Taming The Billionaire

Tate let his eyelids slide shut. The first thing that came to mind weren’t words, as was often the case, but the memory of her body against his. The close heat. The sweet scent. The softness of curves.

Nope. Bad idea. He crossed his arms over his chest, knowing full well his bulk could be intimidating.

Probably reading the rejection in his stance, Willow continued, “Besides, how will you hire someone else? Phone calls. Interviews. How many will it take before you find the right person?”

“No.”

No more intrusion. Anger rose as Tate tried to think, quickly. This woman was way too smart, and well-armed with info. Uneasiness slithered through him as he wondered what else Murdoch might have told her.

But the aggression in his tone didn’t seem to faze her. “Or you could just accept the inevitable,” she continued.

“And that is?”

“Without me, you’re gonna have a ton of people tromping all through this place. From what Murdoch said, that’s not something you would enjoy.”

“Or I could settle for just you?”

He caught her sneaky smile on the outer edge of his flashlight glow. Then she asked, “Besides, have you driven in this stuff recently?” She flicked the flashlight toward one of the massive windows behind him. “I thought I was going to die trying to get here. I have no desire to go back out into this weather.”

“A little melodramatic, aren’t you?” Even he cringed at his condescending tone. Defensiveness didn’t sit well on him.

But on her... The way she stiffened her spine put other attributes on display. Tate tried not to notice.

“Are you kidding me?” she demanded. “You obviously haven’t tried driving a tiny car over that bridge in fifty-mile-an-hour wind gusts. Have you?”

Tate felt himself automatically shut down. No, he hadn’t driven in this kind of weather...not for many, many years. And he never would. Certainly not over the narrow bridge that connected the island to the mainland.

“I made a lot of effort to get here. It’s at least common courtesy to let me try to do the job.”

Tate clenched his jaw, frustration tightening his tone. “If you stay, you won’t find courtesy to be one of my strong points.”

This time she didn’t respond, but adopted a stance that mimicked his own. In that moment, Tate recognized her.

Oh, he’d never met her before, but he’d described her type over and over in his work. She was the embodiment of the heroines he wrote about in his horror stories. Women with grit, determination and smarts who made it out alive when lesser mortals rarely survived.

That tingling awareness he’d been doing his best to ignore multiplied. All the more reason to get her out of here.

A flash of white lit the room as lightning suddenly streaked across the night sky. Tate saw her jaw clench and shoulders straighten as she braced herself. Admirable. It was a little clue that told him a lot about her. Heck, the fact that she’d made it here in the first place in this weather signified a strength and determination some people never displayed in their lifetime.

The flash was followed closely by a hard clap of thunder. The storm was picking up again. But it was just starting for Tate.

Somehow he knew giving in on this point meant he would lose this battle...and lose the war. But she was right. As a long roll of thunder shook the house, he knew he couldn’t send her back out in this weather. His own feelings about her presence aside, he refused to make an impulsive decision that cost someone their life.

Again.

“Let me show you to a room, then.”

Two

At least he had let her stay instead of forcing her back out into the weather.

The consolation was mild as her overactive brain was assaulted with emotions. First the drive and the storm, then the dark house, and now being led up this magnificent staircase by a tall, brooding man carrying an old-fashioned lantern. If she wanted atmosphere, she’d received it in abundance.

Actually, more than she’d hoped for.

She shivered, though she couldn’t tell if it was because of her still-damp shirt or the continued uncertainty of this entire situation.

Tate led her only a short way down the hall before pausing beside a closed door. As with the ones she’d seen downstairs, there were intricate carvings, swirls and maybe leaves and vines that gave the wood dimension. Even in the gloom it was gorgeous. “This will be your room for the night.”

So, he still wouldn’t concede that she was right?

“Where’s yours?” she asked, only to clamp her lips together in regret.

In the light of the lantern she watched one thick, dark brow rise. “I’m in a suite at the end of the hall,” he answered simply.

Right.

