True North: A Flirt Club Duet Read online

  Milly slips into the passenger side and waits for me to get behind the wheel. She watches me carefully as I familiarize myself with the car’s controls.

  “Milly, I’m not leaving this car park until you explain yourself.”

  She sighs. “No dad and my mom didn’t want to teach me. She said teaching my older sister was bad enough.”

  Why did it feel like I was meeting Milly for the first time? There was still so much to learn about her. “I didn’t know about your dad,” I say softly as I put the car into gear and start navigating my way out onto the streets of Boston.

  “He left when I was a baby. Came back around when I was little for a few years but left again.” She says it so casually like it doesn’t matter. But it does.

  “I’m sorry he wasn’t around much,” I murmur, reaching over the car’s console to take her hand.

  “It’s not a big deal. I have an amazing grandfather who is like my dad.”

  “And he couldn’t teach you how to drive?” I still can’t get over this. When we get back to England, I’m going to take her out to Waterstone Park where there’s plenty of space and teach her.

  Milly directs me through Boston until we’re on a quiet residential street. Her flat is one of several in an old converted Victorian home. It’s ungodly small but perfectly Milly. Every room is filled with an eclectic assortment of furnishings and is painted a different color. The kitchen is a bright turquoise and the living/dining room is a cheerful coral. I love every square meter of it.

  “I know it’s small,” Milly says, inspecting the space through a critical lens. “But I own it. It’ll be sad to sell it.”

  Slowly, I walk up behind her and place my hands on her shoulders. I knead them softly and then place a light kiss just below her earlobe. “Giving up your life here to be with me in England is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. I promise you’ll never regret it.”

  Milly

  Being home is weird. As much as I love my condo and all that it represents, it doesn’t feel like home anymore. Home is with Ben. Home is a cozy flat in the middle of Notting Hill or a noisy, crowded pub.

  Ben’s promise echoes in my ears but really, he has nothing to worry about. I lean against his strong frame and sigh. “I’m proud of all I’ve accomplished but it’s time to move on. I’m not giving up anything, Ben. I’m getting what I’ve always wanted.”

  He spins me and traps me in his arms. “Good, now it’s time I get what I wanted.” His hands travel down the length of my back to my ass and he lifts me. My legs wrap around his waist as he starts to carry me through my small condo. “One of these doors must lead to a bedroom.”

  He kicks open each door until finally, we make it to my bedroom. “That’s the ticket,” he growls right before he dumps me onto my bed. I feel like a voyeur as I watch him work furiously to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his jeans. “You’ve been quite the tease and I’ve restrained myself for far too long.”

  The sight of his hard cock in his hand makes me lick my lips. It also makes me wonder why the fuck I’m still dressed. I start to remove my shirt but Ben stops me. “Oh no, sweetheart. I want to fuck your pretty mouth.”

  I scoot to the edge of the bed as he approaches, stroking himself; his eyes dark, smoldering and focused on me. He runs his thumb along my bottom lip and presses down, forcing my mouth to open.

  Then I get my first taste of his clean masculinity. Instantly, I devour him. I feel starved and greedy, like feasting on him isn’t enough. I sneak one hand below the waistband of my jeans and brush it along the front of my panties. A tremor of need runs through my body.

  “Tsk tsk,” Ben admonishes, looking down at me through his hooded gaze. “Wait your turn.”

  When Ben and I are together, there are no rules for how we make love to each other. Some nights, it’s slow and lazy and other times, it’s fast and frantic. Tonight, Ben is all alpha, ready to push my boundaries. The anticipation of feeling him inside of me, of being filled with his cock, of feeling him explode makes me drenched. I want him to fuck my mouth but I’m dying for him to fuck my pussy.

  “Please,” I beg, letting his cock pop from my mouth. The ache between my legs is growing and I need something, anything to ease it just a little.

