by Alexa McLean
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “Because I would have known about it.”
“My guy is pretty reliable. I’d be surprised if he was wrong.” Reis returned to his seat. “But I suppose you can do with the information whatever you’d like.”
“Okay, what else did he say?”
“Well, he still doesn’t know what they were discussing at these meetings of theirs but he hopes to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later. I have him working around the clock to figure it out.”
“And how much is that going to cost?” I bit my bottom lip. With all the bills I had to pay, adding another one to the mix wasn’t exactly the ideal situation.
“You won’t have to worry about a dime.”
“Reis,” I said. “I’m not here to use your money. If you are paying for this guy then I want to know how much it's costing you.”
“And I’m telling you that it’s my gift to you.”
“Well, it’s a gift I do not want. Other girls might be okay with sucking away your money but I’m not. It’s not mine to spend.”
A small smile painted his lips. “I’m glad to hear that but I’m still going to pay for it.”
I sighed. “You’re just as stubborn as ever, aren’t you?”
“I’d say even more so.” His smile deepened. “But I thought you had figured that out by now.”
“I’m quickly learning.” I returned. “But seriously, I’m going to need that bill.”
“Not going to happen.” He said with a chuckle. “Unless, of course, you’re willing to pay me.”
“Pay you? Why would I need to pay you?”
“Because I have the information you want and information doesn’t come cheap these days.”
I studied his face for a moment. I could tell that he was up to something – that much was obvious. “Okay, what do you want from me?”
“Just one thing.” He pressed his fingertips together in contemplation.
“And that thing is...?”
“A kiss.”
To my own surprise, I got up and marched over to his chair. I placed my hands on the armrests and leaned forward until our faces were but inches apart. My heart raced with anticipation. His scent intoxicated me. It was a manly mix of leather and musk. My mind became mush as our lips came together.
He had kissed me before but for some reason, this was different. My heart was ready for it this time and it wasn’t it to last.
Before I knew what I was doing, I was sitting on his lap with my arms wrapped around his neck. As the kiss intensified, I tangled my fingers into his hair and pulled him a little closer.
My tongue tangled with his, twisting this way and that.
At this point, my heart was beating so quickly that I feared it was on the verge of explosion. Still, I continued to kiss the billionaire because deep down I knew he was the man I had always wanted.
His hands found their way onto my ass.
Soon, his tongue invaded my mouth and dominated my own.
My lungs burned for air but I ignored the feeling as I focused on getting closer. I was straddling him but Reis didn’t seem to mind. His fingers dug into my flesh and pulled me into a more comfortable position. I could feel him growing underneath me and I have to admit that it was rather exciting to know that he wanted me so badly.
But then I pulled away. “I think that’s payment enough.”
“Is it?” Reis growled before he pulled me in for yet another kiss. His lips pressed against mine with such hunger than it made my head spin. I held his face as my body started to shake. I could tell that I was getting wet and the more we kissed the wetter I became.
But things were getting too frisky too quickly. I wanted him, yes, but I wasn’t ready for it yet. I didn’t want to rush into a relationship – especially a sexual one – without knowing exactly what I was getting myself into. “Reis,” I said with a slight shake of my head.
He sighed. “Alright. I guess you’ve done more than enough to pay me.”
Hesitantly, I pulled myself off his lap. When I tried to walk back to my chair, my legs felt like they were made of rubber. My face burned with desire.
Behind me, Reis chuckled.
“So, how much do you pay this guy?”
He shrugged.
“Oh, come on, I gave you exactly what you wanted. You can’t just go back on your word like that!” I protested.
“Sure I can. What are you going to do to stop me?” His voice was soft and seductive. I knew exactly what he was plotting but I wasn’t going to fall for it. Reis might be smart but I was smarter.
I folded my arms across my chest. “Fine, if that’s the way it’s going to be then you can expect you won’t get any more ‘payments’ from me.”
“I beg to differ.” His voice became husky. “You see, Brandi, I’m the sort of man that always gets what he wants.”
The air in the room thickened with unspoken intentions. I had a pretty good idea of what was going on in that head of his and I wanted to be a part of it. Despite my better judgment, I wanted Reis and everything he had to offer me – happiness, the fulfillment of my childhood crush – everything.
“Anyway, I don’t mean to change topics all of a sudden but my private eye wants to know if there’s anything in the house that might help his investigation.”
I blinked. “What?”
Reis did not answer. Instead, he gave me a minute to catch up with my thoughts.
“Well, I suppose if there is anything it would be in my father’s study. I haven’t found the... time... to go in there yet. If there are clues to be found, that would be the place.”
“Mind if we check it out when the diner closes?”
“Shouldn’t we leave the investigating to this private eye of yours?”
“Well, I figure if I do some investigating of my own, you’ll be forced to pay me rather handsomely.” He said with a smirk.
“You’re such a guy. Seriously is that all you guys think about?”
