My Bossy Protector: A Best Friend’s Brother Romance

by Charlize Starr

  The proceedings were ending when Liam asked for permission to approach the judge. He carried a folder to him and handed it over. We all watched the man that was in control of my life for a few more minutes read it before he gave Liam a nod. He looked over the small court room for a moment before standing and looking right at me.

  He left the room. Blake stood with her lawyer to leave as well, looking miserable. I watched as she left the building, hoping that I’d never see her again. She didn’t deserve her own daughter. I joined Liam and Lucy in the hallway and grinned at him as I pulled her into my arms for a tight hug, kissing her softly. I asked Liam what he gave the judge and he smirked as he told me he came across Blake’s criminal record, which included a DUI. I asked him why he didn’t bring that up right away, and he looked at both of us, telling me that he wanted to see us finally admit our feelings for each other.

  We all left and I drove Lucy to my house, needing some quality time alone with her. I’d get Riley later and we’d do something together since I was certain that I’d won custody of her today. I unlocked the door and pulled Lucy through it, into my arms.

  Lucy kissed me as she wrapped her legs around my body and I took us to my bed. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders as I dropped her onto the bed and reached for the tie of her dress. Lucy helped me out of my suit and dropped to her knees to take me into her mouth. I reached for her wild curls. She was a beautiful woman, yet I could still see the girl that I knew all those years ago. I looked down, thankful for our second chance.

  I moved her to her back, kissing her from her thighs to her mouth as she moaned my name. She was so hot and ready for me. I sucked on her nipples as I cupped her breasts. I could have sworn that her breasts were bigger as I drew her between my teeth and she let out a slow moan. “Max,” Lucy moaned as I moved to her lips and kissed her hungrily before sliding inside of her. We both cried out with feeling as I filled her perfect body. Lucy started moving with me and I realized that she’d been particularly eager with me as of late.

  We rocked together as she wrapped herself around me, finding my lips as I continued to thrust into her. I was on the edge of coming when she tightened around me and screamed my name. I followed suit as she clawed my back and wept my name, coming hard right before I did.

  We made love again before she dropped her face to my chest and laughed. “I have something to tell you, Max.”

  “That you love me?” I asked as she looked at me with warm eyes before kissing my skin.

  “That too, but I’m pregnant.” I pulled her closer as she laughed. “I’ve known for a week or so, but we had this court date and I wanted to focus on that. I was scared. I don’t know.”

  I kissed her and slid my hand between us. “I’m so happy. We’re going to have a family. There’s no way the judge will give Blake custody of Riley. Still, though, I’ve been wanting to tell you that I love you for a while. Today was perfect.”

  “It was,” she agreed as our lips met again.

  Epilogue – Lucy

  The decision came in a week and I hugged Max as he told me that Riley was ours. We were starting to go to hospital visits for the new baby and Riley couldn’t have been more excited once we told her about it.

  We had a BBQ to celebrate everything a few weekends later. The neighbors and our parents came with plenty of food to go along with the meat that Max was grilling. I made an apple pie in his forgotten cast iron pan as well as some salads and Max smiled at me as he walked into the kitchen for a beer and the platter of chicken, tri-tip, and sausages.

  We decided to keep his current house. It had four bedrooms we could work with for now and it was in a perfect place for our kids. We were in the process of moving my things over from the apartment, though Violet assured us that she wasn’t going to be renting it out any longer. Since I came here with so little furniture, I sold what was in a storage unit and we kept Max’s things.

  The party ran late into the night, with kids swimming, adults drinking and talking, and music playing through the air. I sipped my sparkling water and watched it all happen, happy beyond belief.

  Once everyone started drifting home for the night and we tucked an exhausted Riley into bed, he took me back outside. I looked at him as he surveyed the yard, messy with play and the party. He licked his lips and looked back at me. “This is the best day of my life,” he told me. I agreed and nodded. “I want this for the rest of my life, Lucy. I want this with you.” He dropped to the grass on one knee as I gasped. “Will you marry me?”

