TheBillionairesPilot Page 6

  “An officer and a gentleman’s agreement.” She stood and shook his hand, forcing herself not to react to the sensual tug pulling her towards him.

  “Good.” He dropped her hand and started unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m going to shower before bed. Do you need the bathroom before me?”

  “N-no. Thanks.” She tore her eyes away from his bared chest with his well-developed pecs and washboard abs. Was he tempting her on purpose, or did he really not see the effect he had on her? “I-I’ll use it when you’re finished.”

  As he left the room, she lingered over mental images of his naked body under the jets of the shower, the water sluicing over his defined muscles and down through the dark hair between his legs. Her stomach flip-flopped and her knees grew weak as she imagined the bar of soap in his hand sliding over all that hot skin. Oh, how she’d like to kneel before him and—

  She really had to let go of some of these pent up feelings, or her body would go into meltdown. Taking a deep breath, she pictured herself landing her bird in Siberia in the dead of winter—snow, ice, and below freezing temps—to cool herself down.

  When she heard the bathroom door shut firmly behind Evan, she went into the bedroom to find something to wear after her shower. Glancing around for her suitcase, she found it sitting empty on the floor of the closet underneath her neatly hung clothes. One of the staff must have unpacked for her while she was at dinner, which made her feel weird that someone had touched her personal things. She wasn’t used to having staff or servants or whatever the rich called the people who worked in their households.

  She went to the dresser and opened the drawers, looking for a T-shirt and a pair of comfy shorts. She had to have packed something she could wear to bed. Something, of course, other than the satin and lace nightgown she’d bought during her shopping spree this morning.

  She’d been so caught up in the fairytale of buying a weekend wardrobe fit for a billionaire’s girlfriend, she’d picked out a sexy negligee, never thinking she’d actually be wearing it in the same room with Evan. In her mind, a platonic agreement had meant separate bedrooms, but that clearly hadn’t worked out for her.

  She shoved her hands through the drawer of panties and bras, searching with growing despair for something asexual.

  “Did you lose something?” Evan asked, coming out of the bathroom behind her.

  “My pajamas,” she said without turning around.

  “Is this what you’re looking for?”

  She could hear the self-satisfied smile in his tone and knew what she’d find in his hand. Slowly, she turned to face him.

  He held up the satin slip negligee on the padded hanger that had come with it from the store. “The maid must have hung it in the bathroom for you.” His smile widened. “I can’t wait to see you in this.”

  As far as sleepwear went, it wasn’t too terribly revealing. The hem would fall to her mid-thigh and the top covered her breasts, but the black lace trim and orchid purple satin seemed to scream “sexy rendezvous imminent”.

  “Yes, that’s my nightgown. Thank you.” She reached to take it from him, ignoring his comment about seeing her in it. If she could manage it, the lights would be out when she came back into the bedroom. “Are you done in the bathroom?”

  “All finished.” He held his hands out to his sides, and she realized he was only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs. His bare chest still looked damp from his shower, and his dark hair was slicked back off his forehead. Feminine appreciation stirred in her gut.

  “Great. Thanks. I’ll be out in a few.” She refused to lower her gaze as she sped past him. She would not take a second look at his sculpted shoulders, or pecs, or abs, or even his thickly muscled thighs. She certainly wouldn’t glance at the bulge in his briefs and imagine his dimensions.

  And she absolutely refused to react when his low laughter followed her into the bathroom.

  After her shower, she took longer than necessary smoothing on the jasmine-scented body lotion provided on the bathroom counter. If she spent enough time in here, she hoped Evan would be asleep when she emerged. She combed through her wet hair and debated blowing it dry. That would fill more time, but she was too tired to make the effort.

  The day had started so early with her mad-dash shopping extravaganza, then the flight down here, followed by a taxing dinner with Xavier and Esmé. Now that she was showered and her body had begun to relax, she realized she was bushed.

