Kissing a Billionaire

by Hart, Taylor

  Well, dang. Penny should have known better than to agree to anything Mimi schemed up.

  It didn’t sound too bad, though. She could check out the local shops, attend a resort crafting event, and talk to some random people. The dating aspect of it, though . . . That was trickier. She rubbed her forehead, wondering how to meet someone date-worthy. Then the brilliance of the entire situation struck her. It was only for ten days! The guy didn’t have to be someone amazing whom she wanted to eventually marry. He simply needed to be nice and fun to be around. If he was reasonably attractive, that would be a bonus. Even better, her potential dating pool was right here at the resort.

  She swished the office chair around in a circle, feeling carefree as her brilliant plan came together. Watch out, Mimi. You haven’t outsmarted me yet!

  Day Two

  Mac Hammond peered out of the Lincoln Navigator’s tinted passenger window as it pulled up to the Wessex resort. The creamy stucco, wide archways, and red-tile roof gave the luxury resort a Spanish flair he appreciated. Rather than the strip of towering resorts he and his friends had passed, the Wessex resort was situated on several acres of private beach with a grouping of smaller two-story haciendas. The overall effect on the resort website was one of privacy and luxury. A resort representative came out to greet the new arrivals, and the guys climbed out of the car.

  Mac was grateful for a break from Graydon's pro-hockey friends. Between them bragging about their latest purchases and debating about hockey-team lineups, it was obvious Mac was more than the odd guy out on this trip.

  He walked away from the group to an archway that led out to the beach. Beautiful white-capped waves crashed onto the sandy beach. The foam rushed up to some little kids’ toes, making them dance with glee as the foam lingered for a whisper of a moment before being pulled back into the blue depths of the ocean. It was a little piece of paradise, yet all he wanted to do was get on the next plane back to Crystal Creek, Kansas. The list of responsibilities waiting at home pulled tight at the knots of stress that had been his constant companion for the past two years.

  A heavy hand settled onto his shoulder. Mac shifted slightly to see that Graydon had joined him.

  “It’s quite different from the mix of city and wheat fields, isn’t it?” Graydon asked.

  Mac jerked his head in a nod. “Looks like a good place for a bachelor party.”

  Graydon forced back a grimace before settling into an expression of resignation. “It’s been a long time since my early retirement from hockey. I can honestly say there are parts I don’t miss,” he said, referring to his hockey friends’ antics. “I’m glad I had enough foresight to convince you to come along.”

  Mac shifted, eyes squinting as he looked back to see Shawn, Chris, and Brighton already flirting with some ladies. “I think you overestimated my ability to help.”

  “The guys are in show-off mode right now, but I promise, they’ve stayed my friends for good reasons. Just keep a level head and be the voice of reason, and we’ll all be fine.” Graydon slapped him on the back. “Let’s go grab our luggage and find our rooms.”

  The check-in process went smoothly, and soon Mac was settled into his own one-bedroom suite with an ocean-view balcony. Graydon, Shawn, Chris, and Brighton had rooms down the hall. They were supposed to meet up at the pool in a half hour. Mac unpacked, set up his laptop and phone-charging stations, then logged into his bank account.

  A commission check from the restaurant-supply store had not cleared yet. He was hoping it would hit the account sometime today, as the nearly one thousand dollar auto-payment for his bank loan was due to be withdrawn the next day. Only twelve more payments, he reminded himself. Then he would be debt-free and able to move past the shadows of a failed business venture. He had studied in a culinary program, but while the college had taught plenty about creating delicious food and restaurant safety, it failed to provide business training. During the first year his restaurant was open, Mac made some unfortunate mistakes that cost him greatly. It was difficult to see his dream become a massive failure.

  Along with failure came a bevy of well-meaning advice—everything from a pat on the head for trying, to opinions on how to fix his financial burdens. He smiled, endured, and sought out productive advice from successful businessmen. He had learned a lot from Graydon about managing his family’s restaurant, Brisket and Noodles. In the meantime, Mac kept working his full-time job selling restaurant supplies, as well as taking any odd jobs he could scrounge up.

  The most successful venture he had fallen into was selling gourmet ice cream at the local farmers’ markets and to catering businesses. Over the past year, Mac had attended workshops and fine-tuned a plan to open a gourmet ice cream food truck. He loved the social aspect of the farmers’ market. There were the regular customers who became good friends, but even more fun were the newbies searching for something to spice up their routine meals. His vision for the business combined the year-round income of working with catering companies and restaurants and the boosted summer sales the ice cream truck would provide.

  To achieve those goals, he needed to finish up this next year’s worth of loan payments. From his estimation, he was about two—maybe three—years away from ice cream becoming his full-time gig.

  But for the moment, he needed to focus on his present predicament. Graydon’s hockey buddies had been insistent on one last guys’ trip before the wedding next month. Mac checked his watch. He had better get changed and head down to the pool to meet up with the group. Who knew what the Three Amigos had planned next?

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Penny said, reviewing the resort activity list. “Where’s the ceramics painting? Or the ice-cream social?”

