Taking on the Billionaire

by Robin Covington

  “You haven’t been seen or heard from in a couple of days. I was worried. You could have been taken by a serial killer.” He shrugged, feeling heat settle in his own cheeks at her piercing stare. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “How did you find out where I live?” she asked, taking another sip of water when he nudged the glass back toward her mouth.

  “I employ a lot of people who are good with computers.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s pretty shady shit for you, Adam Redhawk. Illegal even.”

  “Well, the only other option was to call the police and ask for a wellness check and I figured that would get me murdered by you at the first opportunity.”

  “You’re right.” Tess set down the water glass on the coffee table and wiped her face with a shaking hand. “But, I’m fine. I just need to rest and I can’t do that with you here.”

  Tess stood and swayed again, her body tensing when he gathered her against his body. She wasn’t going to make this easy.

  “Look, let me help you take your meds and fix you something to eat.” She opened her mouth to argue with him but he cut her off with a shake of his head. She wasn’t going to win this argument because he was pulling out the big guns. “No. I’m not leaving until I know you’re okay or I’m going to call your sister.”

  “Oh, you suck.” Tess glared at him but she sagged against him in defeat. Whether that was just from the illness or the threat, he didn’t know and he didn’t care.

  “Well, get over it.” He scanned the kitchen island for signs of any pill bottles or medicines. “When are you due for another dose of meds?”

  Tess groaned and leaned her forehead against his chest, her already-scratchy voice muffled against the fabric of his shirt. “My doctor called in an antibiotic but I fell asleep and haven’t gone to pick it up yet.”

  “Tess, you’re running a fever. You need the meds.” Adam bit back asking her why she didn’t call him but he knew the answer: they were just sleeping together. You didn’t call the current fling and ask them to pick up medication at the pharmacy. And with her sister at school, Tess wasn’t going to reach out to anyone else. It wasn’t in her nature to ask for help. Adam tucked her close to him again as he reached for his phone. “I’ll call someone to bring it here.”

  Her head whipped up. “Not Estelle.”

  “No, I wouldn’t ask anyone from the company to come over here. Trust me.” He looked around, trying to gauge where her bedroom was located. “Why don’t you grab a shower while I fix you something to eat?”

  “I’m not hungry,” she mumbled as she moved toward the hallway.

  “You’ll need to eat with the antibiotic. Go shower and leave the rest to me.” Adam pointed toward the hallway, while thumbing across the screen of his phone and hitting the number for the person he knew would help him out.

  “You’re so bossy,” Tess grumbled once more before she turned the corner. He smiled a little at her stubbornness and decided that he’d let her have the last word. She was sick after all.

  A short phone call later and he was following Tess’s path down the hallway, listening for the sound of running water. The second door to the right was open, which led to her bedroom. He went in, turning on the overhead light and taking his first look around the space where Tess slept.

  It was small for a master bedroom but in proportion to the scale of the cottage. But what it lacked in size, it more than made up for in comfort and style. Three walls were painted a warm honey color with the fourth decked out in a Mediterranean blue, giving the room the feeling of warm days on a beach in Greece. The comforter was a deep oceanic blue and pillows in white, silver and lighter shades of blue were scattered over the bed around the Tess-shaped spot on the left side of the mattress.

  Ducking back out into the hallway, Adam grabbed a new set of sheets and proceeded to strip down the bed and remake it, stacking the decorative pillows on a large armchair in the corner next to the large window that faced the small fenced backyard. Adam could just spy a small patio filled with a table and chairs and a grill.

  Hearing the water turn off on the shower, he moved toward the open door to the adjoining bathroom, leaning against the door frame as Tess finished wrapping a large towel around her long, lush body. Her hair was wet and darkened to the deepest shade of auburn, the strands sticking to the damp, heat-pinkened skin of her shoulders. Adam remembered the silk of her flesh, the sweet taste of her sighs as he kissed her all over.

