Best Friend’s Big Brother: Older Man Younger Woman Romance (Tall, Dark and Handsome Billionaires Book 1)

by J. P. Comeau

  All of that seemed to fade tonight as I was dancing with Margo. I completely forgot that I would be going back to an empty house and that my ex-girlfriend was on her honeymoon. All that mattered was that Margo had been in my arms, and I desperately needed to experience it again.

  Ginger had made it abundantly clear, however, that it would not be happening. I understood my sister’s apprehension on some level, but she had to let Margo make her own decisions.

  I opened my eyes while reaching for a bottle of water, and that’s when I saw it: Margo’s clutch, laying on the seat across from me. She must have been so eager to get away from Ginger that she had completely forgotten about it after she pulled out her keys.

  I reached for her clutch and promptly opened it up. It wasn’t large, so I assumed nothing too important would be inside. All I found was a wad of cash, a tube of mascara, some blush, lipstick, and those rice paper sheets that she had used to blot the oil from her face.

  In other words, nothing significant that she’d need right away.

  I held the clutch as my driver headed toward my mansion.

  This is fantastic. Now I have an excuse to see Margo without Ginger around and for a good reason. Surely my sister won’t be upset at my returning her best friend’s purse. Not to mention that when I show up at her place, Margo will be alone.

  Bingo.

  7

  Margo

  My back hit the front door as soon as it slammed shut, and I didn’t move until the sound of the limo driving away filled my otherwise quiet apartment. After letting out a long sigh, I slid my aching feet out of my high heels and stumbled into the kitchen, where my face hit the palm of my hands at the table.

  I was a complete mess inside.

  Ginger’s big brother was precisely the kind of guy I was attracted to. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Or as Guadalupe would say, alto, oscuro y guapo.

  There was no denying the mutual attraction between us, either. Chase hadn’t kept his eyes off of me for most of the night, including the wedding ceremony. He probably didn’t think I had noticed, but he focused on me the entire time. And after having my heart ripped apart by Nick, I embraced the ego boost.

  As the pain in my feet started to subside, I ransacked the refrigerator for a late-night snack. Anything to squash the butterflies that were fluttering a mile a minute within my stomach. It felt as though I were walking on air. I planned on forgetting all about Chase after the wedding and reception and just chalking it up to a fun experience. But then he had to impress me with his dancing skills, and about halfway through the first song, I was emotionally invested in the man.

  The turkey, provolone, and pesto sandwich I made wasn’t half-bad, but it didn’t take care of the butterflies in my stomach.

  Ginger had mentioned her brother on a few occasions, but we’d only been friends for about a year, and therefore, I’d never thought about meeting him. Not to mention, that at the time, I was involved with Nick, who, at that very moment, was probably with one of his many girlfriends.

  I washed the rest of my sandwich down with some water and then headed into the bathroom to remove all of my makeup.

  Chase was either one of those charming men who could make any woman feel special, or we just had great chemistry. Regardless of the reason, I went from wanting nothing to do with men for a while to not being able to think about anything other than Ginger’s older brother.

  And knowing that she wasn’t keen on us even chatting with each other made it even worse.

  I stripped down to just my panties, put on a tiny tank top, and then climbed into bed, hoping that a good night’s rest would cure my obsession. But it was a good hour before I could even fall asleep, despite being exhausted. If I hadn’t been with Chase all evening, then it wouldn’t have taken me more than a few minutes to nod off after the long day I’d had.

  The only thing that I dreamed about that night was Chase with his hands wrapped around my waist as we waltzed effortlessly across the dance floor.

  I woke up to the birds chirping right outside of my window on the balcony attached to my bedroom. I also woke up with a smile on my face and more butterflies in my stomach, thanks to dreaming about Chase all night.

  It had been a long time since I dreamed about a man in a positive way. After Nick had broken up with me, I had recurring nightmares that involved me walking in on him cheating on me. But last night, it was all about Chase and me dancing, followed by dinner at an expensive restaurant, and then going for a walk along the beach. The two of us sat down on the sand and watched the waves crash in, our feet getting wet as we looked up at the full moon.

  But I had just gotten out of a relationship, so naturally, I was a bit apprehensive. I also wasn’t sure how strongly Chase felt about me. Maybe it was nothing but a fun night of dancing to him, or maybe he was sitting at home feeling the same way about me. Whatever his feelings were, I was now over Nick and growing more obsessed with Chase by the minute. I wanted to feel my body pressed against his again, to smell his intoxicating aroma, and just see if we had enough chemistry to pursue a relationship.

  Physically I was drained, but emotionally I was on cloud nine. Being at a wedding was a bit more work than I had anticipated, and I could have used an extra day off to recuperate. I silently chastised myself for not requesting today off and made a mental note to do so if I was ever asked to be a bridesmaid again. The photo sessions, visiting with guests, and working to ensure the ceremony was as picture perfect as it could be was definitely exhausting.

  My hand groggily reached for my cellphone on the nightstand, checking to see if anyone had texted me. I half-expected Ginger to send me an “I’m sorry” message about her obnoxious, childlike behavior at the wedding, but of course, she hadn’t. She was probably waiting to corner me at the spa, where she’d give me every reason in the world not to date her older brother.

