The Billionaire's Proposal (Scandal, Inc Book 4)

by James, Avery

  Chapter 9

  Harry slumped back in his seat and looked into the blue sky above. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see the buildings flying by as Ramon sped through the streets of Havana. The day was already heating up, and soon the sun would be oppressively hot. He wanted to get out of the city as quickly as possible. “Can’t this go any faster?” he asked.

  “Relax, she will still be there when you return,” Ramon said. “Staring off like that isn’t going to change anything.”

  “What makes you think this is about her? We’re just friends,” Harry said. That was a bald-faced lie. Maggie was many things. She was beautiful, frustrating, tempting, exhilarating, but she wasn’t just a friend. What is she, then? Off limits, Harry reminded himself, but that didn’t change the way he felt when he looked at her or talked with her. It didn’t change the way her kiss had lingered on his lips all night.

  It had taken all of his willpower to break away from that kiss and call it a night, but it had been necessary. He had told her that he didn’t want to keep going because he wanted their relationship to be something more than a tipsy mistake. That was true, but there was more to it than that. He didn’t want to go any further with her until he told her the truth about what he was doing. Once she knew, she could make her own choice.

  “You’re staring off again,” Ramon said.

  “We’re just friends,” Harry said.

  Ramon laughed so hard that it startled Harry. He looked over at the grin spread across the driver’s face. “You and I are friends,” Ramon said. “You and Maggie? My friend, I saw the way the two of you looked at each other last night and the way you rushed to return to your hotel. And now, this morning, you are lovesick.”

  “It’s complicated,” Harry admitted. “Can we leave it at that for now?” Complicated was an understatement.

  “We’ll have to,” Ramon said as he pulled the car onto a side street. “We’re here.” A moment later, he parked the car in front of a small garage and honked the horn twice. “Five hundred for the week,” he said. “I can drive you instead,” he added.

  “I need some time alone with Maggie,” he said.

  “Because you’re friends?” Ramon asked. He gave Harry a wink.

  “Back to the matter at hand, how much to buy?” Harry asked.

  “You haven’t even seen it yet.”

  “If it’s as good as you say, I’ll pay ten grand.”

  “That’s too much,” Ramon said. “Let me negotiate.”

  The garage door swung open and Ramon’s friend waved them in. The back of the garage was lined with shelves of tools and parts, but Harry’s attention was on the three motorcycles before him. Ramon’s friend wore a stained shirt, and his hands were streaked with grease, but the bikes were impeccable. “Harley-Davidson,” the man said, patting one of the bikes before wiping it down with a rag. “Very American.” The bike was in good condition.

  Next to the Harley was a BMW, but Harry’s attention was drawn to the last bike. “Is that a Jota?” He laughed. The last thing he was expecting to see was an Italian motorcycle. It was orange with a black seat, and every inch of it was perfect. He wanted it.

  The man smiled. “That one is mine,” he said. “My brother had it mailed over in parts. It took three years.”

  “How much do you want for it?”

  The man shook his head. “That one isn’t for sale.”

  “I’ll give you five thousand euros to borrow it for the week. I’ll make it ten if I’m out of here in the next five minutes.” The man’s eyes widened and he looked at Ramon. Ramon shrugged. “Plus I need two helmets,” he added. “Can you do that?” Harry pulled a stack of bills out of his pocket, but the man had already headed out of the garage. “Where’d he go?” Harry asked.

  “To get two helmets before you change your mind,” Ramon said. “That was too much money.”

  When you only have a week with someone, every second counts, Harry thought. “It’s fine,” he said. He wanted to get back to her. This was already taking too long.

  “You want it because you cannot have it,” Ramon said.

  “I want it because it’s beautiful,” Harry said.

  “Are we still talking about the motorbike?” Ramon asked.

  “I’m not going to answer that,” Harry said. He knew what his friend was implying, and he knew that he was right. He had a history of wanting things he couldn’t have. But Maggie was different. He’d been attracted to her from the start. The fact that he wasn’t supposed to like her didn’t hurt, though.

  “I can drive you instead if you like,” Ramon said. “It isn’t a problem. I can look out for you. You can focus on your girl and I’ll watch the road.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Harry said. “We’ll only be in the city for a little while anyway. When we’re done here, I need you to go ahead with the bags to get everything ready. There’s something I have to show Maggie.”

  “Mysterious,” Ramon said. “The American with his secrets. Some of them, you don’t hide very well. Does she know how you feel?”

  Thankfully, the man came back before Harry could explain how he’d left things with Maggie the night before. “Two helmets,” he said. “For you, brand-new.” Harry pulled on the helmet and handed the man the money. He strapped the second helmet to the back of the bike and climbed on. The engine started with a satisfying roar.

  He didn’t know what Maggie would say when he got back. Maybe she’d throw her arms around him and say she had spent the whole night thinking about him. Maybe she’d slap him for being so presumptuous. He didn’t know what she’d do next, and that was exciting. In a week, he’d go back to a life that other people had planned out for him, but in this moment, he was free, and anything was possible. He still had a plan, but he wanted her to be part of it, too. As much as he knew about Maggie, she was a mystery. And he wanted more. He revved the engine of the bike and headed out into the sunlight. Maggie, here I come.

