Billionaire's Holiday (An Alpha Billionaire Christmas Romance Love Story) (Billionaires - Book #17)

by Claire Adams

  "And there are a million of those companies already doing well. Find a niche and become the businesswoman you're capable of being. You’re limiting yourself, and I'm not okay with that."

  I lifted my hand and walked back toward my room. "I'm packing up and leaving. You lied, which shouldn't surprise me at all."

  "Chloe Ann Burke. Stop right there, young lady."

  I paused out of what little bit of respect I had left for him.

  My brother slipped his head out of his room, his eyes wide. "You're in for it, now. Is your middle name even Ann?"

  I rolled my eyes and turned to face my dad. "What?"

  "You're not going anywhere, but part of this deal is us agreeing on what products you're going to sell. I'm not going to lay down an iron hammer, but you are going to have to share them with me. Stop being a child."

  "Right." I turned and walked to my room, slamming the door and working quickly to get dressed. A pair of jeans and a cute sweater, and I was out the door.

  My father's SUV was gone, and Parker was busy playing video games from what I could tell. I texted him that I was heading into town and would be back later.

  My dad was an ass and would change the rules any way he needed to in order to fit his own agenda. I knew that was coming. Now I just needed to figure out how to deal with it.

  Proving my worth and talent was at the top of the list. He saw me as a child. Jessie was right; I needed to show him the talented designer I'd become. Then, he would listen to me.

  "First stop, Burke's Outdoor Wear."

  * * * *

  I was milling through the large ski and sportswear store that my dad owned when my phone buzzed. It was a number I hadn't seen in a long time.

  "Cindy?" I picked up and smiled as I moved toward the snowboards and paused in the middle aisle.

  "Hey, Chloe! I was praying this was still your number. How are you?"

  "Wow. I'm great. My God, it's been like six years, right?"

  "Since before college, but yeah. I've been traveling the world with my family, but we're finally back. I wanted to see where you were. I know your dad usually made you guys go to Aspen during this time of the year, but wasn't sure."

  "I'm here, girl. Hating every minute of it."

  "No, you're not, but either way, that's great news. You remember Janet and Kinsey, right?"

  I rolled my eyes and nodded my head. "Remember by best friends from high school? Of course, I do, silly. I spoke to Janet around March this last year. Funny how growing up means losing touch with people that you thought would always be in your life.”

  "Well, they're in Vail right now, and I've got a layover in Aspen tonight. I just realized that I should call you guys to see if you're up for getting together."

  "Tonight?" I glanced at my watch. It was only ten, which gave me plenty of time to finish my shopping, get home, and get ready before they showed up.

  "Yeah. I know it’s short notice, but if I can get the others to make the trip down, you think you want to meet up? Does your dad have an extra room I can stay in?"

  "I'd love to, and of course. I'll get a room ready for you. Need me to get you from the airport?" I turned and followed a cute guy with shoulder-length hair and a great ass.

  "No, just text me the address. I'll have the others meet us at a restaurant of your choice. Sound good?"

  "Perfect. I'll see you later." I hung up and texted the address, not realizing the hottie I'd been staring down was now standing in front of me.

  "Heya. How goes it?" He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, looking awfully young now that he was closer.

  "It goes. Love the hair. It's a good look for you." I smiled and turned to pull a shirt off the rack.

  "So, um...you new here?" He moved up beside me as I lifted the shirt up and turned it around slowly.

  "This would be so much better in a muted blue, right? These bright colors must shine against the white of the snow and blind the fuck out of everyone."

  He laughed and extended his hand. "Daniel. Nice to meet you."

  "I'm Chloe. Nice to meet you, too. You ski?"

  "Snowboard, but I can tear up some shit on a pair of skis, too. You?"

  "Nope. I'm a California girl."

  "I should have guessed." He smiled, and I lifted an eyebrow. "I mean with your tan and pretty blonde hair. You just look like a typical beach babe."

  "Thanks? I think." I laughed and put the shirt back before walking through the store as the cute guy tagged along.

