Bossing the Billionaire: Billionaire Brothers Kent - Ryder's Story (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (6 page)

But actually, she did know. The problem was, she’d succumbed to his
silky charm. He’d been such a seducer that she hadn’t just given him access to
her business. She’d even given him access to her heart.

And then he’d gone and used it against her.

“Here you go, sweetheart.” Rosie brought a steaming bowl of oatmeal
porridge and placed it in front of Blake, who drew in a deep breath.

“Mmm. Smells so good. Just like home.” She dipped the spoon into the
creamy porridge, took a taste then closed her eyes as she savored the cinnamon
flavor. “I miss your cooking. You’re the best, Mom.”

Rosie chuckled. “And if you keep the compliments coming you know
I’ll be cooking for you till I take my last breath.”

When Blake was halfway through her cereal Becky walked in, dressed
in shorts and a Jonas Brothers T-Shirt. She looked surprised to see Blake at
the breakfast table. “How come you’re up so early? Who gets up at this hour
when they're on vacation?” She dropped onto the chair beside her sister.
“Morning, Mom.” She gave their mother a wave.

“Got lots to do, Squirt. This isn’t a vacation.” She dipped up
another spoonful of oatmeal.

“What do you have to do?” Becky asked, looking curious. “I thought
your business was only in Pequoia now.”

Blake’s hand stilled and the spoon that was on its way to her mouth
froze midway. She lowered it back into the bowl.

“My business is in Dallas,” she said gravely. “Today I’m going to
exterminate a rodent.”

CHAPTER SIX

If there was one thing Peggy Thatcher loved it was her plants. And
they didn’t have to be flowers, either. Ferns, Ficus trees, vines and creepers
– anything would do. When she wasn’t busy mayoring her little town she was
outdoors digging in her vegetable garden or turning the soil at the roots of
her fruit trees. Sun, sky and dirt – that was her heaven.

Today, as was her habit, she whistled as she dug away, so caught up
in her task that she almost missed noticing that she was no longer alone. It
was that bright yellow hat that gave Barbara away. She would never be able to
sneak up on a soul with that glaring thing on.

“Well, you’re in a good mood today,” she said as she walked around
to the side of the house where Peggy had her patch of dug-up earth.

“And why shouldn’t I be?” Peggy straightened and began pulling the
gloves off her hands. “Aren’t I always in a good mood?”

“Not really,” Barbara said, her tone dry as chip. “You’re happiest
when you’ve been meddling in someone else’s business. What have you been up to?
Who’ve you been messing with now?”

Her hands now free of the gloves, Peggy dropped the protective
gardening gear on top of the cobbled pathway and jammed a fist on one hip. “I
haven’t been messing with anybody, Miss Nosy Parker.”

“Maybe not since this morning, you haven’t. But what about poor
Ryder? You almost scared him off with all your talk about weddings and babies.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the only one.” Peggy was frowning as she threw out
the reminder. “From what I can recall you were the loudest one, singing praises
for Blake.” She pursed her lips and adopted a simpering pose, one hand up and
limp at the wrist. “She’s such a sweet girl,” she said in a high, falsetto
voice. “A man would be a fool to let her slip through his fingers.”

“I do not talk like that.” Now it was Barbara’s turn to frown. “You
take that back, Peggy Thatcher.”

Peggy laughed. “All right, all right. Maybe you don’t sound that bad
but your voice does get squeaky when you get excited.”

Barbara gave her a rueful grin. “Maybe just a little bit.” She
walked over to the garden bench that had been set in the shade of an apple
tree. There she made herself comfortable, sinking down onto it with a sigh and stretching
her legs out in front of her.

“But seriously, though,” she said as she stared at her sandaled feet
with interest, “why were you giving Ryder such a hard time? If he likes Blake
he’ll ask her out in his own time.”

“And that’s what I’m afraid of,” Peggy said and went over to join
Barbara on the bench. “His own time could take forever.”

“But what’s that got to do with you? Shouldn’t that be Blake’s concern?
And remember, he’s been in town just shy of a week.  Apart from the fact that
he’s handsome and charming, what in the world do we know about him?”

At those words Peggy gave a grunt. As usual, Barbara was the voice
of reason. “You’re right,” Peggy said. “I’m an old fool and I got carried away.
It’s just that Blake’s not getting any younger. I don’t want her to make the
same mistake I did.”

“What’s in the past is in the past, Peggy. You don’t turn back the
clock.” Barbara reached over and patted her friend on the knee. “And you can’t
live your life through someone else.”

