Billionaire Bartender: A Second Chance Romance (The Buckeye Series)

by Henley, Jo

  “Thank you, Faith. I won’t be long, then you can return to the airport with the limo from the bank.”

  “Are you sure? I can accompany you to your hotel?” She always offered this service to her clients. He was single, and she wore a huge wedding ring on her finger, so any implied suggestions were mute.

  “Can I ask you a question?” He scanned the pretty brunette for any uncomfortableness. If she was available, he might’ve asked her out before he met Liz. “How did you meet your husband?”

  “He works for Phoenix Aviation too. A technical advisor.”

  “So he’s not one of the billionaires you ride along with on trips.”

  “Hell no. Tim is a good for nothing asshole.” She scooted closer to Oscar and twisted the big ring off her finger. “This is fake and we’re divorced.”

  “Serious? Why do you keep up the act?”

  “Wives get jealous if I look too available and the men tip more thinking they can seduce a married woman to cheat.”

  They’d arrived at the destination, Faith turned the tablet to Oscar, he signed the invoice for the ride by swirling his finger across the screen. “I’ll call your service for the return trip. Thank you for flying with Phoenix Aviation.”

  “One more question. Would you ever forgive a man for lying to you?”

  “It’s why I left Tim. No. Next time it’s all up front all the time. I had that in a relationship once. Threw it away.”

  “Sorry to hear that.”

  She shrugged. “No going back. Next time I’m nabbing one of you guys.” She pinched Oscar’s cheek. “A billionaire all the way.”

  “See you on the next trip, Faith.”

  Oscar’s time in the bank passed pretty quick. He could’ve kept Faith and the limo waiting outside. Most of the time inside was spent with the bank manager who wouldn’t stop kissing his ass. The fuss that man made over the withdraw of a few thousand dollars was astounding. It’s not like he was losing anything, the monthly income on Oscar’s account balance was enough to keep the small bank afloat.

  The ride to the hotel couldn’t come fast enough. But the ass kissing hadn’t stopped at the bank. The hotel concierge sent a private car to pick Oscar up. Upon his arrival at the hotel he was escorted by two valets into a back office to check in. The room was decked out with plush chairs, fresh flowers, and mood lighting. All the commotion over his presence made Oscar so uncomfortable each time he visited that he swore on the next trip he’d sleep at the Motel Lodge. Then he’d curl up under the high thread count sheets and retract his statement. Some luxuries of being a billionaire were too great to give up.

  Without going to his room or changing clothes Oscar headed over to a secluded familiar place in the hotel. Wearing his standard denim button down he felt more at home in the casino bar then he did in any high roller’s lounge. He picked out a barstool at the counter and flagged down the bartender.

  “What can I get you?”

  “A bottle of water and a glass of ice.” After a look at his watch, he decided he had plenty of time to call Liz before his meeting with Mr. Chaplain.

  His heart tingled with the first dialing of her number. He hovered a moment, looking at her contact pic before hitting the call button. “Hello?”

  “Oscar.” Liz’s voice beamed, sweetly. “How’s your trip going?”

  “The flight was smooth. I’m on my way to lunch. How are you?”

  “Still planning Bill’s demise.”

  “You know you’ll forgive him.” He stopped and took his drink order. “I miss you.”

  “It’s only been a few hours.”

  “Can’t help it, but I’ll give you time.”

  “Just a smidgen please.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a few days.” He hung up. I’m pushing her too hard. Damn, why don’t you just slow down. But it’s so hard. She’s so perfect. He took a sip of his water and for the first time in years wished it was something stronger. Better get going. He paid his tab and started over to the concierge to arrange for a ride to his meeting.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  An extra large tip kept the driver quiet for the ride over to the site of Oscar’s new restaurant, Camille’s. Revamping the previously failed bar location with a new image to gain more attraction and local business was Oscar’s best bet to turn this venture around.

  “The boss is in the house,” Dan Chaplain, the on-site contractor said, opening the door of the vehicle.