  "Definitely a compliment. We should get a burger sometime together." He moved to open the door for me, and I nodded.

  "Yeah, sure. Give me your number and I'll text you."

  He extended his hand. "Give me your phone, and I'll put it in there."

  I handed it to him and let my eyes scan the other shops in the area. Something inside of me wanted to be like everyone else. I was completely out of place in the busy mountain town. My clothes were a perfect ringer for someone who hit the slopes, but I was a fake at best.

  He handed the phone back and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Chloe. Call me, and I'll show you around."

  "Okay. Thanks."

  I put the phone in my pocket and walked over to the elaborate hardwood lodge just next door. The skis were half off for the afternoon on rentals, and the bunny slopes showed light traffic. I rented a pair and put them on before changing my mind.

  I was stuck in Aspen for at least two more weeks, and staying in the house would be the death of me. I needed fresh air, sunsets, and waves, but sun, snow, and wind would have to suffice. The lifts were located at the back of the lodge and after finally making my way through a crowd of rowdy teenagers, I moved out into the wintery outdoors.

  I walked awkwardly to the next lift and almost made it to the stop where the lift would swing in and pick me up before my ski caught on something. I flew forward, letting out a yelp as my head was projected to smack against the large rock in front of me.

  Someone's strong hands reached out and caught me, pulling me back.

  "Whoa. Shit. That was close. You okay?" He released me, and I turned and let out a long sigh.

  "Yes. Thank you so much. I haven't skied in forever. Now, I remember why."

  My eyes moved across his handsome face, and butterflies resurrected deep inside of me, the moment almost a little too much for my practical mind.

  He was clean shaven, but his chestnut hair was a little disheveled and his cheeks were red like he'd been out there all day. His warm brown eyes moved around my face, and the sexy smile that lifted his lip caused my heart to skip a beat.

  "Here, let's take this one up together. If you fall from the lift, you're going to have more trouble than snow in your pretty blonde hair." He laughed and reached for me.

  I moved back a little, but gave him a smile. "I'm good, but thank you. I really appreciate you saving me."

  "Really? You sure?" He lifted an eyebrow as if shocked that a woman would refuse him. He had playboy written all over him in ten different colors.

  No thanks.

  "Yeah, but have a great day." I moved to the lift and took the older man's hand who was helping people get on.

  "Good thing old Finn was there to save you. That might have been ugly." The guy laughed and helped me onto the lift.

  Finn called from below, his hands over his mouth and his eyes full of promise. "That's not fair; you have my name, and I don't have yours."

  "Just call me baby." I laughed at the look on his face. I'd known a lot of playboys in my day, and when they didn't remember your name, you just became baby, or honey, or sugar.

  Dime a dozen.

  Chapter Six

  Finn

  I was just being kind by reaching out and saving the clumsy girl in front of me, not thinking anything of it. It was my first day off in weeks, and hitting the slopes was all I could think about. Not being with a woman for a week had left me grouchy and depressed, but a promise was a promise.

  What I hadn't expected was
the falling woman to steal my breath when she turned around.

  Her blonde hair was long and hung in wavy lengths just above her perky breasts. Sun-kissed skin and sea-green eyes with long eyelashes and incredibly kissable lips—she was everything I enjoyed physically about a woman. Probably dumb as dirt, but I'd leave shortly after the sex so we wouldn’t have to talk much.

  I swallowed hard and offered to ride to the top with her as my heart beat against the inside of my chest in a way it hadn't before. It had to be withdrawals. Twelve years of holding a different woman every night became a nasty habit after a while. I was addicted to being wanted like some guys were to the bottle.

  It's just a girl. Slow your roll. No women for twenty-five days.

  When she refused my offer, it was a slap to the face. There had been very few women in my past who hadn't jumped at the chance to do something with me. It was shocking and refreshing. It caused a fire to ignite inside of me. She would be a challenge, if nothing else.

  She got on the lift as Jerry, the old man who owned the thing, gave the girl my name. He winked at me, and I rewarded him with a smirk, calling out to her and asking for her name in return.

