Winning the Billionaire

by Ginny Sterling

  “You look like you’ve done that before,” she teased knowingly as she realized he probably brought the large vase and bouquet over himself prior to their arrival.

  “I might have,” he said winking conspiratorially.

  Rachel didn’t ask where to go, she simply got in the car and buckled up. Tyler didn’t question or wonder. He just sat there in the passenger seat, resting his hand on the back of her neck as she drove. Pulling into the gravel driveway of his house, she smiled at him.

  “It’s quiet, peaceful and where I first kissed you,” she admitted. “I like this spot. The light pollution from the city hasn’t touched this paradise and you can see the stars. I thought we could just hang out for a bit.”

  Tyler got out of the car and walked around to her side, opening the door and taking her hand. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. They slowly walked into the field beside the house and Rachel glanced up at the stars. The night sky had only a sliver of the moon causing such pale light to reach the ground. The stars looked brilliant against the black sky and she could see the faintest haze where they clustered off in the distance. It was nothing like she’d seen, even back home on the farm. There was something about Texas that made the sky seem so massive and bright, day or night.

  He sat down in the grass and lay back, patting the ground beside him. Rachel didn’t think twice, she lay down and marveled at the stunning sight above. She could hear Tyler’s heartbeat against her cheek and realized that she was in way over her head. She adored this man.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” she whispered shyly.

  “You first,” he chuckled, his laughter rumbling softly against her cheek.

  “I just realized that this is what heaven must be like, being here with you.”

  “Uh-oh then,” he said softly, turning her face up towards his, his head propped up by his arm underneath it serving as a pillow.

  “What?”

  “This whole client/boss relationship could be trouble. You are absolutely fired, darling, because I think I’m falling for you,” he told her before pulling her against him in a kiss.

  14

  Rachel was sitting in her office searching for lighting fixtures online. She had an idea in her mind but hadn’t found the right one just yet. She wanted something that screamed Texas, provided an easy warmth and of course, served as a light fixture. She was looking for lighting for the breakfast bar that she wanted to put in the middle of the kitchen.

  So far, everything had gone together swimmingly. The slate tiles had been installed and the varying shades of color made it feel so warm, so cozy. The Austin stone fireplace looked incredible and she could picture sitting on the upraised hearth at Christmas time sipping on a hot cocoa or hanging stockings from the large hickory mantle.

  The mantle had been a tremendous find at a garage sale. She’d been driving down the road in Tyler’s truck on the way to the hospital when she saw the sign and the turn off. She’d pulled in immediately to see the garage sale was being held in an old barn. Perusing, looking for inspiration, she’d seen it in the corner. The mantle had been carved and was covered with an oiled tarp and was dusty beyond belief. She’d bought it for ten bucks and it had been a phenomenal bargain. She’d spent hours rubbing oil into the wood after it had been cleaned, making it gleam with life. Massive carved oak leaves, clusters of pecans and hatch marks gave it a distinctive look.

  The cabinets were going up in the kitchen and the island was getting fitted with a dishwasher and sink today. The plumber was also going to tackle the bathroom. She’d splurged and bought a breathtaking bathtub. The rest of the house screamed Texas, but the bathroom was pure indulgence. She wanted it to be a haven and it was top of the line. She’d put a skylight above the shower, giving illumination to the dark slate tiles that lined it, making it glow with shades of rust, gray and brown earth tones. Honestly, the slate reminded her of Tyler’s eyes and she’d selected each piece herself for the shower.

  The bathtub she’d found was not a cozy, quaint thing… it was a behemoth. They had taken part of the office and rebuilt the wall to accommodate the size of it. It was almost seven feet long and literally was a bathtub within a larger tub, framed with the same Austin limestone rock from the fireplace. The bathtub was designed to be a whirlpool that could be filled to the top. As it spilled over, it would go into the outer tub and be blown back into the main tub by jets, creating the whirlpool effect. It even had lights on the inside to give a warm glow to the room. She’d fallen in love with the extravagant purchase and combined with the stained-glass window above the tub, made it look like it belonged. Simple, yet opulent.

