Billionaire's Vegas Night: A Standalone Novel (A Billionaire Boss Romance Love Story) (Billionaires - Book #4)

by Claire Adams

  “Good thing we chose the shower,” she said as she turned around and grabbed the soap to start washing her body.

  “Yeah, I’m sure your parents won’t think it’s odd that we are both soaking wet when we show up to dinner.”

  “I did forget to think that one through,” Sarah admitted. “Do you have a hair dryer?”

  One of the best things about Sarah was how honest she was. We didn’t argue; we didn’t even have quibbles about things because she could always see my point of view. She might not agree with me, but she was so kind and respectful that there was nothing to fight about. Even the fact that she so easily said she hadn’t thought through our sex in the shower thing, it showed how truly honest she was.

  “Look at these lovely, golden locks. Do they look like I use heat on them?” I laughed.

  “Oh, all right. I’ll have to just pull it up in a bun or something and hope they don’t realize I wasn’t in the house at all to take a shower.”

  We finished our shower and dressed for dinner. I let her leave first and I agreed to come a few minutes later. Hopefully she would be able to slip up to her bedroom and turn the shower on before her parents noticed her. But even if they did see her, I didn’t think they would automatically assume she had been in my shower. Certainly, there could have been some other explanation for her hair being wet; maybe she had fallen into the damn pigpen water. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself as I made my way over to the house.

  I was nervous, which was weird. I knew both Sid and Meredith pretty well by that point and wasn’t nervous around either of them during the day, but there was something a little different about going to your boss’ house and sitting down to a meal with them. It didn’t matter that Sid wasn’t my real boss and I would be returning to my real life someday; for the time being he was my boss. He was also the father to the woman I had been sleeping with.

  “It’s nice to see you,” Meredith said as she opened the front door.

  “You too.”

  I felt awkward, which was strange for me. I had spent most of my adult life socializing and going to business dinners, yet as I stood there it was different. Meredith and Sid were keeping me safe, they were also my employers, and the parents of the woman I was starting to care a great deal about.

  “Grab a beer,” Sid said from his recliner in the living room.

  Sid looked like a whole different man with his cowboy hat and boots off. He seemed much more exposed and more like a normal man than he had seemed to be before. When Sid was wearing his hat and boots, he appeared to be like an old west hero; someone that could do anything he wanted.

  “Thank you, sir,” I said as I went to the kitchen behind Meredith and she handed me a beer.

  Sarah was also in the kitchen and I nodded to acknowledge she was there. I didn’t go out of my way to say hello to her, but we shared a knowing smile about how our day had been spent just a few moments before.

  “Come in here and watch the race with me while the ladies finish up with dinner.”

  Sid was a man’s man, there was no denying it. I assumed that he had probably never, or very rarely, cooked a meal for himself. On the other hand, Meredith seemed to be able to do it all. I had seen her cook for a dozen men, clean up after the horses and easily grab a pig out of the pig pen. Meredith made everything look easy and she did it with a smile on her face and a gentle nature about her character.

  I looked toward Meredith and Sarah for approval to join Sid in the living room. I didn’t like leaving them to do all the cooking, but I suspected they were just fine with me being out of the way and keeping Sid company while he watched his NASCAR race.

  “On my way,” I said as I left the ladies.

  “So are you a fan?” Sid asked as he pointed his beer toward the screen.

  I tried to think of my fake profile and what I was supposed to say, but I just couldn’t remember if I liked NASCAR or not. Instead, I decided to go with the truth.

  “I don’t really know very much about it, but it seems like a fun event to go to.”

  “Oh, yeah man. I went a few years ago and it was insane. Now it would be really nice to go in one of those RVs and stay nice and close. I’d love to climb up on the top and watch the race from there.”

  “Now that sounds like a good time.”

  “Sarah never got into racing. If she had been a boy, I would have forced her to love it like I do. But I suppose it’s not really a woman’s thing.”