Peggy gave a soft grunt and then she looked away. “You know me
better than anyone. You know what a mess I’ve made of my life. I don’t want it
to happen to Blake. I’ve known her less than a year but she’s the closet thing
I have to a daughter.”

“Yes, but she’s got to live her own life.”

“I know, but what if I help her along? If I’d had someone to guide
me when I was young maybe I would have a husband and a family right now. Maybe
some grandkids.” Her voice turned wistful. “I don’t want Blake to end up like
me.”

“You have a pretty good life, Peggy. Everybody knows you and loves
you.” Barbara gave her a gentle smile. “You’ve done well for yourself. You’re
mayor of our town.”

Peggy shook her head. “But it’s not the same. You know that.” She
drew in her breath then, slowly, she let it out with a deep sigh. “I could have
had a family but I threw it all away. I was too independent.”

“You did what was right for you at the time.”

Lost in her memories of the past, hardly hearing what Barbara was
saying, the words continued to spill out of Peggy’s mouth. “When Jeffery asked
me to marry him I turned him down even though I loved him. I was so confident
back then. I told him I wasn’t ready. I had too much to do. How could I tie
myself down when there was so much to accomplish? I hadn’t even finished my
degree yet.” She grimaced and then a smile crept onto her lips but it was a
slow, bitter smile. “I actually thought he would wait for me. Can you imagine
that? I did my first degree and then moved on to a graduate degree and even a
second one, sure the whole time that I could count on Jeff to be there waiting
when I was good and ready to settle down. What a laugh.”

Barbara, like the good friend she’d been over the years, sat there
listening, not interrupting, just letting her spill her regretful thoughts all
over the garden lawn. When she did make a move it was to shift on the bench and
slide an arm around Peggy’s shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up about a decision
you made when you were young. You thought it was the best decision and it
worked out in your favor in many ways.”

“When I got back he’d left town,” Peggy said, hardly hearing what
Barbara was saying. “He’d joined the army. I got on with my life, thinking he’d
be back some day. He never did come back. Last thing I heard from his old aunt,
he’d gotten married and had a family. He was the one man I ever loved and I let
him walk away, just like that.” She sighed again then shook her head. “The
stupidity of youth.”

For a while there was silence, Peggy lost in thought and Barbara
letting her be. It was Peggy who broke that silence with a matter-of-fact click
of the tongue. “But enough of that,” she said, her voice full of forced
cheeriness. “That’s all in the past. Right now it’s time to look to the future.
Blake’s future.” She hopped up onto her feet and when she looked down at
Barbara she was smiling. “And I want to make Blake happy.”

But Barbara wasn’t smiling back. Gaze narrowed, she pointed a finger
at her friend. “Peggy,” she said, her tone terse, “I’m warning you. No
meddling.”

Peggy only laughed. “Who’s meddling? I’m only ensuring the happiness
of my semi-adopted daughter. I just want her to have a chance with Ryder.  All
she has to do is check him out. After that, she can reject him if they don’t
mesh. But I want her to have that chance.”

“Peggy, what did I tell you?”

“Ryder’s right for her, Barbara. I can feel it. Right here.” She
stabbed a stiff thumb into the middle of her chest. “It’s the same feeling I
had with Jeff. We have to give this thing a chance.”

“What thing? This is of your own invention.”

“Good afternoon, ladies. Mighty fine afternoon, isn’t it?”

Both women whipped around to see Ted Granger coming up the driveway.
As usual he was dressed in boots, jeans and the same brown Stetson he’d been
wearing for the past ten years. The poor hat was way past the retirement stage
but would the man get rid of it? He was so attached to the thing, if he’d had a
wife she’d be jealous of the relationship.

“Hey, Ted,” Peggy and Barbara said in unison then Peggy slid her
hands into the back pocket of her jeans and straightened. “What brings you by?”
She gave him a suspicious look, not quite a glare, but she knew Ted like the
back of her hand. After so many decades of living in the same town with him she
knew that the wider he smiled the more careful you’d better be around him. And,
for some reason, today’s grin looked mighty suspicious.

“Oh, not a whole lot.” By this time he’d reached close enough for
them to get a whiff of his cologne. Old Spice. As always. “I just came by to
see if you’d heard about the surprise birthday supper they’re having for old
Ezekiel. Are you going?” He slid both hands into the back pockets of his jeans,
mimicking Peggy’s stance.

She frowned. “Of course I’m going. It was my idea to throw him a
surprise party.”

“Oh? I didn’t know that.” He’d raised his eyebrows in surprise but
then he smiled. “But I should have guessed, shouldn’t I? So, you want me to
come get you tomorrow?”