  The mirrors were backlit and the bathroom sinks were actually one large soapstone trough like what you watered cattle with, but miniaturized. It would take some true touches to make it feel like home. She was looking everywhere for little things, things that made her think of this new town she lived in and the characteristics of the man she was designing the house for.

  “Are you busy or can I bother you this afternoon?” Rachel jumped at the sound of Tyler’s voice nearby. She’d been focusing on the webpage, scrolling through the pictures. She punched the off button on her screen and then quickly caught her flat screen computer monitor before it fell over off the desk.

  “Ugh, hi,” she said with a wry grin. “You didn’t see anything, did you?”

  “Whatcha’ looking at?”

  “Stuff.”

  “Lingerie?” he said excitedly with a smirk on his face.

  “What? NO!” she blurted out mortified, and then saw the teasing glint to his eyes. He had a soft, lopsided grin on his face as he leaned against the door frame looking at her. He stood there in his jeans with a brown knit sweater pulled over a t-shirt. The man looked like he could have stepped from an Eddie Bauer catalog and she realized that type of look on him was perfect – or at least to her it was.

  “I was working on your place and trying to come up with something special.”

  “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

  “I know it will be,” Rachel told him arrogantly.

  “That’s my girl,” he teased. “I like that confident attitude. Now, can I have you for the afternoon? I already talked with the receptionist to see what your schedule looked like. Can you tell I won’t take no for an answer?”

  “Pushy much?”

  “Very,” he said chuckling. “Come with me, I have a surprise for you.”

  “Ohh no,” Rachel said grinding to a halt and jerking her hand from his. She stood there obstinately glaring at him. She had wallowed in doubt and guilt the evening of her birthday at how happy she was with the extravagant gift he’d gotten her. She didn’t want to owe anyone anything or have it held over her head. “The last surprise was Fern and that was waaaaay too much.”

  “Did you like the car?”

  “Yes, but it was too much money and you know that. Think like a broke man, not a billionaire for a second: you can’t go around spending ten, twenty, or thirty thousand bucks when it suits you. You’ll be penniless in no time flat. ”

  “I guarantee this you’ll like just as much and it won’t cost us a thing once we get to our destination.”

  “So, this surprise is a free one?” she asked skeptically and tried to read his expression as he stood there waiting. “Where are we going?”

  “It’s supposed to be a surprise,” he reminded her, wagging his finger annoyingly.

  “Okay, you got me – I do love surprises and it’s my one weakness.”

  “And I love surprising you and making you feel weak,” he said huskily, nuzzling her and kissing her ear. “Trust me on this.”

  Rachel allowed herself to be led out of the office and Tyler winked obnoxiously at Julie who sat behind the desk gawking at them. Smiling like a kid cutting school to play hooky, she got in the truck and didn’t question a thing until they pulled off the road onto a secluded piece of land that had been cleared. A long strip of tarmac sliced the open fie
ld directly in half and a small Cessna airplane sat directly in front of them.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Wrong question,” he retorted with a smirk. Rachel looked curiously at Tyler’s grinning face and watched as he got out of the truck. He opened the door for her, then grabbed a large blanket and a large woven basket from the back seat of the truck.

  “Where are we going then?” she asked, rephrasing it.

  “Surprising you, remember?” he said and pointed towards the plane. Rachel climbed inside and took her seat as she was handed what looked like large headphones. Putting them on, the sound of the plane’s engine was immediately drowned out. She glanced at Tyler as he climbed in next to her and took his seat. As he put on his own set of protective ear-wear, she saw him point at the button on the side. Clicking it, she heard his voice.

  “We are going to see your mother and have dinner with your family,” he said, his voice crackling in her ears through the headphones. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “We’re what? We are?” Rachel breathed, feeling tears rush up unabashedly and spilling over her lashes. He smiled and wiped one away with his thumb. If she didn’t care for him before, she certainly did now. How could such a man be so wonderful and thoughtful at the same time?

