Page 23 of Loving a Billionaire

TEN

Kurt boiled with angeras he sat downstairs in the bar, waiting for Talia to finish her date with Reeder and come join him. He didn’t want to imagine what she and Romeo were doing upstairs in his penthouse suite. Kurt was able to listen to their conversation until about the time they started arm wrestling. Something must have happened to have the earpiece fall out of her ear, because after that, all he heard was muffling sounds. At first, he thought about going upstairs and making up some kind of story of why he needed to interrupt them, but when he heard them laughing at different times throughout the evening, he realized she was not in any harm.

Grumbling under his breath, he grasped the beer bottle and lifted it to his lips. He knew his partner well, and by now she was having doubts about Reeder being the perp. Men like Reeder knew how to sweet talk women. Men like Reeder were perfect liars. Their good looks, their charm, but mostly, their money would turn any woman’s head.

Not for one second did Kurt believe Reeder was innocent. Unfortunately, he needed to find proof, because Talia would demand it. Talia would be hard to sway, especially if she allowed Reeder to kiss her.

Kurt tightened his fingers on the neck of the bottle, wishing it was someone’s throat instead. If it was the last thing he did, he’d show Talia that Reeder was the murderer. Of course, sitting here, wallowing in his pity wasn’t helping matters. But he couldn’t do anything until he knew she was all right. He had to make sure she didn’t spend the night in the penthouse of love...

There had been nothing but silence on the other end of his earpiece, and that worried Kurt. That could only mean one thing. She and Reeder were kissing.

He swore and took another gulp of beer. He raked his fingers through his hair, feeling the urge to plow his fist into someone’s face. His mind pictured Reeder, and it would bring satisfaction to Kurt if he busted up that man’s perfect nose and chin, and cut his lips, and gave him a black eye or two.

The bar wasn’t very full tonight, but the waitress and the bartender were flirting at the counter. The girl’s giggles nearly drowned out the country singer’s voice booming from the overhead speakers as he sang about losing his love, his dog, and his truck, and not in that order.

Thankfully, Kurt still had his dog, and his truck, however, he never really had a true love. Strange, but for the past year, he hadn’t dated that much, either. He thought it was because he was focusing on his job. But now he realized it was because of Talia. The women he’d gone out with weren’t as adorable as Talia Russell. They couldn’t make him laugh like she could. They couldn’t make him feel like a man, as Talia could. He could be himself around her, but when he was with those other women, he felt as if they wanted more out of him.

Closing his eyes, he tried to get the images of Talia out of his head from the other day when she was wearing that sexy red dress. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d seen her so beautiful. She was a lovely woman, however, when Talia was all dolled up like that... she made him breathless.

What he wouldn’t give for one moment with her, to take her in his arms, and to kiss her passionately, just to see what it would be like. Yet, every time the thought crossed his mind, he pushed it away. They made great partners. They could practically read each other’s minds. Did he really want a girlfriend like that?

Most definitely!

In the year they’d been partnered together, he couldn’t think of a time when he’d felt this much jealousy. He hated this emotion, but he didn’t know how to make it leave.

From over the strong aroma of the beer, another scent touched his senses. Lilacs... like Talia’s perfume.

Quickly, he snapped out of his thoughts and swung around. Talia stood by his side with her arms folded over her bosom as she tapped her toe. Her irritated expression told him she expected an explanation soon.

He motioned to the empty chair. “Want to join me?”

“Not here.”

“Where?”

She sighed heavily. “In the car. Now!”

Without waiting for his answer, she turned and marched out of the bar, heading toward the double glass doors of the hotel. He fished in his pocket for the tip, slapped it on the table, and hurried out of the bar. By the time he reached her, she was climbing in her car. He moved around to the passenger side and climbed inside.