  Now she had no makeup. No hairstyle. No sexy outfit.

  Tess Lynch was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  She looked over her shoulder at him and he could see the bone-deep fatigue in the lines around her mouth and the lack of brilliance in her eyes. And just like that the pull was back in his chest, the one that made it difficult to take a deep breath. Adam leaned against the door frame, willing his heart to revert to its normal rhythm and his tongue to form the right words.

  “Your medicine is on the way. I’ll be in the kitchen making you something to eat.”

  “Adam.” Tess sighed in exasperation, the hoarse whisper barely traveling across the room to where he stood. She shuffled forward a couple of paces, closing the distance between them to less than arm’s length. “Why are you doing this?”

  She was tired but the suspicion etched into the rigid lines of her body and the doubt clouding her gaze were unmistakable. He reached out, lightly brushing wet curls off her forehead. “Don’t get too worked up—I’m not that great a cook.”

  Tess shook her head and he knew she wasn’t going to make this easy. “This is not what we agreed to. This is not something you do for a fuckbu—”

  Adam stopped her with his thumb pressed gently to her lips. Yeah, he’d thought the same thing just a few moments before but he didn’t want to hear it from her. He didn’t want to think too hard on why he didn’t like being shoved into a category he’d initially suggested either. Not today.

  “Hey, we’ve got a friends with benefits thing going on...” He pushed off the door frame and turned to head back toward the kitchen. “Today I’m doing the friend thing. Don’t overthink it, Tess. Get dressed and come get something to eat.”

  Adam searched her kitchen for something that he could prepare and not make Tess feel worse. He wasn’t a terrible cook but he did only a certain number of dishes well enough to serve to anybody else and those consisted of things you could grill and an omelet. A quick check of the fridge yielded eggs and cheese. Good. He wouldn’t have to order takeout.

  Her kitchen was small but well organized and he found a skillet and all the utensils he needed. He cracked the eggs, shredded the cheese and concentrated on cooking and not on the real reason he was there in Tess’s kitchen breaking all the rules.

  “Now, that’s something I never thought I’d see,” Tess said as she entered the kitchen. She walked slowly, clearly not feeling well but looking fresh and beautiful in a set of emerald green pajamas. He nodded toward one of the bar stools pulled up to the island, smiling when she didn’t argue with him.

  “What’s that?”

  “A billionaire in my kitchen, cooking for me.”

  He chuckled, using the spatula to do the perfect flip over of the cooked eggs. “No, it’s just me. Adam.”

  “Just Adam,” she said, her eyes tracking his every move. “Who is that guy?”

  Tess was trying to figure him out and he hoped she was successful and then explained it all to him. He hadn’t known who he was since she’d walked into his office, since he’d found his family.

  “When you figure it out, let me know.” Adam avoided her gaze, it was too piercing, too knowing. Not today. He offered up another topic to take the spotlight off of him. “Roan agreed to come out here and spend some time together.”

  “That’s good, Adam. Really good.”

  “He’s wrapping
up a commission and then he has to go to some party in Monaco or some other place with a palace.” He smiled, remembering how his little brother acted like hanging out with celebrities was no big deal. “He’s going to come out here after that is all wrapped up.”

  “And Sarina?”

  He paused, gathering his thoughts as he checked underneath the egg, cheese and veggie mixture. Almost done. “I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I can’t...” Adam swallowed hard, clearing his throat and trying to relax the ball of anxiety lodged in his gut. “I can’t seem to reach her.”

  “Out of the three of you, she’s been alone most of her life. She got lost in the system, fell through the cracks. She had to be there for herself because there was nobody else.” Tess tapped the countertop to get him to look at her. “She’s worth it. Trust me. She’s not rejecting you...it’s how she survives.”

  And somehow Adam knew that Tess was also talking about herself. Whether she intended to or not.

  “I won’t give up. I’m not built that way.” He plated the omelet and scooted it across the island toward Tess just as the doorbell rang. “I already poured some orange juice for you. That’s your meds. Eat.”

