Page 5 of Her Billionaire Hero
“I’ll show you to it. It’s at the other end of the trailer.”
“Okay then.” My throat went dry and I hated that I’d come to work without bringing so much as a bottle of water.
“I took the room all the way at the end of this hall. It’s the largest one. I figured since we have to share, I’d grab this one for us, so we don’t get in each other’s way.”
You’ll never be in my way, handsome.
Shaking my head to clear it, I couldn’t understand why I was thinking that way. It wasn’t like me to react like this. “Good thinking. We don’t want to fall all over each other.”
His deep chuckle made my heart skip a beat. “Yeah, we don’t want that to happen.”
Following him into the large room, I saw two empty desks at opposite ends of it. “Have you picked a desk yet?”
“Nope. You can pick first. It doesn’t matter to me at all.” Leaning back against the doorframe, he stayed back as I moved into the room, our arms grazing as I moved past him.
Another shiver ran through me with the simple touch. “Still a bit cold in here.” I placed my laptop bag on the desk to the right. “Okay, I’ll take this one.”
“We’d like to make fast progress on this. Will it be a problem for you to work late hours?” He grabbed the chair from the other desk and took a seat, crossing his long legs.
“No, it’s not going to be a problem at all. I live alone.” The laptop slid out of the bag onto the desk and I smiled for no reason at all. “My divorce became final last month.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
I looked over my shoulder as the desks faced opposite walls, to find him looking a little sheepish. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad it’s over.”
“It seems like you’re doing well on your own, Sloan.” Nodding, his lips pulled up on one side in a half-smile. “But if you need a shoulder to cry on, I’ve got a couple of broad ones for you. And don’t take it the wrong way. As a friend, you know what I mean? You’ve got a friend in me.”
“Thank you.” I’d never felt so lucky to have a new friend in my life. “Just getting my career going is such a boost. I’m hoping to buy my own home soon. My tiny efficiency apartment is feeling sort of crowded.”
He nodded his head in understanding. “My brothers and I aren’t from Austin. We’ve left our homes in Houston to come build our dream here. We’ve rented high-end apartments about ten minutes from here. If you’d like, I could get you one too. You can call it a perk. It would be nice to have you close by. You know, so we can work even more hours. But from the comfort of home. It’s my understanding that traffic can be a bitch here as well. Having you closer just makes sense.”
“I don’t know.” I was shocked but thrilled by the offer. I wasn’t used to getting the star treatment, so figuring out what to say wasn’t easy for me.
“They’re completely furnished. All you’d have to do is pack up your clothes and personal items and bring them over. Two bedrooms too. That way you can invite friends and family over.” He seemed to be trying to entice me into taking his very generous offer—as if I needed to be convinced.
“I don’t have any family here.” I didn’t want to get into the whole story, so kept it short. “Mom’s out of the picture and Dad lives in Greece.”
“That’s rough.” His green eyes never left mine and I saw compassion fill them. “I won’t take no for an answer. It’s about time you began a new chapter in your life.”
Wow, someone who wants to help me start all over again. This is some good luck for once. I wonder how long it’ll last …
Chapter Three
Baldwyn
It was obvious that Sloan wasn’t trying to look cute on her first day of work —tan slacks, white shirt, and loafers, for God’s sake. “I’ve gotta get out of here for a bit, Baldwyn. Missing breakfast isn’t a thing I normally do. So, lunch is calling my name a bit early today.” Sloan was cute without even trying. I doubted she knew that, but I had noticed it right off the bat.
“Nerves get the best of you this morning?” I knew they had. She’d arrived looking like she was wound as tight as a clock. But now she looked calm, collected, and adorable. And she smiled a lot—something I liked to see.
“I think that’s fairly normal for someone who’s starting their first job in a new career.” Looking around our office, she seemed distracted. “My purse—I can’t seem to—” Light laughter filled the room. “Oh, yes, now I remember.” Taking the keys from the pocket of her slacks, she headed toward the door. “I left it in my trunk.”
Moving in behind her, I caught a whiff of cucumbers as her hair swung back and forth with each step she took. “You were afraid of looking too feminine.” It wasn’t a question, more like a statement.
The receptionist came in, meeting us in the lobby. “Oh, Mr. Nash. Sorry I’m late. My baby was sick last night and I overslept. I would’ve called but I was rushing to get dressed and call the sitter to come over.”
“You didn’t miss anything, Lisa.” I didn’t want her to think I would always be so lenient though. “But let’s not let that happen again. We’re not busy at the moment, but soon—like tomorrow—we’ll be very busy, and you’ll need to be here to answer phone calls and direct people where to go. I expect you to be here at nine—no later than that.” It was only her third day on the job. Showing up two hours late didn’t bode well for her.
“You’ve got a baby?” Sloan asked. “A boy or a girl?”