  ***

  One step inside the room told him everything he needed to know. “I’m an ass,” he said as he watched the indignant look on Maggie’s face. He tried to hide his smile, but there was something particularly attractive about her when she was mad at him. Whenever she squinted her eyes and lowered her brow in annoyance, he was helpless.

  “Do you even know what I’m mad about?” she asked.

  “That I took off?” Harry said.

  He watched Maggie’s shoulders rise and fall as she sighed. “That’s part of it,” she said. “It’s my job to know where you are. When I don’t know where you are, I’m not doing my job. I’m already going out on a limb for you by going along on this trip despite not knowing why we’re here. And then I don’t even know where we stand or what you want from me or even what I want from you, and it’s all hard enough to figure out without you disappearing like that.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Have you thought about what I said last night?” he said.

  “Honestly, I haven’t given it much thought,” she replied. That hurt him more than he wanted to let on. He knew that they had a connection. He knew that it was more than purely physical, and he knew she felt it too. “I’ve had a hard time thinking about much else since I found half a million dollars in your bag last night.”

  Goose bumps rose on Harry’s arms and a chill ran up his spine as he processed what Maggie had said. “Why were you in my bag?” he asked.

  “You told me you had a toothbrush,” she said. “Do you remember? You kind of left out the part about having a small fortune in your bag.” She got up and crossed the room. “Are you running?” she asked him.

  “For office?” he asked.

  “Off,” she said. “Are you running off? Why else would you have a hoard of cash in a country where no one can reach you?”

  “I can explain,” Harry said. “It’s not what you think.”

  “You can understand why I’m not exactly full of trust at the moment, right? Unannounced trip to Cuba, large stash of money, unclear
intentions.”

  “I think I’ve made my intentions with you quite clear,” he said.

  “You know what I mean,” she replied. “And don’t try to change the subject. Why did you bring the money?”

  “I promise you that I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this. I just need you to trust me.”

  “I need you to trust me, Harry,” she said. “I’m here for you. Forget about my job and your family and all of that. I’m here for the guy I met on the beach who looked at me like I was the only other person in the world. I’m here for the guy who wants something more even though he knows he can’t have it, because I want it too, but I need you to trust me. I need you to tell me what’s going on.”

  She feels it too. Harry felt another shiver, but this time it was pure excitement. He needed to tell her the truth. It was crazy, and she’d never go along with it, but he needed to tell her the truth.

  “Promise me you’ll give me a day to show you why I’m doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I swear, I’m doing this for all the right reasons.”

  “That’s what people say when they’re doing something wrong,” Maggie said. “This would all be so much easier if you just told me what the hell is going on. If you’re not running off, what’s the money for?” she asked. “You can’t seriously plan on spending it all this week.”

  “One day,” he said. “Promise me that if I tell you, you’ll give me one day to explain myself.”

  “And if I don’t like your explanation after the day is up?”

  “I’ll get on a plane to D.C. for real this time,” he said, “if that’s what you want.”

  “Deal,” she said as she grabbed his hand and shook it. “You have twenty-four hours. Start talking.”

  “It’s a bribe,” he said.

  Maggie laughed. “No, really, what is it?”

  “It’s a bribe,” he said. “And if you want to understand the rest, you’ll have to come with me. Hold on one second,” he said as he disappeared into the hall. When he came back, he had a helmet in his hand. He held it out. “I promise, once you see, you’ll understand.”

  Chapter 10

  “You need to give me some kind of clue what’s going on,” Maggie shouted over the roar of the engine as Harry beckoned her onto the bike. “Are you in trouble?” Harry’s supposed explanation had left her with more questions than answers. What the hell did a motorcycle have to do with a half a million in cash? And did he really expect her to hop on with him without any further explanation?

  “Trust me, you’ll understand everything once you see,” he said. “Now we have to get going if we’re going to do this.”

  “Do what?”

  “Run away together,” he said. He revved the engine as he smiled.

  “That’s not funny,” Maggie said.

  “We just have a lot of ground to cover. I made you a promise, and I’ll keep it. If you’re not convinced by this time tomorrow, we’ll head back to the States and I’ll do whatever you ask.”

  “And if I am convinced?” she asked. She had no idea what she was going to be convinced of.

  “You’ll start trusting me,” he said. “Now get on and let’s go.”

  Maggie pulled on the helmet Harry had given her and climbed onto the back of the bike. She wrapped her arms around him. “Is the bike really necessary?” she asked.

  “It’s the only way to get where we’re going,” he said. “Now hold on.” Maggie hung on to Harry as he drove the motorcycle out of the city. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she knew she had to trust him. She wanted to trust him. She wanted him to be telling the truth about doing something good. She just had too many reasons to doubt him.