  “I hope those are happy tears?”

  “The happiest,” she answered honestly and leaned forward to kiss him.

  “Sir, I hate to interrupt but we are getting ready to taxi and I want to make sure we are still okay to go?” the pilot’s voice crackled in her ear piece.

  “Are you ready for all of this, darling?” Tyler asked her softly, looking down at her lips where he held himself at their interrupted kiss. Rachel knew he’d picked his words carefully, asking if she was ready to leave for Kansas…but she also got the feeling that he was also asking if she was ready for a relationship with him.

  “I’m beyond ready,” she whispered. “I think we’ve waited long enough.”

  “Thank God,” Tyler said heatedly, pulling her forward and sweeping her into a tender kiss between them as the plane taxied, jostling them about. He never released her or let go, instead, holding her for a kiss as they bumped noses and laughed. He grinned and clicked a button on the side of the ear piece.

  “Now it’s just you and I,” he said intimately. “Just for your information, kissing me all the time won’t involve so much bumping, wiggling and tossing about -unless you are into that.” Rachel’s laughter echoed throughout the cabin of the plane as he teased her.

  “You are incredible.”

  “I think you are pretty amazing too,” he said honestly. “I mean, how could you be so wonderful and caring with my mother but not see your own occasionally? I thought you might like to go for a visit and maybe we can do this again. I want to meet the woman that raised such a strong, feminine young lady.”

  Rachel was fascinated by the tiny plane and the man beside her. She found herself looking out the windows, inspecting the gauges and buttons (as if she knew what she was looking at) and then found herself always coming back to Tyler’s tender gaze as he watched her.

  “I owe Julie something special because she helped me plan this,” he admitted.

  “She did?”

  “Yeah, I needed to find out where you lived in order to be able to charter the flight and called your contact reference. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, I have to admit that was pretty ingenious.”

  “Sexy and smart, huh? I like you calling me sweet things all the time,” he teased, kissing the tip of her nose as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and unfurled the large throw he’d brought. “The pilot told me it would get pretty chilly up here, which is why I brought a blanket for you.”

  “You just think of everything, don’t you?”

  “When it comes to you – it’s never enough.”

  The flight did not take that long but Rachel enjoyed it immensely. The entire trip she found herself cocooned in Tyler’s arms and safely warm under the blanket. The small Cessna was loud and bumpy, making her giggle each time he tried to kiss her and missed. She would not have changed a thing, glancing out the window at the open fields dotted with buildings, silos and occasionally a town. She noticed that they began to descend and eagerly looked around for an air field, seeing a small landing strip off in the distance. It was a good thing she wasn’t squeamish because she might have been nervous, but for now she felt completely protected and safe. Tyler got out his phone and texted someone, smiling at the quick response.

  “Who’s that?”

  “Our ride,” he said evasively.

  “Boy, you really thought of everything! Color me impressed.”

  He smiled widely as they landed and taxied up to the end of the road. He saw a small truck off in the distance and pointed it out for Rachel. “That’s our ride.”

  Rachel glanced out the window and quickly turned back to Tyler feeling all emotional again. Her mother stood outside the truck in her barn jacket and jeans, waving happily at the plane. She knew she was going to be a blubbering mess in front of Tyler.

  “Let me apologize now,” Rachel blurted out suddenly in a rush of breath, turning to look at him. “How do I look? Is my makeup a mess? My face gets all red and poofy when I cry…and I seem to be doing quite a bit of it lately.”

  “You look enchanting,” Tyler told her tenderly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t you worry about a thing. You were there for me when I needed you at the hospital and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated it. Let me be here for you this time.” The pilot opened the door and they left their ear protection sitting in the plane awaiting them on the return flight. Rachel accepted help down and immediately took off running towards her mother, grabbing her in a hug.

