Snowbound Surprise for the Billionaire

They talked business as they made their way over to the massive machinery shed. There’d been an itemised account of all farm equipment attached to the contract, but she went over it all again.

Because he wanted her to.

Because he was now her boss.

And because he’d held the promise of Munich out to her like a treasure of epic proportions and it shimmered in her mind like a mirage.

She glanced at his boots. ‘Were you hoping to ride around the property?’

‘I’d appreciate it if that could be arranged.’

‘Saddle up Banjo and Blossom,’ she told Logan, her lone farmhand. Correction. Flynn’s farmhand. She swung to him, hands on hips. ‘You’re wearing riding boots and you own a cattle station. I’m assuming you know your way around a horse.’

The man finally smiled. She’d started to think he didn’t know how, that he was a machine—all cold, clinical efficiency.

‘You assume right.’

For no reason at all her heart started thundering in her chest. She had to swallow before she could speak. ‘I gave you a comprehensive tour of Lorna Lee’s two weeks ago and I know both Frank and Eric did the same at their places. You and your people went over it all with a fine-tooth comb.’ What was he actually hoping she’d show him?

‘We studied points of interest—dams, fences, sheds and equipment, irrigation systems—but nothing beats getting to know the layout of the land like riding it.’

Question answered.

She rubbed the nape of her neck and tried to get her breathing back under control. It was probably the release of tension from having finally signed, but Flynn looked different in jeans and boots. He looked... She rolled her shoulders. Hot. As in adventure hot.

She shook her head. Crazy thought. Who cared what he looked like? She just wanted him to look after the farm, develop it to its full potential, while hoping he wasn’t an absolute tyrant to work for. All of those things trumped hot any day.

Logan brought out the steeds and Flynn moved to take the reins from him. She selected an Akubra from a peg—an old one of her father’s that had her swallowing back a lump—and handed it to him, before slapping her own hat to her head. The afternoon had lengthened but the sun would still be warm.

She glanced at the two horses. She’d been going to take Blossom, but... She glanced back at Flynn.

He gazed back steadily. ‘What?’

‘What are you in the mood for? An easy, relaxed ride or—’ she grinned ‘—something more challenging?’

‘Addie, something you ought to know about me from the get go is that I’ll always choose challenging.’

Right. ‘Then Blossom is all yours.’ She indicated the grey. ‘I’ll take Banjo.’

‘Leg up?’ he offered.

If it’d been Logan, she’d have accepted. If Flynn had been in his business suit she’d have probably accepted—just to test him. But the large maleness of him as he moved in closer, all of the muscled strength clearly outlined in jeans and T-shirt, had her baulking. ‘No, thank you.’

She slipped her foot into the stirrup and swung herself up into the saddle. Before she could be snarky and ask if he’d like a leg up, he’d done the same. Effortlessly. The big grey danced but Flynn handled him with ease. Perfectly.

She bit back a sigh. She suspected Flynn was one of those people who did everything perfectly.

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Pass muster?’

‘You’ll do,’ she muttered, turning her horse and hoping the movement hid the flare of colour that heated her cheeks.

She led the way out of the home paddock and then finally looked at him again. ‘What in particular would you like to see?’ Was there a particular herd he wanted to look over, a particular stretch of watercourse or a landscape feature?

‘To be perfectly frank, Addie, there’s nothing in particular I want to see. I just want to be out amongst it.’

He was tired of being cooped up. That she could deal with. She pointed. ‘See that stand of ironbarks on the low hill over there?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Wait for me there.’

He frowned. ‘Wait?’

She nodded at his steed. ‘In his current mood, Blossom will leave Banjo in the dust.’ And without another word she dug her heels into Banjo’s sides and set off at a canter.

As predicted, within ten seconds Blossom—and Flynn—had overtaken them and pulled ahead. Addie didn’t care. She gave herself up to the smooth easy motion of the canter, the cooling afternoon and the scent of sun-warmed grasses—all the gnarls inside her working themselves free.

‘Better?’ she asked when she reached Flynn again.

He slanted her a grin. ‘How’d you know?’

‘I start to feel exactly the same way when I’m cooped up for too long. There’s nothing like a good gallop to ease the kinks.’

He stared at her for a long moment. She thought he meant to say something, but he evidently decided to keep it to himself.

