Cherishing His Best Friend: A Billionaire Protector Mystery Romance Read online

“Not before you play some of them for me.”

  “That’s not going to happen. I haven’t picked up a guitar in ages.”

  “Oh, come on, what’s the worst that’s going to happen?”

  “I make your ears bleed, how about that?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You can stop looking at me like that because it’s not going to happen.”

  “Do I have to get on my knees and beg?”

  I shook my head and returned to sorting through my father’s belongings. Reis had disappeared. Good.

  His desk drawers were filled to the brim with useless junk. None of the pens worked and his handwritten notes were impossible to read. The trash bag I had brought along with me was quickly filling up. At this rate, we would see sunlight before we could say we made a dent in the mess. I never realized it but my father was definitely a hoarder. From the looks of it, he hadn’t thrown anything away for the past twenty years.

  When the trash bag was full, I tied it off and brought it out to my front porch. At this point, I was curious about Reis’ whereabouts.

  He had returned to the study but this time, he held my guitar in his hands. “I’m not leaving until you play me something.”

  “I already told you, the answer is no.”

  “I will beg if you make me.”

  “Don’t make a fool of yourself.”

  He started to lower himself to his knees but I stopped him before he could go through with it. “Alright, alright. If I play you something, will you leave me alone for the rest of the night.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “How do I know you’re not lying just to get your way?” I asked, raising an eyebrow with suspicion.

  “Well, you’ll just have to trust me.” He answered with a grin. “That’s just how the world works.”

  “This isn’t fair.”

  “Life rarely is.”

  “Okay, you can lay off the fortune cookie wisdom.” I snapped as I took the guitar away from him. I started off by strumming a few familiar cords. I winced at the sound. The guitar was horribly out of tune. Carefully, I tightened the cords until they were fairly decent. I didn’t want to spend all night preparing for a performance I didn’t want to do in the first place.

  Reis sat down and watched me with eyes that sparkled like the midday sun. Was he really that excited to hear me play? The thought only made me nervous. I tried to curb my anxiety but focusing on the wall right in front of me. Only then did I allow my fingers to glide over the notes. I didn’t bother to look at my sheet music. I could recite most of it by heart and for those parts I had forgotten, I improvised.

  It didn’t take very long for my natural rhythm to return. I guess playing the guitar is like riding a bike – you never truly forget.

  Feeling the music seeping underneath my skin, I closed my eyes and bobbed my head like a metronome. I kept the beat before evolving it into something more. I reached my crescendo and the tempo matched the wild beating of my heart.

  I could sense Reis’ stare but I ignored it in favor of the music. It had been so long since I had indulged in my passion. Having this opportunity to play felt like a homecoming to me.

  At the end of my song, I allowed my hand to drop onto my lap.

  “That was amazing,” Reis said as he clapped.

  “It was nothing...” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m incredibly rusty.”

  “It’s difficult to be rusty when you’re a born natural.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I can’t believe you never did anything with your talent.”

  “Never had the chance,” I said with a frown. “Believe me, if I was given the chance...”

  “It’s not too late, you know.”

  “Yes, it is.” I shrugged off the guitar strap and placed the guitar between my legs. “No one would bother listening to me now.”

  “That’s not true at all. I would listen to you.”

  “Yeah because you’re... Reis. You’ve always put up with my horrible music.”

  “Hey, it’s not horrible,” Reis spoke with a soft voice that made me look up and meet his gaze. He smiled and brushed my cheek with his fingertips. “And deep down I think you know that I would never lie to you.”

  I quivered and rested my head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. “Thank you.”

  “What for?”

  “For always believing in me.”

  He ran his fingers through my hair and held me a little closer. Slowly, our bodies started to sway from side to side and before I could realize what was going on, we were dancing. He hummed, his chest vibrating with the deep reverberating sound. Around and around we went, occasionally bumping into a cardboard box or a pile of bills. I would just laugh and he would continue to pull me through the motions.

