The TROUBLE With BILLIONAIRES: Book 1

by Kristina Blake

  Rawn grabbed me around the waist. Unable to speak in the snorkeling gear, it was his way of comforting me. It did calm my nerves a little, enough that, after a few more minutes of watching the sharks swim around us, I placed my hand against the glass of the cage, as if I were a kid at a zoo.

  It was an ethereal feeling suspended in the ghostly waters, especially with the black unknown within reach. The lights on the cage were bright, but their beams didn’t extend forever. Looking down, with nothing but water below us, I got a sense of what floating in space was like.

  Having adapted to the sensation of being so close to the animals I had been raised to fear, cage diving actually wasn’t so bad. In fact, it didn’t even seem so extreme. It was exhilarating, but I felt completely safe in Rawn’s care. When a third shark joined the party outside the cage, I didn’t freak out. I watched it glide along with the others, admiring the splendor of its ferocity.

  When it was over, I was disappointed.

  “I want to try that again in the daylight,” I proclaimed, coming out of the water, the sea dripping off my skin.

  “Anything that gets you back into your bikini,” Rawn said, following behind me. “The view from behind you is much better than what waits in the water.”

  Rounding the corner of the boat, Captain Mark handed us each a towel. “Glad my cage didn’t fall apart on ya. It would be a shame after the meal I’ve prepared for you.”

  After the adrenaline of being in the shark cage, I was starved, but I looked up at the moon moving across the sky. “Do we have time?” I asked Rawn. “The researcher at the observatory is waiting for us.”

  “We’ll eat as we head back to land,” he said. “There’s time. He told me we could call in after midnight. When I told him we were flying in from Portland, he said not to hurry, he was flexible.”

  “I guess he didn’t realize we were flying in on a private jet,” I said, drying my hair with the towel. “I don’t even want to guess how much the fuel cost.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Because of you, Cepheus Scientific is set to make a lot of money on this telescope. Thank you, by the way. I’m not often challenged, but you weren’t afraid to push me.”

  Looking down at the shark cage, I said, “I could say the same thing about you.”

  In my dress pants and blouse once again, Rawn escorted me back to the front deck where a small card table with a Hawaiian print tablecloth over it had been set up close to the rail of the boat. Next to a covered platter was a candle, and a lei of flowers was draped across each chair. In the daylight, I’m sure the deck seemed as much a junkyard as Dr. Giordano’s farmhouse, but with the stars shining overhead, the place setting was entirely romantic.

  “Thank you,” I said, taking my seat. “Tonight has been wonderful, and we haven’t even been to Mauna Kea yet.”

  “I would do anything for you, Madison,” Rawn proclaimed. “I hope you know that.”

  Almost anything, I thought, but it was neither the time nor the place. I didn’t want to ruin the evening with my own war-torn fears.

  “Anyway, don’t thank me yet,” he continued. “You haven’t eaten Captain Mark’s cuisine before.”

  “Have you?” I asked, suddenly curious if he had been cage diving for sharks before. And with whom.

  “Yes, but not on his boat. He’s actually my cousin’s ex-husband.”

  Lifting the cover of the platter, Rawn revealed a cheesy casserole that appeared to be made out of macaroni, tuna, and breadcrumbs.

  “It beats baby eel,” I said happily, digging my fork in. I was never one to turn down soul food. Taking a bite, I found it to be quite good, seasoned with something peppery.

  Rawn didn’t look so certain.

  “Rawn,” I said, filling his plate, “I’m going to show you something beautiful and dangerous, just like you are,” I teased, echoing him from earlier. “If I had to go down in a shark cage, you can at least try some greasy home cooking. Trust me,” I said, a sparkle in my eye, “the grease makes it better.”

  Chapter Eleven

  May the skies be clear.

  It was the motto of the Visitor Information Station on Mauna Kea—a mountain that united the world with its promise to reveal the knowledge of the stars. At the summit of the mountain, over a dozen telescopes stood, observatories managed by countries from all corners, from Taiwan to France. And America, of course. I liked the motto, even though its words seemed inevitable. On Mauna Kea, the nights were clear ninety percent of the time.

