Blurb

I wanna bend her over my desk, and show her all that she has missed these years.

She's back from college.

And looks more than just the tiny Mexican orphan she was.

Her voluptuous body, perfect a$$, those long legs that could go on forever...

One look at her firm bre*sts and I am hard.

I wanna feel her soft body, hold her close to me.

And never let her go.

But mom said she was like our sister (my brother and I)

We practically grew up together.

Does that really matter?

Wait! why is my brother trying to be a jacka$$ in this relationship!

Chapter One

Nathan

I pored over another real estate contract, making sure the legal team downstairs hadn’t missed anything crucial. Neatly stacked piles of documents lined my desk in my office overlooking the city. The gorgeous view was a waste for me since I was forced to focus on paperwork.

Work never seemed to end, but in the real estate business, you had to keep your wits about you and always be on top of things. Otherwise, someone else would come along and steal a client right out from under you or snap up a lucrative deal. It was a cutthroat business, but I managed to keep our company the most profitable in the city of San Diego.

My father had passed his company to me when he retreated from the world. Taking the reins was an amazing opportunity, and I enjoyed every second of it, until my brother Nick decided it was time to get his shit together and make his worth known to our father. I couldn’t fight Nick on it since technically, the business had been handed down to both of us, but I couldn’t stand the way Nick walked around all high and mighty, trying to take over everything.

I had literally dedicated my entire life after college to this company, and then Nick traipsed in and uprooted everything. But that seemed to be how it was for us our entire life, Nick wanting what I had, and using the older brother card to take it. I knew Nick had no real interest in being a real estate mogul, but we both wanted to make our father proud. So I dealt with his presence, trying to put out fires he made before they became full on blazes.

I took in a deep breath and looked down at my laptop. The email symbol was flashing and rotating around in a circle. When I clicked on it, I saw Nick’s name as the sender, and I sighed. I was really hoping it was one of our bigger clients who were trying to finalize a multimillion-dollar real estate deal. As I opened the email, a picture appeared.

My brother smiled at the camera mischievously with his arm around Ronni. They were standing in the kitchen of our father’s estate. I hadn’t realized that Ronni was back in town already. I slammed the lid of my laptop, irritated by my brother’s brash reactions to things. He always tried to rub it in my face and be the first at everything. I gathered my things and headed down to the garage to grab the car and head over to my father’s. Luckily, it was midday so traffic wouldn’t be too bad in Coronado where Dad lived.

I was glad I chose to drive the convertible Audi today, as the San Diego sun was shining bright and warm overhead. I pulled out of the building and took to the street, heading for the bridge. I crossed over and looked down at the large Naval ships sitting at port and the city disappearing behind me, and I thought about the first time I ever met Ronni. I was sixteen years old and obsessed with cars, chicks, and anything and everything that was the complete opposite of my father’s business and learning it. I was a rebellious teen that knew just how far to take it because I also knew where the money came from.

Mother had decided that we needed some live-in help to keep better care of our estate, so she hired a really nice couple from Mexico. The couple had a six-year-old daughter.

At first, I really didn’t pay any attention to Ronni. I was ten years older than her, and she was just a little kid, running around and getting in my way. The thing I remembered most when she was that age, was the fact that she had big, striking, dark eyes. With Ronni’s parents working here in Coronado and living on the premises in the servants’ quarters, it gave her a chance to get a better education than she had in Tijuana.

I always noticed her sitting at the kitchen counter while her mother cooked, studying her English diligently. Sometimes, I would try to help by speaking in my broken Spanish, but it just got confusing. Ronni was incredibly intelligent on many levels, and though I wanted to help, she started following Nick around and mooning over him. He was the older brother, and even I had to admit he was cooler than me back then. I just put it out of my mind, not really thinking about it, other than the times that I would run into her sitting in the kitchen studying.

Then that day came. The day that changed her life forever and the lives of my own family as well. I could remember the day like it was yesterday. We were gathered in the living room, speaking to the police who had brought news of the car crash. Ronni was still at school when the police first arrived, but I remembered standing in the living room and seeing her enter through the front door. It was the last few moments of her childhood. If I had realized it then, I would have run to her, pushed her out of the house, and prolonged those last cherished minutes of innocence.

She walked in and looked at the tears on my mother’s face and the police staring at her with sadness, and she knew. No one had to say it. I reached out, as if life were in slow motion, and caught Ronni by the arm as she dropped to her knees. My mother ran over, scooping her delicate little body into her arms and covering her, trying to keep the pain out. I think we all grew a little bit that day.

Ronni didn’t have any family left in the states now that her parents were gone. My mother knew sending her back to Mexico would mean a very hard life for her. So, doing as my kind-hearted mother always did, she brought Ronni into our home permanently. She made up the room right next to hers and treated exactly as if she were her own daughter.

My father kept a distance, but since he loved my mother so much, he did what he could to make Ronni feel as if she were part of the family. That was really important to my mother, for her to feel like she was part of the family. We always made sure to listen to our mother, knowing how kind she was and knowing how she was the glue that held this family together. So, there she was, our new little sister, too scared to speak up, but kind enough to treat us how she always had.

Now that she was back home, I couldn’t wait to see her. I weaved in and out of traffic, hurrying toward my destination. The closer I got to my father’s house, the faster I pushed the car and the more my thoughts of the past overwhelmed me.

After Ronni became part of the family all those years ago, I lost track of everything. I was in my own little world, being accepted into the Ivy League, having my outrageous college experiences, and almost looking down on the “servant’s daughter.” Looking back now, she probably could have used my friendship, but at that time, I didn’t even know how to introduce her to my friends, much less find anything in common between us.

A few years after Ronni’s parents died, more dark times hit our family. We lost my mother, too, when her kind, loving heart gave out on her. When I got the news, I was stunned, broken, and completely unable to come to terms with it. Everything changed that day, and my father fell into a deep, inescapable bitterness. Ronni was no longer protected by my mother, so father sent her off to boarding school, trying to get rid of any reminder of my mother’s unrelenting kindness.

For me, it was easier to stay where I was, finishing school, building my career, and just trying to get past the fact that my dear sweet mother had died so suddenly. I knew that this meant that my parents’ real estate empire would end up falling on me and Nick, but I knew Nick was not someone I could rely on. He never had been. I’d grown out of my wild lifestyle after high school, but Nick stuck with the parties, the girls, and the freedom of being a rich boy with no responsibilities. However, knowing I had security and that my father trusted me with his business, was worth it all.

When I finally came home for the holidays, my father was even worse than before, and Ronni was sixteen. I hadn’t seen her since my mother’s funeral, and she tried not to come home for holidays. This year, though, she didn’t have any other option. When I walked in, I didn’t even recognize her. The chubby little Mexican girl with a toothy grin had slimmed, trimmed, and transformed into an absolutely beautiful woman. I could barely take my eyes off of her, and when Nick arrived, I had to pull him aside and remind him that she was like our little sister.

My father didn’t seem to notice Ronni at all, and she went around fixing the table and helping the servants prepare for the holiday dinner. Her spirits were high, and I found instant comfort in her positive outlook on life. She was, indeed, a light in the darkness of our family. Her charming smile, long dark hair, and same striking eyes glimmered in the candlelight of the house.

My father hadn’t even thought of decorating for the holidays, but he reluctantly agreed to allow Ronni to do so, knowing it was her and my mother’s favorite thing to do every year. Nick and I chipped in to help, hanging lights, putting up wreaths, and finding the perfect tree for the living room. We laughed and joked with each other as if nothing had ever happened in our lives, but on the inside, Nick and I both were struggling to remember to see Ronni as our sister and not the sexy young woman in front of us.

For the next few years after that, I found myself at my father’s house more often, usually when I knew Ronni would be coming home from school. Every time I saw her, she seemed as if she had grown more and more beautiful. He body filled out, her lips were strong but pouty, and her eyes cut right through me. She had worked really hard in school and ended up getting a full scholarship to a private college, and when she left, I did everything I could to get her out of my mind.

But still, late at night, I couldn’t help but pull up her Facebook page and stare at her amazing smile. I had to keep reminding myself that my mother wanted Ronni treated like part of the family and not like the girl I was dreaming about. My father, on the other hand, was still stuck in his depressed anger, and he didn’t treat Ronni like anything more than the servant’s child. It made me sad for her.

Now, knowing she was back and standing in my kitchen looking more amazing than ever, I couldn’t seem to get there fast enough. Sure, she was supposed to be like a little sister to me, but the look on Nick’s face made me feel sick in the pit of my stomach. I tried to tell myself I was just being protective, wanting to get a scumbag like Nick away from her. But I knew that wasn’t the only reason, and that was why I was driving wildly down the backroads to get to my father’s house.

As the road turned and carved out of Coronado and up the cliffs overlooking the city, I couldn’t help but think about all the times my mother would take me on drives through the canyons. It was absolutely amazing out there, and I could still hear Ronni’s laughter as we passed the Native refuge where the horses ran wild in the fields. It was one of my favorite memories of my mother, and until then, I hadn’t even remembered that Ronni had been with us. Come to think of it, Ronni had always been there, even before her parents were killed. My mother had taken a special interest in her, feeling that she wanted to show her all the beautiful things that we took for granted on a regular basis.

Nick hated spending time as a kid just driving around. He wanted to be back at home with his brood of rich friends. But for me, I loved every moment of it, and I was so glad that I still had those memories of my mother. I was able to look at them as memories that helped me through my mother’s death, but Nick and my father had their own vices to deal with. And apparently, from the looks of it, Ronni seemed to be one of Nick’s new vices.

Chapter Two

Ronni

The house was just as stunning as I remembered it. The sleek marble floors and warm feeling of the kitchen hadn’t left when Mrs. Landers passed away. I had a hard time coming here since it was filled with pain more than with happiness. I could still hear my mother’s voice, singing quietly as she cooked dinner. I would sit right up at the counter, slogging away at my homework, talking to Nathan for a few moments, and catching glances of Nick, my childhood crush, walking through with his friends. After my mother died, though, I couldn’t bring myself to sit there anymore, and even with Mrs. Landers there, treating me like one of her own, the kitchen made me sad inside.

Now, though, with college done and the rest of my life ahead of me, I was glad to be back here to gather my things. College had been an amazing experience, and I really enjoyed my time on the East Coast. Still, I was more than ecstatic to be back in San Diego. It was so close to my childhood home, close to Nick and Nathan, and most importantly, close to my best friend Maria from boarding school. We had decided that we would get a place together when I got back, and I had already landed a job at an accounting firm. It was an entry level position, but I was fine with that since Maria and I had our own ideas for starting a business. Everything was looking to be exactly how I hoped it would be. I would just have to tie up some loose ends here, and I could be on my way toward my bright future.

When I rounded the corner into the kitchen, Mr. Landers walked past me, barely even noticing I was there. After Mrs. Landers passed away, Mr. Landers’s affection for me had soured. It was okay, though. I had beautiful memories of my own father to keep close to my heart. I looked up as I walked through the doors, surprised to see Nick standing at the kitchen sink.

“Hey,” I said, smiling. “I didn’t realize you would be here.”

“I had to send you off with a smile,” he said, looking down at me. “Welcome back and congrats on graduating.”

“Thank you,” I said excitedly. “It was a lot of hard work.”

“You graduated early, right?”

I went to answer, but he cut me off.

“When I was in college, I was part of the rowing team so leaving a year early would have been nearly impossible,” he said, starting to brag. “But things were different at my school, I suppose.”

“Ivy Leaguers definitely do things differently,” I said, trying to hold back the annoyance I felt at his need to show me up with his college education.

I’d had a crush on Nick since I was like eight years old, and from the amazing smile he flashed standing in front of me, he had only grown hotter over the years. He was always a bit of a wild child, running around with his friends, asserting his wealth, and to be honest, being kind of a dick sometimes. But at home, we really got along. It had been a really long time since I had seen Nick, so I was pretty stoked when I walked into the kitchen and he was standing there. He lifted up his phone and shook it at me.

“Come take a pic with me,” he said, smiling.

“Oh, I don’t really like pictures,” I said, blushing.

“Whatever, you’ll look hot,” he said, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me into him.

I didn’t enjoy having my picture taken, but I sure didn’t mind having his arm around my shoulders and my hand pressed against his chest. I smiled for the picture and stood back while he sent it to whoever he was taking the picture for. I looked down at the list in my hand and realized I needed to get going on this so I could get to my new place and get settled in.

“Wanna help me clean my room?” I smiled big and watched as he scrunched his nose.

“Just have the maids do that,” he said. “That’s why they’re here.”

He was such a spoiled rich boy, and even though I still had the biggest crush on him, I couldn’t help but be slightly turned off by it.

“No, I can do it myself,” I said, turning and walking toward the door.

“Wait,” he said, jogging over. “I’ll supervise.”

It was kind of irritating how superior he thought and acted, but with one glance of his charming smile and amazing eyes, all was forgiven. I wasn’t even sure why Nick was here today, but it had been a long time since I had seen him, and it was definitely not bad to have him hanging around me. I never got much attention from him growing up, even though I was dying for it.

Instead, I’d sit at the kitchen counter, working on my school work, listening to my mother sing and hum, and steal glances of him when he and his friends came trampling through the house. He always ignored me in those situations, which I understood since I was the servant’s daughter, but it didn’t stop me from daydreaming about him. All the other girls had posters of rock stars or TV stars hanging on their walls. They would stare at them and imagine a teenage love affair. I didn’t have any pictures of Nick, but he was definitely the boy I laid in bed and dreamed about. It was a pipe dream, of course. I was the little immigrant from Mexico, and he was the rich heir to a real estate fortune, but that didn’t matter to me.

When we got to my room, I went straight in and started boxing things up. Nick looked around the room, picking up a picture of me and his mom. He smiled, but I knew he was smiling at her not me. It still sent butterflies through my stomach.

As I packed things away, I could tell Nick was getting restless, and it didn’t surprise me at all when he went wandering off. It was weird having him stand there and stare at me anyway. I pulled out my drawers and looked down at an old photo album I had stashed away. I picked it up and sat on the edge of my bed, opening it up and smiling at a picture of my mother and me. She was so beautiful and confident, and my whole life, I wanted to be just like her. As I flipped through the pages, tears tugged at the corners of my eyes and trickled down my cheeks. Hearing footsteps coming down the hall, I assumed it was Nick coming back. I closed the album and looked up forcing a smile. However, instead of Nick, Nathan walked into my room, and I quickly wiped the tears from my cheek.