‘Munich,’ she blurted out, unable to keep her thoughts in.

‘What do you want to know?’

‘What would my duties be?’

‘A bit of office support—some word processing, accessing databases and spreadsheets, and setting up the odd meeting. If I want printing done, you’ll be my go-to person. The hotel will have business facilities. There might be the odd letter to post.’

This was her and Robbie’s dream job!

‘But...’ she bit her lip ‘...I don’t know any German beyond danke and guten Tag.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Auf wiedersehen?’

Oh, right. She nodded. ‘Goodbye.’

‘Those phrases will serve you well enough. You’ll find you won’t need to know the language. Most Europeans speak perfect English.’

Wow. Still, if she did go she meant to bone up on as much conversational German as she could.

‘You’ll be doing a lot of fetching and carrying—Get me that file, Addie. Where’s the Parker document, Addie? Ring down for coffee, will you, Addie? Where’re the most recent sales figures and costing sheets? Things like that.’

That she could do. She could major in fetching and carrying. ‘When are you planning to leave?’

‘In a week’s time.’

Oh, wow!

He frowned. ‘Do you have a passport?’

‘Yes.’ She’d had one since she was seventeen. Robbie had wanted one, and even though by that stage it had been pointless, Robbie’s parents hadn’t been able to deny her anything. She’d wanted Addie to have one too. Addie had kept it up to date ever since.

‘Good. Now be warned, when we work the pace will be fast and furious, but there’ll be days—lots of them, I expect—when we’ll be twiddling our thumbs. Days when you’ll be free to sightsee.’

It was every dream she’d ever dreamed.

She straightened, slowly, but she felt a reverberation through her entire being. There was more than one way to get off the farm. If she played this right...

‘Naturally I’ll cover your expenses—airfare and accommodation—along with a wage.’

A lump lodged in her throat.

‘I meant what I said earlier, Addie. I want us to build a solid working relationship and I’m not the kind of man to put off the things I want. I don’t see any reason why that working relationship can’t start in Munich.’

If she did a great job for him, if she proved herself a brilliant personal assistant, then maybe Flynn would keep her on as his PA? She could live the life she’d always been meant to live—striding out in a suit and jet-setting around the world.

He stared at her. Eventually he pushed the brim of his hat back as if to view her all the more intently or clearly. ‘Mind if I ask you something?’

‘Sure.’

‘Why haven’t you said yes to Munich yet? I can tell you want to.’

She moistened her lips and glanced out at the horizon. ‘Have you ever wanted something so badly that when you finally think it’s yours you’re afraid it’s too good to be true?’

He was silent for a moment and then nodded. ‘I know exactly how that feels.’

She believed him.

‘All you have to do is say yes, Addie.’

So she said it. ‘Yes.’

CHAPTER TWO

FLYNN GLANCED ACROSS at Addie, who’d started to droop. ‘Are you okay?’

She shook herself upright. ‘Yes, thank you.’

He raised an eyebrow.

She gritted her teeth and wriggled back in her seat. ‘When can we get off this tin can?’

They’d arrived at Munich airport and were waiting for a gate to become vacant. They’d been on the ground and waiting for fifteen minutes, but he silently agreed with her. It felt more like an hour. ‘Shortly, I expect, but I thought you were looking forward to flying?’

‘I’ve flown now. It’s ticked off my list,’ she ground out, and then she stilled and turned those extraordinary eyes to him. ‘Not that it hasn’t been interesting, but I just didn’t know that twenty-two hours could take so long.’

Addie’s problem was that she’d been so excited when they’d first boarded the plane in Sydney she hadn’t slept a wink on the nine-and-a-half-hour leg between there and Bangkok. She’d worn herself out so much—had become so overtired—that she’d been lucky to get two hours’ sleep over the next twelve hours.

He suspected she wasn’t used to the inactivity either. He thought back to the way they’d cantered across the fields at Lorna Lee’s and shook his head. Overtired and climbing walls. He understood completely.

A steward’s voice chimed through the sound system telling them they were taxiing to Gate Twenty-eight and to remain in their seats. Addie blew out a breath that made him laugh. Within twenty minutes, however, they’d cleared Customs and were waiting by the luggage carousel. Addie eased forward in one lithe movement and hefted a bag from the carousel as if it were a bale of hay.