  “You know it.” Oscar slapped him in the gut. “Working out much lately.”

  “Wife’s a good cook.”

  “Oh yea. How is married life?” Oscar asked, but got distracted by the appearance of the grounds. “Dan, come on either water the flowers or lose them. This is the desert. Are they even necessary?”

  “No, sir. I’ll get the landscaper on it right away.”

  “What’s going on inside?” Oscar stepped in the door first. The sounds of construction halted with his entrance into the restaurant.

  “Keep working, fools,” Dan said to his crew. “As you can see we’re on schedule.” He pulled Oscar over to a table set up with blueprints and plans for the project.

  “Then where’s the fire? Why was I called out here?”

  “I was instructed by the new chef to request your presence.”

  “Two hours on a plane, an hour of butt kissing at the bank to meet someone.” Oscar rose to march to the kitchen. “Why?” He was stopped when the chef pushed the swinging doors open.

  “Hi Oscar,” a strong and confident woman boomed out the greeting.

  “Casey? How did you?”

  “Dad said you’d be surprised.” She smiled big and flung her arms out for a hug.

  “I thought you were still in France.” Oscar squeezed the new chef tight, lifting her small frame a little off the ground. “When? How? Did I approve your employment papers?”

  “No, Dan arranged this. We wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “We have to catch up.” He took her hand and tugged her to sit down. She resisted.

  “First you taste my food.” She tugged him into the kitchen doors. Before discussing anything further, she pulled out a barstool positioned in front of a display of several deliciously plated dishes. “I won’t tell you anything about me until you approve the menu.”

  “This is fantastic. You astound me.” Oscar sat for the first bite.

  Over the next half hour Oscar tasted every dish Casey had prepared for the menu of the new restaurant. Each time he tried to turn the conversation back to how she was, she steered him back to the food. Finally after the last dessert was devoured Casey opened up.

  “How’s Dad and Angela? Are they running the bar alright?”

  “With Mitch’s help. The Buckeye is doing well.”

  “You sell yourself short.” She crossed her arms. A stance Oscar knew well from Casey’s bartending days at the Buckeye. She was about to give him the riot act. “You spend too much time there. You’re a billionaire. You can drink in a different bar, in a different city every night. Why don’t you take advantage of your money?”

  “I do. Just not in the conventional way.” He lightly shook her shoulder. “I have everything I need. I’d rather keep making dreams come true. Like paying for your excellent training at Le Cordon Bleu. I only wish your sister would nail down a major so I could help her too.”

  “She’s too much like you. The Buckeye’s in her blood.”

  “Enough jibber jabber.” Casey poked at Oscar. “Let’s go out on the town.”

  “You know I hate gambling.”

  “But I don’t and I bet you have a pocketful of cash.” She playfully grabbed at his jeans.

  “Let me finish up with Dan and you can have your night of fun.”

  “I’ll change out of my chef’s coat.”

  Trolling the casinos for the right machine to pay out was not Oscar’s idea of a fun afternoon, so he steered Casey away from those options. Instead they went downtown to the Fremont Experience. Even am
idst the street performers and flashy lights, Oscar couldn’t stop thinking about Liz. Hoping to get another opinion, he posed the same question he asked Faith to Casey.

  “What kind of guys do you date?”

  “Billionaires,” she answered, squeezing her arm tighter around his. He tensed, stopping in his tracks. “Relax. I know we’re friends. You’re like a brother to me.”

  “I thought so.” Oscar pulled her over to a bench to sit. It was loud in the crowded street. He asked his question by practically screaming in her ear. “Would you date me if I wasn’t a billionaire or like a brother?”

  “That’s a ridiculous question.” She slapped his knee. “You’re super hot,” she answered, the same way he spoke to her, by yelling close to his face. “I’ll prove it.” She stood and grabbed the arm of a passing woman. “Would you date my brother?”

  The woman shook her off and kept walking. “Let me try again.” She held her hands up to cup around her mouth. “SINGLE HOT GUY! WHO WANTS A DATE!”

