Searching for Sea Glass: BEST-SELLING AUTHOR (Sea Glass Secrets Book 1) (15 page)

Sunny frowned when she saw the elaborate gates with the bold McIntyre brand emblazoned upon them. After the intimidating lunch with JD, she’d insisted on following him in her own car while he led the way to the ranch in his Maserati. She hadn’t thought the trip would take this long. She and Billy had been inching along behind JD for a good hour now. The land was very flat, tan, and desolate. He’d said the family ranch was just a short trip outside town. Sunny was guessing distances were measured differently in Texas.

“I want to go home.”

Billy had been good for so long. This day had been a trial for them both. He’d reached his limit a while back. And she couldn’t really blame him. She’d reached hers, as well.

“I think we’re almost there,” she said.

She licked her dry lips. Her hands were fisted on the battered steering wheel. It was taking every bit of her flagging courage to follow through with this plan. Second thoughts battered her. How was she supposed to persuade a high-powered billionaire like JD to accede to her wishes? Her thoughts were so jumbled. Who knew what would come out of her mouth when she began to speak to him? And the fact that he had agreed so easily to a discussion between the two of them without any lawyers present seemed suspicious to Sunny. If she was wealthy, she’d want legal representation.

She watched as the ornate iron gate swung open in front of JD’s car. She drove onto the well-maintained blacktop after him. She and Billy were on McIntyre land. The harsh grate of the closing gate behind them sent an uneasy tingle down her back. Looking in the rearview mirror, she felt like they were prisoners.

“Can I swim when we get there?” Billy whined.

Sunny looked back at him in the mirror. His little face was red and sweaty with the heat. His dark hair stuck out from his head at odd spiky angles where he’d played with it. Billy’s eyes were drooping and sleepy. She knew he was looking forward to JD’s pool. But the boy needed a nap first.

“You can swim this afternoon,” she promised, not actually giving him the answer he wanted.

Billy nodded. He went back to playing with his toys. He yawned.

Sunny focused her eyes on the mechanical beast growling down the road ahead of her. Off in the distance she saw a huge home that must belong to the McIntyres. It looked more like a family compound than a single dwelling. The middle section was very much like the mansions she’d seen lining the historic district of Mobile. But two-story wings had been built to flank the main house on either side. A lovely circular drive was set off by a large fountain in its center. Sprays of sparkling water jetted high and splashed down into a massive marble reservoir surrounding it.

As she pulled her car up to the entrance, a man in cowhand’s clothing appeared to open her door.

“Afternoon Ma’am,” he said. He tipped the brim of his weathered hat politely.

Sunny was not sure what to do. So she scrambled out of the car with as much grace as she could muster. She went to open the back door for Billy when JD’s deep voice stopped her.

“Let me get him for you,” he said.

Somehow he was standing close to her. Too close. He towered over her and brushed her hand away from the door handle. Sunny felt a shaft of heat all the way up her arm. She jerked her hand back.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked concerned.

“No… no, you didn’t hurt me,” she mumbled, embarrassed by her uncontrolled reaction at the contact.

JD’s predator eyes drilled down into hers. It was as if he was trying to read her mind. Again.

“Sunny, you know I’d never hurt you?” He might want her until his teeth ached with it. But he’d never lifted a violent hand towards a woman. He wouldn’t start with this trembling little virgin.

“I do,” she stated with more force than she felt. JD McIntyre might not damage her physically, like her drunken father had. But he had the ability to hurt her far more irrevocably.

“Good, because what I have planned for you involves pleasure, not pain.”

Sunny had to look away. When she spoke, it was low and intense. “Don’t do this to me, JD. I’m only here to work out a settlement for sharing Billy with you and your family. We need to keep everything on a purely business footing.”

“Everything?” He brushed the back of his fingers against her hot cheek. He smiled when she caught her breath.

The lovely girl standing by the car nodded. It was a jerky movement that told him realms about her budding desire for him. He intended to fan that flame until she couldn’t even think of refusing him. Until she couldn’t fathom ignoring the white-hot chemistry between them.

He slowly shook his head. His intimate tone mocked her. “I think we should combine business with pleasure.”

“No,” she croaked out. She took a precautionary step back.

“Haven’t you wondered?” he whispered, tracing her quivering lower lip with his fingertip. “Haven’t you ever wondered how it’d be between us? How deep I could take you. That night on the beach was just the beginning. As was the pleasure I gave you three nights ago. There’s more Sunny. So very much more I want to share with you.”

The cowboy standing by JD’s Maserati cleared his throat. McIntyre’s head whipped up. He frowned at the man for interrupting.

“What do you want, Bower?”

“I was just wondering if I should take both cars back around to the big barn, Boss?” The man had the gall to grin at his employer.

“Isn’t that what I pay you to do?”

“Yeah, that along with a whole bunch of other chores.”

“Then get to it,” JD snarled.

He was clearly irritated. The hired hand had broken the sensual spell he’d been weaving around Sunny. When he turned back to her, he saw she’d opened the car door and was helping Billy out. He didn’t like the fact that she wouldn’t look at him.

“I’ll have Consuelo show you to your rooms,” he said, as he indicated they should proceed him up the broad marble steps to the front door.

“Who’s Consuelo?” asked Billy as he rubbed at his eyes.

“She’s our housekeeper. You’ll like her. She bakes cookies every day.”

“Every day?” Billy’s astonishment was apparent.

JD nodded. “She will take care of you while you’re here.”

“I’ll be taking care of Billy. Just like I always do,” Sunny said coolly. With a little time and distance, she’d regained her equilibrium.

“Of course, you’re his mother. But I thought you wanted to keep our discussions private.”

Oh, he was good. Very good, she mused as she looked over at him. “Yes, I do.”

