Manwhore Heir (The Heirs Book 2)

by Brandy Munroe

  “What did you mean, goodbye, Rick?”

  “Rick, it’s short for Richard.” I was still confused.

  “You never once asked me to call you Rick.

  Are you Rick or are you Richard?”

  “Mac, you’re scaring me. What’s the difference?”

  “There is this guy Rick, he lives on a sailboat, comes in once in a while. A real ladies man, charming, but not very sincere. He picks up women, one night stands, promises he will call, but never does.

  I ask you again, are you Rick or are you Richard?”

  “I’m both. There are the same person. It’s not like some split personality or something weird.

  It’s hard for me to know who wants me for me…or for my name. I have a very healthy sexual appetite and won’t apologize for it. Sometimes I need to release the sexual tension. It makes me who I am in business, in the boardroom.”

  Silence held the room.

  “I don’t force anyone to come back to my boat with me. It’s two consenting adults taking care of each other’s needs. I don’t make any promises anyone expect me to keep. Yes, I take phone numbers, it’s something everyone does. I picked them up in a bar, not the opera. Most women don’t expect me to call them.”

  “I met my husband in a bar,” she glared through me.

  Her hand covered her mouth and tears flooded her eyes.

  “Mac, don’t look at me like that, I’m still the same person you spent the past two days with.”

  “We didn’t use protection,” squeaked out her voice box.

  I approached to take her hand, and she pulled away. “Mac, I would never leave you stranded if something happened,” I reassured her. I was hurt she would think less of me.

  “You fucking asshole. You think I’m worried about being pregnant? You're a manwhore, Rick.

  A. Man. Whore.

  How many women have you slept with that you didn’t use protection? What kind of diseases do I have to worry about?”

  It was my turn to be defensive. “I always use protection. I didn’t plan on getting washed up on a beach with Florence Nightingale. You didn’t seem too worried about that earlier.”

  “Michael and I never used condoms, we were each other first, each others only, until now.”

  Then she threw in my face, “I’m on birth control, so you won’t have any unwanted responsibilities to worry about.” She wasn’t finished with me. “How many women? Earlier you said most women, how many is most?”

  “Too many to count,” I admitted and turned my back to her. It was the first time I felt ashamed of my actions. If I was upfront with her before our first encounter, would she have let me take her? I had to wondered.

  The silence was heavy, the tension thick. Finally she spoke. “Have you ever had a serious relationship?”

  “Once, I dated the same woman for three months. I came home one day and she had bridal magazines scattered over the table. She was looking at Scottish castles to book for weddings. I told her I wasn’t at that point in the relationship. She said all women do these things, it didn't mean anything.

  I asked my sister, and she assured me all women do these things when they plan on getting married. I ended the relationship,” I paused.

  “A couple of weeks later, I ran into her and we hooked up.

  She took that to mean we were going to continue where we left off. I made it perfectly clear that was not the case. It did not end well. She went nuts. I mean bat shit crazy nuts. I had to have security remove her from the building screaming how she was the only one who could give heirs worthy of the Van de Graaf name.”

  Mackenzie shrugged her shoulders. “Once bitten, twice shy. So you decided all women were basically the same and only wanted you for your name?”

  “No, but it makes things easier. I work long hours, travel days at a time. I have only myself to account for, no little woman disappointed at me because I missed another dinner, another birthday or anniversary. I saw what it did to my parents.

  I see what it does to me.

  To have the pressure of being the heir, the successor. I have a lot of people who depend on me. I don’t want any child of mine to feel that. I never had a choice of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was groomed since infancy for this.

  I love this job, don’t get me wrong, but I never had the opportunity to see if I would have loved anything else more.”

  She turned her back on me and remained silent.

  I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

  She slapped them, moving away from my touch.

  “Mac, please don’t let me leave with this between us.”

  Would she listen, understand, or would she let me leave, never wanting to see me again?

  Chapter 12

  Mackenzie

  I tried to absorbed the information I had been given. Was I overreacting? Looking for a reason to be angry with him?

  That was fine, it would make it easier when he left. He never made me any promises, except one. He definitely kept that one. The one that would take a long time for me to forget.

  “I’m sorry if I hurt you, Mac, it was never my intention. None of this was. I don’t want to leave with you hating me. I don’t want you to have any regrets, because I sure as hell don’t. You have to know if anything happens I will take care of you.”

  “I don’t hate you. I don’t regret what we did, either. My only regret is that I didn’t ask enough questions before we lost all control and went a little bat shit crazy ourselves. What was I thinking? We’re practically strangers.”

  I swung around and faced him head on. “I would never have let Rick pick me up in some bar and have a one night stand, got it?”

  “Not even if I told you I had a nine inch tongue and I can breathe through my ears?” he smiled.

  “Oh god, where do you get this stuff,” I cringed. “Especially with a line like that. Got it?”

  “Loud and clear,” he smiled, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me gently on the lips.

  I had gone about it rationally and understood it was something that happened and couldn’t be undone. Like I told him, I was on birth control.There would be no repercussions from our actions.

