“Why do you need a job in the first place? What happened to women wanting to be at home with their kids and being a mother?”
I snicker. “Miles, I’m nineteen and I’m nowhere near having a kid anytime soon. I’m not even pregnant. I don’t have a boyfriend. I haven’t even ever had…” I stop realizing what I almost just confess but see his pupils dilate and his nostrils flare. I see a possessive streak rip right through him as his chest ripples underneath his shirt.
“That’s what you need. You need the right man in your life and then everything else will quickly fall into place.”
“The right man is hard to find these days,” I say my body moving in closer.
“Sometimes they’re right under your nose…or you’re right under theirs.”
CHAPTER 3
Miles
I stare at my computer screen back at my office in L.A.
I scroll through the list of fugitives we suspect are in the area.
I stop on one who’s been on the run for fourteen years.
Fourteen years. The same age difference between Sadie and I.
Fourteen years is a long time, but what’s even longer?
Waiting another day to tell her how I feel. Telling her what’s going to happen…what needs to happen.
She needs to be mine. Move in with me and get started on starting our family.
I’m not sure what has gotten into me lately. I tried to tell myself because I was over thirty that my body was telling me it was time. But I know that’s not the case. I’d never felt a desire like this to make a child.
It was because I’d finally found the right woman. And not just the right woman. The perfect woman.
But I “found” her a year ago.
She’d always been there, tagging along with my little sister Miley since Sadie moved to California. They were good friends and that’s how I always saw her…just as my sister’s friend.
But then things changed.
When I went over to Sadie’s house on her eighteenth birthday to pick up Miley from her party. It was like a switch inside me just flipped.
I knocked on the door and Sadie answered. She answered the door to her own birthday party. Why wasn’t she busy being the center of attention at her own event? Was she waiting on me to show up? No way. Couldn’t have been like that.
Or could it?
And how could I resist her there like that when she pulled the door open and I saw her there in that pristine white dress. It was flowery, or whatever it’s called, around the edges and showed off her arms and a good part of her legs.
She wasn’t just the girl that wore shorts and T-shirts who Miley ran around with anymore.
She was a fucking fairy princess.
My fairy princess.
I remember just standing there staring at her in awe. I couldn’t believe the transformation. And she wasn’t the only one who’d changed, who’d matured, who’d grown.
My pants grew right along with her…the groin stretching immediately.
She had to have seen it. There’s no way she could have missed it. We held each other’s gaze for what seemed like forever, but probably just ten seconds…ten long seconds without words, just feelings.
Feelings I’d never felt before. Feelings I thought someone like me wasn’t even capable of feeling.
I’d never loved a woman before. Hadn’t been with one in years. I was so focused on my career and making my way up the ladder of “success” that I forgot the real success was in living life…in sharing my life with the perfect person and her sharing hers with me.
And we could share, all right. But I’d never share her with anyone else. That moment I just wanted to lock her up and throw away the key.
Shut her off from the outside world and make her mine.
Buy some ranch out in the middle of nowhere and just get to making a big ol’ family with her. And what do I know about living in the country, or horses, or anything like that?
Absolutely nothing.
But I know there are places in Texas, or Montana, or even plenty of places in California that are wide open and void of people. Places where it can just be the two of us forever.
The way it was meant to be.
And when she stepped away from that door that night to go let Miley know I’d arrived, I knew the real one who’d arrived that moment was her.
She was a woman now. I could see it in the curve in her hip as she walked back into her house.
The way her ass moved. A bounce in her step. She still had that youthful exuberance and beauty, but she was grown up now, her dress showing a hint of cleavage.
Breasts that she’d kept hidden all those years underneath T-shirts and simple tops.
And I wanted to cover her right back up so no one could see. No one but me.
That was the night I knew that my sister’s best friend would be mine.
But an entire year had passed since then. I’d tried to talk myself out of it. I told myself to wait.
Reminded myself that she was only eighteen then. That she was going to go to community college here and then transfer to UCLA or USC or somewhere. I didn’t want to get in the way of her studies. I didn’t want to stunt her growth as an adult because I already knew I’d try and do everything for her. Treat her like my princess, my queen. She’d never have to raise a finger.
I kept telling myself not to do what I wanted to do so badly.
But why? She was all I ever thought of. She was on my mind 24/7. I slipped and said her name so many times I couldn’t even count.