JD nodded. “Consuelo will keep the boy busy while we talk, if that’s agreeable.”

“What about your mother and brother? Wouldn’t they like to spend some time with Billy?”

“My mother isn’t exactly… maternal.” His smile was enigmatic. “And Sam has no experience with kids. He’d probably take Billy out to where we’re processing steers.”

“Processing?” It sounded like a factory operation. Shouldn’t a ranch be more organic?

“Yeah, we inoculate them, brand them, and castrate them out on the range.”

“What’s castrate?” Billy asked in a peevish voice.

“Nothing that you need to know about right now,” Sunny hurried to answer. She turned to speak to the man. “Consuelo will be fine. I’m sure Billy will enjoy spending a little time with your housekeeper.” Her face flamed with embarrassment.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” JD’s voice was as dry as the range surrounding the ranch.

As soon as he opened the door, Sunny heard a flurry of heated Spanish. A Hispanic woman rushed up to meet them.

“Mister JD, what are you doing coming in this way? You always use the back door,” she said in thickly accented English. Her eyes widened as she took in Sunny and Billy.

“Consuelo, would you please show my guests to the Blue Suite? They’ll be staying a few days with us.”

“Si, of course,” the older woman agreed. “Is there luggage?”

Sunny flushed again. She’d been in such a hurry to get Billy out of the car, she’d forgotten their bag. They must look like homeless people to the housekeeper. “I’ll go get it. It’s in the trunk of my car.” She pivoted to go back outside.

JD shook his head. “I’ll have Bower fetch it for you. Go on with Consuelo.”

“You would like to freshen up, si?” inquired the woman looking at the cheap rumpled clothing Billy and Sunny wore.

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” Sunny said.

She took the boy’s hand and followed the housekeeper down a cool wide hall. She blanched as she chanced to look into the elegantly appointed rooms they passed. Up a curving double staircase the housekeeper led them. They stepped into a spacious marble-floored landing at the top.

“Your suite is down this way,” Consuelo said as she led them into another hall. They left the older part of the house and entered a new more luxurious wing. The woman pushed open a door and invited them inside.

“This is the Blue Suite. It is reserved for very, very special guests. The President stayed here last month with the First Lady. There are several bedrooms with baths. There is a gathering room. And there is an office at your disposal. Please take your pick of the bedrooms. I will make sure one of the housemaids is assigned to take care of your needs. If you need anything at all, just press this button.” She stopped to show them a discreet electronic panel beside the door. “Someone will attend you immediately. You have a private entrance that leads to the pool area.” She walked across several priceless Persian carpets on the wide-planked cypress floors to a set of French doors.

Stunned Sunny and Billy followed. Below the glass doors was a fancy wrought iron deck. A small table and chairs along with a pair of upholstered lounging chairs tastefully filled the space. A set of stairs descended to a huge natural-looking pool below.

“There are towels, swim suits, and anything else you might need in the pool house. An attendant is always on duty to fetch food or drinks for you, if you desire them.” The woman stopped to catch her breath. Her stern face softened when she observed the awe on the faces of the guests. “Is there anything else I can do for you Miss…?”

Sunny shook her head. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was emotionally spent. She fully realized, for the very first time, what she had done when she’d concealed Billy from his biological family.

“My name’s Sunny Murphy,” she said in a hoarse voice. She stuck her hand out to the housekeeper. “And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all you’ll be doing for me and my son while we’re here. Please let me know if there’s any way I can help you. We aren’t used to being waited on. We won’t need a maid. And we certainly won’t need anybody to fetch and carry for us.”

A true warmth lit the depths of Consuelo’s eyes. She chuckled. “Ah, chica, I think Mr. JD has finally found a woman with more soul than greed. I am happy for you both.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Sunny tried to explain.

The smiling housekeeper wagged a playful finger at the girl. “I understand more than you think. That Punta he almost married, never was invited to stay in this suite. And I see the way he watches you. Like you are his treasure. Like you are the
one
. The one that matters.”

“No, it’s not like that,” Sunny sputtered.

“Si, I think it is.” The woman nodded. “But tell me of the little one. He is Mr. JD’s son, si? He must be. He has the look of the McIntyres.”

“No, of course not! We’re not married.”

Consuelo said, “Marriage is not always required where children are concerned.”

“For me, it is,” Sunny said.

The housekeeper chuckled again. “I knew you were the one. Mr. JD needs a good woman. Not that plastic surgery Punta who has her claws in him. You’ll need to get rid of her pronto. She is evil, that one.”

“Billy is a McIntyre, in a way. He’s JD’s sister’s child.”

“Miss Willow?” A gigantic grin wreathed Consuelo’s wide face. “She is here too?”

Sunny shook her head. Her eyes became very sober. “No, I’m afraid Willie won’t be coming back. She died giving birth to Billy.”

“Ahhh,” the woman murmured, her pain apparent. “I raised her from a baby. She was like my own blood. I will light a candle for her when I go to Mass. And I will always mourn her. She was a good girl. Like you, chica. She was too tender-hearted for her own good.”

“I miss her,” Sunny said simply.

The older woman enfolded her in a warm hug. “Si, so will I. Let me go before I start weeping. Rest well this afternoon, chica. You will need it. Mrs. Helene hosts a dinner party here tonight. You must prepare yourself.”

“What?” Sunny gasped. “I can’t attend a fancy party. I have nothing to wear. And even if I did, I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to behave. I’d humiliate myself and the McIntyres. I think Billy and I will just stay up here in our rooms, out of sight.”

“No, chica,” Consuelo shook her head. “Mr. JD will never allow that.” The woman gave Sunny a thorough examination. Now there was a hard edge to her smile. “You look to be the same size as Mrs. Helene. I will bring you something from her closet to wear to the party.”

“No, I can’t do that. It would be just like stealing.”