Quaratined With a Billionaire

by Sher Dillard

  “Let me guess,” he said. “The hotels are full and the airports shut down.”

  She nodded, unable to make it official by saying the words out loud.

  His shoulders slumped. “Come on,” he said as he nodded to the door.

  Her heart fell. Was he going to kick her out? Wouldn’t that be the sort of thing a billionaire used security staff for?

  As if seeing her concern, he smiled slightly, - okay, the smile was even sexier than the lifted brow – “You can stay with me until you get it worked out.”

  What? Where? Him? Now? A million butterflies took off, each one tickling her insides with fear. Did he just invite her to stay with him? Again where? His office? His home? And what did that mean exactly? For the first time, she realized that she was alone with a strange man in a strange place in the middle of a disaster.

  Not a smart place to be for a young woman.

  “Um …” she managed to say as she frantically searched for a way out.

  He shrugged those wide shoulders and started for the door. Once again, her stomach fell, he was going to leave her there, alone.

  “Okay,” she yelled as she gripped her briefcase and hurried to catch up. “Thank you. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something.”

  He laughed, shook his head, but didn’t comment.

  The strong silent type, she thought with concern. Things would have been so much easier with a charming, gregarious type. It was easier to know where a girl stood. But no, she was stuck with a silent billionaire mountain man.

  He held the elevator door, letting her go in first. A gentleman at least. Either that or he didn’t want to get too close in case he got infected. When they were in, he pushed the top button. His office then, not his home.

  Jane sighed internally as she pushed away a regret. Glancing over she was struck once again at just how virile he was. And the man continued to be oblivious. It was enough to make a girl question everything.

  This quarantine is a major issue, she reminded herself. Obviously, he was concerned about his company and his employees. Perhaps even worried about his own health. The last thing he wanted was the hassle of taking care of some stranger.

  She’d find herself a corner and try again to get a hotel. Anything to get out of this man’s hair.

  The elevator slid to a stop. Jane stepped forward as the doors opened to reveal a penthouse. A bachelor pad if she had ever seen one. A sunken living room with an L shaped couch that looked like it was dressed by an Italian tailor. A fireplace already lit. A large picture window looking out over the city.

  Suddenly, a new fear filled her. This place was designed to separate a woman from her virtue.

  She turned to find him studying her. He raised an eyebrow, that sexy one, then waved her in.

  Jane, she thought as she took a deep breath and stepped in. You are not in Kansas anymore.

  Chapter Three

  Swallowing hard, Jane glanced over at the tall stranger then forced herself to enter his lair. Oak paneling, good artwork, very tasteful. A man’s home. A professional kitchen that looked out over the living room sent a wave of jealousy through her. She would kill for a kitchen like this. She wondered if the man liked to cook then almost laughed to herself. No, he probably had a dozen women waiting in line to make him home-cooked meals. Either that or a high paid chef on staff.

  Still. She had to give him points. Any man with a kitchen this nice couldn’t be all bad.

  “This way,” he said as he gently touched her lower back to guide her down the long hall.

  She jumped at his touch as a tingle traveled through her entire body.

  “Sorry,” he said as he backed away. “I guess we are all going to have to get used to keeping our distance.”

  Jane chose to let him believe she had jumped because she was worried about catching the virus. “How long do you think it will last?” she asked as she followed him.

  Shrugging those wide shoulders, he shot her a doubtful look. “Longer than people think.”

  Her heart fell. What was she supposed to do? How far out would she have to go to find a hotel room? And if she found one. Would they accept someone from inside the city or would they be worried about renting to a virus carrier?

  “In here,” The tall stranger said as he opened a side door to an obvious guest bedroom. A fluffy queen size bed, Flat-screen TV on the wall, a window looking out on the city. An open door leading to its own bathroom. The place was almost as big as her apartment.

  A sick sinking feeling filled her. This was too nice. “I can’t stay here.”

