The Romance Challenge, Complete Series Box Set: BBW Hot Alpha Billionaire Romance (2 page)

I tucked it in my pocket. I'd give it to him
next week. As I shoved in the chair closer to the desk, a slight whiff of his
scent hit me, making a shiver tickle my spine. No. I would not think of him in
any way, shape or form in the romantic sense. I wouldn't think of that
delicious tremor that heated my insides when we'd touched, or the way his eyes had
lit up when he smiled at me.

Key Largo would be a business trip,
nothing more.

+++

I would have bought an airplane just to
watch the sunset from high in the sky. As much as I traveled, I needed private,
fast transportation anyway, but the view from on top of the clouds really did
it for me. I always turned off my phone for at least fifteen minutes on a
flight, to enjoy the scenery and decompress from a trip. On stressful days I
added a shot of whiskey to the routine, but not after this Chicago run.

It went well, better than expected. As
much as I would have liked to stay in the area longer, other business took
priority. The trip to Bay Paradise Resort would be here too soon. Not that I
wasn't looking forward to time in Key Largo. There was no place in the world like
the Florida Keys. The water, the breeze, the laid-back attitude.

That last part concerned me and prompted
me to add an assistant to this trip. I needed to find out which employees to
keep on at the hotel, and which ones to let go. There would be no slackers at
Bay Paradise Resort. I like to play as much as the next guy, but when it's time
for work, I don't put up with laziness. The Keys are notorious for their
relaxed way of life, but I know how to run a business. Come to work, do your
job. When it's time to go home, then the fun starts. 

Which is why I wanted Amber to be my
assistant on this project. From the moment she started working at Cameron
Industries, I could tell she was driven. She gladly worked overtime whenever
asked, even on a couple of Saturdays. I don't take advantage of my employees,
but I appreciate one who knows the meaning of hard work.

Along with that drive was a sense of
warmth and fun. The first time she sent me a picture of her cat, hanging off
her couch, I cracked up. She apologized, said she hit the wrong key and didn't
mean to send that to me, but I liked it, told her to keep them coming. So she
did, adding witty captions and sometimes cleverly slipping pictures or cartoons
into whatever we were working on.

 I knew she'd be the perfect assistant to
talk to the staff, that they would open up to her. Just like she said in her
interview. From her work I determined, she was smart and good at problems
solving but damn, something I didn't expect, hotter than hell. Speaking of
staff…I adjusted myself, still semi-hard.

The minute I saw her, I had to think about
baseball, quick, to distract me from that sweet, curvy body. Even though she
wore a suit that looked ten years old and didn't fit worth a shit, she turned
me on big time with those delicious tits and an ass that begged to be grabbed. By
me. While I stood behind her and…

I shook my head to clear the image. Nope.
Not going there. Never again. No way would I get involved with an employee. I
learned my lesson the hard way with Tanya, my ex-fiancé. I still paid for that
mistake. Every time I smelled that pricey perfume she loved, or heard the song
we first slow-danced too, my heart cracked.

This project was important. Not just from
the monetary angle, but because if I succeeded here, a group of investors would
join me in another venture I had in mind. I possessed the money to buy the
property, but I was looking at a huge endeavor, developing an island off the
coast of Florida. To make it what I wanted, I'd need help, from a lot of
different factions. Keeping Bay Paradise Resort not only running but turning a
nice profit was my goal.

Anyway, Amber was a sweet, quiet girl, and
would never get involved with a guy like me, devoted to his company and nothing
else. She'd find a nice man with a steady job, settle down in the suburbs, pop
out a baby or two. Her excitement, organizing play dates for her kids. No big
drama in her life.

So I'd use her organizational and
communication talents in my business, and enjoy her pleasant company. Amber would
bring the exact blend of enthusiasm, friendliness and efficiency I needed to
interact with the employees at Bay Paradise Resort.

That's all I needed from her, no matter
what my cock said.

CHAPTER TWO

By the time I got home, I knew I couldn't
go. What was I thinking? I couldn't leave Michelle alone. Michelle, my sister,
not my mom, like I told people.

Before I even changed out of my work
clothes, I fired up my laptop and sent Nathan an email. He texted a lot, I knew
from working with him, but I wanted my refusal to be more detailed, more
personal.

Nathan, I'm very sorry, but I have to
decline your offer. My mother's health has become increasingly poor, and I
don't feel I can leave her for a week. I'm sure one of the other women will
work out fine for the position, and while I very much appreciate being accepted,
I won't be able to go. Thank you.

There. Nice and polite. I gave him my
reason for refusing so he shouldn't take it personally. And it was true; Becca
or Shannon would be perfectly able to do the job. I kicked my shoes into the
closet, then peeled off the too-tight skirt. Crap. A seam that was stretched to
the limit now expanded even further. Not many miles left on that. Stress and
constant work for the past year had turned my eating habits upside down. I
desperately needed to change my diet.

Another reason not to go to Florida.
Nothing to wear. This was the right decision. I glanced at my email and saw
Nathan already answered.