  She considered the threat of her intermittent nightmares, which were more likely to occur when she got too fatigued. She could only imagine Evan’s shocked reaction to her screaming and hitting the floor. And that’s what infuriated her about these nightmares; they didn’t reflect what truly happened. In the heat of the moment, she’d maintained her position, held control of her aircraft, and delivered her men to safety without even registering her own injury. So, why the hell did she cower and whimper in her dreams?

  Mentally shoving aside the possibility of losing control in her sleep tonight, she flipped off the bathroom light and slowly opened the door, praying Evan would be sound asleep.

  “I wasn’t sure you were ever coming out,” his deep voice greeted her in the brightly lit bedroom. He sat propped up with pillows against the ornately carved headboard.

  “Hey, isn’t that my book?” She stepped closer to the bed to get a better look at the familiar cover.

  “Yeah, I didn’t bring anything to read other than business reports. I figured you wouldn’t need it while you were in the bathroom.”

  “Did you dig through my bag to get it?” She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. Why did everyone think it was okay to go through her things?

  “No, I didn’t have to dig. It was right near the top.” His gaze fixed on her until she realized she was practically posing for him in her nightie with her chest puffed up.

  Dropping her hands and hunching her shoulders, she skedaddled to the other side of the bed. Tossing back the covers, she quickly got under them with her back to him.

  “Goodnight,” she said, switching off the lamp on her side table. “And remember I know self-defense.”

  She closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out his freshly showered citrusy scent and the heat coming from his side of the bed. But there was no blocking out the throaty chuckle that wrapped its way around her and seemed to caress her skin, sending her pulse skittering.

  Damn, it was going to be a long night.

  Chapter Six

  “Which ring do you like best?” Esmé asked from a nearby armchair as Cassie sat on the living room couch close to Evan. Xavier stood behind his wife with his hands on her shoulders, his sharp eyes focused on Cassie and Evan.

  Cassie’s pulse pounded in her throat as she stared down at the velvet tray in her lap filled with exquisite diamond rings. Never before had she been this close to jewels this valuable. Barely moving, she took shallow breaths, afraid she would disrupt the tray and send the rings scattering across the tile floor.

  She hadn’t realized Esmé was serious last night about having her jeweler bring over a selection of engagement rings this morning. Then, while they’d eaten breakfast on the patio, this magnificent collection of diamonds had been delivered.

  Cassie was beginning to lose count of all the unexpected things that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, including the fact her exhaustion had beat out her attraction for the nearly naked man sharing her bed last night. She’d fallen asleep with relative ease and hadn’t suffered any night terrors. Thank heavens. But now, sitting so close to Evan with Esmé and Xavier watching, Cassie was far from feeling at ease.

  Surrealistic feelings overwhelmed her as she fought the sensation that she’d stepped into a fairytale. Evan had been most charming to her through breakfast with Xavier and Esmé—pulling out her chair, engaging her in the conversation, and bestowing compliments just like a fairy prince…or a real life Dom.

  She had to continue to remind herself this was make-believe, nor was she in a
scene. This was all pretend. Though the sexual heat between her and Evan felt real enough, the rest was playacting. They were not actually a couple, nor would they ever be. The helicopter pilot and the billionaire never ended up together in real life.

  “Do you see one you like, darling?” Evan used one of the terms of endearment he’d adopted for her since they’d been together, and he sounded so convincing when he said it.

  “Each one is amazing,” she whispered in awe over the unimaginably expensive display.

  “Yes, my jeweler has a remarkable eye,” Esmé said. “I’m pleased you like them.”

  Cassie looked up at her hostess. “Like them? I love all of them.”

  “That’s typical of a woman.” Xavier chuckled. “Isn’t it, Evan? They get all starry-eyed and can’t make a decision when presented with too many choices.”

  “I’m sorry, dear,” Evan said to Cassie, “but you’ll have to be satisfied with only one engagement ring.”

