked up. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the huge heart carved into the wood with the words Jamon loves Gemma. The simplicity of the gesture reaffirmed what she already knew, that his actions were genuine and that this man had captured her heart. She gazed over at him, her vision blurred. “You love me?” Gemma tasted the salt of her tears, which she relished, knowing this wasn’t a dream. This was real, and this man was in love with her.

  “Yes.” He kissed her softly. “I do.” Nothing, not even the music playing when she’d danced on center stage, sounded sweeter than the words he’d just whispered. Jamon West loved her, and that was what she wanted to hear for the rest of her life.

  She jumped in his arms, wrapped her legs around his waist, and kissed him back. “I love you too.” Gemma gazed into the dark night of his eyes and prayed he understood the promise she’d made with her confession, that she was in love with him now and would be for the rest of her life. But in case he didn’t, she’d schedule in a daily reminder. She put her mouth on his again, binding herself to him. The fire that grew in her belly raged, and the flame grew as the kiss ravaged her from limb to limb. She clung to him as they pulled back and gasped for air.

  Jamon smiled as he stepped out from the trees into the clearing and held her tightly. He spun in a circle, she let go of his neck and let her arms fly in the air, and her heart danced.

  * * *

  “They say it will be completed in the next week, so let’s go ahead and give everyone the go-ahead for grand opening for the end of the following week.” Jamon held Gemma’s hand as they approached the nearly finished research facility.

  There was a completeness he felt with Gemma by his side that he hadn’t experienced before. He loved working with her and appreciated her talents. Her strengths complemented his weaknesses in his professional life—heck, in every aspect of his life. Jamon thought twice about what he wore, not that he could swear off boxer shorts and boots if the emergency should arise again, but he felt more confident knowing he was dressed the part in his professional dealings. He found pleasure as he witnessed Gemma discov
er the joy of riding horses, being able to give her something she’d never experienced before. Plus, she looked extremely hot sitting in the saddle with her long legs punctuated in leather boots.

  “That’s what we tentatively scheduled, so that worked out great. I’ll get the confirmations set out. I’ll contact the press and post to social media and give the event coordinator the go-ahead. I know she had the caterers on standby.” Gemma squeezed his fingers. “This is so exciting.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’ve worked hard for this. I just hope you get your homework done in time to come to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.”

  Her giggle was like bubbles of happiness floating in the air around him. “Don’t worry, I’m going to git ’er done early this week.” Jamon layered on his Texas drawl. “But you need to quit keeping me up so late at night, trying to make out with me.”

  Gemma rolled her eyes, but her lips curved into a flirtatious grin. Man, this girl had him trapped, nowhere to go, other than where she led. Jamon prayed she wasn’t aware of the power she had over him. He was supposed to be a cowboy, tough and full of grit, yet one smile from this little blue-eyed filly and he knew who held the reins.

  “You know what they say: ‘You got to make hay while the sun’s shinin’.”

  Jamon stopped in his tracks. “Did I just hear you correctly?” Just when he thought she couldn’t any cuter, the fake Southern drawl reeled him in.

  She cocked her head and raised a brow. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Scratch that, forget cute—this woman got sexier by the second.

  “You’re not the only one busy getting an education. I’ve been studying Texan terminology on the internet.”

  He pulled her to him. “Dang, woman, you’re just full of surprises.”

  “I decided that since I was in love with a Texas boy, I should try and understand half of what he’s saying—”

  Jamon kissed her until he saw stars blazing in the afternoon sky. His pulse raced as her body leaned into his, and her hands in his hair made him crave her more. Her sweet and spicy scent and the way she challenged him with her lips pushed him close to the edge of crazy. Jamon felt hog-tied and strung up over this girl, and he enjoyed every minute of it. “Did you understand what that meant?”

  She nodded as she breathed heavily. “Perfectly clear.” She dabbed at the corners of her mouth, putting everything back in order. A little groan escaped his mouth as he watched her, knowing he was a disheveled mess inside. Gemma reached up and brushed his lips with her fingers. “I love you too, cowboy.”

  He winked at her, and her eyes lit up and she sighed. He grinned, glad he affected her at least a little. He took her hand again as they walked into the building. The head contractor, Mike Smith, met them at the door, and Jamon wondered if he should worry about what his employee might have just witnessed, had he been looking through the glass—but he realized he didn’t care if the whole world watched.

  “Mr. West, I’d like to go over a couple things with you while you’re here.”

  Gemma let go of his hand. “I’ll stay here, in the reception area. I’d like to look at the artwork.”

  “Okay.” Jamon smiled, missing the feel of her hand in his. “Be back in a little while.”

  The contactor led Jamon back to the main floor laboratory area. Each floor would be dedicated to a specific research project, equipped with the latest technology with plenty of space to acquire more. Jamon had a team ready to continue on with his field of study, but there were other world-renowned doctors and scientists Jamon hoped to persuade to come to the facility and further their work here. The building was ten stories tall. No expense had been spared, and thanks to Koven, Jamon knew the money allocated was spent properly.

