Forbidden Love (Venture Capitalist Book 1)

by Ainsley St Claire

  She doesn’t look at me as she glances over the menu. “It does?”

  “Yes. This is the first meal we shared outside of work.”

  Looking up from the menu, she replies, “You’re right. It was a good night. The first of many good nights together.”

  Her honesty warms my heart and leaves me hope for a future together. “I did miss you while I was gone.”

  “I missed you, too. But I’m not sure what I want from you. Dillon, you hurt me the last time we were together.”

  It’s hard to hear that I hurt her, but I know I did, and I deserve for her to tell me all about it. “I know. And I hurt you intentionally. My life was a mess, and I was scared of how I felt about you. But that’s not an excuse, and I’m sorry. And I’m not kidding, if you give me a chance, I’ll make it up to you every day for the rest of my life.”

  “Let’s take it one day at a time.”

  The sun is setting behind her, giving her the aura of an angel’s halo. I don’t think I’ve ever loved her more than right now. She’s given me hope for a future, of a life we might be together. One day at a time is a start.

  After a comfortable dinner, we walk back to her house. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want me to come in, so I ask, “May we do this again tomorrow? And for the rest of the week? I need the exercise, and I want to spend time with you. And maybe I can set up a tee time for Saturday?”

  “You sure are persistent,” she says, smiling. “I’ll commit to running tomorrow and to Saturday. Let’s play the other days by ear. I work for this crazy company that doesn’t give me much of a personal life.”

  I laugh at her joke. “Well, let me know when you want me to talk to someone. I’ll go in and give them a real talkin’ to and get you more personal time.” She giggles, and I love the sound. “I’ll pick you up in the morning?”

  “I’ll be ready. Good night, Dillon.”

  “Good night, Emerson.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  Emerson

  We’ve met and run every night for the last four nights, and have hit all three restaurants in the neighborhood. “I can’t take eating another meal in my neighborhood. I thought we could order in from the Greek restaurant in your neighborhood and have them deliver to my place. It’s dinner and nothing more, of course.”

  “I’ll do whatever you want.”

  I stop and turn to him. “While it’s nice to get my way, our relationship should be give and take.” I touch his arm. “I want to do what you want to do, too.”

  “Well then, since the restaurant is in my neighborhood, why don’t we eat at my place?”

  “Okay then, since you’ll feed most of the pita bread to Molly, I want an extra order of pita bread.”

  During a lovely dinner sitting at his dining room table, he asks, “How about Saturday night we have a real date?”

  “Other than playing golf?”

  “Yes. We dress nice, and I pick you up at your house. We head to a nice quiet restaurant where they wait on us. We drink a little wine and enjoy lots of conversation, maybe take a walk after dinner and hold hands. And maybe, just maybe you’ll let me kiss you good night on your doorstep when I drive you home.”

  “I think I’d like that.”

  When I get home, I text CeCe:

  Me: I have a date with Dillon on Saturday night. A real date!

  CeCe: Finally! What are you going to wear?

  Me: Something black.

  CeCe: What about that dark blue backless lace dress?

  Me: That may be a message I’m not ready to send.

  CeCe: So you’d rather wait for a guy who’s emotionally unavailable, insecure, and lives with his mother?

  Me: No. I already found those guys and gave them back, but thanks for the gentle reminder of all the great guys here. I’ll wear the blue dress and my pair of Louboutin sandals.

  CeCe: I’ll give you my 1 p.m. appointment with Marco for a blowout. We need to get you a pedicure and bikini wax.

  Me: I’ll leave it in your capable hands. I need to get some sleep. I have a golf date with Dillon, and he's picking me up at 6:30.

  CeCe: In the morning?

  Me: Yes. Good night.

  CeCe: Good night. Call me tomorrow after your golf game.

  Dillon drives up in his SUV and I kiss Molly goodbye as I run out the door, golf clubs in hand. “You’re early.”

  “I didn’t know how long it was going to take to get coffee.” He walks around the car and looks at me, stopping in his tracks. “You look fantastic.”

