Page 30 of Damaged Billionaire Daddy
“About what?” she asked. “I really don’t have anything to say to you.”
“But I have something to say to you,” I replied.
She looked at the placement of my chair, pointedly. “You have to let me out,” she said.
“Sure,” I said politely, standing up, and moving my chair out of her way.
She picked up her last éclair, gave me a suspiciouslook, and followed me as I led the way around the corner of the stucco building.
Once we were out of sight, and probably easy hearing, of the others I said, “I need you to go with me next weekend.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. Go with you? Go where? And do what?” she protested.
I ran one finger down her cheek. She shivered at the touch and tried not to show it. “I’ll tell you then. I don’t want you to run out on me.”
“What if I won’t?” She folded her arms across her chest.
I took out my cellphone and input a number. I held it out to me so that she could see her grandparents’ number. “All it takes is one flick of the button,” I said. It was so much fun teasing her.
She gave me her best glare. It was cute. When had prickly gotten so adorable? “What if it is something I won’t like? Someplace I don’t want to be?”
“It’s a surprise,” I crooned soothingly. “Don’t you like surprises?”
She stared at me. If she could have shot lasers out of her eyes, I swear she would have. “Not usually. And I’m not at all sure that you’ve got a nice surprise planned. More than likely, you are planning a long drive into the woods, you’ll have your way with me, and then leave me in a shallow grave.”
I was startled. Could she think that? Well, I’d not been particularly nice to her, but really! “You think I would do that? Kandis, I’m not that kind of guy. Well, the weekend in the woods maybe, but not the other part. It is too much fun watching the lady squirm when I dump her.”
“Glad to hear it,” she said tartly. Clearly, she wasn’t pleased with my answer. “That still doesn’t mean I’ll like whatever it is that you have planned.”
At this point I could feel irritation starting to rise.Instead of yelling at her, I reigned myself in, and cupped the side of her face in my hand, and just looked at her for a minute. She scowled at me but stood perfectly still. Her skin was warm under my touch and her cheeks started to glow with the beginnings of a blush.
“Kandis,” I said, “I promise it will not compromise your honor – not any more than I already have, nor harm you in any way. But I need you. You won’t have to provide anything. Just go with me, and act as if you are having the time of your life.”
“What if I’m not?” she asked. I could see her resolve beginning to waver.
“Then try to pretend. For your grandparents’ sake. No, make that for my sake. Please? Remember, anytime, anyway. You promised.”
“Fine!” she snapped. “I did promise. But I didn’t promise to like it.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief washing over me. Maybe it wasn’t the best way to get a “plus one” but it was going to work. I could not think of a more beautiful woman to show off on my arm. Mission accomplished. Maybe I should have told her where we were going, but it was so much fun needling her, I couldn’t resist.
And maybe you could now try balancing a peanut on your nose or walking a picket fence,a little voice said in the back of my mind. I ignored it. I’d told that voice to go away and lie down quietly a long time ago.
I walked Kandis back to her table and collected up my passengers by eye. After all, I had promised them all a ride home. I’d been known to break a promise or two, but this one would be easy to keep.
“Sit up front and tell me about your day,” I invited Roger.
This relegated Teague to the back seat. She looked like she wanted to pout. It was clear she had counted on riding inthe front seat. But I wasn’t in the mood for any amateur vamping, especially from a kid who looked as if she was scarcely out of training bras.
Roger was flattered and more than happy to talk about his day. He and another worker were preparing a new field for a trial type of grape. He didn’t know what kind, only that the boss was really excited about it. They spent most of the day picking rocks and fitting them into a drystone wall.
“It’s just the best thing,” Roger explained, “finding a rock that will fit, and then looking for the next rock. None of them are the same. It’s like a puzzle . . .”
I let the young man’s words wash over me. Had I ever been that excited about a job? Maybe. But it certainly wasn’t a job picking rocks. And yet . . . those rocks were making a wall and they were being removed from a field for a new planting of grapevines that would bear succulent fruit that would be crushed and made into delicious, one-of-a-kind wine. That was work I could get into. Maybe I was going about this the wrong way?
I crushed that thought before it could get started. This wasn’t the first small vineyard I’d taken by storm.No matter how great a working relationship they have with their people, I will find a way in.
I dropped Teagan off first, earning myself another sultry pout and a reminder that the vineyard workers liked to hang out at a certain bar. The girl was clearly eager and willing, but I’d met her type before. She’d be all honey sweet and kisses until it came time to move on – and move on I certainly would because she’d be boring after one night.
