Page 110 of Billionaire Temptations

“Yes. Much better.”

As he sat down at the table, he looked around. “Where’s the salt?”

“No salt. It’s bad for your blood pressure. Starting today, I’m going to make sure you eat properly.”

“Shit. I love salt.”

“You’ll learn to live without it. So, since I told you my life story, I want to hear all about Alex Parker. How the hell did you become a billionaire by the age of thirty?”

“How did you know how old I was?”

“I Googled you.”

He raised his eyebrow and gave a small smile. “Why?”

“Because I needed to find out who the stranger was that my brother was sending me to stay with. And by the way? What sort of brother does that?”

“He obviously trusts me.” He chuckled.

“Big mistake on his part.” I smiled.

“Apparently, after what happened the other night.”

I laughed. “Go on, tell me about yourself.”

“I came from money. My grandfather started the company, my father took over when he died, and I did the same when my father passed away.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he passed. How long ago?”

“It’s been about five years.”

“And what about your mom?”

“She and my father divorced when I was seventeen, and I haven’t seen her since. She moved to Hawaii.”

“Oh, nice. I mean, not nice for you, but Hawaii is nice. I was there for about four months. I loved it.”

“Of course you were,” he spoke as he cut his steak.

“May I ask why you haven’t seen her?”

“She was the reason they got divorced. She had met someone else and left him. I don’t like the guy she’s with, so I neverbothered to keep in touch with her. She didn’t even have the decency to attend my father’s funeral.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, don’t be.”

I could hear the pain that resided in his voice as he spoke about her.

“So, you inherited the company. Were you ready to take over?”

“I sure was. The board didn’t think so and thought it would be best if I waited a few more years, but I stood my ground and showed them I could take the company further. That’s when I invested in some hotels, made a national chain, and made the company billions.”

I held up my wine glass to him. “Congratulations. I’m very proud of you.”

He tipped his glass to mine. “Thank you, Miss James.”

“Tell me what you do for fun. Because since I’ve been here, you don’t do anything but work.”

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