  I’m wearing a white golf skirt with a blue geometric pattern and a dark blue T-shirt. Blushing a brilliant shade of pink, I say. “Thanks. I’ve worn this before.”

  “Oh, I remember. Trust me, I do remember.” Dillon smiles wide as he looks me up and down. I roll my eyes and smile, and we set off, driving in silence as we enjoy the beautiful Northern California sunrise and our hot coffees.

  I’m deep in thought when Dillon asks, “We still on for tonight?”

  “Yes, of course. I have to meet up with CeCe this afternoon, but I should be ready. What time do you plan on picking me up?”

  “Well, we have dinner reservations at eight. How about I pick you up at seven, and we can enjoy a drink beforehand?”

  “Sounds good. Are you telling me where we’re going?”

  He gives me a big smile. “You’ll see. I think you’ll like it.”

  I’m not sure what his plan is, but I believe it’ll be a fun night.

  We drive up to the club with enough time to hit a few warm-up balls on the driving range.

  We’re paired with two men Dillon knows but I’ve never met. As we drive up to the first hole, I see the guys are playing from the middle tees. I start to tell them I play from the back, but Dillon puts his hand on my arm and discretely shakes his head.

  After the three men play, Dillon tells them, “Watch this.”

  They’re speechless when I walk to the back tees and tee off, driving within a few yards of them.

  Dillon seems proud as a peacock and says, “Boys, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Emerson Winthrop. She played for Stanford and had an invite to play in the LPGA. I hope you’re ready to get your asses handed to you.”

  My game is a little off this round, having been too busy to get out and practice, but I still enjoy the morning with Dillon. As we finish the final hole, I lose only to him—which in itself is a first. I killed the other guys by over a dozen strokes, but they were good sports about it. They’re kind and invite me to play with them anytime.

  Dillon is almost giddy. “I’ve never beaten you at golf. That was awesome!”

  “You do know that if you do what you proposed to the partners, it’s bound to happen a lot, don’t you?”

  “Maybe. I know you haven’t been able to practice much, but you’re still a single digit handicap and we’re playing from the back tees. Truly you killed me, but I’ll revel in the win until I get you home.”

  On our drive back into The City, he asks, “You didn’t let me win did you?”

  “Never. I’m way too competitive, and I know your ego isn’t wounded if you lose. You won fair and square.”

  “Can I tell Mason and Cameron?”

  “As long as you also tell Sara.”

  He drives up to my house to drop me. “Good point. I’m texting everyone now.”

  I laugh. “There goes my afternoon.”

  Turning to face me, he reaches for a stray curl that’s escaped and pushes it behind my ear. “I can’t wait for tonight. See you at seven.”

  He leans in, and I give him a slow, lingering kiss. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Getting out of the car, he pops the trunk and pulls my clubs out, then kisses me once more. We wave goodbye, and I head inside.

  I have less than an hour to get showered and over to CeCe’s hairdresser. When I arrive at the salon in black yoga pants and a white button-up shirt, CeCe meets me with two glasses of champagne. “One for you and one for me.�
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  Taking the glass, I tell her, “Thank you. Is Andre ready for me?”

  “Not quite yet. He’ll take you after we get you a bikini wax and a pedicure.”

  “Bikini wax? I’m not sure I’m ready for Dillon to be close enough to see my bikini line.”

  Putting her arms around me, she holds me close and says, “Honey, you’ve been pining away for Dillon for the last six months. You don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, but if it happens, it’s important to be prepared.”

  “Fine,” I say, shaking my head.

  What did I get myself into?

  Two hours later, I’m hairless, painted, and blown out.

  “You look mah-vo-las, dahling.” CeCe coos.

  I give her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. I still don’t know where we’re going, but I think I’m ready for just about anything.”