  “I already said yes,” I told him as I showed him my ring finger.

  “I know, but I want to do this for real. I want you to know how much I love you and want to marry you,” he said as he pulled something out of his pocket. “I bought that ring with court in mind – it looked like you. I want you to keep it somewhere. But I bought this new ring for Lucy, the love of my life.” He opened the box and I saw another ring of small diamonds with a square stone as the focal point and a matching diamond band. It had a vintage look to it. I smiled at him as he reached for my left hand.

  “This is so me,” I agreed as I kissed him softly. “I love you.”

  “I love you. We’re setting a wedding date soon. I’m sick of waiting,” he told me and I laughed. We switched rings and made our way back into the house, locking the door and going to the bedroom so he could prove to me how much he loved me.

  *****

  THE END

  Hungry Cowboy

  Description

  A good girl. A bad cowboy. A dirty secret. Ready to figure this one out?

  She used to be like my little sister.

  Now her curves make me choke on my beer.

  But she’s broke, and I’m the reason.

  Not that she knows. It’s my secret.

  I’ll make it up to her though.

  I’ll offer her a job.

  To be the live-in nanny at my ranch.

  I’ll win her for me with my cowboy abs.

  Seriously, who can resist those?

  She’ll be screaming for more before she knows it.

  All I need to do is keep my secret from her.

  Or she’ll leave.

  And I want her to stay.

  Chapter 1 - Connor

  I’ve never gotten over the ivy covering the facade of my family home. Some might say that it is the nicest thing about the house. The moment you walk in, you’re hit by the excruciatingly bright glittering light of the crystal chandelier in the foyer. After that, shit just goes downhill from there. Uniformed maids and valets greet you by taking your coat, champagne is served on a tray immediately, and you’re expected to make an entrance into the parlor carrying the glass in your hand and have a collection of choice greetings ready to dish out to my mother’s group of elegant friends. Oil paintings hang in place on the walls, specially ordered Turkish rugs match the upholstery on the furniture, and a pianist is hired to play Beethoven in the corner to entertain our guests.

  It had been five years since I left this place, and it wasn’t very often that I returned to the Hamptons. When I did, I was always struck by the opulence and a strange feeling like I didn’t belong – even though I very much belonged. I was still the only heir to my father’s billion-dollar legacy and my mother’s only hope for the future. The fact that I was also a huge disappointment in her eyes was another matter. You don’t wash your dirty laundry in public.

  Tonight was a reunion. I had returned home after two years of radio silence and Mother had thrown a party in my honor. A party that consisted specifically of all those friends who had daughters of a marriageable age. Mother was at it again – she was determined to find me a bride. As if the first time around wasn’t good enough.

  “Ah, Connor, you look tanned!” Mrs. Grantham kissed the air beside my cheeks like they did in Europe. Her hands were bony and cold as she gripped my arms. I smiled and looked immediately to the left, where her daughter was standing beside her, staring up at me from under her heavily mas
caraed eyelashes.

  “It’s the Texas sun, no doubt. I’m forever telling him to wear sunscreen.” Mother had interrupted the conversation with a swoop of her arm. She had brought Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, and Mr. Frasier with her to join our group – and their daughters with them, of course. They were all standing around me in a circle like I was a trick monkey in a zoo.

  “I heard something about Texas, yes. What kind of work are you doing out there?” Mr. Frasier asked, taking a sip of his specially imported scotch. I opened my mouth to speak, but Mother cut in before I could say anything. She had decided that she was going to do all the talking.

  “Taking care of the business, of course. We’re looking into purchasing a chain of ranches in Texas. There’s good money in horse breeding, you know,” Mother said with a stiff smile ready on her lips.

  I clenched my jaw. What was she talking about? It was one ranch. I’d already bought it, and I worked with the horses every day myself. She was making it out to sound like some sort of international corporate model.