He widened his stance and frowned at her. ‘If you’d pointed it out I’d have got it for you.’

She blinked at him. ‘Why would you do that when I’m more than capable?’

A laugh escaped him. ‘Because I’m the big strong man and you’re the dainty personal assistant.’

One side of her mouth hooked up and her eyes danced. ‘You didn’t tell me dainty was part of the job description.’ And then she moved forward, picked his suitcase off the carousel and set it at his feet.

‘Addie!’

‘Fetch and carry—that was part of the job description and that I can do.’

He folded his arms. ‘How’d you know it was my case? It’s standard black and nondescript.’

She pointed. ‘With a blue and green tartan ribbon tied to the handle.’

She’d noticed that? ‘Adelaide Ramsey, I have a feeling you’re going to be a handy person to have around.’

‘That’s the plan.’

Was it? Her earnestness puzzled him.

And then she jumped on the spot. ‘Can we go and see Munich now?’

All of her weariness had fled. Her back had straightened, her eyes had brightened and she glanced about with interest. He swallowed and led the way out of the airport to the taxi stand. ‘It’ll take about forty minutes by cab to reach Munich proper.’

‘It’s so cold!’

He turned to find Addie struggling to pull her coat from her hand luggage and haul it on, her breath misting on the air. ‘December in Munich,’ he pointed out. ‘It was always going to be cold.’

Teeth chattering, she nodded. ‘I’m counting on snow.’

She spent the entire trip into the city with her face pressed to the window. Flynn spent most of the trip watching her. She gobbled up everything—the trees, the houses, the shops, the people.

She flinched as they passed a truck. ‘It’s so wrong driving on this side of the road.’

They drove on the left in Australia. In Germany it was the opposite. It took a bit of getting used to. As he watched her an ache he couldn’t explain started up in his chest.

He rubbed a hand across it and forced his gaze away to stare out of his own window, but it didn’t stop him from catching the tiny sounds she made—little gasps and tiny sighs that sounded like purrs. Each and every one of them pressed that ache deeper into him.

Maybe that was why, when the taxi deposited them at the front of their hotel, he snapped at her when she didn’t follow after him at a trot, but stood glued to the footpath instead. He turned, rubbing a hand across his chest again. ‘What are you doing?’

She glanced around as if memorising the buildings, the street and its layout. ‘This is the very first time my feet have touched European ground.’

He opened his mouth to point out that technically that wasn’t true.

‘I want to fix it in my mind, relish the moment. I’ve dreamed of it for so long and I can hardly believe...’

He snapped his mouth shut again.

She suddenly stiffened, tossed him a glance, and before he knew what she was about she’d swung her hand luggage over her shoulder, seized both of their cases and was striding straight into the foyer of the hotel with them.

For pity’s sake! He took off after her to find her enquiring, in perfect German no less, for a booking in the name of Mather.

The concierge smiled and welcomed her and double-checked the details of the booking.

Flynn moved up beside her. ‘I didn’t think you spoke German?’ It came out like an accusation.

‘I don’t. I learned that phrase specifically.’

‘For goodness’ sake, why?’

‘I thought it might come in handy, and to be polite, but...’ She swallowed and turned back to the concierge and glanced at his name badge. ‘Entschuldigen Sie—’ I’m sorry ‘—Bruno, but I have no idea what you just said to me.’

The concierge beamed back at her. ‘No matter at all, madam. Your accent was so perfect I thought you a native.’

‘Now you’re flattering me.’ She laughed, delighted colour high on her cheeks. ‘Danke.’ Thank you.

‘Bitte.’ You’re welcome.

And from her smile Flynn could tell she knew what that meant. It was all he could do not to roll his eyes.

‘Your hotel is sublime, beautiful.’ She gestured around. ‘And I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here.’

The man beamed at her, completely charmed and this time Flynn did roll his eyes. ‘And we’re delighted to have you stay with us, madam.’

Given the prices they were charging, of course they were delighted.

Eventually Flynn managed to get their room keys and he pushed Addie in the direction of the elevator that silently whooshed them up four flights to the top floor.

Flynn stopped partway down the corridor. ‘This should be your room.’

