Unexpected Pursuit

  Unexpected Pursuit

  M.J. PERRY

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  One – Liam

  Two - Savannah

  Three – Liam

  Four – Savannah

  Five - Liam

  Six – Savannah

  Seven – Savannah

  Eight – Savannah

  Nine – Liam

  Ten – Savannah

  Eleven – Liam

  Twelve – Savannah

  Thirteen – Liam

  Fourteen – Savannah

  Fifteen – Savannah

  Connect with M.J. Perry

  Also from the Author

  About the Author

  Copyright

  © 2019 M.J. Perry. All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  One – Liam

  I wasn’t looking for a woman. The last one I’d been seeing decided a pregnancy scare would get me to commit to her, but the only thing it did was get her kicked out of my house. I’d known she was lying, being meticulous with contraception there was no way we’d had an accident and I hadn’t noticed. She swore until she was red in the face that she was carrying my baby, even threatened me with the press. It had taken one phone call to have someone look into her background to find she’d done it before, and that was the end of that as far as I was concerned. I don’t suffer fools and I definitely do not put up with people lying to me. How she actually thought she could get away with it, I don’t know. Did she think I was stupid? Obviously, I’m not. I’m a self-made billionaire with a company that’s still growing in size. She picked the wrong man when she picked me.

  It’s been nearly six months since that happened. I’ve been stuck in a dry spell ever since. The papers call me a playboy but recently that’s completely off the mark. I’ve been thinking about settling down. I’m getting older now and with the stress of work and everything else, I would love to have someone to come home to, someone to fuck until I feel better, to share the stress of the day with and just switch off.

  An image popped into my brain, a woman with long curly brown hair, a figure with curves in all the right places, tits that would fit in my palms, and an arse that would fill my palms. I’d first seen her this morning in a coffee shop. When our eyes had met from across the room it was like I’d taken a punch to the gut. The air had sailed out of me in one sharp gust and I’d struggled to catch my breath. She’d stared at me until her cheeks had blushed; almost spilling her coffee all over the floor before she’d quickly scurried away. I’d watched her as she’d walked outside into the sunshine unable to make my feet move. I’d never been so into a woman with just one look. When I finally had my thoughts under control, she’d disappear.

  She hasn’t left my mind in the few hours since I saw her. I could still remember the scent of her as she’d walked past me without making eye contact. She’d been shy, almost scared of me and while I’d wanted to comb the town looking for her, something had held me back from making the call.

  Driving through the town to my office, I glanced over at the shops and did a double take when I saw her through a window of a wedding boutique. At first, I was worried it was a hallucination but when she smiled at someone, her whole face lit up and I knew I wasn’t imagining it. I almost caused a collision because the sight of her had me slamming on the brakes.

  She was just as I remembered, beautiful with a body to die for. She’s a vision wearing a blue dress, showing off a taste of her creamy tits. I should carry on driving. A woman who worked in a wedding shop is dangerous. I bet she has all sorts of fantasies and shit planned about her perfect day. Doesn’t every woman? She’s probably planned her big day right down to the shoes on her groom’s feet.

  My heart skipped a beat. Fuck, what if she was already married. I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind, there’s no way I could walk away from her now I’ve found her again.

  I slammed into an empty space and pulled over. Putting on the handbrake, I grabbed my phone from the holder and dialled Finn. He’s a man of many talents, and one of them was finding out information I needed about anyone. I once had a man approach me about buying into my business, I wasn’t interested, but I wanted to know why he was. Within a few hours, I knew every single detail of his life right down to what he’d had for breakfast that morning and where he’d taken his morning dump.

  “Hey, Liam,” Finn answered.

  “I found the woman from the coffee shop.”

  “You did, but how? You definitely don’t have my skills.”

  “It was by chance, smart ass. I just happened to glance over as she was standing in the window of the wedding shop on Main Street.”

  “Does she work there or is she a customer?”

  “I hope she’s not a customer because I’ll lose my mind. I want to know everything about her.”

  “Do you have a name?”

  “Isn’t that your job to find out?” I said with some sarcasm.

  He chuckled. “I’ll have it by tonight.”

  “Appreciate it,” I said as I hung up. I slung my phone onto the empty seat, pulled out of the space, and drove to work. My offices are in the centre of town, they stand out from the crowd because of the size of them, but also because my name is in large letters across the top. It’s classy but bold. I want people to know who I am.

  I grew up on the street, pulled myself up from the gutters doing shit that I shouldn’t have done but it made me who I am today - a ruthless bastard who always gets what he wants. And, this sweet, sexy woman, is about to find out just how ruthless I can be because I’m not going to stop until I have her in my life. I won’t let her slip through my fingers a second time.

  Two - Savannah

  I sighed as I locked the shop door behind me and walked in the direction of home. I was so glad to be finished for the day. I love my job don’t get me wrong, but day in day out I deal with brides and when the only thing I have at home is a cat called Monty who I’m pretty sure loves food more than he loves me, it’s kind of a kick in the teeth. Especially when many of the women I meet are only marrying for money, love doesn’t even factor in their lives and it makes me sick. My boss Viv says it comes with the territory, money talks and our shop is high-end; we sell designer dresses, expensive dresses, and have a woman called Caroline who can design a custom dress for you. At the right price, it can be made within a week.