  He studied her for a moment then sighed heavily. “Ms. Parkman. There’s not much more I can do. It is up to you.”

  She looked up at him, unable to form words. He had no idea how bad this could get. She saw a dozen different scenarios working out, and all of them led to a broken heart.

  He shrugged his shoulders before giving her a quick smile. “You think about it. But I need to grab a shower. I was up in the Sweet Water Mountain Range for the last week and I’ve been looking forward to hot water since the day I left.”

  Jane’s insides melted just the smallest bit as he nodded to her then left her alone to go down the hall and into his own room. Granted, she might have been exposed to a deadly virus. And yes, she was stranded in a strange town. Oh, and yeah, she’d lost her opportunity to make a sale. So basically, her life was in the gutter. But for some strange reason, deep down, she didn’t mind.

  Tossing her purse and briefcase onto the bed, she walked to the window as she frantically tried to figure some way out. Could she ask him for help? After all, the man was a billionaire. Surely, he had a hotel or two. Hadn’t the game monopoly taught him anything. Always buy hotels.

  Or, what about a helicopter. Did he have one parked on the roof? Something that could fly her far enough away she could get a plane home.

  Sighing heavily, she went into the bathroom then cringed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She had been correct. Definitely drowned raccoon. Running mascara, frizzled hair, and a haggard, frightened look about the eyes.

  No wonder he hadn’t looked at her. She was two steps up from being a homeless woman pushing a shopping cart. Taking a deep breath, she retrieved her purse and focused on fixing things. Only when she was satisfied did she return to finding a hotel.

  Nothing.

  Her heart continued to race as she frantically tried to find a solution when a noise down the hall brought her back to reality. Maybe he might have some ideas. Really, she was going to have to ask. When she opened the bedroom door, however, every thought and plan disappeared.

  Jacob Walters was more handsome than a man should be allowed to be. That stomach-churning handsome that could make a woman rethink her core beliefs. A cream-colored button-down shirt, open at the collar, with French cuffs and gold links. Tight across the chest and shoulders, narrowing down to a trim waist. Creased slacks that she would wager her paycheck were high-quality Italian. And probably worth more than her paycheck.

  He shot her a small smile as he passed by and stepped down into the living room and behind a bar. Jane followed, like a kitten chasing a laser light. Unthinking and uncontrollable.

  “Any luck?” he asked as he held up a bottle of bourbon.

  She licked her lips then nodded yes to his offer of a drink. It probably made absolutely no sense to drink around this man. Her defenses were already falling left and right. They didn’t need a push. But the thought of a drink was just too tempting. It had been that kind of day.

  Plopping a couple of ice cubes into some glasses he poured generous drinks and handed her one. The bourbon went down smoother than normal. Money, she realized. This man was so rich he could afford whiskey that didn’t burn.

  “You didn’t answer,” he said after taking a sip of his drink. “Any luck?”

  Jane’s heart fell as she slowly shook her head. “But I’ll keep trying.”

  He scoffed then shrugged. “You won’t find anything. They didn’
t give anyone any kind of warning. It’s going to be chaos for a while.”

  “Is it really that bad? Or are they overreacting?”

  The tall man lifted that eyebrow that sent a shiver to her very core. God, he needed to stop that, or she was going to make a fool of herself.

  “It’s pretty bad and airborne so it spreads fast.”

  “Aren’t you worried that I might have it?”

  He smiled slightly, “we’ve already shared an elevator twice. If you had it, then it is too late.”

  Jane’s heart soared. He had noticed her in that first elevator. She hadn’t lost it.

  “Do you have any ideas?” she asked as she bit her lip. A habit she despised but couldn’t stop.

  He finished his drink and shook his head. “You’re welcome to stay here until they give the all-clear.”

  “But …”

  He shrugged again as he poured another drink. “You won’t bother me. I’ll be in the office trying to save my company. Either there or in my workroom tinkering around on stuff. Really, You, Ms. Parkman are the least of my problems at the moment.”