  I had to laugh as Sid went on and on about his NASCAR while we waited for dinner. It was obviously something he was passionate about and I liked seeing that side of him.

  Chapter 12

  Sarah

  “Dinner wasn’t so bad, was it?” I asked Garrett as he stood next to me and helped me clean up the kitchen.

  “It was nice.”

  “I thought my father was going to totally convert you into a NASCAR fan.”

  It had been wonderful to watch how excited my father got while talking to Garrett. I knew he had wanted a son and over the years I had tried to make him proud. He certainly didn’t make me feel like he didn’t want me, I just knew he always longed to have another man around the house that he could bond with.

  As Garrett and I had gotten closer, Garrett was afraid my father would find out, but I actually thought my father wouldn’t mind at all. Garrett was a good man; he was one of the nicest men I had known. My father and he got along great and I saw how my father looked at him; he respected Garrett.

  Sure, my father teased Garrett about staying away from me, but that was just what he did. If I told him I was head over heels falling for Garrett; he would be happy for me. I just didn’t fall head over heels for anyone so it would shock my parents if I actually admitted to them the feelings I was having.

  When Garrett told me my parents had invited him to dinner, I couldn’t help but think it would be the perfect moment to tell them about the two of us. Just get it all out there on the table and not worry about it. They were my parents, they loved me and trusted me, and I just didn’t think they would have a problem with the two of us being together.

  But I wasn’t going to force the announcement and it made Garrett very anxious to think about my father knowing what we were doing, so I didn’t tell them. I did enjoy our evening together though. It was so much fun to watch my father and Garrett talked about NASCAR and to hang out with my mother in the kitchen and make dinner. It felt like how I had always wished my significant other would get along with my parents.

  Garrett wasn’t exactly my boyfriend; I wasn’t sure what label we should attach to our relationship. We worked together and hung out together during the day and in the nighttime, we made love and slept together. Outside of the ranch I would have considered him my boyfriend, but on the ranch, it seemed like something less than that. There was no future-planning going on between the two of us. We never mentioned living together or traveling the world; we just enjoyed the time we had with each other. No expectations and no plans.

  “It was pretty exciting there in the end. I can see why he likes it so much. I hope your mom is all right with me kicking her out of the kitchen so I could help you with the dishes. I just wanted to talk to you. It was so weird sitting in there and not talking to you.”

  “Yeah, I think she will survive.”

  “You have a pretty cool family here.”

  “Yeah, I love ‘em; I think I’ll keep them,” I laughed.

  I didn’t know much about Garrett’s family except that his parents had died. He also mentions one time that his sister lived in Florida, but he didn’t really talk to her much. It was sad that his family was so small and he didn’t have the support I did. I could tell he longed for more close connections in his life and I hoped he would find it someday.

  We continued to do the dishes and watched a storm off in the distance. It looked like it was building up some power and the closer it got to the ranch, I could see the trees blowing harder and harder in the wind. We didn’t get many storms
in Montana, but when they did blow through, it was normally just some thunder and lightning. Luckily, we were far enough north that we didn’t get tornados or anything like that.

  The animals always had a bit of a rough time when a thunderstorm rolled through. The lightning and noise from the thunder scared them and often had them so worked up they wouldn’t eat or drink for a day after the storm had passed.

  “Hey, when you two are finished up in here will you go check on the horses. They might need some loving care to get through the storm,” my father said as he grabbed another beer from the fridge.

  “Sure, Dad.”

  I hated to watch how the scared the animals got in the storms. It was difficult to know they were afraid and not be able to calm them down in anyway. When I was away from the ranch I didn’t think anyone took as good of care of the horses as I did when I was home. Sure, my father and mother probably went out to the barn and checked on them; but there was so much more that went into making sure they felt safe. I didn’t mind even sleeping in the barn if I had to, just to make sure they all made it through the night all right and weren’t too scared.