  You might be wondering why I work in such a place when it sounds like I have sour grapes. Well, when I first applied for the job I’d been in a relationship and completely in love. Gary had seemed like the perfect man for me. He’d made me laugh, given me butterflies when we’d kissed, and I’d honestly seen myself losing my virginity to him. However, it wasn’t meant to be. I’d gone to a club with my friend Rachel and walked past a booth with a couple inside that were so wrapped up in each other, kissing as if their lives depended on it, that they hadn’t noticed anyone else around them. I hadn’t realised who it was until I heard Rach gasp in shock. I’d turned to face Rach and realised it was Gary and his ‘friend’ Caroline from work. As you can imagine I was heartbroken, I refused to see him. He’d tried to make things better, told me he hadn’t meant it and that he still loved me, but I didn’t want him back. Eventually, he got the hint and left me alone. I’d almost slept with him, given my virginity to him but something always held me back.

  I’m twenty-six and I’ve never had sex. Rach thinks it’s comical because, well she likes sex. She has a lot of it. She doesn’t slee
p around; she just has a healthy sex life. I sometimes envy her but I don’t think I’d very good at it anyway. I’m useless because when an attractive man talks to me I get all tongue-tied and embarrass myself. How was I supposed to sleep with one?

  I blushed at the memory of the spectacle I’d made of myself this morning. With my usual coffee shop going through a refurbishment, I’d popped into a different one. I’d been so intent on my caffeine fix that I hadn’t taken notice of my surroundings. It was only as I picked up my coffee from the counter and turned to leave that I’d seen him. A man so gorgeous he had me frozen to the spot in awe, my coffee nearly slipping from my nerveless fingers. Just looking at him had caused a ripple through my entire being. He’d made me think of fluffy pillows and soft sheets, of lying on a blanket under the stars. When we’d locked eyes, it was as if we were the only two people in the world. I’d been trapped in his gaze and I’d almost taken a step towards him when a man had bumped against me and the moment with the sexy stranger was lost. I’d blushed as I’d realised I’d made a complete fool of myself. This man was truly an Adonis. His brown hair was long enough to curl around the tops of his ears. His eyes were a sparkling blue, the colour of the sky on a cloudless day. His body fit, and strong looking and I wanted him to hold me in his arms. He was perfect. He’d given me butterflies, made me think wild thoughts, but while I’d been so caught up in him, he’d probably just thought I was crazy. The worse thing was that I’d had to walk past him to get out the building and I’d just about managed it on my wobbly legs.

  This was why I’m still a virgin. There was no one out there who would be interested in a shy, awkward twenty-six-year-old. I wish I were more like Rach; she’s bold and brassy and always speaks her mind. She never worries she’ll upset people and if it happens she doesn’t lose sleep over it. She tells me I’m a people pleaser and I guess she’s right.

  I reached my house and let myself in. Before closing the door, I saw a car pull up right outside. It was black, shiny, sexy, and definitely out of place in my little cul-de-sac. I got the sense that someone was watching me through the dark tinted windows, but I shook my head as it drove off. It was obviously lost. Closing the door behind me, I threw the bolt and went to find my meowing kitty cat. Monty was in his usual place right by his food bowl looking at me with his pretty eyes.

  “Anyone would think I don’t feed you.” I giggled. His meow was loud and even as he wound himself around my feet to say hello, he was still giving me his poor starving kitty routine. I dropped my bag on the kitchen table and crouched down to get his bowl, pulling a tin from the cupboard I emptied it into it and placed it back down for him. He lazily moved to it and started to eat slowly. Told you it was all a show. He’s such a sweetheart, but he’s a drama queen.

  I slipped my shoes off and looked inside the fridge. There was nothing in there that I fancied. A look at the clock told me it was just half six. I could call for a takeaway or I could call Rach and see if she’s up for a nice meal somewhere posh. I wanted to get dressed up, wear something nice, and I knew she would too. Grabbing my phone, I called her. She didn’t answer and it bummed me out. I was contemplating getting into my pyjamas when she called back.

  “Hey Vanna, I couldn’t answer, I was video calling.”

  “Do I want to know?” I giggled.

  She stuck her tongue out at me. “It wasn’t rude. It was my boss.”

  “Ah, okay. Have you finished work now?”

  “Until tomorrow. He wants me in at ten to go over some notes that I’ve written. Apparently they are ineligible.”

  “Do you fancy going out to eat? I’m starving.”

  “Sure. Somewhere posh?”

  “With wine, lots of wine.”

  “Bad day?”

  “There’s nothing like making a fool of myself in front of the sexiest man alive.”

  Rach choked out a laugh. “Sexiest man alive? What have I missed?”

  “Oh, only me staring in awe at a man I don’t know. He could have been a movie star with his good looks but I’m pretty sure I gave him the impression that I’m loony.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I could have been more awkward if I tried.”

  I could almost hear her shaking her head. “Vanna, you always think the worst of yourself. We should find you a man.”