  When she'd called herself ‘baby,’ I knew I was in for a treat. She was either a player herself or had guys like me figured out. Either way, I wanted to know.

  I jumped on the platform and got on the next lift as Jerry chuckled. "Good luck, son. She's not interested."

  "I'm glad she's not." I wrapped one arm around myself and waved as she looked back at me. She might not think she was interested, but she was. If not, I'd subtly force it to happen.

  It seemed like forever by the time we made it to the top and she was quick to hop off and move toward the bunny slopes. A chuckle left me at the thought of her learning to ski, and I realized that I had to tread lightly. My usual attack wouldn't work on this girl, at all. She had a man or had been broken by one. Either way, her unwillingness to give me the time of day meant something was up.

  "Couldn't be me." I shrugged and internally rolled my eyes. When the fuck had I gotten so cocky?

  I dropped off the lift and moved toward her, calling out with my hands around my mouth. "Baby. Wait up."

  Several people from the bunny slope line turned and smiled like we were a cute couple and she was leaving my ass in the snow. She turned and put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes, and making my cock twitch at the dominance in her gaze.

  "I'm not your baby, and I don't need your help." She kept her glare locked into place, and some part of me expected it to fade, but it didn't. She was serious.

  "Well, if I knew your name, I wouldn't have to call you by a common nickname for lovers." I shrugged and moved up behind her. "You know my name. Give me yours."

  "And then you'll hop off? I'm not interested."

  She let out a soft sigh, and I worked like hell to keep my eyes on hers and not take in the rest of her beautiful face. I wanted to memorize her, but I hated it when people did that shit to me. I was standing on the other side of the situation for the first time in my life—and it was thrilling.

  "Yes, but if you're trying to learn to ski, I'm a local, and there are much better bunny slopes around the back side of this mountain. I would be more than happy to help you learn. Nothing else. Promise." I held up my hands and gave her my best innocent expression.

  "I'm Stacy, and I'm not buying that face for a second." She shook her head.

  The smell of strawberries and vanilla filled my senses, and I stifled a groan at the sweet smell of her shampoo. I glanced behind me and pointed to the narrow passage that would lead to a little bit of privacy.

  "Well, Stacy, which isn't your name, at all," I looked back at her and winked, "if you can get through that narrow passage, I'll show you a secret slope that honestly will help you much better than what these guys are going to do."

  "Nothing else? No phone number, no see you around and then you stalk me?" She lifted an eyebrow.

  "Nope, so giving me your real name would be good. If I need to call out to you, you ain't responding to Stacy."

  "Ain't isn't a word." Her hand dropped from her hips, and she shook her head. "Okay on the teaching session, but I only have an hour. So cut to the chase and save your flirting for someone it might work on."

  I reached out and took her hand, helping her to the opening in the mountain and squeezing in behind her as I let her go. She had to be the most naturally beautiful woman I'd ever seen. If she were wearing makeup, she hid it well.

  "So, California or Florida?" I asked and moved up beside her, offering my hand.

  She slapped it as if we were exchanging a greeting. The smirk on her face caused my stomach to tighten. I had to have her. The cocky bitch needed a man like me for the night, and she would bring me back down to reality, if nothing else.

  "California, and my name is Mindy." She winked, and I chuckled, unable to help myself.

  "Alright, Lindy."

  She turned and growled softly. "Mindy. You've already forgotten my name. You should switch to baby or hun."

  "How do you know that trick?"

  "I go to school at UCLA. Man whores are a dime a dozen." She positioned herself at the top of the slopes and glanced over at me as I flinched from her comment, without meaning to. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just teasing."

  "Sorry about what?" I deflected and nodded toward the slope. "Alright, so let's try this little one first, and we'll move up. I'll go right beside you should something happen. You skied at all before?"

  She watched me for a second, analyzing something about me, but I didn't ask what. Two could play her game.

  Man whore…

  It was a proud badge to wear, as most guys would know. Only girls seemed to use it as something derogatory.

