Always My Babygirl: A Billionaire Romance

“Something like that.”

I glance at my watch. We need to move. “There are a few more things we’ll need to discuss, but Miranda and I will talk about that on the way home. Is there anything else we need to know?”

“Yes,” Miranda says. “That hot tub is on its way here and there’s no place to put it!”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I have the phone number,” Miranda says, pulling out her mom’s phone. “They said they were delivering it.”

I call Shane. “Hello?”

“Shane, I need you to make a phone call and cancel this order. Have it delivered somewhere else. If they won’t cancel it, donate it somewhere.”

I give him the details. “On it, boss.”

Lexi’s eyes grow wary. “You know what they say about things that appear too good to be true, Mr. Lord…”

“Like I said, Lexi. This is no charity donation. Miranda and I will work things out.” I turn to Miranda. “Sorry, babe, but we’ve got to go.”

She gets to her feet but doesn’t go to the room to pack her bags like I thought she would. She runs to me, squeezes me around the chest, then runs to the guest room. Lexi, however, is still eying me warily. She gets to her feet and walks over to me, her eyes narrowed.

“First of all, Gabriel, I want to thank you. I do want it clear that I appreciate your generosity.” I nod.

“But second of all, I want you to know something.”

“Yes?”

She points behind her and hisses in a low voice. “She’s everything to me. The kindest woman you’ll ever meet. She’s got a heart of gold, and so help me God, if you hurt her, I will not take it lightly. You’ve swooped into her life with your perfect everything, and I want that so badly for her I could cry. But if there’s anything you’re hiding and you hurt my sister—”

“Whoa, Lexi,” I say, holding my hands up. “I’ve got no intention of doing anything of the sort.”

She narrows her eyes. “I hope that’s true.”

Miranda comes out a moment later with her bags, and I reach for them. She looks from me to Lexi curiously, but I move past her into the kitchen. “Let’s say goodbye to your mom.”

Two hours later we’re preparing to land back in Vegas. We’ve talked about everything, and Miranda eagerly agreed to another week as my escort to pay her mother’s bills. It’s unnecessary for me—I’d pay the bills off without a second thought—but I know she needs to feel that she’s earned the money.

I handle business on the flight home and she handles hers. I cast surreptitious glances at her on the way. She makes phone calls, sends emails, handles negotiations, checks on clients and contracts. She checks in with her assistant and finally hangs up the phone and smiles at me as we’re about to land.

“What? Are you disappointed this flight didn’t go over the way the last one did?” She flashes me a fetching wink.

I grin at her. “Not at all. But I’ll have you know last night was only a taste of what I have in store for you, babygirl.” Damn. It feels good to call her that.

She cocks her head to the side. “Why are you looking at me like that, then?”

“You wear the boss babe cape well.”

“Do I?”

“It’s gorgeous. I can’t even tell you how sexy it is to see a woman like you, all kick-ass-take-no-prisoners to everyone else… but submissive to me.”

She smiles. “I like that.”

We exit the jet and go straight to the car that’s waiting for us.

“I could get used to something like this,” she says. “Seriously.”

“Something like what?”

“Flying places,” she says, waving her hand to the jet. “Rides, like this. Being able to go where I want when I wanted.” She sighs. “Travel.”

“You haven’t really traveled?”

“Not much, and then it was only for work and college.”

I nod, my mind swirling with ideas.

She smiles. “Now, daddy, I know that look,” she says with a coy smile. “You’re planning on something ridiculously extravagant, aren’t you?”

“You’re catching on.”

She laughs her pretty laugh, and sinks into the seat.

It makes me hopeful, and I can’t deny the fact that I want to give this to her… all of it. I’m afraid I’ve already come on too strong, and soon—if not already—her concerns will start plaguing her.

“It’s alright, babe,” I say, trying to mitigate my need to give her everything she wants, to spoil her rotten, and secure her place by my side. “We both have work to do, we both have responsibilities. I won’t be whisking you away for coffee in Paris this afternoon or anything.”

She smiles. “As lovely as that sounds, sir.”

My phone rings. Shane. I answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, man. Don’t forget you’ve got that big to-do tonight in the ballroom. I rescheduled your shoot, there’s no way you’ll make that. But the reception tonight we can’t miss.”