I'd never ask you to abandon your family
duties, but I wish you'd reconsider. I didn't want to discuss this in front of
everyone, but I'll be paying a generous bonus with this assignment. There will
be an extra one thousand dollars added to your paycheck for the week. If I need
you for future traveling work, there will be more bonuses.

 Holy shit! One thousand dollars. That would
make a nice addition to my hire-a-private-detective fund. I paced my small
living room. What to do?

That's very generous. I'll consider it.
May I let you know tomorrow?

Yes, that's fine. Please say yes. I need you
and your talents for this job.

Me and my talents. What was so special about
me? Should I ask? No. He'd think I was digging for compliments. He'd already
given me the ultimate, picking me as his assistant for this trip. Anyway, time
to get started on my freelance editing assignments, after I called Michelle's
caregiver, Vicky. The CNA was older and not real big on "the texting
thing," so we talked on the phone.

"Hi hon. Michelle is fine today. She
ate well. We played a game of cards."

 I shouldn't call the poor woman so often.
Vicky would get in touch if any problems came up. She
wanted
to report
better news for the past year and a half, other than what I already knew.
Michelle remained physically healthy, mostly responsive, but terrified to leave
her apartment and unwilling to talk to others. Since she'd been attacked over a
year ago she shut herself away, turning into a recluse. She spoke to me, Vicky,
and our mom and that was it. The rest of her time she spent in front of the
television or her computer.

"Listen, I hate to bring it up again,
but I'm going to need more money starting next year. Gas has gone up, my
insurance is higher, everything is. I'm sorry."

My shoulder blades tightened. "I
understand, really. Don't worry. Thank you, Vicky, you're an angel."

She was. If not for her visiting Michelle
five days a week, I didn't know what I'd do. Vicky checked to make sure her
vital signs stayed stable, brought her groceries and cooked meals, and did
light housekeeping when needed. Things I did twice a week, but couldn't get to
every day with my jobs. I'd have to find the extra money to continue to pay
her.

 I headed to the kitchen to grab an apple
and peanut butter and smacked the thermostat on the way. Crap, would I have to
wear gloves tonight? The heating system in my apartment behaved like a spoiled
child, working fine one day and not at all the next. Numerous calls to my
landlord produced zero results.

 Snack in hand, I sprawled on my couch
with my laptop, trying to find a position that didn't hurt my back. If I bought
a better sofa my spine would quit screaming so loud, but I didn't want to spend
the money. Thrift store furniture would have to do for now. I dove into my work
for two hours and quit when my eyes crossed and Pumpkin, my Tortie cat, pawed me
incessantly and meowed in my ear. Time to eat. Cat food and a crunchy treat for
her, warmed up chili for me.

Then I got my lunch and clothes ready for
the next day and looked longingly at my Kindle. I was in the middle of a
delicious romance and really wanted to find out what happened after the couple
got trapped in that cabin together, but I should get in another forty minutes
of editing. The sooner I completed one job, the sooner I moved on to the next
one and could keep that extra money rolling in. I could probably do at least
one while I was in Florida…

Hmmm. While I'd been busy, my subconscious
had too. I wanted to go to Florida, and I could make it work, damn it. I would
say yes to Nathan and leave for Key Largo in one week.

No. Don't go. Trouble!

Ignoring the screaming little voice in my
head, my Bratty Inner Child I called her, I settled in and put my attention on
the document in front of me. I'd have a chat with BIC later, calm her down.
Give her chocolate, maybe. Her job, I'd figured out, was to keep me safe and
not let me put myself in danger. That's why she yelled when I made decisions
that might rock the boat.

But sometimes, the safe path wasn't the
best one. This time, I had to take that risk.

Tuesday

A little bitchy still hung in the air at
work. Of course. Shannon and Becca had to be disappointed. But they were far
too professional to let it affect our working relationship, and by the end of
the day, we were good. That was one of the things I loved about this office. We
all got along really well and helped each other. I was lucky to have this job.

I'd emailed Nathan early and told him I
was on board, after I made sure Vicky could work the Wednesday and Sundays I'd
be away. By the afternoon, he'd sent me an itinerary of what he wanted to do at
Bay Paradise Resort. Dang, I'd better buy a pair of sturdy tennis shoes. I'd be
running nonstop. Good. The more I worked, the less time to dwell on my problems

Speaking of clothes…I dusted off my credit
card. I'd have to go shopping. My office attire consisted of slacks and tunic
tops. Somewhat dressy, mostly casual, loose enough I didn't feel self-conscious
about my size. Something more professional might be called for on this trip.
Should I wear suits? No, too formal. I'd visit the consignment stores, see what
caught my eye. Just as I was going online to check my credit limit, I got an
email from Nathan.

I'd like for you to go to Unique Uniforms today
and be fitted for your uniforms. I'll be changing the dress code at Bay
Paradise Resort and want you to wear the new style while you're there. All will
be paid for by the company.

Uniforms. Okay then. Good. One less thing
to drain my bank account. During my off hours, I'd wear lightweight yoga pants
and t-shirts, not the heavy sweats I'd been lounging in here. I checked the
weather in Key Largo. Eighty-one degrees during the day, sixty-four at night.
Hot damn! Compared to our mid-fifties and high-thirties, that sounded like
heaven. For the first time, a thrill of excitement tingled through me. I might
actually have some fun!

