Nightclub Sins: A Billionaire Romance Series

by Michelle Love

  I shook my head and returned for more clothes. “No, I can’t believe that. Brad told me about all of it. I just can’t imagine what sort of person does a thing like that. He doesn’t seem like he’s a problem at all. And certainly not a piece of trash to discard so easily.” Picking up several pairs of shorts, I turned to walk back to the dresser, but Gannon’s hand on my arm stopped me.

  Oh, the spark that shot through me wasn’t good at all. My eyes were wide as I looked at his large hand, wrapped around my wrist. My eyes traveled up my arm until they found his. His thick lashes fell as he blinked, then I saw those blue eyes once more. “The truth is that haunts me. I don’t understand how anyone could do such a terrible thing. And I’m glad he has you now. I mean, I can try my best to be what he needs as a father, but a kid needs a mom more than anything, I think. I don’t know how I would’ve turned out if I hadn’t had a loving mother.”

  But I wasn’t the boy’s mother. I was merely his babysitter. “Mr. Forester …” His eyebrow arched. Oh. Right. “Gannon. While I will do my very best to be what your son needs, please understand that a babysitter is no replacement for a mother. You’ll have to be both mom and dad for the poor little guy.”

  He let me go and looked down, the powerful image briefly slipping as the weight of this new burden obviously settled home. “I don’t know if I have that in me, Brooke.”

  Putting my clothes down on the bed, I ran my hand through his dark hair, before I could stop myself. I was honestly just trying to convey my compassion for him and his desperate situation, but …

  He raised his head, locking eyes with me, and I realized I had to pull myself together for all of our sakes. “Gannon, I’m here to help you get through this hard part. You’ll be great at being a father, just like you’re great at everything else you’ve ever done in your life. My brother has told me all about you. You may have been born wealthy, but you’ve done plenty on your own as well. You should be proud of your accomplishments and sure in your ability to raise your son.”

  I was much too close to the man, our faces only inches away from each other. What the hell am I doing?

  Taking a step back, I broke our eye contact. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shaking his head slowly. “Thanks, Brooke. I needed to hear that, badly.”

  Gathering my shorts once more, I headed to the dresser, knowing I needed to get some space between us. My body wasn’t acting right. It had some kind of electric current fizzing through it, leaving me giddy.

  Turning back around, I found his eyes sparkling at me. There was no more lost, young father in them. Oh, no. Here we go … I had to set things straight right from the start or I’d lose myself to the man. The womanizing man, I had to remind myself.

  “You know, Gannon, Brad told me about your success, your driven personality, and your problem with finding help with your new-found son.” I stopped as he leaned back on my bed, resting his muscular body on bent elbows and gazing at me as if I was the most interesting person in the world.

  I swallowed hard, watching him sink onto my new bed, and tried not to imagine being beside him. Beneath him …

  “Brad also told me about your escapades with numerous women.”

  That seemed to get to him, and he sat up, looking appropriately sheepish. “About that. You should know guys kind of exaggerate about matters of that nature. I’m not quite as bad as some make me out to be.”

  With a light laugh, I grabbed my clothes and went across the large room to put them away. “I’m sure you’re not. But I’m also sure you’re very adept at seducing the female gender. I’d like to warn you, though. I won’t pull punches. I’m … inexperienced, Gannon. Deliberately so.”

  While I hoped he would infer the message in my words—I don’t know what I’m doing, so cool it—the heated look that suddenly filled his eyes suddenly told me my words had had the opposite effect.

  “So, you’ve never …” His dark brows raised as he looked directly into my eyes.

  “That is none of your business,” I replied as calmly as I could, even though I was the one who had broached the subject in the first place. “Let’s just say we’re both new at certain things.”

  “But I’m willing to learn,” he drawled softly, his own implication crystal clear.

  Oh, the man is danger wrapped in a gorgeous package.

  Done with my unpacking, I took a seat on the floor next to where Braiden was busily pushing the firetruck around. I took a turn, marching it over his head and belly and loving how he doubled over, laughing.