He looked concerned for a split second before returning his face to that typical-Nathan, serious look. I was slightly embarrassed about getting caught crying over my mother, but I wiped my tears and took the silk handkerchief he handed over to me. I wiped my eyes and smiled, before handing it back to him.

Nathan was always so strange, so stern and serious. I always felt slightly awkward around him. He had been the only one to really pay attention to me as a small child, stepping to help me with my English when I had first moved to San Diego from Mexico. In fact, some of the things that he taught me really helped me move forward to fluently speaking English.

When my parents died, his face was the first I saw when I walked into the room full of police officers. He grabbed me by the arms and led me to the couch when I collapsed under the weight of the news. I could never tell whether his kindness to me was from his own heart, or because he knew how much his mother loved me and wanted to provide me with the best life that she could. Either way, awkward or not, he had always been there in the background so part of me was happy and comfortable having him come by to say hello, though I wasn’t quite sure how he knew I was here.

Nick had always been the one in the Landers family that I got along with the best. He had a fun personality, and when I got older, he became more playful toward me. It was only natural that I gravitated toward him, even though Nathan had been the more caring one. Part of me felt bad that I didn’t realize that until now. I’d always blown off Nathan and hadn’t even thought about it during family events. He walked in the door and looked around.

“Would you like some help packing and loading your things?”

He was quiet and serious, but I was happy he was there.

“That would be really amazing,” I said, relieved that I didn’t have to be alone during this.

Quietly, we moved around the room pulling everything out and wrapping the breakables. We packed the boxes as full as I could carry, since I would be moving them into my place by myself. I smiled at Nathan as he rolled up his sleeves and awkwardly taped the boxes. I could tell he had never actually moved on his own before, and I wondered who moved his things from college to his house on the water. Being as rich as the Landers meant they could hire someone to do just about anything.

When we were done packing, we carried the boxes, one by one, through the house, pausing momentarily to see Nick in the living room watching television with his feet propped up on the coffee table. Nathan rolled his eyes and shook his head as he pushed past and out of the house. He helped me get everything packed into my car and walked back in with me. As I started grabbing cleaning supplies, he chuckled, realizing there was no way I was leaving my mess for the maids. He grabbed the vacuum and followed me back, and we commenced the cleaning process.

Between the two of us, it took less than an hour to get the place cleaned. When we were done, Nathan helped me put everything away. I leaned in and hugged him tightly, thanking him for helping me. He smiled awkwardly before turning and walking to the kitchen. The house looked so sad and lonely now that Mr. Landers lived there by himself. Most of the shine had faded when Mrs. Landers passed, and she took a piece of my heart with her. I took a deep breath and headed down the hall, knocking quietly on Mr. Landers’s study doors.

“Come in,” he said sternly.

I cracked the door and stepped inside, my hands clasped in front of me.

“What can I do for you, Ronni?” he asked impatiently.

“I am all packed up,” I replied. “I just wanted to come in and thank you. Thank you for taking me in all those years ago and giving me the amazing opportunities that you have. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am.”

“Mmhm,” he grunted, staring out the window.

I waited for a moment to see if he was going to say anything else, but he never turned to look at me. I took a deep breath and turned from the room, leaving the house without saying goodbye to the boys. I was hurt by Mr. Landers’s reaction, but there was nothing I could do but walk away. I looked up at the large mansion before getting in my car, excited about my future but sad to leave the place behind.

Chapter Three

Nathan

I was back in the office Monday morning, surrounded by people who either loved me or hated me. It came with the territory of being the boss. But even though I was at the top, a constant feeling nagged at me that my father was waiting around every corner, watching over my shoulder. The company wouldn’t be fully mine and my brother’s until my father was gone, not that I was looking forward to that day. But after I got out of college, my father wanted to retire, so he made me the head of the company. I knew that chapped my brother’s ass, but my father could see just as well as I could that Nick was not interested in taking over this company. I looked up at my phone as the secretary came over the speaker.

“Mr. Landers, your brother, Nick is here to see you,” she said.

“Thank you, send him in,” I replied, rolling my eyes and sighing, wondering what in the world he wanted now.

Nick strolled through the door, his hand in one pocket, and the other making sure his perfectly coiffed hair hadn’t moved from the same position it was earlier that morning. He looked around my office, picking up different items, scoffing, and putting them back down. I sat at my desk watching him, wondering what the hell he wanted.

“So,” he said, sitting down in the chair and looking at me. “Why haven’t you taken my advice on the acquisition I brought you?”

“Nick, we talked about this already,” I said, sighing.

“Remind me,” he said, lifting his eyebrows.

I wanted to slap that smug look off of his face.

“The property value is crap,” I replied without sugar coating it. “After estimating the number of repairs that we would have to do, the cost of the people we would have to pay, and the commissions that would come out of it, it wasn’t a smart business venture.”

“I thought profit was a smart venture,” he said angrily.

“Only if the profit is more than the cost of a light bill,” I said, looking down at the paperwork in front of me. “Time is just as valuable as money here, Nick. We could invest that time in a property that gives us five times the return.”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with the return,” Nick said angrily leaning forward. “It’s your irritating need to control every decision in this company.”

“That’s my job, Nick,” I replied, still not looking up at him.

“No, it’s your job to make this company money, and you’ll never do that if you keep turning down proposals based on your own sick need to be right,” he growled.

“Look,” I shouted, shutting him up quickly. “I would be more than happy to buy a property that will make us money. But you’ve got to find something more than these money pits you’ve been putting on my desk. They are a waste of everyone’s time, including yours.”

“Whatever,” Nick growled. “You don’t want to give me a chance. You never have. In reality, I know you’re intimidated by me. I’ve always been the one that people enjoy talking to. I’ve always been the one with creative ideas. You hate the fact that I’ve had the spotlight our entire lives. You hate that when people come to this company, they’d rather deal with anyone but you.”

“Enough,” I yelled, slamming my fists on the table. “While you’re out there daydreaming about bad business ventures, spending the family’s money, and frolicking all over California, I’m here running a business. I am the one putting the blood, sweat, and tears into it, and I would be a fool to let you come in and ruin our father and mother’s legacy. Now, if there isn’t anything else, I have work to do.”

“Fine,” Nick said, standing up and walking toward the door. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at me, a coy smile on his face. I knew whatever this was, it was not going to be good. “By the way, I have a date with Ronni tonight. Enjoy being alone in your office.”

I shook my head and watched Nick walk out of my office laughing. He was such an asshole, and I blamed my father for spoiling him and never putting his foot down. I didn’t know why it was a surprise to me, though. Nick had been a spoiled little jackass since we were kids, always flaunting his money and skirting his responsibilities. I was pretty sure the only reason he got into an Ivy League college was that he had someone else do all his work and had my father send them a very large donation.

Now he was taking Ronni out, the girl our mother had begged us to treat like our sister. I was slightly taken back by just how upset I was over this turn of events, but I knew it had to be because I was concerned for her, especially because of Nick’s playboy ways. I had seen the kind of man he was when it came to women, and it was shameful. Irritated by it all, I sent Nick a text message.

Nick, you cannot take Ronni out on a date. Did you forget everything that Mom asked from us? Ronni is like a sister to both of us.

I sent the message and sat back, waiting for a response. I knew he wasn’t going to have a lightbulb moment and cancel the date, but I hoped that the memory of our mother would be enough for him to leave poor Ronni alone. However, after about fifteen minutes, I realized that he wasn’t going to text me back. I picked up the phone and dialed my assistant’s line.

“Mary, I need you to call Nick’s assistant and butter her up,” I said. “I need to know where he is going to dinner with Ronni.”

“You got it, boss,” she said, hanging up the phone.

Getting more work done for the rest of the day was completely out of the question. The rest of the day, I quarreled with myself, trying to convince myself that Ronni was not my responsibility. In the end, though, I knew my motivations for wanting to interfere with this date were not completely innocent in nature. The truth was, I was attracted to Ronni, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. I didn’t want to see her get hurt.

I sat there for the rest of the day, fiddling with paperwork and jumping every time my phone went off. I also tried to decide whether I should go to the restaurant where Nick and Ronni would be. My secretary had gotten all the details, and I even knew exactly where they would be sitting. But what if I went and Ronni got angry at me? Nick could be a really convincing guy, even though I figured Ronni was too smart to fall for his bullshit. The only thing was, I knew she’d had a crush on Nick since she moved in with us all those years ago. He was her first real crush, and that was hard to walk away from.

I went back and forth with myself for hours. On one hand, Ronni was a grown woman now, but on the other hand, she was still young, just getting started in the real world, and there was a very high likelihood that Nick would break her heart into a million pieces. Just the thought of Ronni upset irritated me to the point that I made a firm decision. I would go there and see what I could do to diffuse the situation and keep my dumb ass brother from hurting Ronni. She didn’t need anymore pain in her life after what she had been through.

I stacked my papers on my desk and started to pack up. I was going to use the excuse of a meeting, but I wanted to go and change my clothes. Nick would never believe I had a Tuesday meeting in a polo and khakis at one of the hottest restaurants in San Diego. I went down to the garage and threw my stuff in the passenger seat, jumped in, put the top down, and made my way to my house on the beach. I lived in Coronado just outside the city so it only took me a few minutes to get there.

I jumped in the shower, did my hair, and put on one of my best suits, figuring if I was going to save the day, I might as well look good doing it. I decided to take a cab back to the city since it would be easier than finding a place to park. When the cab pulled in front of the restaurant, I paid him and walked in to claim the table that my secretary had reserved for me at the last second. I glanced over to where they were sitting and saw Ronni, looking bored as hell as my brother rambled on about something, probably talking about himself. As I walked, I kept my head down but coughed loudly, hoping to get her attention. Luckily for me, it worked, and I quickly heard her voice.

“Nathan?” She sounded happy and confused at the same time.

“Oh, hey guys,” I said, walking over to the table. “Crazy seeing you here. I had a meeting, but it was canceled, and I figured why not get some food anyway.”

“That’s interesting,” Nick said in a monotone voice. “I thought Tuesdays were your no meeting days.”

“Well, Nick, when you run a company, sometimes you don’t get to pick your meetings,” I said in a confident tone that I knew would strike to the heart of him.

Nick was the kind of guy that could dish it out but not take it. Knowing he was here to put the moves on Ronni, with no intention of sticking around afterward, I didn’t feel bad at all in embarrassing him. He thought our parents’ money and hard work gave him the right to be a complete asshole, to ride on their shoulders and claim everyone else’s hard work as his own. As long as I had the ability to change that, I would never let him get away with it in front of me.

I was the person that actually worked hard. I was the person that was there for Ronni when she was learning English, when she was orphaned, and when she would come back every year to give thanks for what she had been given. I was the one that helped her pack up her things and get them to her car. He knew all of this, but he took the way my mother and I acted toward Ronni and rode on those coat tails. I never even gave a shit about his audacity until he decided to use it to hurt someone that was close to us.

“Well, why don’t I just join you guys,” I said, smiling at Ronni. “No reason to waste a table.”

They both answered at the same time, Nick said “no,” and Ronni smiled, saying “of course.” She looked over at Nick and wrinkled her brow, irritated by his asshole response. She looked back at me and pulled out the chair next to her. She patted the seat and nodded her head.

“Of course, you can join us,” she said, smiling. “Have a seat. We’ll have the waitress come take your order.”

I smiled kindly at Ronni and turned to Nick, trying to stifle a chuckle at the look of anger on his face. I was cock blocking him, and I was making no attempts to hide the fact. There were millions of women in this city, and there was no reason that he should be sinking his claws in someone as innocent and sweet as Ronni, especially knowing how our mother felt about her. As far as I was concerned, Nick had brought this on himself, and I was going to make sure he was miserable.

Chapter Four

Ronni

I never thought in a million years that I would be on an actual date with Nick. After so many years daydreaming about him, wishing he would look at me that way, we were finally on a date. Too bad it was a terrible one.

I was actually pretty shocked at myself when I realized how relieved I had felt to see Nathan at the restaurant. I immediately said yes to him crashing our date, desperate for a change of subject. I mean, Nick was sexy as hell and hadn’t aged a bit, but he was easily distracted, jumping from topic to topic, which all had the same thing in common, him. I’d never actually heard someone talk so much about themselves. At first, I thought he was trying to impress me, but in the end, I realized he didn’t give a damn how I felt. He was talking because he liked to hear himself talk. Before Nathan showed up, I had turned to leaning my head in my hand and just staring at him, seeing his lips moving, but zoning out to whatever was playing on the speakers in the restaurant.

When the conversation turned to business, I perked up, wanting his advice on my best friend, Maria, and my business proposal. I sat there patiently, listening to him talk about the real estate company, obviously frustrated with his inability to have Nathan take him seriously. When he paused to take a bite of his salad, I chimed in.

“So my best friend is a designer,” I said nervously. “And she has a line of bikinis that she has been working on. We are planning on getting everything together and starting that as a business. We figure we live in San Diego, everyone wears bathing suits, and—”

“You’re too young,” he said, interrupting me and waving his hand dismissively. “Besides, the market is absolutely inundated with swimwear lines. Someone like you wouldn’t stand a chance against the big boys out there. You should focus on whatever it is you went to college for. Get that job, land yourself a rich husband, and then play with whatever business proposals you want. I mean I’d let you do it.”

I scrunched my nose up and looked the other way as he turned the conversation back to himself. It had been a long time since I wanted to slug someone, but that was exactly how I was feeling about Nick at that moment. I was hurt by the fact that he didn’t even want to hear me out, laughing my idea off as some child’s pipe dream. We had put a hell of a lot of work into our business proposal, and now, we were waiting for the perfect time to launch. Maria was a genius, her bathing suits were gorgeous, and with my knowledge of business, plus what I could learn from other people, we would be unstoppable. I straightened my face, not wanting Nick to realize I was upset.

