Her Billionaire Boss by Gena Snow

Chapter 11

Harper

 

 

 

 

 

“You don’t have to go with me,” I say to Nick on our way to Downtown Beacon.

I know he didn’t want to go to the club but agreed because of me, and I feel guilty about it.

“Actually, I miss clubbing,” he says while keeping his eyes on the winding mountain road. “Believe it or not, I used to do it a lot.”

“I’m not surprised!” I say with a laugh, although I’m consumed with jealousy inside. I couldn’t even enjoy the fancy dinner earlier. I kept wondering whether Nick had done to Sandra what he did to me at the office the other day.

Sandra is so glamorous but he must’ve cast her aside. I must be a cheap plaything to him as well.

“Why is that?” he turns to glance at me quickly. “Do I look like a party animal to you?”

And a playboy too. I don’t want to sound like a jealous fool so I don’t say it out loud. “I’ve seen how well you surfed, which is unexpected,” I say after a moment’s pause. “So I assume you have other hobbies that I don’t know about.”

“You bet,” he says smugly. “I’m a box of chocolate, full of surprises.”

I roll my eyes at the inadequate metaphor. I know he’s trying to lighten the tension between us with humor, but I’m not in the mood to laugh.

Beacon is a small town like Alton, but it has fewer people and thus feels quieter. The new nightclub is located in the center of the downtown area, next to the visitor center, reminding me the town attracts many tourists.

To my understanding, half of the population in Beacon is over sixty. But the moment I step inside the club, I doubt the fact is still true because there’re so many young people. Only a few people look over fifty. But then again, older people simply don’t do clubbing so much.

We find a table and get some drinks. And then Robert and Sandra start to dance. The electronic music is loud and soon my heart is pumping with excitement. I’m eager to join the crazy crowd and to forget who I am.

“Dance with me?” Nick asks me.

I nod and put down my unfinished juice. “Sure,” I say and get up quickly and let him pull me onto the dance floor.

I remember Nick being a good dancer at Avery’s wedding. He doesn’t disappoint this time, either. He rolls his shoulders while nodding his head like a careless teenager. Again, a different side of that annoying bosshole. I can’t help smiling up at him as I shake my hips, but when I meet his smoldering eyes, my body burns for him.

“Hey, that’s the Nick I remember!” Robert bumps against his cousin’s shoulder as he moves next to him.

When the next song, which is hip-hop, starts, Nick and Robert both turn into teenagers when they kick and roll to the music. My jaw falls to the dance floor as I watch. That’s another surprise.  

 

I stop dancing because I’m not good at hip hop, and I want to watch Nick.

Before the dance is over, I hear a man’s voice next to me. “Hi, I’m George. May I buy you a drink?”

I turn to look, annoyed by the distraction. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough drinks for the night,” I say to the man who is good-looking and tall. I’m a fool to turn him down, but I regret for just a second because my mind is fixated on my off-limits boss.

The man doesn’t give up. “What about a snack, then?”

“Thanks but I’m not hungry.”

He shrugs and extends a hand for me to shake. “I’m George.”

I have no choice but take it and tell him my name.

“I like the name. It reminds me of music,” he says.

I laugh. Is he trying to be funny? “Thanks,” I say. Despite my annoyance, I find myself talking to a stranger who doesn’t seem dangerous. “Do you live here, or are you here on vacation?”

“I’m on a business trip,” he says as he fishes out a business card and passes it to me.

“George Hanson, Project manager. Vortex Hospitality. Ooh,” I read from the card and raise an eyebrow. So the guy is in the hotel business. It isn’t a surprise because Beacon is more or less a tourist town with plenty of hotels around. I’m going to ask more about his company when I hear cheers from the crowd near the dance floor, and my attention drift to Nick and Rob. There are still dancing and enjoying the attention they get from the audience. Sandra is even recording on her phone.

“Are those your friends?” George asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “My boss and his cousin.”

“You work for Seaside Resort?”

I shake my head. “No, but why do you ask?”

“One of them is the owner of the place,” he says.

“Do you know Rob well?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t. I’ve only spoken to him on the phone once.”

I quirk an eyebrow, wanting to know more.

When he doesn’t speak, I ask, “Are you interested in buying the resort? Is that the purpose of your trip?”

He pauses for a moment. “I was, but not anymore.”

“Why’s that?” I asked with piqued interest.

George opens his mouth to speak, but before I hear a word, a hand grabs my shoulder. “We need to get out of here.”

It’s Nick. He’s glaring at George when he speaks, which puzzles me. He looked elated just a moment ago at the dance floor. George excuses himself and goes to speak to another lady nearby.

“W-what happened? I thought you were enjoying yourself,” I ask my boss.

“I just got a call from Brea, telling me a tenant wants their rental contract signed so they can start remodeling the store tomorrow.”

“Oh,” I say reluctantly. I’ve just got here and danced one song. I’m not ready to leave yet. “You don’t need me for that, do you?”

He pauses. “I don’t. But how’re you going to go back to the resort?”

“I can go with Robert and Sandra.”

Nick presses his lips together for a moment and nods. “Sure. Don’t stay too late. We’ve got a meeting with my uncle and we might need to go over some documents.”

