One Night With the Billionaire (Men of the Zodiac) by Sarah Ballance Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Ballance
open and took a long draw.
“So what’s the deal with that woman who showed up here today?” Hector asked. “She sure got the VIP treatment.”
Ryder measured his words. And lied. “No different from anyone else. It’s our policy, after all.”
“You plan on shacking up with all your guests? I didn’t realize it was that kind of establishment.”
“Separate bedrooms,” Ryder said, ignoring the dig, although it had sent his mind straight back to the gutter. That she had gotten under his skin so quickly bothered him in a big way. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted something he couldn’t have, but it hadn’t been a woman. With his money, they were a dime a dozen. But this need…hell, he hadn’t felt this way in ten years. Not since unreachable, unattainable Zoe had looked down her nose at him and made him want all the wrong things. And just like that, here they were again. Everything had changed, but nothing had.
Hector dropped a case of drinks on the dock. “Give me a break, man. You have rooms for the employees. Fucking luxury apartments. There’s something about this chick you’re not saying.”
Ryder gritted his teeth, realizing too late that the muscle flexing in his jaw wouldn’t help his case. “There’s nothing.”
Hector’s knowing grin made it clear the words were wasted. “Yeah, that’s why you’re walking with a limp.”
“Keep it up,” Ryder warned. “I won’t be the only one.”
“Well, as long as you’re not staking a claim on her…”
He knew better than to take the bait, but something feral tore through him. “Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.”
Hector laughed. “Whatever. You know you can’t lie worth a shit, Nash.”
Ryder took a deep, telling breath and skirted the truth. “Look, I know her father. She knows her job. It worked out for both of us.”
Hector smirked. “What’s her father going to think when he finds out what you’re doing to her against those pretty little walls she’s fixing up for you?”
Ryder glared, for what good it did. Hector’s taunt hit hard and in the gut, leaving Ryder a little unsteady. “Nothing for him to find out,” he said, “and don’t you forget that. You’ll be on the next flight to Ft. Lauderdale.”
“That’s a sorry threat, Nash. Do you know how long it’s been since I got laid?”
Grateful for the change of subject, Ryder managed a smile. “I don’t want to know, but Aggie said to warn you she’s on the prowl.”
Hector touched his fingers to his chin and theatrically tipped his face to the sky as if he was pondering the origin of the universe. “What’s that they say about older women in the bedroom? At this point, I don’t think I’d turn her down.”
Ryder cringed and shut his eyes for a long moment, for what good it did. Some things couldn’t be unheard. Or unseen. “Come on, man. She’s practically a mother to me. I could have done without that piece of information.”
Hector shrugged, though his grin didn’t suggest he was the least bit sorry. “You started it.”
“I’m ending it.” Ryder drained the water bottle and tossed it in the back of the truck, then grabbed a case of beer off the cart on the dock. When he caught Hector staring, he shot his friend a look and grinned. “I’m opening up the bar Friday, but I don’t care if you guys break into a case tonight. Get moving, or the hot ones are yours.”
Chapter Six
Z oe would have expected an afternoon spent logging inventory to be boring, but she loved the resort. Every room had an amazing view, and while it was always some combination of glittering pools or shimmering seas against a varying backdrop of blue sky and white sand, each new glimpse was better than the last. She couldn’t have been any further from her drab metropolitan DC world, nor did she want for it. When she’d boarded the plane to come to Latitude 13, she had done so with the knowledge she was running. And as a rule, she didn’t run. Running
“So what’s the deal with that woman who showed up here today?” Hector asked. “She sure got the VIP treatment.”
Ryder measured his words. And lied. “No different from anyone else. It’s our policy, after all.”
“You plan on shacking up with all your guests? I didn’t realize it was that kind of establishment.”
“Separate bedrooms,” Ryder said, ignoring the dig, although it had sent his mind straight back to the gutter. That she had gotten under his skin so quickly bothered him in a big way. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted something he couldn’t have, but it hadn’t been a woman. With his money, they were a dime a dozen. But this need…hell, he hadn’t felt this way in ten years. Not since unreachable, unattainable Zoe had looked down her nose at him and made him want all the wrong things. And just like that, here they were again. Everything had changed, but nothing had.
Hector dropped a case of drinks on the dock. “Give me a break, man. You have rooms for the employees. Fucking luxury apartments. There’s something about this chick you’re not saying.”
Ryder gritted his teeth, realizing too late that the muscle flexing in his jaw wouldn’t help his case. “There’s nothing.”
Hector’s knowing grin made it clear the words were wasted. “Yeah, that’s why you’re walking with a limp.”
“Keep it up,” Ryder warned. “I won’t be the only one.”
“Well, as long as you’re not staking a claim on her…”
He knew better than to take the bait, but something feral tore through him. “Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.”
Hector laughed. “Whatever. You know you can’t lie worth a shit, Nash.”
Ryder took a deep, telling breath and skirted the truth. “Look, I know her father. She knows her job. It worked out for both of us.”
Hector smirked. “What’s her father going to think when he finds out what you’re doing to her against those pretty little walls she’s fixing up for you?”
Ryder glared, for what good it did. Hector’s taunt hit hard and in the gut, leaving Ryder a little unsteady. “Nothing for him to find out,” he said, “and don’t you forget that. You’ll be on the next flight to Ft. Lauderdale.”
“That’s a sorry threat, Nash. Do you know how long it’s been since I got laid?”
Grateful for the change of subject, Ryder managed a smile. “I don’t want to know, but Aggie said to warn you she’s on the prowl.”
Hector touched his fingers to his chin and theatrically tipped his face to the sky as if he was pondering the origin of the universe. “What’s that they say about older women in the bedroom? At this point, I don’t think I’d turn her down.”
Ryder cringed and shut his eyes for a long moment, for what good it did. Some things couldn’t be unheard. Or unseen. “Come on, man. She’s practically a mother to me. I could have done without that piece of information.”
Hector shrugged, though his grin didn’t suggest he was the least bit sorry. “You started it.”
“I’m ending it.” Ryder drained the water bottle and tossed it in the back of the truck, then grabbed a case of beer off the cart on the dock. When he caught Hector staring, he shot his friend a look and grinned. “I’m opening up the bar Friday, but I don’t care if you guys break into a case tonight. Get moving, or the hot ones are yours.”
Chapter Six
Z oe would have expected an afternoon spent logging inventory to be boring, but she loved the resort. Every room had an amazing view, and while it was always some combination of glittering pools or shimmering seas against a varying backdrop of blue sky and white sand, each new glimpse was better than the last. She couldn’t have been any further from her drab metropolitan DC world, nor did she want for it. When she’d boarded the plane to come to Latitude 13, she had done so with the knowledge she was running. And as a rule, she didn’t run. Running