I had taken the invitation for a date with the thought, and hope, to have an amazingly romantic experience with my lifelong crush. I had imagined the flowers, which he didn’t bring, the linen table cloths, which were not on the table, the bottles of wine, that he didn’t order, and his charming smile. In the end, his charming smile was the only thing he brought to the table, and it was starting to not be so charming.

When things started to turn south, and he began boring me to death with his arrogance, I calmed my disappointment with the idea that at least I’d be able to talk to him about business, something that his family was known for. I had been listening to him for over an hour, and finally, I jumped in, just to be shot down. It was times like these I wished my father were still alive. He would have known exactly what to tell me about business and never shoot me down like that.

But there I was, sitting there smiling at the passing waitresses and listening to Nick talk about all the people he knew, the money he’d made, and his plans for future investments. In reality, after actually listening to what he was saying, I realized that none of his ideas or plans seemed well-thought-out at all. The people he knew were because of his family, the money he had made was from investments his father made for him, and his plans had huge holes. Of course, I wasn’t going to be the girl that pointed that out, but I found it humorous that he thought so highly of himself and was so absorbed in hearing his own voice, that he forgot I grew up in the same household as him.

When Nathan arrived, I could tell Nick was pissed, but I didn’t really care. I was just happy for the distraction. I smiled kindly at Nathan and excused myself to the bathroom, needing some fresh air away from those two. I figured whatever was going on, they could work it out while I was gone. However, when I got back, both of them looked angrier than hell, wearing matching scowls. I sat back down at my seat and took a bite of my dessert. My eyes flashed back and forth between the two. It was painfully awkward, and I was starting to get tired of dealing with it.

I attempted to ask Nick more questions about his plans, but it was obvious he did not want to talk in front of Nathan. I took a deep breath and laid my napkin on the table. I looked back and forth between them and shook my head.

“I think I’d like to go home,” I said quietly. “I have a really early day tomorrow.”

Nathan smiled kindly and pushed his chair back, standing up and helping me from mine. Nick threw cash down on the table and walked over, putting his arm around my shoulder. The feeling was so forced. I didn’t even like the fact that he was touching me. He pulled me past Nathan and stepped in front of him, sliding his hand down my back. I reached back and lifted it from my ass but kept walking. He was being utterly impossible, and all I wanted to do was get out of there. He leaned in close to my ear and whispered loud enough for Nathan to hear.

“I’m sorry my brother is such a clock blocker,” he whispered, making me scrunch my nose. “Why don’t you come for a ride in my Lamborghini?”

“That’s a very nice offer,” I said, faking a laugh. “But no thanks.”

“Your loss,” he said, pulling his hand from around my shoulders and nodding to the left at someone in the bar. Before I knew it, he was off, distracted by someone he knew, leaving me standing there by myself. I shook my head, looking down in my purse to find my keys. What the hell had happened that I was now standing here with Nick’s brother, and Nick had totally ditched me? Nathan stepped forward and smiled kindly, reaching out his arm for me to take. I dropped my keys back in my purse and shook my head, laughing as I hooked my arm in his.

“Well, that didn’t go like I thought it would,” I said, chuckling.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” he replied. “I didn’t realize Nick would still be pissed about yesterday, and it made things really awkward.”

“What happened yesterday?”

“He got angry about some investment he wanted the company to make,” he said, shaking his head. “It was a bad business move, but he took it personally.”

“Well,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “It wasn’t a total waste of a night, I guess. I got to run some of my business ideas by him, and he gave me some advice.”

He stopped in his tracks and looked around for a second, obviously formulating what he wanted to say. That was one thing about Nathan that I really appreciated, his ability to think about things before he said them. I started to understand why his father picked him to run the real estate business over Nick.

“I don’t want to sound mean,” he said carefully. “But please don’t take anything Nick says about business to heart. He has zero knowledge of the business world and no experience to back anything up. I’m not trying to talk shit, but I don’t want to see you make a mistake because you listened to something Nick said. He still thinks shaved ice stands would bring in millions like he did when he was a kid.”

“Oh,” I said, laughing. “I was starting to get that impression as he talked. I think he forgets I grew up in the same house as him.”

As we strolled down the street in the warm San Diego air, I realized I was walking with the head of one of the largest real estate conglomerates in the world. Nathan wasn’t just a nice guy, he was a repository of knowledge that I knew could help Maria and I jump on the road to success. Part of me wanted to jump right in and ask him to help, but the other part of me felt like I shouldn’t be so bold. I thought about what my father used to tell me about being a business woman. He told me that those that were bold were always the most successful. So, without another thought, I went for it.

“Hey, do you think that I could sit down with you and pick your brain about business?”

“Sure,” he said with a surprised look. “I’d love to help in any way that I can. How about we go somewhere and grab a drink? Somewhere quiet where we can talk.”

“That sounds great,” I said excitedly. “I actually know the perfect place, and they are open pretty late. I’ll drive us.”

We walked up to my car, and realizing it was no Lamborghini, my cheeks turned red. I had worked my butt off in college to buy a car, and although it was a new car, it definitely wasn’t anything luxurious. Nathan smiled as I unlocked the doors, not letting on that he noticed I was driving a Honda Civic and not a BMW, something I knew Nick would have scoffed at.

I often wondered how Nathan had turned out so normal being surrounded by people his whole life that were like Nick, including his father. I drove us over the bridge and into Imperial Beach, a small beach town a few exits from the Mexican border. It was one of my favorite places, with its small-town coffee shop and surfer dudes. Plus, you could look across the inlet and see the lights of Tijuana.

“So,” I said, sitting down at the table. “My best friend is a bathing suit designer. She has some really amazing pieces that I know people would love. With my business knowledge, that I am trying to grow even further, and her amazing line, we figured we could get these suits into some of the local surf shops, if not the bigger stores where the tourists shop.”

Nathan considered my pitch for a second. Then he started rattling off things I needed to do to make this work. I sat listening to Nathan talk, impressed by the copious amounts of knowledge that he had. I soaked up everything he was saying, realizing that his solutions were exactly what I was missing in our plans. On top of that, he didn’t think our idea was stupid at all, and he even complimented me for the ideas that I put forth. As I sat there sipping my margarita and listening to Nathan talk, I realized that the night hadn’t turned out so bad after all.

Chapter Five

Nathan

While Ronni was in the bathroom at the restaurant, sparks flew between my brother and me. Nick was livid that I showed up, and he saw right through my story. After seeing how much of a dick he was being, though, I didn’t feel bad at all for breaking up his date.

“You need to leave Ronni alone,” I hissed. “Mom loved her like she was her own and wanted us to see her as a sister.”

“You’re just jealous that she wants me and not you,” he said angrily. “You’ve always been pissed about that.”

“No, what I’m pissed about is the way you treat women,” I said. “You act like a little-spoiled brat, the biggest issue being you didn’t earn any of the recognition you try to take credit for. You are constantly riding on the backs of others. It’s pathetic. Leave Ronni out of this. She has been through way too much to have you do what you do to women.”

That was where it really started, with my crazy need to protect her from Nick. As we walked to her car, I couldn’t help but feel warmth in my chest with her arm wrapped around mine. Even when we got to the restaurant and started talking business, I was having a hard time remembering that I should have a brotherly frame of mind. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. On top of all that, Ronni was extremely intelligent. Her ideas for the business were brilliant, and all she needed was a few pointers to fill in the blanks.

Her business instincts reminded me of my father’s. I went through everything I could think of, giving her advice about starting the business, getting the suits in stores, marketing, and all the rest. I really thought hard about the things that I struggled with at the beginning and tried to help tell her what I learned. That way, she wouldn’t have to make the same mistakes. Talking to her about business was a breath of fresh air, and she soaked every word up like a sponge.

I could tell this swimwear line was extremely important to her, but I did warn her against putting all her eggs in one basket. Of course, it had worked for my father, but it was a different time when he started the company. Now, with so much competition, and so many large organizations, it's hard to be a private business owner and turn a profit. When you order production of a product on a small scale, you have to pay more, and that expense gets passed on to your customers. Suddenly, people are searching for your design but in a cheaper location, causing you to lose out. It was important to provide innovation and quality in a way that the customer has to buy from you, and not go to the larger chain stores.

She smiled and nodded her head, listening to every word. She leaned her hand against her head and smiled at me as if it were the first time seeing me. I guess this was a change for her, especially since I had always been so quiet and serious. She stood up from the table, sipped the last bit of margarita from her glass, and slammed her hands on the table smiling.

“I’ll be right back,” she said excitedly.

I laughed to myself as I finished my second whiskey on the rocks. I could see from the way she polished off her third margarita she definitely had some fun while she was in college. I smiled thinking about my own days in college, the parties I would go to, and the women I would meet. Now, I had the whole of my family’s company on my shoulders, and going out like this almost never happened. Ronni skipped back toward me, holding two shots and two slices of lime. She sat one down in front of me and smiled, pulling out the salt and wetting her hand. She passed the salt to me and raised her shot in the air.

“A thank you, for all your amazing advice,” she said, smiling.

We both leaned back and took the shot, wincing as we bit down on the lime. I had never been much of a shot taker, and definitely not tequila. However, as the liquid burned down my throat, I looked over at Ronni and couldn’t help but be immediately attracted to her. My inhibitions were low from the alcohol, and any restraint I attempted to have in order to keep a brotherly mindset had gone down with the tequila.

She sat back down, and we spent time talking about what she had been up to. I hadn’t realized she had worked so hard in college to keep her scholarship. She never wanted to have to ask my father for help after my family had done so much for her already. That was probably a skill my brother could learn. He lived off my father and mother as a trustfund child usually does, except he was irritating and reckless in the process. She looked down at her watch with wide eyes, realizing that it had gotten pretty late.

“I’ve gotta get going,” she said, sighing.

“Okay, but let me call my car,” I said, grabbing her hand. “We’ve both been drinking. We don’t need to drive.”

She smiled and looked down at my hand on hers. Immediately, shivers marched down my spine. She was incredibly hot, and for the first time that night, I looked at what she was wearing. Her dress was black, tight, and accented every single one of her curves. Her tan skin and dark hair were intoxicating, and her breasts pushed up and out of the dress, bouncing as she walked along in her six-inch heels. She was so freaking hot.

When the car arrived, I held the door for her and then slid in, sitting close to her. Her thigh pressed against mine, and I set my hands in my lap, trying to control myself. She gave the address to the driver, and we took off toward the city. I raised the partition in the limo, sealing us off from the rest of the world. The smell of her floral perfume made me think all kinds of dirty things about her, and before I could talk myself out of it, I reached over, grabbed her face, and pressed my lips hard against hers.

I half expected her to jump back, but instead, she opened her mouth and moved it sensually against mine, pulling my lower lip into her mouth and sucking hard. I reached up and ran my hand up her thigh, feeling the passion erupt between the two of us. She pulled her mouth away from mine and smiled, pulling herself to her knees in the seat and lifting her skirt up. She pulled her leg over and straddled me, her warm wet pussy rubbing against my cock.

I reached my hands up and grabbed onto her huge, glorious tits, massaging them hard as we kissed. She moaned quietly in my mouth, and instantly, my dick was rock solid inside of my pants. I ran my hands down her sides and pushed on her hips, groaning as she pushed her legs outward and ground against my shaft. When the car came to a stop in front of her place, she leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“Come inside,” she said, leaving no room for discussion.

I nodded my head and adjusted my cock as I climbed out of the car and up the sidewalk to her door. She turned to me as she opened the door, putting her finger to her big pouty lips. I knew that I shouldn’t be in here, but all I wanted to do at that moment was bend her over and fuck her hard.

She grabbed my hand and led me down the hall into her room, closing the door quietly behind us. I walked in and turned toward her just as she lunged forward, rubbing my cock with her hand. Immediately, the passion from the car sparked back to life, and she was unbuttoning my shirt and kissing my mouth hard. She pulled my shirt off and undid my pants, letting them fall to the floor. I reached down and grabbed the edges of her dress and pulled them up and over her head.

Her tits bounced around wildly, and I looked down at her tiny black g-string and high heels. I sunk my hand down the front of her panties and watched her head fly back as my fingers pushed through her wetness. I grabbed her around the waist and moved her toward the bed, kissing her passionately.

She laid down in front of me and scooted back until her head was on the pillow. I pulled her panties from her body and spread her legs open, rubbing my hands over her stomach and down between her thighs. Her clit was hard and she was ready, but I wanted to know what she tasted like first. I lowered myself down, putting my head between her legs, and looked up smiling. Slowly, I parted her lips and ran my tongue through her wetness and around her clit.

She breathed deeply as I swirled my mouth through her juices, nibbling and sucking on her nub. I pushed two fingers into her pussy and pressed in deep, feeling how incredibly tight she was. My cock pulsed, still trapped in my black boxer briefs as I fingered her softly, and my mouth moved wildly over her pussy. She reached out and grabbed the sheets on the bed, grasping them in her hands and moaning.

I looked up at her face as I pushed her further into ecstasy, lifting her thighs in the air and running my tongue through her juices. She arched her back and moaned, reaching down to her tits and squeezing them hard. She writhed and wiggled beneath my face as her hips began to move in the motion of the waves. I could feel her body tensing as she came closer to her first climax. Her hips moved faster and faster, and she reached down, pressing her hand against my head top bury my face between her legs.

She put her feet down on the bed and lifted onto her tiptoes as she began to fuck my mouth. As the motions became frantic, she screamed out, arching high in the air and throwing her head back. Her body shook and twitched beneath me as her juices flowed from her pussy. She whimpered and moaned as the breath left her lungs and her hips relaxed back into the bed.

“Oh my God,” she said, laughing.

She grabbed my face and pulled it up to hers. I kissed her lips softly as she reached one hand over to the bed stand next to her bed. She pulled out a new box of condoms and handed me one, biting her lip. I opened up the packaging and rolled it over my shaft, pulling on it slightly as it wasn’t quite big enough. I shrugged, knowing it would do, before diving back down and kissing her mouth. I moved my body between her legs and reached down, grabbing the base of my cock. She lifted her hips in the air and wrapped her legs around my waist, closing her eyes and feeling the tip slide into her. I moved slowly but with intent, and she moaned loudly at the feeling of my cock gliding through her juices.