Her jaw dropped when she entered. ‘It’s huge!’ She raced to the window. ‘Oh, this is heaven.’ She pointed. ‘What’s that?’

He moved to join her. ‘That’s called the Isartor. Munich was once a gated medieval city. Tor means gate. Isar is the name of the nearby river.’

She stared at him. ‘So that’s the gate to the river Isar. It sounds like something from a Grimm’s fairy tale.’

She turned back to fully take in her room. ‘Oh, Flynn, I don’t need something this big.’

‘I have the main suite next door and I wanted you nearby.’

She glanced around more slowly this time and her face fell. ‘What?’ he barked.

‘I thought there might be an adjoining door.’ Colour flared suddenly in her face. ‘I mean, it’s not that I want one. It’s just they have them in the movies and...’ She broke off, grimacing.

He had to laugh and it eased the burn in his chest. ‘No adjoining doors, but feel free to come across and check out the suite.’

Flynn had never thought too much about hotel rooms before beyond space and comfort. And most of the time he didn’t waste much thought on the second of those. Space mattered to him though. It probably had something to do with the wide open spaces of the cattle country he was used to. He didn’t like feeling hemmed in. It was strange, then, that he spent so much of his time in the cities of Sydney and Brisbane.

‘Oh, my! You have a walk-in closet. And a second bedroom!’ Addie came hurtling back into the living area. ‘You have all this—’ she spread her arms wide to encompass the lounge area, dining table and kitchenette ‘—plus all that.’ She pointed back the way she’d come from the bedrooms and bathroom.

The suite was generous.

She bounced on the sofa. She sat at the table. ‘And it’s all lovely light wood and blue and grey accents. It’s beautiful.’

He glanced around. She was right. It was.

She poked about the minibar and straightened with a frown. ‘There’s no price list.’

‘The minibar is included in the overall price. It’s the same for your room.’ When he travelled he wanted the best.

‘No-o-o.’ Her jaw dropped. ‘You mean, I can drink and eat whatever I want from it and it won’t cost you a penny more?’

Heck! Had he ever been that young? ‘Ja.’

‘Fantastisch!’

She sobered. ‘Thank you for my beautiful room.’

He rolled his shoulders. He hadn’t been thinking of her comfort or enjoyment, but his own convenience. ‘It’s nothing. Don’t think about it.’

‘Thank you for bringing me to Munich.’

‘It’s not a free ride, Adelaide.’

‘I know, and just you wait. I’m going to be the best PA you’ve ever had.’

Her sincerity pricked him. ‘Addie, go and unpack your bags.’

Without so much as a murmur, she turned and left. Flynn collapsed onto the sofa, shaking his head. He eased back a bit further. Addie was right. The sofa was comfortable. He’d be able to rest here and—

Out of the blue it hit him then that not once between the airport and now had he given thought to the reason he was in Munich. He straightened. He pushed to his feet. Twenty years in the planning all ousted because of Addie’s excitement? Jet lag. He grabbed his suitcase and strode into the master bedroom, started flinging clothes into the closet. Either that or he was going soft in the head.

He stowed the suitcase and raked both hands back through his hair. The important thing was that he was here now and that finally—after twenty years, twenty-two, to be precise—he had the means and opportunity to bring down the man who had destroyed his family. He would crush George Mueller the way George had laid waste to his father. And he intended to relish every moment of that with the same gusto Addie had so far shown for Munich.

With a grim smile, he made for the shower.

* * *

A knock sounded on the door and Flynn glanced up from his laptop. Housekeeping?

Or Addie?

He forced himself to his feet to open it. Addie stood on the other side, but it was a version of her he’d never seen before. What on earth? He blinked.

‘May I come in?’

He moved aside to let her enter, his voice trapped somewhere between chest and throat. She sauntered in with a pot of coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. She wore a black business suit.

Hell’s bells! Addie had legs that went on forever.

She set the briefcase on the table and the coffee pot on a trivet on the bench, before turning. He dragged his gaze from her legs. ‘Where did you get that?’ He pointed so she knew he meant the coffee, not the legs.

‘The breakfast room.’

She collected two mugs and leant down to grab the milk from the bar fridge. Her skirt was a perfectly respectable length, but... He rubbed the nape of his neck. Who’d have known that beneath her jeans she’d have legs like that?