“No.” Her answer was quick and brutal. “I know where Ezekiel lives.
I can get there by myself.”

Barbara cleared her throat and then she threw Peggy a cutting glare
but, to her credit, she didn’t say a word.

Still, the look had the effect Barbara intended. Peggy felt suitably
chastised. She’d given a biting response to a simple question and that had been
uncalled for. She’d been touchy with Ted but lately he just seemed to rub her
the wrong way. She sighed. Time to be nice. “I’ll probably have to make a stop
on the way to Ezekiel’s,” she explained. “I’ll see you at the party.”

“No problem,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe we can take a walk
another time.” He glanced across at Barbara who sat watching from her seat on
the bench. He gave her a bow then tipped his hat. “Enjoy the rest of the afternoon,
ladies,” he said then turned and sauntered off, back down the pathway and
around to the front gate, whistling as he went.

“He likes you, Peggy. A whole lot. But I’m sure you already know
that.”

“Excuse me?” Peggy turned from how she’d been standing, staring
after Ted, and glared down at her friend. “What in the dickens are you talking
about?”

“I’m talking romance. Love. It’s in the air.” Barbara had a glint in
her eye and a satisfied smirk on her lips.

“Not in the air around me, it’s not.”

“Well, it’s in the air around Ted. He’s smitten. Can’t you see
that?”

“Not by me,” was Peggy’s sharp retort. “I’ve known Ted all my life
and from day one he’s been nothing but a troublemaker.”

Barbara rolled her eyes. “Just because he stole a kiss when you were
five years old. That was over five decades years ago. Get over it.”

“He’s done lots more over the years-”

“And all because he likes you. Why don't you give him a chance? He
might be the one to stir those old embers of yours.”

“Who? That messy old coot?”

“Oh, you be quiet. He’s all of six months older than you are.”

“Old enough for me to call him an old coot. Forget about him.” She
waved a dismissive hand. “It’s those kids I want to talk about. Blake and Ryder
make such a handsome couple.” She took two steps to the bench and dropped back
down onto it beside Barbara then leaned toward her friend.

“I’m going to make Blake happy,” she said, her voice vibrating with
determination, “if it’s the last thing I do.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 Jerome Slater had the slimiest of smirks on his lips as he leaned
back in his chair. He hadn’t even shown the courtesy of getting to his feet
when Blake entered the office. In fact, as she stood there in the middle of the
room glaring across at him, he lifted his arms and, as casual as you please, he
folded them behind his head and raised his feet to prop them on the edge of his
desk.

“This is no pleasure.” Teeth clenched, she could hardly get the
words out, she was so enraged. “I never had any intention of setting foot in
this place ever again, not after what you did to me. I thought you’d done your
worst but I was wrong. I would never have believed anyone would sink so low,
not even you.”

Jerome chuckled and shook his head, making strands of his blond hair
fall across his forehead. It gave him a boyish look, that same damned look that
had been her downfall. That innocent image, it was the ruse he used to draw
women in. She knew that only too well. “Blake, Blake, Blake.” He said her name
with every shake of his head. “Why so harsh? I was only telling the truth.”

“The truth? You go to the press with a story that I stole from the
company and you call that the truth? You piece of slime, it’s a stinking lie
and you know it.”

Instead of wilting in shame, Jerome’s smile grew even wider. “Stole
from the company? But I didn’t say that at all.”

“No, but you implied it. You knew exactly what you were doing when
you said those things about me,” she grated, her fists clenched at her sides.
He didn’t know how close she was to slapping that self-satisfied grin off his
face. “You made sure you made statements too vague for me to quote you and haul
you off to court but you did your damage all the same.” She gave a snort of
disgust. “So you didn’t think you hurt me enough? You weaseled your way into my
life and then you betrayed me. You used me for your own ends. I walked away. I
let you have it all. Wasn’t that enough?”

There was an almost imperceptible change in the smug look in his
eyes, making Blake wonder if she’d finally gotten through to his conscience but
then it disappeared and his lips tightened. “You ran away from me, Blake. I
asked you to marry me and as soon as we got to a slight bump in the road you
dropped me like a piece of hot coal and skipped town.”

“A slight bump in the road? Is that what you call it?” Blake stared
at Jerome, not believing what he was saying. “I took you on as a business
partner and you stole from me. You betrayed my trust. Did you honestly think I
would go through with the wedding?”

“I didn’t steal the money. I just borrowed it. I would have told
you.”