The darkened room beyond slowly came to life as Tate lit candles from a fireplace match. Willow stared in awe as the historical setting came to life. A large silver candelabrum on the dresser provided most of the light, with smaller candlesticks dotted around the room. As Tate’s big body moved through the shadows, fear and fascination mingled inside of her.

A four-poster bed with drapes and some kind of fabric topper dominated the space, the white fabric with navy filigree pattern lending to the old-fashioned feel of the room. Add in the tall man with shoulder-length disheveled hair and she had the makings of a regular Wuthering Heights on her hands. The thought sent another shiver over her.

As he turned to look at her, she became all too conscious of her body’s reaction. She’d love to blame it on the cold, but she feared the tightening of her nipples had more to do with the man standing before her than the temperature. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest.

Let him make of that what he wanted.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured. Even in the shadows, there was no mistaking the intricate designs on the furniture and fabrics.

His gruff command grated on her nerves. “Don’t get too attached. We will discuss this situation in the morning.”

“Really? We’re still not over that, are we?” She wasn’t sure what gave her the gumption to say it, but as she stood there shivering with cold, she was over his attitude.

He raised those dark brows again. “I may require more patience than you possess.”

There was almost a literary quality to his pronunciation that sharpened the edge of his words.

Maybe he was right, but... “I have more patience than you could imagine. After all, I teach history to eighteen-year-old freshmen who think being at college gives them the freedom to do whatever they want.”

Her response seemed to surprise him, lightening his expression a little. “The fearlessness to enter a dark house, the patience of a saint... Is there anything else Murdoch didn’t tell me about you?”

I’m attracted to tall, dark and mysterious men? “Um...a classroom of eighty of those monsters has made me efficient, organized and slightly entertaining?”

“Do you really call them monsters?”

This time she didn’t hold back a cheeky grin. “To their faces—with the utmost of affection, I assure you.”

“Then I can only imagine what you’d call me.”

Before she could come up with a clever response, he was at the door. “Good night,” he said as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

At least he didn’t lock me in.

Willow half grinned, half whimpered at the thought. Her sisters would take away her modern-woman card if they knew she’d been seriously attracted to the dark brooding man in the darkened house on the isolated island. Somehow she’d been cast in her very own Gothic mystery with a leading man who would fit right in with Hollywood’s most gorgeous heartthrobs.

But she had a feeling he saw her more as a nuisance than a leading lady. She’d do well to remember that.

Despite wanting to get out of her damp clothes and shoes, Willow took a moment to slowly turn around in the middle of the room. This place was incredible. The furniture she’d seen in the other rooms had been antique, too, but this was an incredibly high-quality fairy-tale look that she’d seen only in photographs.

The bedroom was fit for a royal prince, even if Murdoch had only been the hired help. Willow jumped as lightning flashed through the sheer window coverings, then giggled as she glanced around. The dark furniture was offset by the creamy color of the bed draperies that almost matched the ivory walls. There was a heavy chifforobe, a dresser with an oval mirror hanging above it that reflected the light from the large silver candelabra and matching bedside tables. A large navy carpet mimicked the pattern of the drapes. It looked so soft, Willow couldn’t wait to dig in her cold toes.

Conscious of how damp she was, she glanced in the chifforobe for anything to cover herself with, but it was empty. Well, she wasn’t going back out in this weather for her suitcase, and Tate hadn’t offered. She would just have to make do.

At least her current dilemma took her mind off the man sleeping in the suite at the end of the hall.

She flipped the cream-colored duvet down to the end of the bed, grateful to find another blanket beneath it. As she removed her jeans and wet shoes, she tried to think of ways she could convince Tate to let her stay. This was a short-term gig. Murdoch had chosen her personally. She could prove she was good at the job...if Tate would just give her the chance to show him.

She blew out all the candles except a couple right beside her bed. The urge to search out the dark corners of the room still irked her. But even crawling under the warm blanket didn’t relax her. Exhaustion lurked just below the surface, but her overactive brain wouldn’t let it take over.