  Her insides tightened with a dozen different fears. “Please call me Jane and thank you. I’m sure it won’t be too long.”

  The eyebrow lift of his sent a shiver through her as he shook his head. “I’m sure it will be, I figure a week or more.”

  “No,” she gasped.

  “And that’s the best-case scenario. This one scares the bejesus out of them. And call me Jake. If we’re going to be roommates after all.”

  Her insides tightened again. “Do you have enough food? I mean, I …”

  Jake laughed, sending a soothing glow through her body. She liked his laugh, it was reassuring somehow as if all was right with the world. “If not, we’ll raid the vending machines on the third floor.” Then seeing her concerned frown, he shook his head. “Yes, we have enough food. It won’t be a problem.”

  “Is this your normal home?”

  “Not really, but I do seem to spend a lot of time here. Probably more than I should. It’s just too convenient.” Then he laughed again before tipping his glass back and finishing his drink. “My sister says that I’m like a spider at the center of his web, pulling strings.”

  All Jane could do was nod and take a small sip of the delicious whiskey. Suddenly a new thought flashed into the front of her mind as a dizziness washed over her. Clothes. She didn’t have any clothes. She had planned to fly in and out the same day.

  “What?” he asked as he gently put a handout, obviously afraid she was going to faint on the spot.

  “I don’t have anything to wear. I was planning of flying back today. I just came in for the meeting.”

  He smiled down at her making her stomach turn over. That was a man’s look when he thought about a woman walking around his apartment bare naked. The kind of look that was pure male. The kind of look that could make a woman glad to be alive. At least when a man like this looked at her that way.

  Jane took a deep breath as she tried to steady her nerves. How was she going to survive being locked up in this beautiful apartment with this gorgeous man for a week or more? All without making a mistake she would regret for the rest of her life.

  Chapter Four

  Jane tossed the phone onto the bed next to her purse and sighed heavily. Her boss wasn’t answering, and the hotels were useless. Really, it looked like she was stuck. To top it off, her stomach wouldn’t stop gurgling, demanding to be fed. She hadn’t had a thing to eat since a stale Danish before getting on the plane. And that warm whiskey had taken off the sharp corners.

  What was she supposed to do? Did he expect her to fend for herself? It wasn’t like she could go down to the restaurant or a corner deli. No, she was at his mercy when it came to food and … just about everything she realized. The man controlled every aspect of her life when you thought about it.

  Would he expect payment of some kind? The thought sent a sizzling jolt of doubt through her. Who was she kidding? While she wasn’t exactly a virgin, she wasn’t far off. But, let's see, a billionaire lumberjack who could put half of Hollywood to shame. Not the kind of man you kicked out of bed. Not if she was being honest with herself.

  But … she wouldn’t be able to sneak away before he woke up. There would be the whole stuck together aspect of things. And this man, she was pretty sure he was a one-night stand kind of guy. After all, why wouldn’t he be?

  Besides, the thought of going to bed with him because she owed him. It felt wrong for some reason. As if it wasn’t enough.

  “God, Jane,” she whispered to herself. Don’t go getting all mushy over the guy. He is so far out of your league. They haven’t even invented his league yet.

  A soft tap at her bedroom door pulled her out of a fantasy that she wished she could have remained lost in for the next few decades.

  “Yes,” she called out.

  Jake opened the door and held up two dress shirts, a ZZ top T-shirt, and a pair of gym shorts. “Sorry, this is all I’ve got. There clean.”

  Her heart fell, he was serious. Then her heart jumped when she realized that no other woman had stashed a set of clothes here. Some other damsel in distress who had conveniently left clothes here hoping to return. Hoping beyond hope to eventually move in and set up housekeeping.

  “You’ll have something to sleep in at least,” he added with a sexy shrug.

  “Thank you,” she said as she took the clothes from his hand. At least she’d have something to sleep in. Then without warning her face flushed when she thought about sleeping, bed, this man, all of it getting mashed up in a whirl of images as a strong need flashed through her body.