  From the back of the Jeep, now parked outside the Visitor Information Station, Rawn grabbed a heavy black jacket and handed it to me—more plunder from our shopping trip around the airport.

  “There’s very few places around the world where you go from a bikini to winter clothing in such a short amount of time,” I stated, pulling the jacket on, not wanting to know how much Rawn had paid for it.

  “I preferred the bikini,” he said, zipping up his own jacket. “On you. Not me.”

  “Shame,” I joked. “You have godly abs.”

  “And you have the ass of a siren,” he fired back. “If I had it my way, we’d only go skinny dipping from now on.”

  “I’ve only just put all these layers on. Don’t make me take them off again,” I warned, feeling a desire rise from my core.

  Based on the need in Rawn’s eyes, it was no warning at all. “How long do we have to wait here at the station? The sooner I get you on the jet and into one of its bedrooms, the better.”

  “Half an hour,” I told him, rather enjoying the fact that he had to wait. It was like really long and gloriously excruciating foreplay. “Otherwise, we risk altitude sickness. The summit, where the observatories are, is high. We have to acclimatize to the altitude here first before we go any further up the mountain.”

  “Does fucking in the back of the Jeep count as acclimatizing? I can make it last half an hour. In fact, I can make it last all night long.”

  I had no doubt about that, but there was no way I’d risk getting caught, not with fellow scientists about. My bare ass pressed against the side window of the Jeep was not the impression I wanted to make with my peers.

  Still, I answered, “You should have thought of that before you handed me this fabulous jacket.”

  “It’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about,” he said, closing the back of a Jeep. Then, turning away from sex to business, he added, “The man I spoke to on the phone will meet us here soon. He’s running a little behind. I guess science waits for no man.”

  “I hope he knows not to rush. We really do have to acclimatize first.” I couldn’t say it to Rawn, but I wasn’t even sure I was allowed to go all the way up to the summit. To be safe, I was definitely going to follow all the protocols set forth by the Visitor Information Station.

  The station itself was officially closed for the night, but the lights inside the small wooden building were still on, illuminating our path as we left the Jeep to stretch our legs and get a better view of our surroundings.

  Beside the station was a cluster of telescopes bolted to the ground for public use. I assumed they were bolted, anyway, knowing how much they cost. The telescopes were minor compared to the giant machines in the observatories above, but they were still significant. Free to use, they gave everyone access to the stars. Dr. Giordano would be proud.

  And there were a lot of stars to see. The station and its telescopes looked over the side of a cliff to a sky with no barriers, just a backdrop of mountains and a curtain of stars. It was breathtaking. I had spent many nights in Portland stargazing, but nothing could compare to this.

  “Wow,” I breathed, taking it all in. “It makes acclimatizing not so bad.”

  “Not so bad at all,” Rawn agreed.

  We quickly went to the telescopes and peered out into the horizon. I focused mine on Venus, remembering how the planet had guided me home the night I was lost in the woods. Perhaps the goddess of love had been sending her magic down upon us after all. There was a reason
love was attributed to one of the brightest objects in the night sky.

  “If we ever find ourselves on the island again, they also have a solar telescope that allows people to look straight into the sun without destroying their eyesight. I’ve looked through a solar telescope once before; it really puts things into perspective. We are such small creatures in a universe that, for some reason, has set up its laws so that we can exist.”

  “What other wonders does this place hold?”

  I smiled. I knew he meant Mauna Kea, but his question went far beyond the mountain. “The first observatory we’re going to see, from what you tell me, helped to substantiate that a massive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way.”

  “Our galaxy? You think of things like black holes in science fiction movies, not being part of our own galaxy. This black hole is close?”

  “Relatively, compared to other parts of the universe.”

