Knight in Cowboy Boots: International Billionaires X: The Latinos

by Caro LaFever

  “What’s happened?” She felt Nick come up behind her and for some reason, his presence steadied her.

  “A fire. I don’t have many details.” Turning and leaning heavily on the cane, her dad trudged toward the casino’s front door. “I’ve called our pilot and he’ll be ready to lift off within the hour.”

  “Have you packed?” Jess rushed to catch up with him, starting to run scenarios in her mind. Hopefully, her father had contacted his assistant to help, because he tended to be slow getting his things together and this sounded like a real emergency. “I can be ready in a few minutes.”

  “I’m not going.”

  “What?” She stopped cold, a thin slice of panic cutting through her. “What do you mean? Of course you’re going.”

  Clyde McDowell had run his empire with a steely control that hadn’t wavered for as long as Jess had been alive. He was the one who made the decisions, and he was the one who was on hand when a catastrophe needed to be addressed.

  Jess made small decisions. Handled minor catastrophes.

  Nothing like this. Nothing major.

  “I’m not.” He kept his slow pace, and the doorman obediently opened the double glass doors before him.

  “Why not?” With a start, she strode to his side once more. Her heart tumbled, not only at the thought of handling this emergency on her own, but for the reasons why. Was her father so tired and sick, he couldn’t run his own company?

  The idea made her want to retch.

  “Because I’m not up to it anymore.”

  The words, words she thought never to hear coming from her father’s mouth, stunned her, and frightened her, too. “Dad, I think—”

  Abruptly, he turned and glared. “You’ll go, Jessica. Alone. And you’ll fix it.”

  A tight, squeezing fright made her tremble. “I don’t know—”

  “Perhaps I can help.” Nick’s steady, smooth voice cut in. “I can be ready to leave within thirty minutes.”

  Whipping around, she frowned at him.

  He stood in his casual, suave pose, the jacket and jeans giving him a jaunty look. His expression was calm and cool. Yet, she detected the heat in him she’d seen out in the desert. The heat of his lingering desire for her in his blue eyes. The heat of his powerful anger, an anger she still wasn’t used to, in the way one hand fisted at his side.

  “You have your own casino to run,” she objected. “We couldn’t possibly expect you to drop everything.”

  “I know you don’t expect it, Jessie.” He grabbed her waving, agitated hand in his. “But I’m offering.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” her dad said. “I appreciate it, Townsend.”

  Nick’s gaze never left her. “I’ll be there with you. We’ll do this together.”

  I’ll be there with you.

  We’ll do this together.

  Those sentences had run through her dreams for as long as she could remember. First, as a young girl yearning for her dad to love her like she needed. Then, as a teenager, wishing for respect. Finally, as a college graduate, longing for the time her father would see her, truly see her. During the last couple of years, she’d let go of those dreams of her father, and replaced them with the hope for a man who could truly see her and still love her. And say these words to her with sincerity.

  Sincerity brimmed in Nick’s gaze.

  She couldn’t comprehend everything about this man. There was his latent anger that flared unexpectedly. There was the cocky charm that was a put-on, yet was intrinsic to him as well. There was the way he came at her with his lustful gaze and wandering hands and then, suddenly withdrew for no apparent reason.

  Still, there was one thing she knew about Nick Townsend.

  He was solid.

  Like those hard, red rocks they’d just left behind them, he wouldn’t bend and break. No matter what the pressure put on him, he’d come through.

  She understood that with a deep knowing. “Are you sure?”

  “Sí, I’m sure.” His gaze never wavered. “You need me? I’m there.”

  A well of astonished pleasure surged inside. “Thank you.”

  “That’s settled,” her father barged in. “You both better get going.”

  “Nick!” His assistant raced up, her expression worried. “There’s an issue in accounting you have to handle.”

  The pleasure inside Jess sifted away. What was she thinking? This man had his own empire to manage, just as she stated.

