Beauty and the Billionaire (A Once Upon a Billionaire Novel) Page 10

  “Yes, she is.” While Hunter didn’t wish things had turned out like they did with the failed kidnapping, he also realized he might not have ever met Mira otherwise. So, maybe something good had come of all this after all. He never thought he’d think such a thing, but his view of his life was starting to change.

  “I’ll discuss the menu for that night with Courtland, and I’m sure Penny won’t waste time on the dress issue.” Jimmy winked, lifting up on his toes. “Anything else? Other than your attire, of course.”

  Hunter glanced around his room. “I guess that’s it. Unless you know where Mira is right now.”

  Jimmy’s eyes twinkled. “I believe she’s in the grand foyer.”

  Without wasting any more time, Hunter hustled toward the foyer. And Mira.

  Penny wouldn’t tell her why she was being forced to try on gowns. Gowns with trains; gowns with low backs; strapless gowns; long-sleeve gowns; gowns with beads; gowns with slits.

  For days, Penny brought in an endless stream of dresses to try. At first, Mira felt awkward trying on the designer pieces, afraid she’d do something to ruin them just trying them on. But soon enough, she lost her fears, whipping them on and off automatically. Some were too bridal, others too bridesmaid. A few were too flashy or too plain. But finally, one dress felt like a winner the second she put it on.

  A few days after choosing a gown, Mira sat in front of the vanity in her bedroom while Penny did her hair. Hunter never left the house, so she couldn’t figure out what they were going to do. “What is this all about?”

  Penny gave her a sly smile. “Patience is a virtue.”

  Mira went back to scrutinizing her face in the mirror as Penny worked her light brown hair into a soft bun on the back of her head. Then Mira worked on her makeup, using YouTube videos to achieve a “smoky eye” look. Whatever they were doing, she wanted to look her best. And the thought of Hunter walking around shirtless didn’t hurt her motivation, either.

  Penny helped her slip into the dress without destroying her hair and makeup. The silver metallic mermaid dress slipped past her hips, flowing out around her feet with a short train. The dress was sleeveless and hung off her shoulders, leaving ample room to show off the diamond around her neck. She wrestled her feet into the pointy-toed heels, examining the results in the floor-length mirror in her room.

  She ran her hands down her thighs, her eyes sweeping up and down. Penny came into view in her wheelchair behind her. “He’s not going to know what hit him,” she said, her blue eyes alight.

  Mira smiled. “I guess I’m ready then.”

  Penny led her away from the route she usually took from her room until they’d reached the main stairs leading to the foyer. Mira gulped, glancing down the first set of red-carpeted steps. “Go on,” Penny urged, shooing her away with a hand.

  Mira breathed in deep and gripped the oak railing, taking it one step at a time. She reached the first landing where another staircase emptied out, then rounded the corner. She risked a glance up, spying Hunter in a tux waiting on the black and white tile below. Her breath caught in her lungs as she hitched up her skirts to avoid face-planting in front of him.

  He reached out a hand for her as she neared the bottom and she took it, the heat index in the room going up exponentially as he drank her in. And it wasn’t a gulp. His brown eyes took her in like a vintage wine–slow and deliberate. When he finished, sending Mira’s insides into a tailspin, he let out a breath.

  “You’re stunning.” Hunter’s eyes dipped over her again. There was no hint of joking in his face or manner. He held out his arm for Mira, who gladly took it, her legs weak under his gaze. “Shall we?”

  After a proper dinner in the dining hall with chandelier light and everything, Hunter’s eyes danced as he led her through a series of doors and hallways she’d never seen. They finally stopped at a set of double doors, where Jimmy and Courtland waited on either side. After a nod from Hunter, they opened the doors, revealing an open room with high ceilings and arched floor-to-ceiling windows, chandeliers and sconces highlighting gold leafing on the molding.

  Like the rest of Rosefield, it was a little faded. But this room especially looked like a museum piece, preserved directly from when the mansion was built in the late eighteen-hundreds. Hunter guided her inside as Mira gazed upward at the murals on the ceiling until he stopped in the middle of the polished wood floor. He turned to face her, holding up a hand, as his other arm slid around her waist.