  He cups my breast with one hand, squeezing and kneading it while the other hand brushes the tip of his cock along my lips. It slips back inside my mouth and I suck him right down to the base, until I feel the head hit the back of my throat before instantly releasing it.

  “Fuck, sweetheart, I might just cum down your throat.”

  YES! I scream internally.

  I repeat the same action, taking him deep and then quickly releasing him. His cock is rock hard when I reach out to cup his balls. I lavish the head with my tongue, swirling and sucking until he starts to tense. My cheeks hollow as I suck him hard and deep until his cock begins to pulse in my mouth and the first hot streams of his orgasm land on my tongue. Ben moans as I drain the last drops from his cock before he slips out.

  Ben looks down, pleased as he runs his fingers across my cheek. “I don’t deserve you,” he says with a soft smile.

  My impatience dies down and I stand up. “Yes, you do,” I tell him. “We deserve each other.”

  The rest of his clothes come off as do mine until there’s a small pile on the floor. He brushes my hair back, exposing my shoulder and bends his head to place a soft kiss there. His hands are warm and soft as they travel the length of my body. He hitches one leg up, holding it against his thigh as he draws me close for a kiss. His cock brushes against my center and I moan, my desire for more re-igniting.

  My arms wrap around his neck as Ben lifts me slightly and together, we fall onto the bed. Our kisses deepen and grow heated as his hands trace familiar paths along my curves until they brush against the apex of my thighs. I open for him automatically, ready for more of his touch.

  Ben makes love to me slowly, sinking his cock deep inside of me. Every movement is calculated and thoughtful because this more than just making love. This is worship. His mouth reverently covers one nipple, sucking it gently into his mouth before letting it fall out.

  “What do you want,” he asks breathlessly as we move towards ecstasy together.

  My back arches slightly as his rhythm becomes more intense and I feel my body start to tremble with the first waves of bliss. His grip on me tightens as his jaw clenches. “Tell me what you want,” he asks again through clenched teeth.

  A loud moan escapes my lips as my orgasm sends shockwaves through my body. He groans with one final thrust and I feel his cock pulse, spilling his seed deep inside of me. He collapses on top of me, his breath hot against my flushed skin.

  “I want to be your wife,” I say at last as I run my fingers through the sweaty strands of his hair.

  I swear I can feel his grin against my skin.

  He squeezes my waist playfully and pops his head up. “When?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “I thought you wanted Holly to be there,” he asks as we cuddle together post-sex.

  I hum thoughtfully. “It’s better to ask for forgiveness later.”

  Ben stretches out alongside me and gathers me against him. “Well, my love. Tomorrow sounds like an absolutely bloody brilliant day to get married.”

  Ben

  I knew I’d wear Milly down with my plan but I didn’t think it would happen so soon.

  After we both showered off the shagging and travel grime, we started making plans.

  “Well shit,” I growl as I read the requirements to get married.

  “What’s wrong? Can a British citizen not get married in the US?” Milly comes up beside me and stares at the screen of my laptop.

  “No, we have to wait three bloody days!”

  “Oh. Well, now I have plenty of time to buy a dress.”

  I can’t help but pout. “But I don’t want to wait three days.”

  She runs her hand through my hair and kisses my cheek. “It’ll be fine.
There’s so much we can do while we wait.”

  I sit back and glower at her. “Like what?”

  She turns her head and whispers her dirty thoughts in my ear. But I don’t get the chance to take her back to bed because my bloody mobile interrupts us. I can’t ignore the phone call either because it’s my lawyer.

  “I’ve been gone one day, Seamus,” I growl into the phone when I answer. “Not even a full day!”

  “I do apologize for bothering you so soon,” he says politely. “But Alistair has been talking to your investors.”

  “And what has he told them?”

  “According to Lewis, he’s offering to buy them out.”

  My jaw clenches. “And have any of them budged?”

  “Not yet.”

  I glance toward Milly, who’s watching me closely with her thumb between her teeth.

  “Call an investor meeting. I’ll be there day after tomorrow.”

