Alpha Billionaire Series
Hot Mess Chapter 14

NICK

Two weeks later...

Isat in the back of the car while the driver went and rang the doorbell. I was too tired, and Isaac had been emphatic when he said not to get out of the car.

There wasn't much snow on the ground, but I was so done with it. It was going to take a very lucrative offer to get me to ever want to film in the snow again. And something a lot more impressive than that to ever get me to do a b**t-naked a*s shot in the snow. I don't know what I had been thinking when I accepted that role.

I stared out the car window at the bleak gray day. The house we parked in front of was a typical split-level mid-century style. Some woman opened the door. The driver stepped inside. The trunk popped open behind me and then he appeared carrying a large cardboard box. After stowing that he returned to the house, went inside and this time he had two suitcases with him.

I still hadn't seen Kayla. All I had was one out-of-focus photo and my memory.

I held my breath waiting for her to appear. I was too old to be acting this way. I forced myself back into the plush car seat and turned to look out the other window. All bleak, all gray, and the Christmas decorations looked pitiful against the stark white of the snow and the dark dead branches of trees.

I turned to glance at the front door and wanted to eat my words. Kayla stepped from the house, and she was golden light herself. She was worth every uncharacteristic giddy thought.

She hugged the woman quickly, it wasn't a lingering tearful farewell, and then she was skipping down the walkway toward the car.

The driver put the rest of her bags in the back and closed the trunk. He barely had time to open the door for her. She didn't seem to notice me until she was inside and settling into her seat.

She looked up at me with a gasp. Neither of us said anything, we just stared at each other.

Damn, she was more beautiful than I remembered.

Her lower lip quivered, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and crush her to me.

She broke her gaze away first, looking down and struggling with her seat belt while a furious blush colored her cheeks. A lock of her auburn hair fell in front of her face.

I reached out to brush it behind her ear, so I could see her face better. As I was about to touch her, I pulled back. She continued to look down and away from me. "Hello, Kayla," I finally said.

"Mr. Sadler," her voice was barely above a whisper.

This time when I reached out, I did touch her. I hooked my finger under her chin and lifted her face so I could see into her eyes. She shivered.

"Nick. My name is Nick, not Mr. Sadler."

She nodded and looked very nervous.

"I missed you in LA. I had hoped to see you after the party."

Her eyes flashed wide with horror and then she was blushing more and looking away.

What the hell?

"Kayla, what did I do wrong?" I knew what I had done, but she had known all the actions and reactions had been in an attempt to protect her. "You never gave me an opportunity to apologize."

"You didn't do anything wrong," she started. She kept her face averted, looking out the window, and not at me. "I'm sorry all of that was my fault. I've been too embarrassed. I mean"- she turned and faced me- "how could you look at me after that? How could I face you?" Had she been avoiding me because she was embarrassed?

"Kayla, all of that-"

"Can we not talk about it? I've never felt so uncomfortable or embarrassed."

"Okay, okay. For the record, then I'll drop it. All of that was my fault, and I am very sorry I did not protect you better."

She bit her lip and nodded.

"I'm done. That's all." I held out my hands in a giving-up gesture. I let out a heavy breath. "It's good to see you again. Thank you for answering Isaac's call. I know you weren't taking mine."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times as she appeared to struggle with what to say.

"It's okay, really. I think I understand now. I'm glad you accepted my offer."

She breathed in deeply and blew her breath out through pursed lips.

"It was an offer I didn't feel like I could refuse."

Intrigued, I wanted to know what Isaac said to her. He could be very persuasive.

The car pulled to a stop. The trunk popped open with a soft thunk and the driver got out of the car.

I unfastened my belt and climbed out of the car. The driver was about to open Kayla's door when I nodded for him to get out of the way. He could wrestle the luggage; I would take care of Kayla. I opened the door and held my hand out for her.

Her gloved fingers slid against my palm. Her eyes were wide and focused on the plane behind me.