  “Sit down.” Oscar dragged her back down next to him. “Can’t you be serious? Let’s go.”

  Back in the limo, that Casey had insisted they hire to ride in Oscar tried again. “I’m dating a woman. We met at the Buckeye. She’s wonderful, but she doesn’t know I’m a billionaire.”

  “What’s wrong with you?” Casey slapped his knee again. “How? Why?”

  “Can we skip that? As a woman, in your opinion, how big of a lie is this?”

  “It’s forgivable. You’re one of the good ones. Plenty of people will vouch for that. How did you get everyone to stay quiet?”

  “It’s been hard. I’m thinking of telling her when I get back in town.”

  “You should. If she finds out from someone else. It might crush her.”

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Liz tossed and turned in bed. She tried to read a book, but with no luck. She couldn’t get Oscar off her mind. Why was I so cold to him? He doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment. I mean look at this bouquet. She picked a colorful stem out and pulled the petals off one at time.

  “He loves me. He’s attracted to me. He’s hot. Stable. He’s not a pretentious lawyer,” she scoffed and cleared her throat. “He looks good in jeans. A great kisser. Has conquered his demons in the past. Has and ex. That’s a plus.” She held the last petal in between her fingertips and bit her lip. “And his dick is huge!” She plucked the last petal.

  Rolling back on the bed with the undressed stem she laughed. Her laughter subsided and she was back to where she’d started. She’d just blown off the best man who ever walked into her life. “I’ll make it up to you. Just call me back tomorrow.”

  She wasn’t aware of it, but Oscar was thinking of her too. He hated being out of town, even for business. Angela’s sister Casey was keeping him preoccupied, but his thoughts were with Liz and he’d owed to call her the first chance he was able to get away.

  Liz kept herself distracted the same way she did before she met Oscar, by sauntering across the street and bugging the hell out of Bill. His parent’s car was gone out of the driveway, but his wasn’t. She rang the front door bell with no answer, so she walked around to the side of the house. Just as she suspected, music blared from the back yard. So she let herself in through the side gate.

  “Lazy ass!” she exclaimed, terrifying Bill who was practicing his air guitar with a beer bottle.

  “Slut,” Bill answered, slinging his bottle in the air. “Want a beer?”

  “Why not.” Liz grabbed a cold one out of the mini fridge and fell into the least broken lounge chair on the patio. “Got nothing else to do. Oscar’s out of town.”

  “Having another opening? Is he?” Bill guzzled the rest of his beer and tossed the bottle into a large plastic trash bin.

  “An opening? He said he had property to check on. What is he opening?”

  “Oh didn’t he tell you?” Bill ran his hand through his messed up hair. He’d said too much and mumbled incoherently between gulps of a freshly opened bottle of beer.

  What the hell is Oscar hiding from me? First he leads me to believe he’s just a bartender, then he has property, and now Bill says there’s more. Liz was getting a funny feeling about the man she dreamed of giving her heart to. She pressured Bill for more information.

  “What is Oscar’s day job?” she implored him to give her answers and not any crap he might have cooked up with Oscar to tell her, but the truth. “He’s not just a bartender is he?”

  “Liz don’t do this to me,” Bill begged. She insisted with her nails in his knee. “He owns a couple of restaurants. No big deal.”

  “Is that all? Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “Cause of Chris. That man destroyed you with his overspending. Oscar wanted to show you that he’s nothing like that.”

  Liz sat back. Is my hatred of wealthy men that evident? How did I get this way? I don’t hate men with money. Just spoiled assholes. “Did I really give off that bad of a vibe? How successful is he?”

  “Well—he—” Bill’s answer was saved by the bell you could say. Liz’s phone rang.

  She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the screen. “It’s him.” She held her finger up to Bill and answered. “Hello.”

  “Hi, are you busy?” Oscar asked.

  “Just having a beer with Bill.” She held the phone away from her face. “Say hi.”

  “Howdy,” Bill said and Liz pulled the phone back.

  “Now say goodbye.” She got up to walk away, Bill grabbed her arm to slow her down.

