Page 17 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
Gina tapped her fingers on a shelf. “If you brought a lot of women here.”
The apprehension vanished, and he relaxed his shoulders. A measure of joy flew through him. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m the lying bastard, not her. “What did you say?”
“I said she shouldn’t worry about these things,” she said. “Then she nodded and changed the subject.”
“All right. Thanks for letting me know.”
Gina did a semi-eye roll, the silent reminder she hated to be dismissed. “Look, I agreed on not mentioning anything about Pamela for God knows why. But I don’t want to lie about other stuff. There’s something about her that seems genuine.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And you should give her a chance.”
“What makes you think I’m not?” he asked in a teasing tone. Even if Alexa proved at the end she had not directly been involved in Pamela’s death…she had been an accessory to it. She had offered his troubled sister a place to sell her body, and how could he forget that? Besides, she gave other women a platform to sell their bodies, and he couldn’t be onboard with that. Hit too close to home to date her. Or maybe he was an old-fashioned schmuck like his father. Bile rose to his throat, and he brushed the thought aside.
“There’s something holding you back. I can feel it.”
He waved her off. His gut clenched, a part of him desperate to talk to someone, to confide. But discussing it would only cause more problems. Gina was a good soul, but not equipped to deal with this kind of conundrum. “Thanks for the free therapy session.”
She walked up to the door and grabbed the handle, tossing him a sassy look behind her shoulder. “Who said it was free?”
…
“Are you interested?” A rush of adrenaline flowed through Alexa’s veins. Scott, the nineteen-year-old they visited at one of Brooks’s other farms, fit the bill. For the past two hours, they’d chatted with ease, and he’d shown smarts to go along with the all-American cowboy look. Blond hair with scrub-like curls at the tips and bright blue eyes. He’d come across as innocent if it weren’t for the mischief gleaming in his gaze.
She’d broken one of her own rules and offered him the position without checking with Brooks. Hell, hadn’t she broken a good set of rules already?
Brooks paced the old, empty barn. He’d explained they were in the process of changing outhouses, so while the animals were in the newer ones, there was still a smell of hay, mildew, and manure lingering in the air. At least the location offered them privacy.
“Alexa…” He used the same cautionary tone he’d used a few minutes ago, when she explained to Scott what she really did for a living and how he could become a millionaire overnight if he agreed.
“It’s okay.” She lifted a hand, dismissing his worries. Then she turned to Scott. “Listen, this is a verbal proposal. It’s an idea. You don’t have to agree to it, but if you do, you’re all in.”
Scott removed his Stetson hat and toyed with the brim. “Can I think about it, ma’am?”
“Of course.” She tossed him what she hoped came across as an apologetic smile. “We can meet again tomorrow, and if you’re interested, we can go over the details.”
“What if I’m not?”
“Then that’s it. Life will continue as usual for you.”
Brooks stepped forward. “I don’t want you to think for a moment you need to do this because you work for me.”
“Yes, sir.” Scott touched his belt. “If I agree, can I use a different name? Like Hollywood actors do?”
Alexa bit back a smile. “Any name you want.”
Specks of gold flickered in Scott’s eyes, and he nodded. “All right. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
“Thanks for your time.” Alexa shook his hand one more time before he stomped on leftover dry hay and marched out of the barn.
She walked over to Brooks, enthusiasm warming her cheeks. When had she ever been so certain about an auctionee so early in the game? Never. Usually, she carried on a lengthy process, with Jackie’s help, to find the best candidate for the position, and to keep a level head. “He’s the one. I know it.”
Brooks jammed his hands into his pockets. “How can you be so sure? I thought you were going to double check with me first.”
She’d done a great job pretending not to notice how those denims snugged his manly frame and cupped his delicious ass. Still, her pulse fluttered. She drew in a long sharp breath, determined to stay on task. “Trust my instinct. He’s a real virgin, because he dated his ex-girlfriend for years who wanted to wait until marriage and then dumped him two months ago. He’s extremely good-looking, but he also has that endearing quality most women want.”
“What’s that?”
