My Bossy Protector: A Best Friend’s Brother Romance

by Charlize Starr

  “Just someone I met at a bar last night. It’s not important. Tell me about Brian. Are you happy?” I asked her.

  She was smiling again. “I couldn’t wait to tell you! I’m so happy, Simon. I wish you knew what it felt like to be in love like this. I wish the same for you,” she replied.

  I looked away from her.

  I didn’t know what she was talking about.

  Chapter 4 - Ivy

  I returned from work feeling miserable. Lately, it felt like it was the only emotion I could experience. That stack of bills was still lying high on the kitchen counter. I decided to ignore it for one more day. I was just about to start making my dinner of instant noodles when there was a knock on the door.

  It was Shay. She rushed into my apartment, looking excited.

  “Hey, you! Where have you been? I tried calling you this afternoon and you didn’t answer the phone,” I said.

  Shay dropped her bag on the couch and came over to give me a hug. “I went on a quick trip to Palo Alto,” she told me, and I tried to smile. There was only one reason why Shay would go to Palo Alto: to meet her brother. The last thing I wanted was to be reminded of Simon.

  “Oh, hope you had a good trip. I don’t have much to offer you. Do you want some instant noodles?” I asked her.

  “Sure, I’ll have some,” she said as she made herself comfortable on my couch.

  “How is Brian? How are things? I feel like I don’t get to see you very often these days,” I told her, quickly changing the subject.

  Shay took a nail file out of her bag and started filing her nails.

  “Brian is good. These first days of planning the wedding are exciting, but I’m pretty sure it’s soon going to turn into a nightmare,” she answered while I prepared two bowls of noodles for us.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be there to help when you need me. Just enjoy it now,” I said, bringing over the bowls to the living area.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty excited. We’ve been dreaming about our weddings since we were little!”

  I smiled as I sat down on the chair across from her, tucking my feet in under my legs. Yeah, we had been dreaming about our weddings . . . Only now I had no reason to believe that would happen for me. Not until I was able to get my life in order.

  “I’m sorry, Ivy. I didn’t mean to pour salt into your wounds,” she said as I shook my head.

  “Don’t worry about it. The last thing I was picturing was a wedding with Marco,” I told her and she smiled sympathetically at me.

  “How is work going? You look pretty spent,” she remarked, and I nodded.

  “It’s going, you know? It’s a basic job. It’s not like I’m being challenged or doing anything interesting. It’s just a job,” I replied.

  “And have you heard from Marco?”

  “He calls every day and texts every night, but I haven’t answered or replied to his texts. Hopefully he’ll tire of chasing me soon,” I said to her.

  I was still embarrassed by my life choices. While Shay had settled into a comfortable teaching career and found herself a good man to marry, I hadn’t achieved any of the goals on my plan. I was left behind.

  “What if I told you that you don’t have to worry about Marco anymore?” she asked.

  I looked up at her curiously. I couldn’t think of a single way she could guarantee that to me.

  “Or slog away at this job you don’t enjoy.”

  “What are you talking about, Shay?” I asked.

  “What if I told you that you have a brand new internship position waiting for you in Palo Alto? That you could move there right away?” she continued, her eyes glittering with excitement.

  “I’d say you were crazy. Explain yourself, woman!”

  “There’s nothing to explain. It’s what I just told you. Pack your bags, give up this apartment, and get on a plane. You’re going to Palo Alto, baby!” she shrieked and jumped off the couch to give me a hug. I hugged her back, but I was still confused.

  “An internship in Palo Alto? I don’t understand. What are you talking about? What is going on?”

  “Okay, hear me out,” Shay began to explain, clutching me by my shoulders. “I met Simon yesterday morning, and we discussed giving you an internship position at his company. I mean, imagine the kind of brownie points you’d be given if you had an internship at Madbox on your CV,” Shay continued.

  I tried to wriggle out of her grip.

