The Billionaires and The Book Nerd: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance Read online

  The Billionaires and the Book Nerd

  A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance

  Harper West

  Contents

  Dear Reader

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Also by Harper West

  About Harper West

  Dear Reader

  Thanks so much for taking a chance on my word baby! I hope you love them as much as I do! I’m still new to this whole writing thing, but I’m hella excited to see what happens and have you join me on this journey!

  I hope you love sexy alpha males, and killer romance, as I’m a huge fan, so that’s what I’m writing about. Oh, and menage. I love me some menage, becuase it’s all about her, am I right ;)?

  Keep an eye out as I’ve got quite a few books I’ve been holding on to, coming out soon so make sure you sign up for my newsletter to stay informed!

  xoxo,

  Harper

  Chapter 1

  Brooklyn

  I stood in the center of the bathroom, staring at the reflection of the lavish chairs behind me. There were drapes covering every inch of the walls, delicate fabric that shimmered in the soft bathroom light. The entire room was blanketed with rich burgundy and sunflower yellow, the vibrant mixture of colors giving out a warm glow. It was like a childhood blanket or a fort of protection from the storm—and I was right in the middle of it.

  It seemed odd to appear so sad in the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. I was wearing my sister's creation, a wonderful mixture of white satin and silver chiffon that sparkled every which way I turned. Truly, it was a dress made for Cinderella. The bust was a strapless corset with a broach in the shape of a diamond that matched the sparkling stars glittering from top to bottom.

  The bottom of the dress dusted the tile floor, and my heels were made to match. I even had a tiara in my hair that accentuated my black bangs while the rest of my hair sat up in a braided bun. There were jewels in my hair as well. I was covered.

  And I felt like a lie.

  “You look amazing!" Peyton shouted from the doorway. She had a way of being super annoying without really being annoying—but I think it was just a sister thing. “I have to get the photographer. Did you get your mask?”

  I held up the crystal mask in my hand, the one that would cover the top half of my face. I was more than happy to participate in this ball as long as I had the mask. I didn't really want anyone to know who I was, but I also did. I wanted to show people that bookworms could be successful and sexy. It was the condition upon which I showed up.

  I wanted people to see me instead of the mound of books surrounding me.

  “No one will ever believe it's you,” she said giddily while stepping up beside me. “And you'll blend right in.”

  “I did that pretty well before.”

  “Oh, don't be drab, Brook. It's going to be an awesome night. Maybe you'll hook up with somebody, maybe even Brett.”

  “Not with my old boss.”

  She shrugged. “He is sort of boring, isn't he?”

  “Well, he's just like me, so that's saying something.”

  “No way! He's boring because he chooses to be boring. You're just full of information, and people can find that boring. I certainly don't.”

  “Don't feel obligated to compliment me tonight, Peyton.”

  “You're my sister. I'm always going to compliment you.”

  I smiled warmly at her reflection while rubbing my bare arm. “Sorry—I'm just really nervous. I never do these things.”

  “That's why I invited you. You're always in that library with those dusty books. All that dust probably clogs up your brain. You need to unwind, sissy.”

  “A few drinks should do it.”

  “Should we have our famous cocktail?”

  I giggled. “You mean the one we named after our favorite movie star?”

  “Let me get a J. Reynolds, please.”

  We broke into laughter as two women wandered into the restroom. As they passed us, we headed for the door. Peyton tangled her arm around my waist, and I fixed the mask over my face. We were fast approaching the entrance to the ball.

  It was my moment to shine.

  Now, if I could just keep from shaking, I'll do just fine.

  Peyton was known for throwing the most lavish parties in town in the most luxurious of spaces. No expense spared—that was her motto. The proceeds always went to charity, which drew in the most expensive tastes in Arizona from men's magazine owners to fashion designers alike. Everybody was drawn to the party—and to Peyton.

  She was always pretty and popular, successful, and sweet. I never quite understood how we were sewn from the same fabric. I was so much more drab and different from her, a truly old book that was bound with fine leather but ultimately looked unappealing. Peyton could socialize. I couldn't. That's all.

  When we walked through the doors, the entire room turned to greet Peyton. I guess they were looking at me, too. There were so many masked faces, and I wasn't sure if that made me feel better or worse—I guess that would depend on how drunk I could get.

  I wandered away from Peyton as a small crowd gathered around her. She was definitely the popular one. She could talk to just about anybody in a room while all I wanted to do was find the nearest exit and bolt. But I had promised her I would come. I had sworn that I would wear this dress and make my appearance. I would socialize and try to fit into the elite crowd that really just made me want to barf.