  Security was also top-of-the-line, thanks to the Bravo team. Jamon had been so impressed with their company when he’d first visited The Cove that he’d inquired about hiring a division to oversee security in his building. Not only were his home and horses safe, but the building was, too. The final programming would be installed by the end of the week.

  Jamon had given his approval a few weeks ago on a few changes the contractor thought necessary, and he appreciated the ingenuity of his team at bringing his dream to life. Where he’d regretted so many things about the past and felt that he’d failed in many ways, to see this place and feel the floor beneath his feet gave him a sense of accomplishment and hope for things to come. The architect met up with them and verified the changes were for convenience, nothing structural, and didn’t delay the project.

  “The equipment will arrive on Wednesday for setup.” Mike pushed back his hard hat and scratched at his forehead.

  “Good. You’ve done an excellent job.” He appreciated people who took pride in their work, like Sophia and her polished floor.

  “It’s been an honor to be a part of this project. I got a little girl that loves horses. They mean a lot to a lot of people. The work you’re going to do here will change the world for the better.”

  “I hope so.” Jamon looked down at the toe of his boot, surprised at the emotions tightening up his chest. This place was personal to him, but he hadn’t expected to be get this caught up, especially in front of someone. “That’s our goal.” He forced the air out of his lungs and cleared his throat.

  “You’ll do it.”

  Jamon regained his composure.“Let me know on Wednesday when the equipment gets here, and I’ll come down.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The smell of new construction, paint, and tile made him giddy with excitement. He’d have to rearrange a few things, but he planned to be in the lab at least two to three times a week. He and Gemma might have to get creative with his schedule to fit in public appearances, the horses, school, and now work. Luckily his girlfriend was also his assistant, because she was his top priority.

  Jamon headed back to the front area to find Gemma, maybe steal her away for the day and buy a helicopter. He’d planned to purchase one anyway and they could tour the area in celebration, take a look at the facility from the sky. Besides, a helicopter would make commuting a breeze.

  He whistled his favorite Chris LeDoux tune, “Look at You Girl,” as he walked back.

  The reception area was empty, and Jamon shoved his hands in his front pockets as he looked around. No sign of Gemma anywhere. Maybe she went to the restroom. Jamon thought he’d try out the new sofas still wrapped in plastic. He sat down, pulled the phone from his pocket and sent Gemma a text saying he was waiting for her. He looked at the pictures on the wall, and every one of them reminded him of Gemma. He’d never look at another piece of art without seeing her face and how she could see beauty in squiggly lines. He laughed to himself, thinking maybe he was like a squiggly line and maybe most people didn’t understand him, but Gemma did.

  He put his hands on his knees and tapped his foot on the floor. Ten minutes later, he checked his phone again—nothing. Jamon walked down the hallway, even called into the restroom, but no one was there.

  “Have you seen a woman, a tall redhead, anywhere?” Jamon asked a couple workers who passed by. There was always the possibility she was caught in a trance as she stared at a painting, unable to hear or see anything but the picture in front of her. He smiled to himself at the thought.

  “No, sorry, Mr. West.”

  Maybe she went out to see the landscaping. Jamon went out the doors and looked to the left and right. Clouds filled the sky and looked heavy with rain. He walked north, all the way around the building. Gemma was a grown woman and he was sure she was fine, but it was so unlike her to leave without letting him know or answer when he called her phone.

  Jamon went inside, deciding she must’ve toured the building on her own, and felt stupid for not thinking of that sooner. Inside, he wished someone were here to show him how to use the intercom system, which he hoped was already up and running. Ten floors were too many for him to check out himself. Maybe he should be patient and wait for her, but when it came to Gemma, he wasn’t always in control
of his emotions. Despite common sense, his pulse picked up as he began to worry.

  The front doors opened and Jamon looked up, disappointed the person wasn’t Gemma. But the man might be the next best thing. “Oh, good. You’re just the person I need.”

  Eddie Slate, the lead on his Brave team, filled the area with his broad shoulders and “don’t mess with me” presence. “What can I do for you, Mr. West?” The man’s voice was as deep as his biceps were thick. Jamon was glad Eddie was on his team.

  “Call me Jamon, and I lost my girl—I mean, I lost my assistant. I’m sure she’s just on another floor, but she’s not answering her phone and I don’t know how to use the intercom system.”

  Eddie nodded. “Follow me. The intercom isn’t up yet, but the security cameras are. If she’s in the building, we’ll find her.”

  Jamon followed the man and tried not to feel intimidated by his size. They stopped at the first door on the left. Eddie typed in the code and the door lock clicked open. “I’ll give you a copy of all the codes when we finish up. Only a limited number of your staff and mine will have access.”

  “Thank you.”

  The door opened, and Eddie waited for Jamon to step inside. The room was unlike anything Jamon had ever seen before except for in the movies. He’d thought futuristic technology was just Hollywood, but clearly he was wrong. One wall was a massive screen divided by live footage of each floor. Relief came over him. They were sure to find Gemma now.

  “What is your assistant’s name?” Eddie sat down in a black leather chair.

  “Gemma Stonewall.”

  “Computer, locate Gemma Stonewall.”

  Jamon’s brows furrowed as the screens rotated and there was no sign of Gemma.