  “So what happens after this?” Rawn asked. Before, this trip had been for me. But now I could tell he was feeling excited himself. “I know we’ll be guided up to the observatories, and we’ll be shown all the high-tech gadgets in the control rooms, and parts of the telescopes, some of which Cepheus Scientific built. It’s how I was able to book the tour—but what else should I prepare for?”

  Once again, I looked up at Venus through the telescope. “I’m not sure what happens next. But I’m certain it will be one hell of a ride.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Two Months Later

  “Nothing looks right,” I moaned, throwing my coral dress onto the floor of my bedroom. It joined a growing pile.

  Why did we agree on semi-formal for the launch? Formal would have been so much better. All formal gowns were elegant. Semi-formal was much more ambiguous. There were too many styles to work with. I wanted to look classy and professional, but I also wanted to make a statement. I wanted to stand out so that others remembered me, but for all the right reasons.

  “I thought you were being attacked by a dragon, with all the roaring around in here,” Annie mumbled, standing at the door, a towel wrapped around her as she brushed her teeth. “What’s up?”

  “I can’t find anything to wear.”

  “What about the coral one?” she said, pointing to the floor. “You look amazing in that one.”

  “It’s the color of our couch. I don’t want to look like a couch. And my ass looks huge in it.”

  “All the better,” Annie said. At least, that’s what I thought she said. It was hard to tell with the toothpaste foaming in her mouth. She left to finish getting ready, leaving me to figure out the issue of my dress.

  It wasn’t that I had waited until the last minute to figure out my outfit. I’d been thinking about what I’d wear since the semi-formal dress code was announced. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, changing my mind a thousand times. I didn’t have many clothes, which didn’t help matters. And I couldn’t simply go out and buy a new dress. My finances were otherwise tied up…

  Rawn had offered me a Pretty Woman moment by inviting me to go shopping with him, but I refused. It was a nice offer, and I knew his intentions were sincere, but I didn’t want a sugar daddy. A sex master was enough.

  We’d made good use of our secret room so far. Between our busy schedules, it was the only time we really had to spend together. We saw each other at the team meetings for the launch, but with Rawn leading the meetings, it wasn’t exactly time to throw kisses at each other. Kisses that could land wherever…

  The dress, I reminded myself. Focus on the dress. I didn’t have much time to finish getting ready. The limousine would pick us up soon.

  Technically, the launch was already underway. Guests had just started to arrive, but Russell and I had decided to split our shifts. He oversaw the set-up and early arrivals, and I’d stay until the night was over. However, knowing Russell and how much he wanted to prove himself, he’d likely stay until the end as well.

  Suddenly wishing I had gone bargain shopping at the basement of the department stores, even if it meant a late payment on a bill, I flipped through the last of my hangers. Nearly my entire semi-formal wardrobe was on the floor. The only dresses left were a red fitted sex machine, which was lovely but made my tits hang out—not what I wanted at a company launch party—and an awful yellow blob I think I had last worn when I was fifteen.

  Thinking I could perhaps cover the girls with a black blazer, I reached for the red dress and slipped it over my head then returned to the mirror. It fit nicely. Too nicely. I would definitely need the blazer.

  For a split second I felt my head go fuzzy, but I shook it away. I couldn’t worry about anything except the launch right now.

  “Hey, Annie,” I called, heading into the living room where I could hear she had raised the volume on the radio to a hit music station. “Do you remember that blazer I lent you…?”

  I stopped when I saw what she was wearing. Her dress was gorgeous. A light green color, like a tropical sea, it had modest ruching at the top but flowed from the waist down with chiffon that had just a hint of sparkle, sophisticated yet stylish, like something Kate Middleton would wear.

  “I love your dress!” we cried in unison. Then, “Switchies!”

  Immediately, I pulled the red dress back over my head. “It matches your hair,” I praised, tossing it to Annie.

  “And this one brings out the green in your eyes,” she noted.

  Elated, we both ran our separate ways back into our bedrooms to redo our makeup and find matching shoes. That was one area where we couldn’t help each other. Annie’s feet were crazily small.