Her pussy was tighter than any woman I had ever slept with, and I went slow, unsure of whether I would hurt her or not. She reached her hands up and pulled me down on top of her, feeling my body slide up and down hers. She felt so fucking good, and at that moment, I lost track of everything. Ronni was a freaking goddess, and I didn’t know how long I could hold on. Our bodies meshed together and moved in tandem, our breaths matching and our eyes locked onto each other’s. She had definitely put a spell on me.

Chapter Six

Ronni

I could feel his hard shaft move inside of me, and I closed my eyes, allowing the waves of pleasure to wash over me. I had spent so much time studying in college that I never went on dates. Technically, Nathan had just taken my virginity.

The alcohol had done wonders for my inhibitions, and I laid there allowing him to take me, to fill me, and to push his huge erection deep inside of me. I couldn’t think of anything, other than how strong he was and how right it felt to be in his arms. His muscles rippled over me as he thrust forward, groaning over the sounds of the creaking bed. I reached up and pulled him down closer, wrapping my legs around his waist. He hooked his hands over my shoulders and slid up and down, our sweaty bodies entwined in the most intense passion I had ever felt. I moved my hips beneath his body, unable to control myself. He ran his hands down my tits and squeezed as he lifted up and pressed as deep into me as he could.

I reached out and grabbed my pillow, squeezing it hard in my hands as I felt another orgasm brewing deep in my stomach. The heat of the pleasure was rising so fast I could barely control myself. Nathan reached down and held on to my waist as he pushed forward, faster and harder. I arched my back and lifted my body to feel every inch of his throbbing cock. He growled as I massaged my breasts and ran my fingers over my mouth before rubbing my clit. As my fingers moved across my nub, he picked up the pace, grunting as he pushed hard inside of me. The sound of his voice echoed through my entire body as my orgasm erupted, pulsing through my veins, arching my back, and sending deep moans from my throat. He growled and thrust fast and hard several times, before pushing in deep and grasping my skin. I could feel his cock vibrating inside of me as he released, coming hard.

His hips continued to move in short intense bursts as the waves of pleasure moved through his muscles. He let out a deep breath and fell forward, catching himself with his hands on each side of my head. He laid there with his head hung down, breathing heavily and allowing his body to relax. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down at me, his lips curving into a sweet smile.

I reached my head up and kissed him softly. He rolled over to the side and looked deep into my eyes. He brushed my hair away from my face and kissed me sweetly several times. I took in a deep breath and looked up at the clock, my eyes growing wide.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I have to be at work in like three hours,” I said sheepishly.

He chuckled, and we both climbed from the bed, putting our clothes on before turning toward each other. He stepped close and ran his hands through my hair.

“I’ll get out of your way,” he whispered.

I nodded my head and showed him to the door. He stood in the doorway, bringing me in for one last, deep kiss. I lost my breath in his embrace, and as he pulled away, my heart fluttered.

“Thank you for your business advice,” I whispered.

“Is that what we are calling it now?”

We both stifled a laugh so we didn’t wake up Maria.

“Call me, okay?” He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

I nodded a silent yes and bit my lip, watching him walk out of the door and to his car. I waved as the limo pulled off. Then I turned, closed the door, and leaned my back against it. My emotions were crazy out of control, and I didn’t know what to think of anything that just happened.

Somehow, I started the night on a date with Nick and ended up in bed with Nathan. I shook my head and wandered to the bathroom to take a shower since it was too late to get any sleep at that point. By the time I was done in the shower, I could hear Maria up in the kitchen making coffee. I got dressed and pranced out, taking a seat at the breakfast bar and popping a piece of bacon in my mouth. Maria turned around and raised her eyebrows at me.

“So, you going to tell me what all that noise coming from your bedroom last night was?”

She tapped her fingers against the counter, and my cheeks blushed. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that Maria would be able to hear us.

“Well, Nick was a jerk, big surprise,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But Nathan showed up, and one thing led to another.”

“Okay, wait. So you didn’t sleep with Nick. You slept with his brother?” She leaned in and rested her head in her hands. “You need to spill all the details here, woman.”

“Ugh,” I said, looking at the clock. “I will give you more details later, but right now, I have got to get to work. Oh, and I got some really great ideas for the business. Nathan is a damn genius, and he filled in like every blank we’ve had so far.”

“Sounds like he filled in something, all right,” she said.

I laughed. “I’m serious.”

“That’s awesome,” she said excitedly. “Okay, we’ll talk tonight. Oh, and congrats on losing the big V.”

She smiled and held up her fingers in the shape of a V. I shook my head, embarrassed by the amount of attention she was giving my new sex life. I was twenty-three years old and had just lost my virginity. It was definitely different than most people my age. I took a deep breath and grabbed my purse and keys, rushing out of the house and out to the street where I quickly realized my car was in Imperial Beach where we left it. I shook my head and hailed a passing cab, jumping inside and making my way to Trillsworth Financial where I was an entry level data clerk. I would make sure to grab my car after work.

I got to work just in time and scooted through the rows of cubicles until I found mine. I looked over at the boss, who glanced up at the clock and then turned away. I was never late, but my boss was also a stickler, and I knew I would get written up if I was even five minutes late.

I got to work typing away on the computer, trying to get my mind off of Nathan and back to life. But as my fingers moved across the keys, my cheeks blushed from the visions of the night before replaying in my mind over and over again. His hot body glimmered in the lights from the street while he moved over me, pushing deep inside and sending me to a place of passion I didn’t even know existed.

I shook my head and wiped my forehead, absolutely embarrassed that I gave it up so quickly, and to Nathan of all people. The guy that used to help me with my English and walk around the house with a serious face. The only time I could remember him smiling was when his mom would take us to the beach in the convertible. He loved that time with her, and so did I.

Either way, it had happened, and I didn’t regret it, even for a second. He was so amazing in bed, and the feeling of his mouth against my heat was crazy. I shifted in my chair and crossed my legs, feeling wetness pooling just thinking about it. He moved gently but passionately against me, bringing me to not just one orgasm, but two. I needed to let go of the guilt and be happy that I was opening myself up to new experiences letting loose for once.

I had been working so hard for so long. I deserved to be a bit carefree from time to time. I had been holding on to my virginity for far too long, and if you asked me, I couldn’t even give you a good reason why. There was nothing religious behind it, and I wasn’t afraid of men. But I had been so busy with school and keeping my scholarships that dating was something I couldn’t afford to do. But now, I was out in the world, ready to face life in a new way, with my own place, my own job, and my own life. A life that was brand new, never been touched, and ready for me to make my own choices in. Ultimately, it was a new life and a new me, and I really liked that.

Work seemed to drag on for hours, and I decided to skip lunch since I had so much work to catch up on. Living in la la land and thinking about sex with Nathan had taken up a good portion of the morning, and my boss was constantly looking over my shoulder. I had this weird feeling he didn’t like brown people, or Mexicans, as the gringos call us. Not that I really even remembered much of my life in Mexico. After my parents died, the Landers took over and Mrs. Landers made sure I got my citizenship. I was really grateful to her, not that I showed that last night by getting drunk and screwing her son.

When five o’clock rolled around, I took the bus into Imperial Beach and grabbed my car, grumpy because I would have to drive back through rush hour traffic to get home. By the time I reached the door to the house, it was almost six and I was glad to be home. I walked through the door and tossed my bag on the counter, smiling at Maria. She shifted her eyes toward the living room and took a drink of her tea. I squinted my eyes and walked into the room, looking at the two bouquets of flowers on the table. The first one was gigantic, filled with every color of every flower you could imagine. It was decorated with large ornate bows and a small card stuck out of the top. I pulled it out and looked down at a note from Nick apologizing for the night before.

I put the card down and walked over to the other bouquet, which was understated but tasteful. The white and pink roses were absolutely gorgeous, and they smelled amazing. I pulled the card from that bouquet, reading Nathan’s name with X's and O’s underneath. I smiled at Nathan’s card and held it to my chest, turning around and dropping my smile as I faced an irritated Maria.

“You want to explain what the hell is going on?”

“I wish I could,” I said, laughing. “I guess Nick is still trying, and Nathan is letting me know he’s thinking about me.”

“Come here,” she said, softening her face and pulling me over to the couch. “I think you should stay away from these boys. I know you have known them your whole life, but I am starting to think this battle for your attention has more to do with their own issues between each other than it does with them actually fighting over you. I know the attention feels good, but what happens when the boys make up? Where does that leave you?”

I shook my head and smiled as she kissed my cheek and walked back into the kitchen. I looked down at the card from Nathan and wondered if maybe Maria was right. I knew Nathan would never hurt me on purpose, but things happen and emotions take over. I sighed, still not convinced that this was a terrible idea. I would just have to wait and see.

Chapter Seven

Nathan

Sitting there and staring at my computer, I couldn’t think of anyone other than Ronni. I had mountains of work waiting for me, but none of it interested me. Only one thing was running through my mind, and it had nothing to do with business.

That night had been erotic, arousing, and absolutely amazing, but now that the smoke had cleared, my guilt was starting to take back over. I had visions of her riding me, moaning, her beautiful body clenching in ecstasy. It looped through my head like a movie I couldn’t turn off. This woman had been someone I was supposed to think about like a sister, but she was so sexy and so smart. Giving in to my feelings for her was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn’t keep my mind off this girl, and I had been sitting here for the second day in a row just running it through my head over and over again.

Looking back at our hot and heavy night, I had a feeling she hadn’t told me the whole story about her sexual history. It was the little things that made me think that, like how she fumbled with her clothes, how she moved rigidly at the beginning, and how tight her pussy had been. I had known her a very long time and had never thought of her as a party girl, or someone who would jump right into bed with someone. In fact, I was pretty sure, with her dedication to school, and the fact that she had never talked about another man in her life, that she was a virgin.

But if that were true, why would she have chosen me to give it up to? Initially, the thought of her being a virgin sent a tingling, masculine thrill through my entire body. The idea that I had taken her virginity, that I had been the first man ever inside of her was extremely arousing. Her taste seemed almost purer as I sat there, thinking about her untouched pussy. On the other hand, guilt was desperately trying to creep into my chest. She was drunk, upset from her dinner with Nick, upset with how my father had blown her off when she left the house, and I had been there to comfort her, to listen to her, and to support her dreams. If I didn’t know myself better, it would look like I took advantage of her.

I no longer was sitting here daydreaming about Ronni. Instead, I was now terrified that I had taken advantage of a vulnerable woman. My mother had sat me down after Ronni’s parents had died and told me how she wanted to make Ronni feel like part of the family. My mother trusted that I would be kind, and welcome her with open arms. She knew that Nick was a hot head and really full of himself, and she wanted to make sure that I was looking out for her.

When my mother died, Ronni had come to me, hugging me and crying to me. She had really loved my mother, and she had seen so much loss in her life. More than I could ever imagine feeling in that short amount of time. If my mother was still here, I couldn’t imagine that she would be okay with this in any way, shape, or form, especially since it was driving an even bigger wedge between Nick and me. I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair. I had gotten myself into a bad situation. The entire time I was trying to protect her from Nick, I was unknowingly luring her into my own arms. I ended up treating her exactly how I hoped that Nick wouldn’t. It made me feel absolutely terrible. To top it all off, I cared about Ronni as a person, and I knew that this was going to drive a wedge between us, too. The best thing I could do at that point was go to her and apologize. I needed to live up to my promises, no matter how much I wanted to see her again.

The rest of the day flew by quicker than I had hoped, especially since I was dreading going to Ronni’s house and breaking the bad news to her. I was such an asshole, and to make matters worse, I had sent her flowers with the hope that she would want to see me again.

I procrastinated when it was time to leave the office, but eventually, I had no choice. I grabbed my things and headed down to the car. It was a chilly day so I left the top up, and the waves were crashing hard in the wind as I drove past the ocean. It seemed that mother nature was in the same mood that I was, except for her, it was acceptable. For me, not so much.

The sun in the distance was getting closer to the horizon, and the sky was lit up in bright oranges and pinks. As I rounded the corner and pulled up in front of her place, my stomach did flip flops. I approached the door, and I could see Ronni inside, folding her laundry. She looked really sexy in a pair of cutoff shorts and a white t-shirt. Her raven-colored hair was straight and shiny, and it hung down over her shoulders. I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.

“Hey,” she said happily. “I wasn’t expecting you. Come on in.”

I walked in the door and stood there looking around. It was a really cute place, and the girls had decorated it to feel just like San Diego. I looked over in the kitchen where her roommate was standing. I smiled, but she glared over at me with a knowing look in her eyes. I turned back to Ronni and smiled nervously.

“Can we take a walk?” I asked her.

“Sure,” she said, grabbing a sweatshirt and looking over at her roommate. “I’ll be right back.”

The girl in the kitchen stared me down as I closed the door behind me. I started to think she could read my thoughts, but that was just my guilt. We walked across the street and down to the small private beach below. I had my hands stuffed in my pockets since I was trying to avoid reaching out and touching her. I knew if I touched her, I would lose my nerve, and I needed to do what I thought was right.

“The other night was really amazing,” I said, smiling. “Like beyond amazing.”

“It was,” she said, blushing.

“That being said,” I continued. “I made a promise to my mother a very long time ago that I would always look out for you. I would always treat you like family. And that night, I didn’t do that. I feel like I took advantage of you because you had a bad night with Nick, you just moved out, and you were kind of drunk.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head with hurt in her eyes. “I was fully aware of what I was doing.”

“Right,” I said, shaking my head. “But I didn’t realize until afterward what I had done. I had gone against everything I had promised my mother, and it can’t happen again.”

I looked at her face as we walked forward. She was staring down at the sand beneath our feet, and I could see how much my words had hurt her. She looked like I was stabbing her with knives in the heart. Immediately, I wanted to reach out and take her in my arms and apologize, but I knew in order to move past this, I needed to say everything.

“You are an amazing woman,” I said. “You always have been. I’ve been there as you’ve grown into the most gorgeous person, inside and out. It makes it really hard for me to follow my mother’s wishes. I want you to know, I don’t regret what happened. I just think that we should end it there. I don’t want to lose you as my family.”

“Right,” she whispered. “I understand, and I appreciate you coming to speak to me in person. Oh, and the flowers were beautiful.”

“Ronni,” I said, turning toward her and grabbing her hand.

