Nothing But Trouble Read online

  Nothing But Trouble

  Irresistible Billionaires

  Ashley Bostock

  Copyright © 2018 by Ashley Bostock

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, and/or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and owners of various products references in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of any and all trademarks in this work of fiction are not authorized or in any way associated with, or sponsored by the owners of said trademarks.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-948402-06-4

  Created with Vellum

  Nothing But Trouble

  Written by Ashley Bostock

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  Photography: Golden Czermak at FuriousFotog

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  Cover Model: Julio Elvin

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  Cover Design: Bookin’ It Designs

  For all of the ladies who have ever felt like they never deserved a Prince Charming. He’s out there. Put on your crown and go find him.

  He’s looking for his Queen.

  Contents

  Not To Miss!

  Michael Vilander Exclusive Interview

  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

  Ashley’s Playlist

  Not To Miss!

  Also by Ashley Bostock

  About the Author

  Not To Miss!

  Would you like to have a free copy of Wet - the first book in my Love in Lone Star Series? With that, you also get One Summer Night and All I Want For Christmas if you sign up for my newsletter.

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  Website: www.ashleybostock.com

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  Michael Vilander Exclusive Interview

  1.Do you prefer a suit or jeans and a t-shirt?

  Definitely a suit

  * * *

  2.What’s your go-to adult beverage?

  Scotch

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  3.Are you an early riser or do you sleep in?

  Early. Someone has to work.

  * * *

  4.Top or bottom?...or behind?

  Top, but open to all possibilities ;-)

  * * *

  5.Favorite movie quote?

  I have no idea…..something from Scarface.

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  6.First thing you notice about a woman

  Her smile

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  7.Work out then sex OR sex then work out?

  Doesn’t matter

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  8.If your life was a movie, what song would be on the soundtrack?

  Takin’ Care of Business

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  9.Are you a tits or ass kind of guy?

  Tits. Definitely.

  * * *

  10.Do you prefer matching bra and panties on a woman?

  I can’t say that I’ve noticed one way or the other

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  11. Finish this sentence: Business is __________.

  An evil necessity.

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  12. Do you post pics of you and your dates on social media?

  Hell no.

  Chapter One

  Michael Vilander needed a date. As the founder and CEO of Together.com, the largest and most successful matchmaking website in the world, it should not be this difficult. He blew out a sigh of frustration.

  Tonight everything was against him. He had employee issues to deal with, starting with firing a project manager for posting nude photos of himself at a bonfire, wasted, of course. Michael tried not to worry about what employees did on their own time, but posting it on Together was a direct violation of the website’s terms as well as breaking company policy. Next would be addressing the newly hired intern who wasn’t happy with her office view on the tenth floor. An intern.

  He created Together when he was twenty-two, young and dumb by American standards. It sprouted as an idea when his friend couldn’t find a date to his uncle’s wedding. All it took was a discussion at the bar and poof, his website had gone from ten users to over nine million in less than a year. Today, Together was a host to over a billion users – with over seventy percent using the app only. There were thousands of happily married people out there, thanks to him and his team.

  But he wasn’t one of them.

  Michael enjoyed his bachelor status as much as he enjoyed fine scotch. At thirty-three years old, he knew what he didn’t want and what he did.

  Fun. Freedom. Sex.

  He’d never had problems with finding women—between the size of his bank account and the size of his dick, his dates always left with a smile on their faces. He could have any woman he wanted and there was no way in hell he was going to tie himself down to just one.

  He wasn’t looking for long-term. Not again. Having been burned by the one woman he had wanted to have a family with, the one woman he had ever loved, he was old enough to know better. He didn’t want a relationship. Ever.

  Besides, what woman would put up with his eighty-hour work week? Work would always come first, which was why he was successful.

  All he needed right now was a date. And he couldn’t believe how difficult it was to drum someone up. Why weren’t there ever women at his church he could pick up for casual, no sex, fill-in dates? Nice, normal women that could be considered friends?

  The Denver Art Foundation held their annual gala on Valentine’s Day. Each year, they invited Michael because he was one of their biggest donors and because his company headquarters was located next to their administrative offices. His parents had served on the board of the Foundation, in one way or another, for as long as he could remember.

