Our brother Seth had been in construction before we’d inherited a fortune. He’d done long, backbreaking days to help keep us all fed, and studied every single facet of the building-and-real-estate business along the way. Now, he and Aiden were buying huge lots of land to do their own building projects. As far as I could tell, they were becoming pretty well known as quality builders in a relatively short period of time.
“Good,” he replied. “We’re looking at some bigger projects now. We were hesitant to get in too deep until we got more experience under our belts. But things are hopping lately. For now, I think we’re happy to be working toward becoming a housing giant. After that, we’ll see.”
I was so relieved to see my brothers content. The older three had worked so hard to help get me, Brooke, and Owen through college. They deserved every good thing that was happening for them right now.
“I’m glad,” I told him quietly.
“Hey, are you up for pizza and a late-night movie? I don’t feel like cooking.”
“You never cook anyway,” I reminded him. More often than not, he and Seth ended up at my house looking for food. I swore neither one of them ever went to the grocery store. “And I’d love to, but I can’t. I have an overnight basic survival trip tomorrow. I have to be up really early.”
Primitive survival was something I’d been passionate about for years, and I taught classes to share my knowledge. My overnights started early.
“Your loss,” Aiden said. “I was going to offer to pay.”
I laughed, just like my brother intended. “That sucks,” I answered. “I really hate to miss free pizza.”
Really, none of us knew quite how to act now that we had cash in our pockets. We could afford to eat anywhere we wanted to eat and we’d never miss the money.
“The being a billionaire thing is still weird, right?” I questioned him. “I still wake up every morning and open my eyes wondering if all of this was some kind of strange dream.”
“And then you get out of bed and realize that you’re in a beach house that’s totally paid for.” Aiden grinned as he stood up. “Weird in only the best of ways,” he added as he grabbed his water. “Maybe I’ll go and see what Noah and Seth are up to, since you’re refusing my generous offer to buy you dinner. But I’m sure Noah won’t go for taking any time off. He’s working too damn much.”
“Try to drag him away from his computer,” I requested.
My eldest brother did work way too much. He always had. He’d been responsible for all of his younger siblings, so I didn’t remember a time when Noah hadn’t busted his butt to see us fed and healthy.
“I’ll kick his ass,” Aiden said with a nod as he opened the pool gate and let himself out.
I watched as my brother headed down the beach, obviously on his way to Noah’s house, judging by the direction he’d gone.
I sighed when Aiden was out of sight, wondering if it was just me who couldn’t manage to enjoy the money I’d inherited.
As of now, I seemed to be the only one still struggling with the fact that all of us had suddenly become very unlikely billionaires, and I just wasn’t sure how to leave my old life behind.
CHAPTER 2
JADE
The next morning, I was still pondering how a family as poor as mine had suddenly come into massive amounts of money.
After getting up before sunrise, I’d thrown the things I’d need in a backpack and hit the road for the forty-minute drive into the backcountry.
My family story was convoluted, but also pretty simple. All of my full siblings and I shared a father with the powerful and super-rich Sinclair family from the East Coast. But we’d never known that until very recently.
I slowed down as I turned off the main highway.
I pulled onto the rough road to the small cabin on the property. There were enough bunk beds in the rustic structure for everybody, but students had the option of pitching tents or building their own shelters if they chose.
After I parked my Jeep, I unloaded some supplies and checked out the cabin. Although I encouraged foraging and trapping, I always made sure to have enough basic food so students didn’t starve.
I sat on the wooden steps and took a deep breath, relaxing to the sounds of the birds and the feel of a light breeze that caressed my skin.
I opened the book I’d brought along, the latest from my favorite erotic romance writer. The reading material was one of my secret pleasures, maybe because I’d never been overwhelmed by lust for any man, but I loved to read about the possibility.
I was mostly a realist, but I loved the fantasy of some hot guy sweeping me off my feet.
Other than a boyfriend in college who had used me to help him get his degree and then disappeared after graduation without a word, I’d never been in a sexual relationship.
Honestly, my ex hadn’t exactly rocked my world. But I liked to think that love and lust existed.
Brooke had always accused me of being a closet romantic. And maybe she was right. As a scientist, believing in soulmates, love, and unbridled lust didn’t make much sense. But I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to believe it was real anyway.
It had happened for my twin, and Brooke deserved the love she had with Liam. Her capacity to care about other people was endless.
A sigh escaped from my mouth as I started reading the scene I’d left off on the last time I’d picked up the book.
It was hot.
It was sensual.
And even though the male hero was an obnoxious alpha sometimes, I adored the way he wanted to give his woman everything and protect her from anything bad in the world, and how incredibly devoted he was to the woman he loved.
I paused after completing the scene, wondering if any male on Earth was really that involved in a female’s pleasure. I knew the one guy in my life hadn’t been. In fact, he got the deed over with as quickly as possible, which meant the moment he’d had his orgasm.
Doubtful most guys care if the female climaxes.
But the fantasy was something I didn’t really want to give up.
So what if I could take care of myself?
There was some tiny place inside me that wanted a man who cared about . . . me.
“Hello, Jade,” a smooth baritone said from above me, the deep voice startling me so much I instinctively slammed the book closed.
Even though I loved steamy romance, I didn’t exactly broadcast it, except to my friends who read the same type of books.
Unfortunately, I’d gotten so lost in the hot fairy tale that I obviously hadn’t heard my first student arrive.
I shaded my eyes and looked up, curious because the voice was familiar, but I was pretty sure that since I lusted after Eli Stone, I was hearing that whiskey-smooth baritone voice only in my imagination.
My heart skittered as I focused in on the face belonging to the sexy male voice.
It was Eli Stone, and I gaped at him like an idiot because I couldn’t seem to reconcile him and being out in the middle of nowhere.
I scrambled to my feet, feeling at a disadvantage because I was so far below him. But the position change didn’t help all that much. I was average height, and Eli Stone was all muscle—broad, tall, and pretty damn intimidating, even though he was casually dressed in jeans, a T-shirt that only showed how ripped he was, and a pair of hiking boots.