  Mira hesitated. “What are we doing?”

  “Waltzing.” Hunter smiled as she tentatively placed her hand inside his.

  Her stomach turned inside out. “I…I don’t think I really know how.”

  “I think that’s not quite true.” He pulled her closer, keeping a safe distance between them. “I have it on good authority that you like to dance and used to have a thing for ballroom dance competitions.”

  “Watching and doing are not the same.” She’d waltzed a few times with her father, but she didn’t count that.

  “All you have to do is follow my lead.” He held her waist firmly, his shoulders straight and tall. “You’ll be fine.”

  Hunter could waltz, she thought as the music started from out of nowhere. Of course he could. It was probably part of his billionaire curriculum. She took a deep breath. “Don’t let me trip,” she blurted out, wishing she’d picked a shorter gown. She didn’t know she’d need to dance in it.

  He grinned. “Never.”

  With a flourish, he led her toward him, counting out the rhythm until she got in the flow and was able to follow his movements as he stepped and circled around the room. Mira had no idea what this type of dancing was supposed to feel like, but she imagined that Hunter was the perfect partner. He guided her around the room, not allowing her to fall as promised. Once she had a feel for what they were doing and could relax, it was a lot of fun. They both smiled and laughed as the music accelerated and they fought to keep pace until the end.

  When it was finished, Mira clapped, even though it was just them and a recording. She felt flushed and her chest heaved up and down from the exertion, but she hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. “Can we do that again?”

  Hunter laughed, nudging her toward a set of glass doors that led out to a flat stone walkway. “Maybe after a break.”

  The cool night air felt good on her hot skin at first, but soon goose bumps ran up her arms. She hugged her body, gazing up at the clear sky. Hunter took off his jacket, placing it around her shoulders, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

  “Thank you for all of this,” Mira said. “I’ve never worked for someone who served a gourmet meal for dinner and then asked me to waltz.”

  He gazed down at her, his hands tightening around her shoulders. “I certainly hope not. Otherwise, I’d have to go beat them up.”

  Mira rested her hands on his chest, his arms enveloping her. “Aren’t you cold?”

  “Not really.” Hunter caressed her back as he kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and finally settled on her lips. It was hard to say that anything was perfect. But from where Mira stood, this was awfully close.

  CHAPTER 22

  As fall headed into winter, Penny’s foot was also on the mend. Hunter’s stomach twisted into knots every time he thought about Mira’s time there ending. What if she changed her mind about him once she left? Hunter tried not to think about it, but the idea plagued him.

  Mira seemed blissfully happy working on the art inventory, doing what she could to clean his family portraits, and helping him decide on art pieces to invest in, and he didn’t want to ruin it. But when he accidentally glimpsed a job application on her computer one afternoon when he was looking for her, the walls felt like they were closing in on him again. He knew it was irrational, but he didn’t think he could stand to be there without her.

  That night at dinner, Hunter tried to push out those thoughts, but Mira’s brow creased with worry as she studied him across the table. “Are you coming down w
ith something? You don’t look well.” She inclined her head, setting her fork down.

  He took a drink of water, shaking his head. “I feel fine.”

  “You don’t look fine.” Mira pushed up, rolling up her sleeve and pressing her wrist to his forehead. Her mouth twisted down as she pressed it along his cheek as well. “You don’t feel warm.”

  Hunter forced a smile. “I told you, I feel fine. Sit down and finish your dinner.”

  Mira lingered, stroking the back of his head. He met her eyes, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “I just need more sleep,” he said, trying to reassure her so she’d let it go. “Other than that, I’m okay.”

  She offered a weak smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She kissed his forehead and returned to her seat. “I found a few more pieces of art you might be interested in today. I can show you after dinner if you like.”