I wanted to talk to Shannon and Becca about
the trip, but thought that might be rubbing it in. Instead, I snuck out to my
car for a break. Hopefully, I'd reach Jen on the phone.

"Hey there! How's it going? What's up
with this great job in Florida?" Her voice instantly put a smile on my
face.

I loved Jennifer. I heard kid noises in
the background, but knew she would spend at least a few minutes talking to me, no
matter what her rambunctious children were up to. I filled her in on the
details while she made appropriately happy sounds.

"So about this Nathan guy. He's hot,
right?"

"Yeah he is. But I'm not the least
bit interested. I'm not touching that."

"Oh, you don't have to touch, you can
just look. But it might not hurt you to think about touching, you know?"

I rolled my eyes at her tone. A lecture
was on the way.

"It's been a while since you had a
guy in your life. Don't you think it's time to get a little action going in the
romance department?"

"No. I have enough action working two
jobs and taking care of Michelle. I don't need a guy to complicate my life. Anyway,
this trip is about business. I would never, ever, mess with the owner of my
company, for one thing. And another, Nathan can and probably does, date super
models, not large girls from Illinois."

"You're not large. You're perfectly
average, according to many studies. You've just put on a few extra pounds this
last year with all the shit going down in your life. And you're really pretty,
too. Don't argue with me, like I know you're going to. Get your hair trimmed, have
one of those cosmetic girls at the department store show you how to make your
eyes shine, you'll be a knock-out. Trust me."

A shriek in the background signaled the
end of our conversation. Saved by the wild kid. I promised to text her more
details and lots of pictures, then hung up and climbed out of my car. A blast
of cold air tried to push me back in. Yeah, ocean breeze would feel super good.
Key Largo, here I come!

+++

"Say what?" I looked at the
scrap of material the sales lady at Unique Uniforms held. "That's a pair
of shorts."

"Yes. You were expecting?" She
furrowed her brow and looked me up and down.

Sharon, her embroidered name tag said. I'd
never been professionally fitted for anything, ever. That's what brides and
rich women did, and so far, I hadn't been either one of those. I did step in as
a last-minute bridesmaid once, back in high school. One of my friends begged me
to fill in at her sister's wedding, for a relative who couldn't make it. She
said I would fit the dress nicely. I did, with a little altering by her mom. I
had a sturdy, full body in my teens and even back then, I longed to be thin.

"I was expecting pants. That come down
to my calf, at least. I don't wear shorts." I never showed that much skin.

"You do in Key Largo. Apparently. I've
never been. This is what Mr. Cameron ordered."

My stomach tightened. "Is that all he
ordered? What about shirts?"

"Let's see." Sharon pulled out a
piece of paper. "Two shorts, three pants, four shirts."

Pants. Good.

"Here's a picture of the clothing. It's
a nice line. You'll like it."

Perhaps. "I wear my clothes loose.
Please don't make anything too tight."

Sharon ran her gaze over me again. "I'll
make them to fit you perfectly, show off those sassy curves."

"I don't want to show off my
curves." Sassy. Yeah right.

Sharon grinned. "You are a hot mamma.
You don't like your body?"

"It needs a little work right
now."

She shook her head and made tsking sounds.
"You young girls, so concerned with your weight. Boys like some padding, you
know? Something to hold onto, keep them warm at night."

Oh Lord, please don't let her start a
conversation about sex. I so did not want to have this discussion.

She threw back her head and laughed, like she
read my self-conscious little mind. "Don't worry, I will make your uniforms
perfect. You'll see. Strip to your under things and step up here so I can get your
measurements."

Strip? Measurements? Why not just parade me
naked down the street?

A thousand dollars. I needed that money, bad.
And maybe future bonuses. I couldn't be squeamish undressing in front of a
stranger and I could certainly put on a pair of shorts. I grit my teeth and
took off my clothes, then stepped up on a platform, willing the blush to stay
off my cheeks. And hoping I'd worn underwear without holes. I watched in
amazement as Sharon whipped her measuring tape around and finished in minutes.

Nathan had to be paying Unique Uniforms a
butt-load of money to work so fast. He'd decided to bring along an assistant on
this trip at the last minute, he said. I guess that's the way they worked in his
world, making decisions quick, paying whatever it took to have things done in your
timeframe.

"I'll have the uniforms ready for you
by Friday. We close at five." Sharon wrote on a receipt, handed it to me, and
angled her head. "You know, I've got a great hairdresser. I understand the
humidity in Florida is crazy. You might want a trim before you go."

What was it with people and my hair? I
pocketed the card she handed me. Okay, I could take a hint. I'd make an
appointment for tomorrow. This week would fly by. I had to stock up on cat food
and treats because my neighbor downstairs, who loved Pumpkin and said she would
have no trouble watching her, didn't drive. Then I had to finish my freelance
assignments. I'd be able to take on one or two once I got to Florida, I hoped,
but I knew I'd spend the first few days getting acclimated and didn't want to
be overworked and stressed.