  With a twinkle in her eye, she squeezes my arm and says, “Enjoy yourself. He’s working hard to win you back. I’m sure it isn’t a play. Call me when you get home tonight… or maybe tomorrow morning,” she singsongs.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  Dillon

  I’m nervous to pick her up. I spent the afternoon showering and making sure I’m well groomed. Tonight needs to go well. I’ve never needed anyone, but I need her in my life. I love her, and I want to make sure she knows that. I understand that she may not be ready to be intimate with me, but I’ll wait for her as long as it takes.

  When I arrive at her door, I have a bouquet of red roses and a treat for Molly. Taking a big breath, I brace myself before ringing her doorbell. Please let tonight go well.

  When she opens the door, she takes my breath away. “Wow! You look positively beautiful.”

  She blushes a deep shade of pink and gives me a big smile. “Thank you. So do you.” Turning to hold Molly back, who can smell I have a treat for her and is going crazy for it, I see Emerson looks as good going as she does coming. Her dress is conservative from the front but sexy as hell from the back, a subtle hint of a chain at the nape of her neck with a bare back. Makes me want to slip my hand into her dress. It’s going to take all of my restraint to not want to throw her down and make passionate love to her every five minutes.

  “Molly, down!” she says.

  “It’s my fault. I stopped at the butcher and picked up a good beef bone for her to enjoy while you’re out tonight.” Taking it out of the package, I give it to Molly, who immediately runs off with it to her crate.

  Laughing, Emerson locks Molly in the crate and turns to me. “She already loves you. Now she’s going to want to move in with you.”

  “Only if her mother wants to come with her,” I say with an endearing smile as I hand her the roses.

  “Thank you.” She steps up and gives me a demure kiss on my cheek before taking the flowers. I follow her to the kitchen as she pulls a vase out of a cabinet and fills it with water. “These are stunning and so thoughtful.”

  “Tonight is very special.” I take her by the hand and lead her out to the Town Car. The driver runs out to open the doors for us.

  “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “I suppose I can. I’ve reserved a table at Boulevard Restaurant that’s facing the water, with views of Treasure Island and the East Bay.”

  She smiles at me. “Very romantic.” Her hand rests on my knee, and she leans in. Her closeness sends jolts of energy to my groin, and I’m desperate to show her what she does to me.

  My stomach tightens as I let my eyes run down the long line of her legs. Her dress is pretty, sensual, yet not over the top. I rein in my desire to ravage her and we head to dinner.

  As we walk in the restaurant, I hold her at the waist and kiss her on the forehead. We let the hostess know we’ve arrived and will be at the bar having a pre-dinner drink.

  Sitting down, Emerson asks, “Are you okay to drink? I don’t mind drinking tea or soda if you’ve given up alcohol.”

  My heart melts even further as she thinks of me and my needs. “I think I’ll be fine. I haven’t given up liquor—yet.”

  I signal the bartender, and he walks over. “Welcome, Mr. Healy.”

  “Hi, James. Can we have a bottle of the 2009 Cristal?”

  “Of course, sir. Would you prefer a quiet table here at the bar until your reservation? I can bring you the bottle in a side ice bucket.”

  “That would be perfect. Thank you.”

  As we sit at the small side table and get comfortable, I look at her through the candlelight. I'm not sure she could be more beautiful than she is sitting across from me with the sun setting behind her. My heart is racing in my chest, so much so a light sheen of sweat covers my hands and forehead. It’s almost embarrassing.

  The bartender sets up our champagne and pours us our glasses. Raising the glass, I look into Emerson’s eyes. “Thank you, Emerson, for everything you did for me after my dad’s passing. And thank you for giving me a second chance I don’t deserve.”

  We toast to our future, and we drink and talk. The conversation runs from our friends to work. and we wind up discussing the corporate espionage until we move to our dinner table.

  It’s comfortable to be here with her. I don’t feel the need to impress her. She’s seen the worst in me and is still sitting across from me.

  As I look at her, I know without a doubt that I love her.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  Emerson

  Dinner is incredible. Dillon ordered for us in advance, and we start with raw oysters, followed by an arugula salad and scallops in a butternut squash puree. Each course comes with a glass of a different California wine.

  As dessert arrives, I tell him, “I’m not sure I can eat another bite.”