  “Of course, Mr. Miller,” Garrett said. “I bet Buckjoy will appreciate a little company once the thunder comes rolling through.”

  I loved that Garrett got it. Right away, without hesitation, he knew that he horses would be scared. Garrett didn’t have a lot of experience, but he loved that horse and knew him well. Garrett had a big heart and that was just one of the things that I cherished about him.

  “For God’s sake, kid, call me Sid,” my father grumbled under his breath as he went back into the living room.

  “Sorry,” Garrett said with a strained face.

  “He’s a bit of a drinker at night. I know you wouldn’t be able to tell it from how he acts during the day.”

  “Oh, he’s fine. I hope that I have a wife and daughter that I can annoy with my drinking someday.”

  We finished up in the kitchen and found some raincoats and boots in the hall closet before we headed out to the barn. I couldn’t imagine Garrett ever getting drunk. The few times that we had drank while at his cabin, Garrett always maintained total control and didn’t even seem tipsy.

  One time we shared an entire bottle of red wine and I felt like I could hardly walk afterward, yet he was straight sober. It made me think that he had probably drank quite a bit in his history and a high tolerance for alcohol.

  “We will be back in when the storm passes,” I told my parents.

  “I’ll be sleeping,” my father said grumpily.

  “We are both heading to bed shortly. Don’t stay out there too long, you two,” my mother said as she hugged us both and sent us on our way. “Stay safe. That wind looks pretty exciting.”

  The wind was blowing hard as we pressed our way through it and out to the barn. All ten of the horses were anxious and making a lot of noise in their stalls. It was normal for them to be afraid when a big storm hit and whenever I was able to, I liked to come sit with them and try and calm them down. I was glad we had gotten out there early enough to try and keep them calm; it was much better than trying to get them calmed down when all heck had broken lose in the barn.

  Garrett went straight over to Buckjoy and started petting his mane and talking to him and I took the time to turn on more lights and flipped the radio on. It was soothing to have the normal noises around them like we had going on during the day. Plus, I knew the radio station would give out warnings if there were need to take shelter. Not that it happened often, but you just never knew.

  “Wow, they sure are worked up,” Garrett said as he took his raincoat off and started to go into the stall with Buckjoy.

  “Don’t go in there,” I stopped him. “If a big thunder strike happens, you’re likely to get a pair of hooves to your chest. It’s better to stay outside the stall.”

  I admired Garrett for wanting to calm his horse down, but he didn’t understand the dangers that a horse like that posed. Buckjoy wouldn’t purposely hurt Garrett, I knew this. But the horse could easily get so scared that he reacted in a way that put Garrett in danger.

  “Can I give him some apples?”

  “Sure, that would be good. I’m sure they will all enjoy a little snack. I know I love to eat when I’m scared.”

  “I’ll remember that when I take you to a scary movie some time.”

  It was the first-time Garrett had mentioned taking me anywhere. Usually we just talked about our day and a little about our dreams for the future, but he never talked about wanting to have me with him in those dreams. I had decided not to push things though. I was happy having him with me at the ranch and I felt prepared for the day that he told me he was ready to move on. Certainly, I would have a few weeks to prepare myself and maybe we would even try to keep in touch. I really didn’t know what it would look like, but I liked the idea of going to a movie with him someday.

  “I look forward to going to a movie with you.”

  We were both about to hand one of the horses an apple when a loud crack of lightning struck near the barn. I looked up as I heard a nearby tree branch snap and expected to see it falling through the roof of the building since it sounded like it was so close.

  “Shit!” Garrett screamed as he dropped his apple and grabbed me.

  He pulled me into the corner of the building and we both stayed there as we waited to see if anything was going to happen. It was a scary moment and I was happy I had Garrett there with his arms around me. His quick action would have certain of saved me if that branch had come flying through the roof of the barn, but luckily it didn’t break through.

  “I bet that did some damage to the roof,” I laughed nervously.

  “Yep. Hopefully not too bad.”

