blush (Westbrook Series) Read online

  "You feel so good Missy. I love you so much."

  His expression of emotion had her on the edge. When he kissed her neck, she unleashed.

  "I love you too!" Missy moaned as she shuttered from her orgasm.

  As soon as the words left her mouth, her climax vibrating around him, he came hard. He laid his head on her stomach for a moment letting the effect of their love making and the words she had just said settle through him.

  He rolled her on top of him to alleviate some of the pressure on her ribs.

  "Have you thought anymore about moving in with me?"

  "I have; if this is your motivation I am thinking the arrangement could work for me." She teased, reaching down and sucking on his bottom lip.

  "Oh. Well then by all means, let me encourage you a little more."

  Brandon started working her hips over him showing her he was hard and ready for another round.

  Chapter 18

  Missy grabbed the last box and looked around to study the one large room.

  "Are you going to miss this place?" Chloe asked with a sincere grin.

  "No, not really. I work so much. Until the attack, I was never really even here."

  Brandon had already left, following the movers to his penthouse. Missy and Chloe were gathering the last few things left in the apartment.

  "You sure you are ready for this?"

  "Chloe, I have never been more ready for anything in my life."

  Chloe and Missy arrived at the penthouse and Brandon was supervising the placement of every box that came off of the moving truck. They giggled at how well he had adapted to being the person in charge.

  "Missy dear, I am so pleased you are feeling better." Brenda was waiting in the upscale penthouse, watching as movers came in and out.

  "Thank you so much, I loved the lilies you sent. How is Enrique?" Missy walked to Brenda and squeezed her tight.

  "He's doing wonderful, we leave for the Cayman's tomorrow. We really wanted you and Brandon to join us, but with the move and you still getting over your injuries, Brandon felt it best if you come on the next trip."

  "Hey now! I want to tag along. Don't leave me here to hold down the fort," Chloe teased.

  "Come on you can handle the staff just fine. If they get out of line they know you will kick their asses," Missy replied with a chuckle.

  Brenda wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders. "You girls are amazing, and Missy I am so happy you are in Brandon's life. I love you both. I have to go now; Enrique is taking me to dinner."

  "I have to head out too. I have a date!" Chloe stated, her eyes filled with mystery.

  Missy kissed them both and demanded that Chloe text her later and give details about her rendezvous.

  "So we officially live together," Brandon commented wrapping his arms around Missy and placing a kiss on her temple.

  "Ewe, not for long if you don't shower! You stink!"

  He rubbed his sweaty arms all over her, holding her in place so she couldn't get away. "There now you need to get cleaned up too. Let's go!"

  "Quit! I have to go start unpacking you barbarian," Missy laughed running away from his grip.

  "I already asked the house keeping staff to do that for you tomorrow. Tonight you are all mine." He chased her into the bathroom, catching her in an embrace. "Have I told you I love you?"

  "Not nearly enough." She tilted her head upwards letting his lips caress hers.

  Chapter 19

  Missy walked around her office. Being back in the swing of things was so rewarding. She was ready to get back to her life in the fast lane. She helped Brandon while he was at her apartment taking care of her, but it didn't have the noise or the adrenaline.

  "Hi; you feeling okay?" Chloe opened the door and came in for their morning latte together.

  "Yes! It feels so good to be back. My brain was turning to mush."

  Chloe and Missy each sat in a tall pale pink wingback next to the plush white shabby chic sofa. Pink and gray pillows accented with pearlescent beads adorned the furniture.

  "Tell me all about your date." Missy perked up her head and waited for some juicy details.

  "It was magical. It was with this psychiatrist I have been doing some volunteer work with at a local mission. He is so smart."

  "And what does the intelligent doctor and hero look like?"

  "He's tall and has the most beautiful salt and pepper gray hair. He is very distinguished."

  "Wow! I am happy for you Chloe. You deserve to be happy."

  "Alright, enough about my love life. How are you and the boss man?"

