Billionaire Or Cowboy?

By K. R. Max

This story previously appeared under the title Her Undercover Cowboy in the collection Rodeo Romance In Sunset Ridge. Minor edits have been made but the story is the same.

Two strangers, one week, and a whole lot of secrets...

Joseph – I have no time for women. They’re all only out for my money anyway. I’ve got a billion dollar company to run, and working undercover as a cowboy is the best way to get a feel for my latest investment.

Thing is, I’m not even out of the city before I meet the first woman to ever distract me from my quarterly profits. I can’t believe my luck when she shows up as a guest at the same ranch.

Best of all, when we start getting close, I know she’s not after my money, since she’s clearly got plenty of her own. Now I just have to find the right moment to tell her who I really am, but hey, who doesn’t love a billionaire?

Angel – I hate billionaires. I just lost my latest crappy job thanks to my billionaire boyfriend, now ex, thank you very much. I need to get out of this city for a few days, get back to Nature, relax with horses and the outdoors.

I don’t expect to meet a gorgeous cowboy in the elevator as I’m leaving my old job, nor the crazy hot encounter in his car afterwards. I definitely don’t expect to find out we’re staying at the same ranch, nor the feelings that start to build between us.

There’s just one tiny problem – I’m not who he thinks I am, and by the time I realise there's been a mix-up, it’s too late to come clean. Even worse, I think I’m falling for him, but how can I tell him the truth without ruining everything?

Can love survive when, one way or another, they’re both Faking It?

Dominant alpha men, sweet, strong women, and lots of very hot and dirty shenanigans. No cheating or cliffhangers and a guaranteed happy ever after, all in a short, intense read which is sure to raise your body temperature. If this sounds like your happy place, scroll up now and click that button! Then lock the door and grab a glass of wine (or ice water)! It's about to get hot in here!

• Language: English
• Publisher: SkyTint
• Release date: Nov 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005656652

Book preview

BILLIONAIRE OR COWBOY?

Faking It #1

by

K. R. Max

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

http://krmaxromance.com

Cover design by KR Max.

Author's Note: This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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BILLIONAIRE OR COWBOY?

ANGEL

ANGEL, WOULD you come into my office, please?

I flick a sideways glance at Cassie, my best friend here, and in this city, for that matter. Her desk is right next to mine and we’ve grown close since I started here. She widens her eyes and I give the faintest of shrugs to show I have no idea what’s going on. Then I head for my manager’s office.

It’s okay, I tell myself. The fact your boyfriend just walked in there has nothing to do with this. He probably just started here and they want you to show him around.

What are the odds we’d end up working at the same company? Damn, I hope this isn’t going to be a problem.

Logically, I know nothing is wrong, but I can’t calm the queasy sensation bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Just focus on the vacation you’ve got coming. Whatever this is, it’s nothing major.

I walk into the office and blink, my smile for Kirk dying on my lips. He’s there, but carefully avoiding my eyes, and something twists in my belly. Mr. Chan is sitting on a chair off to one side, which is weird, because it’s his office. And then I see Mr. Trent behind the desk.

I work for HCT Inc. The ‘T’ stands for Trent. The CEO is right here.

Good morning, I tell them all, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach. Could I be getting a promotion? I haven’t been here that long, less than a year, but I know I do good work, and I got excellent feedback at my last two reviews. I look around for somewhere to sit, but I’m out of luck. Great.

Miss Rasmussen, are you aware of our company’s fraternization policy? Mr. Trent’s voice is flat, almost bored.

This doesn’t sound like the beginning of a promotion conversation.

I swallow and nod. Management aren’t permitted to date employees.

He gives me a grave look, and I frown. I have no idea how this relates to me. I’m dating Kirk and he doesn’t work here.

Wait…

I look at him. He still won’t meet my eyes. What the…?

You work here?

He blushes. He actually fucking blushes.

You knew? You knew I worked here and… Mr. Trent is saying something but I can barely hear him over the roaring in my ears.

...terminate you.

I shake my head, abruptly refocusing on the highest ranking asshole in the room. What?

You know the policies, Miss Rasmussen. My hands are tied.

But I didn’t know, I tell him, trying, and failing, to keep my voice from shaking. I had no idea.