“Yeah, right. I may have been stupid enough to accept your marriage
proposal but I’m not so stupid that I’d believe that or anything else you have
to say.”

His blue eyes flashing with something akin to anger, Jerome dropped
his feet to the floor and sat forward in his chair. “I told you I loved you,
Blake, and I meant it. But what did you do? For no good reason at all you
ditched me at the last minute and embarrassed me in front of my friends and my
family. How do you think I felt when I was left to tell everybody that the wedding
was off?”

“I don’t care how you felt. You should have thought of that when you
embezzled my money.” Fighting hard to stay in control of her emotions, she
folded her arms across her chest. It was either that or strangle him.

“Our money. The money I took was part mine.”

Blake drew in her breath then let it out and as she did she was
shaking her head. “You don’t get it, do you? You took the money without
permission. Without my knowledge. Do you know what that’s called?”

“All right, all right, so I took the money. So what? All we had to
do was talk about it. I would have explained everything to you but you never
gave me a chance. You hightailed it out of here so fast and you made sure I
wouldn’t know where to find you. Your mother kept her mouth shut, tight as a
trap.” Then he chuckled. “But I came up with the perfect plan. I got you to
come back to Dallas, didn’t I?”

Blake sucked in her breath, her hands falling to her sides as she
took an involuntary step forward. “You…you planned this? That news story was bait?”

“Ah, now you’re learning, my sweet. Old Jerome isn’t quite the fool
you thought he was.” Then, before she’d recovered from the shock, he was up and
out of his chair and walking toward her. His hands shot out and he gripped her
upper arms. “I still want you, Blake.” His eyes intensely blue, his words came
out in an urgent whisper. “This was the only way I could find you. I had to
make you come back.”

“What the hell?” Recovering from her initial shock, Blake wrenched
her arm from his grip. “Are you crazy? Do you really expect me to even consider
coming back to you? Why in the name of all that’s holy would I ever do
something like that?”

“Because I want you,” he said softly. “Because I still love you.”
And then he gave her his classic Jerome Slater puppy dog look, the one that was
supposed to melt her heart and make her collapse into his arms. Well, it wasn’t
going to happen. Not today. Not ever.

She was just parting her lips to tell him that when he pounced.
Before she could react he’d reached out and grabbed her again and dragged her
into his arms. Although he was slightly shorter than she was, he was strong,
and when he clamped her arms to her sides she could not move. Then he dipped
his head and captured her lips in a kiss full of possession and control.

And it left her cold.

When Jerome lifted his head she was panting but passion had nothing
to do with it. She was panting with rage.

“Let me go, you jerk.” She was clenching her teeth again, straining
against him, trying to tear herself out of his arms.

He was laughing now, obviously amused by her struggles. “I’ll let
you go,” he said with a chuckle, “just as long as you know that you’re mine and
always will be. I’ll never let you escape me again.” With those words he
loosened his arms, letting her stumble back and away from him.

“I’ll never come back to you.” She spat the words at him. “Not if
you were the last man on earth.”

Looking confident, he shook his head. “Oh, you will,” he said, his
lips twisting in an acidic smile. “By the time I’m done with your reputation,
no man on earth will want you but me.” 

***

Ryder was no great chef but he could find his way around the kitchen
and he was determined that when his guests arrived he would have something
reasonable to offer them. After all, this was Pequoia. You had to have a meal
to offer when company came by.

Moonwalker had sent word that he and his wife would be stopping by
that evening to check on him. More like checking on the place, Ryder was sure.
He knew that Blake must have asked her friend to make sure he didn’t trash the
place while she was gone, or at least hadn’t pocketed whatever was of value and
disappeared. He wasn’t the least bit offended that she felt she had to do that.
She was being sensible, that was all. He wouldn’t have expected otherwise.

And so, aiming to impress, he made sure the restaurant was spotless
and every glass was gleaming. As it approached the hour for his visitors to
arrive he set the table and even went as far as to take the vase of fabric
flowers off the counter and place it in the middle of the table he'd prepared.
When he looked at his handiwork he grinned. Mother Kent would be more than
shocked to see her son so domesticated.

When the bell over the front door tinkled to signal the arrival of
his guests Ryder was dressed and ready to meet and greet. He loped over and
opened the door and found himself staring down at a diminutive woman with brown
hair and soft brown eyes to match. She was smiling up at him and in her hands
was a dish of some sort, covered with a red and white checkered cloth.

“Hello, Ryder,” she said in an easy tone as if she had known him all
her life. “I thought you might like some apple pie.” She held the package out
to him and when he took it her smile widened. “Walker told me you had a sweet
tooth.”