Said the beach was “Sadie” instead of sandy. Asked people what they’d “Sadied” when I meant said. Everyone must know by now. Hell, I know.
I’d thought about her so many times in the shower wanting to close my eyes and please myself to the image of her that was bolted to my brain. To imagine my big, calloused hand was her tiny, delicate, feminine hand as I ran it across my body and to my groin.
But I couldn’t. And I promised myself I wouldn’t.
I needed her. I needed the real thing. I wasn’t going to settle for the fantasy of her. No way. I had to have her.
I kept working, taking on more cases trying to put her in the back of my mind, but it didn’t work. I saved money like a man possessed, knowing that money would go towards our first home together whether it be somewhere secluded where I could have her all to myself or somewhere in Los Angeles where we could watch the sun set over the Pacific every night for the rest of our lives.
It didn’t matter where we were. All that mattered is that we were there together.
And right now she’s not by my side and it’s driving me crazy.
But all these extra shifts, all this overtime, has added up. I can afford a house now. Buy one in cash.
Yeah, I can buy a house, but only together can we make it a home.
The two of us as we quickly become the three of us, and then four, and then so many more.
I knew I was being presumptuous, but I didn’t care. I knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of time.
And the time was right.
I couldn’t take the thought of her dressing up and going to that park anymore. Worrying that there might be assholes like there were today trying to lay a finger on her. Damn, just the idea of that made my blood boil.
I needed to get her out of there, and into my arms.
“Earth to Miles.”
I turn and see my boss standing right next to me.
“You okay there, Miles?”
“Yeah. Great. What’s up, sir?”
“I’m standing right next to you saying your name like five times and you’re mind’s off in La-La land.”
“Sorry, sir. What can I do for you?”
“You got that report on the guy from Louisiana who we found in Brentwood last year? I need to take a look at it.”
“Johnson took it, sir. He Saided he filed it away with the records department.”
“He Sadied it?”
“He said, sir. Sorry.�
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“Again with the Sadie stuff.” My boss pauses and a concerned look comes over his face. He breathes out hard. “Listen, Miles…it’s none of my business but you really need to go out there and get this Sadie girl.”
I just sit there not moving a muscle. He’s right.
“You’ve been making these Freudian slips now for an entire year. Just ask her out on a date already and get it over with.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Miles, I’ve been married for over twenty years,” he says leaning closer to me to make sure no one else overhears. “I’m sure you noticed I play the tough guy here at work, and in a lot of ways I am, but I’ve got to tell you there’s nothing better than meeting the one and having her in your life. It’s better than anything…even chasing bad guys and I know how much you love that.” He pauses. “But the real love is in giving your heart to a woman.”
“Sir, call on line two,” our receptionist says to him suddenly. I didn’t even see her there.
“So as I was saying, Miles. Great job. Let’s keep this case confidential,” he says in a much deeper voice as he straightens his back and tries to look all serious now that he almost got caught being a big ol’ softie.
“Yes, sir. Strictly confidential,” I say somehow managing to avoid cracking a smile.
“Carry on,” he says as he walks away.
Once he and our receptionist are out of sight I just shake my head and smile.
He’s right. What in the hell am I waiting on?
She’s mine. It’s time to let her know and officially make her mine once and for all.
CHAPTER 4
Sadie
“Do you need a cigarette?” Belle, my co-worker from our Beauty and the Beast attraction, asks me.
“I don’t smoke,” I say, taking in the surreal sight of Belle smoking a cigarette.
“You might want to consider starting considering how tense you look,” she says taking a long drag. “And speaking of smoking who was that guy I saw you with.”
“He’s mine!” I retort before catching myself. “I mean he’s…my best friend’s brother.”
“Calm down there Snow White. I’m not trying to take him from you. Just asking.”
I want to tell her that I’m just telling her to stay away from him, but my manners kick in and I play nice.
“Sorry. It’s been a long day.”
“I hear you. It was pretty hot today. And speaking of long I noticed he had something pretty long in his pants when he was looking at you.”
“All right! That’s it,” I say taking a step towards her. Her hands go up and back and she shows me her palms in a surrender motion as the cigarette comes flying out of her mouth. It drops and hits me right on the hand, but I don’t even notice the heat. I’m already on fire. “He’s yours. I got it. Just saying that you were turning him on,” she says.