  The previous years’ funding provided major improvements to the Art Center where all the workshops and classes were held. The building was not fully functional yet, but his continued support, along with others, still provided art classes for children and adults as well as supplies, et cetera. Low income children benefited immensely from the donations, not only for the improvements on their skill, but because it offered a safe haven of sorts by keeping them off the streets and otherwise engaged in something productive. The Center had been open for three years now, and it was gaining more and more prestige every day.

  This was Michael’s largest charitable donation each year and they expected him to be there.

  As a regular donor, he should have the gala noted on his calendar, and know that every year on Valentine’s Day, he was going to need a date for the charitable event. He picked up the landline p
hone on his desk and rang Regina, his secretary.

  “Yes, Mr. Vilander?”

  Michael smiled. “You don’t have to call me that. I know you mean well, but it still sounds weird coming from you.”

  “I know, sir. But this is a place of business—”

  “And we must have formalities. I got it.” He cut her off. When he had offered to hire his grandmother, she had agreed only on the condition of professionalism—down to her calling him Mr. Vilander and he calling her Regina. It didn’t make it any less weird, still. He let it go. “Have you found anyone for me yet?” Entrusting his grandmother to find him a date was risky to say the least. Who knew what she might find? There were two reasons he was willing to allow her to help him: the gala was in two days and the candidate she had found for him last year had worked well. His date had been a bit talkative, but nothing he couldn’t handle for four hours. Tonight would be the same thing: dinner, the awards ceremony and then it would be over. Unless their attraction was off the charts, well, then four hours could easily turn into eight.

  “No, sir. I called Maryanne, but she’s engaged now.”

  “Who’s Maryanne?”

  “The young lady you took to the event last year,” she said. She left out the word duh, but Michael could hear the duh tone in her voice.

  Maryanne. “Oh. Right. Who else is there?” Michael thrummed his fingertips on his sleek marble desktop, trying to come up with a plan. He could attend alone but that wouldn’t do. He was one of Denver’s most sought after bachelors. He owned one of the top ten websites in the world. He was right behind Facebook, for fuck’s sake! It was all about appearances, and he had to appear like he actually dated. Like he actually went out. Like he actually had a social life that went beyond work and his group of guy friends.

  “Mr. Vilander, why can’t you—”

  “No, Regina. I’m not going alone. We’ve been through this. Maybe I should fire you for not having a date lined up for me already. You knew this was coming,” he teased her affectionately.

  Regina snorted. “You can’t fire me. I’d sue you for wrongful termination.”

  “Right, I don’t doubt you would. It’s easier for me to keep you on as an employee. Especially because you make a wonderful secretary. But this bickering doesn’t solve my problem. I still need a date.”

  “Why don’t you go online and fill out one of your own questionnaires? You know that little comment box you have at the end? You could specify that you only need a date for one night.”

  Intrigued at the thought, he leaned back in his chair. Raking his hand through his chestnut locks, he caught his reflection in the windows. The lights from down below blinked and brightened. He could hear sirens in the distance, and he had the most outrageous thought he’d ever had in his entire life. Why couldn’t he do what she’d suggested? He could do what countless men and women did all the time.

  “Regina, I might have a plan.”

  He hung up quickly, knowing full well she was going to want to know what he was thinking and knowing her, she’d burst through his door without knocking. He glanced at his Breitling, four, three, two… and on cue, she burst though the double black doors leading into his office.

  “I really need a new secretary.”

  “You need me. What’s your plan, Michael?”

  “What happened to professionalism, Regina?” He threw her own words back at her.

  “Professionalism calls for a time and a place. Right now, it’s not the time. You need your grandmother.”

  Michael smiled as she pulled a chair up on the other side of his desk. Her hair had gone much grayer over the years, but she was still the same nosey woman he’d known and loved for forever. If it had to do with him, Regina was all over it. As she should be. She was a hard worker, and he couldn’t find a more loyal employee if he tried.

  “You should really consider retiring. Honestly,” he teased.

  “Tell me your plan.”

  He rubbed the bridge of his nose debating what he wanted to tell her. He feared if even one person knew of his plan, the greater the chance of him getting caught. But she was also his grandmother. He sighed. “My plan is to create a profile just like you said. But I would look like the biggest loser in Colorado if everyone knew it was me.”