  It was a strange feeling, riding on the back of the motorcycle. Although she was pressed against Harry, she was alone with her thoughts. As the city gave way to open fields, Maggie let her mind wander. She’d been so preoccupied with the hidden money that she hadn’t really thought about what had happened or what had almost happened the night before with Harry. As she watched the landscape roll by, she thought about that kiss, remembered how much she had wanted more from him.

  In the distance, the ocean flitted in and out of view beyond the fields. They were headed east, Maggie could tell that much. They stopped in a small town at some point in the early afternoon. Maggie could barely tell how long they had been on the bike. It had probably been hours. Harry stopped at a small stand and bought a few pieces of fruit from two girls who couldn’t have been older than twelve. He overpaid them and insisted they keep the change. They waved to Maggie as she tried to figure out what town they were in. Harry loaded the food into the motorcycle’s saddlebag before they headed off again. Maggie wondered if he had put the money in there as well.

  In some ways, Maggie couldn’t imagine a more perfect day. The sky was cloudless. The warm air felt good on her skin as she and Harry sped down the roads. Even the way her arms fit around his waist just felt right. Maggie tried to tell herself to enjoy the moment because she knew that sooner or later it would have to end. Whenever Harry told her his secret, things would change. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse, but as soon as she knew, she’d be part of the secret, and she’d have to make a choice between him and her job.

  An hour later, he pulled over on the side of the road. “Everything okay?” Maggie asked.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to drive for a while,” he said. “We’re on this road for a little while longer.”

  “No,” Maggie said. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

  “Come on. I’ll show you. It’s just like riding a bike.”

  “I could crash,” she said.

  “You won’t,” he replied. “You might enjoy yourself.”

  “I’m fine riding on the back. I don’t think Haven Communications is insured for me crashing a motorcycle with a client on the back.”

  “You won’t crash,” Harry said again. “Years from now, when you’re old and gray, you’ll be able to tell your grandchildren about the time you learned to drive a motorcycle in Cuba.”

  “That’s assuming I’ll have grandchildren,” Maggie said. “Or children. Once we get back, I’m married to my job. I’ll be single forever.”

  “You say that like being single’s a bad thing,” Harry said.

  “For a playboy billionaire, I’m sure it’s just the best.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Harry said. He looked at her and smiled.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Worst case, you could tell your fifteen cats about learning to drive a motorcycle.”

  “Sadly, that’s probably more accurate.”

  “For what it’s worth, the right guy won’t let something like a job get in the way.”

  “Is that right?” Maggie asked. “Will the right guy take a hint about me being unavailable?”

  “Only after exhausting all other options.”

  “Fine,” Maggie said.

  “If I’m being honest, I’m not sure if you just agreed to drive the motorcycle or be my wife.”

  “The bike,” Maggie said. “I agreed to drive the bike.”

  “Baby steps,” Harry replied.

  “You are unbelievable,” Maggie said.

  “If you think I’m unbelievable, just wait until you drive this bike.”

  “You promise that you won’t let me kill us?”

  “Not unless you ask really politely. I’m a sucker for brunettes with a death wish.”

  “If I drive the bike, will you stop flirting with me?” Maggie asked. In truth, she was enjoying it, but she didn’t want to be too obvious.

  “If that’s what you want,” Harry said. “I can’t promise I’ll stop for long. I can’t help myself.”

  “Around anyone with two X chromosomes?” Maggie asked.

  “Around you,” he said. Harry’s smile widened as Maggie realized she was blushing.

  “Hey, I agreed to ride the motorcycle. Now let’s see if you can keep your half of the deal
.” Maggie climbed back onto the bike and Harry got on behind her. He showed her how to start the bike and placed his hands on her hips. “Easy there,” Maggie said.

  “Just making sure I don’t fall off,” he said.

  “Sure,” she replied. She started the bike and revved the engine, peeling out onto the road. For a half second, she felt like she had no control of the bike. Her heart pounded, and she felt a rush of adrenaline, but she regained control and straightened out her path. She let out a shout of excitement and sped faster. She could hear Harry laughing and shouting along. Her head was buzzing, but she felt great. The sun was on her face. The road was empty, and she felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

  After a while the terrain started to get hillier, and the view of the ocean in the distance started to fade away as the vegetation grew thicker on both sides of the road. The air cooled as they drove through a stretch of forest.

  “We’re almost there,” Harry shouted over the roar of the engine. “Pull over around that bend.” When Maggie finally rolled the bike to a stop, she felt a little cheated. She wanted to keep going.

  “So this is it?” she asked. There was nothing around save for a small trail that led up into the hills. “Are we going hiking?”

  “We don’t have enough time for that,” Harry said. He hopped off the back of the bike.

  “So what are we doing?”

  “We’re riding up.”

  “You’re joking,” Maggie said.

  “The path gets wider ahead. It’s more like a road once you get through this first stretch. Trust me. The first leap is the hardest part.”

  “There’s a leap?” Maggie got off the bike and walked over to the trail. It was wider than the bike, but not by much.

  “I meant that figuratively,” he said. “Once you’re far enough along, things clear up. Come on. We’re so close.”