Bedroom Rodeo: A Billionaire Romance

by Sarah J. Brooks

  Hal clenched his teeth and pushed those thoughts away as hard as he could. He felt sweat break out on his forehead and ran his hand across it in annoyance to wipe it away. He was falling apart for no reason.

  Jesse loved him and wanted to be with him. He repeated that like a mantra in his head as they flew.

  When Jesse reached across the seat to rest her hand on his thigh, he took her hand in his own, holding it like a lifeline for his sanity. Fortunately, even that small touch was enough to calm him for the rest of the way home.

  Chapter 78

  Jesse

  The helicopter landed on the top of Hal’s building, and Jesse allowed Hal to help her out of the chopper to stand on the landing pad. No sooner had she gotten out of the helicopter, Jesse saw someone standing a little way away from them on the landing pad.

  Jesse squinted at him and was soon able to make out Adam’s features. She smiled over at him and gave him a wave, which he kindly returned as he started to make his way over to where she stood, waiting for Hal to get her things down from the helicopter.

  As Adam neared them, Hal turned to face him, and a smile spread across his face.

  “Adam,” Hal spoke, his voice amicable. “I have to say, I’ve actually missed you.”

  Adam only returned the comment with a tight scowl, and Hal laughed easily.

  “Oh, don’t be so uptight,” Hal waved at him dismissively. “Now here, take my things into my room and then find the keys for the Rover and bring them up to me.”

  “I really must insist that I drive you,” Adam said, his voice hard, and Jesse felt a little intimidated by him again.

  “Nonsense,” Hal dismissed the idea once again.

  “Sir,” Adam protested. “The cabin may be relatively safe, but here in the city, there a myriad of dangers to your person that you seem to have completely forgotten about. I, fortunately, have not.”

  Jesse looked up at Hal and saw a scowl cross his face. It seemed, though, that he was at a loss for an argument to make.

  “Alright,” Hal conceded. “Go ahead and wait for us in the Rover. We’ll be down in just a few minutes.”

  Adam gave Hal a stiff nod and Jesse a soft smile before he gathered up Hal’s bags and turned to go back toward the elevator that would take him all the way down to the garage.

  When Adam had gone, Jesse turned back to look at Hal, only to find that he had moved over to converse with Phillip, who was just now getting back into the helicopter.

  Jesse smiled at Hal as he began to return to her, and he returned the smile. Hal gathered up Jesse’s bags in one arm, and with his free hand, he took hold of Jesse’s.

  As they headed toward the elevator, Phillip took off behind them on the landing pad.

  Jesse allowed Hal to press the button for the elevator, and the two stepped in. Jesse was grateful for the quiet that this indoors offered, as opposed to the sound of the wind produced by the helicopter.

  Jesse released a soft sigh, relaxing a little, and Hal turned to face her.

  “Glad to be home?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

  Jesse let out a sarcastic laugh.

  “Not really,” she answered with a sigh. “But I am excited about this interview. A little nervous, but excited.”

  Hal nodded and then was quiet.

  “Are you?” Jesse asked in return. “Glad to be home?”

  Hal blinked and seemed to think for a moment.

  “Not really,” he said with a soft smile. “I like having you all to myself back at the cabin.”

  Jesse flushed a little at the statement, and she felt butterflies in her stomach.

  “I mean it’s not like you have to share me with anyone here,” she pointed out gently.

  “I will if you get this new job,” Hal said, his sadness evident in his tone.

  “We’ll still be able to spend plenty of time together,” Jesse said and stood closer to him, pressing her body into his side.

  They were quiet for a moment more before Hal turned his head to look down at her.

  “Are you sure you just don’t want to spend the night here?” he asked, and Jesse heard the edge of a plea in his voice. “I can make sure you have clothes for the interview, and I can take you there myself.”