“Thank you,” she interrupted, staring sadly at me. “For all of your amazing advice. It really was a life saver. I can’t thank you enough for that. Anyway, I should go back. I have dinner plans, and it’s getting late.”

She grabbed my arm and leaned up, kissing me on the cheek and lingering for just a moment. She turned and jogged back toward the street. I swear I could see the glimmer of a tear on her cheek as she turned. I felt absolutely horrible. Ronni was such an amazing woman, and I would be lucky to have her in my life. If it weren’t for the promise I made to my mother, I would be on cloud nine right now, trying to woo her and wine and dine her. She was exactly the woman I was looking for, and I didn’t know until that night that I had been looking. I turned and watched the sun dip below the horizon. A cold wind whipped along the beach and down the collar of my shirt.

I walked back to the car and looked up at Ronni’s window. She was standing inside with her hands covering her face. Her roommate was hugging her, and she looked up at me angrily, before leaning forward and pulling down the blinds. I hadn’t realized I would have such an effect on her. I jumped in my car and headed to the gym. I needed to get these emotions out and the only thing I could think to do was workout.

I grabbed the gym bag from my trunk and headed into the gym, thankful they were open twenty-four hours. There was barely anyone inside, not that it mattered, and after I had changed, I jumped on the treadmill. With every step, my gut dropped, thinking about Ronni’s face when I told her. I picked up the pace, now running full speed. I breathed heavily and wished the knot in my chest would disappear. After about forty minutes, I got off the treadmill and headed over to the weights, doing as many reps as I could handle. I worked out harder than I had in a really long time, but still, I didn’t feel any better about what I had done. I had broken Ronni’s heart, which was the complete opposite of what I set out to do in the first place.

I finished my reps with the weights and walked over the punching bag, slipping my headphones in my ears in an attempt to drown out my own mind. Nick was supposed to be the villain in this scenario, not me. And yet, I continued to punch the bag as hard as I possibly could, feeling the sting in my knuckles. This girl had really done something to me. She had touched me in a place that I couldn’t describe, and I didn’t just mean my dick. Being with her was not a normal hookup. It was years of bonding and love, all compressed into one really hot night. She was smart, probably smarter than I was, and determined like I had never seen. She wanted to make something out of herself, and she wanted to do it all while spending time with me and giving herself to me fully. Had I known she was giving her virginity to me, I would have held her longer, caressed her more gently, and made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.

I took in a deep breath, reared back, and punched the bag as hard as I could over and over again. My knuckles swelled and cracked as they met the plastic material. I grabbed the bag, stopping it from swinging, and leaned my head against it. No matter how many times I punched this bag, I was still a giant piece of shit.

Chapter Eight

Ronni

I took a deep breath and wiped away the fog from my steamed-up mirror. There was a knot in my chest from the conversation I had with Nathan the night before, and I really didn’t like it. I had given him my virginity, given him a part of me that I could never get back, and he had broken it off before it even had a chance to begin.

All this time, I’d thought Nick was the bad guy, the one that would break my heart. But I never saw it coming from Nathan. He was so kind and gentle. Even when he was telling me this couldn’t happen, his eyes told me he was genuinely upset about it. That should have made it better, but it almost felt worse, knowing he wanted to be with me but the ghosts from our past were dictating our future.

No matter how good his mother’s intentions had been, they never came to fruition. I wasn’t treated poorly, but I was never treated like a sister. Now, it was messing with Nathan’s mind so much that he couldn’t separate it from what happened. It made me angry that he couldn’t come to terms with the fact that his mother’s wishes had been broken a long time ago, and there was no going back.

I was drawn from my thoughts by my phone buzzing on the counter. I looked down and saw Nick’s face flashing across the screen. I picked it up, thinking twice about answering but pressing the call button anyway.

“Hey, Nick,” I said, trying to sound normal and not mopey.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said in his normal energetic voice. “I wanted to see what you were up to tonight.”

“I don’t have any plans,” I said, sighing. “Why? What’s up?”

“Well, I thought maybe I could make up for the other night and take you dancing at this awesome club in San Diego,” he said, igniting visions of that night in my head.

“You know what? That sounds great.” I decided that I needed to get Nathan out of my head, and there was no one more likely to help with that than Nick.

“Awesome,” he said. “Pick you up in an hour?”

“Great,” I replied before hanging up.

I got ready in record time and was waiting by the door when Nick pulled up. Maria was in her room, and I didn’t want her to know I was going out with Nick. So, I hurried out the door and down to the curb. Nick whistled at me as I walked down in my high heels and short dress. I blushed before leaning in to let him kiss me on the cheek. He opened the car door for me and then jumped into the driver’s seat. Then we sped off toward the club.

As soon as I was in the club, there was a drink in my hand which I didn’t mind in the least. Nick pulled me around the place, giving me the grand tour. It was definitely a hot spot in the city with its high ceilings, great music, and the poshest VIP area I had ever seen. He handed me a shot and clicked my glass. I threw it back, unaware of what I was even drinking.

“So, what do you think?” he asked.

“It’s great,” I yelled over the music, curious as to why he wanted my opinion so bad.

“I’m thinking of becoming an investor,” he said loudly in my ear.

“Oh,” I said, bobbing my head to the music and thinking back to the study we did in college on nightclubs. “You know when I was in college, we studied nightclubs. Apparently, it's really hard to recoup any investment in nightclubs. So, I would really think hard about it.”

“You sound like my brother,” he said, scowling. Then he handed me another drink.

The last thing I wanted was to be reminded of Nathan so I downed that drink and dragged Nick out on the dance floor. My only option at that point was to get drunk and have fun dancing, which was exactly what I was doing. Nick leaned forward and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me in close. I smiled politely and pushed back, looking around as I swayed my body to the music. He reached out again, this time forcefully pulling me in and grabbing my ass. I reached around and grabbed his wrist, throwing his hand off of me. At that point, he seemed to get the message.

His face went quickly from entertained to angry. I watched him stomp off back to the VIP area. I continued to dance a bit longer and then headed toward Nick. I stopped short, though, when I noticed him inside, hitting on a tall blonde girl with giant tits. I shook my head and chuckled to myself, finding it hard to focus. I realized quickly that I was completely wasted, but I knew that Nick had zero intentions of taking me home anytime soon, if at all. I fumbled around my bag, pulling out my phone and dialing Maria’s number. I tapped my foot impatiently as it rang, but she never answered.

“Shit,” I said to myself, hanging up and pulling up the Uber app on my phone.

I clicked the button, but it was still programmed for the East Coast. I tried to figure out how to switch it, but between the alcohol, the lights, and the music, I couldn’t get a clear focus on anything. I took a deep breath and tossed the phone back in my purse. I needed to get the hell out of this club and get some fresh air.

I pushed through the crowd, trying to keep my feet firmly planted below me. I wobbled back and forth, the alcohol getting stronger in my system with every step. By the time I made it to the door, I burst out into the cool air and took in a deep, steadying breath. I was so angry with myself. How had I not thought that Nick would abandon me all over again? To be fair, I had no intention of letting him touch me at all. I was mostly using him as a way to get out of my own head for a bit. Still, he had brought me out here, gotten me drunk, and then started hitting on another woman. I stepped to the side to get out of the way of the other people exiting the club.

My feet were freaking killing me so I leaned down, not giving two shits, and took off my heels. The cold cement under my feet sent a chill up my arms, and I realized it was colder tonight than I had ever remembered San Diego feeling like. I had only been gone three years, but I had immersed myself in college, forgetting all about this place until I drove back over the San Diego bridge.

I looked around me at the people walking from the bars. The lights from the signs and street lights made me even dizzier so I started walking down the block, not even sure where it was that I was going. I looked down at my phone and realized I had hit a wrong button, so I fumbled with my phone to close it out. I walked toward a large planter on the sidewalk and sat down on the edge of it. I set my phone in my lap, looking around for a cab.

“Finding a cab in the Gaslamp Quarter shouldn’t be this damn hard,” I muttered out loud to myself.

I sat there for several minutes just looking around. Five frat boys joked their way up the street, and I looked in the other direction, trying not to catch their attention. But sitting here drunk and cold in a skimpy little dress was a bit more than noticeable.

“Look what we got here,” the guy in the front said, staring me up and down. “What are you doing out here all by yourself pretty girl?”

“Leave me alone,” I said angrily.

“Whoa,” one said, and they all laughed. “She’s got that Latin spice in her.”

“Don’t,” I said, slapping one guy’s hand away and turning as another scooted up next to me on the planter, putting his arm around me. “Get the fuck off of me, asshole. I don’t need your help, nor do I want you anywhere near me.”

I stood up and found myself being circled by these assholes. My heart began to beat wildly in my chest as my already dizzy vision got worse. I couldn’t focus on any of their faces, but I could hear them laughing and taunting me. Suddenly, one of them grabbed me and pulled me against him. I put my hand on his chest and pushed hard, trying to get away.

“Let go of me,” I yelled out. “Get your hands off of me.”

“I like a girl that struggles,” he said, laughing.

The squeal of tires cut through the night, and the guy dropped me before stepping back and watching as Nathan jumped from his sports car and barreled toward them. He grabbed the guy by his shirt collar and threw him to the ground. He turned toward the other guys with his fists clenched. I had never seen him so angry before, not even during the millions of fights he had with his brother growing up.

“The lady said to leave her alone,” he growled. “Now get out of here before I kick all your asses.”

One of the guys made a move at Nathan, and Nathan punched him square in the jaw. The frat guy dropped to the sidewalk. That one punch was enough to drain the fight from the rest of them. They gathered up their fallen friends, backed up slowly, and then took off down the street.

I looked up at Nathan from the place I had fallen, and his face softened. He reached down and helped me to my feet, picking up my shoes and taking me around the waist. I didn’t know how in the world Nathan found me or even spotted me over here, but I was so glad to see him. He ushered me to the car and helped me in the seat, leaning over to buckle my seatbelt. He closed my door and got in on the other side, reaching back and handing me his jacket. I shivered in the seat, and he reached over and turned the heat on. We sat there for several minutes, letting the car and my body warm up.

All kinds of thoughts were swirling through my head, and I couldn’t get a grasp on reality. I had drunk more than I ever had at one time, and all I wanted to do was sober up. It was like fate that Nathan had been here, had found me, and was saving me yet again from the trouble his brother had put me in. I knew at that moment, I would never trust Nick again, not even to have lunch with him. He didn’t care about me and Maria was right, at least about Nick.

He was using me as a pawn to get to his brother. He wanted to hurt Nathan and make him angry, and by doing that, he had pushed Nathan away from me. I took a deep breath, trying to sober myself up, knowing I was going to have to explain to Nathan how I got out here and why I was stranded without a way home. I knew he was going to be furious so I wanted him to start driving before I told him. Otherwise, he might go in the club and drag his brother out by the neck. The last thing I wanted out of all of this was to make things even worse between them. Nathan kept talking about his mother being disappointed, and I knew that if her and my parents were watching right now, they would be absolutely mortified at how I was acting.

I laid my head back on the headrest and breathed deeply, ready to tell Nathan everything.

Chapter Nine

Nathan

So, I was really feeling down about everything that has happened, and Nick called me up,” she said, explaining what happened.

“Wait, what does Nick have to do with this?” I asked, as I drove down the street and away from the crowds.

“He asked if I wanted to go out to the club,” she said. “I just wanted to feel better so I said sure. He picked me up and took me there. Well, once we were there, he started feeding me drinks. When we were out on the dancefloor, he got really grabby, and I slapped him away.”

“Let me guess, he got pissed,” I said getting angry.

“He went over to VIP and started hooking up with this tall blonde chick,” she explained. “So, I tried to call Maria for a ride, and she didn’t answer. I tried to use the Uber app but I was too drunk to figure it out. I stopped and sat down, trying to find a cab, but there weren’t any. Then those guys came along, and well, you know the rest.”

I gritted my teeth and gripped onto the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles began to turn white. My idiot brother, too self-absorbed to care about anyone else, put Ronni in a situation where she could have gotten hurt, or worse. He abandoned her in the middle of the city at night, drunk as hell, and didn’t care enough to make sure she even got a cab back home.

It was a good thing I had pulled away from the club already because everything in me wanted to go in there and drag him out by his skinny fucking neck. Just wait until I get my damn hands on him and let our father know what kind of man he has turned into. If he thinks I’m going to sit back and keep my mouth shut any longer to avoid his embarrassment, he has another thing coming.

“I’m so sorry,” Ronni blurted out, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been randomly driving down that exact street. I was so scared.”

I looked up from the road confused for a moment, not understanding what she was talking about. She had called my cell phone, and I could hear her talking in the background. She led me straight to her with her drunk mumbling and incoherent banter. I was scared to death when I heard her shouting at those guys. I almost killed ten people speeding through the streets to get to her. I looked over at her and down at her lap where her cell phone was sitting. I reached over and pressed the speaker button on my phone.

I pointed over to her lap and she looked down in confusion. “It wasn’t magic,” I said, hearing my voice echoing from the speaker.

Ronni looked over at my phone, and I could see the realization moving across her face. She picked up her phone and looked down at the call that was still in session. She shook her head and rubbed her hand over her eyes, clicking the phone off and tossing it in her purse. She sat quietly for a few seconds, staring out the window, and I wondered what was going on in her mind. I didn’t mean to act harsh or uncaring toward her. I was just so angry at my brother for being such a cocksucker. He had purposely hurt Ronni, and he didn’t even know it would affect me. It was probably a good thing he didn’t know since it might have been worse if he did. I could hear Ronni begin to sniffle, and she turned quickly in her seat, staring at me. That was when the words just started to flow from her mouth as if she no longer had any control over what she was saying.

“I barely ever drink,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve been so obsessed with grades, graduating from school, and making a life for myself that I didn’t have time for parties and clubs. Then I get here around you and I am making all kinds of decisions that aren’t like me. I’m having my heart broken by you, I’m getting wasted at a club and randomly being stranded out in the streets. Then I try to get home, but for the first time in San Diego history, there's not a damn cab anywhere. I couldn’t get my Uber app to work because it’s still linked to the East Coast. And then, I randomly dial you, which I’m really glad I did, but you have to get up and come rescue me, yet again. And all because I was stupid enough that I thought coming out tonight would make me feel better.”

