Page 3 of Riding with the Secret Billionaire

Something that might be amusement flickers across his face."Always this punctual?"

"I'm exactly on time," I protest.

"Exactly on time is late in my book." He gestures to the open door."We need to move. Weather should be clear most of our route, but I want to stay ahead of any potential systems."

I climb into the truck, which requires more vertical effort than I anticipated.The interior is immaculate. There are no fast food wrappers, no random receipts, no sign that anyone actually uses this vehicle.It smells faintly of leather and something woodsy I can't identify.

Jake slides into the driver's seat, his presence immediately making the spacious cab feel smaller.He starts the engine with a low rumble.

"Ground rules," he says, not looking at me as he navigates out of the pickup area."No smoking in my truck. No feet on the dashboard.Music selection is negotiable, volume is not.I stop every three hours for a rest stop, whether you need to or not.You sleep when I sleep, no exceptions."

"Excuse me?" I turn in my seat to face him."I sleep when you sleep? What kind of controlling nonsense is that?"

He glances at me, those breathtaking eyes briefly leaving the road."It's the kind of controlling nonsense that keeps us both safe.I don't drive more than twelve hours without rest, which means we'll need to stop for the night.I'm not leaving you alone in sketchy roadside motels while I sleep, and I'm sure as hell not leaving you alone in my truck either."

"That's... actually almost sweet, in a weirdly overprotective way," I admit."But unnecessary. I'm a grown woman who can handle herself."

"I'm sure you can." His tone suggests he's humoring me."Rule stands. And one more thing - we're taking Route 14, which adds a few hours, but it's the most reliable path west right now.The recent storm systems left a lot of other routes with issues."

"You've got this all figured out, don't you?" I can't keep the sarcasm from my voice.

"I always have a plan," he responds, completely unfazed."That's why I can drive when the airlines are still sorting out their mess."

I open my mouth to argue, then close it again.I need this ride, and antagonizing my driver in the first five minutes probably isn't the smartest move.

"Fine," I concede. "Any other commandments I should be aware of, Captain Control?"

The corner of his mouth twitches, just slightly."Just one. Whatever wedding emergency you're rushing to, leave the stress out of my truck.Thirty-three hours is a long time to be trapped with someone's anxiety."

As he merges onto the highway, I steal another glance at my mysterious driver. His profile is all hard angles and sharp lines, his posture military straight. His hands grip the wheel precisely at ten and two, large knuckles and long fingers that make something low in my belly tighten unexpectedly.

I force my gaze back to the road ahead. Thirty-three hours in close quarters with this man suddenly feels like a very, very long time.

2

JAKE

I'd spotted her from fifty feet away, standing on tiptoes despite being nearly six feet tall in those impractical heels,scanning the pickup area with an aura that made her stand out from the crowd.Her curly black hair was up in a puff, leaving soft shoulders and voluminous cleavage on display.Curves that her business casual outfit couldn't quite downplay.A woman who takes up space unapologetically.

Now, three hours into our drive, I'm acutely aware of every inch of that space beside me in the truck.

"So, Jake," she breaks the companionable silence that's fallen between us since crossing the border into upstate New York."What takes you all the way to Nevada?"

"Business," I reply, keeping it simple.The truth is significantly more complicated, involving security protocols for a high-profile wedding that happens to be the same one she's racing toward.But she doesn't need to know that yet.

"Wow, fascinating. Tell me less," she mutters, rolling her eyes.

A smile threatens at the corner of my mouth.She's quick. I like that despite myself.

"What kind of business are you in, Trish?" I redirect, though I already know the answer from my background check.

"Marketing consultant. I help businesses rebrand and expand their digital presence." She watches me for a reaction, but I maintain my neutral expression."Currently working with a luxury wellness retreat in British Columbia.Or I was, until my flight got canceled and I jumped into a stranger's truck like the beginning of a cautionary tale."

The wellness retreat. That would be Noah Kane's place in Crimson Hollow.Another connection I'm not supposed to know about yet.

"Smart move," I say dryly.

"Says the man who picked up a random woman at the airport."

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