  I felt completely weightless like a princess being carried through the ball.

  He looked down and offered a bright smile that reached his eyes. “You’re stunning.” He whispered as he pinned a strand of hair behind my ear. “And I would be the luckiest man in the world to call you mine.”

  The moment was ruined. “Reis...” I shook my head. “I can’t be the girl you want me to be. This town needs me – the diner needs me. You might have bought that house across the street but I know this is all temporary. You’re not going to stay in this washed up town if you’re a successful businessman. You don’t belong here. Me, on the other hand? I’m the lifeblood of the diner and without me, it sinks and I can’t let that happen. It’s the last bit of my father I have left.”

  “Then let me help you,” Reis answered. “Let me help you bring it back to life. All I ask is that you let me in. Stop trying to push me away when we both know that something is bound to happen...” With that, he leaned down and kissed my lips.

  Chapter 12: Reis

  WITH MY HANDS ON THE small of her back, I pinned her against my body. We were so close that our hips were locked together. As the kiss intensified so did my excitement. Blood rushed between my legs and flowed through my member until it poked against her thigh. I had half a mind to pounce on her right then and there.

  Fueled by my animalistic instincts, I pushed her against the wall. She gasped giving me the perfect opportunity to force my tongue into her mouth. Her tongue was eager to greet mine. Together they danced a fiery tango that had me breathless.

  Even so, I managed enough bandwidth to sneak my hand into her pants. I expected her to push me away but instead, she pushed her hips toward mine. I grinned against the kiss and pulled at her hair with my other hand. She seemed to like it because a moan escaped her lips. I pulled her hair a little harder, exposing the side of her neck.

  Unable to resist, I nibbled her skin. I was gentle at first but I quickly lost control. I just couldn’t help myself. She was so sweet.

  Her moans grew louder as my lips trailed downward toward her collarbone. It was then that I slipped my fingers between her wet folds and when I say wet, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. She was soaked. Her nectar had seeped right through her panties. “Someone wants me,” I growled against her ear. “I wonder what’s been going through that head of yours. Hmm?” As I spoke, I ran my fingers up and down her clit.

  She squirmed underneath my hold and gyrated her hips.

  I chuckled and held her a little bit harder so she wouldn’t escape. Now that I had her in my grasp, I would be a fool to let her go.

  Slowly, I eased a finger inside her eager entrance.

  “Mmm.” Brandi moaned as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. “That feels so good...”

  “Just you wait...” I nibbled on her earlobe and tugged on it. “The things I’m going to do to you... I’ll have you screaming until the end of the night.”

  Suddenly, she shoved me aside.

  “What?” I asked, brows furrowed together. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “Not at all.” She answered with a pant. “It’s just that...” She motioned to the room. “We really shouldn’t be doing it in here. I mean if my dad is watchi
ng us, I don’t think he would be very happy.”

  I laughed. “That’s really what you’re worried about? Your father’s vengeful spirit. What is he going to do? Flicker some of the lights while I eat you out?”

  “Reis.” She chastised with a hand on her hip. “I mean it. I don’t want to do it in here. Now... my bedroom, that’s a different story.”

  “Is it?” I responded as I grabbed her by the hips. “Are you really going to stop me from getting what I want?”

  She squealed with surprise as we both collapsed into the desk chair. I thought it was going with withstand the weight but instead, the groaned and keeled over. Luckily, I was able to protect Brandi from the fall.

  “Are you okay?” She asked wide-eyed with concern.

  “Oh, totally fine,” I said while my eyes wandered along her body. “Especially with you on top of me like this.”

  Brandi rolled her eyes.

  It was then that I noticed that the bottom drawer of the desk had opened up. Unlike all the other drawers it was empty aside from one thing: a liquor bottle. I sat up and reached for it. “Whiskey and a pretty good label too. This can cost upwards of a hundred dollars a bottle.”

