Romance: The Billionaire Alpha Collection (25 page)

Chapter 3

After a numerous cups of tea at the homestead catching up with my mother and her family, I drive into the town of Cider Springs to find the small hotel that was booked for me over the weekend.  I would be staying at the homestead but most of Timothy’s family is staying there and I wouldn’t have felt comfortable.

But as it turns out, I have to share with one of the family members anyway.

When I enter the town, I drive past a couple of the locals and they stare at my car.  I guess they would know every car in town, so I wave my hello.  They nod slowly in return.

As the there are only three streets in the town, I find the hotel quickly.  It is behind the local store and next to the only bar. 

The hotel is small with only six rooms and it looks like it hasn’t been updated for thirty years.  The red brick hotel seems like it could have been the inspiration for many horror films.  The sign out the front flickers there is NO VACANCY and I’m sure that hasn’t been used in a while.

The town of Cider Springs is pleasant.  Picket fences line the streets, the town’s people walk slowly and there is a vibe of quietness around here.

Horse ranches and cattle farms surround the town and those are the industries that drive this place.  Most of the locals work on a ranch or on one of the farms.

I park my car and slowly enter the hotel front door.  I guess I could live in the quiet country again one day.  I would like to think I would retire to the countryside, after I have built my career in the city. 

As I enter the hotel, I hear a familiar voice.  Standing at the front desk are the broad shoulders of Jackson Steele.

“I don’t think you understand,” Jackson’s tone is impatient, “I will pay you whatever it takes to get another room.  Money is not a problem for me.  Name your price and I will pull out my platinum credit card.”

“No Mister, you don’t understand,” the lady behind the counter is firm, “We are all booked up.  I don’t know what happens where you’re from, but I’ve made these bookings months ago and I am going to honor them.  If you wanted your own room, you should have fixed that up before now.  No amount of money is going to change that.  In the country, we honor the commitments we make.  That is the right thing to do.”

“I don’t care about any of that.  I have a lot of money and I can make you very rich.  I’ll pay you whatever you want.  You could earn more in one night, than you could earn in the entire year.  Tell me how much you make in a year, and I’ll charge it to my card.”

She shakes her head, “You don’t understand, Mister.  Your big city money doesn’t matter out here.  In the country, we look after each other and honor our commitments.  I don’t care how much money you have to flash around, this is what has been booked and this is what will happen.  I don’t want your money.”

Jackson groans, clearly frustrated. 

“What’s wrong?” I ask sheepishly as I enter the room.

Jackson turns to look at me, “We have to share a room.”

He is blunt and upset. He must think this is my fault.

I shrug my shoulders to the lady, “I’m sorry about him.  He’s a city boy.”

The lady behind the counter laughs but Jackson clearly does not appreciate the dig. 

“This isn’t very good service,” he says.

“Again, I apologize.  I’m the person that has to share a room with him,” I roll my eyes.

The lady behind the counter provides a consoling smile.

“Here you go dear,” she hands across an oversized key for room number six. 

“Thank you very much,” I smile.

I walk out of the room and Jackson angrily follows.

Chapter 4

The musky smell hits me as I walk down the narrow hallway.  I think someone could hide a dead body down here and no one would find it for months. 

“This end of the hotel hasn’t seen much action over the last few years,” I say over my shoulder.

He doesn’t respond. 

He’s still probably pouting.

I place the oversized key into the key-slot and heave heavily against the door, trying to pry it open, but it doesn’t budge. 

Damn.

I slam my body against it but again the door doesn’t open.  I try again but nothing happens.  The door is jammed shut.

I look up to Jackson’s strong frame and smile at him. 

He doesn’t return the smile.

Instead he sighs, and guides me to step away from the door…

Slam!

The door swings open.

Impressive.

“Ladies before gentlemen,” Jackson waves me into the room with a patronizing tone.

He follows me into the room but both of us stop as the soon as we enter.

Oh, no.

This is not good.

There are only two rooms in the place – a bedroom with an undersized double bed in the middle, and a small bathroom off to the side.

“Where’s the other bed?” he says, “There were supposed to be two beds.  One for me and one for you.”

“I don’t think there is another bed.  I think this double bed is it.  This room is so small you couldn’t even fit another bed in here,” I reply.

In the main room, there is a double bed small enough to pass as a single, a sink with a kettle next to it and a television.  There isn’t even a couch in the room.

“We are not sharing a bed,” he says angrily, “That is not what is going to happen tonight.”

He is so bad-tempered and firm. 

Prick.

He could at least pretend to like me.  It’s only a bed.  I’m sure he has spent a lot of nights next to women he doesn’t know. 

Maybe I’m not good looking enough to spend the night next too.

“You’re reputation won’t be ruined out here,” I remark, referring to the fact that I am not a model.

“I’m going back to reception.  This is not good enough,” he storms back out the door, “I’m going to sort this out with that woman.  Her country ways might be all high and mighty but I am going to change her mind.”

I watch him leave and then place my bag on the bed.  Out of all the people I had to share the room with, why him?

“
This is not good enough
,” I try to mimic his voice, “
My money can buy everything but I can’t buy charisma
.”

I smile to myself as I take out my clothes. 

I sigh again and go into the bathroom to freshen up.  But after I finish freshening up, Jackson is standing in the bedroom with his bag.

“Well?” I ask, “Did you get another room?  Or is your precious money worthless out here?”

Jackson glares at me.  He didn’t appreciate that comedic remark.

“The lady has gone and reception is closed.  I called the number but there was no answer.  What sort of hotel closes its reception this early?  That is extremely poor service.  I can’t believe this hotel is still open.  No business should be run like that.”