  His brow furrowed as he studied her for a moment and she just knew that he could read her mind. It had to be plastered all over his face. Yet, instead of saying something and perhaps pursuing the matter. No instead, he stepped back into the hall and nodded to the kitchen.

  “You hungry?” he asked. “I could make us some sandwiches or something.”

  He looked back to his office and she knew he was regretting being away from his work.

  “I thought you were supposed to be saving your company?

  He laughed, “The last thing I ate were a couple of trout next to a mountain stream yesterday evening. It took me half the day to get down off the mountain to my truck and then back to town.”

  A picture of him fishing in a stream filled her mind. Yes, she could well imagine it and wished with all her heart she could be there with him.

  “If you show me where stuff is, I could cook us dinner while you get to back to work.”

  He raised that sexy eyebrow of his. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to be called a chauvinist or something.”

  Jane laughed. “it’s the least I could do. Cook to pay you back.” What she didn’t say was that handsome billionaires were forgiven if they were chauvinists. Like absent-minded professors. It came with the territory. Besides, if she cooked, maybe he wouldn’t expect further payment.

  “Sure,” he said as he glanced back at his office, “I need to make a call to New York. Can you fend for yourself? There is nothing off-limits and I’m not picky.”

  Her heart soared at the thought of having that beautiful kitchen all to herself. “Go. I’ll bring you something.”

  He smiled his thanks then hurried back to his office.

  A quick sense of regret flashed through her in his absence. Shaking it off, Jane let out a deep breath before heading for the dream kitchen. Of course, it turned out to be even more special than she could have hoped. An industrial range with gas grill. Japanese knives, and enough gadgets to fill a warehouse.

  When she opened the large professional refrigerator, she let out a long sigh of relief. Stocked with the best items, every fresh vegetable from a local farmer’s market. As she pulled out bottles and jars to check the labels, she could only shake her head. The best of the best. God she was going to remember cooking with this stuff for the rest of her life.

 
The spice rack was even better.

  The cabinets were pretty much the same. Everything from caviar to sardines. Dried fruits and imported pasta. She had to smile when she found a jar of cheese-wiz. He was a man after all it seemed. She wouldn’t doubt that someone else did his shopping and probably his cooking. But he insisted that they keep a jar of his favorite vice.

  Well, not tonight big boy. No, tonight you get something special.

  She removed her suit jacket, found a calico dish towel to tie around her waist and stepped back to consider her options. Not romantic obviously. That would be too awkward. Fast, the man was hungry. Something simple, she decided. Tomorrow could be elaborate.

  Smiling she came up with the perfect answer. Her best omelet, hash browns, and homemade biscuits. If she was any judge, she would bet next month’s rent that Jake Walters was a simple man when it came to food.

  She was just laying a sprig of parsley next to the omelet when a sound behind her made her jump. Turning, she found Jake looking at her with a strange, intense stare.

  “Something smells good,” he said as his look softened and shifted to the plate on the counter.

  “I was going to bring this back to you,” she managed to say, that look of his had stoked the fire deep inside. That was the look of an interested man. Yet, he had pulled away. Why? What was it about her that he found so easy to dismiss?

  “This will be fine,” he said as he sat down on a stool before the breakfast bar. “I need a break. The numbers are all starting to run together.”

  “How is it going?” she asked as she moved the plate to in front of him. “Is your business going to be hurt.”

  He glanced up from studying the plate of food and she saw a hint of anger behind his eyes. “Yes, but we’ll survive. I’ve been on the phone to our major customers, talking them down from being too upset and on the phone with the bankers. I think we’ve got a plan to get through it.”

  She nodded as she stepped back, clenching her teeth as she waited for him to try his food.

  He examined the plate for a moment then bit into a buttered biscuit. His eyes closed as he savored the bite then opened with surprise. “God, that’s good.”