Geez. He sounds like a dad. “Yes, sir,” I say with an eye roll.

His eyes darken for a moment and he seems to be clenching his teeth. And then the corners of his mouth relax. “If anything happens, give me a call,” he says before leaving.

“Okay,” I say, fighting my urge to go after him. Maybe I don’t need to dance. Maybe I just want to be with him. To share the hot tub with him, or to share the fancy bed. I remember once again what we did before dinner and how hard I came when he touched me in the shower. My imagination goes wild as I watch him disappearing to the other side of the door and I walk toward it.

But then, I hear Shannon’s Give Me Tonight being played, and I push my horny thoughts aside. Don’t be silly. Nick is a womanizer. He’ll only ruin my plans for the future. I turn back, slip onto the dance floor and continue to enjoy the night. I dance for five more songs before returning to the bar to rest. Robert and Sandra are necking like teenagers when I sit down next to them.

“Your boss abandoned you?” Robert asks.

“He has to take care of some business,” I say.

Robert scoffs. “I told you, that guy is a workaholic just like our dads. No fun.”

I shrug. “You can’t blame him.”

Despite my protest, Sandra convinces me to have another drink. I finish half of the margarita with them before going to the restroom. When I return, I see George speaking to Robert.

Robert looks clearly annoyed and impatient as he listens. He’s glancing around in my direction, and when he sees me, he raises his voice, “Look, I don’t have the time now. Mr. Hanson. Let me repeat: I don’t take care of the business and we have nothing to talk about. Please leave me alone.”

George opens his mouth to say something but seeing me, he seems to change his mind. He nods at me with a smile and says to Robert. “Sure. I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Alton. It’s nice meeting you.”

George shrugs. “Very well, I’ll see you around,” he says and leaves promptly after nodding at me.

“Is he interested in buying the resort?” I ask Robert out of curiosity.

Robert pauses for a moment. “No. He’s an AC salesman trying to sell some energy-efficient models to us.”

I frown but don’t speak because I don’t know who is lying, George or Robert. I have a feeling Robert is hiding something from me but then it’s none of my business.

I quietly finish my drink instead while Robert kisses his girlfriend.

I want to get back to the hotel but I hate to interrupt them.

Finally, they stop what they’re doing and stand up. “Ready to go?”

“Yep.”

I get in the backseat of Robert’s car. I can see his hand reaching Sandra’s thigh across the seat. I look away and feel uncomfortable. I miss Nick. What’s he doing? I recall what we did earlier at the hot tub and my thighs tingle.

I feel drowsy as soon as the car gets on the twisting road. Even so, I realize we aren’t heading toward the resort. Thinking Robert has forgotten me, I ask, “Are we going to the resort? I thought it was the other way.”

“Not to worry, sweetie,” he says. “I’ll take you there after this.”

“Where are we going?”

I glance at Sandra and she shrugs.

Fear suddenly grips me. “Err, I hope it won’t take long because I need to get back soon. Otherwise, Nick will fire me.”

My words don’t even make much sense to me, but it seems to be the best I can do. My head isn’t that clear.

“Don’t worry,” Rob chuckles. “Nick won’t do that. I’ll make sure that.”

I text Nick right away. “Don’t know where we’re going. Help.”

And then I drop my phone into my purse, rest my head against the back of the seat and close my eyes.

When I wake, I’m standing outdoors but I can’t register where I am. I’ve never had such mind fog before. I’m weak. Someone is taking off my dress and coaxing me into getting into the tub. “Be a good girl,” she says. “Take it off.”

Who is she? Avery? She’s the only person in my life, besides mom, who I allow to undress me.

I don’t know this woman. She has blonde hair and she’s tall.

“I don’t know what Nick sees in you,” she says in a distant voice. “He usually has better tastes in women.”

I’m angry at the remark, and I want to tell her she has no right to judge me. But again, I’m not myself at the moment.

While I try to recall her name, the woman pulls me toward a pool… no it’s more like a Jacuzzi, but huge. And a man is inside. I’ve just met this guy and I don’t like him.

Where is Nick? I need him. Oh God. He’s intolerable, but I miss him.

I should’ve left the club with him, but I got carried away by the excitement and the alcohol. Shit. I’ll never drink again. Avery will laugh at me if I told her I blacked out after a few Margaritas.

Just then, I notice a man watching us from the Jacuzzi. I’m aware I’m wearing my underwear and I’m embarrassed. The blonde woman obviously likes his attention because she has stripped herself naked. She’s beautiful but I avert my eyes.

I turn to walk away from her, but she grabs my arm. She is reaching for my bra clasp but I stop her. “Stop and don’t touch me!”

“Hey! Easy!” she says and come onto me again.

I want to push her but again I feel powerless, and end up following her into the water. I sink low and stay far away from the man, hoping the bubbling water will block the view of my body from him.

The blonde woman, though, goes straight to the man. They kiss right in front of me. Oh God. I close my eyes. I need to get out of here. Fast. But I can’t move. The warm water makes it worse. I feel drowsy and close my eyes.

Water immerses me soon and I chock. I flail my arms. “Help!” I cry, but my voice sounds small, and the noise of the Jacuzzi motor drowns it out.

Nick, where the hell are you?