Page 2 of Stuck with My Billionaire Protector

“Hey, you. I’ve been trying to reach you since last night,” he pants as he speaks.

My brother lives in Clearwater Beach, Florida, and spends much of his time running, jogging, or walking his Golden Retriever, Sable. I have no idea why he named his dog Sable. Perhaps it was due to the beach’s white sandy shores or maybe because the dog’s coat was the color of sand? Maybe both? Who knows?

“I must have dozed off early last night,” I reply, turning left at the next intersection. I don’t quite feel like heading home yet, so I’ve decided to stop by my favorite wine bar for some alone time with a delightful Cabernet. I might go for one from California, Bordeaux, or even both. I’d make up my mind once I arrived.

“Are you driving?” Mark inquires.

“Are you jogging?” I retort, grinning coyly. I’m trying to divert the conversation to something more light-hearted, but I know my brother all too well.

“Don’t change the subject. You know I always jog in the afternoons. It’s one of the perks of living in paradise,” he jokes.

“I don’t think so. I believe you’re in need of a girlfriend since you don’t seem to have a life,” I tease him playfully.

“You know what? You might be right because I have this gorgeous next-door neighbor, and we kind of met for the first time while walking our dogs.”

“Two single pet parents looking for love. How adorable!” I fail to hear my brother’s response. I’m so distracted by our conversation that I crash into the car in front of me while attempting to parallel park outside the wine bar. “Shit!” I exclaim, then say quickly to my brother. “I’ll have to call you back later.”

“What’s going on?” Mark asks.

“I’ll fill you in later,” I reply before hanging up.

I hastily turn off the car engine, unbuckle my seat belt, and rush out of my vehicle. As I exit, I come face to face with the individual whose car I had just hit.

“I am extremely sorry about this. I was distracted and didn’t mean to—“

“Please spare me the insincere apology and fake tears,” he interrupts. “If you can’t park your car correctly, then you shouldn’t be driving.”

Despite his rude behavior and scowling expression, there’s no denying the man’s stunning appearance. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man this breathtaking, not even in movies or on magazine covers, and certainly not in real life. His face is exquisitely chiseled, and his piercing blue eyes are so captivating that I find myself wanting to get lost in them.

Reluctantly, I force myself to glance down at his body and feel my breath catch in my throat. It is as if I am standing before a combination of Adonis and Apollo. Is this some kind of dream? Have I died and gone to heaven?

“Are you done checking me out?” He clears his throat. There’s a smirk on his face as he adjusts the jacket of his black double-breasted suit.

Although he is strikingly handsome, I can’t ignore the aura of authority that emanates from him. His well-tailored suit fits him flawlessly and his manner of speaking, combined with his demeanor, makes it apparent that he is likely a person of significant influence.

What have you done, Jocelyn?

My face flushes red, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I wasn’t checking you out!”

“Yeah, right. In case you didn’t realize, you hit my incredibly expensive car and now you’re staring at me like I’m a piece of meat on display.” He is looking at me with a bored expression on his face.

“I beg your pardon? That couldn’t be further from the truth. I sincerely apologize for hitting your car, and I’m willing to cover all the expenses,” I reply.

“Are you kidding me? I don’t know what planet you’re living on, but do you have any idea who I am? Do you know how muchthis…“ he pauses, gesturing toward the car beside him to emphasize his point, “car is worth? It’s worth more than you’ll likely make in a year,” he states with a sneer.

I can’t help but scoff. I am absolutely right about him.

He’s one of those bratty rich kids who probably automatically become the CEO of their dad’s company and expect others to be intimidated by him.

Not to mention, he’s rude and condescending.

“Your behavior is really uncalled for. You’re just being rude for no reason.”

“How dare you talk to me like that?”

He looks at me with his ice-blue eyes, and it takes everything within me not to lash out at him. As much as I want to give him a piece of my mind, I also don’t want any more trouble. I’ve already had enough of that today.

“How dare you be so condescending? You’re so proud and self-important that you can’t even take a simple apology. Fine, suit yourself. Fix your very expensive car all on your own.” It turns out my filter isn’t working today.

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