“The only one turning him on,” I say.
“Got it. Jeez!” She walks off from behind the area where the workers take breaks out of sight of the public. Now it’s just me there. Alone.
But I don’t feel alone because she’s gone. I feel alone because he’s gone. When he was here I felt so alive.
Now it’s like there’s a void. Something’s missing. He’s missing.
And he’s what’s been missing my entire life.
I moved around a lot as a kid and was so happy when my mom and I finally settled in Southern California and I made my first real friend.
His sister.
The first few years I didn’t even see him. I was barely even aware he existed as he’d already left their home. I didn’t even see a picture of him until probably the third year. I knew he was good looking and in really good shape, but he was so much older and I wasn’t really into boys then.
But once he finished college he was around a lot more. He’d be over helping his dad do things outside or even helping his mom with chores inside the house.
I’d always wanted a father. Mine had abandoned us before I was born. But between all my mom’s hard work doing everything on her own, and the way he did things in so many different ways to help the family, it showed me I really didn’t need a father…but a brother sure would have been nice.
But as I got older and older I realized it wasn’t a father or a brother that I needed. I didn’t need anyone for that matter. My mom had taught me to be self-reliant.
But I wanted him.
And I wanted him to be my first. My one and only. And I’d been saving myself just for him.
But I never thought he looked at me that way. At least not until my eighteenth birthday party. We had a moment then. I know we did.
But I thought it came and went, but maybe I was wrong.
Very wrong.
The way he looks after me. The way he looks at me.
I can see he wants me just as much as I want him.
My best friend’s brother. But what will she think if something does happen?
Is it worth ruining what I have with the first friend I’ve ever had? And the only best friend I’ve ever had.
I was kind of shy and clumsy growing up, but she never seemed to notice. She would always turn everything into a positive.
“Oh you’re shy? That’s because you’re thoughtful and you think before you speak. And it also means you’re a good friend who doesn’t just jump into relationships, of any kind, with people. You’re worth getting to know because you’re harder to get to know.”
But he knows me. And I want a relationship with him badly. A real relationship.
And my clumsiness? Miley said it was because my legs had grown too quickly and that I’d be tall and long legged when I was older. I appreciated her enthusiasm, but I can’t say I really got anywhere near having that runway model type of body.
But it’s okay. I don’t mind and he sure doesn’t seem to either by the way I caught him looking at my bubble butt the day of my party. I walked back into the house to get his sister but I could see his reflection in the mirror by the entryway. He was checking me out. I know he was.
And now he’s checking up on me. A lot.
And I was checking out his muscles. Wow, is he ever big. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, Belle was right. He is huge everywhere.
I noticed it today and it’s not the first time. He seems to always have a steel rod in his pants when I’m around. And it has to be because he wants to get in my pants.
But not get in my pants. I can see in his eyes that he wants so much more. He’s worked hard all his life to achieve goals. He’s not a short-term thinker and neither am I.
I know he wants something that lasts. A woman for life. And I want to be that woman.
Sometimes I worry about him and his job. Being a U.S. Marshal sounds dangerous. The thought of him ever getting hurt, or heaven forbid worse, scares the bejesus out of me.
I try and pretend like it doesn’t bother me, but then again I try and pretend when it comes to a lot of things…when it comes to him.
I try and act all calm, cool, and collected whenever I see him but I know I’m failing.
I’m too inexperienced in the game of life. I know he doesn’t hold it against me nearly as much as I want him to hold his body against mine. And hover above me as he takes me and becomes my first and only and then lies next to me as we bask in the glow of what we’ve done together.
I can even tell my inexperience is working in my favor. He knows I’ve never been with anyone and he knows that would make me his for life. For eternity. And he wants that just as much as I do.
Just as much as it would be incredible if this did happen and Miley was okay with it.
My best friend as my sister-in-law and the man of my dreams as my husband?
Could life get any better?
No way.
But before any of that happens one of us has to take the first step.
Until then he’s just my best friend’s brother…at least as far as anyone but the two of us knows.
CHAPTER 5
Miles
Three days later
Three days had passed since that day at the amusement park. Three days to give me time to think exactly how I was going to make her mine, whether she expected it or not.
Best Friend's Brother: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 63) Page 2