  Zandra, the activities director, cleared her throat, obviously trying not to laugh while Penny glared. “That’s on da family activity calendar,” Zandra said, her thick Jamaican accent making the words sound pretty, even though Penny dreaded what she was about to hear next. “Mrs. Wessex contacted me to make sure you received da Singles Meet and Greet activities.”

  Foiled again! She needed to give her grandmother more credit in the conniving department. Instead of the nice, safe family activities she had envisioned, Penny was now stuck with choosing from some rather socially awkward experiences. Spreadsheets were her friend. Making small talk was not. “Why do some of these already have stars drawn next to them?”

  Zandra’s smile grew wider, the white of her teeth contrasting against her beautiful creamy-brown skin. “Well, now, your grandmama suggested you choose from those.”

  Penny traced her finger down the list, reviewing the items marked, and grimaced.

  “Now, not to go against your grandmama, but I’d stay away from the pool volleyball tournament. It gets rather raucous. Not only that, but it’s really a bunch of grown men enjoying the benefits of watching the women jump out of the water to return the beach ball.” She moved her hands to her bust level.

  Penny covered her face with her hands and shook her head from side to side. She’d suggest rethinking that activity when she submitted her report. “Which activities do you recommend?”

  Zandra used a red sharpie to circle a few items. “You’ll meet some wonderful people at da Random Acts of Kindness activity, and it’s an opportunity to do some local community service. The selfie scavenger hunt is actually quite fun, especially if you choose da right people to be in your group.”

  “Duly noted. I’m definitely skipping the beach cricket and reggae dancing.”

  “Oh, but da dancing is so much fun,” Zandra countered, her hips moving in a sexy, slow, circular motion as she swayed from side to side.

  “Yeah, my hips don’t do that,” Penny said.

  “They will after a session with me.” Zandra winked, making Penny laugh.

  “I bet you could work some magic, but I think I’ll pass all the same.”

  Zandra pulled out a map from behind the concierge desk. “Let me show you some of da nearby attractions.”

/>   Zandra educated Penny on the best places to go eat, the biggest flea markets, some historical sites, and fun outdoorsy adventures. Penny ended up with a list long enough to fill an entire month’s worth of sightseeing. “Well, this should do it,” she said, slipping the map and papers into her pool bag. She took a deep breath, then plopped her wide-brimmed beach hat on her head. “It’s time to dangle the bait.”

  Zandra blinked in confusion. “What’s da bait?”

  Penny flung her arms out to each side. “I am, of course!” She spun in a slow circle, showing off her cute pool cover-up and chunky sandals. “If I’m going to fulfill the dating requirements of this vacation, then I need to send out the availability vibes. It’s all about how you market the package.”

  Zandra expression was skeptical. “I’m not sure if your business classes apply in dis scenario.”

  “Watch and take notes.” Penny winked before crossing the lobby to the sliding doors that led to the beach. She skirted around the family play area, to the adults-only section of the resort’s pool complex. Palm trees and potted plants made the lounging area a mini tropical paradise. A lazy river weaved around the lounge and bar area.

  She chose a quiet sunbathing area on the other side of the lazy river, away from the busy bar. It was perfectly situated, allowing her to observe those around her without being obvious about vying for attention.

  She set her floppy hat on the side table beside her lounge chair, leaving her sunglasses in place to protect against the bright Florida sun. Then she untied the silk ribbons of her cover-up, allowing the fabric to part, then slip off her shoulders and glide down her arms, before draping it beside her hat.

  She paused for a moment in her bikini. It wasn’t one of those skimpy, barely-there suits. Oh no. It was retro style with high-waisted bottoms and a super cute matching halter top. The navy-blue fabric with tiny white dots looked amazing against her honey-toned skin. The contrast of her pale-blond pigtail braids gave the look an overall tone of playful maturity.

  She draped a large beach towel over the lounge chair before situating herself on it. For a blissful moment, her eyes closed, and she allowed the warmth of the sun to soak through to her core. She drew in a deep breath, reveling in the mixture of the ocean’s saltiness and the scents of cocoa butter, coconut, and aloe. She tuned out the soft music and chatter coming from the bar and focused on the crash of the waves as they rushed up onto the shore and the screech of seagulls playing in the wind.

  This wasn’t just another Wessex resort. It was home.

  Her shoulders relaxed as the first bit of stress eased away. She pulled out the latest mystery bestseller. Under the guise of reading, she peered over the top of the book to scope out possible date-worthy men.

  Three men were goofing around in the lazy river. They shoved at each other, boasting the way teenage boys do when they hope to get a girl’s attention. What they didn’t realize was that the breeze carried over snippets of their conversation, which centered around the women they were scoping out. She hid a smirk, finding their comments and antics amusing. Her arrival at the pool had not gone unnoticed, and one of them now had another in a headlock as they argued over who should come over to say hello. They were quite good-looking, but they were not the type of guys she enjoyed spending time with.

  She shifted her attention to another man sitting at the bar, eating nachos and talking with the bartender. He was cute, with brown hair and a palm-tree Hawaiian shirt. A friend joined him, and the two shared a fist bump and laughed about a comment from the bartender. Her attention brought her back to the first guy. He had a rather nice smile. Perhaps there was some potential there. He shifted his attention and looked across the deck to where she was sitting. Even with her sunglasses on, she felt like they connected. He tilted his head, sending her a nod. Heat flushed into her cheeks, and her fingertips covered a giddy smile. Oh goodness! He totally caught her checking him out.

