Forbidden Love (Venture Capitalist Book 1)

by Ainsley St Claire

  Nodding, I whisper, “Yes. See you tomorrow.” Standing on my tiptoes, I put my arms around his neck, smelling his cologne, and kiss him aggressively. My core is pulsing, and I know my panties are wet.

  Pulling away, I turn and walk into the house, waving goodbye as he gets in the car and leaves.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

  Emerson

  My brain is telling me to not get involved, but my body wants and needs him. I think of him all night, replaying the romantic evening in my head over and over, dissecting it. Dillon was a perfect gentleman all night. I think I’m still stunned that he would protect me by essentially destroying Adam. I’m shocked at how it makes me feel better. I didn’t know any videos existed, but I guess my subconscious knew and was worried. Knowing the video no longer exists has lifted an enormous weight off my shoulders.

  We talked about meeting tomorrow, but I have no idea what his plans are. I can’t get my brain to quiet and stop going through my mental to-do list.

  I need to get work done on the secret companies we’re approaching.

  I’ll need to get some of my anxiousness and stress taken care of through a good run.

  I want to spend some good quality outside time with Molly. Maybe a run can do that.

  My house could use a good scrub. It’s neat and clean, but a bit dusty.

  I’m getting tired of ordering in lunch every day at work. I know the break room has lunch, but it isn’t calorie friendly. I’m starting to skip the meal, which isn’t good for my afternoon energy. Maybe there’s something I can make so I can pack each day for work. And it can’t be a salad.

  I need to see Dillon. I want him to hold me. I want him to tell me everything is going to be okay.

  I finally fall asleep and wake to hear someone knocking at my door. I’m startled by it, and Molly is barking like crazy. It’s after nine according to the clock. I never sleep this late. How did that happen?

  Pulling on a pair of yoga pants, I peek through the peephole and see Dillon.

  “Good morning,” he greets when I open the door. Looking me up and down, he asks, “I’m sorry. Were you sleeping? I can come back later.”

  “No! I mean yes, I was sleeping, but I don’t ever sleep this late. Please come in. I want you to stay.” I step aside to let him enter, subconsciously running my fingers through my hair. There’s still a ton of hairspray from the blowout, so I find tangles and a matted mess. “I must look a complete disaster.”

  He bends down and kisses me on the forehead. “Never. You look beautiful as always.” He sets his coffee down on the side table along with his keys, then takes a wrapped package from his pocket. He looks me over carefully and smiles. “You look like you got a good night’s sleep. I brought coffee for you and a treat for Molly.”

  I smile at him. “That’s why she’s going crazy.”

  He holds out two of her favorite dog biscuits from our regular coffee shop, and Molly slathers him with kisses. I don’t think anyone could love Dillon more than Molly.

  “I think today is going to be the day she goes home with you.”

  He lets out a deep belly laugh. “She can come home with me any time her mom does.” Handing me a cup of coffee, he asks, “What would you like to do today?”

  “I was up late running through all the things weighing on my mind. The list is long, but I think I could sleep soundly last night because my subconscious knew about the video and was worried about it. You took care of it, so I finally slept well.” I pull him down for a chaste kiss. “I promise to show my deeper appreciation after I brush my teeth.”

  “Seeing you smile is enough. Unless of course I can talk you into getting away next weekend and head to Denver to see your family? It might be nice to see them.”

  I’m still not sure. I want to introduce Dillon to my family, but what will I do if he decides to break my heart again? I see he’s hopeful that I’ll say yes. I guess I need to take a chance and go for it.

  Before I can tell him that, he says, “Emerson, I know the last time we were together I behaved incredibly poorly. I promise I’ll never do that again.”

  He’s trying hard. I smile and agree. “All right, let’s go. I’ll see if I can find a pet sitter for Molly. When do you want to go?”

  His eyes light up, and I can tell he’s excited. “Let’s escape early on Friday. We can go directly from the Jamison Technologies presentation.”