“Guilty as charged but if you really must know, I also think of you becoming my wife one day.”
I nearly choked. “What?” I sputtered.
“You heard me.”
Chapter 10: Reis
BRANDI LOOKED LIKE I had just slapped her across the face. Was the thought of marrying me really so horrible? I swallowed back my injured ego and rose to my feet. “In the meantime, why don’t you put me to work. I bet there are some dishes I could wash or some tables that need to be wiped down.”
“I already told you, I don’t want you to work for me.” She tried to discourage me but I was already out the door. Behind the counter, I grabbed a rag and started for the tables.
“Reis,” Brandi said in a stern tone of voice.
I ignored her and began to clean off some of the booths. Whoever had sat here had left quite the mess. There were crumbs all over the place and even a few crayons. I made sure to get every little crevice. As I did so, I felt the heat of Brandi’s stare. She was watching me, that much was obvious but was she fuming with irritation or enjoying the show?
To entice her a bit, I bent down to grab something abandoned on the floor. I don’t care what anyone says. Most women enjoy butts just as much as men do. If I had to guess, Brandi was no exception.
“You’re so difficult sometimes.” She huffed before walking away.
I frowned. Working wasn’t nearly as much fun without an audience. Nevertheless, I continued to clean off the booth with an ample amount of elbow grease. When I was done with that, I volunteered to take out the trash. One of the bags sprung a leak and a strange colored ooze dripped onto my genuine leather shoes. I cursed under my breath and tried to shake it off.
“Not as easy as it looks, is it?” Brandi was leaning against the doorway. “I think you’re better off staying in the corporate world. It’s clear that’s where you belong.” She paused and glanced up at the moon. “You left this town because you knew you were better off without it. You’re wasting your time
here. There’s nothing for you to save...”
I crossed the parking lot and took her by the shoulders. “That’s not true at all. I’m not better than this place. This town is my roots and it’s always important to remember where you come from.”
“Oh, don’t give me that. You were more than willing to leave this place when the opportunity arose. You didn’t give me or anyone else a second thought.”
“What was I supposed to do?”
“You could have at least said goodbye.” Her body language was guarded and she had her head turned away from me.
“I couldn’t,” I admitted. “The thought of facing you. I just couldn’t do it. I knew if I did, I would lose my resolve.”
“So, you decided instead to run away. Do you know how betrayed I was when I found out? Some best friend you were.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “Back then, you meant the world to me and then one day you just up and vanished.”
“I’m sorry.” I tried to take her hands but she pulled away.
“It’s too late for that.”
Before she could walk off, I grabbed her by the wrist. “No, listen to me.” Our eyes locked and I took that as the okay to explain myself. “This town doesn’t offer much in terms of opportunities. I knew if I wanted to make a name for myself, I had to leave. At the same time, I knew that meant leaving you behind because there was no way I was going to convince you to come with me. So, I went off with the hope that I would come back one day and treat you like the Queen you are.”
Brandi responded with a scoff. “A Queen? You’ve got to be kidding me. If you really believed that baloney, you would have come back years ago.”
“You have a point.”
“I know I do.”
“But the truth is, I was scared. I was more than certain that you had already met someone in my absence. And I wouldn’t have blamed you. But I didn’t want to come back and find out.”
“You’re an idiot.” She said, slapping my chest. “Don’t you know I’ve been waiting for you all this time?” The words seemed to slip right out of her mouth because the second she realized what she had said, her cheeks burned a bright pink.
I offered her a smile and pulled her into a hug.
She didn’t fight me but at the same time, she didn’t return the gesture. If I really wanted to break through to her it would take more than a few late-night explanations. I needed to regain her trust and sometimes that was harder than anything else.
“Anyway, I think my shift is over,” I said by means of breaking the awkward silence that had settled between us. Hesitantly, I released her from my hold and together we returned to the diner. The wait staff was busy dividing up their tips. They slid a portion of it in my direction. I chuckled, reached into my wallet, added $100 to the mix, and pushed it back towards the tip jar. “Keep it.” They all gawked at me.
I ignored their looks as I stepped into the locker room and exchanged my apron for my sports jacket. I buttoned it up and adjusted my cufflinks.
“Are you still going back to my place to check out my father’s study?” Brandi asked as she fixed the collar of my shirt. She did so with a delicate touch that took me by surprise. “You know, you look quite handsome when you wear a suit. It definitely looks better than the baggy jeans you used to wear when we were kids.”
“I’ve gotten my fashion sense up to par.” I boasted. “Now I dress to impress.”
“And who are you looking to impress in this sleepy little town?”
“You.”
She turned around before I could see her blush. It was a slow progress but I could tell I was getting through to her. All I had to do was keep working at it and she would be mine soon enough. After all, good things come to those who wait, right? And I had certainly waited long enough.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I called out when Brandi headed toward the sidewalk. “My car is this way.”