  “I don’t want to listen to this!” I snapped, but she held me back.

  “Listen to me, Ivy. This is the only way. You need to get out of this town. You need to get as far away from Marco as you can. You hear me?”

  I was still struggling to get away from Shay, but she was stronger. She kept me pinned to the chair.

  “I am not going to work at Madbox. That is the last thing I’m going to do!”

  “It’s done. Simon’s given it to you. You start Thursday. You have exactly two days to pack up everything and get your ass on a plane to California.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I couldn’t believe that Shay would actually do this to me. I finally yanked myself away from her and stood up from the chair.

  “After what happened, Shay . . . After you saw me like that – how it was for me . . . How could you expect me to go and work for him?” I hissed. I could feel my tears beginning to bubble up to the surface.

  She came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

  “I know, hon, and I’m sorry. I wish I could change the past. But right now, this is the best way for you to put some distance between you and this town. And it’s the perfect kickstart you need for your career. You know I’m making sense, Ivy!”

  I shook my head. I refused to believe she was doing this to me.

  “Ivy, please. Just do this for me. I don’t want you to be here feeling unsafe and miserable all the time. Please?” Shay continued.

  I didn’t want to admit that she was right. How was I going to get through this? How would I get over seeing him again?

  Chapter 5 - Simon

  I drummed my fingers on my desk. I was growing more impatient as time went by.

  As always, I was one of the first people at the office. I didn’t expect Ivy to arrive so early in the morning. It was supposed to be her first day, and as much as I told myself it didn’t matter, it did.

  I wanted to see her again. I wanted to watch her walk through my door and hear her voice.

  I’d bought a brand new modern building for our office, and my private space was on the top of the two-storied structure. As a tech company in Palo Alto, it was highly likely that we could get lost in the crowd, but we never did. After four years of making the right decisions and guiding the company, I had managed to turn Madbox into one of the hottest new tech companies in the country. Our concept was simple: we built easy-to-play apps for kids and made the games fun and educational. After the success of our first game, we had launched three more. They were all doing equally well. We’d taken the market by storm.

  My assistant, Chad, arrived after me and brought me my second cup of coffee that morning.

  I hadn’t been able to focus on a single thing since I had arrived. In fact, I hadn’t been able to concentrate at all since Shay’s visit. It seemed like she’d completely screwed me over.

  Six months, I reminded myself.

  I’d agreed to a six-month internship program for Ivy, and then she’d be gone. All I had to do was get through six months without slipping up and then everything could go back to normal.

  “Let me know when Ms. Soleman arrives,” I told Chad.

  “Ivy Soleman? The new intern?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Her. Send her in here.”

  After that, I counted down the minutes until the clock turned nine.

  I hadn’t seen her in four years, but that was only because I hadn’t been back to our hometown. Once I got to Palo Alto, there was nowhere else I could be. I’d arrived with one good idea and the technical skills to build the gam
e. The company sprouted from that, and since then, I had been living off of the high of my success. Shay had been right – it was hard to pin me down.

  We had been on a large-scale investment drive as of late, and that was what I was focused on. I left the technical side of our apps in the hands of my carefully-selected employees. My responsibility was to take care of the business and help it grow.

  The clock turned nine and I grew anxious. I had already downed two cups of coffee and I felt like I could do with one more. I kept my eyes glued to my computer, trying not to look up.

  Another minute went by, and there was a knock on my door.

  “Simon, it’s Ivy Soleman. She’s here,” Chad said, poking his head around the door.

  I made to stand up from my chair as Chad ushered her in. I saw her for the first time in four years. Nothing had changed. She was still just as beautiful as ever.

  Ivy stepped in and Chad shut the door behind her. She was wearing a simple printed dress with a leather belt cinched at her waist. Her strawberry blond curls were tied neatly in a loose braid on one side of her shoulder. She had her hands clasped together, her clear blue eyes staring at me.

