Secrets on the Sand (The Billionaires of Barefoot Bay #1)(22)
Author: Roxanne St. Claire

The other two men agreed.

“I’m not talking about an equity deal,” Garrett said. “I’m talking about starting a minor league team from the ground up. Including building a stadium that can be used for MLB spring training, which would pretty much pay for itself in a few years.”

All three men looked at each other, Elliott’s eyes the widest. “Build a stadium?” The real estate mogul in him looked fascinated. “I like that idea.”

“It needs to be in Florida,” Garrett said. “Because I’m here now more than I’m anywhere else, but it can’t be the east coast of the state because of spring-training travel logistics. The big teams have almost all moved to the Gulf Coast. We need to find a location, do a land deal, get the stadium built, and start recruiting players. I’ve got more friends involved, but I want you to be the core team. I know your hearts are into this.”

Zeke knew where he stood. The closest thing he’d ever gotten to playing ball as a kid was running algorithms on statistics. He played softball now, and each game made him want to be more involved with baseball. And not as a spectator; that wasn’t good enough for him. He’d always known that someday he’d buy a team.

“I love this idea,” he said, unable to hide his enthusiasm. “I’m all in.”

Garrett beamed as Nate lifted his port glass. “I’m interested if I can have a hands-on role. I don’t want to be an angel investor.”

“Same here,” Elliott said. “What’s our next step?”

Garrett beamed, obviously expecting this response. “Lawyers, of course,” he said. “And we have to scout a location. We can hire someone to do that because I don’t have time to drive up and down the state, but I do have a few locations I think could sustain a medium-to-small stadium.”

“I’m over on the west coast all week,” Zeke said, already loving the realization that the project would have him back in Florida—with Mandy—on a regular basis. “Give me your list, and I can check out some sites. Then we’ll turn it over to professionals—”

“Like me,” Elliott said. “I think I’ve proved I can close the deal on a good piece of land.”

Considering that Becker had made his fortune at twenty-five by buying an innocuous property in New England that happened to have two billion dollars’ worth of solid Goshen stone on it, he certainly had the qualifications there.

“You can have that job, Becker,” Zeke agreed. “And when we get close to building—”

“I’ll handle that,” Nate offered. His family money meant he never had to work, but Nate had proved himself to have excellent project management skills.

“Gentlemen.” Garrett stood and raised his glass, and they all followed suit. “Let’s play ball.”

They toasted just as a thunderclap shook the house and rain splattered on the window. “Didn’t you come by helo?” Nate asked.

Zeke lifted his glass. “But not going back that way,” he said.

“Not tonight,” Garrett agreed. “You and Mandy can stay here, of course. I’ll get a guest suite prepared.” He took a moment to lift his brows. “One room or two?”

Zeke didn’t hesitate a second. “One.” Yes, they had a contract…but he could definitely find some loopholes tonight.

Chapter Eight

There never was a moment to say no. The party ended, the weather escalated, the overnight guests were ushered to their rooms. Or room, as the case may be. Of course, Amanda and Zeke weren’t flying back to Florida’s west coast in a storm, and it seemed crazy to go to a hotel when they were in a house this size, but…

Amanda swallowed against a dry throat as she entered the softly lit guest suite on the second floor and heard Zeke behind her, saying good night to their hosts, giving her a minute to get situated.

She looked around, admiring a floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the middle of a cozy sitting area. French doors lined one wall, looking out to a wide veranda, only partially covered by an awning, the rest designed for private sunbathing. Tonight, however, rain blurred what must have been a million-dollar view beyond that. Large double doors opened to a bathroom the size of a small country, and another set led to a walk-in closet. In the middle of the room…the elephant—an ultra-king-size bed covered in silk pillows and draped in sheer curtains.

One great big mistake just waiting to be made.

“Your dress is going to be a mess.”

She wheeled around at Zeke’s voice, catching him as he closed the door and locked it behind him. “Excuse me?”

“From sleeping in it.” He took a few steps closer, fighting a smile. “I mean, if you’re going by the letter of our law.”

The contract that said no clothes would ever come off. She’d thought that would be enough to keep them out of bed. Of course, she hadn’t planned to be trapped in a suite overnight with him.

“Then you’re going to be uncomfortable, too.” She gestured toward his dress shirt and trousers. “Maybe you should have thought of that when you told Garrett we only needed one room.”

She gave him a minute to deny that, but he lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t want to leave you.”

Points for honesty. And the ability to turn her lower half into a pool of lust with so few words and one hot look. 

“Anyway, if you read that contract closely, it doesn’t specify whose clothes,” he said. “I can take mine off.”

Oh, please don’t do that. She’d never manage to keep her hands off him.

“Or you can take yours off.”

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “You know damn well what I meant when I put that line in our deal. All clothes stay on. All hands kept to ourselves. All…stuff…is off-limits.”

“Stuff? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” In three long strides, he closed the space between them, his eyes bright. 

“Whatever you call it, I was trying to keep us from a situation like…” She angled her head toward the bed. “This.”

“Yeah, that.” Eyeing the bed, he sidestepped her and lifted one of the sheer drapes off a hook to slip it a few inches across the canopy. “Nice bed. You could sleep in here without clothes on, and I wouldn’t even see you.” He fingered the fabric. “Although, this is pretty sheer. But if we turn the lights off, you’re safe.”