  He gave one glance to the older woman before returning his intense gaze to her. “I have to pack for a trip, Maggie.”

  “What? Where are you going?”

  “San Francisco.” His hand loosened on hers, and Jess realized with a start, he’d never let her go. He didn’t now, either. Those long fingers of his laced through her own. “Jessie needs me.”

  His assistant’s expression went from concerned to wondering. “Really?”

  “Yeah, really.” Pulling out his phone and hers, he handed the cell he’d stolen from her hours ago over. “I’ll be ready in thirty minutes. We’ll take my plane.”

  “There’s no need for that,” her father harrumphed. “I’ve got ours on standby.”

  Flashing a glance at the older man, Nick smiled. “But mine’s faster, Clyde. And newer.”

  Her dad harrumphed again.

  Amusement bubbled inside Jess. Seriously. These men were so alike in so many ways. Arguing about who had the bigger, better plane in the middle of a crisis.

  Yet, there were differences, too.

  She’d spotted several, now that she’d been with Nick for days. He listened to her. Actually listened. He respected her.

  He saw her.

  “There’s still the accounting issue,” Maggie inserted, her frown chasing the wonderment away. “What do you want me to do about that?”

  “Brief me as I pack.” With clear reluctance, he let go of Jess’s hand. “We’ll figure it out before I leave.”

  She felt like she had to make one more stab at letting him off the hook. “Nick, you don’t have to—”

  Swiftly, before she had a chance to say another word, he cut her off with a bold kiss.

  A kiss right in front of her father and his assistant.

  This wasn’t a light kiss, either. A kiss that could be explained away as friendly or flirty.

  This kiss stated his intent.

  My Jessie. Mine.

  Leaning back, he gave her his real smile. “Go pack, Ginger Snap. We’re off on a new trail.”

  Nick’s private plane was nothing like her father’s. While her dad’s was a lumbering old relic he’d bought when she’d been fifteen, this plane was a sleek, streamlined jet with amazing windows looking out on the sky. The gold-and-black inlaid tiles competed with cream couches and gleaming cherry wood accents.

  The owner of the jet lounged across from her, his long legs stretched out into the carpeted aisle. For the last hour, he’d been texting into his phone at a rapid pace. Jessica suspected it was about the accounting problem he’d left behind.

  “Is it a real issue?” she asked, feeling guilty again.

  “Somewhat.” Glancing up, his gaze narrowed. “What would you do if you caught a valued employee, one who you trusted, fudging the numbers on a report?”

  She nearly gasped. At the question, but mostly at the visible interest he had in her answer. Nick Townsend wanted her opinion on something that clearly was important to him. The reality took her heart and head, flipping them into a muddle.

  His brows drew down at her silence. “I know your father doesn’t care about your opinion—”

  “That’s not true.” The old habit of defending was too hard to shake. “He cares.”

  A long fingered hand waved her claim away. “Not about important things, Jessie. Admit it.”

  She crossed her arms and frowned.

  “But I do care.” Leaning forward, he slipped his phone into the pocket of the sleek blue suit jacket he wore. “So what is your opinion on my dilemma?�
�

  Her brain finally stopped whirring with the knowledge that he’d asked the question wanting a true answer. “How valuable?”

  He sighed, his expression growing glum. “Tía Estella has been with Devil Skye since it opened.”

  “Tía?” She was pretty sure what that moniker meant. However, she wanted confirmation before this conversation moved forward..

  “My aunt.” His whole body went lax, a casual pose indicating he didn’t much care.

  Except Jess knew him better now. He did care. A lot. Here was another area where she’d wished she’d dug deeper into his past. Did he have an enormous family she knew nothing of? She wanted more and more of him, not only the secrets between this man and her father, but his entire past, all his thoughts and emotions and being.

  He threw her a glance and in his eyes, she saw torment. Her heart melted for him.

  “What did she fudge?” she said softly.

  “Her drops.” At her questioning look, he continued, “she’s supposed to count the drops turned in, but she isn’t balancing.”