  “You’re so bossy today.”

  Adam hustled down the hallway and grabbed the medication from the courier, giving him a huge tip before shutting the door. He was already reading the directions on the side of the bottle when he turned the corner.

  “Take this huge horse pill every eight hours for the next five days and you’ll be back to kicking my ass before you know it.” He placed one in front of her on the counter, pleased to see that she’d eaten most of the omelet. “And then it’s back to bed for you.”

  “Bossy.” Tess took the pill, glaring at him as he disposed of the food and put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

  “Bed.” He held out his hand, shocked that she took it so quickly but going with it. He led her down the hallway and to her bed, then pulled back the comforter and helped her slide between the sheets. Adam tucked the covers around her, smiling down at the goofy, sleepy grin on her face.

  “You changed my sheets.”

  “Uh-huh. Nobody likes to get into a bed with dirty sheets when they’re sick.”

  “Adam.” She started to argue with him but the yawn that racked her body took out any of the sting in the tone of that one word. “Don’t get used to this. You’re not the boss of me.”

  “Yeah, well, I think you need someone to boss you around sometimes.”

  “Adam, don’t psychoanalyze me.” Tess reached out and pushed the hair off his forehead, letting her finger trail down his nose, across his lips. He reached up and grabbed her hand, kissing the tips of her fingers.

  “I’ve got you figured out a little, Tess. Neither one of us likes to let people take care of us but we spend most of our time taking care of everybody else.” He kissed her fingers again, then gently tucked her hand underneath the covers, taking a moment to press a kiss to her forehead and then the tip of her nose. “Let me do this. I promise we’ll never speak of it again. It will be our secret.”

  She nodded, her lids already heavy with fatigue as she snuggled down under the covers.

  Adam leaned down one more time, pressing a kiss to her hair, breathing in the unique and completely addictive scent of Tess. She was argumentative, stubborn, difficult and the most frustrating woman he’d ever met but he couldn’t shake her. He wanted to know all of her secrets and to create a million more that were just between them.

  And for some reason, those thoughts didn’t scare him as much as he thought they should.

  Eleven

  “Tess, why is there a strange, hot dude in your chair?”

  Tess struggled against the weight of sleep and weariness and medication to get to the surface and answer the voice that accompanied the hand currently shaking her shoulder. She wiped a hand across her eyes, clearing away the gritty layer on her lashes and blinking into the pale light sneaking through the slats in her blinds. She stretched a little, testing out her body, and assessed that she didn’t feel one hundred percent but she did feel much better than yesterday.

  “Tess, are you okay? Is that Adam Redhawk?” Mia’s face came into focus, her expression filled with equal doses of concern and curiosity.

  “Mia, what are you doing here?” It was the middle of the semester and it was uncommon for her sister to make a trip home so close to midterms.

  “I came home to get some quiet to study and found an expensive-as-shit-car in the driveway, you out cold in bed and him over there.” Mia pointed to the oversized chair across from her bed and to the man currently sprawled out on it.

  Adam’s large frame made the chair look small and very uncomfortable. He was slumped down onto the cushions, his long legs spread out before him, a too-small throw blanket tucked up under his chin. His hair was a mess, falling over into his face and obscuring his eyes but leaving visible the five o’clock shadow darkening his jaw. He looked different in his sleep as everyone did but his vulnerability and rugged handsomeness struck her as if she’d never seen him before.

  And she’d never seen him like this. When they were together it was never in a bed, never overnight. She’d never woken up with him wrapped around her, never had the chance to watch him when all of his defenses were down and it was just the man.

  What a mistake. She’d missed one of the best parts.

  “Sis, are you okay? I saw a prescription on the kitchen counter. Are you sick?” Mia intruded into her thoughts, stopping her from going down a path that she knew led to nowhere she belonged.