  “I’ll have to call my parents and see if they’ll be around this weekend. They like to go up in the mountains this time of year.”

  “I’ve already talked to your mom. She’s arranging dinner on Saturday night, and I’ve organized a Rockies game on Sunday.”

  I smile at him. “I see you’ve sweet-talked your way into my family’s heart.” I grab Molly’s leash and stop. “Wait! How did you get tickets to the game?”

  “Easy. Our biggest client has box seats, and I asked for them.”

  “Box seats at Coors Field? You know they’re going to put pressure on you to get serious with me.”

  “I’ll make plans for Bronco box seats this fall if that’s what it takes. Besides, no pressure on me. I’m ready. It’s you they’ll pressure.”

  My eyes widen. “You’re right! You’re making it hard to say no.”

  “Wearing you down is my plan. So, how about a weekend away with your family and me?”

  “Sounds like just what we need.”

  He reaches for my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “What would you like to do today?”

  “Let’s take Molly down to the bistro for breakfast and the newspaper. After, if you don’t mind, I’d like to work on the Jamison presentation and, if time permits, the Page Software presentation since it’s the following week.”

  “Sounds like a perfect plan.”

  We spend the morning at a local bistro down the street from my house. They have the best eggs benedict, and more importantly there are outside tables where Molly can sun herself at our feet.

  As we walk back to my house, I reach for him, and we continue hand in hand. I know it isn’t a huge step, but it’s in the right direction.

  As we work together from my living room, Dillon’s phone rings. CeCe is calling to inform him that we have dinner plans with her parents tonight, and if he’s man enough, he’s welcome to join us. Laughing, he agrees.

  Turning to me, he says, “I met her dad years ago when he was a guest lecturer at Stanford. He seemed like a great guy. This should be fun.”

  I assure him it will be, but warn him that he’s like my second dad and CeCe’s twin brother, Trey, is like yet another brother for me. “So be prepared to pass inspection.”

  “I’ll win them over as a practice before I meet your own dad and brothers.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

  Dillon

  CeCe picks us up in her Range Rover, Molly joining us in the back seat. When we first met, I didn’t put two and two together. It wasn’t until later that I realized who CeCe was. She may be Silicon Valley royalty, but you’d never know it when you meet her. She isn’t a drama queen, she isn’t demanding, and I appreciate how loyal of a friend she is to Emerson.

  When we arrive at CeCe’s parents, both her mom and dad are standing on the front porch with a small herd of dogs at their feet, all of which are going crazy. Molly joins the frenzy from the back of CeCe’s car, the barking and excitement almost deafening.

  After we get out and the dogs have the chance to greet one another and calm down, CeCe’s dad invites me back to his library. My stomach turns, and I feel like I’ve been called to the principal’s office. We met briefly when you guest lectured at Stanford my sophomore year,” I tell him. “You spoke about what made some start-ups succeed and others fail.”

  “I give that lecture often. Did it make a difference?”

  I stand straighter as he hands me a glass of amber liquid. “Yes, sir, it did. I changed my major to finance with a minor in computer science and a lot of business classes.”

  He nods. “
CeCe tells me you’re one of the founders of SHN?”

  “I’m the H in SHN.”

  “Impressive. I’ve watched you guys have some significant growth. You have an interesting and fresh approach to how you invest.”

  “Coming from you, sir, that’s quite a compliment.”

  “You did invest in Emerson’s company. That says a lot, too.”

  “We did. But like all of our decisions, it was made by the team. We make sure all partners have an equal say in all of our investments.”

  “Clever. I’ve invested over the years in several companies but always on my own. You guys are much smarter about how you go about investing than I ever was. You only use your own money, right?”

  “That’s how we started. Each time one of our investments sells or goes public, we reward ourselves, but we actually reinvest most of the money into other companies and growing our offerings. Though I don’t know that we’re any smarter than you are at investing. You backed some of the biggest companies in The Valley when they were starting out.” I pause for a second, thinking about my next words. “I almost lost it all recently. I lost my dad almost a year ago, and it was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. It was so bad I almost ruined my relationship with Emerson and lost my position at SHN.”