Maybe she could make him her special French toast for breakfast? They said food was the way to a man’s heart. Maybe showcasing her cooking skills would at least soften his.

As she reached for her phone to set an alarm, a noise caught her attention. The deep creak of old wood sounded above her, reminding her of her mission and renewing her courage. She needed this job. She needed to find out the secrets her great-grandmother had hinted at in her journals.

Just remember that, little miss!

More creaking, then a thud overhead had Willow sitting up. That sounded like more than just an old house settling in. Had Tate gone upstairs before going to bed? She hadn’t heard any footsteps, but—

Bam!

Willow tucked herself down in the bed, instincts insisting those few inches would save her. But when nothing else happened, she giggled a little. Boy, tonight’s atmospheric adventures were sure affecting her.

Drip. Drip.

Willow bent over to inspect the water droplet that had landed on her now-bare calf. Where was that coming from? She glanced up at the material above her. The heavy drapes were gathered in the middle, creating myriad folds that revealed nothing. The lack of light wasn’t helping. Curiosity getting the better of her, she lifted up onto her knees for a better vantage point. That might be water droplets hanging from the fabric. Maybe?

Then the world went dark as the creak became a crash.

* * *

Tate debated whether to go back to work or give it up for the night. He’d been moving along at a fast clip when he’d heard Willow downstairs. But the conflicting emotions of the last hour had left him growlier than a grizzly bear. He usually didn’t write well in that state. Working out would be better, but with the electricity off he’d better not be wandering around in the basement.

Also he probably needed to keep an ear peeled for his houseguest for a little while. Something told him she needed supervision. A feeling that had nothing to do with wanting to get his hands on her again. Absolutely nothing.

Suddenly he could feel the approaching crash on the final lap of his adrenaline rush. Yeah, writing would be impossible in a matter of minutes. His brain would fog over and the words simply wouldn’t be able to break through. Better to rest now and write tomorrow—after he’d dealt with the problem lurking in Murdoch’s bedroom in the form of one sexy redhead.

Tate strolled into the office to shut off the battery-operated lantern he’d left in there earlier. Before he cut off the light, he paused, staring at the shutters closed tightly over the windows. Heavy rain beat against the house, but here the sound was muffled. The last thing Tate had wanted to see was the choppy waves of the sea below, stirred up by the storm.

Haunting memories rose despite his mental protest. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, after all.

As he flipped the switch on the lantern, another noise joined the rest. It was so faint he almost missed it. Moving back toward the hall, he wondered if his guest had come to find him. He hoped not. He had willpower like a suit of armor, but she seemed to be able to find every weak point.

Then he heard the booming crash. He hurried down the empty hall until he reached her room. A commotion was in progress behind the door. What the hell?

He swung the door open, then froze. The door slammed against the wall. Before him...he wasn’t even sure what was happening. A writhing mass of wet bedclothes, splintered pieces of wood and dripping water occupied the bed...instead of the slightly damp housekeeper he’d left here thirty minutes before.

For a moment, the scene captured his artistic imagination. Despite the urge to rush in, he had to catalog it for future reference. And frankly, he was enjoying the show.

The frantic wiggling granted him glimpses of nicely rounded calves. He should help untangle her, he really should. Then she froze. He could just hear the quick intake of breath before she screamed, “Help me!”

That galvanized him into action. He struggled to find an opening as she thrashed about. “Be still,” he snapped.

His low command seemed to make it through to her because she paused long enough for him to snag the edge of the fabric. With a heavy tug, he divested her of the soggy bed curtains.

Then had the immediate urge to cover her back up.

As her bare calves had warned him, she’d taken off her jeans. And her bra. She now crouched, breathing hard, in the middle of the bed wearing nothing but a wet T-shirt and panties. Her wild auburn hair flew in every direction, including over her lightly freckled face. If he’d had twinges of attraction earlier, they were nothing compared with now.