  I headed for the bar. There was a medley of choices, all of them more appealing than the last. I chose a whiskey sour to start. I needed to hit hard if I was going to make any progress in lubricating my social skills. A tall man in a fine suit drew up beside me.

  “Hey, Brook,” he said. “You look wonderful.”

  “Thanks, Brett. How did you recognize me?”

  “Peyton told me what you were going to wear.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Of course, she did.”

  “Should we go for a dance?”

  “I don't know. The floor is empty. I don't think I've had enough liquor yet.”

  He placed a reassuring hand on the small of my back. I gave him a polite smile.

  “Well,” he said. “There's always time for another drink. Let me get your next one.”

  I leaned against the bar, his hand still on my back. It felt nice to have human touch for a moment. I wasn't worried about it being inappropriate considering he was my previous boss. His opinion—whether it was high or low—couldn't influence my current job.

  I turned slowly and he turned with me, keeping an arm around my waist. I felt claimed. It wasn't the best feeling, but it was at least keeping most of the men in the room away from me. There was more testosterone present than at a wrestling match—and I could feel the tension in the room.

  I took a sip of whiskey and sighed. "So, how goes it at the university?"

  “Oh, you know—same shit, different day. We had to order a new set of encyclopedias becaus
e the old ones were burned up in the fire.”

  I frowned and met his gaze. “Fire? What fire?”

  “You didn't hear? The University of Arizona had a little break-in last weekend. Somebody decided to torch the library. It was lucky that I had forgotten my favorite book that night—and my favorite book survived.”

  “Oh, Brett, that's terrible!”

  “We almost lost the contribution you made.”

  I shushed him. “Hey, nobody is allowed to know about that book. I wrote it in college, remember?”

  “Don't worry. It's still listed under your pen name. Nobody would ever know. But consider releasing that information soon. It could really skyrocket your reputation.”

  “I don't know about that. Everybody will just bring back my dreadful nickname.”

  Brett laughed. “We've all grown up, Brooklyn. Nobody is ever going to call you that ever again, okay? I'll make sure of it.”

  I turned my gaze away from him. I didn't want to talk about that silly romance novel. I had moved on to bigger and brighter things—the types of things that were much more intelligent than that ridiculous novel. I was a highly regarded librarian who was consulted by most professors across the state. A published book from my college days might ruin my reputation.

  The music from the speakers around the room started to play a lively waltz. Brett nodded toward the floor, and I grimaced, taking the rest of my whiskey in one swig. I let him take my hand and tug me out to the center where there was practically no one else, a horrible experience for an introvert like me. The people surrounding the floor all looked at us including Peyton who gave me two thumbs up.

  I smiled at her.

  Alright, this isn't so bad, I considered while swirling around the floor. I bet I look really pretty. This dress makes me feel like a princess. I wouldn't mind doing this every now and then.

  As we twirled around the floor gracefully, I heard passing bits of conversation:

  “Who is she?”

  “Absolutely gorgeous.”

  “That dress is from a fairytale.”

  “Was she with Peyton? Maybe that's her sister.”

  “Impossible. Booklyn would never come to one of these.”

  The sound of my nickname made me slightly furious. But instead of allowing it to ruin the moment, I let Brett twirl me around one more time as people started joining us on the dance floor. I weaved through the growing crowd back toward the bar. As I shuffled between masks, I ran into two men who hadn't stepped out of the way in time.

  “Hey, watch it, jerk,” I shot angrily while fixing my dress. “That was rude.”

  “Apologies, my lady,” the tall one expressed as he bowed deeply. “Can we make it up to you by buying you a drink?”

  I eyed them carefully.

  The tall one had chin-length black hair that he had combed back, a lock of his rich raven hair hanging over his masked face. His eyes were dark, so deeply black that I could nearly see the reflection of the room in them. His bulbous nose and square chin made him look like a prince from a fairytale.

  Well, I guess I fit the part, I joked internally.

  I studied the other man—he was slightly shorter with reddish-brown hair that fell to his eyes. It was ruffled but still looked stylish and I could smell the pomade he used to style it. He had stern-looking features with a long nose but his eyes were what caught my attention—they were bright green.

  The two wore matching suits.

  “Well?” the green-eyed man asked. “Can we make it up to you?”

  I shrugged. “I suppose.”

  I grinned happily at each one even though I wasn't necessarily excited about being lured away by two men. However, it was nice to get away from Brett. He was a good friend and a sweet man, but he was also too much too often. I couldn't stand his long rants about intellectual pursuits. I didn't really care for them.

  As I wandered over to the bar with my new escorts, I caught another glance from Peyton. She raised her eyebrows approvingly at the men on either side of me. I leaned against the bar. The tall man held out his hand. I took it.

