Protecting Maya

by Nicole Casey

  In a few hours they would all be gone, and my house would be mine again after years of sharing it with anyone who wanted it or needed it.

  “Can’t we just stay for –”

  “No, you can’t,” I interrupted shortly. “You and Luke have to be out just like everyone else. You have had two months to prepare for this.”

  “This is insane, Mal. You’re going to miss us when we’re gone and we’re not coming back!”

  I knew there was some truth to her words.

  I likely would miss her annoying, squirrel-like face and silly chirping. She and Luke had been in my house since the start.

  I suppose that was also the reason that they had to go the most.

  Reminders of what this house once was will not help me.

  There had been some thought toward selling it, but it was still worth something and I did love the creaky old place with its wainscoting and original woodwork.

  No. I can start new on an old foundation. It happens all the time. Same framework, different furnishings, I thought, smiling to myself.

  “I’m glad this is so amusing to you!” Sterling screamed in frustration, but I didn’t flinch.

  Her outbursts were old news to me.

  I watched as she stormed out into the yard, flapping her arms like some rabid bird as she complained to Luke who stood listening impassively.

  They really were a couple I would never understand.

  But they worked.

  Like Slade and Maya I suppose. Opposites attract as they say.

  As hearing my thoughts, the back door opened, and I heard Maya’s voice call out to me.

  “Hey? You home?”

  “In the front room,” I replied, my voice echoing through the near empty ground floor.

  Chase and Trixie had left the previous day.

  That meant it was only Sterling, Luke and Chanel left to go.

  If Sterling and Luke ever left.

  “What are you doing?” Maya asked as she sauntered in, looking around at the barren space.

  “Watching Sterling throw a fit,” I replied, grinning.

  I did a double take as my eyes fell on her.

  “You’re wearing a business suit,” I commented, unsure of how I felt about it. She looked beautiful as always, but the attire was so unlike anything I had ever seen her in.

  Maya laughed and threw her head back.

  “Apparently running a business means I am supposed to look professional; even if it is a doggy hotel and daycare.”

  “Well you look great,” I insisted, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “How is Slade liking the change of pace?”

  Maya shrugged.

  “He doesn’t look like he’s about to fall into the throes of cardiac arrest every day so that’s something. And Rocco loves it. Happy dog, happy honey I believe the adage goes,” Maya said. “What about you? How are you handling this?”

  I nodded amiably.

  “This has been a long time coming.”

  “Yeah?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “You sure?”

  I studied her face.

  “You inspired me to do it,” I explained, and confusion colored her face.

  Suddenly she looked shamed.

  “Oh Mal, I thought that you and I –”

  “No!” I interceded, holding up my hand. “I don’t mean it like that at all. I mean that when you and Slade hooked up, it made me suddenly look around at my life and wonder why I lived the way I did. I used to think it made me happy, but I realized that having people come in and out of my life like this was a way to keep me from feeling lonely since my divorce.”

  “Really?” Maya seemed dubious, but I was being truthful.

  “I thought of myself as someone who would never fall down the path of love again because it’s too rigid and you’re only setting yourself up for pain – you know the whole spiel better than anyone.”

  Maya nodded, still listening.

  “I never gave living a shot after my divorce. Don’t get me wrong,” I continued. “I loved my life here with all you guys and the time I spent with you but now…”

  I inhaled deeply and smiled serenely.

  Maya’s smile widened, and she nodded wisely.

  “I know what you mean,” she laughed, grabbing my hands in her and kissing them sweetly. “I am happy if you are happy, Mal.”

  “I really am happy,” I said.

  The front door opened, and we turned as Cara walked inside.

  “Oh! Hi…Maya, right?” she asked.

  I lowered my eyes sheepishly as Maya tried to place the chipper redhead.

  “I’m so sorry, you are…?”

  “Cara. I used to date Troy? We met the night he stalked you over here. I testified at his trial?”

  Maya’s face seemed to change six colors in five seconds.

  “Of course,” she choked, looking at me. “How nice to see you! And thank you for that…uh, I mean the trial thing.”

  “Sure!” Cara said brightly. “I think I always knew there was something wrong with that guy.”

  She turned her attention to me as if she had already forgotten about Troy.

  “So babe, if most of the stuff is out, can I start unpacking my truck in here now?” she asked.

  I nodded quickly, swallowing a smile at Maya’s dazed expression.

  “I’ll be out to help in a minute,” I promised her as she turned back to the yard.

  “You’re living with Troy’s ex-girlfriend?” she screeched, and I shrugged.

  “It just kind of happened,” I muttered.

  Maya whooped and jumped into my arms, kissing my cheeks with happiness.

  “I am so glad for you both. Make sure you invite us to your housewarming!”

  “Only if you invite me to your wedding,” I joked but Maya’s smile faltered slightly as she stared at him.

  “Now that you mention it…”

  I gaped at her.

  “I was kidding! You’re getting married?” I demanded, and she nodded shyly.

  “You’ll get your invite in the mail like normal people do I suppose,” she laughed.

  I embraced her again and suddenly I realized something important.

  There was no pang of desire for the girl whom I had once shared my bed.