  “But it’s your favorite, key lime pie.”

  “I’m going to burst out of this dress.”

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing that,” he says with a huge grin.

  As we eat our dessert, Dillon seems to be struggling to tell me something. It takes time, but he finally fesses up. “I know I screwed up, but I want you to know that I did this not because of what a jerk I was, but because Adam was a jerk.”

  I just look at him, not sure what he’s going to say. At the mention of Adam’s name, I want to bolt from the table, but he reaches for my hand and rubs his thumb lightly across my skin.

  “CeCe and I sat down and talked before my dad died. We put a plan in motion. When I confronted Adam, he mentioned that he had your escapade recorded on video.”

  My hand goes to my mouth, my breathing shallow and fast. “Oh no!” I’m beginning to feel dizzy, but he reaches for my hand again and gives it a comforting squeeze.

  “In our business, we know a few people who are black hats. Do you know what a black hat is?”

  I nod. “Yes, it’s a hacker who does illegal things.”

  “Exactly. Well, CeCe and I devised a plan. We used one of my black hat contacts, and we broke into Adam’s cloud accounts and erased his storage. We then had two people go into his house, fill the bathtub with water, and dump his laptop and tablet. At the same time, he was pickpocketed, and his cell phone was stolen.”

  “Are you kidding?”

  “No. We wanted to be sure Adam didn’t have any copies of the video that he could recall and download on another device. That’s where CeCe suggested we stop. I know it would’ve been enough, but I’m still angry about what he did to you, and I believe several other women. We were sure if we got the police involved, it would’ve been ugly and hard on all of you. You didn’t need to be victimized again.”

  “Oh God!” I moan.

  “However, without CeCe’s knowledge, I may have directed the black hats to do some naughty work. We might have gotten access to his credit history and blew up his credit. Oh, and deleted the last four payments on his mortgage. And maybe maxed out all his credit cards.”

  I sit back in my chair, laughing at his antics. “You didn’t! I can’t believe you did that for me.”
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  “Emerson, you’ve always been the woman for me. I knew the minute I saw you speak at the Venture Capital Silicon Valley conference.”

  It all hits me then, and tears run down my face. A video would’ve ruined me, and he protected me. I agree that I couldn’t have been Adam’s first. He was too good. Many women will thankfully never know, and my friends have hopefully prevented Adam from further ruining their lives. And if he’s smart, he won’t do it again.

  Reaching across the table, I cup his cheek. “You’re amazing. Thank you.” I lean over and kiss him softly.

  Dillon pays our bill, and we walk the waterfront hand in hand. It’s such a beautiful night as the fog rolls in, but it soon becomes chilly. I shiver, and Dillon immediately removes his suit coat and puts it over my shoulders. As I warm from the heat it carries, I tell him, “Now you’re going to be cold.”

  He looks down at me and smiles. “I don’t mind. I want to take care of you.”

  I search his eyes to see if he’s telling me what he thinks I want to hear, but I can’t be sure. I’m trying to protect my heart. If he were to break it again, I don’t think I could ever recover.

  He puts his arm around me, holding me close, and I squeeze him tight.

  We stop at the waterfront, and I can feel the heat emanating from him. “Incredible,” I tell him as we watch the traffic drive over the Bay Bridge and the moonlight play across the bay.

  Calling the driver of our car, Dillon lets him know we’re ready to leave. “Let’s get you home,” he says as he leans down and kisses me deeply. I allow his tongue entrance into my mouth, and the kiss sends pulses to my core. I lean in and feel his erection at the apex of my thighs. He wants me, but I don’t know what I want yet.

  Breaking the kiss as the car arrives, he opens the door for me before the driver is able to.

  During the drive, we hold hands and I rest my head on his shoulder. Before I know it, we’re pulling in front of my house. He asks the driver to wait for him as he will be right back.

  Walking to my front door, I have mixed feelings about his leaving quickly. He leans down and gives me a passionate kiss. “When you’re ready and not before then. See you tomorrow?”