  Hunter tried to focus on Mira, figuring the distraction might get rid of his darker thoughts. Plus, being curled up on the couch with Mira never hurt him. “I’d like that.” He smiled again, more genuinely, and Mira returned it, some brightness returning to her eyes.

  He felt lighter thinking about it, so maybe he just needed to refocus. And sleep wouldn’t hurt, either.

  Mira explored the library a few days later, seeing the book spines, but not really thinking about them. The dark clouds surrounding Hunter when she arrived seemed to have partly returned. Or at least sometimes. He would be fine at moments, then distracted at others. He was more withdrawn, and she hadn’t seen him as much that day as she normally would have. And she had no idea what had caused it or what to do about it.

  So, she’d continued with her work, then retreated to the library to spend more time exploring the books after talking to her father. Jumbled among the books was what looked like a photo album. Mira pulled it out, glancing around to make sure no one was with her. It was full of private photos, some of Hunter when he was younger, and some of other people she didn’t know. She wondered if Penny had hidden the album among the books so Hunter wouldn’t destroy it.

  It looked like they were in different parts of the world, some on yachts in what could have been the Caribbean, some in Europe. And there were several photos of Hunter smiling wide with some string bikini-clad woman draped across him, a few times several women. Mira automatically put a hand to her necklace. Hunter wasn’t exactly a playboy, not in personality. But he could obviously have any woman he wanted. And as many as he wanted. So, what made her special?

  Mira bit her lip, trying to eliminate that thought. But in the back of her mind, she knew she didn’t look or act like those other women hanging all over him. Was he withdrawing because he was losing interest?

  The door squeaked and Mira jumped, fumbling to put the photo album back in place. She turned on the ladder, smiling at Jimmy, who peeked inside. “Sorry to bother,” he said, out of breath, “but there’s a phone call for you and they say it’s urgent. Something about your father.”

  Mira’s heart stopped, then sped up as she hurried down the ladder and followed Jimmy to the nearest phone in Hunter’s office. She’d talked to her dad not long ago and he sounded perfectly okay. Was he lying to her? Or did something happen that he wouldn’t have expected? Like a…a heart attack?

  Jimmy let her inside, then disappeared. “Hello?” Mira rasped, her mouth dry.

  “Mira!”

  She paused, confused by the voice answering her. “Victor?” Why would Victor Rawlinson of all people be calling her about her father? She scratched that out, deciding she’d find out later. It didn’t matter right then. “What happened to my father? Where is he?” She searched for a pen and paper in the desk drawer, cursing as the pens she tried didn’t work.

  “Oh…that…” He sort of laughed. “I had to come up with something so you’d talk to me. You know, desperate times and all that. You’re a tough woman to get ahold of.”

  Mira gripped a pencil midair she’d found buried in the back of the drawer, her knuckles going white. “You what?” It came out sharp and clear.

  He cleared his throat. “I just wanted to talk, Mira.”

  “How did you know where I was?” Her eyes squinted up as she stared at the notepad now scratched up with indents and blobs of ink.

  “Your father must’ve mentioned it…”

  Mira sucked in a breath. “Here’s the deal…you don’t call me here again. Ever. If you do, I’ll…” She had no idea where to go with that. She’d what? Call the police? What was she supposed to tell them? She inhaled again. “You better not call me here again.” She slammed the phone down before Victor could respond, rubbing her temples to calm herself. She needed to call her father, just to make sure.

  She headed for the door, but Hunter blocked it. Mira jumped, putting a hand to her chest. “You scared me.”

  “Sorry…” Hunter’s eyes flicked to the phone. “Who was that?”

  Mira wasn’t sure why, but she flushed, afraid to tell Hunter what had happened. Secrecy was a part of her contract and Victor should not have known she was there, let alone called her. Her father may have told him that, but Mira had a feeling Victor lied about that too.

  “No one important,” she said quickly, her mouth still dry. She smiled, hoping to divert his attention. “Do you need anything?”

  He slowly shifted his gaze to her. “No…I was just coming to look for you.” He took his hands out of his pockets, stepping closer. “I thought you’d like to know I bought one of the paintings. The one we were discussing the other night.”