  I still loved her dearly of course but I saw her as my little sister, my best friend. But not a lover.

  “How about that,” I murmured.

  “What?”

  “We are both exactly where we are supposed to be.”

  “Fate always guides the way,” Maya replied. “Even if it needs some helps sometimes.”

  - THE END -

  The Billionaire’s Bid

  Mercury Billionaires Book 2

  >>Click Here to Get Book 1 for FREE <<

  Book Description

  My name is Preston Maxwell and I've had every girl a man could wish for and then some.

  Well, every girl but her: Lyla Bishop.

  I met Lyla in the hospital when I hurt my wrist and she happened to be the nurse to help check me out.

  Gorgeous and hot, she makes my dreams wander into the dirtiest recesses of my mind. The fact that she's a virgin just makes me want her so much more.

  There's just one problem. Lyla Bishop is a cold, uptight bitch who doesn't fall for the one-liners and suave tactics of guys like me.

  I thought it was hopeless. I thought she would forever remain as nothing more but a kinky fantasy in the back of my mind... and then I saw her at the auction, showcasing her smoking hot body for the highest bidder. She's got her own problems at home, financial ones, and that just opens more opportunities to make her mine.

  Maybe fate was toying with me, but I had to take this chance to have her, right?

  1

  Lyla

  “Hey Lyla, can you get these papers to the patient in Room 316?”

  I looked up from the chart and I saw my boss, Robert, handing me sheets of paper. I grabbed them and took a glimpse. They were processing paper
s for checking out of the hospital. “Sure,” I told him as I put my chart down and quickly fixed up my uniform before heading out of the nurse station.

  Room 316 was just around the corner but as soon as I entered the hallway I saw a group of other nurses all huddled close to the door.

  “What are you three doing here?” I asked as I approached them.

  Mikaela looked at me and pointed towards Room 316. “You won’t believe who’s checked in.”

  “Are you checking him out?” Jennifer asked me. She had those ridiculous earrings on again. I thought Robert already scolded her about wearing jewelry while on the job? “Please let us check him out. I only got to talk to him once and that was just to follow up on his chart.”

  Karen pinched Jennifer’s arm and shook her head before she faced me and said, “No. I should be the one to check him out because I’m the one who checked him in.”

  “You guys have gone completely nuts,” I said and ignored all three. I walked into the room and instantly, I understood why they were going bonkers over this one patient.

  He was every woman’s fantasy come to life.

  He was the embodiment of the saying “tall, dark and handsome” and even had a big, muscular body to support his dashing looks.

  When I walked in, he was busy talking to someone on the phone. He didn’t even notice I was there.

  “Huh? No, I don’t care about the expenses,” he told the person on the other end of the call. “I can pay for it all. Yes, I got this.”

  I didn’t want to wait that long, however, and walked to his bed so he could see I was there. He just continued blabbering on the phone and it wasn’t until a few moments more that he noticed me standing there.

  “Sure, we can assess that when I get to the office and…” he trailed off the moment he saw me. I watched as his devilish blue eyes studied me from head to toe.

  Wait, was he checking me out? I could feel the flames begin to rage inside me when I realized he was staring at my legs and my chest. When I opened my mouth to say something he just gave me a wink and a smile.

  “I’ll call you back,” he ended his call and then looked at me with a big smile on his face. “What can I do for you, baby?”

  Did he just call me baby? My jaw dropped and I just stared at him, appalled at just how much arrogance and pride could be stuffed into one human being.

  “Yeah, I know I’m hot,” he finally said and snapped me back to reality. “However, I do see you holding papers. Does this mean I can go? I have an important meeting to attend. Unless, you know, you got plans to keep me here and let me stare at you for a day or two.”

  I couldn’t even believe the balls on this guy. I raised an eyebrow and shoved the papers to his face. With a sarcastic tone and my eyes shut, I said, “Here’s your billing and check out papers. Please go over them and sign them so we can help you out.”

  “I don’t think I’m fit enough to leave,” he replied as he looked at me one more time. I could feel his gaze undressing me.

  That made me wonder why he got admitted into the hospital in the first place. I checked his documents and saw he only sprained a wrist while moving boxes. I rolled my eyes and said, “Mr. Preston Maxwell, you’re fine. A sprained wrist is a million miles away from a dying kidney. Doc Rubens already cleared you out.”

  For a moment I thought I got him, but to my surprise, he just chuckled and looked at me and said, “Snarky. I like a woman who’s got some fire in her.”

  “Oh, for the love of God!” I exclaimed – maybe a little too loudly. I quickly gathered back my composure, grit my teeth to calm down and then once more handed him his discharge papers. “Please, Mr. Maxwell, just look this over so I can go. I’ve got other patients to attend to.”

  Luckily, he didn’t try to fool around much longer and he did sign the papers. I took them back and walked my way to the door. At the last moment, maybe due to a gut feeling or because I did want to get one more look at him, I turned around… and he was looking right back at me.

  “See ya around,” he said with a wink and nod. His gaze wasn’t on my face but on my ass. I didn’t know if I should’ve been flattered or enraged. His stare did painfully remind me that I was wearing a really tight uniform.