“Okay, okay,” I said, rubbing her shoulder. “Relax. You’re only human, and after this long of keeping it together, especially after what you’ve been through, it’s okay for you to let your hair down. You just need to be a little pickier on who you put your trust in. Nick is an asshole and he only thinks about himself. Just when I start to believe there is something decent inside of him, he goes and pulls a stunt like this. Look, you don’t have to be sorry. I will always be there for you. We are family and we have been since the first time you and your family stepped foot into our home.”

She raised her hands to her face and began to sob. Her tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks, and she gasped between breaths. I didn’t know what happened to cause her to cry like this, but with every weak whine and sob, my heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest. She was in so much pain, and although I understood that she had every reason to feel that way, I didn’t know what these tears were for. But then again, maybe she didn’t either. Maybe they were for everything. Maybe they were for every terrible event she had been through. Every person ripped from her life without cause or justification. Maybe even a little of it was because of me.

To think that I had anything to do with this suffering made me feel sick to my stomach. She was such an amazing girl and she was going through hell right now, and I didn’t help make it any easier on her. All those times I could have reached out and I didn’t, leaving her to be strong on her own. I guess everyone has a breaking point, whether it’s early on or after years of suppressing those feelings and tears. I reached over and rubbed her back, hoping that she would get this out of her system and be able to see herself the way that I saw her.

We pulled up in front of the house and only Ronni’s car was in the driveway. Maria must be out, and that was why she didn’t get Ronni’s call. I got out of the car and rushed over to her side, opening the door and helping her out. She was still crying so I wrapped my arms around her and held her close as we walked toward the house. I could feel her body shaking in my arms, so I took the keys from her and opened the front door. She took in a deep breath and looked up at me, her makeup running down her cheeks and her big brown eyes bloodshot from crying.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” She looked so sad. “Just to hold me. I don’t want to be alone.”

“Of course, I will,” I said, relieved that I didn’t have to leave her alone in this state.

She grabbed onto me as we walked back to her room. She had finally stopped sobbing, but I could tell she was absolutely exhausted from the night’s ordeal. We got into her room, and I quietly shut the door. I switched the light on next to her bed and pulled the curtains closed. Then I took her phone and her shoes from her hands. I turned her around and unzipped her dress, pulling it off her shoulders and helping her step out of it. She crawled into the bed and pulled the covers over her. I took off my shirt and shorts, laying them across the chair, and I climbed in next to her in my boxers. She rolled over on her side and faced me, her eyes puffy from crying.

“I’ve been working so hard this whole time,” she said. “And my dreams of success, I’ve patterned after you. You are so dedicated and hardworking, and you always have been. In college, the professor asked us to think about a businessman or woman that we wanted to be like, and you were the first person that popped into my head. So, I’ve worked extra hard, sacrificing my freedoms and my friends. I haven’t minded it at all, knowing one day I’ll be able to slow down. But without a family, sometimes it just gets really lonely.”

As soon as she spoke the word lonely, I immediately knew exactly what she was feeling. Ever since my mother died and I took over running the company, I had felt very alone. My mother was my rock throughout my life, and before taking over the company, I had a life with friends, romance, and a strong family. However, all of that changed in the blink of an eye, and there were more nights than not that I went to bed feeling completely alone, lost in the isolation that came as part of my life.

I leaned forward and kissed Ronni gently on the forehead, finally understanding so much more about her than I had before. She and I really weren’t all that different in the end. She scooted closer to me and laid her head on my chest. I stroked her hair with my hand until I could feel her body relax and her breathing deepen. I laid there, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about that loneliness. Suddenly, I realized that I couldn’t remember what it felt like, and that laying there with Ronni cuddled in my arms was the first time I hadn’t felt lonely since my mother died.

I took in a deep breath and scooted down slightly in the bed, propping the pillow under my head. Ronni had given in to the grief, the excitement of the evening, and the sheer amount of alcohol she had consumed. As she laid there, her head moving up and down as I breathed, I couldn’t think of another place I wanted to be, or another woman that I wanted to be with. Ronni filled a hole in me that I didn’t even realize was there until now. I had dove head first into my work so that I could stay busy enough and tired enough that I would only experience that dire loneliness for a few moments a day. I hadn’t realized, though, it wasn’t a fleeting feeling before Ronni. It was something I had been carrying around inside of me for years.

I looked down at her as she slept hard, her eyes finally calm from the crying. Never in a million years did I think that the cure to my sadness had been sitting in front of me this entire time. She made me feel alive in ways I never had before, and just as I had jumped from my car and bullied a bunch of frat brothers which was not like me, I also felt at ease and calm in moments that I would normally have hit the height of anxiety. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe my mother wouldn’t have been so sad about this. Ronni and I were cut from the same cloth, and I couldn’t think of another person I’d rather have by my side.

Chapter Ten

Ronni

I snuggled my body into the covers. The warmth of the blankets and the softness of the pillows enticed me to fall back to sleep. There was a cool breeze blowing from the fan, making it the perfect temperature for a lazy Saturday in bed. I reached back to scratch my shoulder and heard a man grumble and turn behind me. Oh, God, what did I do?

Come on brain, think. I ran through the foggy bits and pieces of memories coming back from the night before. I freaked out, thinking it was Nick. That I had somehow brought him back and slept with him. However, as I lay there frozen, I started to remember what actually happened last night. Nick had ignored me, cozying up with some tall blonde chick. I remembered stumbling around the club until I made my way out to the streets. I could remember calling Maria, feeling a bit of fear when she didn’t pick up the phone. Then, the frat boys flooded my memory, and I realized exactly who was behind me. It was Nathan.

He had found me, bursting onto the scene like a super hero, taking down the assholes and scooping me up into his car. But why would I be so stupid as to sleep with him again, knowing he was trying to force himself to not be attracted to me? I peeked under the covers and realized I was still wearing my panties and bra. I looked to the side and he was still in his boxers.

Okay, we didn’t sleep together.

I was a shit show last night between the alcohol and the complete mental breakdown in Nathan’s car. That poor guy had come to the rescue and ended up having to babysit my drunk ass. I laid my head back in the pillow, groaning to myself as I thought about how big of a fool I had looked like last night, standing in the street, holding my shoes, and swaying back and forth. And Nick, that son of a bitch, had thrown me to the wolves, and all because I rejected his sexual advances.

He deserved to buy that club and have it fail, so he can go running to his daddy with his tail between his legs while I started up my fabulous new business, selling swimwear with my best friend. Wouldn’t he be shocked when we were ruling the “saturated market” with our bikinis? I took in a deep breath, feeling the after effects of the alcohol from the night before. I was going to have one mother of a hangover once I finally dragged my body out of this bed. But damn if it didn’t feel nice having Nathan’s warm skin grazing mine. His tight strong body next to me, protecting me and making me feel that twinge of arousal that I knew I shouldn’t have.

Laying there, I started thinking about what he said to me on the beach when we went for that walk a few days ago. I could almost feel the knot developing in my chest all over again. I pushed that from my mind and replaced it with Nathan’s heroic rescue last night, grabbing me off the streets and bringing me home, where he even undressed me and got me comfortable in the bed. I had asked him to stay, and he didn’t even think twice.

In reality, I was bummed nothing happened between us. Not only had I found myself craving the feeling of being safe and protected in his arms, I felt like he deserved to be treated to a sexy foray of hot sensual sex. He deserved to be shown just how hot he was and how much I wanted him. I hadn’t been able to get his huge cock and sexy body off my mind since that night, and now he was behind me in the bed, wearing nothing but boxer briefs. His little “love you like a sister” speech was forced from the guilt of his mother, and we both knew that.

He shifted behind me, his groin sliding behind my ass. The feeling of his half hard morning wood bounced across my ass, and immediately, I could feel myself getting wet. I quietly slid my hand down into my panties, running my fingers across my clit. That was it. I wasn’t going to stand by and let him blow me off when I knew that wasn’t what he wanted. I was going to turn over and show him just how different I was than a little sister.

I bit my lip and turned slowly over in the bed, pulling my panties off and unclipping my bra. I scooted forward into his arms, pressing my naked body against him. His eyes were closed as he moved his arm down, running it down my back and groaning slightly. I nuzzled my face in his neck and pressed my lips against his skin, kissing him seductively. He breathed heavily as I pushed my hips into his, feeling his cock getting harder. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down at my naked body.

“Ronni,” he whispered, staring down at my tits. “We really shouldn’t.”

“Shh,” I said, running my fingers across his lips and grabbing his hand.

I thrust his fingers between my legs, and he instantly began massaging my wet pussy. I ground my hips against his hand, rubbing my clit on his arm. I reached up and pushed him over on his back, sitting up and feeling him slip his fingers inside of me. I closed my eyes and moaned as I fucked his hand, feeling the juices starting to flow. He looked at me wildly, as if he had never seen something so sexy, and it made me even more brazen.

I ran my hands up my sides and over my breasts as I bounced up and down on his hand. At first, my goal was to get on top of him as fast as I could, but the feeling of his eyes on me and his fingers inside of me turned me on so badly I couldn’t move. As he fingered me hard, I pulled down his boxers and leaned forward, swallowing his hard cock. He groaned loudly, pushing his fingers inside of me harder and faster. I whined as my lips moved down his shaft. I reached up and grabbed his free hand, placing it on the back of my head. I liked it when he was in control.

He wrapped his hand through my hair and pushed down, pulling my head back up and groaning as my tongue swirled around the tip. Over and over, my head bobbed up and down, and my throat opened to take all of his giant cock inside. His hips began to move up and down, and I sat still, letting him fuck my mouth. It was incredibly erotic, and I glanced up at his face which was staring down at me. I curled my lips into a smile, and he rolled his eyes back groaning and laughing. I slid my hand between my legs and started rubbing my clit, moaning into his cock. It was so hard and so ready for me, but I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to feel him get needy and really want me.

He took his fingers out of me and grabbed me by the waist, pulling me toward his face. I straddled his head, feeling him pull me down onto his lips. I screamed out at the feeling of his tongue running through my folds, sopping up my juices and sucking on my clit. I swayed my hips, taking a moment to really feel his pleasure before bending forward, grabbing his shaft, and pushing it into my throat. He gasped as I sucked hard, and my lips pressed against the base of his cock. He squeezed my ass, moving his mouth wildly around my pussy. I could feel the orgasm beginning to simmer, but I took a deep breath, not wanting to come until I was riding his dick. I wanted him to feel me explode, to feel my juices surround his erection, and my body twitch and writhe over top of him.

I sat up on his face and waited for a moment feeling the pleasure of grinding on his lips. I rose up on my knees and flipped around, scooting down to his waist. I leaned down and kissed his neck, whispering in his ear.

“I want you to feel me come.”

He moaned loudly as I reached back and stroked his cock, letting him know I was ready for him. I reached up and grabbed a condom from my drawer and tore the wrapper open, leaning back and sliding over his dick. Holding the base of his shaft, I tilted my hips and slid slowly down his cock, my juices dripping down him. I pulled my knees underneath me and sat down good and deep, moving up and down just slightly. I kissed his lips sweetly and then sat up, pulling his hands to my tits as I moved my body like a wave. I could feel his skin pressed against mine, and instantly, I wanted more. I moaned loudly as my clit dragged across his skin and his shaft pressed against my stomach from the inside. He reached up and grabbed my waist, but I slapped his hands away with a mischievous grin. He chuckled and raised his arms above his head, watching me bring myself closer and closer to orgasm.

I leaned forward and slowly lifted my ass, bringing his cock up before slowly lowering back onto it. He felt so damn good inside of me, and I did that same motion over and over again, feeling every ripple of his cock. I could feel the pleasure and need build up in my body, and I began to slam my hips up and down on his dick.

“Yeah, baby,” he groaned.

I sat back up and shifted my hips up and back, bringing myself to the edge of climax. I screamed out frantically, moving my body against his, turning to the side, and grinding down hard. As I pushed forward, rubbing him across my nub, I arched my back and threw my head up, screaming as the orgasm exploded and waves of pleasure pushed through my entire body. He reached up and grabbed my waist, thrusting his cock in and out of me hard and fast, trying to bring me to an even higher climax. I grabbed my tits and moaned as his body slammed against me. Pleasure ignited in ways I had never felt before. As the peak of my orgasm tipped me over the top, I fell forward, breathing heavily and whimpering. He slammed his lips against mine, kissing me passionately while still thrusting into me.

I moaned, feeling him completely filling me up. I braced my body and let him fuck me hard, biting into his shoulder as he held onto my hips and grunted loudly. The sound of his voice was enough to push me back into pleasure mode, and I swept his hands off my hips and sat down on him again. I lifted my body up and looked down at him smiling.

“You want this?” I asked, biting my lip.

“Yeah, baby, give it to me,” he growled.

“Like this?” I asked innocently as I began to slowly bounce up and down on his cock.

“Harder,” he groaned, grabbing the sheets on the bed and trying not to take over.

His self-control didn’t last long. He sat up, grabbed me by the waist, and threw me down onto the bed. He climbed on top of me and pushed my legs apart. His eyes were dark, and he leaned into my neck, whispering into my ear.

“No, like this,” he said.

Chapter Eleven

Nathan

I spread her legs apart with mine and looked deep into her eyes. Then, I thrust my cock deep and hard inside of her. Ronni smiled and moaned. She stretched her body out, leaving her large breasts to jiggle and move on her chest. I leaned down and took her nipple into my mouth as I pushed in and out of her, feeling my balls slap against her ass. She was so fucking sexy when she took control, and despite the fact that I fought it at first, any illusion of her being treated like a sister quickly flew out the window with the passion I felt for her.

Her hands grasped the bed behind her, pulling on the sheets and arching her body into mine as I fucked her hard. I stopped and sat up, pulling her legs onto my shoulders and grabbing her ass. I pulled her toward me and lunged deep inside of her. Then, bracing myself, I began pumping fast and hard. She screamed and moaned below me, and I felt her pussy tightening and releasing around my cock. She was so wet, and I could easily slide in and out without a problem. She reached down and started rubbing her clit as I slammed into her, feeling my own orgasm beginning to rise.