  Jesse felt a little spark of guilt, but she knew she couldn’t accept his invitation. She knew she needed to spend some time by herself to collect herself for the interview and prepare the answers to any of the questions they were liable to ask.

  “You know I’d love to,” Jesse smiled regretfully and looked up at him. “But I really need to spend some time getting ready for the interview, and you know I don’t want you to go out and buy me clothes.”

  Hal released a sigh and smiled down at her.

  “It was worth a shot,” he said with a shrug, wrapping his arm around her. “Will you at least let me take you out to dinner before you abandon me?”

  Jesse laughed at his terminology.

  “Not tonight.” Jesse shook her head, and she heard Hal release a soft breath through his nose, though he did not protest verbally. Jesse felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach, and she looked up at Hal.

  “Hey, I’ll tell you what, though,” she spoke, and Hal raised an eyebrow as he listened. “Tomorrow, after my interview, I’ll call you up. Maybe we can go get lunch or something, okay?”

  Hal smiled and nodded. Jesse did not miss the way the tension seemed to leave his face.

  “That sounds great,” he said.

  Just as he spoke, the doors of the elevators slid open and revealed the expansive parking garage.

  Hal took her hand and led her out toward the Range Rover that Adam had already pulled up close to the elevator so they could easily get in.

  Jesse watched as Hal strode toward the back and opened the rear of the vehicle, putting her minimal luggage there before returning to her side and opening the back door to help her into the car.

  Jesse was left alone in the car with Adam for a moment while Hal crossed to the other side, and Jesse thought it would be rude not to speak to him.

  “How have you enjoyed your few days off?” Jesse asked.

  “Honestly?” Adam turned back to give her an aggravated look. “I haven’t. I worry about Hal when he’s gone for so long.”

  Jesse was a little taken aback. She had never seemed Adam’s face quite so distressed, and she was also sure she had never heard him say so much in one sitting.

  “I’m sorry to worry you,” Jesse with concern.

  “Don’t be,” Adam said with a chuckle. “I just don’t do well with time off.”

  Jesse would have pressed further if it hadn’t been for Hal getting into the car at that moment.

  “Alright,” he said as he got into the car. “Let’s get Jess home.”

  “Right on it,” Adam said and began the process of pulling out of the parking garage.

  Jesse was silent all along the ride home, and once again she slipped her hand into Hal’s as Adam drove. Her mind was partially going through a mental checklist of all she had to do to prepare for her interview, but another part of her was thinking about Hal, and how she would miss him over the course of the night. She could hardly remember what it was like to sleep alone.

  Even so, she knew that she had to focus, even if just for one night, and that she would probably see him for lunch the next day. So, she decided that they could probably both survive.

  Jesse was prepared to give Adam directions to her apartment, but it seemed that there was no need as he remembered the route on his own. In no time, they were parked on the street outside the doors to her building.

  Hal immediately got out of the car, and as he moved around, Jesse looked to the front to address Adam.

  “Thanks for the ride,” she said. “I hope you’re feeling better now that Hal is back under your care.”

  Adam let out a quick bark of a laugh.

  “Thanks,” he said with a smile. “And you’re welcome.”

  Jesse smiled up
at him just as Hal opened the door to help her out.

  “Hey,” he scolded playfully, “stop flirting with Adam. I might get jealous.”

  Adam grunted in response, and Jesse blushed as she took Hal’s hand and allowed him to help her out of the car.

  Jesse lingered on the sidewalk while Hal went and gathered up her things, then they joined hands and stepped into the building. They were quiet as they crossed the lobby and then rode the elevator up to Jesse’s floor. Hal escorted her all the way to the door of her apartment.

  “Thanks for bringing me home,” Jesse said. “I had a lot of fun with you these past few days.”

  “Of course,” Hal said. “I had a lot of fun with you too.”

  Jesse smiled and wrapped her arms around Hal’s torso. After she pulled back, Hal leaned down and softly kissed her lips. Jesse looked up at him and felt guilty once again at the sadness she could see in his eyes.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow after my interview,” Jesse said. “And then we can go get some lunch, okay?”