  Tess circled back over the last day, recalling Adam showing up at her door, cooking the omelet, taking care of her. He’d stayed while she slept, waking her in the night to give her a second dose of the antibiotic and tucking her back into bed. And he must have stayed all night.

  “I am... I was sick. Caught something and got an infection.” She shoved off the covers, sitting up in bed to facilitate her coming back to the land of the living. She waved in the general direction of the man currently the topic of discussion. “Adam stopped by to make sure I was okay. He...helped me out...must have stayed overnight.”

  “Uh, okay.” Mia’s face showed the considerable effort it took for her to digest everything she’d just heard. She sputtered with words, not bothering to disguise her confusion. “Wow. That’s really nice.” And then her eyes flew open, brows shooting halfway to her hairline. “Whoa, are you two...? I mean that’s something you only do for close friends and people you’re fu—”

  Tess’s hand whipped out almost on autopilot and covered Mia’s mouth. They were not going to have this discussion with Adam only a few feet away.

  “I think this might be the best time for me to let you know that I’m awake.”

  Adam’s deep voice rumbled out from the direction of the chair and both she and Mia jumped and spun around to watch him as he stretched, arms and legs flexing with the effort of waking. His shirt lifted up and they both caught a good, long look at his gorgeous skin and cut abs. Tess knew that body, knew that he’d be warm and silky and she knew exactly what was at the end of the delicious treasure trail of dark hair.

  “Good morning,” Mia said, her smirk indicating that her thoughts were walking the same path. Tess jabbed her with a finger, fuming when she was ignored and all Mia’s attention stayed on their guest. “I’m Mia.”

  Adam let out a sleepy chuckle and shook the hand her sister offered. “I’m Adam and I knew who you were.”

  “Oh yeah? Tess show you a picture of me?” Tess rolled her eyes at the antics of her soon-to-be-dead little sister. She remained braced to tackle her to the ground if this conversation took a turn for the worse.

  “No. You two are identical. I’d know you anywhere.” Adam rose, his hands busy with folding the blanket and draping it over the arm of the chair.

  “Because we’r
e both so gorgeous?” Mia asked, her eyes flashing with humor and mischief.

  “Mia!” Tess was only going to put up with this one more minute and then she was going to become an only child.

  Adam laughed, shuffling over to press the back of his hand on her forehead, assessing her with an allover gaze that had her leaning into his touch before she could remind her treacherous body that her sister was present. It wasn’t as if Mia hadn’t seen Tess with a guy before but she wasn’t positive that all of the emotions, the feelings she had for Adam tumbling around inside her wouldn’t be evident to anyone looking. And Mia was looking.

  “Definitely gorgeous.” Adam smoothed her hair back from her face, tangling his fingers in her curls and tucking one behind her ear. It was such a cheesy move but the flutter in her stomach told her that it was working. Damn him. “How are you feeling? I think your fever finally broke.”

  Tess reached up to touch her own cheek, her fingers brushing against and then intertwining with his before she realized what she was doing. Hell, make a meal and change her sheets and she became a total sap for this guy.

  “I’m better. You can go.”

  He smirked but didn’t move.

  “Thank you.” Tess put some emphasis on it, sincerity with a touch of “please go before my sister starts asking too many questions.”

  “Okay. I get it. Just promise that you’ll call me if you need anything.”

  “Mia is here.” She nodded toward her sister as a reminder to herself more than Adam. He nodded in return, making a move to let her hand go but she tightened her grip, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, Adam. I’m sorry I was so much trouble—this isn’t what you signed up for.”

  He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes full of humor and his voice lowered when he turned back. “I told you, I was just focusing on the friends part of the arrangement.”

  Tess sucked in a breath, loving the way his thumb rubbed along her wrist and the ripples of pleasure that raced under her skin. Adam Redhawk was dangerous. She needed to remember that but it was damn easy to forget when he was this close and was looking at her like she was Christmas and his birthday all wrapped up in one package.