I know I’m giving my boyfriend, I mean ex-boyfriend, an accusing look, but I can’t help it. I’m well aware of the fraternization policies but we’ve been dating for nearly three months and I didn’t even know Kirk worked here.

It’s not as unlikely as it sounds. The corporation is vast, and Kirk does travel a lot. I was as surprised to see him walk through our office this morning as he was to see me.

At least, I’d thought he was surprised…

You knew, didn’t you? I round on him, my hands balling into fists at my side. You knew I worked here and you went out with me anyway.

The self-serving asshole has the nerve, the nerve, to smile at me. You’re hot. I couldn’t resist you.

Resist me? You asked me out! Knowing it could get me fired!

It has got you fired, says Mr. Chan, who then wilts slightly under the death ray glare I send his way.

Fine, I snap at him, then look back at Mr. Trent. So I won’t date him anymore. It’s not like he’s around that much anyway. No longer being with him won’t affect my work in any way.

He glances down at the desk, pushing a couple of pieces of paper around, and I recognize the awkward gesture for what it is. I’m afraid that won’t be possible.

But—

Kirk will now be spending a lot more time in the office. This office, as it happens. My son has finally decided to come home.

Your...

And then I realize exactly what’s happened. This has nothing to do with me. Kirk’s the CEO’s son. While he wasn’t working in this building, he could fuck around as he wished and it would stay pretty much under the radar. But now he’s home, the big boss can’t have his son clearly flouting the rules. They’ve got a reputation to maintain.

I’m just collateral damage.

I’m an excellent employee, I say, fighting back the tears building in my eyes and throat.

He gives the smallest shrug I’ve ever seen, the barest lifting of a shoulder. You input data, Miss Rasmussen. It’s hardly a skilled position.

I clench my jaw to keep from screaming at him. It may not require a college degree but it takes a hell of a lot of focus and stamina to do data entry for forty hours a week. With his background, I sincerely doubt he’s ever worked my job, or anything unskilled, in his life.

In light of extenuating circumstances, we’re waiving the notice period, he adds. You’ll be paid for the next two weeks, but security will escort you from the building once you’ve finished clearing out your desk.

Wow. I’ve been made to feel like trash a few times, but this billionaire asshole just took it to a whole new level. I want nothing more than to throw his shitty money back in his face, but I can’t. I can’t afford to. I may be about to go on vacation in a week’s time, but it’s not like I’m flying to Cancun. I’m volunteering on a ranch. I get my room and board in exchange for helping out and that’s it. The problem isn’t the money so much as the time.

I’ll get to work with horses for a week, so it seemed like a fair exchange at the time, but now it’s going to take up a week that I would be better off using to find a new job. If I hadn’t already paid for the plane ticket, I wouldn’t go. Unfortunately, I have, and it’s non-refundable, so I’m stuck.

Besides, after this, I want to get as far away from the city as possible, if only for a week. The only bad thing about that is my trip is still a week away.

Fine. I turn to walk out of the office, spine stiff, determined not to cry in front of these bastards. Kirk grabs my arm from his chair, jerking me to a halt.

Now you’re not working here, we can keep seeing each other. He grins up at me. I used to really like that grin. Made me laugh every time, even when he was saying something outrageously offensive. Now that I think about it, that happened a few times. And I just took it.

I stare down at him and it takes every ounce of self-control I have to very gently ease my arm out of his grip. Which gives me the freedom I need to slap him, hard.

The crack echoes around the room, and it feels good. Chan and Trent leap out of their chairs, looking concerned as Kirk gapes at me, his hand pressed to his cheek. I ignore him and glare at the two older men, i.e., the assholes in charge here who should damn well treat their employees better.

You can try and press charges for assault if you want, I tell them. And if you do, I’ll tell the world that the son of HCT’s CEO dated me, knowing full well where I worked, and then he and his father fired me to protect their precious reputations.

And then I walk away, shaking with fury and frustration. They won’t push it, and I take as much satisfaction as I can from my tingling hand. It’s all I’m going to get here.

Are you okay? Cassie whispers over her computer, peeking at the burly security guy standing over me as I clear out my desk. Dude was already