  “Okay,” Hal said softly, offering her a small smile. “Good luck, Jess. Have a great interview.”

  “I will,” she said with a smile. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight,” Hal said and turned to walk down the hallway. Jesse watched until he disappeared into the elevator and then released a sigh.

  She would miss him for this little while. For now, though, she had an interview to prepare for and didn’t want to waste time worrying about Hal when she knew very well she would see him the next day.

  Resolved to stay focused, Jesse unlocked her door and carried her things into her apartment.

  Chapter 79

  Hal

  Hal got into the passenger seat of the Range Rover and leaned his head back against the headrest as he buckled his seatbelt, staying quiet as Adam pulled out onto the street. For a while, neither of them said anything to each other, and Hal simply looked out the window.

  “Did you two enjoy your romantic escapade into the woods?” Adam asked him, and Hal could clearly hear the annoyance in his voice.

  Hal sighed. He was in no real mood to put up with Adam’s ridiculous overprotectiveness.

  “We did, thank you,” he said simply. “And I trust you enjoyed your time off as well.”

  Adam grunted at him.

  “You know I worry about you,” Adam said simply, and Hal felt a quick tinge of guilt, knowing his friend’s concern for him was coming from a good place.

  “I know,” Hal said softly and fell quiet. He returned his attention to looking at cars as they passed outside the window.

  “What?” Adam asked, his voice a mix of suspicion and concern. “No quips about my mothering care?”

  Hal couldn’t even muster a smile and only responded with a small shrug.

  Silence lingered between them for a few moments more before Adam finally spoke.

  “Hal,” he said, and Hal turned to face him. Adam’s brows were furrowed, and his lips curled into a frown. “Are you alright?”

  Hal frowned a little as well as he did his best to come up with an honest answer for that question. Actually, he knew very well that the answer was no. He had not felt completely at rest emotionally since he had snapped at Jesse the other night. That episode had impacted him deeply, and a part of him had been wound up, tense, and anxious ever since. What he really couldn’t decide was whether or not he really wanted to discuss any of that right at this moment with Adam.

  At length, he decided that it would be far better to talk to a friend about this issue rather than let it build up inside of him.

  “No,” Hal finally answered. “I’m not.”

  Hal watched Adam blink at him for a moment. The other man was probably surprised at his openness, and Hal could hardly blame him. They very seldom talked about serious matters and much less emotional ones.

  “Well …” Adam said, seeming to struggle for words a little. “What’s wrong, then?”

  Hal was quiet for another moment, trying to figure out how best to voice what was going on inside of him.

  “I don’t know,” he finally said, running a hand over his face. “I think I might just be paranoid that Jesse won’t want to be with me in the long run.”

  “Oh,” Adam said, and Hal could tell that he felt like a fish out of water. “I mean, I guess that’s a concern when you’re in a relationship with anyone, right?”

  “Right,” Hal mumbled. He did agree with Adam, but somehow he felt no consolation from his words. In reality, he knew that wasn’t exactly what he was afraid of, but he didn’t dare to even think of what his deepest fears were, lest he think them into existence.

  Adam gave Hal a nod, and it seemed that they were done with the conversation. They were silent for the rest of the ride home and even after Adam had parked the Range Rover.

  Hal walked with Adam to the elevator, and they waited together.

  “Anything else you need tonight?” Adam asked him, and Hal could hear the concern in his friend’s voice.

  “No, I’m good.” Hal smiled over at him and clapped him on the back. “Sorry I’m so emotional. I guess hanging around women had that effect.”

  Adam chuckled.

  “Don’t worry about it, man,” Adam said. “Just give me a call if you change your mind.”

  “Sure thing,” Hal said. “We’re on for our workout tomorrow, right?”