  "Chloe, he is wonderful. I feel like I am in a fairytale."

  "Well I have never seen you happier. Just tell him if he hurts you, he has to answer to me!"

  Missy laughed hysterically at the thought of her tiny friend trying to take on Brandon. Chloe rolled her eyes and laughed, "Hey, it's not that funny. I am a black belt you know."

  "I know, I know. You're a total badass."

  Chloe rose, "And on that note, I'm headed back to the grind stone. My boss is a tyrant." Chloe threw her head back and laughed as she walked out of the room.

  Missy sat back at her desk and started researching the assignment her creative team was working on. She knew of the snack food company. She had eaten their chips since she was young, but they had taken on a new energy drink and wanted to promote it. She couldn't wait to dive right in. Her team had given her a welcome back celebration. They filled her in on what the company wanted to achieve and the ideas each of them had concocted.

  "Alright, am I going to have to drag you to lunch?" Brandon popped his head into her office. I have been in meetings all morning with human resources and I'm starving."

  "Me too. Just let me finish the last of these notes."

  "Meet me in my office in ten. I have a call to make and then I will be ready."

  Missy opened Brandon's office door and caught the tail end of his conversation. He was talking to the Westbrook Advertising legal team leader.

  "Is everything okay?"

  "Yes. I will fill you in on everything over lunch." Brandon slipped his suit jacket off of the chair and over his muscular arms. He looked incredible in the custom tailored black suit with subtle pinstripes. Under the jacket he wore a pale gray shirt with a black and gray striped tie.

  He caught her staring and began posing and flexing as he finished putting on and buttoning the jacket.

  Trying hard not to giggle, she asked, "Is the bistro across the street okay? I want to get back and go over the notes I have written with Chloe so she can start getting together her web promotion for the energy drink project."

  "Sure. That sounds great. I just have something to discuss with you and I would rather not do it here."

  They walked across the street to the popular bistro. It was normally very busy, but since it was well past the time the normal lunch rush hit, they had some privacy. Brandon chose a cozy booth in the back of the restaurant and let Missy sit down. Instead of sitting in the booth across from her, he chose to slide in beside her.

  "So what's going on?" Missy quizzed musing over the menu choices.

  "Human resources wants us to go down and sign some paperwork. The legal team is putting it together now. They know we are dating and want to make sure all of the correct forms are in place."

  Missy looked up a bit concerned. "What does the paperwork say?"

  "Just that you and I are two willing adults and we are in a relationship outside of the office. Yada, yada, yada. Basically just to protect the company from any future law suits."

  "Oh! Okay no problem."

  "That's what I told them. It won't be long and I will be changing your name to Westbrook anyway."

  "Watch out now! You don't want it getting around that New York's sexiest bachelor is off of the market. Women all over town will retreat into their homes and weep." Missy rubbed his thigh under the table.

  "I know! You see what you are doing to me. It's a disservice to all of Ne
w York." Brandon grabbed her hand and moved it to his growing erection. Missy started stroking it with her palm.

  "Waiter!" Brandon called the man that had taken their orders over to the table. "We have decided to get those lunches to go. Can you wrap them up and throw in a piece of cheesecake with strawberry sauce on the side?"

  After gathering the food Brandon lead Missy to the car and drove back to the penthouse. He unpacked the lunch on the table only keeping one container with him.

  "Brandon, I have work to do."

  "Don't worry. I just need to finish my lunch." He pulled her toward the bedroom.

  "This doesn't look like you eating lunch."

  "I'm having dessert first." He put the container on the bed side table and turned his attention toward Missy. She watched him as he carefully took off his jacket and tie and neatly rolled up his sleeves. He reached around her waist turning her back toward his body so that he could gently blow kisses on the back of her neck. He unzipped her skirt letting it fall to the ground. Then he laid her on the bed and removed the black stilettos she was wearing. She closed her eyes and relaxed as he pressed kisses up her legs and onto the small satin panties she was wearing. He licked and nibbled trying to get to her folds, then moved up toward the hem of her shirt. He lifted her top over her head kissing his way up. When he reached her lips, he started his way back down. He lifted his face and she whined in protest until she realized he was unhooking the front clasp on her satin and lace racer back bra.

