My Bossy Protector: A Best Friend’s Brother Romance Page 11

  He looked like Max, but that wasn’t possible. He was just in my mind was all. Still, I watched as he said something to the woman and she crawled between his legs to take his huge cock into her mouth. He grabbed her hair and moved forward. I gasped. My experience with that was when Braden was drunk one night and tried to force me on him before passing out. I hated it, but this girl looked like she was eating a meal after starving for years. The way he gripped her straight hair and thrust inside of her mouth made me blush. I felt heat washing between my legs.

  Arousal throbbed inside of me while I watched him hold her head and pump into her mouth. I knew how this was going to end. She seemed to move harder right along with him. She obviously wanted to taste him. I let my mouth drop open as he stilled before pulling away from her. The woman dropped back with a smile and I squeaked in surprise.

  What was I missing?

  He stroked himself, getting hard right away. I kept looking from behind my curtain. The woman watched him with a dreamy expression before she turned on her stomach, getting on her knees as he slipped a condom over himself. I was a virgin, but I knew the basics. I watched him finger her for a moment, moaning to myself in need.

  He started to move inside of her within moments and I dropped to the floor with a sigh. I could still see him if I peered over the thick windowsill. I reached down between my legs to stroke my needy clit. When he slapped her ass, I slid a finger inside of myself and whimpered.

  I imagined myself with Max as I watched the couple together, stroking myself until I came like every other time before. I’d been doing it for twelve years. I knew my body well and what made me tick: Max was always a go-to fantasy for me. This guy appeared to be pretty hot as well, so maybe he’d fit the bill for a while.

  I recovered and made my way to the tiny bathroom to shower, careful to avoid standing in front of the window again. I’d have to make good use of the blinds from now on.

  When I woke up in the morning, I started to work on the living room. I pulled on some leggings and a t-shirt and made some coffee before I looked over the scattered boxes with a sigh.

  I thought back to the night before and heat washed over my skin. I needed to reel this in since I’d be living here for an undetermined amount of time. I didn’t need to mess things up for myself. Once the coffee was done, I took a large sip and started to stack the boxes against the wall based on their priority.

  It was a perfect idea until I found one that I couldn’t budge. Mrs. Hastings had her grandson help me out when I moved in and he had clearly brought this in, but he wasn’t here now. The only neighbors I knew of were older women like her… or my neighbor. The neighbor I got myself off to last night as I watched him like a complete pervert.

  I sat on the floor and willed it to move with my eyes. “Damn it.” I was the kind of girl that needed to have everything in its place. I walked into the bathroom to look in the mirror. I was a hot mess. I hadn’t been wearing much make up for the last few days. I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail and brushed my teeth. I splashed my face with cold water before I took a deep breath. I hoped that he was alone since I didn’t want to be any closer to a situation like the one I saw last night.

  I considered asking Mrs. Hastings to ask her grandson or someone else, but they lived across town. It wasn’t worth it for one box if there was a perfectly good man next door who would more than likely be happy to help me. I could just pretend that I didn’t see him having sex and that I wasn’t naked in my room before that.

  I took a big gulp of coffee before leaving the house, looking around at the pretty front yard that I was going to enjoy for a little while. It was peaceful and beautiful and the neighborhood was one of the best ones that I’d lived in. I looked to the house beside me, taking in the ranch style with the light blue paint. It looked like new. The house was in great shape, fitting in with the rest of the neighbourhood. I turned to go to the door. I lifted my hand up and knocked on the stained-glass window that ran across a part of the door near the top. I crossed my arms over my chest, blushing as I realized that I wasn’t wearing a bra.

  The door opened and I went silent as I looked at the man that filled the doorway. It was Max. I felt my heart jump into my throat as I struggled to regain control of my emotions. “Good morning,” he greeted me, a knowing look in his eyes – but not one of complete recognition. Hopefully he just remembered me from a brief glimpse last night.