"Are we going in that? Oh wow. I mean I knew Isaac said he was sending a private jet for me. But the reality is, wow. This is a lot different than what I thought."

"What did you think it was going to be like?" I had grown up with private jet travel. Her sense of awe was foreign to me and endearing.

"Um, I really don't know. This is far too much like the movies to be a reality."

I had to laugh. "I am an actor, believe me when I say life is nothing like the movies."

The door opened at the top of the stairs and the cabin attendant stepped out to greet us. "Sorry, we didn't have the plane ready for your arrival. We were trying to preserve the interior heat." "Trust me, that is far better than letting the cold in," I joked as I stepped past the cabin attendant.

I was sick of being cold.

Kayla started to pull her jacket off and turned in a circle. "Where do I sit? This is so different from any airplane I've ever been on before."

I took Kayla's coat from her, shrugged out of my own, and handed them both to the attendant.

"You can sit anywhere you want. Personally, I replace sitting backward to feel weird during take-offs and landings. I tend to sit in the normal seats for the takeoff and then I move to the sofa for a more comfortable experience. Plus, I can stretch out and nap." "You nap?"

"Not a whole lot else to do on a plane. Unless you're interested in joining me in the mile-high club?" I stepped in close and lowered my voice.

"What?" Kayla stepped out of my way and sat in one of the seats.

I chuckled to myself. That was a very failed attempt at seduction. Was it possible she really didn't know, or was she nervous around me? She hadn't been nervous when we first met. She had been soft and compliant and so very touch worthy at that party. I knew what had changed. She had been embarrassed. And I hadn't been able to stop any of that.

"Tell me, what this job entails. Isaac wasn't able to go into details. He said we would wing it a lot of the time. What does Isaac mean when he says, wing it?"

I laughed. "Isaac could mean anything when he says that. Did he also tell you to 'fake it until you make it?""

"Yes, he did. At least I can figure that one out. But winging it, to me at least, means having some idea of what's going on, to begin with."

"How much did he tell you?"

Kayla's eyes went wide, and she gripped the hand rest. "I thought there was supposed to be some kind of warning that we were taking off. Isn't the stewardess supposed to do an emergency brief? She didn't do anything." "Are you okay?"

She was so expressive with her eyes, wide with curiosity, wide with surprise, wide with terror.

"Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of flying?"

"Because this is only the third time I've been in an airplane, and I'm not scared. Oh crap, oh, crap."

The plane bounced as it hit a little air pocket as it ascended to cruising altitude. It wasn't much more than a bounce.

"It's just a little turbulence. Think of it like a pothole in the sky."

Her face was pale.

I unfastened my belt and reached and stepped over to her.

"What are you doing? The captain didn't say you could move about the cabin."

"And he's not going to. Come here." I reached out and clicked her belt.

She struggled to pull it back on.

"But, but, Nick. Is it safe?"

I gently led her to the sofa and sat down, wrapping my arms around her. She took a shaky breath and relaxed against my chest.

"This isn't particularly professional, and Isaac promised me this was going to be a professional arrangement." She whimpered with another bounce of the plane.

"Consider this an inflight, first-time extra bonus. I don't want you to be scared of flying. You will be traveling with me; this is how I get from place to place." "Don't you drive?"

"I do, but I can't drive across the country in one day, and apparently you don't drive at all. You know I was all set to buy you a car, and Isaac tells me you don't know how to drive."

"I don't. He said he linked your card to my account, so I can get a ride whenever I need it. What kind of car were you going to get me?"

"Whatever you wanted, within reason."

"A convertible?"

"Sure, if that's what you wanted. But you can't drive, so the point is moot. I could teach you to drive."

"Isaac didn't mention this job came with training."

"I'm sure Isaac will coach you for walking and posing on the red carpet. And I can teach you how to drive."

"You mean it's not just walking and standing?" She gasped again as the plane leveled out and the pressure on our bodies changed.

I enjoyed having a gasping Kayla in my arms entirely too much.