The Teacher's Billionaire

and spiraled downward. Then just like that she was sucker punched when he dropped a brotherly kiss on her check.
    “If you change your mind call me.” With his final comment he turned to walk away but suddenly stopped short. “Did you see that?” he asked looking back at her.
    Shrugging she asked, “See what?”
    “I thought I saw a flash of light. Must have been a car. Why don’t you go inside before I leave?”
    ***
    “I see you’re back from your date. Anything interesting happen?” Sara asked coming up behind him. Dylan had just entered the main foyer hoping to retreat to his room without running into his half sister. It had been a long couple of days between work issues and playing host. He wasn’t in the mood for another one of his sister’s childish tirades tonight.
    “Not now Sara.” Dylan walked around his sister and started up the stairs wishing he’d used the service staircase in the kitchen after grabbing his drink.
    Undeterred Sara followed him. “I can’t believe she had the audacity to show up here. Who does she think she is? I can’t wait till her face starts showing up on magazine covers and the media starts digging through her life. Then she’ll be sorry.”
    “Your father invited her. Remember? And maybe you should give her a chance. You might like her Sara.” Dylan opened the door to his room but didn’t go in.
    “Wow! That didn’t take long. She’s already gotten to you with her small town girl routine. I can’t believe it.” Sara threw her hands up in the air.
    “I’m just playing host Sara, for your father’s sake. I want things to work out well for him. That. Is. All.” Dylan stepped into his room. “I don’t want to hear anymore about it.” With that he closed the door before Sara could reply.
    Carrying the scotch he’d poured before coming up, he walked out onto his balcony. He couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said to Sara about only wanting things to work out for Warren’s sake. It
was
true. Still, he hadn’t been completely honest with Sara.
    He’d been physically attracted to Callie the first time he’d meet her. But there was more to it than that. Something about Callie affected him on a deeper level. In a way no one had since the back stabbing bitch Francesca.
    Propping his bare feet up on the balcony railing, Dylan leaned back in his chair and gazed out across the ocean. He’d gone onto the private balcony to clear his head. Yet, the scene outside Callie’s motel room kept playing over and over in his head. Ever fiber in his body had urged him to capture her lush full lips with his. To give her a kiss she wouldn’t soon forget. Thankfully his brain had kicked in at the last minute reminding him who she was and why he was with her. In the end he saved them both a lot of awkwardness and dropped a brief kiss on her cheek.
    Then there had been that flash of light. Had it been just a car passing by or had it been a flash from a camera? The paparazzi hadn’t bothered him since his break up with Francesca. Why would they now? Had someone learned who Callie was? Sara’s comment about the media and getting rid of Callie suddenly came to mind. Almost as quickly he dismissed the notion. Sara might be upset, but she wouldn’t jeopardize her father’s campaign.
    It must have been a car driving by.
Pushing all thoughts of the evening’s events from his head, he focused on the star filled sky.
    Normally the relaxing view and the breeze coming up from the Atlantic would clear his head but not tonight. Instead he found himself wishing for a certain someone’s company. As a rule he never brought the women he dated to Cliff House. In his mind it was the family’s private home, yet sitting here he couldn’t help wish that he could share the view with Callie. He’d learned a lot about her during their time together, and he knew how much she loved the water.
    She’ll see the view tomorrow when she comes.
Dylan finished off his scotch in one long swallow.
    He needed to keep reminding himself that Callie was Warren’s daughter not some random woman he’d met at a club or society event. If he did maybe he could squash the feelings he had for her. Feelings he didn’t want. Feelings that were gaining momentum. A long time ago he promised himself that no woman would get inside his heart again. He didn’t plan on breaking that promise, not for Callie Taylor, not for anyone.

Chapter 5
    Callie pulled up to Cliff House’s security gate the next day