Page 86 of Billionaire Temptations

I loved my brother. He was all I had left in this world, but sometimes, he could be a real asshole, and he was being an asshole now by making me come back to California.

Alex

I met Adam for dinner and a drink before he left for Tennessee. I couldn’t believe I had agreed to let his little sister stay at my place while he was gone.

“Thanks again for letting Emerson stay with you, man.”

“No problem. What are friends for? Right?” I gave an unsure smile.

“I think I should warn you about her. She’s kind of a free spirit. She can be very mouthy and defiant. But she has a heart of gold, and she can cook. I already told her you’re never home, so the two of you probably won’t see each other anyway.”

“True. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she feels at home. Actually, I’ll have Jenna make sure she feels at home. It’s only for three months, right?”

“Yes. As soon as I get back, I will come to collect my sister. I apologize in advance for anything crude or rude she may say to you.”

I chuckled. “I’ll let you know when you return if I accept your apology.”

“Jenna,we’ll have a house guest for the next three months. Her name is Emerson, and she’s my friend Adam’s little sister. Please make sure one of the guest rooms is fixed up for her, and when she arrives, show her around. Her flight gets in this afternoon. I’ll be at the office, and I’m unsure when I’ll be home. Also, please make sure she doesn’t touch anything valuable.”

“Of course, Mr. Parker.” She nodded.

I climbed into the back seat of the Bentley and told my driver, Phillip, about Emerson.

“If you’re not driving me around and Miss James needs to go somewhere, please see that she gets to her destination safely.If she asks you to take her somewhere absurdly far, consult me first.”

“Not a problem, Alex. I must say that I’m really surprised you’re letting her stay with you. That isn’t like you to have house guests.”

I sighed. “I’m doing a favor for a friend. Trust me. I won’t be doing this again.”

He smiled and drove me to my office. I was feeling unsure about this situation, and I forgot to ask Adam how old his sister was, and he never mentioned it. But he warned me about her being mouthy and defiant, so I guessed she was around eighteen. Just what I needed: a kid hanging around the house. I’d have to set some rules, and she would follow them or else. The weird thing about Adam was that he never spoke of his family, and I’d known him for three years. This was the first I heard about a sister. He was a good guy and did me a huge favor a year ago. When he called me and asked me if Emerson could stay with me, I couldn’t exactly tell him no.

Chapter Two

Emerson

As soon as I stepped off the plane and my feet hit the ground in California, my breathing became restricted. I needed to find a bathroom and get myself under control. The memories here were bad, and I had left for a reason. Damn Adam for bringing me back. I had the tiniest bit of hope that being away for eight years would have made things easier. But I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Walking to baggage claim, I grabbed my two large suitcases and climbed into a cab. Showing the driver my phone, I asked him to take me to the address Adam had sent me. I was surprised that the address was in Malibu. Who was this, Alex Parker? Time to google him and find out. My eyes literally popped out of my head when he came up. He wastheAlex Parker. A well-known, world-famous real estate developer. He owned just about everything. Hotels, mortgage companies, apartment buildings, condos, restaurants, and a couple of resorts worldwide. Fuck! He was a billionaire and only thirty years old. Was that even possible? Damn, he was sexy. Holy shit. How the hell did Adam expect me to stay in the same house withthat fine-looking man? But he did say I would have nothing to worry about with Alex, so I’d bet he was an asshole—an uptight, rich playboy who thought he owned the world type of asshole. As long as he stayed out of my way, I’d stay out of his. By the number of different women he was photographed with, I’d bet he was a commitment-phobe. If he was, at least we had that in common.

Pulling up the long winding driveway, we were stopped by a black wrought-iron gate. The driver pushed the button, and the gates opened, allowing him to pull up to the house. He climbed out and fetched my suitcases from the trunk. I paid him his fare, and when he left, I stood there and stared at the mammoth home, which was situated on a hill. The front door opened, and a woman stepped outside. She looked to be in her early thirties, petite, and she wore her black hair in a bun.

“Hello, you must be Miss James. I’m Jenna, Mr. Parker’s housekeeper.” She gave a warm smile.

I held out my hand. “I’m Emerson. It’s nice to meet you.”

She took one of my bags and led me inside. Stopping dead in my tracks in the foyer, I looked around at the beautifully decorated home of Mr. Parker. Jenna led me to a bedroom on the first floor towards the back of the house.

“Umm, Jenna. How big is this house?” I asked.

“It’s seven thousand square feet.”

“Jesus. Who needs a house that big?”

She laughed. “This is your room. You’ll have more privacy here, and it’s the biggest guest room in the house. Plus, it has the best view.”

As she opened the door, I gasped. The room was bigger than my apartment back in Texas. Hell, it was bigger than anything I’d ever stayed in. The vaulted ceilings, taupe walls, and white crown molding gave the room a look of pure elegance. A king-sized sleigh bed sat on one wall with a fireplace, and a built-in TVsat above it on the opposite wall. French doors opened and led to a patio that was furnished with a couple of chairs and a table. The curtains were made of silk and hung elegantly to the floor. But the view quickly caught my attention overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

“Over here is your closet,” Jenna spoke as she opened the double doors.

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