  “Don’t tell him I told you anything,” he mouthed.

  Liz cut across her neck with her hand. “Yes give me a minute and I’ll walk back home. How’s your trip going?”

  Before she could reach the gate, Bill produced his phone and pointed at it. “Send him a picture.” On the screen was a texted picture of a woman’s cleavage.

  “Uh huh, you’ve been busy.” Liz swatted at Bill, knocking his arm down.

  He scrolled up to a picture of a girl’s ass. “Send him one of these too.”

  “Stop it,” Liz said too loud without moving the phone. “Sorry Oscar, Bill was still saying bye,” she said, opening and leaving out the side gate.

  They exchanged small talk as Liz walked back home. When she announced she was inside the conversation turned in a new direction.

  “The sound of your voice is making me hard,” Oscar said.

  “Are you alone?” she asked, testing the waters. She’d never had phone sex or texted dirty pictures before. Smart phones were not a thing when she got married and by the time they were she was no longer flirting with Chris.

  “In my hotel room. Just laying here. Thinking of you laying there. Are you in bed?”

  “I can be. Do you want me to get comfortable?” Liz laid down in her clothes on top of the covers. His shirt from the first night they met was still laid out on the pillow next to her head.

  “I want you to send me a picture. Can you do that?”

  “A picture of what?”

  “I’ve never done this before, but I miss you. We can’t be together. I understand that, but I’d like to show you what you might be getting. If you want it.”

  Liz was getting excited with his every word. Her fingers were wandering down to her waistline. She was itching to undress and give into her arousal stirring for Oscar. This wasn’t sex he was asking for. But it was sensual and she was dying to try it with him.

  “Yes. I want to send them,” she said after the long silent pause. “Do we hang up?”

  “We’re going to have to. I’ll send first, while you get undressed.” Liz listened to every syllable of his requests. “Then you send me first one of you half dressed on the bed. Slowly peel out of your clothes and send me pictures as you do.”

  Positioning for the right angle was harder than she anticipated. She stripped down to her undies, then on a whim slipped into Oscar’s plaid shirt, leaving it open in the front. Her arm could only stretch so far and the first pic turne
d out to be just a torso shot.

  Oscar: That’s hot. Is that my shirt?

  His next pic was a similar shot of his chest and abs. Liz had seen a peek, but getting the full view of his slightly hairy chest was better than she’d hoped.

  Liz: Ooohh. I’m speechless.

  Oscar: We’re just getting started.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  If the evening was just getting started, then Oscar’s next text shifted them into overdrive. Liz’s phone buzzed with the text notification while she was unhooking her bra for a revealing shot of her breasts. On the screen was the head of Oscar’s cock peeking out between the teeth of his unzipped jeans.

  “Holy f— that is nice!” Liz zoomed in on the picture. “Oooh, I want him here.” She finished positioning her nipples just over her forearm, snapped the shot and sent it with a caption. Liz: Loved your shot. Like mine?

  His response was quick. Oscar: Oh baby, you don’t how much.

  Liz: Show me.

  She shimmied out of her panties and with a moan inserted a finger into her aching pussy. Mmm, if only. She took the next shot one handed, aiming at her tickling fingers.

  Oscar: You beat me to it! How wet are you?

  He followed this text with a picture of his enlarged cock that took her breath away. It was fully erect and tucked behind his hand at the base of his shaft was a tuft of hair.

  Oscar: Wish I was there. Show me more.

  Liz spread her legs further apart and scooted her fingers to the edge of her folds. She teased her nub button and took the shot. Sending it with the text, Liz: Insert cock here.

  If he was in town she doubted she’d have the courage to send such a message. But he was undoubtedly too far away to actually show up and act on any texts sent, so Liz went wild with her language.

  Liz: Stretch me out and fill me up.

  Oscar: Mmm, you’ve loosened up. And I’m all the harder for it.

  He sent another shot of his elongated cock. It was fat as well as long. One angled shot, followed another, which was accompanied by horny texts.