  Brandi took it and examined it with a scrutinizing eye like it held all the answers she was looking for. “Why would he have this in his study room? He didn’t even allow cooking wine in the kitchen...”

  “Maybe he liked to keep his temptations close to remind him of what he needed to avoid. I hear that some therapists advise for such a tactic.” I suggested.

  “No... I don’t think so.” Brandi got up and brought the bottle over to the window. “Do you think he was drinking in secret? Could he have been lying to me all that time?”

  “I knew your father and he didn’t seem like the kind of man who would deceive his daughter like that. If he made a vow to lay off the booze then I’m confident that he had every intention of keeping true to that vow.”

  “And yet...” Brandi shook her head. “He died that night because he was drunk.” She placed the whiskey on his desk. “Maybe I incriminated Keith for no reason. Maybe all this really was my father’s fault after all.”

  “I think that if your gut is telling you that something happened then you should follow that feeling,” I said. “I mean my gut has rarely steered me wrong.”

  She leaned against the desk and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I just don’t know what to think. Keith has always been a sly fellow but would he really send my father to death. I mean I don’t think he’s evil.”

  I grabbed the bottle and tapped the side of it. “You do realize that this is unopened, right? As far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing. Maybe he only kept it around as a reminder to stay true to the things and people that he loved.” He paused to look into her eyes. “I can relate.”

  “What do you mean?”

  To answer her question, I pulled out my phone and showed her my background. It was a picture from prom where we both had giant smiles plastered on our faces. “Reis...” Brandi took the phone. “What is this doing here?”

  “I never wanted to forget how happy I was back then and how much of a fool I was for letting you slip away. I should have told you how I felt but I never found the courage.” I took a step closer. “But I will never make that mistake twice.” And with that, I swept her off her feet, spun her around, and carried her straight to the bedroom.

  Tonight, I had every intention of making up for lost time.

  Chapter 13: Brandi

  I SWEAR I’VE BEEN DREAMING about this moment all my life and now it was finally happening.

  Reis threw me on the bed. A second later he was on top of me, hands locked around my wrists, pinning me in place. He immediately started to attack the side of my neck with kisses. His teeth grazed against my skin, nibbling at it here, biting at it there.

  “Mmm...” I moaned, back arched with pleasure.

  “I don’t know about you but I’ve been waiting for this for a while now.” His voice was a deep, sexy sound that penetrated right through me. My body was his for the taking. I was done trying to fight him. I wanted this and there was no shame in that. After all, I’m only human and to deny a Greek God of a man, well, that’s practically impossible.

  Reis positioned himself between my thighs. His eyes glowed with mischief as he undid the button to my pants. He was moving at an excruciatingly slow pace that drove me wild. I tried to buck my hips into the air to get him to hurry up but he wouldn’t take the bait.

  “Shh.” He whispered against my belly. “There’s no need to rush. Just relax and let me do the rest.” As he spoke, he lined my belly with kisses. Goosebumps crept along most of my body with my excitement. “I’m going to make you feel so good...” And with that, he started to pull down my pants. Once my underwear was exposed, he slipped a hand underneath the thin fabric and found my wet folds. “Someone is nice and excited... I like that.” This time, he whispered into my ear before tugging at the earlobe.

  For some reason, that alone was able to turn me on to another level. Wanting to take control, I flipped us around until I was straddling his midsection. I smirked at his surprise before tearing off his shirt. With half his body naked, my wetness only became worse. At this point, I would leave a puddle behind on the bed.

  But I didn’t care in the slightest. My only concern revolved around getting rid of his pesky pants. I tried to attack the fastening but I was so excited that my fingers wouldn’t stop shaking. With a chuckle, he helped me out. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” He said with a wink before easing his arms behind his head.

  I shook my head. “Typical guy.”

  “What do you expect? When a girl wants to take over, you let her.” He said.

