by Jolie Day
“What’s all this?” She grinned as I tugged her down to sit on the pillow across from me.
“I’d like to propose another game of Truth or Dare—without the dares.” I handed her the bottle.
She threw back a swig and wiped her mouth with a grimace. “Oh, boy.”
“First question is yours.”
She cut her gaze to the side, pausing in thought. “Okay, I have a question for you. When did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That you loved me.” She giggled, still blushing every time she said the “L-word” in reference to us.
“Ah, that’s a tricky one.” I smirked. “It happened in phases. But hindsight is twenty-twenty. And I’d say, looking back now, that I fell in love with you the first time I saw you sitting in the principal’s office.”
“Liar.” She smacked me on the leg playfully and grinned.
“And again, when I wanted to punch Amber Collins for bumping into you and calling you names.”
“Stop lying. You’ll grow a long nose like Pinocchio.”
“Okay. There was the time I found you crying on the steps of the school building. I remember that moment. But, I remember something better. The first night you slept on my couch, and I saw your boobs.”
Laney’s eyes widened. “What? When did you see my boobs? How? You never said anything. Oliver…”
“Well, what was I supposed to say, that I woke up and your tits were just out there? Your shirt had rolled up while you were sleeping. I didn’t look too much. I covered you up with a blanket.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction.
“Oh, my God… Okay, moving on. The next time?” Her cheeks were pink and so adorable when she was embarrassed.
“The night we danced in your bedroom. And pretty much almost every time we saw each other. Until it all compounded and was so obvious, I couldn’t hide from it anymore, which was pretty much the night at the bar before I ran home with that stupid scribbled napkin in my hand.”
“It wasn’t stupid,” she said, her eyes growing misty. “It was cute.” She climbed across the pillows and kissed me deeply. “You remember when I used to pass you all of those love notes from girls in high school?”
I nodded and let out a small chuckle. “Of course.”
“It’s really no different. You writing it down on a napkin. It’s sweet when you think about it that way. It didn’t hurt your masculinity, either.”
“That’s exactly what I thought.” I grinned at the memory. “Of course, I was much more to the point with my note. Most of those you used to pass along to me were so cheesy and dumb.”
“I know. I’ve read one.” I saw a hint of guilt pass across her eyes. She was cute. Like I cared about it.
“Ha-ha. You did? But there was one, though, it seemed more heartfelt than the rest.”
“Oh, really?” she said softly, pressing her lips to mine again.
“Hey, you’re not getting out of this that easily,” I teased against her mouth. “It’s your turn.”
“All right.” She sighed. “Hit me.”
I took a drink of the tequila, forcing her to wait in suspense for my question. “Last time we played, you said your secret was that you always wanted me to be your first.”
“Uh-huh…” Her cheeks rounded with a big smile, our hands playfully dancing together between us.
“And that mystery has been solved. So, why me?”
Her features softened, and I knew she instantly had the answer in mind. Her eyes sparked with intensity. “You really want to know?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “I’m dying to know.”
“Please don’t laugh.”
“I’m dying to know,” I repeated.
“I’m going to say it quick before I lose my nerve.”
I smiled. “Shoot.”
“I’ve been secretly in love with you since I was fourteen.”
For a second, I was fucking speechless. But her innocent expression made me smile again. “You have?”
“Only I was much more aware of it than you were. Painfully aware of it actually. And one of those letters I gave to you…well, it was actually from me. But I think you knew that?”
My gaze darted around the room as I pieced it together. “Sometimes the best things for us in life are right under our noses, and we never pay attention long enough to realize it,” I mumbled.
“You remember it?” She sat up in shock, her eyes filling with tears.
“I believe I could be one of the best things for you…because you are for me.”
“But you laughed at it. You made fun of it with your friends.”
“Of course I did. I was an idiot. I was being a stupid high school boy and trying to look cool,” I assured her. “That letter always stuck with me. I can’t believe you never told me you were the one who wrote it.”
“I can’t believe you actually paid enough attention to it to remember! I thought it was the dumbest thing in the world to you. That you thought it was ridiculous…no matter who it came from.”
“Hold on a sec.” I jumped up and ducked into the bedroom, returning a moment later with a cardboard box. I opened it and sifted through the tiny mementos I’d kept from high school—football game ticket stubs and award ribbons, prom souvenirs, and different pins I’d won. There in the bottom of the box were the folded pieces of notebook paper. I dug it out and handed it to her.
“You kept it,” she gasped with wide eyes, a tear rolling down her face. “Why would you do that?”
I wiped the tear away and kissed her cheek. “I figured if someone cared about me enough to write all that out, even if it was just a high school crush, the least I could do was keep it. Besides, that was some of the most thoughtful stuff any chick has ever said to me.” I eyed the letter in her hands in disbelief. “I still can’t believe you wrote it.”
“I thought for sure you’d recognize my handwriting.”
“I promise, it never crossed my mind that you were the one who wrote it. Why didn’t you tell me then? Or put your name on it?”
“Fear of rejection.” She shrugged. “But at least I put my initials on it. See? E.C. I thought you knew?”
