The Billionaire of Bluebonnet(20)

At his feet, Gregory danced in excited circles, his pig snout quivering. He snorted with enthusiasm, clearly thinking they were going out for a walk. “Sorry, pig,” he told it. “Not right now.”

Travis walked to that shut door, wanting to fling it open. He stared at it for a long moment. She was quiet inside. Was she weeping? Sleeping? Sad?

He hated the thought of her being sad. Fists clenched with irritation, he stalked to his bathroom and took a shower to clear his mind. Didn’t work. By the time he got out of the shower, his thoughts were only more byzantine with a swirl of irritation and conflicting thoughts about Risa mixing with thoughts for the business week ahead. He moved to his dresser to pull out fresh boxers and paused at the sight of the photo album left open.

It was a picture of him with his dog back when he was a boy. He’d loved that dog. A wet droplet splatted on the photo album and he absently wiped it off of the plastic covering with his hand. The dog had followed him everywhere, wagging his tail, desperate for attention.

Just like the pig that was now his.#p#分页标题#e#

Almost of its own volition, his hand reached out and turned the page. There was a picture of him and his grandmother, smoking cigars. It was after he’d closed his first major deal with his own company. She’d been so proud. He turned the page and the next photo was her ninety-fifth birthday. She was smiling as she leaned over a cake dotted with an incredible number of candles, and Travis had been at her side.

The next page was a press clipping of the deal that had made him a billionaire. Annoyed, he flipped the page. More press clippings. Where were the photos? The family photos? He flipped the rest of the pages of the album and came to a stark realization.

For the last three years, there were no family photos. Only press clippings of him that his grandmother had cut out from the newspaper.

He’d been too busy to see her and so she’d had to make do with mentions of him in the newspaper.

His stomach clenched, suddenly sick.

I’m not like your grandmother. I can’t forgive missed time.

Damn. That was a punch in the gut.

Travis moved to the bed and sat on the edge of it, not caring that he was dripping water. He saw a lacy scrap peeking out from under the bed and tugged it forward, surprised to see a red and black thong. When had Risa worn this for him? He couldn’t recall. Sometime this week, of course, but it was a blur of business meetings and memories of making love to her before dropping off to sleep, exhausted.

He stared at the panties. Why couldn’t he remember her wearing these for him?

Was he truly that absent?

The realization was an uncomfortable one. He’d been so focused on his business for the last few years that he hadn’t taken the time to do anything but work. Even now, he knew if he picked up his BlackBerry, it’d be full of messages of people needing his advice, his lawyer sending over changes to the latest contract, his assistant with travel confirmations, the board of directors with more meeting invites . . .

It was suddenly exhausting to think about. He lay back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

He’d missed out on the last few years of his grandmother’s life because he’d been too busy working. He hadn’t seen—or talked to—his parents in ages. He didn’t know where they were in Europe. Didn’t know what they were up to. He knew everything about the closest competitor in his market, but he didn’t have a clue about anything in his personal life.

And Risa was trying to wake him up. Because she cared about him and wanted to be with him.

Just . . . not like this.

You know my price, she’d said softly.

It hadn’t been an ultimatum. Everyone had their price, after all. She was just stating hers. Was it one that he was willing to pay? Being with Risa would mean not being on call 24-7. It would mean no long, extended business trips. It would mean spending evenings in bed, in pleasure. Holding hands while walking in the park. Going out to dinner for the sheer enjoyment of the other person’s company, not because there was a business connection to be made.

Not working over the weekend. Spending the weekend with her. Sleeping late and snuggling into bed together. Making love to her for an entire day. Feeling her soft curves under his hands for as long as he wanted, without having to be anywhere in the world but in bed with her.

He wanted that. But how to prove it?

Travis lay back in his bed and thought. And he came up with a plan, because that was what he did best.

* * *

When morning came after a long, sleepless night, Travis noticed her door was still shut firmly. Outside of it, the pig whined and danced, clearly hoping for his morning walk. Travis needed one, too, to clear his head. So he slid the pig into his harness and they went out for a brisk morning run. He tucked his BlackBerry into one of his pockets, just in case.