  Brandon grabbed the container on the night stand and opened it. She froze and inhaled as he poured the sweet sticky strawberry sauce in a squiggly line down the cleavage of her breast, making sure to include her nipples, and then on to her lower stomach. He began at her mound tonguing her clit then moving up making sure to savor every bit of the rich red sauce. When he reached her breast, he stopped to suck the scrumptious dessert off of each nipple. The heat from his mouth caused her to grind her hips into the hard bulge in his slacks. He knew she was on the edge, so he lifted himself off of her and undressed. Just to let her calm down he took his time, meticulously undoing each button.

  She knew he was teasing her, and when she couldn't wait any longer, she reached down and plunged a finger into her dampness, enjoying the sticky residue the strawberry topping left behind. Brandon stopped. He now knew what shock and awe truly meant. This vision of her was beguiling.

  She loved the surprise she put on his face, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "You mess with the bull baby, you get the horns."

  He rapidly shed the rest of his suit. Grabbing her feet he pulled her to the edge of the bed. He rested her feet onto his shoulders and entered her with confidence and strength. Missy fisted the sheets giving into the pressure inside of her, then the release. When she began pulsing around him, he lifted her up and plunged into her one more time, unleashing the pressure she caused with her show.

  Chapter 20

  "Ms. Duncan, do you have any questions about the forms you are signing?" She had been with the lawyers for two hours, studying and defining each sentence in the contract.

  "No. I think we have revised the areas that I had concerns with."

  Missy was drained, and her eyes were seeing double because she had been staring at the small print on the endless amount of paperwork she had just autographed. When she was finished, she left the room rubbing her temples, and went back to the floor her office was on.

  Brandon was on a conference call with one of the snack company executives. Their headquarters is located in Dallas, so until the presentation, most of the contact was by email and phone. She laid on his sofa, adjusted one of the small roll pillows under her neck and closed her eyes.

  When Missy opened her eyes, two hours had gone by. She scanned Brandon's office. He was nowhere to be seen. The building was dark and silent and all of the staff had already gone home. She headed straight toward the conference room to find Brandon. As she came to the large room with a massive table and many desk chairs, she saw Brandon and Chloe talking. Brandon had his back to the large wall of glass, but she could see Chloe appeared upset. What had he told her to have her so disturbed? She had never seen the two of them conversing in such a private manor. Missy opened the door and they both turned to face her. Brandon was angry. She could see it all over his face.

  "What's going on?"

  The rage on Brandon's face turned to concern as he walked to her and placed his hand over hers.

  "Missy we need to talk to you." Brandon sat her down in one of the chairs, placing himself in the one next to her. Chloe was standing behind him, almost in tears.

  "Chloe, are you okay?"

  Chloe pulled a couple of tissues out of a box on a nearby table, then sat down in the chair on the other side of Missy.

  Brandon held his head in his hand and rubbed his temples.

  "Okay you guys are really scaring me. What the hell is going on?"

  Brandon started speaking, choosing his words carefully. "Missy, I received a call while you were asleep. I don't know who it was, but he told me about your attack." Brandon had to look away knowing if he didn't he might not be able to finish. "He was there Missy, he saw the whole thing. Hell, he probably planned it. Anyway, he told me if I didn't come up with some money, it's going to happen again."

  Missy blinked. She couldn't move, she knew if she did she would throw up. She drew in a long breath and sluggishly let it out. "How much?"

  Brandon looked up at her somewhat baffled. "What?"

  "How much? How much money does he want?"

  "It doesn't matter Missy! We are going to give him the money and that's it."

  Missy spoke in a whisper this time, a whisper filled with sadness. "How. Much."