  The warmth of his body pressed against her side kept her nerves tingling, and she suspected from the glances he’d been sending her all morning that he felt it too. That earthquake-proof wall she’d constructed was getting a hell of a shaking, but she was determined not to be a notch on another man’s bedpost, especially her boss’s, because he certainly couldn’t be interested in pursuing a real relationship with his pilot, a former soldier at that. Men of his station might have a fling with women like her, as Trent had, but they always settled down and got serious with one of their own kind—a society woman. Something Cassie had learned the hard way.

  “Perhaps you could help her decide, Evan?” Esmé prompted.

  “Yes, you know women,” Xavier said. “Sometimes they need a firm hand to guide them in the right direction.”

  Cassie looked up sharply at Xavier’s second chauvinistic comment. Depending on the setting, his comment could have been interpreted as coming from a Dom, but from what she’d observed so far, she suspected he was simply a sexist asshole. She bit her lip to restrain herself from responding. She would do nothing to jeopardize Evan’s business deal with this man. Therefore, in order to make mental peace with her host, she decided to chalk it up to the cultural differences of his Spanish heritage.

  As Evan removed the tray from her lap, he sent her a covert wink, as if he were letting her know he followed her thoughts. After setting the tray on the coffee table in front of them, he reached in with his big fingers and deftly plucked up a marquise diamond with pear-shaped side stones. “Let’s see if this one suits you.”

  Cassie didn’t know much about carats and such, but to her eye it looked like the biggest rock on the tray.

  Before she could respond, Evan got down on one knee and lifted her left hand. Slipping the ring onto her finger, he held her gaze with his intense brown eyes and said, “Cassie, my love, will you marry me?”

  Her heart thumped wildly in her chest and her throat tightened as the moment took her breath away. Then she berated the little girl in her who wanted to believe her prince had come, as she shied away from the force of his look. Glancing down at her finger, she lost herself in the fire within the stone as it reflected the sunlight shining in from the wall of windows behind her. When she tilted her hand, the side diamonds sparkled at her.

  Evan cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him. He smiled playfully at her. “Do I need to repeat the question?”

  “What? No.” She shook her head, trying to draw in a deep breath.

  Evan’s brow creased, and the smile fell from his lips. He glanced nervously in the direction of Esmé and Xavier.

  “I mean, no, you don’t have to repeat the question,” she quickly reassured him. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” Her stomach leaped into her throat, and she met Evan halfway as he pulled her into his embrace for a kiss.

  Their first kiss.

  Her head swam as his warm, tender lips pressed against hers, and his strong arms encircled her in a close, protective hold. Wrapping her hands behind his neck, she curled her fingers into his soft hair. With her eyes closed, her other senses drank him in—the heat of his skin, his freshly showered scent, the faint hum coming from his throat, and the subtle taste of coffee on his lips.

  And heaven forbid, in that moment, it felt too real. She really felt engaged to this handsome, smart, powerful man kneeling at her feet, and she was happy. Happier than she could ever remember being in her life…and wouldn’t it be wonderful to always feel this good.

  Xavier and Esmé’s polite clapping and congratulations broke through Cassie’s fanciful thoughts. She sat back on the couch, reluctantly removing herself from Evan’s warm embrace, feeling slightly chilled.

  Evan returned to his seat close to her side and took her hand in his. His grasp was strong and comforting as she attempted to ground herself in the true reality of the situation. She was his hired companion, nothing more, so why was she having such a hard time remembering that?

  She risked a peek at him, but he was giving his full attention to their host and hostess. Had he been as affected by their kiss as she was? Or was it like the massage on the airplane when the attraction had only flowed in one direction?

  “We must have some champagne.” Xavier moved towards a bar set beneath an arched alcove. “And then, Evan, you and I will excuse ourselves to conduct our business while our women enjoy themselves at the pool.”

  “That sounds like a plan,” Evan said as his hand tightened around Cassie’s.