“I can walk, thank you.”
“I don’t want you catching a cold. Besides, there’s no telling what could happen. I would rather you ride with me. It’s safer that way.”
“Reis. Did you forget where we are? This isn’t New York City. The crime rate around here is almost nonexistent. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not going to take no for an answer.” I took her by the hips and pulled her into my body. “If I have to, I’ll drag you back to my car kicking and screaming.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.” I challenged. “It might even be a bit of fun.”
“There’s no winning with you.” She held up her hands in defeat.
“Of course there is. I win all the time.” I said with a wink. “Now, come on, it’s getting cold and this jacket wasn’t made with insulation.
“I don’t remember you being such a wimp.”
“A wimp?” I repeated. “Did I just hear you call me a wimp?”
“That’s right.” She said with a smirk.
Suddenly, I swept her off her feet. She struggled against me but I held her in a firm embrace. “Could a wimp do this?” I rolled her over my shoulders and lifted her into the air like I was performing a bench press.
She squealed like she expected me to drop her or something but I would never dare do such a thing. Brandi meant way too much to me for me to put her in any sort of danger. So, I carefully brought her back down and looked into her eyes. They were so lovely that they brought me into a trance-like state. Given the chance, I would have stared into the depths until the end of my days.
Eventually, we reached my car. With one arm, I supported her weight so I could open the passenger door. Slowly, I eased her into her seat and even helped with her seatbelt. She didn’t say a word. “You’re cute when you pout like that,” I said as I kissed the tip of her nose. “And incredibly difficult to resist.”
Her cheeks reddened at my comment but still, she did not say a word. So, without a choice, I rounded the car and sat behind the wheel.
“Brandi.” I turned. “When are you going to give up?”
“Huh?”
“I know that you’re fighting me – that you’re scared of what might happen if you open up to me again. And I understand, you feel like I betrayed you in the past but I promise I will never do that to you again.”
“Trust takes much more than that.” She said. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t really know who you are anymore. Maybe you’re still my childhood best friend or maybe you’re someone different. Until I figure that out, I choose to keep my distance and you would be smart to honor that decision.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I never meant to force myself on you.”
“Just drive.”
Chapter 11: Brandi
OUT OF THE CORNER OF my eye, I could see the hurt I had inflicted on him. I wanted to take back all that I had said but, at the same time, I knew I was making the right decision. With the diner going under, a relationship with Reis would look like nothing more than a desperate attempt at financial stability. Even though that was not my intention, I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
I loved Reis but that was precisely the reason why we could never be together. It would ruin everything. All I could hope for was that we would remain friends.
But even that was a little farfetched. That kiss in my office had proven that he liked me much more than a friend. Things had already progressed beyond the saving point and honestly, I didn’t know what to do about it.
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT my house, I was the first one out the door. There, I struggled to find my keys. My purse had a bad habit of swallowing everything I needed into a bottomless black abyss.
Reis waited patiently by my side for a few minutes before he reached inside my purse as well. His fingertips brushed against the back of my hand and it sent a wave of electricity through my body. I stopped, frozen in place.
Our heads turned in exactly the same moment so that our eyes came together and our lips nearly touched. “I think I got it...” I stammered, tripping over my
own words. It was extremely difficult to ignore this man and everything he did to my body. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. But if I gave into these feelings then I’d be falling for the lust – not love – and that was always a mistake.
Finally, I snatched up my keys and managed to open up the door despite the shaking of my hands. Inside, Reis disappeared into the kitchen while I stepped into the bathroom. I decided to change into something a little more comfortable since I was tired of wearing my diner uniform. When I emerged from the bathroom, Reis was already in the living room with some sandwiches. “I don’t know about you but I’m famished.”
My stomach growled in response. “Best idea you’ve had all day,” I said as I sat down beside him.
We ate our sandwiches in silence. There was so much I wanted to say but instead of getting them off my chest, I kept them bottled up inside.
“Well...” Reis slapped his hands against his knees. “There’s no point in stalling. Let’s get started, shall we?”
I lingered in the hallway before entering my father’s study. I had been avoiding the place. It smelled too much like the old man and I had way too many memories to cope with. Still, I had to get this over with or it would just keep hanging over my head like an angry storm cloud. So, I took a deep breath and crossed over the threshold for the first time since his passing.
For the most part, all we found were old bills. Most of them had never been paid which only added to my anxiety. His creditors would come to hunt me down soon enough and frankly, I wasn’t ready for them. They were sure to eat me alive.
“He wasn’t very organized, was he?”
“You can say that again.” I huffed as I heaved a cardboard box to the ground. Inside of it were some of my old sheet music. “Jeez...” I whispered to myself. “He kept these?”
“What is it?” Reis inquired as he looked over my shoulder. “Oh my God, is that some of your old music?” Before I could stop him, he snatched it right out of my hand.
“Give those back.” I threatened him with a look of death.