  "Seven hundred and fifty thousand."

  Missy turned her gaze toward Chloe. Chloe had tears dropping down her face. Then Missy turned to Brandon, "We can't pay him. I can't ask you to do that, and if we give into him, he will only ask for more next time."

  Chloe begged, "But Missy."

  "No. I'm not going to give into this asshole. No money."

  Brandon dropped his head and fingered his hair. "So what do we do? He said no cops."

  "I have an idea."

  Chapter 21

  Brandon waved when he saw Mark at a table across the restaurant. He was hesitant to call. He hadn't seen Mark since the night at the bar.

  "Hey man." Mark stood and put one arm around Brandon. He turned his eyes toward Missy, "I heard about what happened. I am glad you are doing better." Mark studied his feet then added, "I am also really sorry about what happened before. I tend to say stupid shit sometimes."

  Missy hugged him. "No worries. I want you to meet my best friend Chloe."

  Chloe extended a hand. Mark gave her his most charming smile and accepted her gesture.

  Brandon quickly broke in, "Dude focus. We are here because Missy is being threatened."

  They sat down at the table. Mark was surprised when Chloe sat down next to him and moved her chair a little closer to his.

  Brandon explained the whole story to Mark. "He said we couldn't get the police involved, but Missy thought us just hanging out might look like a double date."

  Chloe and Mark exchanged glances. It suddenly occurred to him why she was so enthused about being next to him. Mark ignore the hit to his ego and went straight into cop mode. "Missy do you know anyone that would want to hurt you? Any ex-boyfriends or ex-employees you pissed off?"

  "No. Before Brandon I hadn't dated in a while. I was always too dedicated to my career and we haven't had any employees leave in a while. Most of our staff has been at Westbrook for a long time. We are all like a family there. I don't think any of them would be this malicious."

  Chloe and Brandon agreed.

  "What about from your past?"

  Missy exhaled, "I don't really talk to anyone from my past other than my mom every now and then. She is an alcoholic who is usually in and out of rehab. My dad left her when she started drinking and quit t
aking care of him." Missy rolled her head around trying to relieve the tension in her neck then went on, "He is a drunk. A very angry and selfish drunk. I haven't heard from him since I ran away when I was sixteen. He left my mom a year later and never looked back. I heard he remarried a woman from Jersey though."

  Mark contemplated what she had just told him. "Alright. I will look into it. Let me know if you think of anyone else."

  Brandon stood and shook Mark's hand. "Thank you so much man. I am so sorry for hitting you at the bar. We've been friends a long time and I hope I didn't ruin that."

  "Never. We are all good."

  Brandon and Missy dropped Chloe back off at the Westbrook building's parking garage and watched her get into her car. They knew they would have to take special precaution in every move they made. Brandon didn't plan on letting Missy out of his sight. He also thought about hiring someone, maybe a bodyguard for her. He knew she would not approve of it, but he was definitely going to look into it.

  "Missy, I don't mind giving him the money. Your safety is much more important to me."

  "No. No more talk of giving him money. We can't let him take advantage of us."

  Nothing else was said on the drive home. The wheels were spinning in both of their minds. What could they do and how would they pull it off. Missy was glad she thought to call Mark. She liked the side of Mark she saw tonight. She could tell why Brandon had become friends with him. The fact that tonight gave them all a chance to clear the air was nice too.

  The next morning Brandon arranged for someone to watch Missy at all times until this ordeal was over. The guy was ex-military. Brandon had worked with him before and he had always done an excellent job. He waited until noon and put a call into Mark to see if he had found out anything about who might be after Missy. When Mark returned his call, they didn't seem that much closer. "Her mom is out of the state in a rehab. She's actually doing very well from what I found out, but she hasn't left the property. Her dad did remarry. He is in Chicago. He's been in and out of jail for possession. The guy's got a real big meth problem. Other than that I couldn't dig up much. When he called, was it on your cell or the office phone?"