Free Hard Impact: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Novel by Helen Grey Page B

stay here and wait for me to get back,” I said shortly. “But the longer it takes for you to get this interview over with, or whatever this is, the longer it will be before you get back to San Francisco.”
    Misty said nothing for a moment, her gaze riveted on my chest as she apparently strove to get her emotions under control. With her satchel once again pressed close to her body, she lifted her free hand and rubbed her forehead between her eyes, as if trying to get rid of a headache. Without a word, she slowly turned and made for the staircase, taking the steps one at a time as if she were heading for the gallows. I barely stifled a chuckle.
    “Get a move on, Misty,” I called out as she reached the top of the stairs. “Daylight’s a’ wastin’!”
    The glower she sent my way made me smile. Maybe it was my own frustration with the situation that had me goading her. I paced around the sofa situated in the middle of the living space, admiring the job my interior designer had done with the place. She managed to incorporate rustic, antique, and well-used furnishings and still give the place an updated, comfortable appeal.
    I had no doubt that this property would be popular. Due to its location, I could pretty much stay open year-round. Hunting season, winter skiing and snowmobiling, and in the spring and summer there would be fishing, horseback riding, four-wheeling, hiking, rock climbing, and canoeing. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to take the four-wheeler out. I needed to inspect the trails to ensure they would be safe and stable for year-round use.
    I sat down, staring into the cold and empty fireplace, imagining how cozy it would be in the middle of winter with the fire blazing, a gentle snow falling… but then my thoughts drifted upstairs, to Misty, more than likely thrumming through the clothes in the closet. I wasn’t sure about the sizes, so hopefully she would be able to find something that was serviceable and comfortable at the same time.
    Misty Rankin was nothing like I expected. Actually, she was quite voluptuous, with large but firm breasts, wide hips, and long legs. She carried her weight well. Not fat, just well-built. Stocky. Different. And those dimples…
    The women I typically went out with were more the model type, but the majority of them had also taken advantage of cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance. I got the impression, even though I didn’t know her at all, that Misty was more down-to-earth than most of the women I’d been around lately. Just the fact that she seemed perfectly comfortable in her own skin, didn’t slather on the makeup, and wasn’t afraid to challenge me was a nice change of pace. She might be nervous about this whole situation, but she wasn’t a pushover either.
    While she wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about staying with me, or the way I drove, or flying around in a helicopter, or going four-wheeling, she had gone upstairs to change. She would deal. She was definitely out of her comfort zone, and I would withhold judgment, pro or con, depending on what happened during the next few hours. We hadn’t really talked, and she hadn’t started in on her questions yet.
    But I had a job to do, and I would be the one in control of this interview. I would draw a line regarding the scope of her questions, slam on the brakes the moment she pushed beyond my own pre-set boundaries. Anything beyond that and she’d be shit out of luck.
    Maybe she was cursing me at the moment. I didn’t really care. I knew what she ultimately wanted to know, what they all wanted to know. I also knew that I wouldn’t give her the answers she was looking for. I hadn’t discussed my past with any interviewers to date, and I wasn’t about to start now. I would be fine answering questions regarding my business, its formation, and my goals, but if she thought for one second that she would get to dig into my past, into what happened…
    I scrubbed my face with my hands. Did it always