Finally she reached up and tossed her hair back from her face. Tate quickly directed his gaze up to the ceiling. Whoa. Leaning over, he got a better angle to see what had happened. The substantial hole over her bed revealed only the darkened room above and the steady drip of water that he suspected came from dislodged tiles on the roof.

Straightening, he then let his gaze track back to the woman in the middle of the mess. “Don’t guess you will be sleeping here tonight. There must be some damage to the roof. In this part of the house, there’s only the one floor above you. It was fine during the last inspection, but something might have hit it or the wind must have ripped something loose.”

Reaching out, he plucked her from the bed. Her squeal echoed around the room. The distinctly feminine sound jump-started his heart. He hadn’t heard someone make a sound like that since he was a teenager. The women he met now didn’t squeal. They wouldn’t consider it sexy.

“Let’s get you settled somewhere else,” he said.

She was already shaking her head, sending her hair flying once more. “We need to clean up first,” she insisted. To his surprise she started gathering the mess into the middle of the bed.

While the thought was appreciated, her movements afforded Tate an even better view. The T-shirt barely covered her upper thighs. The expanse of smooth skin was mouthwatering. “I’ll get something to catch the water,” he murmured.

Escape was a relief, but a brief one.

When he returned with a large plastic tub, he found himself eye level with a pair of silky panties he’d have been better off not seeing. “What are you doing?” he growled.

Willow jerked, her shock unbalancing her and the candle in her hand as she stood on the bed.

“Woman,” he snapped. “Let’s not catch the bed on fire, too.”

She frowned at him. “This isn’t my fault. I was just trying to see what had caused the leak.”

“I’ll investigate in the morning.” He glanced over the now-stripped bed and soggy mattress. “And get this all replaced.”

There was no helping it. His gaze snagged on creamy white thighs below the edge of her T-shirt. She might not have realized how she looked before, but now was different. Her delicate hand came into view, tugging the hem down. He flicked his gaze up to her face, only to see a red stain spreading across her skin. Yep, she was fully aware now.

“Let me help you,” he murmured, then had to clear his throat as his voice deepened without his permission.

Still she accepted his hand for balance as she climbed down. The shocking chill of her skin as it met his made him shift gears from lust to more practical matters. Like where she was going to sleep...

He placed the tub carefully in the middle of the bed to catch the dripping water. Good thing it wasn’t coming down heavier. “This should halt the damage for a while. It should stop raining in a couple of hours,” he said.

Willow offered a brief nod, then skirted around behind him. “I’ve got to see about some clothes,” she said, her voice sounding strangled.

He shouldn’t have made her uncomfortable, but the rest of the night would make matters much worse.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked as she scooted toward the open doorway.

“I guess I’ll have to go out to the car to get my bags.” She paused, then inched back inside. “I should probably put on some shoes for that.”

“You aren’t going out in this weather.” As if to back him up, lightning flashed outside, then thunder rumbled loud enough to rattle the windows. “We will find something else for you.” He gestured for her to go out into the hall, but she hesitated.

Tate had a feeling this was where living as a single man and not as part of a family was going to bite him in the ass. He turned smartly on his heel and headed back the way he’d come, silently gesturing for her to follow. He ignored her questions, trying to get everything straight in his own mind first. With a sense of trepidation that he kept well hidden, he walked straight into his bedroom and opened the top drawer of the bureau, pulling out a well-worn T-shirt. He turned back to see her hovering in the doorway.

“You might as well come inside,” he snapped.

“Why?”

Her obvious hesitation reminded him that the situation wasn’t her fault and was completely out of both of their control. He tempered his tone.

“Because this is where the only other bed in the house is,” he said with a voice full of resignation.

She stepped through the doorway, her eyes wide with shock. “What?”

He spoke a little more slowly. “This is the only bed... And the only decent sofa is right there.” He pointed back toward the living area that comprised half the large master suite. “We’re going to share a room tonight, I’m afraid.”