  I allowed myself to wonder if that would be such a bad thing. A reminder of our time together. Something for me to look forward to. If Michael and I had not decided to wait before having a child, would I have healed faster having a reminder of the love we shared?

  I didn't love Richard, we had sex.

  I needed him to leave so I could return to my life as I knew it, without him. Why did it feel like it had when I was fifteen and found out he wasn't coming, and sixteen, when I realized he was never coming back?

  “How long do you plan on staying out here by yourself?” he questioned, breaking me out of my day dream.

  “The tide should be at its lowest this week tomorrow. That’s when it would be best for me to take the truck across. First I am going to verify with the Coast Guard that there is not another storm heading in or anything that could interrupt the tide.”

  I had thought all this through, the only questionable behavior was what happened to me when I was around him. Good thing for me, he was leaving soon.

  “I’m going to make you a Thermos of coffee to take with you,” I sighed. “It’s still a couple of hours to the mainland. Take the hunting jacket, you don’t want to catch a cold on your way back. Like I said, I want you returned to your family in one piece.”

  He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me one more time. I melted into him, let him comfort me with his touch, one last time.

  “I lied,” I confessed.

  He pulled me closer. “About what?”

  “Knowing what Rick is capable of doing, I would let him pick me up in a bar, even if I knew it was for one night. Just… not with those cheesy lines,” I laughed.

  “You have my cell. You tell me what bar and what night, I will do my damnedest to make sure Rick shows up,” he chuckled with
the wickedest of grins. “On second thought, I would rather Richard took care of that itch should you need it scratched at a later time. That way you won’t have to waste any time teaching Rick how to hit that spot you’re so fond of.

  If you think we have time, I could take care of that one more time if you like?” he was already enticing me with his hand up my shirt, thumbing my nipples. He slid his other hand down my pants and found my clit.

  I didn’t need him to hit that spot to have me on the verse of another orgasm. He only needed to touch me, and touching me seemed to be what he did best.

  I let him play a little longer, my pleasure obvious from the low mewling moans and shallow panting. I could feel my heartbeat through my chest. Then I shuddered from his expert touch.

  “Did that feel good, baby, do you want me to keep going? Do you want me to find that magic spot?” He had me almost willing to tear his clothes off and let him take me one more time.

  Almost.

  I blushed. I knew exactly what spot he was referring to. I doubt I would find anyone who could do that again.

  “It’s getting late, we should head out to the lighthouse and wait for your rescue.”

  “I already am rescued,” he declared.

  I broke from his embrace and grabbed my hoodie.

  I did not want to kiss him, did not want him to kiss me. It would be too much for me to break away when he had to leave. I walked out, leaving him standing. Did he wonder what he had done wrong this time?

  He hadn’t done anything wrong, he had done everything perfectly right.

  I was right about the Coast Guard. They arrived not long after we got to the lighthouse. I was careful not to hold his hand walking alongside him to the dock. I did not want anyone thinking, knowing, what had transpired the last forty eight hours.

  A young woman dressed in a Coast Guard uniform came running towards us. “Rick, I was so worried when I heard what happened.” Then she hugged me. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

  I could not help but snicker at the sight of Richard expressing total embarrassment over the attention he had received. I handed him the Thermos, gave him a hug and wished him well and asked him to tell his father thank you for everything he did when I lost my father.

  I walked back to lighthouse and did not look back. When I reached the top, I pulled out my cell and took pictures of the serine ocean. I stared out the window until he was no longer visible.

  I would delete the email as soon as I reached service. There was no need for us to stay in contact. He had responsibilities.

  I knew that, but my heart was not getting the message.

  I had a good head on my shoulders. My temporary insanity was loneliness and desperation. My common sense would prevail. I knew I had to be done with him.

  When he returned home and back to his life, he would forget about me like he once did. Men like Rick didn’t do commitments.

  Great sex was not a good enough reason to get your heart broken, again.

  Unless it was too late.

  Chapter 13

  Richard

  I arrived at the office with no fanfare. The incident had been kept out of the papers. As far as the staff was concerned, I had taken an extended vacation. I wasn’t there long before my business partner and best friend made an appearance at my office.

  “Why do I have a pair of worn stinky sneakers sitting on my desk?” He looked disgusted, scrunching up his nose.

  “Those stinky sneakers were all I had to wear when I on the island. They are woman’s shoes, but they fit great and felt fantastic. I want to turn these into a unisex boat shoe,” I told him.

  “Interesting concept. We currently don’t have a unisex line, and we did discuss changing that.” Aleksander ran his hand across his face, contemplating the prospect.

  “I want to take your concept and use the one piece shank and polymer for the sole of the shoe for flexibility. We use neutral colors, his and hers matching boat shoes. It’s something totally new for us.”

  “Not as high end as we’re used to,” Aleksander commented, pacing the floor. “We have been looking for a common shoe, something to attract a more versatile clientele.”