He shook himself. ‘What are you doing?’ The words practically bellowed from him. ‘And why are you wearing that?’

Her face fell and he could’ve kicked himself. ‘Sorry,’ he ground out. ‘Jet lag. That didn’t come out right.’

She swallowed. ‘Flynn, I know this trip isn’t a free ride. So—’ she gestured down at herself ‘—like a good dainty personal assistant, I donned my work clothes, made sure to get the boss coffee and now I’m here to put in a day’s work.’

‘I don’t expect you to do any work today.’

She handed him a coffee. Strong and black. She must’ve remembered that from their meetings at Lorna Lee’s. ‘Why not?’

He took a sip. It wasn’t as hot as he’d have liked, but he kept his trap shut on that head. She’d gone to the trouble of fetching it for him. Besides, it was excellent—brewed to perfection.

‘I’m here to work,’ she reminded him.

‘Not on the day we fly in. You’re allowed some time to settle in.’

‘Oh.’ She bit her lip. ‘I didn’t realise. You didn’t say.’

‘Where did you get the suit?’ Had she bought it especially for the trip? He hadn’t meant to put her out of pocket.

‘I have a wardrobe full of suits. When I finished school I started an office administration course. I had plans to—’

She broke off and he realised that whatever plans she’d made, they hadn’t come to fruition.

‘But my mother became sick and I came home to help out and, well, the suits haven’t really seen the light of day since.’

Because she’d been stuck on the farm. Trapped on the farm. He recalled the way she’d pressed her face against the window of the taxi, the look on her face as she’d stared around the city street below. Why was she in his room ready to work when she should be out there exploring the streets of Munich?

‘Flynn, I don’t even know what it is we’re doing in Munich.’

That decided him. ‘Go change into your warmer clothes—jeans, a jumper and a coat—and I’ll show you why we’re here.’

Her eyes lit up. ‘And a scarf, gloves and boots. I swear I’ve never known cold like this.’

‘Wear two pairs of socks,’ he called after her. ‘I’ll meet you in the foyer in ten minutes.’

* * *

Addie made it down to the foyer in eight minutes to find Flynn already there. She waved to Bruno, who waved back.

‘Good to know you can move when necessary,’ Flynn said, gesturing her towards the door.

Addie could hardly believe she was in Munich! She practically danced out of the door.

She halted outside. Which way did he want to go? Where did he mean to take her? Oh, goodness, it was cold! She tightened her scarf about her throat and stamped her feet up and down. ‘It was thirty-three degrees Celsius when we left Sydney. The predicted top for Munich today is four!’

‘In a couple of days you won’t even notice.’

She turned to stare at him.

‘Okay, you’ll notice, but it won’t hurt so much.’

‘I’ll accept that. So, what are you going to show me?’

‘We’re going to get our bearings first.’

Excellent plan. She pulled the complimentary map she’d found in her room from her coat pocket at the exact moment he pulled the same map from his.

He stared at her map, then at her and shook his head.

‘What? I didn’t want to get lost.’ In rural Australia getting lost could get you killed.

‘There’s nothing dainty about you, is there, Addie?’

‘Not if you’re using dainty as a synonym for helpless,’ she agreed warily. If it was important to him she supposed she could try and cultivate it, though.

He shoved his map back into his pocket. ‘While we’re on the subject, for the record I do not want you carrying my luggage.’

‘Okay. Noted.’ Man, who knew that negotiating the waters of PA and boss politics could be so tricky? ‘Okay, while we’re on the subject. When we’re in business meetings and stuff, do you want me to call you Mr Mather and sir?’

His lip curled. ‘Sir?’

Okay, she didn’t need a business degree to work out his thoughts on that. ‘So we’re Herr Mather and his super-efficient—’ and dainty if she could manage it ‘—PA, Addie.’

‘Herr Mather and his assistant, Adelaide,’ he corrected.

A little thrill shot up her spine. Adelaide sounded so grown up. It was a proper name for a PA. ‘Right.’

Brrr...if they didn’t move soon, though, she’d freeze to the footpath. She glanced at the map in her hand and then held it out to him. She could read a map as well as the next person, but she was well aware that the male of the species took particular pride in his navigational skills.

‘You haven’t been to Munich before?’ she asked as he unfolded the map.