  Mira’s heart fluttered, for good reasons, and she clapped her hands together. “That’s so exciting! It seemed like you.”

  Hunter’s crooked smile made her relax a little, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I thought you’d like that.”

  Mira put her arms around his neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips feeling for hers. He tightened his hold and she did the same until the elevator dinged, forcing them apart. She didn’t like the feeling of fear as she let go of him, or the lack of hunger in his eyes when he drew back. She felt the cord start to unravel but she didn’t know what to do about it.

  CHAPTER 23

  Hunter couldn’t stop thinking about the phone call. Why did Mira dismiss it so quickly and then seem eager to switch topics? When he’d asked Jimmy, he’d said the call was from a man and to do with Mira’s father. But Mira never said a word about her father. So, Hunter had Jimmy discreetly look into the call, being as vague as possible about the reasons for it, and discovered it came from a business in the town. It could have been job-related, but why call the house? He couldn’t help it, his suspicion growing.

  They went about their routines, and he tried to hush the growing concern inside him. But while helping Mira catalog some of the older books in the library, her phone lit up with a text on the table near him. He couldn’t resist and read it, then realized she had a lot of texts and calls from the same man. Someone named Victor. And he wanted to know why he hadn’t her from Mira.

  Hunter’s hand cramped around her phone, staring at the screen blankly. The phone call the other day. It had been this guy. He just knew it.

  “Who’s Victor?” Hunter said hoarsely.

  “Hmm?” Mira looked down from the top of the ladder, freezing when she saw her phone in his palm.

  He raised the phone up slowly, his jaw tightening. “Is this who you were talking to the other day?”

  Mira gripped the sides of the ladder, then made her way down, her cheeks reddening. “Yes, I–”

  “Who is he?”

  Mira clasped her hands in front of her. “He works in a business in the town.”

  “How did he know to call you here?”

  Mira’s grayish eyes widened. “I don’t know.”

  “Are you involved with him?”

  “No!” Pain crossed her face, her chest heaving. “I barely know him. I don’t even know how he got my cell number.”

  Hunter s
norted, then started to pace. Why did he trust her? Because she was easy to trust, that’s why. And who was to say she wasn’t in league with this Victor guy to steal from him–or worse? It had happened before. “You expect me to believe that?”

  Mira swallowed. “I suppose not. But it’s the truth.” She hugged her arms around her body, her voice wavering. “I would never hurt you like that.”

  With Mira, he’d almost been able to forget about the scars completely. They didn’t consume him the way they had for so long. But now, watching her, he remembered them all too clearly. He’d been a fool to let her in so close. He’d confided in her and allowed her into his heart in a way he’d never done before. And that was a mistake.

  Hunter slapped the phone on the desk and Mira jumped. “We’re done here,” he said, his voice not as steady as he wanted. “Pack up your things and leave.”

  Mira’s face fell, some feeling he couldn’t decipher sinking into her eyes. Her mouth opened partially like she was about to say something, but she shut it, her eyes dropping. With another glance, she quietly got her phone and hurried out.

  Mira took the main entrance, not willing to risk another episode like before using the service road. Hunter wanted her out this time for real, and she knew it wouldn’t turn out like it did before if something happened to her car again.

  She’d been unable to avoid saying quick good-byes to Penny, Jimmy, and Courtland. If they didn’t know why yet, she was certain they’d soon find out. Other than shaking, Mira contained her emotions as she wound into the town and toward her father’s house on the outskirts. At some point, she realized she still had the diamond necklace on, but it was too late to turn back. She probably should have left it in her room, but in her rush to pack, she’d forgotten about it.

  She’d been stupid not to tell Hunter immediately about Victor’s call. But Hunter had been off, and she was afraid how he’d take it. Then part of her wondered if this was just a convenient excuse to get rid of her if he was bored of her already. Instead of having to pretend or break up with her before she was finished with the job, he’d decided to use this as a way of offloading his problem.