  “What?”

  “You should be out there looking for a man, even if it’s just to lose your V plates.”

  “I’m not going to sleep with a stranger just to lose my virginity,” I said outraged she would even suggest it.

  “I don’t mean a stranger. You could find a nice man and get to know him a bit then lose it.”

  “If the right man is out there he will find me,” I said.

  “Life isn’t a fairy-tale, babe.”

  “I know. I just… You know how useless I am with men.”

  “It’s all about confidence. Tonight I’ll help you find your mojo.”

  “How will you do that?”

  “I’ll teach you how to flirt.”

  I snorted. “You’ve tried before and it did not end well.”

  “We’ll try for round two.”

  “Whatever you say. How long will it take you to get ready?”

  “Twenty minutes.”

  “I’ll see you in forty then. Are you driving here?”

  “Yeah, I’ll crash at yours tonight and drive to work in the morning.”

  “Cool. Hurry then.”

  “Make sure you dress sexy.”

  “Right. Sexy.” I said. “I’m not sure I have anything sexy.”

  “I’ll help you come up with something.”

  “Okay,” I said as I rolled my eyes. There was no way I was going to let her help me. She dresses way too out there for me. “See you soon.”

  “Bye.” She said as she put the phone down.

  Monty was winding himself around my feet and I picked him up and gave him a big cuddle. I carried him up to my bedroom and dropped him on the bed. He walked around in a circle a few times then snuggled down into the duvet.

  “Good little boy.” I crooned as I rubbed his head. I walked to my wardrobe and opened the doors staring at the contents. Working at the shop, I have to wear appropriate clothes, expensive looking dresses, and conservative heels. I can’t just rock up in jeans and a jumper, although I’d love to do that some days, so my wardrobe is full of dresses, just none that I would consider sexy.

  Unless…

  I’d bought a red dress when I’d decided I was ready to sleep with Gary. It’s low cut, showing a wisp of cleavage yet not enough to be considered tarty and it has a slit right up to my thigh. You could call it sexy and the colour made me feel confident. Like a brave, attractive woman. I hunted under my bed for my shoeboxes and found a pair of matching red ones. They’re high; a couple of inches higher than I was used to, but my lower heels wouldn’t look right with the dress. Placing everything on the chair by my bed, I make my way into the bathroom. Finding my shower cap, I stuff all my hair inside and turn the shower on. The water took a while to heat up, running my hand under it I waited for the warm water before stepping in. Pouring a generous amount of my coconut body wash onto my scrunchie I cleaned myself from top to toe. Feeling clean and moisturised, I rinsed and climbed out. After drying myself, I grabbed my dressing gown from the back of the door and wrapped it around my damp body. I stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes, the colour of the ocean according to Gary, were filled with excitement. I was really looking forward to seeing Rach; it’s been a while since we’ve been out, out. We usually just stay in at hers or mine and eat takeout, catching up on television.

  Pulling off my shower cap, I let my brown curls flow down my back. I decided to leave it down, I didn’t have the time to do a fancy up-do, and Rach says my hair is sexy when it’s down giving me a messy, bedroom hair look, whatever that means.

  Going to my room, I dropped my dressing gown on the bed and pulled some underwear from my drawer. It was lacy and black, one of the only matching se
ts I own. Slipping on my dress, I zipped it up and headed back to the bathroom to do my makeup. I never wear a lot but I’ve learnt enough to make my blue eyes pop and with my long lashes, I only need a coat of mascara, red lipstick finished my look. May as well go all in. Taking one last look at myself, I walked past Monty, gave him a stroke, and kissed his fluffy head. “Bye, bye, baby. Be good.”

  He opened his eyes and gave me an innocent look. “I don’t want any presents tonight, Monty. I mean it.” I warned him.

  Last night he’d brought me a mouse, the poor thing had been petrified, I’d had to save him from my playful cat, and put him outside before he got loose and hid somewhere I couldn’t find him.

  My doorbell rang and I jumped. Rach never rings the bell because she has a key so it can’t be her. Walking slowly to the door, I peeked through the peephole only to see a bunch of yellow sunflowers. Unlocking the door, I opened it. “Savannah Moore?” the person holding the flowers asked me.

  “That’s me.”

  “I have a delivery for you.”

  “Wow.”

  He passed the flowers to me. “Have a nice day.”

  “Thanks,” I said in shock. I watched as he made his way back to his car. My eyes wandered up the road and I noticed the black car from before parked further up. The driver must have found where they’d wanted to go. Turning my attention back to the sunflowers I walked back inside my house and headed to the kitchen for a vase. I’ve never received such beautiful flowers before. I lay them on the side and hunted for a card. Sure enough, I found one nestled between the stems. It was pink and held my name in an elegant swirl. Just as I tore open the envelope the door opened and a smiling Rach walked in. “Wow, girlie, where have those come from?” she asked as she got a look at the flowers.

  “I was just going to find out,” I told her as I flashed her little envelope in my hand.

  “Well, open it” she ordered as she rushed to my side.

  “I have no idea who could have sent me them. It’s probably just a client saying thank you.”