Billionaire Untamed ~ Tate (Billionaire’s Obsession #7)(30)
Author: J.S. Scott

“James doesn’t really like curvy women.”

“Then dump him and find somebody who does,” Lara said angrily. “What about that handsome cowboy you were with the other night?”

“Gabe?” Chloe blushed. “He’s a billionaire cowboy, and just a friend of the family, mostly a friend of Blake’s. And we don’t even get along most of the time.”

“I think he likes you,” Lara countered, decreasing her speed to wind down her run.

“He doesn’t. He just likes to joke around. I don’t like it.”

Lara had a feeling Chloe didn’t like it because she didn’t believe Gabe when he shot her a compliment. “He looked pretty concerned when Marcus got arrested and Tate got injured.”

“He was nice,” Chloe admitted as she stopped her treadmill to get off. “But it didn’t last very long.” Looking uncomfortable, Chloe changed the subject. “Do you care about Tate?”

Lara felt a little uncomfortable as she slowed down to a walk, not liking it when she was on the hot seat. “I do. He helped me out a lot. He’s a very brave man, and I admire him a great deal.” And he’s so damn hot that I want to do him every minute of the day. She decided not to share that information with Tate’s sister.

Chloe rolled her eyes at Lara. “You know what I mean. Do you have the hots for him?”

Lara flushed. “He’s attractive, but I barely know him.” Okay, maybe she did know Tate intimately, but it hadn’t been for very long.

“He’s been so detached and lonely since his accident. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted him to adopt Shep.”

“Tate adores that puppy,” Lara told Chloe as she stopped walking and got off the treadmill. “Don’t let him tell you anything different.”

Chloe smiled at her. “I know he does. He grumbles and complains about Shep, but I couldn’t pry that pup away from him now even if I wanted to.” Chloe sat down in a chair by the treadmills.

Tate had been right: the gym was empty and she and Chloe had the whole place to themselves.

“He’s torn up about Marcus even if he doesn’t show it, you know,” Chloe said sadly. “I guess we all are. Mom still refuses to believe Marcus is even guilty of anything illegal.”

Guilt swamped Lara hard and fast. “I’m so sorry, Chloe.”

Chloe looked up at Lara. “You have no reason to be sorry. You were doing your job.”

God, Chloe sounded so much like Tate. “Thanks.” Lara picked up a towel to dry off her sweat-soaked face.

Both women gathered up their bags to go shower.

“So do you have a boyfriend back in Washington?” Chloe asked slyly.

“No. I haven’t had a boyfriend in years.”

“What happened to him?” Chloe asked curiously.

“He cheated on me.” Funny, but Lara didn’t even think about him or his actions anymore. Maybe because he wasn’t worth the time or effort it took to get angry about it. The cheating boyfriend had been humiliating, but he had never really touched her emotions like Tate did.

“That sucks. You know, Tate’s very loyal once a person has gained his affection.”

Lara smiled at Tate’s crafty sister. “No matchmaking,” she told Chloe with a smile. “Tate lives in Colorado. I live in Washington DC. That presents some very interesting geographical issues.”

Chloe shrugged. “He’s a pilot.”

“Like I said, we barely know each other,” Lara said lightly and moved toward the locker room.

“You have to admit, he’s a handsome badass,” Chloe said proudly.

Thinking about the way Tate did everything, including the way he disarmed three men at one time and shot her attacker, she had to answer, “Agreed.” Tate being handsome was an understatement. He was absolutely breathtaking, especially when he was naked, but she kept that information to herself.

She couldn’t stay here in Colorado, even if Tate wanted to continue their relationship for a while. She had a life, a career in Washington. She didn’t want Chloe even thinking in that direction. “I’m hoping we can all keep in touch,” she added, trying to make it sound like leaving Tate would be no big deal.

“Oh, I think we will,” Chloe said with a mysterious grin as she walked beside her. “How long are you staying?”

“At least another week,” Lara answered, not quite sure how long her boss would let her stay here. But she should be good for at least one more week before he started to hound her to come back to work.

Chloe nodded. “That should be long enough.” The pretty brunette entered the locker room.

Lara shook her head, not quite sure what Chloe meant, and followed Tate’s sister through the door.

“That was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life, and I’m an FBI agent,” Lara mumbled teasingly as Tate landed his helicopter on the landing pad back on Colter land. Tate Colter piloted a helicopter just like he drove a snowmobile: crazy fast, with his main objective being speed.

“I’ll have you know that I’m one of the best helicopter pilots in the world,” he answered arrogantly, as if he were offended, as he shut down the helicopter. “I told you I’d get you to Denver and back fast.”

“How long have you been flying?” she asked curiously as she put away her headset. Lara had ridden in plenty of helicopters, and there was no doubt Tate Colter was good. He piloted with so much confidence that no matter how crazy he was, she hadn’t really had a moment of fear. But it was fun giving him hell about his take-no-prisoners way of doing things.

“Since not long after I could legally drive,” he answered, still sounding disgruntled. “I got my pilot’s license the next year.”

“What else do you fly?”

He shot her a grin. “Anything that moves through the air, baby.”

“You don’t have a pilot? You fly everything yourself?”

“Yep. I’m a hell of a lot more comfortable being in control.”

“Damn. I guess that ruins my chances of joining the mile-high club,” she replied jokingly, making sure her voice sounded disappointed as she unbuckled herself from the passenger seat.

Tate moved so quickly that he was almost a blur as he hopped over the front seat to land on the back bench seat so fast that Lara barely saw him go. “Come back here. I’ll be more than happy to induct you,” he said huskily.