  “Hi. I’m Lucinda Graves. I just moved into the apartment next door. The one above Mrs. Hastings house?” I queried as something flashed through his eyes and he nodded. I purposely gave him my full name and new last name I’d taken to avoid Braden. I smiled ruefully. “I had some help moving in, but today I am trying to get my living room in order and there’s a box that I can’t move to save my life.”

  “Come on in. I’m making some breakfast if you’d like to join me for a bit. I can come over right after that, but the pan is hot.” He glanced back and then again at me as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  I’d locked my door so there was no reason not to stay for a minute. “Sure,” I replied as I walked in and glanced around. The house had the look of a man’s place with its sleek leather couches and large TV on the wall across from a stone mantel. I noted the children’s toys that were kept in a basket in the corner of the room, my eyes widening. Was Max married now? Was that his wife last night?

  Holy shit.

  I followed him and looked around casually as I took everything in. It seemed quiet and there wasn’t the sound of what I assumed to be a toddler, so maybe he was a part-time parent – divorced. “Sit down. I’ll get you some coffee. Do you like omelets?” Max asked. His voice reverberated through me, bringing back so many memories. If he remembered me, Max would remember how many of those I ate when I was a kid. I was in the clear.

  “Yeah. They’re my favorite.” I looked around the bright kitchen and took a seat at the small table that was against the window overlooking the backyard. It was a cozy kitchen and I admired him as he took his place at the stove and stirred something in a bowl.

  “It’s veggie and cheese,” he offered as he glanced at me. I nodded and thanked time for the changes that had been made to change my appearance. I wore contacts now in lieu of the thick glasses that I needed in high school and my hair was dyed the caramel color. I had light brown hair since birth and this jazzed things up a bit for me. Also, I lost some weight when I left Braden. The stress had been a lot and I was finally starting to relax. “So, you just moved in? Are you a relative of hers?”

  “No. I hit a rough patch as of late and needed something cheap. I am saving up my money right now. Mrs. Hastings wasn’t originally looking for a tenant, but we have a mutual friend and the subject came up. She offered me the apartment and it was a perfect fit.”

  “Are the financial problems severe?” He asked, interest in his eyes as he looked at me. I sipped the coffee that he gave me, finding it to be a great brew. I didn’t know what to say nor why he seemed to be so interested.

  Once he brought me the plate and joined me at the table, the soft spot in my heart for Max scattered my thoughts. I thought of him being a dad and smiled softly. “I had a lab for a few years. I was working on making the world greener, but it burned down a few months ago. The insurance company is being a real pain in the ass and I needed a place to stay while I work part-time at a friend’s lab. I lived in an apartment on the property as well… I lost everything.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Max offered as I shrugged. “I hope that it works out for you.”

  “I’m sure it will,” I replied automatically, hearing something in his voice. I took another bite of the omelet, realizing that he cooked them as well as he used to, if not better.

  Once we finished breakfast, I helped him with the dishes and we headed to my apartment so he could help me with the box. I was already feeling the connection between us, but I kept playing it off like we were meeting for the first time.

  Chapter Four – Max />
  I headed back home after helping Lucinda in her apartment. It was a heavy box: she admitted that it was filled with books that she intended to put in the bedroom, so I moved it there for her. I knew that she could have just taken them in handfuls herself, but this made sense. I could tell that she was an orderly person and just wanted to be settled in. I was the same way.

  There was something that I liked about her, something familiar.

  I drove over to my parent’s house to pick up Riley later that afternoon. They wanted her for the night so that they could take her out and spend some time with her while allowing me to have time to myself. Ever since Blake and I divorced, Mom’s been wanting me to get married and have another baby. She claimed that Riley was growing too fast. I just let her tell me that, never responding too much. She didn’t need to know that I had become a man whore who never intended to get married again.