  “So you’re going to fake it?” She squealed with more excitement than he’d heard from her since he took her to a Justin Bieber concert, and he couldn’t hide the grin on his face. She was already getting much more excited about this ludicrous plan than was necessary.

  “Indeed. Will you help me find a picture? With the thirty-day grace period, it won’t charge my PayPal account, so I should be in the clear for that.”

  “Are you going for a smart and handsome look, or something more hippy and offbeat? Long hair seems to be the trend these days. Or those dreaded beards!”

  He laughed. “I haven’t thought that far, Regina. Rest assured though, long hair and beards are out for me. I’m more of the clean-cut kind of guy, even when faking it. Let me think about it, and I will let you know tomorrow. We can figure it out then. You should head home; you had a busy day today. And it’s after five already.”

  “Think about it. I can get some stock images we can use. Maybe Eddie in IT can help us.”

  “No!” He about came out of his chair. “Absolutely not, Regina. If I do this. No one can know about it. Only us.”

  “Fine,” she huffed. “Let me know what you decide.”

  As she ambled around his desk, it wasn’t lost on him how tired she looked. She kissed his cheek and affectionately patted his shoulder. Her smell comforted him in a way only a grandmother’s could.

  “See you tomorrow, Dear.”

  “Good night, Grandma. Don’t stay up too late.”

  “Don’t work too late, Michael. This is part of your problem, too, you know? If you didn’t insist on working all the time, you might have time to meet someone.”

  “Good night,” he said, disregarding the tiny pull he felt at the truth of her words.

  Alone once again, he kicked his feet up on to his desk and considered his options. Posting a photo of himself was out of the question. People would latch onto it immediately and the media would get wind of it. Someone would then call to confirm whether it was in fact, Michael Vilander. He’d have to make a statement; it would be never-ending. The only way to do this would be to create a fake profile, find a picture to use and see what happened.

  His press secretary would have his ass if she knew he was even thinking of doing something like this. Julia Owens was not a woman one wanted to mess with. Going behind her back and creating a potential PR nightmare was certifiable, ass-kicking, craziness. She’d probably quit. For real. She’d threatened him a few times in the past, and Michael had been able to talk her off her high horse, but this might take the cake.

  Crap. Was he this desperate?

  No. This was not an act of desperation. Well…It was a little, but not for the wrong reasons. He wasn’t going to do this to be predatory, which Together.com highly frowned upon and he wasn’t that kind of guy. He wasn’t doing this for sex. Although he wasn’t taking that off the table either. Sex between two willing adults was never off the table as far as he was concerned. That would be a bonus. A bonus he was sure could happen if he wanted.

  All he wanted now though was one simple, four-hour date for Valentine’s Day. How many single women would love to have a no-strings-attached date for Valentine’s Day with one of Denver’s most eligible bachelors? The key was going to be to find one to agree before they knew that, though.

  He shook his mouse, waiting for the computer screen to come alive. With the homepage always open to his website, he clicked on the “Join Now” button. “Create a Profile” screamed out to him with its neon-green-colored font. This was where it got tricky. Creating a fake profile was something he’d never done in his entire life, and wasn’t something he’d thought he would ever have to do. Desperate times and all. He hopped onto an email service,
created a fake email, then went back to the Together website.

  He tapped the “Create a Profile” link and perused through the application. After a moment’s hesitation, he began filling it out.

  SCREEN NAME: Estwd5280

  NAME: Clint Lander

  GENDER: Male

  LOOKING FOR: Female

  HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO TRAVEL:10 Miles

  HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR HAIR COLOR: Brown

  EYE COLOR: Brown

  SKIN COLOR: White

  HEIGHT: 6’2”

  WEIGHT:165lbs

  AGE: 33

  * * *

  After filling out the basic information, he moved on to the personality and interests. So, what kind of guy was he going to become? A hippie? A businessman? Gangster? Nerd? Jock? His laughter echoed throughout his office. Regina was going to kill him for doing this without her.

  He chose to go with honesty. The more honest he was, the better chance the algorithms would find a great match. He knew the numbers, knew how they worked. Fake name, fake photo, but the rest would be real.