  Nodding, he sips his drink. “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “Emerson tells me you’re a second father to her. I’m here today to get your permission to take her home to her parents and brothers to ask their permission to marry Emerson. That’s if she’ll have me, of course.”

  Looking at me closely, he asks, “Have you ever met any of the Winthrop clan?”

  “No, sir. Any insight?” I take a deep pull of my drink, trying to hide my nervousness about his answer.

  He laughs. “No, but tonight will be a cake walk compared to them, and we’re tough. Emerson is the light of her brothers’ lives. They won’t be easy. Just don’t let them take you hunting. Chances are you may not come back.”

  I blanch at the thought.

  “Let’s go find the girls,” he says, clapping me on the back. “Dillon, you impress me with your knowledge and confidence. Good luck in Boulder.”

  As we head back after dinner, I’m excited. “Thank you for including me tonight, CeCe.”

  Looking in her rearview mirror, she tells me, “I knew my dad would love you. I understand you’re headed to Boulder next weekend?”

  “We are,” I say with more confidence than I feel.

  “Great, so the following weekend you’ll have to report back to all of us on how it goes. That’s if Emerson’s brothers don’t take you hunting.”

  “I can’t wait. But why does everyone keep talking about hunting?”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

  Emerson

  The week has flown by, and our covert presentation to Jamison goes exceptionally well. Both sides walk away with the agreement that we’ll fund them for four rounds and an eventual forty-eight-percent ownership at a total of two hundred and fifty million dollars.

  As we head to the airport for our flight to Denver, my nervousness grows. Dillon is the first guy I’ve ever seriously brought home. This may well turn into a disaster, but I know if anyone can manage my brothers, Dillon can.

  As we exit to Arrivals, I see my mom standing there. She looks like a modern-day hippie, her blonde hair graying and short, which brings out the curls, along with her khaki capris and a tie-dye T-shirt. Standing next to her, my dad’s in jeans, cowboy boots, and a shirt advertising an environmentally friendly company he owns outside of his teaching. Then I see them, all four of my brothers standing together in jeans, T-shirts, boots, and baseball caps with their arms crossed over their chests.

  Good grief! This weekend is going to be a challenge.

  Behind my brothers is the rest of the Winthrop clan—twenty-two people total—to inspect Dillon. If he doesn’t run from this, he may be worth keeping.

  I give hugs first to my mom and dad, then to each of my brothers and their wives. Once I hug all of my family, I announce, “Everyone, I’d like you to meet my….” I realize I don’t know what to call him.

  Dillon looks at me and says, “Boyfriend.” Turning toward my family, he introduces himself. “I’m her boyfriend, Dillon Healy.”

  He shakes hands with my dad first, and my mom brings him in for a big hug. He then shakes each of my brothers’ hands. They scowl at him, and he takes it all in stride.

  Looking at the large group of people, I ask, “How did you all get here?”

  My six-year-old nephew Daniel steps forward and proudly says, “We caravanned from Nanna and Pop-pop’s.”

  “Really? Are you all coming over to their house tonight for dinner, or is this it?”

  “Yep, we’re all coming for dinner. We wanted to check out the asshole.”

  I close my eyes. Please tell me Daniel didn’t just refer to Dillon as an asshole.

  My mom steps in as everyone, including Dillon, laughs at the honesty of a young child. “I’m sorry. We don’t mean to overwhelm you both. We were all just so excited you were coming for a visit.”

  Getting down on a knee so he can be close in height to Daniel, Dillon tells him, “I’ve been known to be an asshole, but if I’m lucky enough, your Auntie Em will allow me to be your Uncle Asshole.”

  Daniel, with his big brown eyes, puts his arms around Dillon’s neck and says for everyone, loud and clear, “I’d like you to be my Uncle Asshole.”