  “I'm Cooper,” he introduced. “And this here is my best friend, Jack.”

  “It's nice to meet you two.”

  “What will the princess have?”

  I smiled warmly. “The princess will have a whiskey sour.”

  Cooper arched a brow with a look of intrigue. “You're not at all delicate.”

  “Not by any means,” I assured. “And you two look familiar. Have you been to the University here?”

  “That's where we got our business degrees,” Jack replied. “Maybe you'll recognize us.”

  They both took off their masks, and I had to hide my shock.

  I did know them.

  They were the two guys that used to tease me in the library all the time.

  They were the ones who coined my nickname.

  Within seconds, I had gone from shock to panic to pure calm. I had a plan. I could absolutely seduce them and then ditch them. It would finally put the past at rest. I could take them down easily while also slapping Brett away.

  It was the perfect plan.

  And I planned to make it happen.

  Chapter 2

  Cooper

  I was more than happy to collide with a truly beautiful creature, such as the woman who was standing beside us. She had asked for a whiskey sour, a drink that most women who kept our company wouldn't order. Our women often wanted a martini or something fruity, but this girl was wild. I could tell by the way she glanced around. I was impressed by the way she held herself, by the way her shoulders pulled back to expose her lovely chest.

  Her creamy skin sang to me in a way that could have driven a lesser-prepared man mad. But I was more confident than that. I was cool and calm as I always was.

  I grinned at her. “So, did you recognize us?”

  I placed the mask on my face as her glossy lips parted. They were captivating, her lips, and I found myself wondering if there were any secret places nearby.

  After all, what was the point of a masquerade if not to hook up?

  “No,” she replied confidently. “But I'm sure we've seen each other in passing. I went to the University and got my degree in... literature.”

  “Ah, we're in the presence of a true intellect,” I remarked to Jack with a nod. I turned my attention back to her. “Should we be mindful of our references, princess?”

  “Oh, absolutely.”

  Jack chuckled. “I suppose I should limit my pop culture quotes.”

  “Only if the lady says so,” I added.

  I blinked at her. She held herself very well as if she did this all the time. I was beginning to wonder if perhaps she might have been real royalty taking the disguise of an average layman just to get a taste of modern society.

  But that was a silly thought. Those thoughts were fairytale plots, and I needed to be rooted in the present, in reality. I was a logical man.

  And I was horny.

  “Quote whatever you like. I'm not picky,” she replied. “Although I reserve the right to correct you if you happen to be wrong.”

  “Oh, I'm never wrong,” I teased.

  “I don't mind being corrected as long as it comes with a pleasurable punishment,” Jack joked.

  I shot him a look, thinking, Don't chase her away so soon.

  But she laughed and raised her drink. “I think we could all agree to that.”

  I grinned at her. She surprised me with every passing second.

  “Although,” she added. “I don't take you for the type to submit.”

  “For the right woman, I could be of service in many ways, princess,” Jack retorted playfully.

  “And you?” she asked me. “What about you?”

  “I'm always on top.”

  “See, I expected that.”

  I grinned. “How so?”

  “Our collision was no accident, sweetheart. You didn't step aside when you saw me walking your way. You wanted to see if I would s
tep aside. It was a power move.”

  I raised a curious brow at her and dropped my gaze down the length of her dress. I followed the curve of her breast down to her waist, following the wide skirt to the floor and back up to her eyes.

  “I suppose you have me all figured out,” I said with a chuckle as I raised my drink. “So, how about a wager?”

  “What kind of wager?”

  I shot Jack a mischievous look. He nodded, knowing exactly what I was thinking. I smiled warmly at our princess. “Let's find an empty room and explore. The first person to make a sound loses.”

  “And?”

  “And the loser buys the next round.”

  She hummed while pressing her plump lips together, tapping her chin with her finger. When she dropped her hand, she said, “No, I don't think the stakes are high enough on that one.”

  “What would make you take the wager?” Jack inquired while stepping closer.

  It felt like we were lions on the hunt, carefully luring our elk into the bushes where we could pounce on her and eat her. Unsuspecting and innocent prey was always the most delicious, but I was willing to bet this one would be far tastier than any flesh we had ever had—even if she wasn't a virgin.

  But I was more than willing to bet she was untouched.

  “First person to make a sound doesn't get to finish and has to buy the next round,” she posed fiercely. “That is if you're willing to risk blue balls for the evening.”

  “A bold princess—I like that.” I sipped my drink and turned to Jack. We silently deliberated for a moment before I turned back to her and said confidently, “You're on.”