  “Ugh, you’re impossible,” I said, mostly to myself than to Preston. I waved farewell and walked out the door.

  As soon as I closed the door my co-nurses flocked to me and started asking questions. Did I find where he hangs out? Did he ask me out? Is he still single? What kind of girl does he like?

  I tried my best to avoid their constant bugging and soon enough I pushed Preston Maxwell out of my mind. The hospital was a busy place and I had so many other patients to attend to.

  2

  Preston

  “Thank you sir,” I told the old, retiring CEO of Emerald Corner as I shook his hand. I winced when he gripped a little too tight. My wrist was still a little paining but I at least could still move around to sign papers and all.

  “No, thank you,” he replied as we all stood up and began to leave the conference room. Around fourteen other people – Emerald Corner’s board of directors and a few of my own people – began filing out the door. “If it wasn’t for you I’d have to lay off a lot of people.”

  I grinned back and acknowledged that sentiment. “We’ll have to do a little shuffling but I assure you we won’t be firing anyone.”

  He let out a sigh of relief, and once he was walking down the hallway, I bid farewell to my employees and took the next elevator back down. It wasn’t a solitary trip, however, as I found myself accompanied by a stunning young woman in a short pencil skirt.

  Damn, she’s got really nice legs. I couldn’t help but stare. Who cares if she spotted me? She looked like someone who could appreciate a good-looking man like me.

  “Hey there darling,” I spoke up and she turned around. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her almost immediately biting down on her lip when she recognized me. She had the most delightful pair of green eyes and long blonde hair too. It was like someone took a perfect beauty model and stuffed her in an office elevator just for me. It was like Christmas in June.

  “O-oh, hi there sir,” she purred like a kitten and never took her eyes off me. “You’re Mr. Maxwell, right?”

  I gave a nod and gestured with my finger for her to move in closer. She did.

  “Oh my,” she said with exaggeration. She pushed her hair back, allowing me to get a better view of her neck and her cleavage. It was like she was begging for me to take her, right there in the elevator. “I guess with you acquiring our company, you’re going to be my new boss soon.”

  Purely by instinct, I took a step forward and gave her a long, passionate kiss. I could feel her body tense when I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in closer. Her lips parted and our tongues clashed as I deepened my kiss further… and then I backed away, just a second before the elevator rang and the doors opened.

  “I’ll see you around,” I teased with a smile and wink. I walked out of the elevator as she got busy fixing herself, tugging on her blouse and skirt before she would walk out and get back to work. When I looked back one more time, she had a gigantic smile on her face and that alone was worth the effort.

  Once I got into my car and back on the road, I realized how early it was. I couldn’t believe I managed to hurt my hand, get stuck in a hospital and go back to work all before rush hour in the afternoon.

  Thinking about the hospital made me think of that nurse. Damn, she was a snarky little bitch but she was really cute and petite too. Petite girls were always the best ones; they were always so wild and so fucking tight. I could already imagine how that nurse’s tight pussy would squeeze my dick when I get the chance to fuck her.

  Fuck, that thought was turning me on.

  Buzz!

  I slowed down as I reached for my phone. It was my friend, Trevor. Somehow all my buddies found out I just acquired Emerald Corner and were inviting me to celebrate. Well, I could use a few
drinks and maybe a dance with a few random babes.

  With a big smile I took a left turn at the next intersection and headed for Trevor’s bar and restaurant, Mercury Wild.

  * * *

  “Here’s to your success,” Trevor raised his glass of wine.

  I looked around as the men seated at the table. I smiled and then raised my glass and said, “Here’s to your success too. Here’s to your fiancée and here’s to the success of Mercury Wild.”

  “Cheers!” everyone cried out and drank.

  I was really thankful to be here. Marcus was here; he worked at a bank. Dylan was one of our closest friends and he was a big deal real estate broker. Seated beside me was Damon, an actual professional football player. I only just recently got to know him but so far he’s turned out to be a really chill guy. Then there was Daxter. He used to be a firefighter but one day he saved a woman who turned out to be an agent for a modeling company. She figured he was hot – I guess he should be since girls were always flocking to him – and he became a model.

  Out of our whole group, Trevor was the one with the biggest success. Sure, he wasn’t as financially successful as Dylan or Damon but his fiancée, Jasmine, made all the difference. Ever since she came into his life, things turned up for the better.

  Mercury Wild really grew in popularity and it was all her doing. Just a few months back it was down in the gutter and the owner, Trevor Wild, had to wipe tables and serve customers himself because he only had a handful of workers. Then Jasmine came. She worked for a business consultancy agency and it was her ideas that made his business bloom.

  “Hey, where’s Jasmine?” I asked Trevor as soon as I finished my drink.

  “She’s doing some QA work with the bookkeeper. You know, you ought to get a girl like her, man.”

  “We all wish we had a girl like yours,” Marcus commented and everyone agreed.

  Right now, I didn’t need a girl like Jasmine. I just wanted someone like that goddamn nurse. Even now I could picture her in my head… I could still see her jet-black hair, milky white skin and that tight, firm body wrapped in that kinky nurse uniform.