  “A ranch? Like those cowboys from the movies?” One of the daughters had spoken up. I didn’t know whose she was. They all looked the same to me anyway: blond, face caked with makeup, perky breasts, diamonds glittering around their necks, and waists small enough to circle one of my palms around. I’d grown up around girls like these – I’d married one of them! – Only this particular group belonged to a younger generation.

  “Yes, exactly like that,” I replied honestly and watched as the group of girls looked at each other and giggled. It was Mother who wasn’t pleased with my response.

  “Connor has always had such a sense of humor!” she said and added a forced nervous laugh before linking her arm in mine and gently tugging me away from the group.

  “You’re ruining it!” she hissed, dipping her face towards me as we walked out of earshot.

  “Ruining what, mother?” I asked her lazily while taking a sip of the scotch. I preferred beer, but it was considered to be ditch water in this household. I knew exactly what she was talking about.

  “Ruining your chances. These people aren’t going to be thrilled about marrying their daughters off to a tanned, callus-handed cowboy! Keep up our appearances, Connor, at least for tonight!” she hissed and I pulled my arm away from her.

  “Mother, do you remember what your matchmaking skills landed me with the last time?”

  “There was nothing wrong with Natalia. She was a perfectly fine young lady!” Mother retorted and I took in a deep breath. Mother was never a woman to admit her mistakes.

  “Yes. She also divorced me within two years and left our son to be raised by me and a house full of servants,” I said through gritted teeth and took another sip of the whisky. These days, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about Natalia without feeling like punching a wall.

  “This is exactly why you need to marry again. Alfie can’t possibly grow up without a mother in his life!” she snapped and then, turning on her heels, she walked away to join her friends. She didn’t even want to wait and hear what I had to say.

  I emptied the remaining whisky down my throat in retaliation. Why did I even bother accepting this invitation? I should have known what this was going to be about.

  “So, do you ride horses all day?” I heard a voice behind me. When I turned, I found one of the blonds standing there, swirling a glass of wine in her hand. She bit down on her bottom lip suggestively and I noticed how her blue eyes were sparkling. The suggestion was very clear and I smiled at her.

  “Sometimes I feed them and brush them as well,” I replied and the girl walked up closer to me.

  “I’d like to go for a ride too,” she said and grazed her arm with mine. I looked up at the people around the room and took in a deep breath, and then looked back at the girl. Ah, fuck this shit.

  ***

  She said her name was Margaret, but all her friends called her Maisie.

  I’d led her up to my old room, the one at the end of the corridor on the second floor of the house.

  “I’ve heard so much about you, Connor,” she whispered in the dark as I walked over to the king-sized bed in the middle of the room. I didn’t want to switch on the lights for two reasons – because I wasn’t particularly interested in this girl’s face, and also because I didn’t want to look at my old room and be reminded of the old life I had so gladly left behind. No way was I going to allow Alfie to grow up in a place like this.

  “Oh, yeah?” I said and plonked myself on the bed, folding my arms behind my head.

  Maisie nodded her head enthusiastically, her sequined cocktail dress shimmering in the pale moonlight streaming into the room.

  “My older sister said she used to have a huge crush on you and that you kissed her once at a house party, but then you took a different girl home. She talks about that night like it was her biggest regret,” Maisie was pulling down the straps of her dress without me even asking.

  I stretched my legs out on the bed, watching her breasts pop out of the dress. Perfect, milky white tits and pale pink nipples. I could feel my cock moving in my pants.

  “So, are you planning on telling your sister about tonight?” I asked her as the dress slid down to her ankles. She wasn’t wearing panties. This girl wasn’t shy about her nakedness. She rejoiced in the fact that I was looking at her pussy and her tits.

  “Definitely. She’s married now, has two kids, and she’s really bloated up. If she hears I slept with you, she’ll be really jealous,” Maisie giggled and then walked around to my side of the bed.