  The call ends but now I have to explain to Milly our wedding plans will have to be put on hold.

  “You have investors?” The woman has the keenest hearing in the world.

  “I do. I went to the London School of Economics, Milly. Eventually, I want to own more pubs than just my own.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess talking about my career never really seems important.”

  Her arms are crossed and she’s scowling. “Unbelievable.”

  She starts to walk away but I scramble after her, grabbing her arm and spinning her to face me. “I’m sorry. Truly. But I have to go back to London and deal with this.”

  “What about eloping?”

  “We’ll apply for the license tomorrow. We have to wait three days anyway, so what’s a few more?”

  Her eyes narrow again. “You said your brother wasn’t a threat.”

  Fuck me, Milly’s memory is insane. I feel like I’m constantly apologizing to her. “I know. I didn’t want you to worry. I can handle Alistair.”

  She gnaws on her bottom lip. “It seems like he’s pretty desperate to expand. Why?”

  “I have the exact same question but I don’t want you to worry about Alistair. I want to focus on going to city hall tomorrow and applying for our license. Let me handle my brother, okay?”

  “I hate that you have to go back to London.”

  “So do I.” It’s not an ideal situation but I’m glad Alistair made a move, saves me from waiting. “Now, let’s forget about all of this and go back to bed.”

  Being British doesn’t cause any problems when we head to city hall to apply for our marriage license. Seamus advised me on the necessary items I would need to bring with me, so I showed up prepared. The only issue was the clerk who kept batting her eyelashes at me. I thought she was being rude but Milly found it hilarious.

  “She thought you were totally smexy, dude,” Milly laughs as we head out for a celebratory lunch.

  “Your American is showing,” I tease her. I love the blush that creeps up her neck and blooms on her cheeks.

  “It’s gonna do that from time to time.”

  I place a smacking kiss on her cheek. “I love it.”

  Hand-in-hand, we enter the restaurant I picked. It’s quite upscale and specializes in fresh farm-to-table cuisine. We’re seated at a table facing the harbor and the natural light spilling in through the windows illuminates Milly perfectly. Slowly, I remove my mobile from my pocket and capture a quick picture when she’s not looking.

  She turns her attention on me, a warm smile on her lips and a content look in her eye. “I didn’t realize how much I missed Boston.”

  “It’s a lovely city but not as lovely as London.”

  She sticks her tongue out but her expression quickly sours. “How long do you think it’ll take to deal with Alistair?”

  “I’m hoping only a few days. I have a really good group of investors who I think are loyal. Alistair can be pretty convincing.”

  “What time is your flight?”

  “Bloody early. I’ll take the rental car back when I leave for the airport.”

  “What? You don’t want me to go with you?” She looks absolutely stricken. I reach across the table to take one of her hands in mine. It’s the left hand and I can’t help but admire the way my ring looks on her finger, the way the diamond glitters in the sunlight. This is absolutely meant to be and I’ve no doubt things with Alistair will be wrapped up quickly. Hopefully I won’t have to sacrifice too much of my pride to make it happen.

  “It’s only a quick trip. I’ll be back before you know it.”

  But things with Alistair take longer than expected and I feel like a fucking liar. Not to mention, I convinced Milly she didn’t need to go the airport so I also feel like a total prick.

  When I land in London, I race to Seamus’s office. “Have any investors jumped ship yet?” It’s the first thing I ask him.

  “Mills and Barnes are waffling,” he tells me with an uneasy face. “The rest are solid.”

  “How much will Alistair get if Mills and Barnes sell their interest?”

  “Not much. Around five percent.”

  I nod my approval. “If that’s all he gets, fine but I need you to do something for me. Alistair is recently engaged to Vanessa Hargreaves. Find out what kind of deal my brother has with his future father-in-law. Alistair is broke so the money to buy out Mills and Barnes is coming from somewhere.”