  “Right,” Adam nodded. The elevator doors slid open, and Adam stepped out onto his floor of the building. “See you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow,” Hal replied, giving his friend a smile as the elevator doors slid closed.

  Alone, Hal released a sigh and leaned back against the wall of the elevator. With nobody around to distract him from his thoughts and emotions, he could already feel them creeping up and starting to overwhelm him.

  When the elevator doors opened on his floor, Hal wasted no time in heading into his kitchen and opening up the cabinet of liquor he kept fully stocked in case he had to host guests and provide their preference of booze.

  For now, though, he needed the alcohol for a different purpose. He got out a tumbler from another cabinet and opened up a bottle of Scotch, pouring himself a healthy helping.

  Hal easily tossed back the liquid, enjoying the way it burned his throat on the way down. He was eager for the alcohol to begin the work of numbing his mind and his emotions.

  Without a second thought, he poured himself another glass.

  Chapter 80

  Jesse

  Jesse was awoken by the sound of the alarm on her phone and blinked hazily as she reached over to turn it off. She sat up on the side of her bed and stretched her arms over her head with a yawn.

  The clock read seven o’clock, and Jesse’s stomach fluttered with a mix of nervousness and excitement as she realized that in about two hours she would be walking into an interview for a new job.

  First, though, Jesse knew that she had her whole morning routine to get through. So, without too much preamble, Jesse put on some yoga pants and a tank top, gathered up her keys and went out for her morning run.

  From there on out, Jesse’s morning routine unfolded without a hitch. She got back to her apartment, showered, and dressed, and she was out of the house by eight-fifteen. She opened up the information about her interview on her phone and was pleased to note that the office was not very far from her apartment at all. In fact, it was a little closer than where she had worked before with Elaine.

  Jesse took her time walking over, and she even stepped into her favorite shop to fetch herself some coffee. She was a little tense at first but relaxed as soon as she realized that everyone was on their phones and had no interest in who she was at all.

  Once she collected her drink, Jesse moved out of the shop and headed toward the office where the interview would be held. She stepped into the building at eight-forty and headed straight to the receptionist’s desk.

  Jesse stood in front of the desk, and a young man, likely around her age, l
ooked up at her. His nametag identified him as ‘Scott’.

  “Good morning,” he said pleasantly. “How can I help you?”

  “Good morning,” Jesse said with a smile, “I have an interview for a journalist position at nine o’clock.”

  “Wonderful.” The man smiled. “Your name?”

  “Jesse Clarke,” Jesse responded, and Scott proceeded to type her name into his computer.

  “Alright,” he said, “you’ll need to go to the top floor. The receptionist there will take it from there.”

  “Thank you.” Jesse gave him a nod and looked around the room to find the elevators, which she then strode toward.

  Jesse stepped into the elevator and pressed the button on the top floor. The doors to the elevator closed and then began to take her up to the top floor. People filtered in and out along the way, but finally the doors opened to allow Jesse to step out and find the desk of the new receptionist she needed to meet with.

  Jesse moved toward the desk, and this time a young woman looked up to greet her.

  “How may I help you?” She smiled at Jesse, and Jesse returned the smile.

  “I’m here for an interview for a journalist’s position,” Jesse said. “My name is Jesse Clarke.”

  The receptionist looked down at a list or a moment and then glanced back up at Jesse with a smile.

  “You’re a little early,” the receptionist noticed. “You can take a seat right over there, and I’ll go check to see if you can go ahead in.”

  “Alright, thank you,” Jesse said with a nod.

  Jesse moved over to the small waiting area that the receptionist had indicated. She watched the other woman step into the office that she had indicated earlier.

  Jesse felt a little bit of nerves as she eagerly waited for the woman to return. Jesse knew very well that she had been through all this before many times. For now, she just sat quietly, keeping herself collected.

  Jesse kept her eyes fixed on the door of the office, and it was not very long before the receptionist came out, smiling broadly at Jesse.