  Impatient to hear Aleksander’s opinion I piped in, “What are you thinking, Aleksander? Can this work?”

  “Pure genius, is what I am thinking. Your Florence Nightingale must have really fucked your brains out for you to come back with this,” my partner responded, standing there in my office with a smirk that I wanted to wipe off his face.

  There it was, the feeling Aleksander must have felt when I once referred to his personal assistant, now his wife, as every teenage boy’s wet dream. A former Tranquility Falcons cheerleader. As I put it, not a cheerleader, but the cheerleader.

  “Oh, Christ, Richard, I know that look.” Aleksander sat in the chair opposite my desk. “You let Florence Nightingale get under your skin.” He then laughed and added, “Feels lousy, doesn’t it? Makes you want to wipe this smirk off my face, I guess.

  Ok, no more off color comments about your Florence Nightingale.”

  “You can start by calling her Mackenzie,” I threw at him. “Which also happens to be the name of our new design.”

  “How soon do you want this rolled out? Spring showing is close. We don’t want to miss out on it.”

  “I want to roll it out now, promote it as the new vacation shoe. I don’t want to wait for the next fashion season, I want to introduce it at my thirtieth birthday party. Like a gift to myself.

  Can it be done?”

  “If you want it done, I can get it done. How soon do you want a prototype?” he asked.

  “No prototype, I want to go to production ASAP. I need two pairs, yesterday,” I rambled off impatiently.

  “Are you sure? No testing, no premarket, straight to production? Has that ever been done before?”

  “Once, with our basic black pump, the ones everyone gets when they come to work for us. The ones inspired by the sexy librarian look.”

  “What are they called again?”

  “Sindy.”

  “With an S or a C?” Aleksander inquired.

  “S, what’s it matter?”

  “Isn’t our receptionist’s name Sindy with an S?” He looked towards our receptionist.

  “Shit, Richard, do you name all your shoes after your…” Aleksander paused, “inspirations?”

  “Kind of,” I laughed. “The gold pumps, four inch heels, all flash, very uncomfortable — Amanda.”

  “Restraining order Amanda,” Aleksander shook his head. “Incredible.

  Your Mackenzie — comfortable, practical — is this what we are going to market with?”

  “Too ordinary. I want subtle, sexy, as our tag on these,” I instructed Aleksander with a wicked grin, remembering how sexy my Florence Nightingale was.

  “ A sexy boat shoe. Let me see what I can come up with. I’ll get Haley to help.” His wife was the manager of our new men’s boutique. She had a degree in marketing. I had no doubt Aleksander sought her opinion on more than one occasion.

  “How long did it take you to realize you were in love with her?” my friend snickered.

  “The minute I woke up in that cabin and knew where I was, who I was with.” I sat back in my chair. There was no sense denying it. My lifelong friend would know the tell. “She was the one that got away, the one I let get away. I don’t know how to stop it from happening again.”

  “Don’t let it, go get her.”

  The answer so simple, so easy, go get her.

  What if she didn’t want me?

  Was I willing to risk the fall from the rejection? People counted on me. I did not have the luxury of floundering, looking for true love. That was not my destiny.

  “I don’t have time to go chasing a dream of a love long lost. I need to get back to business. I want this in production by the end of the week. I want a full inventory to launch the day after my birthday, after we premiered it.”

  “Do you want me to s
end out a company wide email, see who wants to work on this? It could be a great learning experience for some our new interns. Like you said, business as usual.”

  “Great idea, thanks for your help on this. I have a lot of catching up to do because of my extended vacation,” I laughed.

  Aleksander walked to the door, checked the hallway like a covert spy, closed the door and sat across from me.

  “The board was worried about a take over,” he paused, “from Aaron.”

  “Aaron,” I laughed. I doubt my half brother would have any interest in taking us over. My father had made it very clear, that if Aaron wanted to be a part of this company, we would take him in with open arms.

  “Aaron deals in commodities, not fashion.” My jaw tightened, my eyes narrowed. “How long did it take the board to write me off?”

  “Your father made it perfectly clear, every resource at his disposal would be used to find you. Including the press if need be. He didn’t care if the public found out and stockholders bailed. He pulled out his check book and offered to buy back each share. Then and there.

  His only concern was getting you back, even if that meant putting the company at risk.

  The board on the other hand, all business, worried Aaron might come in and swoop us up under one of his shell companies,” Aleksander said. “Your father made it very clear that Aaron would never take advantage of us like that. He had too much integrity.”

  “Good, now get me that shoe,” I responded.

  The minute Aleksander left the room, I pulled out my phone and looked through my emails. I couldn’t find the one I was looking for. The picture of Mac and I. I wanted to get it printed and framed for my desk.

  I decided against it. That would create too many questions I did not have the answers to.

  Also, it wasn’t there.

  She would have gone back to town by now. Why hadn’t she made any attempt to contact me? She must have cell reception by now. I would text her, make the first move. When was the last time I made the first move?

  Never.

  Aleksander was right, this did not have to be hard, go get her.