  Milly was right to question Alistair’s motives. Something is making him eager to get me involved in his plan and I suspect it has something to do with his recent engagement. Seamus agrees to look into the matter and before I leave his office, I call to check in with Milly. I give her a quick rundown of the day’s events

  “You have two more days, sir. And then I’m finding another Ben Waterstone to marry.”

  “Absolutely not,” I scoff.

  “Don’t tempt me. Wrap it up so we can get hitched.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  When our conversation ends, I head to the pub for a pint.

  “What the fuck are you doing here,” Lewis bellows from behind the bar. “Did your bird fly the nest already?”

  “No, you wanker. My idiot brother is making my life a bit difficult at the moment.”

  “Yeah. He came sniffing around here earlier. Didn’t stay long.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Nothing. Just wiped his fingers along the bar top and scowled like a prick. Then he walked away.”

  God, Alistair is so uppity sometimes. The title, which really means nothing, has gone right to his head.

  “Tosser,” I mutter right before I lift my pint to my lips and take a sip.

  The next morning, I get bad news from Seamus.

  “Victor Hargreaves is making moves against your investors. Mills and Barnes sold out to Alistair, but Victor is going big. He’s going after Wilkes.”

  Jagger Wilkes was my first, and largest, investor. He owns the most shares and is the shrewdest businessman I know. In addition to the twenty percent, he also has veto power. Even if everyone agrees on a plan, he can ruin everything with just the swipe of his pen.

  “Set up a meeting. See what he wants,” I tell Seamus.

  “He doesn’t have to,” Jagger says, walking into the room. “I’m right here and I can tell you what I want.”

  A lump forms in my throat and my stomach drops. Will I have to make a deal with one devil to get rid of another?

  “You own a few properties in Battersea Reach. I’d like to take those off your hands.”

  “You can fuck right off if you think you’re getting those! They’re worth more than your twenty-percent.” His request is non-negotiable. I worked hard for each and every one of those properties.

  “Well, then I guess I’ll be selling to your brother and Victor Hargreaves. They’ll have twenty-five percent and veto power.”

  My hand balls into a fist. I’d love to send it right through Jagger’s smug, satisfied look. How dare he trade
his loyalty for million-pound properties. But I know better than to accept the first offer and I’m not just going to walk away.

  “I’ll give you two of those properties.” I counter. “And I happen to know a few more owners will be selling soon.”

  Jagger appears not interested. “I want all of the units, Ben.”

  “Not going to happen. These properties aren’t for sale but I’m willing to negotiate.”

  “Fine. I’ll give you what you paid for them.”

  I glance toward Seamus who raises an eyebrow. “I need to talk it over with him first.”

  Jagger leaves us and Seamus pulls out the books. He studies them for a few minutes before glancing up at me. “I’m not your accountant but it looks like a good deal.”

  With my hands on my hips, I nod. “I’ll talk with him. Tell me what you found out about Alistair and Victor’s deal. Why is Hargreaves so interested in the expansion of Waterstone Hall?”

  Seamus sits back in chair and reaches for a cigar. “Now, that’s interesting. Hargreaves Development signed a contract with Waterstone Hall for the exclusive rights to build more lodges.”

  “What? I didn’t sign any contract.”

  He lights the cigar and takes a long drag before exhaling the smoke. “Didn’t think so. Their contract is null and void if your signature is forged. I’ve already requested copies of the contract. You don’t need to worry about this, Ben. I’ll shut down their deal.”

  Seamus is a man I can trust and when he tells me not to worry, I believe him. I sit down on the black leather sofa across from his desk. There’s a crystal decanter full of Scotch on the coffee table in front of me and I lean forward to pour two drinks. “Have a drink with me Seamus, because in the very, very near future, I’m going to be a married man.”

  Milly

  I am not one of those girls who pouts until she gets her way. I don’t throw fits very often, and not without good reason. But Ben has been gone almost two weeks and right now, it seems like the perfect time to have an epic meltdown.