  “And for anyone else, that would mean they’d be fired,” she guessed.

  “Sí.” Running a hand through his black hair, he grunted in clear disgust. “That’s why Maggie came to me instead of allowing the supervisor to go ahead with the procedure as it’s laid out.”

  “You can’t let this kind of thing happen and not punish the perpetrator,” she said. “But she’s your aunt.”

  “Yeah.” The confirmation came, slow and careful. “She’s my aunt.”

  Before she thought it through, she lurched from her sofa and onto his, right by him. His misery was so clear if a woman just looked for it. Taking his hand in hers, she squeezed. “How about transferring her into another department?”

  “I could do that.” He puffed out a breath. “Except there’s more.”

  “More?”

  “If Tía Estella is willing to steal, then the family’s in trouble financially.” He sighed. “Again.”

  “You have a big family?” Her hand curled around his, letting the heat of his skin penetrate deep inside her.

  “Kind of. On one side.” He kept his gaze on their joined hands as if lifting his head and letting her see into his eyes was too dangerous. He wanted to hide a piece of himself from her.

  But she wouldn’t let him. She wanted to know more and more. “Which side?”

  “Mi mamá.” His accent rolled the words, heavy now instead of with the usual light touch.

  “Are they often in trouble financially?”

  “Sí.” With a jerk, he stood and walked to one of the long windows letting the bright sunlight in. “I’ll deal with it when I get back.”

  Guilt billowed again. “I’m really sorry for pulling you away from your business.”

  “As I said before, I wanted to come.” He slid his phone out of his pocket and began to tap. “I’ll tell Maggie to put my aunt on the housekeeping team for the time being.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” she offered, wishing she had the guts to get up and touch him once more. Yet there was something in the way he stood that told her to stay away. Not angry rejection or impatient dismissal, but rather a jumpy, frantic feeling about him.

  “So let’s discuss your problem.” Turning, he flashed her his signature smile, as if all was right with his world. “Fill me in on what to expect when we land at San Fran International.”

  She wasn’t fooled. Still, she didn’t have enough of a grasp on him to know how to approach him and soothe. Might as well stick to his question for the time being. Hopefully, this trip together would give her more time to understand him. Or at least parts of him.

  Tugging out her own phone, she scanned the texts she’d received in the last hour. Once her father had relinquished his control and informed the staff at the hotel who to contact, she’d been bombarded. Which made her happy and excited, and also tremulously afraid she’d screw this up.

  “There was a fire in the kitchen and it spread to the restaurant,” she told her new confidant. “The hotel has to be evacuated entirely.”

  “That’s a mess, isn’t it?” Nick said with a cheerfulness that was now real.

  “Yes, a nightmare.” Glancing at him, she noted his expression had turned enthusiastic, almost thrilled. A wry humor filled her. “And that’s exactly what you love to deal with, isn’t it?”

  “It’s exciting to make things right.” He strode to the couch and sat by her side again. “I can’t wait to get there.”

  “I’m in charge, cowboy,” she warned, taking hold of the imaginary reins, even if her hands shook.

  “Absolutely.” His earnest gaze landed on her. “I’m here to help, not dictate.”

  “Surprise, surprise,” she murmured with sardonic emphasis.

  “Not at all.” His fingers slinked through hers and his eyes went bluer than blue. “Get this, Ginger Snap.”

  “What?”

  “I’m not your dad, okay?”

  “He thinks you’re just like him.”

  Nick’s hand tightened on hers. “I like your dad, don’t get me wrong.”

  “I like him too.” The knowledge that for the first time, Clyde McDowell had not taken the bull by the horns and addressed an urgent situation with one of his hotels, simmered to life inside her once more. It hit her like a hard, red rock and the effect made her eyes well with tears. “Actually, I love him.”

  “Hey, hey.” With a quick move, Nick wrapped a strong arm around her and lifted her right onto his lap.