  “What’s all this?” her mother said tenderly, hugging her as Rachel let out a happy wail of tears at holding her mother. “My baby girl has grown up in the few months you’ve been in Texas. Just look at you all pretty and sophisticated! And this must be your handsome fellow?”

  “Mrs. Thorpe, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Tyler said politely, extending his hand out. Rachel’s mother pulled him into a hug in her other arm.

  “Thank you for bringing my little girl to visit me. It was so unexpected to get your call. Now, now, Rachel – wipe your eyes and blow your nose sweetie. Your fine young man doesn’t want to see you upset over dinner.”

  “Of course,” Rachel said, wiping her eyes again. Tyler held out a few tissues for her and she saw the tender understanding gaze in his eyes, feeling herself crumble again. Chuckling, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

  “You go ahead and let it all out,” he whispered in her hair, holding her. “Now, it’s my turn to give you the same pep talk you gave me. We are here for the evening; your mother doesn’t want to see you upset. She wants to see your smiling face, so wipe your eyes and take a deep breath.”

  Groaning against his warm sweater, she sniffled. “I really give awful advice, don’t I?”

  “No, you give the best advice – it’s just hard to hear sometimes. Let’s get in the truck and head to your home.” He opened the door and thanked her mother again for picking them up. Rachel got in the truck, taking the middle seat between her mother and Tyler, happily. Without a thought, she rested her hand on his knee and felt him tense up momentarily but it felt so right to reach out and have a connection with him. She gave his knee a little squeeze and left it there. Her mother looked great and talked the entire time on the way home.

  Tyler was surprised to see Rachel cry and break down emotionally. She always seemed so strong, so composed, and he was touched to see this tender side of her. He had wanted to show her a special time, so she knew how much it meant to him to have her helping out and being by his side while his mother was in the hospital – and now in rehabilitation. He’d spoken with the nurses, who assured him that they would keep watch over her while they were gone for the afternoon.

  It was an
impromptu trip but he wanted to surprise her. He’d seen her face regarding the car and he knew that while she liked it, that niggling doubt in her mind was there. It had been expensive but the look on her face had been worth it.

  This was more than that.

  Seeing the adoration and emotional rawness in her eyes was priceless. He’d wanted a relationship and she’d been holding back for so long – he respected that about her. Now, when he saw the intense look of longing in her eyes, he knew it was time to cross that imaginary line. He wanted her heart.

  It surprised him when she possessively put her hand on his knee in the truck, making him jump at the contact, but when she kept it there he felt like putty in her palm. This beautiful woman could do anything or have anything she ever wanted and he’d give it willingly.

  As they pulled up to the farmhouse, he’d opened the truck door and helped Rachel down. She whispered thank you to him and kissed him softly on the lips in front of her mother.

  One silvery eyebrow shot upwards as her mother watched the two of them like a hawk. It nearly made him smile as he recognized that same protective streak in himself. Rachel was ushered up the stairs to the house and opened the screen door, letting out a banshee-like shriek that was quickly echoed by others as she saw others waiting inside the house for her. Her mother stepped up the stairs and firmly shut the door, turning to him.

  “I’m very glad to meet you, Mr. Howe, and I truly am glad you brought my girl home for a visit but what are your intentions towards my daughter? We don’t fool around with philanderers or anything of the sort. If you are that kind of man, there’s a twelve-gauge shotgun in this house and I’m not afraid to use it.”

  “Mrs. Thorpe, if I ever hurt Rachel – I hope you do use that gun because it would kill me to do so. I’m infatuated with your daughter and plan to do right by her if she would quit telling me no all the darn time. Does she get her beauty and hard-headedness from your side, because I’m seeing a few similar personality traits that definitely mirror hers…” Tyler asked bluntly, setting down the basket of food and wine he’d brought. He knew nothing of the family. He just knew better than to show up empty handed. “Cause she’s a looker with a head on her shoulders that has me completely bumfuzzled and head over heels.”