Ryder raised his eyebrows. “He did?” Then he glanced over at
Moonwalker who was standing just behind his wife, a protective hand on her
shoulder.

He nodded. “Blake told me,” he said, his voice as solemn as the
first time they'd met. “She said you had a weakness for sweet stuff. I heard
you devoured more than half a pound cake in one sitting.”

Ryder grimaced. “She told you that?” News certainly got around in
Pequoia. Then, more than ready to change the subject, he smiled down at his
benefactor. “Thank you for your thoughtful gift, Mrs.-”

“Call me Carmela,” she said. “And you’re very welcome. Just don’t
eat it all at once.”

He shook his head. “I most certainly won’t.” Stepping aside, he
ushered the couple in and by their reaction he could see he’d achieved his
goal. They were looking around the room and he could tell they were impressed.

“I’ve never seen this place look so good.” Moonwalker let out a low
whistle as he stepped in. “Blake’s going to love the way you cleaned up.”

Carmela, though, was frowning. “Did you have a cleaning crew in
here? This is some major work you’ve done. What happened to the old rugs and
curtains? And where’s the rickety old table that used to be under the window?”

Ryder shrugged. “I just decided the place could do with a facelift.
I found a place in the shed out back to store the old stuff not being used
anymore and I gave the rest of the furniture a good cleaning. That was all they
needed.”

Carmela raised her eyebrows, her look still incredulous. “Well, I’ll
be a toad's nose. Walker told me you were a strong fellow but for you to do all
that by yourself? Well.” She said the last word like she disapproved.

Ryder only smiled and waved her over to the table. “Please. Have a
seat. I’ll be right back with your meal.” As they made themselves comfortable
he headed off to the kitchen and within minutes was back with a tray laden with
a soup tureen and bowls filled with steaming vegetables, potatoes and sweet
corn. He had to go back to the oven to get his piece de resistance – roast beef
garnished with baby carrots. It was one of his favorite meals and his mother
had made sure that if he knew nothing else he would know how to cook this one.

“Oh, my.” Carmela’s eyes widened as he laid the tray in front of
her. “You cooked this?” She looked up at him, brown eyes wide. “By yourself?”

She looked so surprised that Ryder had to laugh. “Sure. I’m not a
total novice in the kitchen, you know. I can help myself.”

“You can do more than that,” she gushed, then she drew in a deep
breath. “This smells so good. I’m sure it’s going to be delicious.” Then she
gave him a cheeky smile. “Where were you when I was looking for a husband?
Walker can’t cook to save his life.”

Moonwalker didn’t look the least bit perturbed by his wife’s
comment. He just gave her a crooked grin. "The boy wasn’t even born then,”
he said as he reached over and patted her arm. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’re stuck
with me.”

“Aw, shoot.” She put on a look of mock disappointment that had both
men laughing.

After that, Ryder sat down with the couple and they made short work
of the meal in front of them. In fact, it wasn’t long before Ryder realized
that, small though she was, Carmela could pack away a good amount of grub. She
didn’t play with food. That much was clear.

It was while they were enjoying slices of Carmela’s pie that the
questions began. As friendly as Moonwalker had been all evening, from his
questions it was clear that he hadn’t come to Beaumont’s to chitchat. He’d come
to get answers.

“So what really made you come to Pequoia?” he asked as he leaned
back in his chair and folded his hands across his belly. “Blake gave me some
crazy story about you getting lost but you can level with me. What’s your angle?”

Time for the third degree. From the moment Moonwalker walked in the
door he’d been expecting this. “No angle,” he said, his voice cool. “What you
heard was true. I was on my way to Marfa and went off track. I ended up here.”

“A lucky turn of events, if you ask me. Blake must be glad you
showed up.”

At her words, Moonwalker threw a skeptical glance his wife’s way but
she didn’t seem to notice. He turned his attention back to Ryder. “On your way
to Marfa, huh? Not many people head to that little town.”

Carmela chuckled. “It’s bigger than Pequoia.”

Looking slightly annoyed that she’d disturbed his questioning a
second time, Moonwalker sighed. “Be that as it may, the question is, why would
a man like you be heading for Marfa in the first place?”

“I was on my way to Mexico and decided to check out the town. I’d
heard about it lots of times but just never been there.” Ryder stared across at
the older man, watching the doubt flit across his face.

“On the way to Mexico, huh? I wonder why?” Then he cocked his head
to one side as if a new thought struck him. “Say, you ain’t got a job or
something? A young fellow like you, just driving around the country? Seems
kinda strange.”