“I don’t think you’re the target market of this hotel.”

“It doesn’t matter.  I should get what I want.  That’s the way things work.  I don’t take no for an answer.”

“So what happens now?”

“I am worth more than a billion dollars - I am not sharing a bed with some girl I don’t know.”

“Would it help if you paid me?” I quip.

His eyes light up.

“No!” I reply firmly, “You and I are now brother and sister.”

“Not by blood,” his demeanor changes.

“No,” I reply again firmly, leaving no room for argument.

There is an awkward silence between us. 

“And who cares how much you are worth?” I continue, “That doesn’t give you any right to treat that receptionist so rudely.  The way you treated her was unacceptable.  You should be nice to people and treat them with kindness.  You never know, if you were nice to her she might have helped you out.  I bet that she has never had a ruder customer.”

“I wasn’t being rude,” he responds, “I merely wanted decent service.  Sometimes that means you have to be firm.  You have to be prepared to push the boundaries to get what you want.  That’s how you succeed in life.”

“Whatever,” I brush his comment off.

“Right,” he says with a tone that makes me pause.

“What?” I ask.

“You are one of those types of girls.”

“What
type of girls
?”

“You never say yes to anything new.”

“That is a stupid comment.  I have never heard anything as stupid.  Not only are you an arrogant prick, but you think you can judge me as well?  You are so rude,” I slam my bag on the floor, “How could you conclude that anyway?”

“I can see it in your eyes.  You like your safety and you’re afraid of experimenting in your life.  Your life is full of stability.  You hate being presented with new opportunities and you always say no to any changes in your life.  I think you would have your whole life planned out in front of you and when something doesn’t go to plan, you don’t know how to handle it.  Your life is plain.”

“No it isn’t,” I defend myself even though I know it isn’t true.

“Yes, it is.  Your life is plain because you’re afraid.  Your confidence is so low that you are afraid of getting out of your comfort zone just in case you’re hurt.  You’re too afraid of change.  You poor little woman,” he belittles me.

“You’re wrong,” I defend myself again.

Deep down, I know it is true. 

I don’t say yes to anything new.  I don’t like change in the world around me.

He smiles, “You never say yes.”

“That’s stupid.”

“If you said yes to something new, you might open your mind a little.  You might actually enjoy life if you said yes to something new.  If you want to succeed then you have to take a risk in life.  Be adventurous and challenge yourself.  Go wild.”

“Don’t be so rude.  That is a ridiculous thing to say.  What a stupid statement to make.  I hate that you think you can judge someone like that.  What gives you the right to judge me?  You think that life is all about success and you have all the answers?  You are wrong about me, and I bet you are wrong about life.”

“We all judge each other,” he continues, “Except I am the only one brave enough to say it.  You have already judged me but you’re just too scared to tell me what you think.”

“You’re wrong.”

“No, I am not.  I am never wrong.”

Arrogant prick.

He continues, “And I am not wrong when I tell you that you are a stunningly beautiful woman.”

What?

He’s playing with me.

My fists are clenched in anger but I feel my face blush with redness.  I look away from Jackson, trying not to show that I enjoyed his compliment.

Damn.

Don’t give me compliments like that.  My willpower is not that strong.

“You have a sexiness about you that is rare.”

He confidently moves towards me.

“You move with sensuality and you speak with confidence.” 

I back away from him.

“Everything about you turns me on.  I have never met a woman like you.  All the women I meet are fake.”

I walk into the wall behind me.

“You have a sensuality about you that is tantalizing.  ”

Oh no.

There is nowhere else to go.  A slow smile creeps over Jackson’s face.  His pupils are dilating.  His eyes are locked onto my body.  He knows he has won.

My mind stops thinking.

“Our parents are getting married tomorrow,” I blurt out.

What a stupid thing to say!  Why did I say that?

“It would appear so,” he says, “And they should be very happy together.”

I am frozen.

He stares at me. 

I can feel him undressing me with his eyes.  Stop it.

“I need to brush my teeth,” I rush out of the room.

Once in the bathroom, I lock the door tightly and fall against the hard wooden door.

My heart is racing.

What does he think he is doing? 

Why would he do that? 

Our parents are getting married tomorrow!

We can’t be sleeping together the night before their wedding… can we?

I take a few deep breaths and I nervously get ready for bed. 

Does he want to sleep with me?  I don’t do that.

I am not ready for that.

I have never slept with a man on a first date, let alone someone I know nothing about. 

But maybe he is right.   Maybe I should say yes to something new in my life.  Maybe I should take a chance.

After I have spent fifteen minutes in the tiny bathroom, I begin to think about what to do next.  I can’t spend all night in here.  I have to go back out to the bedroom where he is waiting. 

But what does someone wear when they are going to be sleeping next to a handsome billionaire?

I definitely did not pack for this occasion.

Telling myself that it’s definitely not for his benefit, I slip on my best underwear, and slide an old loose t-shirt over the top.  It might not be fit for a billionaire but it is what I am used to wearing when I go to bed. 

I spray a puff of perfume on my neck before I leave the bathroom.

Slowly I creep the bathroom door open. 

Jackson has switched out the lights and is already under the covers, lying on his back. 

I can’t see what he’s wearing. 

What if he’s naked under there?

Anxiously, I slide under the blankets.

“Good night,” I say softly.

“I hope so,” he replies.

Here I am, in a country hotel with a billionaire New Yorker sleeping next to me.

As we lie in bed side by side, his leg brushes against mine and my heart skips a beat.

Oh no…