  As I parked and looked at their spacious ranch house, I thought about what my lawyer had told me at our last meeting. Blake was getting aggressive in her efforts to get Riley back. I knew that it was just to get to me, but I didn’t have any proof that she was a bad mother. She wasn’t – but Blake was self-absorbed and cared more about herself. Riley would struggle in her care and Blake’s parents weren’t much better. Riley was better off with me and my family. I stared forward for a moment. My lawyer suggested that I get a wife, even if she was a front. It would look better to the courts if I was settled in a relationship since Blake was living in a one-bedroom apartment and saying that she was barely making it on my support. I knew that she was just working the system for more money by getting child support for Riley since I was one of the most well-known doctors in the state.

  Bitch, I made millions with my salary and investments and still lived in the simple house that I bought right before we got married. The neighborhood was great for Riley and I didn’t want to leave, whereas Blake seemed to want to live in a brownstone in Manhattan. She would use the support to pay for a nanny so she could go out all night and sleep in the following day.

  If I were to get a wife, I’d look like a settled-down family man to the courts. That would make a perfect situation for Riley to live with me since mothers were often favored in these cases.

  Lucinda would be perfect. Based on our earlier talk, she was soft and clearly compassionate and would make for a great mother figure. But what if Riley got attached to her? She didn’t go through the hurt all that badly when Blake moved out, but Riley was older now.

  The idea of her living with Blake filled me with anger and I told myself that it was a great way to save Riley from that. Hell, we could just be engaged with a wedding date and probably win. Blake was a lot like me, sleeping her way through the city but lying about it. She hadn’t found her new sugar daddy yet, so she was going to go after me.

  Lucinda Graves. I was going to make her mine. I would certainly enjoy the physical aspect of the relationship.

  I blinked at the sound of my name and watched as a little blonde girl came running to my car as my mother watched from the front porch. I got out and wrapped Riley in a tight hug, spinning her around. “Hi, baby girl. Did you have fun?”

  “Grandma took me to the movies to see the pretty lady sing,” she told me, her bright blue eyes moving with excitement. “We got ice cream, too. It was so yummy!”

  I locked the door of the car with the keys that I’d grabbed and carried her to the front door. Mom closed the door behind us with a gentle smile and followed us to the kitchen where cookies were cooling. “Ice cream and cookies?” I asked with a sharp look at Mom.

  “She loves to help me bake, Max. You know that. It’s not like I let her eat all of them. I have your father for that.” Her blue eyes twinkled as Riley wiggled out of my arms and ran over to get two cookies. She gave one to me with a sweet smile and I felt my heart turn to mush inside of my chest.

  “Thanks, Ri-Ri,” I said as Mom walked over to plate the cookies and added some more to the oven.

  “I’ll send you home with a bag,” Mom told me as she smiled at me, shaking her head.

  We ended up staying for dinner and I told my parents that there was a new neighbor in Mrs. Hastings house. Unfortunately, the moment that Mom found out it was a young woman, she urged me to ask her out. Riley frowned at me. I shot Mom a dark look and Dad smirked at me as he took another bite of his steak.

  I wasn’t about to tell Mom my plan to get engaged to Lucinda and possibly marry her to keep Riley. She’d have to be surprised like the rest of the world. The only person that could know about it was my lawyer. I needed to go about this the right way.

  We made plans for the following week since Mom was my primary sitter during the day. I worked out of a private office that I leased with some fellow doctors instead of working in a hospital where I’d have less time with Riley. I did help the patients with delivery if necessary, but I specialized in gynecology. It kept things simple.

  I took Riley home and gave her a bath as we talked all about her two days with Grandma. She adored both of my parents, but it was Mom that took her everywhere and spoiled her rotten. She was a great female figure in Riley’s life and, since I was an only child, Riley was all that she had right now. That might be changing soon.

  I got her into clean pajamas and we went into my room to watch a movie. I did a lot of work on patient files at night while she fell asleep next to me, and tonight was no different. As soon as “The Princess and The Frog” ended, I looked over to see her sleeping soundly on the other pillow. I smiled, thinking that she was much better than any other girl I’d had in my bed.