“Do you have any idea how many girls were in our school with those same initials? I didn’t think it was you. You were always Laney to me. Next time you write me a note, sign it with Laney or at least an L.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said.
I paused and thought about the question I’d been wanting to ask. “Do you still feel that way? That maybe we’re soul mates.”
“More than ever.” She smiled softly. “But…also, we have to burn this thing.”
“Oh, no. No way.” I lunged forward, wrestling it from her hands. “I’m keeping this forever. Actually, I’m going to read it a hundred more times now.”
She giggled and squirmed in my arms until our eyes met, followed by our lips.
“I guess it’s good to know all those years I spent pining for you weren’t totally in vain.” She stared at me, stroking my face. “Even if you never realized you felt the same way, you kept the letter.” Her eyes filled with admiration. “You’re a good guy, Oliver Humphries. I love you.”
“I love you more, babe.” I brushed her hair away from her face, holding my hand against her cheek. “I may not have been ready for you then. But I am now.”
She leaned in and kissed me again—something we could never get enough of.
Pulling a plain white envelope from my pocket after we’d come up for air, I handed it to her. “That’s not all. I wanted to surprise you with something.”
Laney’s eyes lit up. “What is it?”
“It’s not a surprise if I tell you,” I said with a wink. “Here, open it.”
She tore into the envelope, and when she pulled out two tickets to Coney Island, she jumped and squealed. “Oliver! I can’t believe you did this.”
I wrapped my arms around her and stared into her beautiful green eyes. “We’re taking it back t
o where it all began, babe. This time, it’s a vacation for two,” I said and kissed her nose. “I love you, Laney.”
“I love you, too. Always.”
“Always,” I echoed with a promise.
I kissed her passionately in the middle of the living room floor. We ended up staying the entire night, making love until the sun came up. There would be many more nights like that to come.
I’d left the gorgeous girl waiting for twelve years.
I intended to make up for every second of it.
The End
Thank you for reading my novel.
If you LOVED Crushing on my Billionaire Best Friend, make sure you check out Billionaire Baby DADDY, available on Amazon.
I’ve included a sneak peek on the next pages.
Billionaire Baby DADDY Sneak Peak
OMG…I’m pregnant with a billionaire’s baby!
Two years ago, I had a one-night stand with a hot stranger.
Billionaire, Marcus Willingham.
Powerful, irresistible blue eyes, completely off-limits.
He couldn’t get to me before those two thugs grabbed me, but luckily, he was able to chase them off.
It was just supposed to be one night.
No love.
No feelings.
Certainly, no regrets.
Six weeks later I was staring at a positive pregnancy test.
He never called back, and my heart was broken.
Long story short, I married somebody else.
And that somebody else is now my ex. (Talk about a hot mess)
He’s demanding custody of a child that isn’t his.
There’s only one way to solve my problem.
I have to find the real father.
The man I swore I’d never see again.
I need to call Mr. Billionaire—and ask for his DNA.
Easy-peasy, right?
Excerpt:
This is a stupid idea.
My mind already knew it, but for some reason, my legs just kept moving forward. I searched the streets for taxis, but had trouble differentiating them from other cars. I sighed and wiped soaking-wet strands of hair from my face, heading down the street and looking for the quickest way to get home.
What a perfect ending to an already crap day, I thought.
I turned a corner at a light and continued, trying to think of what I was going to do when I got home.
Change my clothes, warm up with a mug of hot coffee, and then immediately head for bed. Sounds like a good plan.
A firm hand seized my upper arm and knocked me out of my daydream. I gasped as I was yanked backward toward the corner of two buildings. The moment was a flurry of blurred images, droplets of rain, and someone’s rough hold snatching my hair and dragging me into a darker place.
From the muted sounds of the rain, I assumed it was an alley.
I cried out in panic—the hand in my hair freaking hurt. I tripped in my shoes, attempting to struggle, and lost a heel in the chaos. Because why not? I was in a B-rated horror flick as the chick who lost a shoe and died. Was this my end? My attacker threw me to the concrete, and I tensed before my head could crack against the hard ground, buffering my fall. I scrambled to get away but nearly ran into a burly figure just behind me.
Although the rain was torrential, I clearly made out the powerful muscles and beady eyes of one of my assailants. I turned around to run but realized I was trapped by the first man who’d grabbed me. He had longer hair that hung around his face and shoulders in a stringy mess. His face was hollow, and his eyes were glazed over and full of … lust. Gross. He and his buddy were devouring my bare legs with their disgusting gazes, and my now-exposed cleavage that was heaving in breathless fear through my thin blouse.
“I told you one would come around.” He bumped his elbow into his muscled partner.
“Give us your money!”
“Hey, hey, it must be our lucky day.” The scraggly-looking man pointed and narrowed his eyes. “Damn. Look at those legs.”
“We should strip her down so we can make this easy. Then get her into the van.”
Like hell they would!