  The only message I had was from work. My first client had canceled her appointment, and I wasn’t needed until noon.

  “Well, thank goodness,” I said to myself while sliding out of bed.

  A booked schedule meant more money in my pocket, but my body appreciated being able to relax a little longer this morning. I popped a few aspirin while brewing some coffee, then opened my kitchen blinds. The bright Miami sunshine poured into my apartment. Usually, I’d embrace it, but it was a bit much for someone dealing with a slight hangover.

  The butterflies resumed their fluttering as I waited for my coffee to brew. All I could think about was Chase and wondered if and when I’d see him again. If Ginger hadn’t done everything in her power to keep us apart, then maybe he’d have asked me for my number or even a date.

  Just as I sat down with my morning cup of coffee, someone knocked on my door. The only people who ever came to visit unannounced were my best friends and family, so I didn’t bother putting on a robe.

  I took a big sip of my coffee and then opened the door, not even asking who it was or looking through the peephole. Chase’s eyes met mine as soon as it opened, and I almost dropped my full coffee cup onto the floor.

  “Oh, Chase! Hi!”

  When he looked me up and down, I suddenly remembered that I was only wearing a pair of pink lace booty shorts and a white tank top. As my free hand clutched my chest, Chase started to laugh, and I struggled to think of my next move.

  Of course, I answer the door without a bra or pants on!

  I reached into my hallway closet and grabbed the first jacket, hanging it haphazardly across my chest. Chase continued to laugh as my knees buckled together, and it wasn’t until he handed me my clutch that I started to calm down a little bit.

  “You left this in the limo last night.”

  Sparks went through my body as my hands caressed his, taking the clutch while simultaneously holding onto my coffee and covering up my body. “Thank you. Wow, I didn’t even realize I had left it behind.”

  Chase cocked his head at me and revealed his gorgeous smile once again. “You just now realized tha
t you didn’t have your clutch? How much champagne did you drink last night?”

  I tilted my head and shrugged, still embarrassed that he had seen me half-naked, especially after the intense dreams I’d had about him last night, which featured us tangled up in each other’s arms. The longer he stared at me, the more convinced I was that he could read my mind and knew that I had dirty fantasies about him.

  He cleared his throat and glanced at my coffee mug. “That coffee sure does smell good.”

  “Oh, thanks! It’s an espresso blend from this local coffee beanery. Although, it’s nothing compared to what Guadalupe makes for us down at the spa.”

  Chase dug his hands into his pockets while casually leaning against the door, and that’s when it hit me.

  “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? I made a whole pot.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Once Chase was inside, I excused myself and rushed into my bedroom, where I promptly slid into a pair of jean shorts, a bra, and a pink tank top.

  “Sorry for looking like a hot mess when I answered the door,” I said while walking into the kitchen. “Cream and sugar?”

  “No apologies necessary. I take it black, thanks.”

  We sat down on my couch while nervously sipping coffee, and once again, there was that magnetic attraction.

  I couldn’t take the silence anymore. “Last night was so much fun. Thanks again for dancing with me.”

  “It was my pleasure. So, this is quite the place you have here.”

  I leaned back against the couch a little bit, doing my best to seem relaxed despite being a ball of nerves. “Thank you. I moved here about a year ago, right after Lavender Dreams Spa hired me. I absolutely love it.”

  Chase turned to look out the window directly behind us, which faced the ocean. “There’s nothing quite like waking up to that view, is there? My place has a similar view, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Hurricanes aside, of course.”

  I laughed as he leaned back against the couch, both of us resting our head in our hands while staring at each other. Chase had the most gorgeous set of lips. “Eh, every climate has its fair share of extreme weather. What did you think of the band last night?”

  “They were pretty good. It’s been a long time since I danced.”

  “Well,” I said while leaning in a little bit, “you wouldn’t have known by the way you moved last night.”

  Chase playfully brushed a lock of hair from out of my face. “You’re too kind, Margo. So, are you working today?”

  I took a big sip of my coffee, suddenly aware that my hangover required more caffeine. “Yep. My first client canceled, which sucks, but I also appreciate the extra time it gives me. I have a noon color and a cut. What are your plans for today?”

  “I have a few business calls to make, but then I’ll probably spend the afternoon relaxing. Not sure if I told you, but I travel a lot on my job, and it can get pretty tiring. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing different parts of the country, but I need a day just to relax.”

  “I completely know what you mean. Well, except for traveling the world part. My job keeps me right here unless some famous person suddenly wants me to do their hair and makeup.”

  Chase placed his empty coffee mug onto the table and then looked me dead in the eyes. “I’m just going to come right out with it, Margo. I had the time of my life last night, and I really want to see you again.”

  I could feel myself turning the deepest shade of red possible. “I’d like that too, Chase. Last night was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? I mean, meeting you was a lot of fun.”

  “Truth be told, it’s been a long time since I’ve connected with someone so quickly. Would you like to have dinner with me next Friday night?”

  Without even checking to see if I had any evening appointments at the salon, I nodded. “I’d love to.”