  “Well, then I hope you enjoy the show,” I said, trying my best to sound sexy. I didn’t know whether I was succeeding or not but either way it didn’t matter because Reis was as hard as a rock. As soon as his briefs came off, it nearly slapped me in the face. I caught it in my hand and started to stroke it. My pace was nice and slow to start but I quickly sped up.

  The look on his face was absolutely priceless. When he had his eyes closed, I leaned down and swirled my tongue around the tip.

  He groaned, toes curling with pleasure.

  I didn’t stop there. I took a deep breath and wrapped my lips against his thick shaft. He was big – much bigger than I anticipated. Needing a bit of leverage, I grabbed hold of his base and guided him into my mouth. Slowly, I bobbed my head up and down, my motions smooth, bringing pleasure to his every inch.

  His abs tightened as he pushed his member further into my mouth. He was so big that his tip was already pushing against the back of my throat. I gagged but continued my assault. I enjoyed making him squirm in euphoric pleasure.

  Then I decided to change it up a bit. I didn’t want to have him cum and ruin all the fun. So, I turned myself around until we were positioned in a 69.

  He immediately got the memo and grabbed me by the hips. I gasped as soon as I felt his tongue lapping against my sensitive folds. He didn’t waste any time pushing his tongue inside of me and tasting my juices straight from the source. The way he moved, it felt like he was a starving man receiving his first meal.

  His fingers dug into my flesh as he forced himself even deeper. His tongue twisted this way and that. Somehow, he knew all my sweet spots and he was sure to target them.

  The pleasure was too much. I screamed into his member. My whole body shook as he concentrated on my clit, flicking it back and forth, back and forth. I tried to pull away but he held me by the ass.

  I pulled away from his member so I could breathe. I was panting like someone who had just ran the Boston marathon and still, he continued to torture me. His tongue refused to stop. He’d slow down to an agonizing pace only to speed up again. I couldn’t keep up.

  “Reis...” I moaned.

  He pulled me into a sitting position so I was grinding against his face. My thighs were shot with fati
gue but Reis didn’t mind carrying me through the motions as his tongue continued to penetrate inside of me faster and faster. I was about to lose my mind.

  Then he added his fingers to the mix. He pinched my clit between his thumb and forefinger, rolling it for a bit.

  My eyes rolled into the back of my head. I didn’t know how much more of this I could take.

  His fingers moved at an incredible pace. I was dripping wet at this point but that hardly mattered because Reis was prepared to catch every last drop.

  I reached back and pulled at his hair. I wasn’t going to let him stop – not when I was so close to the edge. Fueled by this animalistic need to climax, I started to rotate my hips. It didn’t last because within seconds I was shaking from my orgasm. It erupted through my entire body and unable to cope with the pleasure, I collapsed into the bed behind him.

  Reis turned himself around so he was facing me properly. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you liked it.” Gently, he brushed my wild hair away from my face. For a while, we just laid there forehead to forehead, gazing into each other’s eyes. He held me close and I legitimately felt like the only girl in the world.

  How was it that I was in bed with one of the wealthiest men on the planet? He had enough charm to sleep with any woman on the planet and yet he had chosen me. It just didn’t make any sense. But, hey, I’m not complaining.

  “Think you’re ready for round two?” He asked.

  “Round two?”

  “You didn’t think it was over already, did you? That wouldn’t be very fair to me, now would it.” As he spoke, he rolled off the mattress.

  I furrowed my brow together with confusion. “What are you doing?”

  Instead of answering me, he swung my legs over the side of the bed. Due to my height, only the tips of my toes touched the floor.

  He ran his palms across my butt cheeks before leaning down and kissing my spine. All the while, his member was eagerly poking against my thigh, begging for entrance. I wiggled my hips in response.

  “Mmm, you want me, don’t you?” Reis whispered into my ear. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what you want me to do to you?” He grabbed my hair by the fistful and pulled back my head.