Even in the dim light he could see her eyes cataloging everything she’d seen tonight—which wasn’t much. Still, she tried. “But there are so many rooms—”

“Which have been stripped. Or I assure you the mattresses are nothing but dust and springs by now.”

He held out the oversize T. “Your attire, my dear.”

Three

Even with the sound of heavy rain outside, Willow could still hear every squeak of the leather when Tate moved on the couch. And he moved a lot.

Too bad it wasn’t thundering still.

As the furniture protested yet another turn of Tate’s big body, Willow contemplated their current situation in the dark. She knew Murdoch had said they never had visitors, but she never imagined a big house like this wouldn’t at least be set up for the possibility. This was the South. Hospitality was an actual way of life down here. All these rooms lying dormant would be unheard of.

It was a type of isolation Willow couldn’t imagine.

She should be sound asleep right now. Between the tense drive and the stress of meeting her new boss, exhaustion weighed down her bones. But her unexpected dousing in cold water and ceiling tiles had her hyped. And every squeak of the leather told her Tate was in the same boat.

As one particularly restless move was followed by a long sigh, Willow finally gave in. She sat up and projected her voice above the noise of raindrops hitting the windows. “This is ridiculous. Come to bed.”

Hmm...that probably wasn’t the right way to put it. Now that her vision had adjusted somewhat to the dark, she could see his head and bare shoulders rise above the back of the couch. “What did you say?”

She should have been intimidated, but she was over that by now. “Come sleep in your own bed. You’re never gonna get any rest over there. And neither am I.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That every time you move that couch creaks. It’s even noisier than the rain outside.”

He slowly got to his feet. To her relief, he wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, covering the light skin that she wanted so badly to see. To cover her awkwardness over having her gorgeous new boss approach the bed she was sleeping in, she said the first thing that came to mind.

“At least the one good bed left in the house is the size of a football field.” Frankly, she felt a little lost in all this yardage.

“I’m not a small guy.”

To that, she could attest.

“But I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said.

“I think we’ll manage,” she said, her sense of humor asserting itself. “I won’t think less of you if you put pillows down the middle. After all, I want you to feel safe.”

Even in the dark she caught his pause. “Shouldn’t that be my line?” he asked. She detected a touch of amusement. Probably the best she could hope for with him, especially since his progress had slowed considerably. Did walking toward her on the bed have to resemble a death march?

Not that he should be too eager, but still...

“I’m not the one who needs convincing,” she reminded him. “And if I don’t get some sleep soon, I’ll have trouble proving my worth to my new boss tomorrow.”

This time she was granted a chuckle, and he finished making his way across the room. The bed shifted a little as he lay down, but he seemed to stay as close to the edge as possible. Heck, her arm fully stretched out wouldn’t come close to reaching him.

“No pillows?” she finally asked.

“I think I’m safe.”

You wish. She tried to relax, tried to sink into the most comfortable mattress she’d ever lain on, but it wasn’t happening. Then he suddenly spoke.

“Considering how well you’ve taken everything that’s happened tonight, I think you might have earned a point or two in your favor. Hopefully your new boss will agree.”

She huffed out a little laugh, then consciously forced her muscles to clench, then relax. It was the only thing she knew of to distract herself from his presence. So close, but still a good distance away.

That’s the way she should want it, but a niggling desire wouldn’t be smothered. If what he’d said was true, she’d have to learn to live with lusting after her boss in the quiet recesses of her own mind.

Though she’d thought sleep wouldn’t show up, considering the thoughts running rampant through her brain, the steady sound of the rain, the exhaustion she couldn’t fight any longer and the even breath of the man a few feet away eventually lured her under.

She woke to a different environment altogether. Instead of rain, sunshine peeked through the slats that protected the windows. Heavy covers kept her warm. Her body, her muscles, felt languid, almost liquefied in her relaxation. Then something shifted against her leg and sleep was immediately a thing of the past.