  I blinked and ran a hand through my hair as I lifted my eyes to switch the television to one of the late-night shows. I imagined Lucinda in my bed, sleeping beside me while Riley was safe in her own bed. I imagined movie nights with the three of us in here, laughing and eating popcorn.

  Where did that come from?

  I set my Mac Book down on the nightstand and glanced towards my window, hoping for a glimpse of Lucinda. Her blinds were closed tonight, but I could still make out the warm glow of whatever the lamp was. I didn’t even think to look around yesterday, but she made sure that I was in and out of the house very quickly. I assumed that it was because she was still settling in. I thought further about my plan and played back her reactions to me in my mind. Lucinda was attracted to me and I knew just what to do with that. If I couldn’t romance her, I knew that she needed money and we could work out a deal.

  I wouldn’t introduce Riley to anyone that I thought would set a bad example to her, which was exactly why I was going to keep her from Blake. Lucinda would be the woman that she needed her to be and I’d win custody before I broke the news that we were splitting up. It would hurt, but hopefully it would all be short lived enough that she wouldn’t dwell on it too long.

  Maybe it would work out for our future. I never saw myself as the marrying type ever since splitting with Blake, but I’d have to end up with someone eventually. Lucinda seemed good and was unlike any other woman I’d met, though she did remind me of someone I knew when I was younger.

  I was going to get to know her over the next few weeks and sweet talk her into dating me. I knew how to work a woman. I’d convince her that I was the man for her. I preferred to do this with as much reality as needed so it would look good to the courts. I didn’t want her to fall apart with the lie at the last minute and let me lose Riley. Lucinda didn’t seem like the lying type to me, but rather was one to give the man she was falling for everything.

  I moved my daughter to her bedroom and dropped back against the pillows with a yawn. All of this was getting to me and I needed to know that my baby was going to be safe with me and not left to a mother that had only her own interests at heart. I was already paying her plenty of money to get by thanks to the judge. She wasn’t going to get Riley too.

  Chapter Five – Max

  I started playing the part of the friendly neighbor whenever I saw Lucinda outside. She’d smile politely but alw
ays resisted the opportunity to talk to me in depth, running to the apartment or her car as fast as she could. That happened for a few days until she saw her landlady sitting with Riley having cookies on the porch while I mowed the lawns of both houses. I was rolling the lawnmower over to my yard when Lucinda glanced at me.

  “Lucinda. There you are. This is Riley. She lives next door. I don’t think that you’ve met,” Violet told her as Lucinda stopped and looked down at my daughter. I started the motor but I couldn’t miss the beautiful smile that Riley gave her before she offered her a cookie. It was as if she was working from my script. I saw Lucinda take the cookie and drop to the steps slowly as Violet said something to her with a smile, making Riley laugh. The lawn was on the small side, so I finished quickly before walking into my house for a cold beer.

  I made my way back to the porch where the women sat, wearing the same damp shirt. I looked Lucinda over. “You’ve met, haven’t you?” Violet asked as Lucinda shot me a nervous look.

  “Yeah, he helped me with a box when I first moved in. How are you?” Her smile was bright, but I could see something in her eyes as she bit into the cookie that Riley gave her.

  “Doing well,” I replied, looking around the group. “You met my angel?” Lucinda met my gaze as she nodded. I could see that Riley had already charmed her. I smiled as I leaned over, getting my daughter’s attention. “Is there a cookie for me, Ri-Ri?”

  “Of course there is, Daddy. There’s always a cookie for you.” Riley beamed at me as she handed me two of the chocolate chip cookies that Violet made for us. I took them and winked at her as she giggled. “You get four since you helped with the grass. You must be so hungry, Daddy.” That was Riley, always looking out for me. I grinned and thanked her before biting into one, looking at Lucinda as she shot me a curious glance.