  I found my eyes going to Gannon’s once more and decided the best policy would be honesty and bluntness. Surely he’d respect that. “I’m a virgin, Gannon. Try to keep that in mind when you find your flirtatious tongue taking you over, please.”

  I saw his cheeks flush. I had no idea what that meant, but at least I’d gotten everything out in the open between us. Now to see if he could pull his bad boy ways in a bit, for the sake of both our sanities.

  Chapter 7

  Gannon

  For the first time since I was a kid, I felt my cheeks heating as I blushed. She actually made me blush!

  A deep laugh came out of me as I ducked my head. Then I remembered who the hell I was and stood. “I’m sorry if you saw anything I said as being flirtatious. I certainly didn’t mean to make you think I’m flirting with you.” That was a blatant lie, but she didn’t have to know that. And if she reported anything like that back to her older brother, he’d snatch her away from me in a heartbeat.

  I had to exercise my self-control, even if it wasn’t a thing I was used to doing, so it wasn’t easy.

  But I would get them.

  Now she was the one ducking her head in embarrassment. “I’m sorry if I misread you, sir.”

  Not back to sir!

  I took the same position she was in, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to my son, and chuckled to let her know I wasn’t trying to be a jerk. “Come on, let’s not go all the way back to calling me sir.” I reached out and pulled Braiden to sit on my lap, hoping like hell that made me seem more approachable and less like a male whore. The way Braiden immediately snuggled into me made me feel a little like a heel for having the hots for his nanny when that was the last thing he needed. What he needed was a father who could keep it in his pants and keep from losing the new woman in both our lives, who was going to be instrumental to helping us figure out the father-son thing.

  “This is going to take some getting used to by all of us. We’ve all been thrown into this thing. This very-similar-to-being-a-family thing. And you’re the female in this thing we’re in. The mother-figure.” She shook her head, but I didn’t let that stop me, “Shake your head all you want, Brooke. It won’t change the fact this little boy needs a mother, and that that will be your job for the foreseeable future. At least until he’s in school. And maybe even after that.”

  With a sigh, she looked at me. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll get used to it. I guess we all will get used to our new roles. You as a father and the boy as a cherished son, a thing he must’ve never been. Poor baby.” She reached over and touched Braiden’s soft hair where it was nestled into my shoulder. “And me as the female lead in his life.”

  “Okay, then.” I felt better about the whole thing. “Are you ready to take over your babysitting duties, Brooke?”

  “Sure,” her tone was chipper and her smile bright. “I’ve got this, Gannon. Go do what you need to do. Braiden is in good hands with me.”

  Placing Braiden back on the floor, I got up and roughed up his mop of dark hair before kissing him on top of his little head. “I’ll catch you guys later, then.” Heading out of her bedroom, I found myself looking back, finding her and Braiden playing with his truck. My heart did an odd little pitter patter thing, and I sighed inwardly.

  When did I get so damn sappy?

  After a quick change of clothes, changing into a suit for dinner, I headed out to meet up with August and Nixon for dinner and drinks. It was
our usual Friday night thing to do since we’d met in Vegas.

  The other two men had already been seated, as I found out when the maître d took me to their table. A small table for four near the back of the seating area is where I found them, snickering about something. “Good evening.” I took a seat as they both looked at me with curious expressions.

  It was August who had to ask, “So an hour late. What gives?”

  My grin was sly as I saw the waiter making his way to me. After ordering my drink, I let them in on what was happening in my life. A good half-hour and two drinks later, I had them thoroughly mesmerized by how my life had taken such a sharp turn.

  Nixon shook his head slowly as he muttered, “That’s fucked up, man.”

  “What a bitch,” August added. “I’ve never heard of anyone doing such a horrible thing.” His eyes were filled with compassion. “That poor little kid.”

  Taking a sip of the twelve-year-old Scotch, I nodded. “Well, he was a poor kid. He’s finally going to have a good life now. And the woman I found to babysit him is sure to make him happy too.” I placed the glass on the table. “She makes me happy too, unfortunately.”