  “Hello, Ivy,” I said, gazing at her, breathing in the sight of her petite, delicate body.

  “Hello, Simon. Thank you for this,” she replied as a soft smile graced her lips.

  I wanted to reach out and touch her, but that would have been inappropriate on so many levels!

  “It’s no problem at all. Do you want to take a seat?” I asked.

  She finally moved towards me and pulled out a chair across from me. I watched as she looked around the office.

  “You’ve got a really fancy place here. But then again, I’m not surprised. I know how well you’ve been doing,” she continued.

  It was strange that things were suddenly so formal between us. I’d watched her grow up just like I’d watched Shay. The two of them had been best friends since I could remember. Ivy’s family lived two houses away from ours, and Shay had spent a lot of time with her. I’d seen her as a kid, a teenager, and then as an adult. I used to believe I knew her just as well as I knew Shay. But things were different now, and I knew they could never be the same again even if we tried.

  “Thank you, Ivy. I hope you like it here. I promise not to be too hard on you,” I said to her.

  Ivy’s cheeks flushed and she nodded.

  “I don’t want you to treat me any differently . . . just because I’m . . . your sister’s friend. Here, I’m an employee of the company. I’m sure you know that already. I don’t need to tell you that,” she replied.

  When she looked at me, I felt myself stiffen. I couldn’t help but have a strong physical reaction towards her. I felt my cock move in my pants. I cleared my throat.

  “Of course. We’re all professionals here. You don’t need to worry about special treatment from me,” I told her. She smiled.

  Chapter 6 - Ivy

  Seeing Simon again was a shock to my system. I thought I’d prepared myself, but as it turned out, nothing could have prepared me for it.

  He was sitting across from me, his deep dimples indenting both cheeks as he smiled slightly. His dark hair was cut fashionably with a quiff on top, his jaws clean-shaven and strong. And those deep green eyes which sometimes looked brown in the dark . . . I felt unsettled and unnerved. I had no control over the way my body was reacting to his presence. Why did he still have to look so good?

  “What do you want me to start with?” I asked him, keeping the conversation going. I was afraid of falling into an uncomfortable silence. I wasn’t sure of myself or what I would blurt out.

  Four years was a long time for a lot of pent-up resentment and anger to accumulate. But those were not the feelings I felt towards him right now. I was just glad to see him again. I’d grown up around Simon watching him, wanting him . . .

  “Well,” he began and looked down at a file on his desk. “We are a tech company and you have a business degree, so I think the best team for you would be our investment and sales department,” he explained.

  I nodded my head in agreement. “You’re absolutely right, although you should know that I have very little sales experience. Since I got out of college, I’ve been working as a receptionist,” I told him.

  Simon looked up at me, grinning with that killer dimpled smile! “I’m aware of your resumé, Ivy,” he replied, and I felt my cheeks flush.

  What else did he know about me? What had Shay told him? I hoped he didn’t know about Marco because that would be embarrassing. I didn’t want him to think I was as much of a loser as I really was. I hoped to hold on to some dignity.

  “But it doesn’t matter. You’re an intern. You’re here to learn and gain experience. We’re looking for investments right now, so you’ll have lots of opportunities to get your hands dirty,” Simon said.

  “I look forward to it.”

  Our eyes met again, and his gaze swept over me. Being fully clothed in front of Simon didn’t make a difference. I always felt completely naked when I was in his presence – like he could see right through me. The thought of us naked together turned my cheeks ruddy. I was conscious of my nipples pebbling under my dress, so I tried to steady myself.

  “You should introduce yourself to Mick. He’ll be in his office. Chad can take you to him. He’s the head of sales here – he’ll know what to do with you,” Simon said.

  I nodded my head, trying to look as enthusiastic as I could. He’d mentioned it already: they were all professionals here. That was exactly what I had to be too.

  The reality was that Simon was now my boss. He wasn’t just my best friend’s older brother, nor the guy I was once . . . in love with. All things of the past.