  Jess had never, ever sat on a man’s lap. Not her dad’s, not her few boyfriends’. She was much too long and gangly, awkward and lanky. “Let me off.”

  “Nope.” His hand slipped into her hair, releasing the bun. “You need me right now.”

  The truth of that statement gave her another hit, making the tears fall on her cheeks, making her forget to object. Not wanting to let him see how fragile she really was, she dipped her head into the notch between his neck and shoulder. The sleek silk of his suit was cool on her skin, yet she felt the burn of his heated body beneath. The combination soothed her for some reason. Sighing, she nestled closer.

  “That’s it, Jessie,” he crooned. “I’ve got you.”

  That was the problem.

  He did have her.

  More than she’d realized up until this very moment.

  Chapter 15

  San Francisco was one of his favorite cities. Not that Nick ever expected to be in the middle of a fire-damaged hotel kitchen surrounded by a crazed chef, a senior staff who were close to losing their collective minds, and a brave woman who was ready to tear her bun out in this swanky, sophisticated town. And yet, he couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be at this moment.

  “One at a time,” she said, her voice tight with anxiety. “I can’t address everything at once.”

  “Ms. McDowell.” The chef strode to the front of the pack. “I must have this kitchen rebuilt within two days. I have an important reviewer attending this coming Friday.”

  Nick looked around and swallowed a grunt of disbelief.

  The fire started overnight. By the time the alarms began to ring and the sprinklers began to pour, the flames had engulfed parts of the main stove and fryer. He’d bet this old, vulnerable hotel did not have the latest in protection. Which wasn’t Jessie’s fault, it was her father’s.

  But she had to deal with the fallout.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.” She gamely looked the enraged man in the eye. “It will take weeks to rebuild.”

  The chef screeched. One of the staff broke out in tears.

  Nick kept quiet.

  He could step in. Easily. However, instinct told him that would be a mistake. If he had to guess, this was the first major crisis Jessie had to deal with on her own. He wanted to make sure she understood she could do this.

  Because she could.

  He had not a single doubt.

  Every one of his male instincts want
ed to take over, though. Her fear scented the air and he knew her well enough to note the line of her tense shoulders, and how her hands were white and stiff. Still, he wondered if anyone else saw these details. He didn’t think so. He was pretty sure all they saw was the directness of her gaze and the firm jut of her jaw.

  Good for her.

  Good for his Jessie.

  His. Not only because of the contract he’d signed with her father. But because he now knew what she felt like along his body, and how she kissed and laughed.

  His.

  Every instinct roared the knowledge at him, overwhelming his gut and the realization this woman would be hurt by him one way or another. It didn’t seem to matter anymore.

  She was his.

  “I’ve called a local contractor and his team will be here to assess the situation in an hour.” Her voice rose above the clamor. “I need all of you to return to your stations and determine what smoke damage has occurred and any other problems that have to be addressed.”

  The cries and calls kept coming.

  “I’ll expect a report within two hours from every one of you.” Her voice gained courage and her chin rose in a take-charge manner.

  For a moment, Nick felt the edge of the tipping point. Would this crew, who had followed Clyde McDowell for years, reject his daughter? Or would they fall in with her directives?

  “I know every one of you.” Her expression softened. “And I realize many of you have known me since I was a child.”

  The cries turned to murmurs and mutterings. The staff was listening to her now instead of sliding into hysteria. He could tell by the attentive gazes and the way their bodies leaned towards his Jessie.

  “My dad sent me because he trusts that together, you and I will fix this.” She looked around, her eyes brimming with determination. “We can do this for him. I know it.”

  There was the blaze, the burning fire he’d been drawn to from the moment he’d met this woman. The intensity of her swept through him like an incandescent inferno, overtaking his heart and his head.

  “We’ll do it for you, too, Jessica.” A solid, stout woman dressed in a housekeeper’s uniform stepped forward, her expression fierce. “It’s the least we can do for the McDowells.”