Dad Bod Billionaire

By Matilda Martel

MACY

I never planned to fall head over heels for a man twice my age. I never set my sights on my father's right-hand man and confidante. But I know my own mind, and my heart won't settle for anyone but Hunter King.
My best friends think it's a phase. It's not. Phases don't last seven years.
My mother thinks I'll get over it when he turns me down. She doesn't know Hunter wants me as much as I want him. If only he'd stop pushing me away and let me love him.
It's my mission. I was born to love that man. All of him. And one day soon, every single inch of his righteous dad bod will belong to me.
He got away once. I won't let it happen again.

HUNTER
You don't chase your best friend's daughter. You don't ogle, flirt, fantasize, and plan to pillage her luscious curves for the next forty years when her father trusts you to keep his one and only princess safe.
No, you don't. But I did.
I want Macy Ramos more than I want food, water, or air. But she's out of my league and beyond my reach. She deserves to frolic with men her own age who have the time and energy to love her the way she needs to be loved.
For more than a year, I've kept her at arm's length, but with every passing day, my strength weakens, and my resolve withers. When she shows up at my office looking for a job, looking for me, I fold like a cheap suit.

I can find another best friend. I'll never find another Macy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matilda Martel
• Release date: Sep 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215283301

Matilda Martel

Matilda loves many things---her husband, dachshunds, cats, the two terrible Chihuahuas who live with her, Paris, New York, a few select friends and family, Nutella, books, lots and lots of books, and writing sweet, steamy romance for nerdy girls-- because that's who I am.If you like your romances steamy but sweet. Sexy, but on the shorter side. With smart and sassy heroines who fall for soulful Alphas- then you might like my books.I write A LOT of OMYW, cause that's just my bag. But no matter what kind of story it is, my ladies are always adored and my endings are always HEA.Please head to my blog: www.matildamartel.com, to learn what's in the final stages and will be coming out soon!Want a free Ebook? Join my mailing list to get my monthly newsletter at : www.matildamartel.com/mailinglist/

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

MACY

 New York is a city of lines. Everyone waits for something. It's not practical to expect anything more when you live side by side with eight million other souls. Or is it anything less? It doesn't matter---my point is, we wait. It's such a huge part of our existence that I'm convinced it's bred into our DNA.  

Every morning, I stand in line at Mr. Beans with no less than twelve other people waving debit cards and clamoring for that ten-dollar shot of caffeine to help get us through the first half of our day. From the coffee shop, I make my way onto the subway. There I stand shoulder to shoulder with disgruntled commuters for thirty minutes to get from the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Chelsea for work. I walk from one crosswalk to another, then weave through the hustle and bustle to stand in yet another line at one of three elevators at Quest Headquarters—the lair of the uber mysterious Valerian brothers, my bosses.

I'm accustomed to waiting for things that matter. But there comes a time when you need to grab the bull by the horns. You have to cut to the front of the line and take what belongs to you. 

Today is that day. 

It's like Fort Knox around here. An unfamiliar man slips through the sliding doors in the nick of time and checks the numbers on the keypad. Can you press sixteen? 

I tap it gently and take a sip of coffee, uninterested in conversing and hoping he's satisfied I've done his bidding. This building is crawling with eligible men looking to connect with the latest hire, but there's no sense in cultivating new admirers. I won't be here long. I've got serious plans in motion and bigger fish to fry. 

Eighteenth floor, huh? You must be important. He chuckles to himself then waits for me to offer a flirtatious response. I shift my gaze and give him something that resembles a smirk. Anything more, and he'll think I'm interested. Fortunately, we come to a stop, and his eyes flash to the sliding doors. 

On the eighth floor, a grizzly bear of a man with a sly grin on his bearded mug sashays into our near-empty car. He sizes up Señor Flirty Pants right away and deliberately stands too close, hoping to make the stranger feel as uncomfortable as he's made me. My overprotective friend is Lawson Kent, one of Manhattan's top attorneys. He's got an office on the eighth floor, but he's no doubt headed upstairs to visit Vlad, the eldest Valerian and CEO of the global empire that currently employs me.  

As the car jolts up, Lawson clears his throat and surprises us both with his deep southern drawl. Did you know that Ted Bundy once saved a child from drowning? 

My eyes flare wide. Damn, I've never heard that before. I hate it when he one-ups me. Did you know Rodney Alcala appeared on The Dating Game Show in the middle of his killing spree? 

The stranger gasps and moves closer to the door, fearing for his life.  

Everyone knows that, Lawson dismisses my random fact with a huff. 

Fine, I've got better ones. Did you know Bundy helped the FBI catch the Green River Killer? I step closer to Lawson and tap his bicep. Well, Mr. Know-it-all? Did you? 

He laughs as the doors slide open, and Mr. Charming makes a clean escape before one of us bludgeons him with our cell phones. As much as I hate appearing rude, his hasty departure prevents me from having to turn him down. No one likes to be rejected. I know that familiar sting, and it doesn't feel good. But I need to keep my eyes on the prize. There's only one man for me, and I won't waste time with silly distractions. 

He wasn't so terrible. He wasn't half as bad as the stalker who followed you to the subway. Besides, I think he works for Ilya. What's the harm in going out for a cup of coffee? He lifts his paper cup and holds the doors for me.  

I skip past him and march onto the executive floor. I might say the same to you. It's been close to a year since things ended between you and Maggie. Why don't you let me set you up with my friend? 

He shakes his head and opens the door into the Valerian inner sanctum---the executive wing. I'm not important enough to have an office here---mine is down the hall---but my best friend, Jana, rules the Valerian roost from her office deep in the lion's den. I need to tell her I've reapplied at King Financial Services. Maggie, Lawson's ex and my old mentor, told me she's been offered a lucrative position and potential partnership at an up-and-coming brokerage firm. As much as I'd love to work with her again, her exit gives me the opening I need.  

I don't need a new filly to warm my bed. I'm fine with work and comfortable with my own company. Maggie did me a colossal favor by calling things off. We were wrong for one another. The minute we started planning our wedding, I knew I'd made a mistake. But I was just too much of a gentleman to go back on my word. He laughs to himself and