  She glanced at him. Was he nervous about this meeting? It was hard to tell because he always appeared so confident, but when he turned to face her, she caught a glimpse of anxiety in the tense lines around his mouth. She squeezed his hand in show of support, and the grooves vanished as his smile reappeared.

  Her heart leapt in her chest, and that’s when she knew. No matter how much she tried to pretend, when this engagement was over, she was going to be hurt badly. Because her heart refused to listen to her head and had already given a piece of itself to this domineering, arrogant, sexy man.

  It was so unfair that history was repeating itself. She should be able to protect herself from these feelings, especially when she could look at her past relationship with Trent and predict how terribly, badly things would go with Evan. How the hell had her concrete wall collapsed so easily?

  She would rebuild it, but with manganese steel this time. The incredibly hard skin of the steel would resist any wearing down by her boss’s charm…she hoped.

  * * * *

  “I am unpleasantly surprised by your offer.” Xavier sat in a leather armchair in his bookshelf-lined library, a frown marring his face.

  Evan took a sip from his glass of iced tea, invoking the iron calm he’d been famous for on the racetrack. He would not let Xavier take the advantage in this negotiation. Evan was willing to use every bit of information he had.

  Lowering his glass, he studied the older man, using the silence to his benefit before replying. “Your company was under investigation for drug smuggling.”

  “And we were cleared of all charges.” Xavier was quick to respond.

  “Yes. I know.” Evan had done his own deep investigating to be sure the charges had been legally cleared. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here making this offer.”

  “This offer is much too low. It is an insult.” Xavier huffed.

  “Estrella is not worth the same as it was before the investigation, Xavier. Even though you’ve been cleared, the company’s value has not returned. You need to take this offer, and you know it.”

  “You are so much like your father.”

  Evan felt a stab of regret and instant denial that he was anything like his father, but he kept his face blank. His father had put everything of himself into his company, while Evan had been traipsing about playing with cars, ignoring his duty to help with the family business. He was nothing like his father, and Evan deeply grieved for his loss.

  Xavier continued. “He never pulled his punches either, but I will accept no less than tw
ice what you bid.”

  “I won’t budge on my proposal. You take what’s on the table, or I walk away.” Evan took another sip of the iced tea.

  “I have others willing to buy.”

  Evan took his time setting his glass on the mahogany side table. “Who? Linders? I know for a fact he can’t afford what I’m offering you. The recession hit him too hard.” Thank God, Dan had given Evan those figures on the plane on the way down yesterday. There was just so much Evan needed to learn, and the problem was he didn’t always know what he didn’t know. Dan was a priceless resource.

  “There are others interested in making a deal,” Xavier asserted.

  “Then why aren’t they here? Why did you only invite me?” Evan held up a hand. “No, wait. I’ll answer that for you. It’s because I’m your highest bidder.” God, he hoped Dan’s research was exhaustive, and Xavier hadn’t been secretly meeting with any other companies.

  “Yes, you are right. Our value was hurt by the investigation, but we will recover. Then we will have offers pouring in, much better offers than this one.” Xavier waved his hand dismissively at the contract on the low table between them. “Offers that won’t include the controlling seizure of my company.”

  “If others haven’t made the offers by now, when they can grab your company at a discount price, they won’t be coming around when your value rebounds.”

  Xavier frowned fiercely. “I am not a bargain basement deal.” His voice was nearly a growl. “Estrella is a valuable company.”

  “It was, and it still has great assets.” Evan attempted to soothe Xavier’s bruised ego. He didn’t want to beat the man down in the process of this negotiation. He only wanted to establish that he held the winning hand. “But you have declined too much in the past year to recuperate your losses on your own. It’s obvious that’s why you’ve been looking for investors.”

  “Investors are exactly what Estrella is looking for, but this contract is more than that.” Xavier’s voice rose slightly. “You are asking me to hand over the management of my family business.”