  I stood up from my chair.

  “I’ll go look for him right now,” I told Simon, and he stood up too.

  “I hope you’re settling in well, Ivy. Have you found a place to stay?”

  “I’m at a hotel for a few days, and I’ll start hunting for an apartment soon. It’s a lovely place – I like it here. I can see why you never wanted to come back.” I’d spoken too quickly. I shouldn’t have mentioned that. From the way Simon’s eyes darkened, I suspected that he thought I was hinting at something.

  “I never went back because this is where my life is. I have a business to run here. It has nothing to do with Palo Alto,” he replied. His voice had turned heavy and stiff. I wished I could tell him I didn’t mean to accuse him of anything.

  “Of course. I understand,” I replied and stepped away from him.

  Simon didn’t walk with me to the door. Just as I was leaving, he spoke again. “Welcome to Madbox, Ivy, and congratulations on being the first female employee at the company.”

  I gave him a weak smile and slithered away. First female employee? That wasn’t something I was aware of. I tried to think . . . Had I seen any women in the building when I came here? I couldn’t think of a single one.

  Chad found me right away.

  “How is he? How was his mood?” Chad asked, walking with me.

  “What do you mean?” I was confused.

  “You’ll see in a few days . . . Simon is not exactly the most predictable guy,” he replied, smirking.

  It was hard to imagine Simon ruling this place with an iron fist, but that was the picture Chad was painting for me.

  “Is he intimidating?” I asked.

  “At the office, yes. He likes things done perfectly. He has very high standards for quality. If you’re going to be working closely with him, good luck with that!” he added, while he led me to Mick’s office.

  “I don’t think I’ll be working closely with him. I’m pretty sure he has more things on his plate than spending time with an intern,” I replied to Chad, who shrugged and dismissed it.

  “Simon is a hard guy to work with, but only because he’s a perfectionist. He’s also the kind of guy who wants to make sure everyone is reaching their full potential. If he sees potential in you, he’ll make you wo
rk for it. It’s why all these guys hate him but love him, too. You’ll see,” Chad explained.

  I was seeing Simon in a new light for the first time – as someone other than the guy who lived two houses down from me. The guy I fantasized about every night as a teenager. The one who kissed me in the dark while he walked me home on my nineteenth birthday.

  Chapter 7 - Simon

  I hadn’t seen Ivy all day. I assumed that Mick and some of the other guys had already taken her under their wings and were showing her the ropes. I did bump into Mick in the cafeteria while he was making a coffee. I was curious to find out what he thought of Ivy.

  “Hey, man!” I called out to him to catch his attention. Mick was in the process of pouring himself a generous serving of sugary cereal from the dispenser.

  “Hey, Simon. What’s up? I’ll have the file revised and on your desk by tomorrow morning,” Mick said, coming up to me with the cereal bowl in his hand.

  “Yeah, sure. No problem,” I replied.

  I could see the look of surprise in Mick’s eyes. He thought I was going to give him an earful for not having it done yesterday. I was in a different mood today. I’d been feeling fidgety and on-edge since I had seen Ivy again. I wasn’t in the mood for dishing out lectures.

  “So, did you meet Ivy Soleman?” I asked, sipping my coffee as I leaned against the counter.

  “Yeah, she’s great. I just spent some time with her, going over our system and our sales configuration,” Mick explained.

  I nodded, hoping that he couldn’t see just how anxious I was to hear more about her.

  “What is she doing now?” I asked.

  “Think she’s in with Jacob and the rest of the design team. I mean, she’s the first female employee here. You can imagine that there’s a bit of a scramble,” Mick replied with a smirk.

  Immediately, my shoulders stiffened and I felt a sense of panic. “What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, but Mick didn’t seem to take notice of the growl in my voice.

  “I mean, she’s pretty hot. And the boys are kinda fighting over who gets to show her around and give her the tour,” Mick explained.