  “And why would that be unfortunate, Gannon?” Nixon asked as he waved at the waiter.

  “Because she’s the baby sister of my best friend. And he’s threatened me about doing so much as flirting with the young thing.” I had to close my eyes to conjure her in my mind. “The absolutely gorgeous young thing.”

  “Excuse me,” Nixon told the waiter. “Can you get us something to eat. Some finger foods. I’m thinking maybe something with shrimp in it.”

  “Oh, and cheese too,” August added. “Something maybe we can dip chips in.”

  “I’ll be right back,” the waiter assured us, then made his way toward the kitchen.

  Both turned their attention to me once more. August raised one dark brow. “So how young is this girl?”

  “Her brother told me she’s twenty.” That earned me critical stares.

  “And you’re thirty,” Nixon pointed out. “Ten years older than she is. But my guess is that’s not too much of an age gap to put you off, is it?”

  I’d never been attracted to anyone as young as Brooke. The thought of being older by any amount of years than a female conquest hadn’t ever occurred to me. “It’s not her age that matters to me. It’s her brother’s friendship that matters. He and I have been friends since our college days. We roomed together since freshmen year. Our bond is tight.”

  August thoughtfully stroked his beard. “So you have known this girl since she was a kid, then.”

  “No.” I eagerly eyed the platter the waiter placed in the middle of the table. “Looks great.” I grabbed a chunk of bread and dipped it into a thick white cheese concoction, brimming with tiny shrimp. “I’ve never met any of Brad’s family before. He and I never were those kinds of friends—the kind who go to each other’s family homes.”

  Dipping his own bread into the gooey dip, August nodded. “That’s good. It would definitely be weird if you knew her as a little kid and still wanted to bone her.”

  Nixon nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Since you just met her, I guess it’s okay. But you still can’t go for her. Not if it would mean losing someone who’s been your friend for such a long time. Find someone to take your mind off the girl.” He jerked his chin toward the table to our right. “There are four nice-looking ladies right there. Take one of them home with you, screw the hell out of her, and see if that doesn’t help you deal with your little problem.”

  Looking over at the table of women, who were most likely available, I checked each one out. And nothing. Not even the slightest thump in my cock came.

  With a sigh, I admitted defeat, “It’s no use. I’ll just have to get over the fact that she’s going to be around my house all the time and I have to treat her like a kid sister.” Even I knew that wouldn’t be an easy thing to do.

  My two friends cracked up.

  “What? I can do it. I can!” I protested, admittedly uncertainly.

  “Sure you can,” Nixon taunted me.

  August wasn’t about to be left out, “It’ll be so easy to turn off that wolf who rules your libido.”

  More raucous laughter had me clenching my jaw. I could do it. I’d show them. I’d show everyone. Especially myself.

  Brooke Moore was nothing more than a beautiful girl, and I’d known lots of them.

  I could change my ways a bit. I could look at her for what she was to me—my kid’s babysitter. That’s all she could be to me.

  That and the youngest sister of my best friend. Yeah, there it was. I had it all wrapped up in a neat little box.

  In the beginning, though, I thought it might be best to spend as little time with her as possible. Just until I could get my head wrapped around the idea that she wasn’t someone I wanted, sexually speaking.

  She was my employee. My son’s nurturing nanny. A person I needed to regard much like I did the women who worked in my office.

  One does not shit where they eat, after all—a rule I had practiced my entire life. Brooke was right there at the table. She’d be there all the time. No, I wouldn’t have any trouble at all putting her into the same category I did with all the female interns and admin aids I worked with all the time.

  “I should take off soon. This day has kind of taken its toll on me.” Bidding my business partners goodnight, I left to head home and get some much-needed sleep.

  And, hopefully, my dreams wouldn’t end up the way my little daytime fantasy had gone.