  Her curiosity was interrupted when a shadow fell across the book. She glanced up, then just about swallowed her tongue.

  One of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen in real life stood before her, clad in nothing but swim trunks. Droplets of water dripped from his deeply bronzed skin. Her mouth went dry as her eyes traveled up the washboard abs, muscled arms, and broad shoulders to meet the smug face of one of the men she had noticed goofing around. He was H-O-T hot, and he knew it.

  She hoped the large sunglasses hid some of her initial surprise as she gathered her wits back together.

  “Hey there. I’m Shawn,” he said, reaching up to muss his hair. Water droplets flew, landing on her legs, arms, and book. The demi-god didn’t seem to notice though. “Is your name Angela?” he asked. “Because you look like an angel from heaven.”

  Did men seriously still use the same cheesy pickup lines from her college days? She rolled her eyes and replied before he could continue to schmooze. “Do you know what else is divine, Shawn? Donuts.”

  “Donuts?” He cocked his head to the side, as if trying to figure out how the conversation went off track.

  “Or really anything with sugar, but my go-to addiction is donuts. Especially those powdered ones with the fluffy chocolate filling. It’s a little piece of heaven on earth.”

  “Okay,” he said, drawing out the word.

  “I only mention it because all of this,” she said, motioning to his ripped body, “just about burns a girl’s eyes out. You need a little softening around all those sharp edges. You know, come down a few notches so you’re more appealing to the average woman, like me.”

  Shawn’s eyes widened as he took a few steps back. “Say what?”

  Penny tapped her chin with her pointer finger, striking a contemplative pose. “Maybe a shirt would help until you get fattened up a bit. One of those loose ones to hide all those embarrassing curves.”

  “You’re crazy.” He rushed back to his friends in the lazy river.

  “Wait a minute,” she called after him. “I’m your angel from heaven, remember? We need to finish our discussion. How about dinner tonight?”

  “No way!” Shawn jumped into the lazy river, where his friends razzed him for his failure.

  Laughter bubbled up, and Penny couldn’t hold it back. She pushed up her sunglasses to swipe at her watering eyes, and she connected again with the man sitting at the bar. He had a broad smile on his face and lifted his drink in a toast to her. She nodded her head in acknowledgment before settling the sunglasses back in place and picking up her book to read for real this time.

  She’d had enough of the male species for the moment, but perhaps her bait had worked in a roundabout way. She considered the guy at the bar. She’d give him thirty minutes to approach her. Otherwise she’d mosey over his way under the guise of quenching her thirst.

  “That was one of the most perfect kiss-offs I’ve ever witnessed,” the bartender said, making Mac and Graydon laugh.

  “She’s a fast thinker, that’s for sure. Witty, too, from what I could hear,” Mac said in agreement.

  “Oh, but definitely not the worst I’ve seen.” Graydon shifted as the Three Amigos joined them at the bar, still dripping wet despite the towels slung over their shoulders. “Hey, Brighton, remember that time you tried to pick up that woman at the hotel bar?”

  The red-headed freckled guy grimaced. “Never tell a woman that if she were a potato, she’d be a sweet one. Apparently comparing her to carbs will get you fried.”

  “More like tasered,” Shawn guffawed, making a zapping sound, then jerking as if he were being electrocuted.

  “Yeah, well, at least a woman didn’t reject me for her love of sugar,” Brighton zinged right back.

  “That was the best,” Chris said, claiming a seat at the bar.

  “Man, no way was that chick in her right mind.” Shawn made a circle motion next to his head with a finger.

  Mac’s spine stiffened. He didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to defend her. “Or maybe she has more education and class than the rink bunnie
s you’re accustomed to.”

  “Whoa,” Chris said. “Them be fighting words.”

  Shawn’s eyes narrowed. “As if someone like that would have anything to do with a custard boy like you.”

  “Obviously she likes a little sugar,” Mac replied, a rush of heat swelling through him.

  “Okay, guys,” Graydon said, breaking in. “That’s enough. Let’s not get the week started off on the wrong foot.”

  Shawn ignored the warning and persisted. “You think you can do better than this?” He motioned to his body.

  Mac simply raised an eyebrow. “Obviously all of that isn’t appealing to someone with maturity and brains.”

  Shawn leaned forward, invading Mac’s space. “I dare you to ask the ice queen over there out on a date. In fact, I’m so sure she’s going to burn your sorry butt, that I’ll even put five hundred dollars behind it. No way will she say yes to a guy like you.”

  A guy like him.

  What he meant was a guy who was neither rich nor built.

  While Shawn’s opinion of him didn’t mean squat, five hundred dollars was half a month’s payment on his loan. He hated himself for thinking about the money, but he couldn’t deny that it was appealing.

  “So if she says yes and we go out, then you’ll pay me five hundred dollars. What if she says no?”

  Shawn sneered. “When she says no, then I get to mock you ceaselessly for the rest of the week.”