I panicked, struggling to find a way around my attackers. I screamed at the top of my lungs but feared my voice was lost in the pounding of the rain. I backed away, breathing heavily. I was not going to die tonight, not in a dirty alleyway, and not at the hands of dick-bags like this. Nope, I was twenty-five and had my whole life ahead of me. Screw this shit. I searched in the darkness for something I could use as a weapon, but I was immediately cut short…
A heavy motor ripped through the alley and a blast from a headlight washed over the dark space, scaring away the shadows. My attackers were lit up, and they shielded their eyes from the blinding light. A powerful motorcycle tore through the small area, forcing the two men to back away. Within seconds, the biker leapt off the seat of his ride and threw himself toward the men.
“I suggest you keep your hands off her.” His deep voice growled loudly.
The men sized him up, seemingly unimpressed at first, then I saw them staring at the MC logo on his jacket. “We ain’t got no quarrel with you, brother.”
He took a step closer. “Well, if you touch her, then you do.”
Muscle Head hiked his thumb toward me. “This your woman?”
“Yes.”
They nodded and left me to make their getaway back into the shadows.
I was left shivering and half-stooped due to a missing shoe—yes, a bit terrified—okay, a lot, and yet hopeful that the man on the bike was there to save me—and not, you know, mug me like the other two assholes. I watched in shock as he took two steps past me, staring hard into the darkness where the two men had run, and then turned toward me. He eyed me up and down for a moment, saying nothing, and then walked back to his bike and motioned for me to join him.
Not unless I’ve lost my damned mind! I thought to myself, shaking my head at him. I could barely see him past the headlight of his bike.
“Get on.” He gestured with his hand, his voice harsh through the rain.
I stepped toward him but hesitated.
“You’re bleeding. I won’t hurt you. Get on, quick.” This time, his voice was even louder.
I’m…bleeding? I wondered in surprise, checking myself over to see exactly where. I couldn’t see much. My clothes were muddy from falling, and it looked black in the darkness.
“I’ll get you to safety. They’re going to come back with their gang. Do you want that?”
I had no choice. Damn it.
I didn’t want to die at the hands of two degenerate thugs—or worse.
Although the biker somewhat terrified me, I forced my feet toward him. Guess I’ve lost my mind after all. I decided I had to embrace that pulsing sense of danger. I swung my leg over the bike and sat my butt down. The feel of the leather seat was soft against my bare inner thighs, and the feeling of the machine vibrating beneath me sent a shiver racing through my body. He kicked down and the engine roared louder.
That sound. Oh, God.
He was strong. Firm. Solid. I threaded my arms under his shoulders and laid my palms flat against his chest. That chest was rock hard, and the touch of the wet leather of his jacket under my hands was strangely calming. I bit my lip. The lead biker revved his engine once more and took off, tearing out of the alley. I ducked my head and pressed it against his back to avoid the cold sting of the rain, amplified by the swift movement of the bike. From my position, I wasn’t sure where he was taking me, and I only hoped it was someplace safe.
When he sped up, I was propelled backward and the speed caused me to lose my breath all over again. I had to lean closer to the biker to keep my grip on him, and now my breasts were pressed firmly against his back.
I had been worried about so many things—about taking off with a stranger, about riding a fast vehicle, about having no protective clothing. Anything could happen. Maybe I can slip away the moment he slows the bike down, I thought, but I doubted it.
I felt light-headed and stunned with shock. Chances were that if I left his bike at any point, I wouldn’t make it two steps before tripping and falling over into a solid face-plant. Wouldn’t that be lovely? I just didn’t trust myself enough to get away to safety on my own. I had to put my trust in the stranger, despite how I felt about the whole situation. But, as the wind snatched the band from my hair and sent it flying out behind me in a wild auburn wave, and the bike beneath me sent regular shudders shooting through my body, I held onto the strong, rigid form of the man in front of me, none of those worries mattered. I’d never felt so free, I’d never felt so excited, and I’d never felt so scared.
Eventually, the biker slowed outside a large hotel. I looked up from his jacket to see lights welcome us up a winding path toward a massive building. I frowned as the biker revved his motor and coasted up the pathway, wondering if he was sneaking in somewhere.
The biker headed up the path and stopped outside the hotel’s back entrance. I gazed at the misty lights filtering from the windows. The man switched off the engine, and I carefully climbed off as he pushed down the kickstand.
I placed both feet on the ground and then swayed.
The world tilted.
I fell backward.
The last thing I felt were two powerful hands grabbing and holding me before darkness consumed me.
I awoke in an unfamiliar room with an unfamiliar face staring down at me. For a moment I panicked, thinking I’d been kidnapped. The bed I was lying on was massive and adorned with silk sheets and a feather-soft comforter. A deep burgundy canopy surrounded me, and a middle-aged woman was at my side, picking up a bandage wrapper that was sitting on the side of the bed. I blinked and stared in confusion.
The woman gazed at me for a moment. “I’m Dr. Ward. How are you feeling?”
I raised my arm to touch my head, but the doctor caught my wrist. “It seems you hit your head, but you’ll be fine. Still, it’s best if you rest. The bleeding was from a superficial wound and didn’t require stitches. You were only out for five-to-ten minutes, give or take. Fainting is common and usually not serious, typically brought on by emotional stress. Emotions like fear, pain, anxiety, or shock can cause one’s blood pressure to drop to the point where they faint. Have you ever fainted before?”