She moaned with the rhythm of my body, her screams echoing over and over through her room. As I pushed deep and hard, I could feel her begin to tense, and I knew she was about to come again. She rubbed fast against her clit, biting her lip and closing her eyes. I wanted to feel her again, her pussy vibrating against my shaft, the warm liquid rushing around it. As she reached her peak, she lifted her body off the bed. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out of her throat. I groaned loudly as I felt her pussy pulsate around my shaft. I wrapped my arms around her thighs, jamming my cock in as deep as I could get it. After two more thrusts, I leaned into her, letting my body rest against hers as I came hard.

The orgasm sent a blanket of pleasure and relaxation through my entire body. I moaned loudly as her body began to relax, feeling my cock bulging inside of her. The orgasm felt like it was going to last forever, and I slowly let my panting breaths calm down, leaning back on my knees and sighing as my muscles relaxed.

I looked down at Ronni, laying there recovering from her multiple orgasms. Her cheeks were rosy, and she was smiling, trying to catch her breath. I knew at that moment, I wanted more of this woman, and the idea of treating her like family now had a completely different connotation. She was one of the most amazing women I had ever met, and I would never again spend my days trying to run from her. Instead, I would run full force right into her arms, holding her in the day, and worshipping her tan silky body at night.

I pulled out and jumped from the bed, feeling more energized than ever. I smiled down at her and reached out, pulling her from the bed and into my arms. She laughed as I picked her up at the waist and let her feet dangle down. I pressed my lips tightly against hers, feeling the passion and emotion surging between us. I didn’t want to leave her yet, so I figured why force myself to?

“Get dressed,” I said, smiling. “There is this amazing French Bistro at the Del that I want to take you to. They serve brunch, and I would love some French toast right now.”

“That sounds perfect,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I am so hungry!”

I pulled my clothes on and watched as she pulled on fresh, sexy panties and a new bra. She lifted her arms up in the air, allowing a sweet but sexy sundress to cascade over her curves. She grabbed a sweater and sat down at her makeup table, brushing her hair. She looked back at me, smiling as she pulled her hair into a ponytail and touched up her makeup just enough to look fresh and bright. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She nodded toward a pair of wedge sandals sitting on the floor against the wall, so I grabbed them and walked over, holding them close to me as I bent over and kissed her lip-glossed lips.

We walked out of the room, and I watched as Ronni skipped into the kitchen and planted a huge kiss on her roommate’s cheek.

“This is Maria,” she said happily. “Maria, this is Nathan.”

I leaned over and kissed the top of her hand, flashing her a smile. Her stern face melted slowly away, and she looked into Ronni’s eyes, seeing that she was happy. Maria laughed as Ronni’s excitement trickled over into her. I wanted Maria to like me, especially if I was going to be with Ronni and help them get their business off the ground. If Ronni believed in Maria, I knew I could take that as a solid fact.

We left the house and jumped into my car, letting the top down now that the clouds had cleared and the sun warmed the air. It was a slow start to summer in San Diego this year, but I didn’t mind the eighty degree days at all. Ronni looked over at me, her ponytail whipping around in the wind, and her smile brightening up my day.

We got to the restaurant, and they took us straight back to a table, realizing who I was. My father and mother used to have brunch here every weekend, but they didn’t bring us kids. It was kind of their date night but with brunch instead. I could remember my mother putting on a beautiful dress, doing her hair just perfectly, and dabbing a tiny bit of perfume on her neck. She always hummed on Saturdays, and I knew it was because she got to spend quality time with my father, something that was few and far between with him running the company. However, no matter how busy their lives got, my father always made sure to clear his schedule for Saturday afternoon brunch with my mother.

We sat closely together, sipping our mimosas and looking over the menu. Everything looked delicious, so instead of picking I asked the waitress to bring us one of everything. Ronni’s eyes lit up at that. The waitress laughed and smiled, seeing the love surging between Ronni and me. When she left to put our order in, I leaned back in the chair and put my arm around Ronni. We watched the people coming in and out of the restaurant. The older women were dressed in their Sunday best with large hats and every piece of jewelry they could fit on their hands. The younger crowd was prim, pressed, and proper, laughing and talking amongst themselves as they enjoyed the beginning of a life of luxury. Ronni and I looked up at the door as a loud giggle broke through the low murmur of voices. It was Nick, walking in with a tall blonde girl, dressed like she was ready to go to the club.

“That’s the woman he ditched me for last night,” Ronni said, giggling. “Seems she didn’t get to change her clothes, and neither did Nick.”

I thought about how often Nick stayed at the Del and how if he had gone to his place, he would be wearing different clothing. They must have decided to stay at the hotel last night, which meant Nick had no intention of keeping this girl around past brunch. If he thought he would want to fuck a girl again, he would take them to his house in the hills, but if he knew it was a one and done, he would bring them to the Del, feed them brunch, more because he was hungry than anything else, and then put them in a cab back to whatever hole they crawled out from. He was so predictable.

The hostess took them to a table across the room, but Nick had already spotted Ronni and me. Ronni had switched her attention to her hot tea, but I sat meeting Nick’s angry glare. The blonde was fawning all over him, but he ignored her, sending angry daggers in my direction. I actually found it to be quite humorous, and I smiled a condescending smile in his direction. As soon as the waitress arrived with the food, though, I brought my attention back to the present, ignoring him for the rest of brunch.

We feasted on every breakfast food you could possibly imagine, laughing as people looked over at us and smiled. They figured we were a young couple in love, enjoying our breakfast on cloud nine. I kept my arm around Ronni, keeping her close to my side. I hated the idea that eventually I would have to let go and get to work. Weekends didn’t stop me from having client meetings. When we were done, I had the food boxed up and told Ronni to take it home for her and Maria.

“You’ll instantly win Maria’s heart,” she said, laughing. “That girl is so thin, but she can eat more than most men.”

We laughed as we carried the bags out, still ignoring Nick’s angry stare. We piled the food in the trunk so it wouldn’t blow around and drove slowly back to her house. I walked her in and helped bring the food in, smiling at Maria as I set it in front of her. She laughed and wagged her finger at me.

“You found my weakness, sir.”

Ronni walked me back outside and shut the door behind her for some privacy. I leaned in and kissed her lips softly, running my fingers over her shoulders and back. It was like torture saying goodbye.

“I’m sorry that I have to leave,” I said, sighing. “I have to head into work because I have a meeting later this evening. A lot of my clients don’t care about working weekends.”

“It’s okay,” she said, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning back to look up at my eyes. “Do you want to get together again?”

“Of course,” I said, laughing. “I wouldn’t even leave now, but my weekend is completely sewn up with business. Sunday is insane, but I’m hoping to make headway with this huge deal that I’ve been working on for about three months now. I think things are finally coming together with it.”

“I understand,” she said, smiling. “Trust me, I would kill baby seals to have that kind of experience. Okay, maybe not baby seals, but I would definitely think about it.”

I laughed loudly and leaned down to kiss her lips. She was so soft and comforting, and I was having a really hard time breaking away. I took in a deep breath and released my grip, stepping back down the walk and toward the car. I blew her a kiss and waved.

“I’ll call you tonight, I promise,” I said as I opened the car door and stepped inside.

As I drove away, I watched her in the rearview mirror. I loved the fact that she was craving experience in business, the same way she used to crave education and knowledge. This girl was going to be trouble when she learned everything she needed to know. There had to be a way I could help her get that knowledge. As I turned toward the center of the city where the office was, I looked over and saw a help wanted sign, and it hit me. That was it. I owned a company that would give her everything she needed. I would hire her to work at the real estate firm. Why didn’t I think of that before?

Chapter Twelve

Ronni

I really didn’t want Nathan to leave the day before, but I knew how important his business was to him. He had taken charge of his father’s company after his mother passed away, and from studying the company as a whole during college, I knew that whatever he was doing was helping to bring the company into the new era. His father was a brilliant man, but he didn’t understand changing times. The company wasn’t in danger at any point, but if Nathan hadn’t come in with the changes he made, eventually the conglomerate would have been broken up and sold to the highest bidder. He was brilliant, just like his father, but he understood what it took for an enterprise to survive a changing economic and political world. They were one of very few real estate companies in the country that actually increased revenue during the economic collapse, while many others barely hung on or folded under the pressure. It was extremely impressive.

So, in the spirit of moving forward and hard work, Maria and I sat down to work out the details of the bikini line and all the logistics that went along with it. She was an exceptional designer, more talented than most of the famous ones I saw in magazines, but just like me, she was just starting out. She sat and listened to everything that Nathan had explained to me, and I patiently went through each step with her so that she could better understand.

She had a designer education, a designer background, and an artist’s mind so I wanted to make things simple but understandable for her. Though I wasn’t going to be designing anything, we were going to be running the company together. Between her amazing work and my business skills, I knew there was no way we could fail at this venture. Luckily for us, Maria came from money, her father being a very successful Latin singer. He loved Maria’s designs and had already set up an account to fund the entire venture, and he didn’t want us to pay him back at all.

I had known since the beginning that Maria had gotten lucky in the parenting department, especially since she didn’t have to pay for college, didn’t have to work at all, and always had money in her bank account. When we decided to move in together, her father came down and picked out the place we lived in, offering to pay for the entire thing. Though it would have been nice to not have the cost of rent, I didn’t feel comfortable having yet another person take care of me, so we settled on a fair price, and I paid my monthly share. Maria thought I was crazy since she knew her father just took that money and put it in her bank account, but it made me feel good to be taking care of myself.

We sat there, brainstorming ideas for what we wanted to call the business, how we wanted to incorporate it legally, and where we really wanted to start. We had a really good list going, and I groaned as my phone went off on the other side of the room. I grabbed it and flipped it open, not even looking at the name on the screen. I cringed at the sound of Nick’s voice on the other end.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” He was furious.

“Excuse me?”

“You just go and abandon me at the club, acting like you are so much better than everyone else,” he yelled. “And then I find you hooking up with my fucking brother?”

“First of all, that is none of your business,” I said. “Secondly, if you hadn’t just ditched me for your blonde disgusting bimbo, I wouldn’t have ended up wandering around the Gaslamp District, drunk as hell, not knowing where to go. I was almost fucking mauled by a group of frat boys. It was a fluke that your brother found me, and thank god he did, because who knows what those guys would have done. You can lay the blame on me to make yourself feel better, but when it comes down to it, you are a disgusting and poor excuse for a man.”

“Maybe if you learned to not be such a cold bitch, none of this would have happened,” he yelled back. “It’s not my problem you have mommy and daddy issues and can’t handle someone of my stature and power putting their hands on you. You should be glad that a man like me asked out a girl like you.”

“A girl like me? What the fuck does that mean?”

“Oh, come on,” he said with a harsh laugh. “You think because my mother took you in, that makes you part of this family? No. Everyone looked at you as the poor little immigrant who was taken in by my mother. That was it. Nothing more. You are trying to hold on to that and milk it for all its worth.”

“You are so blind,” I said. “I have done more to support myself than you ever have and ever will. Have fun milking daddy for his hard-earned money just so you can go invest it in shitty ideas and watch them fail. Go to hell, you piece of shit.”

I hung up the phone and screamed, letting my anger radiate through the entire house. Maria poked her head around the corner and lifted her eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand at her, wanting to kill that little prick. I sat down at the kitchen counter and tried to collect myself. It had been a very long time since I wanted to hurt someone, but right now, that was exactly what I wanted to do.

I was such an idiot, and after everything I had been through in life, I still couldn’t figure out what I ever saw in Nick. He was arrogant, ignorant, had no motivation, and when it came down to it, he was nothing more than a spoiled little rich kid. In fact, unless something drastically changed for him, I couldn’t see him ever making anything out of himself except for a mooch on his father’s name. Nathan, on the other hand, was that guy. He was the man who got things done and had the compassion and fortitude to think of other people in the process. Just thinking about him calmed my heartbeat, and I tossed my phone on the counter and headed back into the living room. Maria looked up at me and smiled as I sat down.

“Was that Nick?”

“Ugh, how did you know?” I rolled my eyes and stomped my feet.

“He’s pretty much the only rich asshole in your life, so I figured it was him harassing you,” she said.

“I thought you thought that about Nathan, too?”

“Yeah, well, he seems to have proven me wrong so far,” she said, laughing.

“It was the pancakes, wasn’t it?”

“You got me,” she said. “No, I just see how protective he is of you and how much you light up every time you are around him. I thought he would be bad for you, and for a second, I was right. But in the end, he really showed his true colors, and they are bright and happy, just how I like it.”

“God, Nick was such an asshole,” I said, still upset. “I don’t understand how you can know someone your whole life and be so mean. I mean we grew up together, in the same damn house.”

“Some people are only concerned with their egos,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “Nathan doesn’t seem to be one of them.”

I nodded my head and looked up as someone knocked hard on the door. I peeked out the window to see Nathan’s car sitting in front of the complex. It was like he knew we were talking about him, and poof, he was here. I took a deep breath, trying not to look so upset. I didn’t want him to know his brother said those things. It would only cause more issues between them. I grabbed the handle and opened the door wide, trying to muster a smile. Well, Nathan saw right through that, and his eyebrows furled at the upset look on my face. He reached out and brought me in close, hugging me tightly and kissing me on the top of the head. Luckily, he took my silence as a sign I wanted privacy and didn’t ask me what happened. He just squeezed me tightly. He waved at Maria and then looked down at me.

“You have a minute to go for a walk?”

“Uh oh,” I said with a worried face. “The last walk we went on didn’t turn out so well.”

“No,” he said, chuckling. “It’s not that kind of walk, I promise. Grab your jacket. The wind is pretty strong today.”

I reached in and grabbed my lightweight jacket off the rack and smiled at Maria as I shut the door. I looked up suspiciously at Nathan as he took my hand and led me toward the beach. The sand was cool between my toes, and I couldn’t help but feel renewed as the sea air hit my face. I looked over at Nathan as we walked, curious of what he wanted to talk about.

“Okay, what’s up?”

“So,” he said, taking a deep breath. “You are so smart and so amazing, and you are thirsting for knowledge in the business arena. On my way to the office, after I left you the other day, I started brainstorming ways to get you the experience that you’re looking for. Then it hit me. I run a huge conglomerate. Why would I not just give you a job with me? You could help me out and learn at the same time. It would be perfect. What do you think?”