  "As a kid, I skied. Up here, actually." She turned and bent her knees a little before pulling her glasses into place. "How long have you lived here?"

  "All my life, baby." I winked at her and moved up beside her. "Take it slow, and if you need me, well, you know my name. Let's hope I don't need you."

  She chuckled and lifted her pole, smacking me in the chest with it. "It's Chloe and stop being so damn cute. I'm only here for a few weeks. I don't sleep around, and I'm only looking for a friend. Be nice, and I might let you put in an application."

  "Ha! Who said I wanted to?" I pushed off, and she moved up right beside me as the wind blew around us.

  Her voice was sexy as hell and filled to the brim with confidence as she responded. "Oh, you want to."

  I did. Badly.

  We made it to the bottom of the circle, and I pulled her to a stop, seeing that she didn't seem able to figure out how to slow herself.

  She turned toward me and reached out, taking a hold of one of my arms as she wobbled a little.

  "Wow. What a rush." She turned and looked back up the mountain. "I love it. Let's do it again."

  "You skied as a kid, but you don't remember how to stop yourself?"

  "It's been a long time. I much prefer the beach and the heat." She turned back to me and smiled before reaching up and brushing something from the side of my cap.

  Her nearness stole my breath, and for the second time in the hour I felt light-headed over this woman. I needed her number, needed to figure out something I could offer her that would have her taking up another one of my afternoons.

  "You only have an hour. We can do this two or three more times and then we need to get back." I pointed down at my skis and turned both of them inward. "Do this to stop, okay?"

  "Okay. I'll try it this time, but stay close just in case." She licked her lips and looked back up the mountain. "How do we get back up there?"

  "We walk around to the lift. That's why we'll only get a few more times to make the run."

  She growled, and the sound of it shot an arrow of lust into the center of me. "I want more time. I might actually get this down this year."

  "You're already doing good. Tell you what..." I bit my lip and looked out toward the va
lley below as she turned her attention on me. "Let's do this, and then I'll give you my number. If you want to learn the next level up, just call me, and if I'm free, I'm your man."

  She chuckled and moved toward the lift. "Let's go, playboy. You can give me your number, but whether or not I call it is an entirely different story."

  "And why wouldn't you?" I moved up beside her and reached out to catch her as she stumbled again. I tugged her back as she dropped her poles and pressed her hands to my chest as she looked up at me.

  "Because you're dangerous." The smirk that lifted her lips did something to my insides and a shot of fear ran through me. I could fall for this girl, which would be bad—really bad.

  "Dangerous? I've saved your ass twice today. I'd say I'm safe." I smiled and released her before bending over and picking up her poles.

  "Yes, a gentleman in the devil's disguise." She moved up beside me and took my hand and Jerry's to help her get back up on the platform.

  I got up beside her and chuckled as Jerry winked at me again. "Jerry. She thinks I'm trouble. Tell her I ain't."

  She turned and pinned me with a stare—over using the word ain't, no doubt. I chuckled again, enjoying the feeling of freedom to just be me and nothing else with her.

  "He's a good man and has been far better than most of these boys around here. He's pushed the pause button on his own life to help his daddy." Jerry patted my chest and smiled with pride. "He's a great boy, and I'm glad to know him."

  "Well, damn, Jerry. I didn't need you to go that far." I smiled and moved up to the lift, taking Chloe's hand and making sure she was safe as the back of the chair hit our legs.

  "You're helping your father here?" She glanced over at me, her attitude seeming to have dulled a little.

  "Yeah, but it's nothing like Jerry made it seem." I shrugged and pulled my goggles off. "Dad’s worked his whole life to build up his snow removal business, and I plan to open a lodge one day up here, so leaving wouldn't work, anyway."

  "So, you're helping him with his business?"

  "Yeah." I looked over at her and smiled.

  "What?" Her eyes narrowed a little, and I shook my head.

  "Nothing." I leaned back and let out a long sigh. "You're staying through Christmas?"