  “Perfect. I think we’ll have an even better time…being alone together.”

  I walked him to the door, and once again, after it shut, my back hit it. But this time, I slid all the way down until I was sitting on the floor.

  It was going to be impossible to think about anything else besides Chase all week.

  8

  Chase

  Jorge and I were hanging out in his penthouse apartment, which he often referred to as his “man cave in the sky,” although I had told him that was redundant. His whole place was a man cave with droves of women coming and going all of the time. It was pretty nice, though. On one end was a pool table and mini-bar, and the end we were on had a modern-sectional and eighty-inch ultra-high-definition television mounted on the wall.

  Jorge kept changing the channels until he finally landed on baseball, then looked at me for approval. I just shrugged at him, though, since I wasn’t in the mood to watch TV.

  “Dude, even I don’t have an eighty-inch television in my house and I design the things.”

  We got together every Wednesday night to have a few drinks, catch up on each other’s lives, and shoot the shit. We discussed our careers, and I was eager to tell him about how things were going with my company lately.

  “Everything is looking up, Jorge. And by everything, I mean all of my products. Laptops, televisions, home security systems—nothing but profits, profits, profits. I won’t have to worry about cash flow for a long time.”

  Jorge held his beer out to me as a way of saluting. “Good for you, man. You certainly bust your ass off trying to get ahead, and I have yet to see you fail. Have you been in touch with anyone from college lately?”

  We had met at the University of Miami, where we shared an obsession for the Miami Hurricanes football team. “No, aside from seeing the typical engagement announcements on my social media timelines. Everybody’s been tying the knot lately. It’s crazy.”

  “Well, that’s what happens when you get to be our age. Just take a look at Paris and John. That was one hell of a wedding, huh?”

  My body tensed a bit, remembering how Jorge’s hands had started to go down to my sister’s ass. “It certainly was a good time.”

  “I have to admit,” Jorge said while leaning forward on his knees, “I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t have spent more time with Ginger.”

  “I bet you were,” I said while giving him a knowing glance.

  But he held up his hands, signaling that it wasn’t what I was thinking. “You made your point clear, man. But she seemed a bit preoccupied with the way you were chatting up Margo. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that she was jealous of the two of you.”

  I chugged the rest of my beer, remembering how bratty Ginger had acted at the reception. I was beyond embarrassed. “What can I say? My sister is overbearing.”

  Jorge wasn’t taking that for a final answer, though. “So, what’s the deal between you and Margo?”

  “She’s a beautiful woman, Jorge. Who wouldn’t be attracted to her?”

  “I knew it, man,” he said while also chugging the rest of his beer. “So, is Margo going to be Amber 2.0? Do I see a relationship on the horizon?”

  It wasn’t Jorge’s fault for offending me with that comment. I had kept my depression over Amber a secret, not wanting anyone to see someone as masculine as myself getting upset over a woman.

  “Actually, I’m not in that kind of mindset right now, man. Just because I was with Amber for so long doesn’t mean I want to dive right into another relationship.”

  Jorge just shook his head at me, refusing to believe it. “Bullshit. I know you too well, Chase. It’s how you’re wired.”

  I reached into the nearby mini-fridge, popped the top off of another beer, and nodded while taking a long sip. “All right, fine. I asked Margo out to dinner. But that’s it, just dinner. I’m not going to rush into anything. Besides, my schedule is jam-packed as it is. I barely have time to use the bathroom between business meetings.”

  Jorge slapped me hard on the shoulder, causing me to wince in pain. “I can’t believe you’re going for i
t with your sister’s best friend! Talk about having guts. I’m surprised Ginger’s even letting you go through with this. You know, since she’s so ahhh…overbearing.”

  “There’s just something about Margo that I can’t shake, Jorge. I know I’d regret it if I didn’t at least ask her out.”

  “Once you shag her, bro, there won’t be anything left to shake!”

  The verbiage Jorge used could be downright disgusting at times. “‘Shag,’ Jorge? Really?”

  He just rolled his eyes at me. “Need I remind you about some of the girls you hooked up with back in college? But, hey, nothing but respect on my part man. Good for you. That’s what men are supposed to do, right?”

  “We haven’t been in college for a long time, Jorge. Those days are long behind me.”

  “You know what I’m talking about, Chase. Once you have sex with a woman, the spark is gone. It’s just a cold, hard fact. Women act like we’re supposed to marry them just because we’ve had sex, but that’s bullshit. I want a passionate life, and eventually, it dies out in a relationship.”

  As I nursed my beer, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any validity to what Jorge said. Was this just a raw, animal, sexual attraction that, once fulfilled, would disappear into thin air? Or could something more serious develop between Margo and me?

  “I’m not like that anymore, Jorge. Not that I’m going balls-deep into a relationship with Margo, but I’m much different than I was back in college.”

  “Whatever, man. You know what I’m saying. But isn’t Margo a lot younger than you, too?”

  “Yeah, she’s about eight years younger than me. So what? We’re both adults.”

  Jorge nodded while staring at the television, which he kept muted the entire evening. “That’s true, and Margo does seem like a nice chick. Hey, you’ve got nothing to lose over dinner, right?”