  I undid my belt and pulled out my cock. It was hard and throbbing already and I stroked it. Maisie’s eyes fell on it and I heard her gasp.

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked, in a soft, husky voice as I stroked my cock harder. At least there was going to be one good thing to remember from this night. Life on the ranch, surrounded by a group of male ranch hands, could get pretty boring. The Hamptons, on the other hand, were never empty of totally fuck-able pussy.

  Instead of replying to her, I grabbed Maisie by her waist and pulled her up on the bed. She giggled in the air and I sat her down on my legs, just inches away from my engorged throbbing cock. She reached up to play with her nipples, tugging and pulling them while moving her hips seductively.

  “You want me to ride you? You want me to ride you like a horse?” she said, forcing me to watch her tease her pebbled nipples. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that . . . Sure?

  I pulled her up again. This talking business was proving to be useless. All I was interested in was that pussy and somewhere to deposit my cum.

  Maisie giggled again, her voice annoying me a little. I settled her down on my cock. At least her pussy was tight. I thrust my cock into her and she moaned.

  I reached for her tits, grabbing them with both hands and squeezing as she moved her hips. I started thrusting in quick deep bursts, and Maisie’s body bounced on top of me. She was holding my chest for support, moaning and squealing in a shrill, low voice as she rode me. I felt the milky softness of her tits in my hands as I watched her bounce.

  “Oh my God, Connor! You’re so big!” she squealed as she pleasured herself on my cock. I didn’t stop thrusting. Deeper and deeper, I pushed myself within her folds till I heard her scream a loud whistling scream, her face was turning red. She was coming hard. She clutched my shirt in both fists as she came, her juices gushing out of her in full force. I kept ploughing into her. When she was done, I pushed her off of me.

  She crashed to my side with another giggle as I burst, my cum jetting out of me in spurts and dribbling down my belly. Maisie rolled around on the bed beside me, messing up the covers, writhing and smirking as she watched me come.

  When I was done, the relief of a much needed release washing over me, I finally looked at Maisie. She was stretched out on the bed beside me.

  “I don’t want to go downstairs just yet,” she said as I reached for the box of tissues on the bedside table.

&nbs
p; How was I going to put this as delicately as possible? That I didn’t exactly want to spend any more time with her than absolutely essential for the purposes of a sexual encounter? That she was a silly young girl and was boring me to death?

  “Stay here for as long as you like. Have a nap if you want!” I exclaimed, wiping my cum off my belly. Maisie giggled as I sat up in bed, swinging my legs off the edge.

  “Where are you going?” she asked, her voice changing its tone when she saw me walking towards the window in my room.

  “Making a smooth exit,” I said, looking at her over my shoulder with a smirk.

  “You’re leaving through the window?” she asked in a shrill voice as I slid the glass pane up and stuck my leg out, feeling for the drain pipe I always relied on.

  “Always have, always will. Thanks Maisie. You’re a doll,” I said before hauling myself out of the window in one smooth motion.

  Chapter 2 - Connor

  Nothing had changed at all. It had been five years since I had left town, yet Paddy’s Pub looked exactly the same. Even the same regulars sat around the small circular tables in the place just like they used to when I had come before.

  Paddy was behind the bar serving drinks and polishing glasses. He greeted me with a bear hug and a free beer. I sat down in front of him on a stool and chugged the beer down thirstily.

  “What’s up with you, man? Someone said you left town for good?” Paddy asked, grabbing the damp rag off his shoulder to give his glasses a wipe.

  “Moved to Texas. Bought a ranch,” I replied and grabbed myself another beer from the crate.

  “And you’re just visiting now? Your mother threw another one of her posh parties?” Paddy laughed and I laughed along with him. This guy knew me from when it wasn’t even legal for me to be drinking. He’d seen me through bad times and could very well be the only positive presence for me in the Hamptons.