“Wow,” I said, taken back by the offer. It was huge, and everything I wanted since I left college, but I was completely torn. Working alongside Nathan would be amazing, but throw in the fact that he was the man I was lusting after twenty-four seven, and it suddenly seemed like it might be a bad business decision. It was hard enough handling a growing personal relationship, but twist that up in an office romance, and I knew bad things could come of it. However, if I looked at his parents, they did amazing things as a couple running a business. Nathan was so intelligent, and he was the savviest businessman I knew. I would learn so much from him.

“Say something,” he said, laughing.

I smiled. “Sorry. I’m just thinking it over really fast. That’s a big chunk of news at one time.”

As we walked along the beach, I played out the different scenarios in my head, always landing on the fact that, if it started to affect us personally, I could quit and go to something different. Best case scenario, I learned a lot, picked up some serious tricks of the trade, and ended up killing it with me and Maria’s new business. It was so blatantly obvious what I needed to do, but I was nervous since taking chances on things wasn’t my normal MO. In fact, I had been taking chances on things a lot lately, and though it landed me Nathan, it also put a huge rift between me and the family. But I couldn’t think about that. I needed to think about my career and making it big in the business. I stopped and turned to Nathan, taking in a deep breath.

“Okay,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll do it. I need to put in two weeks at my other job, but I can do that first thing tomorrow.”

“Yes,” he said, smiling and picking me up off the ground.

He leaned in and kissed my lips softly, gazing into my eyes. Maybe working with this man wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Chapter Thirteen

Nathan

I was more excited than normal to be in the office as I was beginning preparations for Ronni to start with the company. I had set up the perfect arrangement where she would be considered a paid intern for the company. I figured this would allow her to go from department to department, so she could learn the ins and the outs of the business. She would also be able to travel with me when meeting with long distance clients and have a desk set up right outside of my office. I knew there would probably be some friction between her and Nick, but I figured that would die out over time. Nick was a pissy little guy, but he wasn’t usually one to hold a grudge.

I looked down at the new hire packet I had my secretary fill out and looked over and out the window as the maintenance staff carried in Ronni’s desk, filing cabinet, and computer. In all reality, if this worked out, I could have a regular intern here at the company. That way, we were giving back to the community and getting our name out there to the universities. My father used to talk about implementing this exact program, but after my mother died, it fell to the wayside.

I really wanted to do everything I could for Ronni, to really give her the experience she needed to be successful in her venture. She soaked everything in like a sponge, so I knew once she got here, she would kick ass. In fact, I slightly worried about having her be so good that I wouldn’t want her to leave. I kept trying to tell myself that placing her here was all about her learning experience, but I knew in the pit of my stomach that there was a part of me that also wanted to keep her close.

Knowing I could look out the window and see her beautiful face was extremely exciting, and I tried to keep my wits about me. Not to mention the fact that I kept imagining the late nights spent in the office. Everyone would go home, we would be working late on a client, order take-out, get naked, fuck on the desk. The normal stuff. I laughed at myself for my fantasies, knowing full well Ronni would be more than professional here. That being said, I couldn’t promise that I wouldn’t stare at her ass or cop a feel in the elevator every once in a while. She was so sexy in her little professional skirts and high heels, and I could picture her now with little black glasses, her hair pinned up, and a tight ass pencil skirt, hiked up as she kneeled down under the desk to suck me off.

I adjusted my cock in my pants, taking a deep breath and trying to shift my attention. I’d never get anything done today if I didn’t get her off my mind. As soon as I thought that, I heard a loud noise and my door swung wide open. I looked in shock as my father, Noah, walked in the office, anger covering his face. He stomped over to the chairs and plopped down, taking a deep breath and crossing his legs. My father hadn’t come into the office in several years. What in the world was he doing here now? From the snarled, angry look on his face, I imagined he would have no problem letting me know exactly what he was thinking. Hopefully, Nick didn’t go purchase any stupid properties on our dime and not tell us about it. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but my father put his hand in the air.

“Don’t speak,” he said angrily. “I have caught wind of some interesting news, and to be honest, it shocked the hell out of me. I thought I raised my son with a bit of class, but apparently, that isn’t the case.”

“Speak plainly, Father,” I said, irritated by his jabs. “I have work to get done.”

“Apparently, that’s not all you’ve been doing,” he said, leaning forward. I stopped what I was writing and looked up at him in surprise. “It seems you’ve been sleeping with that little Mexican housemaid, and now you want to give your whore a job here.”

“Be very careful how you choose your words, Father,” I said slowly, standing to my feet and leaning forward on the desk.

“I still own this company, or have you forgotten?”

“That doesn’t give you the right to—”

“That gives me whatever God damn right I want,” he said through gritted teeth, standing and facing me nose to nose. “I will not allow this to happen. We are not running a daycare service for your sluts, and I am sure not going to allow you to taint this business with the likes of her.”

“Listen to yourself,” I scoffed. “My mother would be ashamed of you. She loved Ronni like family. I will not allow you to stand here and demean her like that. You may be my father, but that doesn’t keep me from kicking your ass for being a racist old fool.”

“Your mother had her play thing, but she’s dead now,” he yelled. “And I’m not here to play babysitter to every immigrant that crosses the border.”

“Again,” I said, trying to keep my anger controlled. “I would shut your mouth if I were you. Besides, I make the business decisions here. You made sure of that when you quit, running off to hide and wither away in your office at home. You are the one who gave up on life, and I won’t let you take it out on Ronni because you can’t handle Mom’s death.”

By that point, my father and I were standing nose to nose in the office, our eyes strongly fixed on each other. How dare he come in here and talk that way about Ronni after all she had been through? How dare he act holier than thou. At that moment, I realized exactly where Nick got it from, and I was utterly disgusted. I stepped forward, challenging my father’s intentions, and I watched as a smile spread across his old, angry face. He put his finger up and shoved me in the shoulder, laughing out loud.

“You are not going to do this,” he whispered. “And if you do, I’ll have you fired and cut out of the will. See how well you will do in a city where you have been blacklisted and dumped by your own father.”

“If that’s the kind of man you’ve turned into, then I don’t want your disgusting money anyway,” I said angrily.

We stood there, staring into each other’s eyes for several moments. I didn’t even recognize the man standing in front of me. This was the same man that took a scared six-year-old little girl into his lap and hugged her tightly as the funeral procession for her parents began. This was the man that loved my mother more than anything, even this company. He had changed, and it was a damn shame he had become so hateful that he was attacking his own family. He had no right to talk about Ronni in that manner, and I wouldn’t stand for it, no matter how much I had to lose.

I had made it this far just fine, and I could do it again without his help. He shook his head and turned toward the door, freezing in his tracks at the sight of Ronni standing in the doorway, tears tugging at her eyes. She had heard everything. My father grunted and pushed past her, knocking her to the side. I watched him march out of the office, slamming doors and yelling at staff as he went. He had lost his damn mind, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

I stood there, staring down at the papers on my desk, trying to collect my thoughts. I had never had a confrontation with my father like that before, and my blood boiled knowing who set him up for this. Nick wanted to run this company into the ground, and he would do anything, including hurting his own blood to get his paws on it. It was a good thing he wasn’t here right now. Otherwise, I might throw him through the window with how angry I was. I looked up at Ronni who was standing there, looking down at the floor. I couldn’t believe that she had heard everything. It must have been so hurtful to her. She stepped forward and forced a smile, looking at me with glistening eyes.

“I, uh, I gave my two weeks,” she said, looking at her box of things. “My boss said she knew how amazing the opportunity was so she didn’t make me work those last two weeks. I was really excited so I came right over. I didn’t mean to walk in on you. I didn’t realize your father felt that way.”

“No,” I said, walking forward. “Do not apologize for anything. You have no reason to apologize. My entire family, including myself, should be the one begging for your forgiveness. We have treated you terribly. You didn’t deserve any of this, and whatever you do, don’t listen to one word my father said. He is an old fool.”

“He’s hurting,” she said, leaning into my chest. “Just like the rest of us, and I know that I am a very sore spot in his life. It’s not right, but I haven’t proven myself to be very supportive of him, either.”

“You are so sweet,” I said, shaking my head. “But he chose to push everyone away. He wouldn’t take my help or anyone else’s for that matter. All he’s done is surround himself with his rich friends and dive into his money pit like Scrooge McDuck.”

“I’m sure if I go back to my boss, she’ll let me stay on,” she said, sniffling.

“No,” I said emotionally. “I don’t care what that old tyrant says. I’m going to put you on as my paid intern and do what I promised to do. You worry about getting your head filled with knowledge, and I’ll take on the old man. I will not buckle to his pressure.”

She squeezed me tightly around the waist, and I kissed the top of her head, looking out my office window at the workers putting together her desk. I couldn’t believe what this all turned into. When we started the day, I was on cloud nine knowing I would have Ronni close to me, knowing that I would be helping her follow her dreams, and knowing that everything was going to be calming down really soon. Instead, I got my father bursting through the door, acting like a complete stranger, and having Ronni hear every hateful word coming out of his mouth. And still, even after all of that, she had the biggest heart. She sees through the hatred and anger and just tries to make me feel better. I couldn’t think of a better woman in this world than Ronni, and I knew I had to do everything I could to protect her. I wasn’t afraid of my father, nor was I afraid of going out on my own and making my own fortune. His will meant nothing to me since it would take him dying to receive anything from it, something my brother didn’t think about at all.

It was going to be a bumpy ride for the next few days, but I was determined to ride it out with Ronni by my side, whatever choice we decided to make.

Chapter Fourteen

Ronni

I could still remember the day my parents were killed. Nathan had caught me before I fell to the floor, and his mother and father had pulled me into their laps and comforted me. I could still remember that for weeks after the accident, Mr. Landers would come into my room when he heard me crying and cradle me in his arms, rocking me back to sleep.

They had all insisted that I consider myself part of their family for the rest of my life. It was what helped me get through being alone in the world. They had made me believe that they would never turn their backs on me for any reason. When Mrs. Landers died, I tried to repay the love and be there for Mr. Landers, bringing him breakfast and lunch every day, checking in on him every evening, even when I was at school and all I could do was call. Most days, he didn’t answer, but he knew I was there if he needed me. Slowly over time, he started emerging from the darkness of their bedroom, but when he did, I could see he had changed. There was an all too familiar hole in his heart that Mrs. Landers used to fill. Mr. Landers had always been strict. but he had never been cruel. That was, until I came back from college and began making a life for myself. In reality, Mr. Landers knew better than anyone, even Nathan, that I was capable of doing the job. He had seen my grades in college, read my papers, had discussions with my professors, not realizing that I would find out. But now, there was nothing but hatred in his heart.

I felt completely betrayed by everyone except Nathan. Nick had not only done what he did on our date, but he had used me as a pawn in his game to gain control of the company. He had said horrible things about me and painted a picture in his father’s mind of a woman that I was not. The things that Mr. Landers said were uncalled for and cruel, and I could feel my whole body shaking with the pain and sadness I was feeling. And now, even after all of that, Nathan showed his loyalty to me by offering to fight for my right at the company, going as far as to offer to give up everything for me. Sure, he was a billionaire in his own right, something his father couldn’t take away. So, he wasn’t worried about the job and money, but I couldn’t help but think about his family and how they would be ripped apart, all because of me. I couldn’t allow myself to be the wedge that drove them apart, especially knowing that one day, Nathan would look at me and realize I had been the cause of all his loss.

“I will fight this, Ronni,” he whispered. “I will give everything up for you. I don’t care.”

“Don’ be silly,” I cooed, taking a deep breath. “Me working for you is not worth the fight that is brewing, nor is it worth you losing your relationship with your father.”

“Come on,” he said, grabbing his jacket and phone. “Let’s get out of here. Regardless of what you say, you are worth all of that, if not more. None of this means anything to me anymore without having you by my side.”

As we moved out of the office and down into the streets of San Diego, Nathan stopped and looked around. He checked his phone, stuck his hands in his pockets, and then stood there as if he were lost. Nathan was used to working all day, every day, with no time to do other things. He was out of his element, having left the office shortly after arriving. I giggled to myself, finding the scene actually kind of adorable. He was completely baffled by what to do next so I walked over to him, kissed his cheek, grabbed his hand, and led him to my car parked in the garage next door.

“Why don’t we take this time to relax,” I said, smiling. “We can run by my house, grab a suit, and go out on the beach for a swim. It’ll be a little chilly, but it will be really relaxing. Just the sound of the waves has a way of soothing the soul.”

“I like that idea,” he said, nodding. “I don’t have a suit, though.”

“Not a problem,” I said, smiling. “Maria was doing some test lines for men’s swimwear so you can wear one of those.”

“Okay, but if I’m going to be a guinea pig for Maria, so are you,” he said, smiling mischievously.

“Ha,” I said, opening the car door. “No problem. I’ll wear one of the bikinis from the women’s line.”

“Yes,” he whispered. “I have won.”

I laughed loudly as we pulled out of the parking garage and drove toward my house, leaving the high-rise offices in the background. It was time to force this man to let loose, have some fun, and really get some relaxation flowing through his bloodstream. Come to think of it, I couldn’t even remember a time as kids when Nathan looked like he was relaxing. He was always so serious, and even on family vacations, he was reading something, writing something, or talking to his father about business. He had been serious for most of his life, despite a few wild years in high school. It was something I loved about him, but I also wanted him to stop being so stressed and serious. Crack a joke every once in a while, run through the waves, be spontaneous. That was what life was all about. I knew better than most people how short life was and how it could be over in the blink of an eye.

We pulled up in front of the house and held hands as we walked in. I put my hurt feelings to the side and decided that today was for relaxing and living. I went into Maria’s room and pulled out the box with all the prototypes inside. For Nathan, I picked a teal blue swimsuit with Buddhas across the bottom. I dug into the other box and found the bright red tops and bottoms that I knew would fit me. I smiled at Nathan as I exited, tossing the trunks to him and walking into my bedroom. I shut the door, knowing if we ended up naked in front of each other, we might not make it to the beach. When I was done, I looked at myself in the mirror, adjusting the strings on the top so that they were tighter. When you have big breasts, you had to be careful. Sometimes they had a mind of their own. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail and put some lip gloss on before opening the door and peeking down the hall.