  I was still in my room applying a coat of smoky eye makeup when my phone buzzed. The limo was here.

  “Annie, we have to go!” I called, rushing towards the door, next to which Annie was already waiting.

  “We be some hot bitches,” she said. “Too bad that you’re taken. I, however, am free as a kite.”

  Making sure we had everything we needed, we went outside to meet the limo. I had been in some pretty nice cars since starting my position at Cepheus Scientific, but the limo was almost at the top of the list, second only to driving the black Ferrari through the countryside of Italy.

  A bucket of blue champagne waited for us, as it did the entire fleet of limos out picking up special guests to the launch. Conrad had managed to get some pretty hot names to fly up from Los Angeles. I wasn’t sure how. He hadn’t been to a team meeting since the day I found the sticky note. I hadn’t seen him anywhere near Cepheus Scientific since then.

  I guess it made sense. He did technically run his own company. And though it was small, it must be good. Otherwise, Cepheus Scientific would have used its own PR department instead of outsourcing to Conrad. Of course, he’s good, I told myself. He got the cast from that Oscar winning movie on space travel to RSVP.

  Annie reached for the blue champagne, blue being the theme of the night, but I stopped her. “Let’s wait for Mellissa. The limo is going to swing by and pick her up.”

  “Oh good, she can keep me company while you’re off being all important and stuff.”

  Annie had met Mellissa on a girls’ night out I’d organized a few weeks back, one that did not involve raves or near mistakes in an alleyway. At least not for me. The girls had melded together like glue and glitter, which was a relief since Mellissa and I were becoming quite close. We’d steal what we called M and M moments in the bathroom—short, undocumented breaks to fix our makeup and shove chocolate brownies from the cafeteria down our throats.

  “At least I got you in without having to put you on coat room duty,” I reminded her.

  “True,” Annie said sprightly. “I would have done it though. Anything to meet Logan Mitchell from that space movie. Damn, that man is hot. And I heard he’s got a brain on him as well. But now, instead of sniffing his jacket every five seconds from afar, I can stalk him, up close and personal.”

  “No stalking the celebrities,” I insisted, only half joking.
/>   “You know I won’t make a promise I can’t keep, so I won’t be making any promises tonight.”

  Before I could protest, the limo stopped in front of a small but adorable one-story house. Mellissa ran outside looking stunning in a dark blue jumpsuit with a strapless sweetheart neckline and loose fitting pants. From the front door, an elderly woman waved goodbye. Her grandmother, I assumed. I think she had said something about living with her grandmother.

  “Good choice,” I said, admiring her outfit as she jumped in, wishing I had thought of a beaded jumpsuit. “And the color fits the theme of the night perfectly,” I added, shaking the bottle of champagne.

  “Quick, pour me a drink,” Mellissa begged as the driver pulled away. “I haven’t had a drop since I started taking those antibiotics for the chest infection. Thank god you girls are good company or our girls’ night out would have been a bust.”

  “Oh yeah. I was already pretty wasted by the time you arrived at the bar,” Annie recalled. “I was sober enough to know I liked you, but I hadn’t realized you were poteen free. I also didn’t notice that lilt you have. Where are you from originally?”

  Lilt? I had never noticed a lilt to Mellissa’s speech before, but I was legally tone deaf when it came to dialects. I could mistake a Jersey girl for an Australian.

  “The South,” Mellissa answered. “But that was a very long time ago. I was essentially raised here.”

  It didn’t sound like Mellissa wanted to talk about it.

  “You look almost normal height in those heels,” I said, changing the subject on her behalf. “You sure you can keep going in them all night? The party is meant to go until pretty late. That way, we can take everyone out the back for the finale—the meteor shower.”

  “Did you ever think that perhaps you two are of abnormal height?” Mellissa shot back. “Pilgrims were about five foot, like me. Maybe everyone taller is the abnormal ones.”

  “Girl, then why are you wearing six-inch heels?” Annie prodded playfully.