  We pile into my parents' car, and I see my brothers’ four vehicles following behind.

  “You think you could have left the boys at home to meet up with us later?” I ask.

  My dad, looking at me through the rearview mirror, replies, “Well, we tried, but they wanted to meet the first guy you’re bringing home.”

  “You do realize they’re the reason I’ve never brought anyone home, right?” I gently remind them.

  My mom quickly interjects, “Dillon, don’t let them intimidate you. They’re harmless.”

  “As harmless as baby rattlesnakes—quick and highly venomous,” I mutter.

  Dillon grabs my hand to reassure me. I know my brothers mean well, but they’re overprotective and overbearing. If it were up to them, I’d live in a convent.

  As we make our drive from the airport to Boulder, I’m reminded of what I miss about this place. “The sky seems bluer here at altitude.”

  Dillon shares, “I’ve never been to Colorado. Not only does the sky seem bluer, but I think the sun is brighter.”

  “That’s because you live in a gray concrete jungle,” my dad says.

  We pull into my parents’ current driveway, facing a Victorian house painted vibrant colors that look very similar to my mom’s tie-dye shirt. “Wow! This is a project.”

  “It has great bones, and it may be the one we finally stay in as soon as we finish refurbishing it.” My mom smiles while staring at the house.

  I chuckle and tell Dillon, “They’ve said that about the last three houses they’ve lived in.”

  As everyone arrives and my family files out of their minivans and SUVs, a happy chaos erupts: kids running around and playing, dogs barking, my brothers and Dillon surrounding a big-screen television, watching the Rockies game and drinking beer. I help my mom and sisters-in-law with dinner. Mom has been slow-cooking a brisket all day, and the girls have side dishes, salads, vegetables, and desserts. You would think this is enough food to feed an army of a hundred men. We’ll see if there are any leftovers.

  I hear the baseball game on the television, and the guys are peppering Dillon with questions about our relationship and his intentions. He handles them well. I’m impressed.

  “I like Dillon, sweetie,” my mom tells me.

  I smile at her, a bit embarrassed. “Thanks, Mom. So do I. I just hope the guys don’t scare him off.”

  Smiling like a cat who just caught a canary, she says, “Oh, somehow I don’t think that will be an issue.”

  Everything is fi
nally laid out, and my mom yells, “Dinner’s on the table!”

  We all pile into the dining room, the table expanded to seat all two dozen of us. My dad leads us in the Catholic grace. When he’s done, my sister-in-law June asks, “Are you Catholic, Dillon?”

  “I am,” he tells her, and she smiles. That’s two of my family members down in the Dillon column—only twenty more to go.

  As the evening wears on, each person asks Dillon questions, and he answers them with skill, never breaking a sweat.

  My sixteen-year-old niece Jessica has watched the conversation and finally asks, “Auntie Em, do you love Dillon?”

  Everyone turns to me and waits expectantly. I look at Dillon and, with more authority than I feel, state, “I do. Very, very much.”

  The remainder of the weekend is a blur. My parents torture Dillon with a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park on Saturday. Both talk about the environmental issues which are important to them, and Dillon listens intently asking questions as if he’s a potential investor. My older brother has everyone over for a barbecue. On Sunday after brunch, we head to the Rockies game and watch them beat the Dodgers. Full of hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, and a few glasses of beer, everyone is having a grand time.

  After the game, it’s time to head back to the Bay Area. My brothers are all smiles and shake Dillon’s hand, and my sisters-in-law all hug him goodbye. He’s passed all their tests with flying colors.

  My oldest brother, Nick, pulls me aside and says, “He’s a good guy, Emmy. I hope we’ll see him again.”

  I wipe tears from my eyes. “Thank you. I love you guys. Come visit us soon.”

  Once we get settled at the airport, Dillon leans in close. “Thank you for sharing your family with me. I think they liked me.”

  Squeezing his knee, I kiss him softly on the lips. “I don’t think. I know they do. They didn’t offer to take you hunting after all,” I giggle.