  I was almost thankful when I got home and Braiden woke up suddenly, maybe hearing something in his sleep. I had to spend thirty minutes soothing him back into dreams. Brooke volunteered to do it, but I wanted to spend some time with my son. It served a triple purpose—letting her get some rest, giving me some quality time with my boy, and keeping my fantasies firmly in check.

  By the time Braiden drifted off to sleep once more, curled up in my arms on his little bed, there was nothing else in my mind except making him feel safe again after his world had been ripped from him so suddenly.

  “I …love you, son,” I whispered as he snored softly, and I knew immediately that it was true, even though we’d barely met. He was my blood, but more importantly, he had become my heart from the moment he smiled shyly at me the first day that Cassandra walked in.

  I’d move mountains to keep him happy. And that included keeping my libido firmly in check.

  Part Two

  Chapter 8

  Brooke

  Nearly three weeks into my new job and I was beginning to lose patience with my new boss. I knew he had never been a father before, nor thought about being one, but damn it, the man wasn’t spending enough time with his little boy. He’d initially been really good about it, making time in the mornings and coming home at reasonable times in the evenings, so he could spend at least a few hours with Braiden before he had to leave again.

  But, recently, Gannon had become like a ghost in the house. He was hardly ever there, but when he was, he caused quite a stir. In his son and in me. I both hated and loved it.

  My heart would speed up with just the sound of his dress shoes clicking across the marble floor of the foyer. Braiden had a similar reaction to hearing his father come home. He’d rush on his little legs to get to his daddy, and I’d have to rush right behind him to make sure he didn’t get lost in the massive one-story home.

  He’d be grabbed up into his daddy’s strong arms as I tried not to be jealous of that fact. I would’ve liked to have been pulled into those strong arms too. But I knew what I felt was wrong.

  I’d been pretty frank with the man, letting him know I was an innocent little virgin who could easily be broken. I kept wishing I hadn’t told him.

  Ever since that conversation, I noticed he barely looked my way. Oh, he was very nice and cordial, asking how my day had gone and asking how his little boy had behaved. It was all very nice.

  Nice. Proper. Boring.<
br />
  But my rising interest in him aside, he wasn’t being the father he needed to be for the little boy. Not once in a week-and-a-half had he been home to put the child to bed.

  The last thing I wanted was for the boy to bond with me more so than with his own blood—his father. But that was already occurring, as Gannon just wasn’t around enough.

  Putting Braiden to bed, I read him a story and kissed him goodnight once he’d fallen asleep. Then I went to my bedroom, leaving the door wide open to make sure I caught Gannon before he went to bed.

  Time kept ticking by and still no Gannon. Finally, at midnight, I closed my bedroom door, put on my sleeping shorts and a tank top, and climbed under the blankets, giving up for the night.

  Just as I closed my eyes, I heard his door opening, and I shot out of bed, trying to get to him before he went to sleep. Just as I threw my door open, I saw he’d only partially closed his. “Gannon?”

  “Yeah,” came his deep voice from inside the room.

  “Can I come in?” A sudden onslaught of nerves filled my stomach with enormous butterflies. Was I really about to tell this grown-ass man what he needed to do as a father?

  “Sure. Come in, Brooke.”

  I guess I was.

  So in I went and stopped as soon as I stepped through the door. There he was, taking his shirt off, revealing the body I had only been able to daydream about.

  Perfect abs ran, ladder-like, across his tone stomach. More perfection ensued as my eyes traveled up to his tattoo-covered pecs. “Tribal?” I should have acted like I hadn’t noticed, damn it. I should’ve acted like he was dressed in a business suit, not half-naked!

  His hand moved over his left pec as he looked down at that tat. “Yeah.”

  His biceps were bulging, and one had another gorgeous tat that I had a very hard time pulling my eyes away from. “They’re, uh, nice.” Sexy as sin, was more like it. I found myself imagining kissing them …

  “Thanks.” He looked up at me with an easy smile on his handsome face. I could tell he’d been drinking. He wasn’t drunk or anything like that—just relaxed. “Did you want something?”