  The horses were even more worked up than before and the storm seemed to be revving up to deliver quit a punch that night. It was going to be a long night of trying to calm them down. As much as I wanted to stay in that corner and play with Garrett a little bit, I knew the horses needed our attention more than we needed to be making out.

  If the horses got too worked up they were liable to start kicking and causing damage to the barn. But more importantly, they could cause injury to themselves. I had seen a horse kick right through the side of a building when he was afraid. The wood cut a major artery in his leg and he ended up bleeding out before my father or I were able to stop the bleeding. Ever since then I always made a habit of staying with them until they calmed down and made it through the storm all right; well, at least I did when I was home. When I wasn’t home, my father and mother did their best to calm the animals but I knew they didn’t stay out in the barn with them through the storm.

  A good hour passed before the storm started to settle down and so did the horses. It was still raining pretty hard outside, but at least the worst of the lightning and thunder seemed to have passed. I looked over at Garrett and we both breathed a sigh of relief. The horses were still alert and moving around more than normal for that hour of the night, but I figured we were probably safe to make a run for our beds. Morning would be there before we knew it.

  “I think I’ll stay out here and just make sure everything is all right until the storm totally passes,” Garrett said as he stood near Buckjoy.

  “We could probably head in; I think the worst is over.”

  As much as I worried about the horses, I was tired and desperate to get some sleep. Our night with my parents had left me totally exhausted.

  “I know, but I just have a bad feeling. Why don’t we make ourselves a bed in the corner and campout?” Garrett suggested.

  I wanted to say no to him. I was sleepy and just wanted to climb into bed and close my eyes, but the smile on his face was convincing me to stay with him. Plus, he was so enthusiastic and he thought it was a brilliant idea to campout in the horse barn. He obviously didn’t understand that field mice also loved to campout in the barn when it rained.

  “I’m not sure I want little critters crawling all over me al
l night long,” I laughed.

  “Hey, hey now. You said I was bigger than the average guy,” Garrett said as he thrust his hips playfully toward me.

  “Oh, my God. Fine, I’ll stay out here with you, but I’m making us a better bed than a straw one.”

  “Deal,” Garrett said as he turned back to petting Buckjoy and calming him. “I think I saw some blankets up the ladder in that loft area.”

  “Blankets? Really? Why were you up in the loft? Hmmm…” I laughed.

  The loft was old and rickety; I wouldn’t have considered going up there on any normal day. And I couldn’t imagine why Garrett would have gone up there. Perhaps he had been trying to find a spot to hide all his secrets.

  “Yeah, why? Is it weird that there are blankets up there?”

  “Sort of. I wonder who would have put them up there. I’ll go get them,” I said as I prepared myself to climb the old ladder.

  I climbed up the rickety old ladder and found what looked like a makeshift bed. There were four, square bales of hay up there and a thick blanket over them. There was some hay filled in a sack as a pillow and a couple other blankets over the top. It was actually a pretty ingenious bed and for a moment I thought Garrett had been the one behind it. I had to laugh, but then I couldn’t help but wonder how the hell all the hay got up there. That ladder certainly wasn’t sturdy enough to hold a man carrying hay up it.

  “How is it? Should I just come up there?” Garrett yelled as he stood at the bottom of the ladder.

  “Did you do this?” I asked but then realized it had to be much older than when Garrett arrived. “We haven’t had square bales around here for at least ten years. I bet one of the old ranch hands made this place up and hid out here all day to avoid working,” I said almost under my breath.

  “Sounds like a smart man,” Garrett said as he climbed up the ladder and joined me in admiring the makeshift bed. “Maybe I’ll use it as my secret napping area from now on.”

  I knew Garrett was joking because he worked harder than I did. Garrett took pride in the work he did on the farm, as if he was part owner in the property or something. Neither my father or I ever had to tell Garrett to get things done, he naturally just worked. He always worked until late into the evening and seemed to be willing to work even longer than that if we needed him.